re-MEMORABLE: reVISITED

This week I read the TOP 100 places to eat in NYC by NY Mag; it was very informative, but very intimidating to read as a fellow foodie blogger. When I created this blog I'm not exactly sure what my expectations were... maybe I thought it would turn out to be something great like the Julie/Julia project; but after reading the professional reviews and the access they have to all of these credible restaurants... I just knew I had to change my objective/mission statement/whatever.

So from this point on, re-MEMORABLE is just a way for me to share my thoughts on eateries I've visited and would like to revisit; a place for me to organize and categorize places I've been; and at the same time, benefit anyone who cares to read this thing  :)

An Invite for Your Appetite

WHO: Hi everyone, I'm Justine and I LOVE to EAT.

WHAT: Today I was wandering around the downtown area in NYC, wondering which direction I should take... I thought to myself, "If I go right, I'll head into SoHo and I could probably find a good cupcake; if I go left I can head into Chinatown and get some inexpensive yet delicious dumplings..." and that's when it hit me.

You're probably thinking, "What, a dumpling?"

No, friends... I finally figured out a solution that will satisfy both my ever-growing appetite and mind...

WHEN: So starting today, I will begin blogging about different types of food/restaurants around the globe that are recommended by both YOU and ME :)

WHERE: We all know that there a thousands of restaurants all over the world waiting to be discovered... and the best places are discovered by word of mouth! So... we might as well share our wealth of foodie knowledge, right?

WHY: I'm always searching for the "BEST", nothing in particular, I just want to be "WOW-ED". Each time I dine, I'm on a mission to have a jaw-dropping, mouth watering experience. When I taste something amazing, it feels better than opening presents on Christmas morning! It just makes me feel happy and giddy inside :-D

Overall, my goal for this site is to prevent any upsetting dining experiences... I plan to share my best foodie experiences with you, and you can reciprocate the favor by sharing yours :)

HOW: Ideally I'd like to organize this by country, location, type of restaurant, brief description and recommendation. However I'm not sure if blogger is capable of that type of organization... so for now I'll just start blogging my favorite treats/places every Sunday!

RSVP: How are you going to be involved in the project? Well your job description requires: commenting after each post with questions, comments, concerns, recommendations, etc. Consider yourself a food critic here, because the more feedback, the merrier. And if you would, e-mail me places to try... I work, so I can EAT :)

BTW this will be an on-going project that will benefit anyone and everyone who LOVES food. Hopefully it'll satisfy your cravings and link your tastebuds to new textures and a variety of flavors.

Enjoy it, experience it, love it- buon appetito!

RE-MEMORABLE: Is that even a word?

Nope. But I didn't make it up out of thin air... today...

During Winter Restaurant Week NYC 2008, I was at Dos Caminos in SoHo for dinner with my sister and a friend. I started off the night with their Frozen Margarita (FYI- I'm not a heavy drinker but they are known for their tequila-infused masterpieces) and I have to admit, I liked them A LOT. So 2 margaritas later, I was enjoying the delicious guacamole and the wonderful table service.

At the end of the meal they requested us to fill out a dining card and I was happy to oblige. I started writing about my dining experience, however I stopped mid sentence utterly confused... so I asked my sister how to spell "rememorable" LOL and well, yeah... that's how it began! You can either thank or blame it on the tequila, but it was a MEMORABLE dining experience and I couldn't wait to RE-peat it :)

When the selection is overwhelming...

How do you pick the right item? Over time- through research, recommendations and mostly... trial and error, which is why I want to create to this site; to prevent any and all poor dining experiences.

Most times I'll research a restaurant through the internet if I know I'm going there in advance, however there are many times when I just dine spontaneously. So when I take a look at the menu, sometimes I'll spot a couple of items that I might be interested in (but I'm usually open to ANYTHING as long as it's AWESOME), and then I'll resort to my closest resource: the server. I'll ask the server for their recommendation, because they're the ones who should know (and if they don't have a recommendation they're not very good waiters)!!

If my picks match up with their recommendations, I feel like I won the raffle prize; if my picks do not line up with theirs... I'll asks for a few minutes, review their choices and decide: mine vs. theirs. The waiters usually do not disappoint with their choices but you have to remember... everyone has different taste buds, so you can't rely on every recommendation- sometimes you just have to go with your gut!