Your hot spot for NYC Fashion Week!

NYC Fashion Week starts this Thursday, September 9th-16th and designers and patrons from all over the world will be flocking to NYC to see the hottest runway designs. After attending numerous fashion events, Obvious Magazine wants to recommend a chic and fun place for you to unwind and dine.

SOB’s is New York’s popular Brazilian food hot spot which features live music from world renowned artists, fruity drinks and vibrant décor in the lower Manhattan neighborhood of Soho. SOB’s is in its 29th year of business and the restaurant has built a reputation as a breeding ground for emerging artists and trends. Even though Brazil is the music of choice, they fuse in African, Caribbean and Latin music to give customers the ultimate Latin culture experience.

The dishes (which are absolutely delicious) are traditional to Brazil but with a contemporary twist. Creative Director Robbin Gold likes to call it “Latin Soulfood.” Some of their popular dishes are Fish Taco, BBQ Salmon, Cuban Roast Pork Sandwich and Bistek Ipanema. Their dishes also have vegan and vegetarian options.

SOB’s  has exciting events to fit your needs during the week. If you’re looking for some place to hang out towards the end of the week SOB’s got you covered as well. Thursday is Basement Bhangra which is a night of music, drinks and dancing with a South Asian twist with DJ Rekha. Friday is Salsa Groove and Saturday is The Brazil Show which features SOB’s Samba dancers and the hottest live Samba bands (straight from Brazil). If you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, you can have brunch on Sunday called Bossa Nova Brunch. They offer a three-course meal of Nuevo Latino for $26.99 (fixed priced), sangria (white or red), and you will listen to the smooth music of Bossa Nova. I personally attended the Bossa Nova Brunch, as well as The Brazil Show on Saturday and both times were absolutely amazing. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was comfortable and I can’t wait to visit SOB’s again. If you like great food, music, and an upscale atmosphere then SOB’s is your place for Fashion Week.

For more information about SOB’s visit:
www.sobs.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/SOBs-Sounds-of-Brazil/71581065494
Twitter: @SOBs
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/soundsofbrazil

Words by Kiescha Cherry, Editor-at-Large

Fettuccine Florentine

Preparation time: 35mins
Serves 4

• 250g (8 oz) Fettuccine
• 1 tbs olive oil or butter
• 1 fresh red chilli, diced (or 1 tsp diced bottled chilli)
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 6 large flat mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup low fat evaporated milk or non-dairy milk
• 1 large bunch of fresh spinach, roughly chopped (you can use frozen spinach if fresh is unavailable)
• ½ fresh grated vegetarian parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
• 5-6 semi-dried tomatoes, diced

Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling water to the packet instructions; strain and rinse. Set aside.

Heat about 1 tbs of olive oil or butter in a large heavy based pan; add the chilli and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and cook until soft and beautifully brown, about 3-4 minutes. Season with ground sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; toss well.

Reduce heat and add the evaporated milk; slowly stir over low heat until liquid has reduced by about ¾; should take around 5 minutes.

Add the fettuccine, spinach, parmesan, parsley and semi-dried tomatoes.

Toss well until spinach is wilted and fettuccine is well mixed through; season to taste.

Served topped with a little extra parsley and fresh cracked pepper; great with crusty bread or on its own.

Variations: I also do a similar version omitting the mushrooms and semi-dried tomato but top the pasta with a fried free-range egg to serve. Yum!!

Source: Veggie Num.Num

Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup, as we all know, is THE classic comfort food. Warming the body and soul on chilly days, soothing the aches and pains on sick days, and a mother’s best friend on picky-eater days. I freely admit that I have a fondness for Campbell’s, straight from the tin and zapped in the microwave. It’s an uncomplicated soup that reminds me of less complicated days. But when I am feeling a little more grown-up but still craving chicken noodle soup, I dress up a homemade version with fresh ginger and scallions. This Asian inspired soup is not only easy to prepare and low in fat, it tastes just as mmm mmm good as my beloved Campbell’s.

GINGER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
printer friendly recipe

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 whole black peppercorns OR Szechuan peppercorns
2 nickel sized slices of ginger AND 1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed AND 2 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 ounces of your favorite dried Chinese egg noodles
8 cups of low sodium chicken broth

Place chicken, peppercorns, slices of ginger and crushed garlic in a small saute pan with high sides. Add enough cold water to just cover the chicken. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Poach chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 10-12 minutes. Turn the chicken over halfway through the cooking time.

Discard the poaching liquid and spices.

Chop chicken into small, bite size pieces.

In a large soup pot, bring broth and remaining ginger and garlic to a boil. Cook egg noodles in boiling broth according to package directions.

One minute before noodles are finished cooking, add chicken, scallions and bamboo shoots to the soup. Stir gently to distribute chicken and vegetables throughout the pot.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with the soy sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 very generously.

Source: Revel & Feast

Blending a serious devotion to sushi and sake with a decidedly youthful, stylishly chic ambience, Sushi RAKU is the most tantalizing tasting room for the most discerning sushi Aficiando! Located at the corner of Louisiana and Elgin, Sushi RAKU is one of the first boutique restaurants to open in the newly refaced Midtown Houston, which has since become a hotspot for contemporary condo developments, upscale watering holes, and other trendy boutiques. The Old world elegance of the Orient comes to life in their sake lounge with magnificent red rope décor draping that looms from above. The bright main-floor dining room offers a comparatively traditional environment with cozy booth and open seating.

Fish is flown in daily for the sushi bar, where several chefs are hard at work master-crafting a lovely list of offerings — from the beginner sushi standards such as California rolls to escalating classifications of tuna, assorted shrimp and scallop varieties, savory salmon served to your desired texture and taste, and a tantalizing list of cooked entrees for the not so brave at heart. The informative staff will helpfully guide you through the sushi and sake menu to ensure you come back again and again. Head Chef Taka Sekiguchi ventures to the dining room from time to time to take note of the patron’s reactions to his latest creations.

All and all Sushi RAKU is sure to become a Houston mainstay for local and out of town taste buds anxious to trade in their Tex-Mex appetites for Savoir Fare served quite rare on the dining decks of Sushi RAKU!

www.sushi-raku.com

DOWNLOAD To-Go Menu

The power of our Facebook Fan Page and Twitter Page will never be taking for granted again. This is how I met JD Cowles and the prime example why we should reach out to people we network with. I thought I first met JD via our Twitter Page but he has been a friend of mines on Facebook for some time.

While on Twitter, JD and I started a random conversation from one my sought out quotes of inspiration. In the process of Tweeting, he invited me to a food tasting event in Culver City, CA but due to my schedule, I wasn’t unable to attend. So we decided to meet at another restaurant later the following week. While researching his website, I was happy to find out he owns a company that produces a line of hot sauces. “Wow!”, I thought. “How about that?!”

All Spice Cafe is the brain child of JD Cowles. Spending a lot of time on the road, JD has become a big fan of ethnic foods such as Indian, Thai, Caribbean to name a few. Being introduced to Chipotle in sunny California has led to the Chipotle Garlic Sauce and a love of many spices has led to Caribbean Spice Sauce.

When I walked into the meeting, I immediately knew who JD was. He looked actually like the animated man on the face of his product. I immediately told him that in person. Once I sat down, I was impressed with how kind he was and his very generous back story. Once we finished eating, JD presented me with a cased of sauces as a gift and for tasting. I smiled.

I went straight home after the meeting to try the products I was so eagered to try. I must say the Chipotle Garlic Sauce and Caribbean Spice both were my overwhelming favorites because of their bursting flavors. To my surprise, they weren’t as hot as I thought. I will be the first to say I am not a spicy food consumer. So, I called a few friends over to try the spicier brands (Hot Cayenne Habanero and XXX Cayenne Habanero) and they loved all of them. The sauces not only provided favor but a lot of range. They can be used as a dipping sauce, marinade and for grilling.

All Spice Cafe deserves major cudos from Obvious Magazine for a very delicious product with great packaging.

Here’s a bonus. We used this recipe from JD’s website. It is one of our favorites. Try it:

Chipotle Garlic Glazed Baby Back Ribs

This is a great BBQ sauce for baby backs. We have done ribs at our Demos at Surfas Chef’s Paradise with this recipe and everyone wants the recipe.

1-2 racks of baby back ribs
1/2 cup All Spice Cafe Chipotle Garlic Sauce
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 ounces balsamic vinegar

Add all the ingredients to a small sauce pan and cook over low – medium heat. Bring to a slow boil for 5 minutes.

Preparing the ribs – I like to use a spice rub on baby backs such as Two Guys Grilling Chipotle Rub. Sprinkle rub generously on both sides of the ribs and sear over high heat on the grill (5 – 7 min per side). Since I don’t have a smoker, I’ll wrap the ribs in foil and slow cook them over indirect heat at about 250 with the lid on for about 90 minutes.

Use the glaze as a finish for the ribs and place back on the grill at low heat. Brush the glaze on both sides of the ribs and cook for 3 – 5 min per side. Keep a close eye on them at this stage as the glaze will burn.

To purchase sauces: www.allspicecafe.com
More Recipes: Click Here
JD Cowles Twitter: @jdcowles

When most food companies are in business solely for the money and not for the purpose of promoting good health too, we’ve found a company that does.

For over 20 years, Suzanne’s Specialties has been producing an ever-growing line of all natural, vegan, & organic sweeteners, desserts, and toppings. They use no preservatives, refined sugars, artificial colors or flavors. Suzanne’s Specialties products are fat-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan.

Most of us have a fear of eating anything that is natural, let alone anything that bears the name Vegan. Out of curiosity, we contacted the company for samples of their products. We wanted to try both of their Organic and All-Natural Products. We received: Organic Wildflower Honey, Strawberry Spreadable Fruit, Blueberry Rice Nectar, and a bonus, their “Featured: Ricemellow Crème.”

First, we tried the Ricemellow Crème. This was our first choice because some of us grew up on the original marshmallow cream and wanted to see the difference. We were impressed! The Ricemellow Crème wasn’t as sweet as the original and didn’t have the after taste. Let’s just say it was the first to go.

Up next, Organic Wildflower Honey. I wanted to try this one personally because I love drinking teas and making desserts. The Organic Wildflower Honey was extremely light tasting and very rich in favor. We liked this one a lot and recommend it to anyone who prefers a healthy choice honey.

Strawberry Spreadable Fruit was tried two ways: On wheat crackers and as a peanut butter and Strawberry Spreadable Fruit sandwich. The PB&J didn’t taste like what we were accustomed to but we felt great eating a healthier version of this American classic. After eating it over several days, we grew to love the low-cal flavor. Most of the staff ate the Strawberry Spreadable Fruit and wheat crackers while working at their desk as a snack. The synopsis was it was a quick snack to go and very convenient.

The Blueberry Rice Nectar was put over buckwheat pancakes with berries and the flavor was fantastic! We all had that, “You have to be kidding me!” look on our faces. This product is definitely a keeper. This was much better than syrup and didn’t weigh you down after a few bites.

Suzanne’s Specialties has lived up to the quality that they promote and their unique products. Purchase their products at: www.suzannes-specialties.com