Juding Jane's Cafe Naples, Florida

Place:  Jane's Cafe  Location: Old Town Naples, FL

Date:  April 15, 2012

Meal:  Brunch

If you are looking for the most expensive breakfast in Naples, look no further than Jane's Cafe.  Located in the tres-chic 3rd Street area of Old Town Naples, Jane's is the place to see the rich and famous (mostly rich) residents of Naples.  Tucked away behind the upscale, shop lined streets is this little jewel of a cafe buzzing with energy.  Don't even try to go there after church on Sunday because that's when the Naples super-rich head over there for the $24 lobster omelets!

Waiting for a table at Jane's is your first wait of the day.  After you are seated, you're going to wait for the waiter.  (Maybe that is why they call him a "waiter?")  After that, there's a wait for the food.  I also waited for coffee this morning.  But my shrimp, lobster, asparagus and Swiss cheese omelet was very yummy and I ate every bite.  But, at $18 for just an omelet, English muffin and fruit garnish, it was a tad expensive. No potatoes!  I suppose it's a GOOD thing that there are no potatoes at Jane's.  No hash browns or home fries drenched in butter and sour cream.  Yes, I suppose that's a good thing.  It's one of the things that makes Jane's an almost healthy choice for brunch.  The "Organic Plate" is also very healthy and calorie friendly - eggs, whole wheat toast, tomatoes and spinach.  (Boooor-ing!)

If you are the "bread for breakfast" type then steer away from the "Organic Plate" and head to the "Chocolate Monkey French Toast."  yup - chocolate and bananas with monkey bread and syrup.  If it doesn't kill you, you'll probably enjoy it.  The waffles look very good, light and fluffy, covered in fresh fruit and whip cream.  Don't let the fresh fruit kid you, this breakfast is also packed with calories.  As you waddle out of Jane's you'll probably be in the mood to walk off some of the calories.  The shops of 3rd Street are great and there's a new gelato place next to The Island Company.  Go ahead and have some dulce dessert because it's not like you're going to fit into anything they sell at The Island Company if you keep eating like this.

Enjoy Breakfast on 3rd Street!  Auntie

Passing Judgment - Kate Middleton's Hair

Courtesy: The Huff Post Style

I love Kate Middleton - like I want to wear every outfit, dress, pair of sneakers, whatever she wears and do my make-up and hair exactly like her.  AND so does everyone else.  These pictures were first seen this weekend and I kid you not, there were at least 10 women (including me) on the train this morning, trying to wear this do.  Please keep in mind that this was just on the 1/12 of the train I could see and judge.  Judged - a great hair style and everyone wants to wear it too (also looooove the dress).

A Trip to Charleston - Yum

View from the Battery, Charleston, SC

First off, this is Charleston, South Carolina - everything is going to be good.  I have an event coming up for work so I was in town doing the planning and my sister met me there. It was great and we pretty much ate our way through town. If you are vacationing or visiting Charleston in the future, this should help plan the dining portion of your trip. Note: I wrote that last sentence for search engine optimization reasons.

Shrimp and Grits from the Hominy Grill

First stop, Hominy Grill for brunch. We went here straight from the airport and immediately ordered John Daly's (ice tea and lemonade with alcohol) while we waited for a seat.  For brunch we ordered fried green tomatoes, corn bread, a biscuit, and the shrimp and grits.  The Hominy Grill is known for its shrimp and grits and for a good reason, these are out of this world. The combination of shrimp, bacon, green onions, and the acidity of lemon on top of creamy grits is fantastic.  The biscuit was wonderful as was the somehow creamy corn bread (I don't know how, but I'm sure it's not good for you). The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the fried green tomatoes, they were just okay, not worth the calories, spend them on something else, like the fried chicken on a biscuit. Judged - great food, great place for brunch.

Oysters from Amen Street

Oyster Shell Chandelier

For dinner that night we went to Amen Street for some oysters and fresh fish.  We had the oysters (of course) and then split two entrees, because we like to try everything we can. One of the entrees was the Hot Shrimp and Crab Sandwich - Judged as ridiculously good.  The magic to Charleston's great food is that while they don't shy away from the fat, they use fresh ingredients and acid (meaning lemon, lime, or vinegar) to create a well rounded flavor. I loved this sandwich, but I don't think one can eat the whole thing, I was glad I split it with my sister.  The other entree was the fresh bass with a risotto.  The fish at Amen is brought in fresh every day and there is a list of the fresh fish they are offering that day, the bass was on the list and true to their word, it was fresh and delicious.  Amen Street - Judged as a great place for seafood. Also, I loved the oyster shell chandeliers.

Shrimp Po'boy at Hyman's

Lunch on day-two was at the famous Hymans Seafood.  Here we ordered shrimp po'boys in cajun sauce.  So rather than fried shrimp they sauteed the fresh shrimp in cajun seasonings.  We got lunch at their to-go counter because we had a meeting to get to and the line for the restaurant was long.  The great part about this was that we could watch the cook prepare the shrimp, which was done in her frying pan on the stove-top.  The po'boys were really good, but the best part were the hushpuppies, which where were the best I've ever had.  They were more like donuts, but whatever! So good..... Judged - classic institution for a reason.

Dinner on day-two, 82 Queen.  This is a nice place for a date, but I went with my sister because I was there and it's one of my favorite restaurants, so we had to go. It was romantic.  As they say on their website, "Nothing compares to the fine dining experience offered by this charming restaurant nestled in Charleston's historic French Quarter." The ambiance is wonderful and the food is amazing. I especially love their collared greens - I know this is a beautiful, fancy place, but they have amazing collard greens!  My sister ordered the brisket which was good and moist and laid on top of mac and cheese and collard greens.  After trying her dish she said, "let me try your collard greens because mine have barbeque sauce on them." then she realized that collard greens, cooked the right way, are actually just that sweet.  I had the fried fish over collard greens with pimento risotto. Good, but I had a hard time with the bones in the fish and it really got in the way of my collard greens and risotto.  I had the fried chicken there before but unfortunately it wasn't on the menu because it was really, really wonderful friend chicken.  Judged - a beautiful, romantic spot for a date in Charleston.

You think I'm done, but no, we kept eating. 

Inside Fort Moultrie

Day-three, I had lunch at the Mills House.  This is a historic hotel that sustained some serious damage during the American Civil War, but has since been rebuilt. I had lunch here with the tour guide who is going to lead a tour for my upcoming work event.  The food at lunch was fine, but the location and history of the hotel is really what it's about.  I suggest stopping in and peeking around.

On day-three we went out to Fort Moultrie, which was a fort from the Revolutionary War to WWII (if you're a real nerd, like me, check this out http://moultrie.battlefieldsinmotion.com/ it's a 3D walk through what was once Fort Moultrie). 

Since we were out at the beach already, we decided to stay at the beach for dinner. We did a quick web search and found Bowens Island Restaurant. On our way we stopped at a great farmers market in Mount Pleasant and found a caterer for my event as well as some delicious kettle corn. 

Steamed Oysters to Bowens

Bowens Island Restaurant is off the beaten path, literally, you need to take dirt roads to get to it.  The base of the restaurant is cinder blocks and the main level, where you eat, is kind of like a giant deck.  There are walls around the deck (also a bar), which I believe are made of plywood and there are windows cut out with screens in them.  These windows are all open, letting the breeze through and allowing everyone to see the beautiful view and lovely sunset.  Bowens does not have an extensive menu, but what they do have is perfect and as fresh as you can get.  The oysters, which come steamed, are freshly harvested from the water you are looking at while dining.  These oysters are the best I've ever had, you do not need all the fixins' they are perfectly flavorful all by themselves. Order them by the tray (yes, the lunch tray) or "all you can eat."  Then go downstairs to the cinder block area to pick them up from the oyster cook, who will rinse them off with the hose, throw them into a pot of boiling water and then hand them over to you. The oyster cook and I had a nice conversation about where they oysters come from and how they are harvested.  Only, being a novice, I didn't know that I had to tip the cook and that's how he gets paid, so be sure to leave him some dollars on your way out. Judged - one of my favorite places to eat - it's relaxed, the food is fresh and delicious, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance is nature at its best. Be sure to seek out this hidden gem while in Charleston.

The view from Bowens

I can't wait to go back to Charleston, there's so much more to eat!!!

Place:  Grandma Dot's

Location:  Sanibel Island, FL

Date:  April 14, 2012

Meal:  Lunch

You have to know about Grandma Dot's dockside restaurant to get there because you are not going to find it driving around looking for restaurants on Sanibel Island, Florida.  Located at the Sanibel Marina,  there are no signs at the turn off and you need to drive all the way to the back of the property between two rows of yachts to find it. Even though it's located at the fancy marina, it is not a fancy, fine-dining establishment.  It's a wonderful, family-owned place with big screened windows and views of the harbor.  There's lots of wood and sailing memorabilia  - think "old school Florida yacht club" - for the decor.  Even if the food wasn't great, it would be worth coming here for the ambiance.  Lucky for us, the food is great.

The "high season" of Sanibel runs from Christmas to Easter and that's when it's going to be hard to just walk in and get a table.  There are only 59 seats and 15 of those are at the bar.  In season, there's usually a wait for a table by noon.  But Grandma Dot's is so good, it's worth the wait.  Take a walk around the marina and enjoy the view while you wait for them to call your name.  The service is so fast that the table turn-over goes quick.  Plus, it's not the kind of place where people are lingering over appetizers and cocktails.  The bar serves wine and beer which is all you need for the simple, delicious seafood offered up by Grandma.

I've never had a bad meal here and everybody I bring seems impressed with the food as well as the location, view and yachtsman-for-a-day feeling.  I'm particularly partial to the fried oysters.  (Ask anyone.)  These oysters are fresh, briny and lightly breaded.  I've sampled fried oysters all over the country and these are tops.  You look at the basket and say "I can't eat all of these!" and then you do.  I know I should have ordered the lobster salad or steamed shrimp as healthier options but I love these fried oysters so much I had to go the calorie route today.  The lobster salad, grouper sandwich and 1/4 lb of steamed shrimp are all tempting. Everything comes with a generous supply of homemade potato chips.  Grandma doesn't offer fries which may be why all the food comes out of the kitchen so hot and fast.

I'm happy to start off my blogging on "Hot Plate of Judgment" with a place that I really love.  If you're in SWFL, you should go there and you'll love it, too.  Love, Auntie

Passing Judgment - Charlie Chang's Ping

Recently Charlie Chang's started delivering to my neighborhood. So I decided to order it for dinner the other night. I have had sushi at the restaurant and it was fine, so I ordered the sushi. Judgment - The california rolls were fine, the Salmon Nagiri was fine, the "special" soft shell crab roll was disgusting. I don't say that too often.

Easter Brunch or How I Ate a Loaf a Butter Covered Bread

For Easter brunch I made two dishes found on Pinterest (of course). 

1. A crock pot egg bake.  This would have been easy to make, if I had been better about my timing.  This dish needs to bake for 8-10 hours on low. I needed it for brunch at noon, so if you are somewhat good at math (I'm not, I had to ask my husband) you can figure out that I needed to wake-up at 2am to start the egg bake.  The good news is that I put everything together in the stoneware that night before going to bed, stuck it in the fridge, and then at 2am I just woke up and stuck it in the heating device (I don't know what that part is called).  This was easy for me because my 8-month-old and husband both woke up at 1am. 

So I'm not going to write out the recipe for you, because another blogger already has. Check out the recipe here at A Latte' with Ott A.

Here is the judgment - This is great if you plan to have breakfast 8-10 hours after you go to bed.  The flavor was really good and it was a hit with my guests.  It's also really easy and if you use low-fat cheese and lean bacon, it wouldn't be that too bad for you.

2. The other dish was a lemon monkey bread.  This is where I ate a loaf of bread covered with butter and sugar - literally.  This was really, really easy to make. Just take pre-made buttermilk biscuits - you know, the kind in a can that you pop. Then you cut them up and coat them with sugar.  You put them in a bread pan and cover with a melted butter, sugar mixture.  Finally, you bake.  JUDGED - one of the best things I ever ate and probably one of the most unhealthy things I ever made.



Here is the recipe:

1 can of buttermilk biscuits
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar


Glaze:
1 stick of butter
4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

1. Cut biscuits in quarters and place in a greased pan.
2. Mix lemon zest and sugar together in a bowl, throw in the biscuits and coat with the sugar.
3. Melt the butter together with the lemon juice and sugar
4. Pour butter over biscuits, this will look like it's too much, but it's okay.
5. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, remove from pan.
TRY NOT TO EAT THE WHOLE THING YOURSELF - I'M SERIOUS

I'm Pinteresting

It has been a long time since I posted on my blog and yeah, I judged myself for that.  I left my blog high and dry and thought of myself as one of those people - the people that think writing a blog is a great idea and then don't follow through.

Then one magical day Pinterest came along and as I started collected recipes and trying them. Suddenly, I had gone back to my roots - judgy. I started collecting recipes, trying the recipes (not everyone does this on Pinterest, some are just collectors - yeah, you're judged) and then providing my opinion.  AND people liked what I pinned, what I had to say and then *here's the magic* they started following me.  So, I thought, "it's time, time to start writing my judgmental thoughts again." 

So here we go. Thank you Pinterest.  My husband is going to be so excited, he really loved it when I took pictures of our food when we went out to eat.