Food Adventuring Around NYC
Last week I was featured in Time Out New York to proclaim my victory to all the city. I ate all 100 of their Best Dishes of 2009. And of course, I’m doing it again this year. I was honored to be interviewed and photographed by the magazine and now my achievements have been made …
Woo hoo! The list is complete. And while there were no whistles, bells, or even much excitement from my final list item, it feels good to have completed the mission and tasted the food. All the food. I was hoping to end this journey a week or so ago at Brooklyn Fare. But the ever …
My intention was to make this dinner the grand finale, number 100, last list item, big party. Since the deal at Brooklyn Fare is an eight-course dinner for $135, it felt like a celebration. It was definitely much anticipated. Since I first got the list, I was intrigued by the premise here. This wasn’t just …
SADLY, THE GENERAL GREENE IS NOW CLOSED. All I’ve been hearing about since last summer (besides the Iphone 4) is the General Greene’s ice cream cart. It was built from local tools and parts by chef Nicholas Morgenstein. So of course, that was a brilliant marketing tool for the restaurant. And then the accolades for the …
This food adventure is getting expensive. Time Out likes to run the gamut. Some of their list items are a steal. The taro cakes were 75 cents a piece. Others, like the $26 Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern, are definitely an investment. But none are so financially confusing as the Wakame Butter at Corton. …
The blurb in Time Out about the Brisket Sandwich at David’s Brisket House ends with a warning: “Don’t forget the gravy.” Guess what? I forgot the f-ing gravy!!! I knew the sandwich tasted a little dry. I got up at one point to ask for more mustard. I don’t know why one of the friendly …
SADLY, METRO CAFE IS NOW CLOSED. When I first saw Time Out’s list and read that one of the dishes was from Metro Cafe, I almost ripped up the issue right then and there. How could they possibly claim that one of those cheap, generic lunch chains in midtown had one of the best dishes of …
There are these little cafeteria-type ethnic restaurants all throughout midtown. They’re one step up from those scary steam tables at the corner deli. But some of them turn out really delicious food. However. it’s a little daunting to try to figure out which are worth stopping in to and which are a week away from …
SADLY, A VOCE IS NOW CLOSED. The Uptown incarnation of A Voce opened late last year to lots of fanfare and good reviews. Since then, its buzz has seemed to fizzle and simmer. You don’t hear much about it anymore, sitting up there in the Time Warner Building with its beautiful views of Central Park. But …
I think I can live in this city forever and still discover new nooks, crannies, and hidden neighborhoods in the sky. Tudor City is exactly that. I came to Convivio last year (when I was attempting to consume all of TONY’s 2008 list items) and was amazed to discover this three block stretch of beautiful …
SADLY, GOLDEN MALL IS NOW CLOSED. Ah, the Golden Mall! It’s a food adventure in itself. For those more timid eaters or the ones with a fear of the 7 train, let me tell you about it. The Golden Mall is in Flushing, Queens (the other Chinatown) and it’s more a basement crammed with food …
SADLY, XIE XIE IS NOW CLOSED. A cool thing about living in one of the food capitals of the country is that if there’s a famous chef on Top Chef or a restaurant documented on the Food Network, there’s a good chance we can hop a train and go taste the food. And isn’t that what …
I’ve spent the last nine months searching for authentic New York food. In case you’re just joining me now, I’ve done pizza, corned beef/pastrami, and now ice cream. So what about that other quintessential NY dish – the cheap turkey and swiss sandwiches from the corner deli? When I first moved to the city this …
I sort of think the foodie movement has gone a little too far when chefs have hot dogs inspired by and named after them. What’s next – a Tom Colicchio action figure? PDT, the secret bar behind scuzzy East Village hot dog staple Crif Dogs, offers exclusive hot dogs (all cooked at Crif Dogs but …
Now here’s a great example of how New York is so diverse. We were seeking out another list item and were brought to Ninth Avenue International Foods. It’s a Greek-owned food store. The cashier is of Hispanic descent, they sell everything from Israeli cous cous to Italian meats, and everybody was gathered around a TV …
People love to tell me what I should tackle on my next food journey. There are so many options in New York. But the one that seems to get recommended the most often are hot dogs. It’s clearly a New York dish and I suppose I’ll have to get to them eventually. But I’ll admit, …
When I received the egg sandwich from Bark Hot Dogs, I couldn’t help but think of all those early morning fast food breakfasts I had on family road trips. This thing looks like it could have come from a McDonald’s microwave. Did Time Out really send me to taste this? But knowing that this casual …
Somebody in the food department at Time Out New York must really love pain. I mean, mouth-numbing, overwhelming spicy pain. So many of the list items are spicy dishes. Sliced Fish with Chili Sauce, Cumin Lamb, and now the Mary’s Place Cocktail. The cocktail’s name doesn’t warn imbibers that they will basically be destroying their …
SADLY, CO. IS NOW CLOSED. I have been to Co. or Company three times now. And what’s so funny about that is, I don’t love it. There are so many restaurants in the city for me to try, so why do I repeat one of the more mediocre ones? It’s all part of the job, my …
One thing I don’t think about when it comes to Mexican food is lamb. I think of tacos in many different flavors: chicken, pork, beef, beans, fish, vegetables. Even the occasional cactus. But I’ve never even seen lamb on the menu at Mexican restaurants (or maybe I haven’t paid close enough attention). And I do …