So my list of favorite things grew a bit over the last couple of weeks. Here are some other favorites I just had to share.
Cali Burrito
Blissed Out on Food
Perhaps this one is obvious, but I've included it on the slim possibility that there may still be humans who live in the Lehigh Valley and never been here. Fresh, well-seasoned ingredients, weekly specials and inventive house-made salsas (blueberry peach, tomatillo mango) guarantee that anything you eat will leave you feeling blissed-out on food. You'll tell your friends grandiose tales of fluffy nacho chips and the perfect rice-to-beans ratio.
I'd recommend anything with smoked tofu, or the Arcata. A more recent vegan menu addition is The Shasta, with spicy pepper sauce and meaty seitan, which has quickly become my new favorite. Insiders tip: Add the ranchero sauce to anything.
3104 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown | caliburrito.com
The Joint
An Impeccably Timed Opening
Every Main Street needs a good coffee shop with knowledgeable baristas, good music, an inspiring atmosphere and free wifi. In the same week Main Street Bethlehem lost Rewired Cafe, it was saved by the impeccably timed opening of The Joint, a new coffee shop from the owner of Blue Sky Cafe (granting it built-in credibility).
The Joint is located in the back of the Sun Inn Courtyard, just off Main Street, with a friendly staff to greet you with high-fives and great coffee suggestions. If you like good coffee but don't know your Guatemalan beans from Ethiopian, the baristas will creatively explain the various roasts as though they were beers. “This is a dark, full-bodied roast, sort of like Guinness, while this one is more like a lager.” Blue Sky-quality sandwiches, salads and snacks are available if you want to eat there or grab something from their to-go case.
77 W. Broad Street Bethlehem | facebook.com/thejointcoffeeshop
Billy's Bud Burner Hot Sauces
A Kick of Addictive Capsaicin
The hallmark of a good hot sauce is one that has flavor, enhancing your food with a kick of addictive capsaicin instead of just making your mouth burn. Billy's Bud Burner sauces are locally-made with organic chili peppers, and come in a variety of fiery flavors like Chocolate Thunder and Chipotle Habanero. They continue to pop up in restaurants around the Valley. I defy you to find anything edible that wouldn't benefit with the addition of a few shakes.
Facebook.com/ chili.billys | Available at Horns, Back Door Bakeshop, and via Pure Sprouts delivery. | Try them with your food at Horns and Blue Sky Cafe.
Sunday Mornings in Emmaus
Go Exploring
I'm very territorial of my Sunday mornings. If the weather is bad, I'm stuffed under a comforter with a stack of books and a hot coffee while the rest of house sleeps in. On a nice day, though, I go exploring. Sundays in Emmaus are special and easily string together many things I love.
I recommend the following: Grab a coffee (or vegan peanut butter cup, ahem) at Baked. Cross the street and head to the Farmer's Market to gawk at the beauty of rainbow chard and inevitably run into friends every fifteen steps. Round out the afternoon with a vintage extravaganza by following the self-dubbed Antique Mall Trail. Weil Antiques is an old favorite (hello, mid century modern chairs for a steal!), and Black Rose Antiques,the size of a big-box retail store, is just across the street in the South Mall. The Zionsville Antique Mall is a short drive away and worth snooping through before you head home to eat your vegetables and nap on the sofa.
The Baby Bok Choy at Jenny's Kuali Malaysian Restaurant
Good “Mouth Feel” Found Here
I've never been in the kitchen at Jenny's, so I can only attest from personal experience as a consumer and patron that whatever they do to the baby bok choy is likely a sort of culinary wizardry.
It's got a tender, almost creamy consistency, with a stalk that crunches just enough to vary the texture. This is what the judges on Chopped are talking about when they say a dish has “good mouthfeel.” Every dish I've had at Jenny's has been excellent, from the curry puff appetizer to the varieties of warm coconut rice desserts. But it's the baby bok choy I see in my daydreams.
Prices are affordable, with appetizers starting at $2, and most entrees under $10. It's BYOB, and conveniently located next to a Wine & Spirits Shop.
102 E. Fourth Street, Bethlehem | jennyskuali.com
