Sushi Sake in Richardson

Having eaten sushi since he was 18 months old, my 6 year old, Pikelet has become quite the connoisseur of raw fish. He especially loves octopus and clams and he knows just where to get some of the best in Dallas. His favorite is Sushi Sake.

If you don’t happen to live in Richardson or Plano, heading up to the no-reservations Sushi Sake takes a little planning especially on weekends. Try on a Friday night a little after 6.30pm and the waits for a table are grueling. But one look at the Japanese sushi chefs behind the sushi bar and one instinctively expects mastery.

Central Market at Preston Royal – First look!

New Central Market opens

Central Market throws open it’s doors today! The Preston Royal locale (previously housed by Borders) marks the opening of Central Market’s ninth store. IttyBittyFoodies had a media sneak peak yesterday at some of the innovations and offerings customers can look forward like the new selection of New York Deli-style dishes and baked goods. Think artisanal boiled and then baked bagels onsite and new bialys and New York City based Charlito’s cocina artisan salumi.There’ll be a full service custom sandwich bar with a “Build Your Own” sandwich option as well as a menu of chef created sandwiches.

Gourmet Fast Food: Linguine with Lump Crab Meat, Asparagus & Avocado

Making a nice meal doesn’t always have to take a long time. This linguine recipe with lump crab meat, asparagus and avocado lets you create a meal in the time it takes to boil pasta. Now that’s what I call fast food.

Recipe featured on White Rock Lake Weekly

Till our next Happy Meal!

Lazy Weekend Family Buffet Lunch

The spread

We all love to eat different things in our family. Pikelet, my five year old is more adventurous and three year old Lollo often needs coaxing to try something new. That’s why our lazy weekend buffet lunches are a favorite in the household. It is a presentation of all our favorite items and a few new ones in case someone wants to try something new.

iCOOLer – lunch bag

Lollo packing his lunch in the iCOOLer

There was an article recently in the Dallas Morning News that 9 out of 10 lunches are stored at unsafe temperatures and they are putting our kids in danger of food borne illnesses. What luck when we received an iCOOLer in the mail. This week being the first week back at school, I thought I would put it to the test.

Lemley’s at Dallas Farmers Market

Tonight's dessert after a day of painting paper boats

Many of us associate Lemley’s at the Dallas Farmers Market with sweet summer peaches but I’ve always found all his produce just stellar. The last month Pikelet & Lollo have had asked me repeatedly to drive downtown for Lemley’s canteloupes. The sweet aroma will envelop you before you even cut one open. And oh the heavenly pink coral flesh that await at first bite – juicy, sweet, luscious…

IttyBittyFoodies celebrates 1 year

Lollo & Pikelet

Happy Birthday IttyBittyFoodies! It’s time to have a Birthday Month Celebration! A year ago, I didn’t know if I could write again after taking a hiatus from writing when Lollo was born. Well here we are on our 60th post and nominated for Babble’s Top 100 Mom Food Blogs (please vote here under Cheryl Collett), named one of Dallas Best Blogs on Wherelocalseat.com and was featured on TinyDallas under Moms We Love.

Pikelet is about to turn 6 and Lollo is now 3.

Oddfellows in Oak Cliff

We have a love hate relationship with Oddfellows in the Bishop Arts District. We love the food but hate the long waits. But they have this wonderful fried tomato sandwich that beckons me and as a result, I’ve subjected my IttyBittyFoodies to the brutal waits – three times. On a fine day, diners can wait outside sipping coffee or hot chocolate made with their super expensive La Marzocco Strada Espresso coffee machine and the kids just wander about and playing with the piano outside.

IttyBittyFoodies & Tiny Dallas

IttyBittyFoodies has a new gal pal named Tiny Dallas. She’s that resourceful friend you turn to when you’re looking for an awesome activity for the kids whether it’s DIY, galleries, performances, music or travel. She makes great suggestions for restaurants, cool toys, great shops and artsy finds. How? Because the people behind Tiny Dallas are

Texas Daily Harvest Milk from Urban Acres

Urban Acres

Milk is milk to me. If I’m passing a pharmacy I won’t think twice about popping in for a gallon rather than driving elsewhere for the organic stuff (foodies please don’t balk!). Sure I think that organic milk tastes better than conventional but it’s not enough for me to go the extra mile – literally. That is until last weekend when fate gave me a chance encounter with Texas Daily Harvest Milk at Urban Acres in Oak Cliff.

‘Royal’ Meringue Mousse with lychees & summer berries

We didn’t get our royal invite but IttyBittyFoodies are celebrating the Royal Wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton all the same with our own Royal No Bake Meringue Mousse.  Pikelet my 5 yr old made up this surprisingly elegant Lychee Meringue Mousse recipe for the Princess Bride who dressed in an elegant Alexander McQueen gown. It’s his first recipe and the results are light, airy and naturally sweet, just like the Royal nuptials.

Zen Baking Company Deep Ellum

“We don’t sell anything that we won’t give to our own kids” says owners of Zen Baking Company, Chonnie Richey and Czarina Hounsel. The sisters bake their own breads for sandwiches, Filipino brioche, pastries, cookies and cake balls. Smoothies are made with creamy Greek strained Fage yogurt (pronounced ‘fa-yeh’) and fresh fruits.

Babble.com Top 100 Mom Food Blogs 2011 – VOTE for IttyBittyFoodies

I’m gushing a little. Maybe not as much as Sally Field in her famous Oscar “You like me” acceptance speech in the 1984 for her role as Norma Rae. I haven’t won anything but I am excited to announce that IttyBittyFoodies is in Babble’s nomination list for Top 100 Mom Food Blogs for 2011.

So please ‘LIKE’ me and vote by clicking on the link here. Just click on view ALPHABETICALLY and search for CHERYL COLLETT of IttyBittyFoodies.

Thank you for supporting IttyBittyFoodies and please share the site using the buttons below with likeminded & very cool (like you) parents.

Tom Fleming’s Crossroads Diner

View from the waiting room

The Confession - I’m going to come right out and say it, we have not fallen in love with Crossroads Diner’s cinnamon buns. Ok now that it’s off my chest, more about it later. It is noon on a Saturday and there are at least 10 tables infront of us. Ugh it’s a 30-45 minute wait. Thank goodness there are children’s books to keep Pikelet & Lollo occupied in the waiting area. If spotting chef Abraham Salum of Salum and the gorgeous new Komali waiting patiently like the rest of us pedestrians is any indication of what’s to come, then wait we shall. 

Belly full of whale cakes – easy salmon cakes with green beans & bacon

Pikelet & Lollo eat salmon cakes because of the book “Big Blue Whale” by Nicola Davies. They call them ‘whale cakes’ and eat loads because thought of having stinky ‘whale’ breath is an attractive trait when you are five and three years old.

“When it breathes out, it makes a great misty puff as high as a house. This is the whale’s blow, and you can see it from far away. You can hear it, too – a great PROOUFF. And if you are close enough, you can smell it, as the whale’s breath is stale and fishy.”

And the winner of the Artizone Bolsa Giveaway is…

Winner of the Bolsa Artizone dinner

Congratulations to

Exclusive Bolsa and Artizone dinner giveaway!

I’m giving away two tickets to an exclusive private Bolsa and Artizone dinner gathering. The event will be held al fresco style at Bolsa in Oak Cliff this Monday March 14th. The four course menu designed by Chef Graham Dodds features ingredients from artisans like Scardello Cheese, Flavors From Afar, JJ&B -  jellies, jams and butters, spices from Tom Spicer’s FM1410, Vongeertsem Butcher Shoppe and La Duni. It promises to be a fresh and fabulous meal!

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother – Itty Bitty Foodies Style

No doubt we’ve all heard of Amy Chua’s new parenting memoir “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” . When I first read her article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” on the Wall Street Journal, I thought it was a satirical piece and kept waiting for the punchline. I read in horror the part about her daughter, Lulu (age 7) when she couldn’t play “The Little White Donkey” and Chua writes, “We worked right through dinner into the night, and I wouldn’t let Lulu get up, not for water, not even to go to the bathroom”. (Watch a video of a different 7 year old girl here playing it. Note - it’s not an easy piece). I felt polarized over the article and judging by the 7000+ comments posted on the article, I’m not the only one.

Feelings of outrage are easily understandable. I would never call my children, ‘garbage’ nor will I force my children to those extremities  (no dinner? no bathrooms breaks over a piece of music? That’s not me). But it was being sympathetic to Chua that conflicted me the most.

Royal China Dallas Restaurant

You may wonder why we chose Royal China as the venue for a celebratory meal on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Tucked on the corner of Preston and Royal, Royal China’s customers are predominantly non-Asian dining on the ubiquitous American Chinese favorites like orange chicken or beef and broccoli. Even the children’s menu features nuggets and rice.  But Royal China surprisingly has some of the most authentic Chinese dishes in Dallas and the answer lies in the hands of Zhang Xue Liang, Royal China’s noodle chef and his crew of dumpling makers.

Maple & Motor – Burgers and Beer

First rule upon entering this gas station turned insanely popular burger joint – line up and order before sitting down. Do not try (or even think about) poaching a seat beforehand. And just like how Mother Nature has a way of moving things along, by the time you order and pay, there’ll be a table free for you. The same applies to the parking lot. Pick up trucks and luxury vehicles alike wait patiently for a spot. And the turnover is quick. Maple & Motor’s ’greased stained tribute to low class cool’ has garnered quite a cult following here in the BigD. No wonder DMagazine honored it with it’s Best Burger accolade 2010. It’s personable owner, Jack Perkins wanders round greeting regulars by name and shaking hands with patrons like old friends.

Perrfection in a burger!

Ok. Now to the burger.