Foodview: Summer Salmon Sandwich with Tomato Mozzarella Salad

These warmer months have been rather eventful for Harvest Moon. First, the Bison Burger took the menu board, next the Summer Salmon Sandwich was presented, and finally, the grand renovation took place. All of these changes yielded an incredibly positive response from HM's beloved customers.

Catching up with the new menu items, I ordered myself the Summer Salmon Sandwich along with the newly created Tomato Mozzarella Salad. I could feel my eyes getting healthier every second I looked at it! I mean, don't just look at it, look at it!

Refreshing celery and flaked salmon were mixed with a slightly sweet sauce and made into the pink spread of this rare sandwich. A juicy red tomato slice, curls of potent onion, and crisp lettuce made the meal even more nutritious, not to mention giving it a satisfying crunch in every bite. The texture of the spread itself was somewhat akin to tuna fish, but the taste was far more superior than stuff out of a can. The only way I can explain its taste is that it reminded me of the sea. It was real salmon! The turkey bacon gave it a good touch of flavor as well, complementing the fish with a more savory sensation. It wasn't as heavy as something like the Bison Burger, especially if you take out the turkey bacon, making it the sandwich to go for if you're thinking to yourself, "I'm not too hungry, but I want something fancy for date night at Harvest Moon."

As for the Tomato Mozzarella Salad, my palate thoroughly enjoyed the chunks of soft mozzarella and the balsamic vinegar reduction dressing topping the spring mix. It had a sense of simple yet artisan elegance to it which gave the entire plate a high quality.

Adjectives to describe this meal would be: Crisp, fresh, refreshing, healthy, light-ish, and fishy (in a good way; imagine the smell of the clear ocean's water). While I still like the Bison Burger more, I recommend giving the Summer Salmon a go if you can.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Cake

gluten-free

Take a look at this cake. No, really look at it. Have you ever wondered why images like these have such a sway on us? Isn't it intriguing how a slice of chocolate fudge cake can make us feel? The kitchen here has always exemplified, perhaps unknowingly, the philosophy that a good dessert isn't merely about taste, but also presentation. Consider the Food Network's show Chopped. Watching it with the in-laws a couple of times, I noticed that taste, texture and presentation were factored into the judges' overall verdict. Good presentation is a consideration of all true fine-dining facilities.

This evening, I ordered myself  a towering slice of fluffy, double-layered chocolate cake. Its top was of shadowy brown icing- rich, thick, and heavy- like the fierce cape of a dark and menacing villain threatening your waistline with a sinister "Muahahaha!".

Mint and blueberries not only garnished the top with a touch of deep color, but also added a little bit of palatable elegance. It mostly goes unnoticed though because of the richness of the icing, the cake's dominant sensation.

gluten-free

It is a seriously chocolaty dessert. So be forewarned, dear readers, that this is like the holy grail and is not for the moderate chocolate lovers but for the manliest and womanliest foodies out there. This is the kind of chocolate cake that would bump into your Hostess cupcake on the playground and mercilessly say, "Hey kid! Gimme yer icing!"

Like a lot of the food items here, it was very filling. It wasn't sweet to the point that it made me sick; it was just a lot of cake for $4.00 worth! Someone needs to muster up the courage to tell the Moon's kitchen that businesses usually rip people off when it comes to quantity and not the other way around.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Buckeye Frescante

Looking like a malt from the 1950s, the Buckeye Frescante, or any frescante here, is the ideal treat for you and your date to split after the game. Seriously, it's huge.

Thick whipped cream (made in the cafe) mounded on top with rich chocolate syrup drizzled over it is just the surface of this dessert. Beyond the crown of froth, foam, cream, and syrup is a deep well of chocolaty and peanut buttery taste. The ingredients are blended into a texture akin to a thick and hearty milkshake with a tinge of coffee evident in every sip. If you like coffee, you'll like the frescante. If you tolerate coffee, you'll like this frescante still because of its richness in other flavors. You could always ask them to make it without the coffee.

Very filling. I couldn't finish it actually! Looks can be deceiving though. The frescante in a glass cup looks beast compared to its little brother, the frescante in a to-go cup, but did you know that there's actually the same quantity of frescante in both? I heard the barristas talking about the way something looks being a psychological influencer on people. Most customers, when given their frescante in a glass, won't be able to finish it, but if they are given it in plastic, they drink it down like a glass of water. Now isn't that interesting?

~The Harvest Crier~