Travel Diary: Turks and Caicos

Grace Bay Beach

 The beauty of Providenciales is unreal. I am so thankful that I got a chance to experience the island. I would like to provide a few tips for anyone who is thinking about visiting the island and of course I'd like to review the restaurants that we visited.

Mr. Groupers Restaurant

We primarily ate dinner at Mr. Groupers. Mr. Groupers is one of the most popular restaurants on the island. The restaurant was only a short 10 minute drive from our hotel but without a rental car we were dependent on a cab which costs a pretty penny to take both ways. Our rate was $10 each way.

Mr. Groupers Drink Menu

As soon as we walked in, we were seated and the place was almost at full capacity. Mr. Groupers is a small space and has both indoor and outdoor seating. We chose to eat outdoors to be surrounded by the natural beauty of Turks and Ciacos. Truth be told, the inside of the restaurant is not much to look at. The menu is pricey, as is everything on the island. It mostly consists of conch and grouper. 

Lobster Fritters

 The lobster fritters were very forgettable. They had no lobster taste to them. It was basically like biting into a fried soggy biscuit.

Crispy Grouper Filet

The crispy grouper was delicious. Very flavorful and a basic dish that you really can't go wrong with. 

Jerk Shrimp Kabob

The jerk shrimp kabob was very good with just the right amount of spice.

Blackened Grouper 

                   The blackened grouper was a little bland and could have been seasoned better.

Crack Conch

We heard from a fellow traveler that the cracked conch was so delicious that he had become addicted to it so I came in with high hopes. I did not care of the cracked conch. The flavor just did not work for me. So underwhelming. 

I would go back to Mr. Grouper's in a heartbeat. Just be careful what you order since some dishes are wonderful and others are complete flops. 

Seven at the Seven Stars Resort

Seven was located right on the grounds of the resort that we were staying at, the Seven Stars Resort. Seven is elegant but at the same time the ambiance is relaxing. Very appropriate for Turks and Caicos. Seven is also where guests of the resort are served complimentary breakfast each morning.

We walked in for dinner and opted to be seated outside. Reservations are not necessary. The atmosphere was straight out of a movie. Everything was candle lit and so romantic with the ocean breeze rustling the palm trees. There were a few people seated around us but I felt very uncomfortable due to how quiet it was. There was soft music playing but you could still hear a needle drop. At one point we were actually whispering.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli

The menu was small and precise. I had the mushroom ravioli. This dish was so delicious and flavorful. By far the best ravioli dish I have ever tasted in life. The sauce was so rich and everything tasted so fresh. The portion was perfect. Make sure you get a bit of tomato and mushroom in every bite. Yum.

Tiger Shrimp Beggar's Purse

My boyfriend had the Tiger Shrimp Beggar's Purse. This dish is so amazing. The shrimp is cooked to perfection and the sauce ties the whole dish together along with the vegetables.

Strawberries and Cream

The strawberry dessert was the perfect ending to our meal as well as the chocolate covered strawberries. Very light, tasty, and refreshing.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

                     Paradise                           

NJ State Fair Food Vendor

I visited the New Jersey State Fair last weekend and it was my first time attending since I was a little girl. Of course I was most excited to sample the food. Unfortunately, I didn't see any unusual fair foods except for shark and alligator kabobs but after speaking with an employee of the stand, I determined that I'd skip trying it as he informed us that the kabobs were only prepared in the back out of sight from fair goers. Very Sketchy. 

Cheese Steak

Eventually we settled on the familiar cheese steak and cheese fries. The cheese steak was dry and flavorless. Very blah. The cheese fries were pretty good but cheese fries are always good. 

Cheese Fries

As for the fair's attractions, there were various rides and shows. We saw the big cats show and a motocross show. Both were free and held my attention for about 10 minutes. I stopped to see what they claimed was the world's smallest horse but I was disappointed to see a regular sized pony looking bored in a pile of hay. After a quick google search I discovered that the actual smallest horse in the world is a horse names Einstein.The little guy that I saw at the fair was absolutely not the same horse as little Einstein. 

Einstein : The World's Smallest Horse 

                                             Read more about Einstein on the link below.
                                                              World's Smallest Horse

Hersey's S'mores Bar Dark Chocolate

I was at BJ's and when I saw this Hersey's Dark Chocolate S'mores Bar and I had to snag it.

Trader Joe's Strawberry Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

My mother brought this Strawberry Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert over from Trader Joe's. I expected it to taste somewhat like strawberry frozen yogurt. 

                         I don't enjoy this frozen treat at all. It was seriously lacking in flavor.

I would avoid this treat at all costs. I've tried other Trader Joe's frozen treats and there are so many that easily blow this one out of the water.

The Smoke Joint

Well well well.... 

My boyfriend dragged me to the Smoke Joint after he saw it featured on his favorite Food Network Show: Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. I was super tired after a long day of seeing Kara Walker's exhibit (it was awesome!) and enjoying a long walk in Prospect Park so I was not gonna put up a fight.

The restaurant is truly a dive. It is small, no air conditioning, no frills. There are 2 small dining sections where the tables are pretty much right on top of each other.

I ordered the lafayette lemonade which contained vanilla infused vodka and strawberry lemonade. I have to say that this was not my cup of tea. From the description I expected the drink to be sweet and girl but It was super strong and the strawberry pieces were too big to be sucked up the straw.  

My boyfriend ordered the Brooklyn Wings. He loved them. I tried a bite and it was well seasoned but very dry. They come with 2 sauces and they do help with the dryness but they were just not for me.

I had the crispy shrimp and this dish was delicious. The shrimp is a good size and they serve a perfect portion. This dish was perfectly crispy and tasted fresh and juicy. The shrimp is served with a barbecue aioli dipping sauce which complemented the shrimp perfectly. I would come back again and again for this dish. This is definitely a must try.

                              The corn bread was the best I've ever tried. This is a must try. 

The spicy french fries were amazing! They were seasoned PERFECTLY! The seasoning they used was the perfect blend of spicy and savory. The blend of seasonings really makes this dish a must try.

Gif of our meal.

My final thoughts are that the Smoke Joint is an all around a great spot. The prices are reasonable (the bill came to about $40 for 2) and the food is fresh and delicious. I will definitely be back.

Trattoria 35

• 
  

I went to Trattoria 35 to celebrate mother's day. Trattoria 35 has a nice upscale family friendly atmosphere. The restaurant was super busy but we were seated only after a few minutes. We were given menus that contained the mother's day specials. Unfortunately the menu did not contain a lot of options. For appetizers we chose the calamari and the a dish that contained mushrooms and cheese... I normally go to the restaurants website to copy the exact name of the dish but Trattoria 35's website does not have a menu posted. So strange but sorry for not being able to deliver these dish titles!

Calamari

The calamari was flavorless and very underwhelming. The mushroom dish was very pointless. That dish was ordered by my clueless boyfriend. Everyone makes mistakes.

Unidentified Dish

 The steak dish was just ok according to my boyfriend. Absolutely nothing special. This portion was not enough for him though and he ate a fill meal after we got home.

Steak and Shrimp

I ordered a dish that contained spinach ravioli on one side and lobster ravioli on the other.
It. was. so. bomb.
For me, I know that I've truly enjoyed a dish once I cannot stop craving it. I have been craving this dish ever since Mother's Day! The ravioli was cooked perfectly and the flavors of the nuts mixed with the creamy sauce and spinach we exquisite. The next time I am in Queens I will be back for this dish.

Spinach Ravioli and Lobster Ravioli

I did not taste the orange sorbet but I was told that it was delicious. I love that they served it in a frozen orange peel.

Orange Sorbet

Overall, I am not sure how I feel about Trattoria 35. I would definitely have to go back and sample more dishes. One thing that really bothered me was that our waiter seemed very anxious for us to leave. I know that Mother's Day is a very busy day for restaurants but it is very rude to rush your customer's through their entire meal! He also mentioned that we must rush to place our orders. I absolutely hated feeling rushed to make up my mind about my order.

Please comment and let me know if you know of any better restaurants to try in the area?

•                                                        Trattoria 35

Trader Joe's Snack Haul

During my last trip to Trader Joe's I was specifically looking for snacks. I needed snacks to eat at work and snacks to eat at home. 

Trader Joe's Dessert Haul

                            I picked up this Choczilla Nut Pie mostly due to its awesome name.

Choczilla Nut Pie

Choczilla Nut Pie

This was good. Not great but pretty good. It is not overly sweet and tastes best warned up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Choczilla Nut Pie

I picked out these chicken parmesan lollipops simply because they are chicken parmesan lollipops. 

Chicken Parmesan Lollipops

Chicken Parmesan Lollipops

Chicken Parmesan Lollipops

 They were very underwhelming. Such a disappointment especially because our cashier was gushing about how good these were. The lollipops lacked any sort of flavor. Nasty and they are super small.

Chicken Parmesan Lollipops

Well well well these Chocolate Hazelnut cookies are bomb.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Warning: you cant just eat one. They are delicious and addictive. A perfect after dinner snack.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

These peanut butter and oat bars served as my work snack. Unfortunately they did not last the whole 5 days of my work week (there are 6 bars in a box) due to them being super yummy.

Peanut Butter & Oat Bars

Peanut Butter & Oat Bars

The bars are pretty small so I'd have to pick more then one work snack.

Peanut Butter & Oat Bars

Peanut Butter & Oat Bars

Please leave a comment and let me know what you favorite Trader Joe's snacks are!