Type Away Cait

It's a sunny day and the air is cool and crisp when I stumble upon Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea, a quaint little tea shop nestled in the heart of Stamford's downtown center. The setting is well-lit and it's a weekday, so it's very quiet.  A vintage 70s-looking deck of UNO cards sits on a yellow table, creating a warm inviting touch. I look at the menu that hangs on the wall.  should I get a tea, milk tea, brown sugar pearl tea, or winter special? After pondering between a fruity one and one that's coffee-based, I decide to go with one that a friend recommended to me: the brown sugar pearl with coffee.  I order it with light ice as I do with most drinks to enable me to get more of the product. If there's one thing I remember from chemistry class, it's mass over volume. I watch as the server begins to prepare it for me.  Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea is located at 215 Main Street. According to the website, the story behind this chain all started with a pineapple and, o...

photo credit: Cait Malilay It's been a while since my last post, a long 8 month hiatus to be exact. Cait's Plate is back.  This time we're revisiting Conwell Coffee Hall, a large cafe situated in the financial district, just steps away from the New York Stock Exchange.  Last time I visited, I had the avocado toast, and for my returning audiences, you'll recall that I said next time, I'll try their French toast. Here's my take.  I'm next in line when I hear the artsy-looking cashier inquire to the customer in front of me, "Are you performing tonight in our show? I don't believe we've met. I'm [Jane Doe]." I look up form my menu and that's when it hit me. I'm reminded that this cafe serves as an advertisement for their immersive theatrical production, "Life and Trust." Gullible goers, such as tourists, would be enraptured by the atmosphere, and believe that there is some kind of glamorous -with a touch of tragic- history...

photo credit: Cait Malilay Pasta de Pasta, located at 192 1st Ave., is a new restaurant that opened in East Village last June. If you're a pasta lover and you're looking for a reasonably priced dish, then this is the place for you. You can get a fresh in-house pasta for as low as $9.90. I heard about this place on Instagram and I knew I just had to try it for myself. Customers are given the option of their sauce and any additional toppings. If you've seen other posts, what probably caught your attention is that it's only $9.90, but that only goes for the simple Fettuccine Alfredo. It is, however, made in a parmesan wheel cheese.  If you get Fettucine pasta noodles with any other sauce, it will be extra. The restaurant is very inviting and there is a window where you can witness the magic that goes into making it.   photo credit: Cait Malilay I'll be honest, the first time that I went there, the pasta was hot, but the noodles were a little sticky. My second visit was...

Conwell Coffee Hall, located at 6 Hanover Street, is a coffee shop and eatery in Life and Trust, a performing arts center.  photo credit: Cait Malilay From the moment I walked through the revolving door and up those steps, I was immersed back in time to the 1920s. I was greeted by a large art deco painting. photo credit: Cait Malilay I take a look at the menu and see the typical cafe assortment of coffee and teas, but wait...there's a whole section labeled "TOASTS?" Count me in! Being a California native, of course I'm going to order the avocado toast.  My mom orders the crab toast. Now...the beverage of choice. Since it's afternoon, we decide to go with something light, a cappuccino.  We are given a number and to our left, we see the seating area.  In the back there's leather couches and coffee tables. Spread out are rows of tables, so we see that we are going to be sitting pretty close knit with other groups. When we're trying to find a spot to sit, a ge...