Lunch Spot to Check Out: Flats

 

The other day Anthony said he wanted to go somewhere different for lunch. Between us we've eaten at just about every place in downtown York. Then we realized that there was one place we hadn't yet tried right under our noses. Well, under Anthony's nose... I don't have one anymore. About 50 yards from Anthony's office is the Valencia Room (which coincidently is where he took Heidi to the College Formal a few weeks before they started dating) and in the front of the Valencia is Flats which bills itself as an "Original Flatbread Café."

I just love the menu at this place, so much so that we've been there three times in the last week. The menu breaks down into four groups of main dishes: Pizza, Quesadillas, Burritos and Sandwiches/Wraps. They also have a nice grouping of starters and salads of which I've tried the Roasted Hummus Flatbread you see on the left. It tastes just as good as it looks! They also have wings, a tomato bisque, a side salad and the option to get an extra basket of their awesome chips with a balsamic glaze and parmesan dusted on top.

On my first visit I tried  the Killer Beef quesadilla which is fact killer. The brisket was really flavorful and tender and perfectly complemented the cheddar jack and BBQ sauce. Anthony had the Ultimate Grilled Cheese quesadilla pictured on the right which is stuffed with four different types of cheese as well applewood smoked bacon and tomatoes. There are four other quesadillas on the menu too and I'm looking forward to trying them all.

On our last trip be both tried burritos. I had the excellent beef and bean burrito you see below. The beef in question is the same brisket from the quesadilla so your really couldn't go wrong paring it with refried beans, cheese and rice. Anthony went with the Spicy Chicken Crunch burrito that gets its crunch from tortilla strips wrapped up in the burrito and set off with some mango salsa.

I look forward to going back and trying some of their pizzas and wraps very soon and I highly recommend you get on down there and check them out. In addition to awesome lunch food you also get a really comfortable ambiance to kill your 60 minutes before heading back to your desk.

Teddy's Favorite Things: Soap

It's the most wonderful time of the year... even for a tiny stuffed panda. I love gift giving, and since I'm writing this blog I thought I might share with you some gift idea's from businesses right here in York PA. I know some of you are surprised that my first gift idea is soap and I hear what you are saying: "Teddy, you don't look all that clean bud, what the hell do you know about soap?" well, screw you. That's #1. And #2: I live with two humans who are the picture of cleanliness. So I know from soap. Ok?

If you're looking for fantastic locally made bath and beauty products you need look no further than Paintbox Soapworks. They have everything for the special lady or guy on your list. Both Anthony and Heidi use Pantbox products and rave about their exquisite fragrance and efficacy.

Anthony swears by the Black Bart Shaving soap; he says his face is always much smoother post shave than when he used to use shaving cream. An added bonus is that Heidi loves the combo of its leathery and smoky smell. A few bars of this stuff with a fancy barber's brush would make a great gift for husbands, boyfriends, brothers and fathers alike.

Heidi's go to are the sorbetto emulsifying scrubs. She has a variety of scents and uses them to clean and care for her skin, which she is awfully hard on these days. Her regiment keeps her skin looking and feeling like porcelain which is no easy task with all the swimming and working out she does. Package a few of these together with some Paintbox's hand creams and scent balms and you'll wow any lady on your list.

If you don't like my pairings you can just go to their Etsy page's Gift Sets tab and pick some out for your mom, sister, uncle, teacher, secretary or... you know... a cute teddy bear you might know. You can shop on-line or like their FaceBook page to find out when they are selling at pop-up retail locations around town. Tell 'em Teddy sent you!

Lady Bug Baking Company & Cafe

The big bites are Anthony's but I ate plenty too

In addition to my "Bear Market" series of posts where I blog about business in York's Central Market I will also be posting other reviews/opinion blogs from time to time under the label "Brought to Bear."

When Anthony and Heidi moved us into York's Market District one of the first places I noticed in our neighborhood was the cute little yellow shop at 33 N. Beaver called Lady Bug Baking Company & Café. And when I say cute you have to remember that I know of what I speak. I am, after all, an adorable stuffed panda.

In my pawfull of visits to Lady Bug I have tried a nice sampling of their sweet treats and one outrageously delectable lunch sandwich which you can see me pictured with above.

This sandwich is the "Madison" which is house-made mac & cheese, 4 strips of bacon, spinach and marinated tomatoes on a hoagie roll which is then pressed on a Panini machine.

Yeah that's right. Mac & cheese. And bacon. On a sandwich. Brilliant!

Thankfully Anthony picked this up and brought it home to me, because it was almost as big as me and I don't know how I would have gotten it the 150 yards back to the apartment. But as good as the sandwich was, what will really keep me walking down to Lady Bug is their baked goods.


I have had coffee cake, a few types of cookies and samples of the cupcake and brownie you see here. Not only have all of them been delicious I have also been impressed that the prices are more than reasonable for such high quality products. This value allows eating sweets at Lady Bug to be more of a regular indulgence than a special occasion visit.

One look at their website will also show that they make some very intricate and beautiful cakes for birthdays, weddings and other occasions. If they look that good while tasting as good as the treats I've samples in the shop they will be a wonderful addition to your event.

When you find yourself downtown and are looking for lunch or a treat be sure to visit Lady Bug. Either get it to go, or walk back to their great little dine-in area in the back and tell 'em a tiny stuffed panda sent you.