Slope food feature

A FOODIE’S GUIDE TO

INDULGING

INITHACA

INDULGING

INITHACA ALL PHOTOS FOUND VIA INSTAGRAM

STAFF

MAG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PROJECT LEAD CREATIVE DIRECTOR LAYOUT WRITERS

LEELA CHANTRELLE YASMIN ALAMEDDINE NICOLE HAMILTON AISHA ABBASSI YASMIN ALAMEDDINE, SARAH ROGER, RACHEL HONIGMAN, ELIZABETH BROOKS, LINDSAY WRSHAW, CLEMENCE BERNARD, KATRINA OKANO

Readers,

I’d like to welcome you to Slope Media’s first Ithaca Dining feature: Indulging in Ithaca. Choosing to pioneer an Ithaca dining feature was extremely intuitive to me for two reasons. First, our generation has been enraptured in this “foodie” culture, where it is trendy to seek out hidden eateries, take pictures of aesthetically pleasing dishes and experiment with our own homemade meals. It is apparent, that even though we all do not write for Food and Wine or attend the Culinary Institute of America, we have taken a genuine interest in what we are consuming. Second, Ithaca although an extremely small town in upstate New York, has been given accolade upon accolade for its eclectic eateries, high end cuisine, and locally grown ingredients.

For these reasons, my wonderful writing and design team and I have decided to take it upon ourselves to highlight the best eats in Ithaca. Through this feature, we hope we can transport you on a food journey throughout ithaca. Where you can almost taste the hot CTP mozzarella melting on your tongue at 3 am, where you can almost feel your knife cutting into the succulent John Thomas sirloin, where you can feel the fresh Agava cilantro tantalizing your taste buds, and crunch into the crostini paired with smoked brie at Just a Taste. We hope this feature will open your eyes and widen your palette for the wonderful food opportunities Ithaca has to offer.

Regards,

Yasmin Alameddine

TABLE CONTENTS OF

FAVORITE

BEST BEST GUILT-FREE CALORIE FOOD BINGE 4

COLLEGETOWN 6 BEST ON THE

EATERY BEST FOR A

ROMANTIC RENDEZVOUS 9

COMMONS 7

FAVORITE LATE NIGHT STOP 10

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BEST 8 PLACE TO BRUNCH

WHERE TO IMPRESS

MOM & DAD 11

SOUVLAKI

BEST GUILT-FREE FOOD HOUSE

You walk into Souvlaki House and are immediately greeted by the comforting smell of freshly-toasted bread and tomato sauce.

Though they don’t bake their own bread in house, anyone who has been here before knows that warmed up hot dog rolls coated with butter and garlic salt are a welcome start to any meal. As you sit down and glance at the menu, you notice that there are all the traditional Greek foods you love, from mousaka to gyros, beside your favorite Italian dishes, like lasagna and chicken parmesan.

“Immediately, [you are] greeted by the comforting smell of freshly-toasted bread and tomato sauce.”

Those who have dined here before know that the menu doesn’t change – for the good and the bad. Even though there are nev-

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er any house specials, breadsticks and Greek salad come free with every entrée. I can’t even to begin to express my love for the salad. The perfect combination of crisp iceberg lettuce, tangy black olives, ripe tomatoes, tangy black olives and huge chunks of salted feta all come together in a simple red-wine vinaigrette.

While eating unhealthy at Souvlaki House is definitely possible (my two go-to, need-to-have-themnow, comfort foods are the lasagna and the eggplant parm), it’s a suprisingly great place for healthy eats. Loading up on salad to fulfill your vegetable intake can be a satisfying and filling meal when paired with sauted eggplants or grilled chicken. Other healthy vegeterian options are the falafel and hummus pitas packed with tahini sauce and loads of vegetables.

Aside from the food, Souvlaki House is known for their appropriate pricing, large dishes to split with your friends and a welcoming wait staff that will remember your name the second time you

walk in there. After you have finished off your mean, you’ll leave the Souvlaki house with your wallet around $10 lighter and your stomach infinitely happier than when you walked in.

Sarah Roger

BEST CALORIE BINGE CHIPOTLE

The Chipotle experience starts with a craving. You dream of cilantro-lime rice and roasted chili corn haunt your mind daily. After slipping on a pair of elastic-waist pants, you drive down to Chipotle. You walk up to the counter, overwhelmed by the constant debate: “Do I make the healthy decision and get a taco salad?” or “Should I indulge in a heavy burrito.” You, like many students, take the unhealthy route and order the burrito. Your list of ingredients is never ending from meat, vegetables and cheese. You wonder how everything can fit so neatly into the tortilla, but don’t question it.

Once sitting down at the table, you are

faced with another challenge fitting the burrito into your mouth. To get a full bite, one might be required to dislocate their jaw. Many assume that because the ingredients are fresh, that they are also healthy. But your jaw, now in pain from taking the bite, falls open as you see the nearly 1,000 calorie count on the burrito.

“You dream of cilantro-lime rice and roasted chili corn haunt your mind daily.”

The feelings of satisfaction mixed with disgust set in when you look at the empty plate.

Although you enjoy the meal, regret quickly washes over you. A few minutes pass and a friend suggests getting froyo at Yogurtland. Despite the bulging food baby, you proceed down the block and top off an amazing mexican meal with a cold, sweet tub of yogurt and toppings.

CAUTION: Stepping on the scale after an outing is not suggested.

Rachel Honigman

5

CTB FAVORITE C-TOWN EATERY

What are three letters you can tell any Cornell University alumni or student to garner the immediate reaction of: eyes glazed over, mouth watering and an ecstatic grin? Surprisingly, it’s not a secret formula to stay warm in the frigid winters, or an answer key to the infamously tumultuous exams. No, no they are more than that; these letters symbolically unlock the happiest memories of community, companionship and carbohydrates.

These three letters are: CTB. Yes, I’m talking about Collegetown Bagels.

Collegetown Bagels began in 1976 with, quite literally, a bagel and a dream.

Now with 3 locations, and 250 employees, it is a well-known favorite eatery among the local Ithacans, Cornellians and Ithaca College students. All three CTBs feature artisan bagels, mouthwatering soups, delectable desserts, steaming brewed coffee

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and zesty smoothies.

As you enter, you will step into a bustling, loud, filled eatery. You make your way to the long counter and see a brilliant, yet overwhelming, colorful chalkboard filled with quirky names that sound more like exotic destinations than sandwiches. An aloof, hemp-wearing hippie will bark “What’d you want?” If you’re a first timer your eyes will blur, your voice will shake and you will commit the ultimate CTB faux pas: “cream cheese on uh, plain white bagel”. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that order in your own kitchen, in a school cafeteria, or a coffee shop but we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

At CTB you can pick the quirkiest sounding name with the most esoteric of toppings and the most outlandish of bagel choice and the tastes will still come together beautifully. Also, your lovely granola-birkenstock waitress will not bat an eyelash, because Cornell is home to the most eccentric of architects and whatever you order will pale in comparison to their strange concoction. She’ll scribble something that looks more like a Hebrew Ohm symbol than a number in red Crayola, and tell you to go to the cashier.

Even though a thousand hungover stressed college kids, and an anxious looking high school seniors on their fifty-ninth college visit are all asking for personalized bagels and drinks, you get your bagel with great haste. If you have

some kind of magical powers you will find a seat immediately, if not it’ll take you 10 minutes of hovering awkwardly until you find a small, wooden stool by the window and sit down to gorge on your beautiful meal.

I promise your classmates will turn 50 shades of green. Their coffees are not only delectable (step aside burnt soot, otherwise known as Starbucks) but they’re also 100% fair trade. Their hot or cold teas aromatic teas also hit the spot. Additionally,

“You have not seen envy unless you’ve walked into an early morning class with a large CTB iced coffee in one hand.

Each day over 1,000 dozen bagels are freshly baked for your pleasure.

Flavours range from sundried tomatoes, chocolate chip, blueberry, spicy Italian to apple walnut. Each month, CTB offers special festive themed flavors, like pumpkin for October. There are a multitude of sweet and savory toppings for you to shmear. You can add anything from scrambled eggs, Munster cheese, German sausage to blueberry cream cheese. If you are overwhelmed by all the choices, CTB offers over 100 combinations of bagel, deli or wraps and toppings that are all otherworldly experiences on their own.

All sandwiches come in a vegan, vegetarian and gluten free option as well. You have not seen envy unless you’ve walked into an early morning class with a large CTB iced coffee in one hand. Try it, and

their fresh fruit smoothies (each with their own funky name) are blended to perfection.

What puts this restaurant in a special place in any diner’s heart is the fact that the establishment sticks to their principles: community, diversity and sustainability. Despite its popularity, CTB still brews free trade coffee and uses locally grown ingredients, never losing sight of its pledge to the environment. The eatery brings in people from all walks of life, students from every country, professors new and old, one-time visitors, or lifetime Ithacans. Trading stories over hot cups of coffee, refueling before exams with hearty bagels, everyone gathers together as a community at Collegetown Bagels.

Yasmin Alameddine

BEST IN THE COMMONS

The commons is empty on a rainy Monday. Except for the people in Just a Taste.

Really though, the restaurant next door that shall not be named was completely empty. My group almost has to wait. That would have been the only unpleasant part of dinner. Just a Taste stands out because it is truly unique here in Ithaca. Featuring a wide array of tapasstyle dishes, they bring a little of what everyone loves, and love to try, to the table.

“Baked to a melt-in-your-mouth consistency”

Four to five dishes works for two and all food is communal, unless you decide to order entrees or that one person (me) hogs the brie. My friend and I started choosing our dishes from lighter to heavier fare, as the menu is loosely organized as such from top to bottom.

We ordered the focaccia bread which comes with olive oil you and a roasted clove of garlic which adds dimension to the classic dip. We also opted for the savory leek, a dish was almost like lasagna though technically it was a bread pudding. Baked to a melt-in-your-mouth

JUST A

TASTE

consistency and topped with tomatoes, you’ll forget it’s just a vegetable dish. The favorite of all was the brie and apples. Brie is usually enough of a crowd pleaser on it’s own, but the crisp apples Just a Taste serves have a nice acidity to cut through the brie’s creaminess.

Alongside thin toasted bread, this cheese plate is good to go.

“Ivy and charm were growing all around the place in abundance.”

-Wand’rly Magazine

I congratulate anyone who still has room for their desserts, which are probably wonderful, and scold anyone of legal age who drinks and does not order wine. I am legal, so I had a glass and it went beautifully with all of the above.

Elizabeth Brooks

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AGAVA BEST PLACE TO BRUNCH

Agava restaurant located at 381 Pine Tree Road is the perfect place to bring your friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, co-workers, parents, or basically anyone who would enjoy seasonal ingredients, a delectable brunch, and a great atmosphere of warm employees and music.

“Agava truly stands out from other restaurants in the area.”

Agava is a Southwest inspired restaurant with an upscale bar with over a dozen drink specials including signature mojitos, margaritas, sangrias, and Ithaca Pale Ale. Agava serves an array of plates including personal favorites like the fresh guacamole, the Del Mar taco, the classic Agava burger with aioli infused secret ketchup sauce, and the Just the Tip flatbread. Agava’s food is not only delicious but also adheres to all the necessities of today’s high standards of our “foodie” customers. It is made from locally grown ingredients from New York Farms, and has many great gluten free and vegetarian options.

Katie Reeves’16 noted, “I really like Aga-

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va because they have a lot of vegetarian options, like the black bean burger, which is delicious!”

“...bold ingredients packed with gusto”

Agava truly stands out from other restaurants in the area, not only because of the food but the unbeatable atmosphere.

Tianne Nguyen ’16 agrees that Agava maintains a “cool, California-esque ambience.” Despite the restaurant constantly being packed, even on a Tuesday afternoon, from the waiters who make you feel at home by bringing you warm chips and salsa, to the warm coal-fire constantly burning, to upbeat music, and the delighted laughs of the other diners: Agava provides atmosphere like no other restaurant.

Whether you want to try bold ingredients packed with gusto that will make your taste

buds tingle, or just want to indulge in some hearty brunch entrees, Agava is the place to brunch.

Lindsay Wershaw

FAVORITE LATE NIGHT STOP CTP

“Looking for great tasting Pizza at an affordable price? Look no further than College Town Pizza! We’re Ithaca’s leading Pizza restaurant with great food and the best service.” Somehow this advertising seems hardly believable, whether that’s due to the vague delivery time of 35 to 90 minutes or to my undying memory of my first visit to CTP is unclear.

Either way, according to Yelp reviews CTP is nowhere near first place on the Ithaca pizza ranking.

I’d heard rumors of lenient pizza prices for girls wearing decently high heels, so my drunken self (similar to most other clients at 2am on Saturdays) decided to bet on my ability to obtain free pizza from one of the guys working there, Rachid. Turns out I love Moroccans and they love Frenchies (or so they say), so as soon as I flirtingly complimented the service in French, the free pizza for my friends and I was good to go. Somehow, the frat boys next to me were left peevish at having to wait longer and probably pay more to make up for Rachid’s suspicious generosity.

CTP often discriminates, leaving some clients with an unfair advantage and others at a total loss, like those who wait around an hour for their pizza delivery that never showed up because, as they would later be told insolently over the phone, “the delivery car was broken”. Still, there’s utter charm and comfort to

be found at CTP. For those seeking a glimpse of NYC nostalgia, the thin crust and excessive cheese coupled with a few beers might do the trick. Then there are the CTP experts, those who won’t settle for the monotony of cheese, but rather insist on the Baked Ziti, a

chicken bacon ranch down his throat before he rolls up his sleeves and threatens to punch his neighbor, with his ‘brothers’ holding him back before he can show some muscle. Like the girls whose skirts look more like underwear as they sob into their greasy hands about the boy who never called back. Sometimes I join the craziness, but most of the time I like to sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride that is CTP.

“I’d heard rumors of lenient pizza prices for girls wearing decently high heels...”

greasy-and-delicious combo of pizza and pasta, or even the “healthy piece of art” CTP likes to call the vegetarian pizza. All solid choices for the slightly pricey $3.50 slice.

Then, there’s the inevitable comfort I find in the over-the-top drama of Saturday’s 2am drunk fest, where modern romance and chivalry meet overconfident Ivy League geeks dressed up as frat stars. Like the guy shoving

I’ll give CTP some credit; it has to deal with drama-craving, self-absorbed, often rude drunken students Tuesday through Saturday nights, and still manages to tame our munchies with a wide selection of delicious greasy food.

Rachid and the rest of the team somehow manage to be simultaneously charming and creepy, and CTP never fails to provide adequate entertainment after a hard workweek. Yet, if all this college entertainment is too much for you to handle, I’d advise Ciao’s or Sammy’s pizzeria; hopefully the waiter there won’t undress you with his eyes.

Clemence Bernard

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STELLA’S

Imagine that at Cornell an actual date happens. Food is going to be eaten across a table from someone you might actually like.

After celebrating the appearance of this endangered event you are faced with another challenge: where to go?

“Stella’s is the answer.”

BEST ROMANTIC RENDEZVOUS

Stella’s is the answer. Why there?

Food, drink, and atmosphere. Whether you go for a fish entrée or crab soup for just $7, the food is a delight. It’s hard to get a meal at Stella’s that doesn’t feel like a treat.

Plus, they are extremely conscious of vegetarian and gluten-free diets so you can avoid the instantly awkward silence following questions like “You eat meat, right?”

Being 20 never felt more unfair than when watching someone else drink wine at Stella’s. If you and your date have survived your 21st birthdays don’t forget to check the wine list. They have something for everyone and every price point (the NZ Sauvignon Blanc is always a winner). The white sangria is also a great option if it’s not too cold out.

“Being 20 never felt more unfair.”

Wine makes everyone more attractive, as do the dim lights on the restaurant side.

The artsy, cavern-like interior feels like a step out of the ordinary, and into a special occasion. Taking someone to Stella’s makes them

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feel special. If they still aren’t interested you won’t be able to say you didn’t try.

P.S. Trying take someone out but not quite the love of your life? Get a coffee or lunch on the café side. If that goes well dinner is literally around the corner. Speaking of that- if something goes terribly wrong on your date, the bathrooms for the café and restaurant sides connect forming a convenient escape route.

Elizabeth Brooks

IMPRESS THE PARENTALS

For many you Cornellians, having your parents visit you is one of the most exciting events that you look forward to. Of course part of the excitement is simply getting to see your parents whom you haven’t seen in probably a month or so (that’s for all you East Coast kids who can drive home whenever you want; more like 3 months for all my West Coast or international readers). But you cannot deny that about three quarters of your excitement has to do with knowing that your parents’ visit means: them buying groceries at Wegmans, replenishing the alcohol cabinet (for those of age, of course), taking you to a nice brunch at Carriage House (that becomes more like lunch be-

cause of the ridiculously long wait that everyone willingly puts up with), and for the most highly anticipated event: getting taken to John Thomas.

It is hard to describe just how heavenly the food at John Thomas truly is without falling short. Having now eaten there a few times (only during my parents’ visits, of course), I feel as though I have become somewhat of a John Thomas connoisseur.

Although the restaurant is a little on the pricey side, I can assure you that you are getting your money’s worth with the restaurant’s high quality of the food and the elegant ambience. Also, the waiters give you a playing card for you to collect, if you gather enough cards to create a poker hand you can win prizes like free dessert or a Porterhouse steak. Talk about a royal flush!

After being seated and handed a playing card, you are presented with a fresh breadbasket and whipped butter, and begin to load on the carbs. You can either begin with the mixed green salad as a light, fresh appetizer to cleanse your palette, or opt for the calamari with chipotle aioli, if you’re a little more hungry.

After completely wiping your plate clean, it’s time for the entrées. Nothing is more heavenly than the tender porterhouse steak dipped in John Thomas’ special sauce (so delicious that they even sell bottles for their cus-

JOHN THOMAS tomers). With the T-bone steak cut with one side filet mignon and the other strip sirloin, you can enjoy both the tender meat and the strong beefy flavors all in one. In addition to the steak, getting the vegetable (ranging from garlic green beans to kale sautéed with garlic and onions) of the day is a must.

“Talk about a royal flush!”

As you finish off my last few pieces of my meal, you shamelessly begin to unbutton your jeans and make the obligatory “I literally can’t move” comment to your friend, while rubbing your newly developed food baby.

However, at this moment of weakness, the waiter comes over, pushing a table filled with different desserts that you simply can’t resist.

An absolute favorite dessert is the New York cheesecake, but the crème brulee reall takes the cake (#punny). But truthfully, you can’t go wrong with any of the dessert options, especially with a side of a delightful cappuccino that completes the perfect meal. As you pay the bill and head out, the night sky twinkles with the Christmas lightsfrom the hotel next door, and you feel a sensation of warmth, comfort and content from dining at John Thomas.

Katrina Okano

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A FOODIE’S GUIDE TO

INDULGING

INITHACA THE TOP 5 LISTS What’s your favorite restaurant when your parents visit?

1) John Thomas 2) Zaza’s 3) Carriage House 4) Agava 5) The Heights What’s your favorite place to eat healthy?

1) Souvlaki House 2) Moose Wood 3) Madeline’s 4) Aladdin’s 5) Cece’s What’s your favorite place to eat unhealthy food?

1) Chipotle 2) College Town Pizza 3) Wings over Ithaca 4) Taste of Thai 5) Jack’s

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What’s your favorite restaurant in the commons?

1) Just a Taste 2) Taste of Thai 3) Moosewood 4) Viva 5) Sahara’s What’s your favorite restaurant in College Town?

1) CTB 2) Miyake 3) Aladdin’s 4) Asian Noodle House 5) Stella’s What’s the best place to take your significant other?

1) Stella’s 2) Agava 3) Zaza’s 4) Taste of Thai 5) Miyake

What’s your favorite place to brunch?

1) Agava 2) Carriage House 3) CTB 4) Stella’s What’s your favorite place to eat at late at night?

1) CTP 2) CTB 3) Insomnia 4) Jack’s 5) Asia Noodle House