DISH OF THE WEEK: Hell Yeah! PDQ at SANTO BRÚKLIN

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

I have always had to eat many of my meals very quickly in between tours or commuting. Of course, sometimes I would sit down and take in the atmosphere of a restaurant. But other times, I wished I could call my order in so it was ready for me when I arrived and then pay the check as soon as my dinner was put in front of me. So I could literally eat and run!

Well, the pandemic has somewhat made my wishful eating experience a reality.

My recent meal from hotspot Santo Brúklin is a perfect example. I really wanted to try an item on their brunch menu but only had about 20 minutes before I had to get to the start of my tour.

Since many restaurants are continuing to offer online ordering, I was able to place my order on my way, pay for it, and consume it in a matter of ten minutes or so.

In this particular case, I arrived and the staff allowed me to sit at one of the outdoor tables to eat my food. Don’t worry – I still tipped them the same I would have had I dined in.

And it was with this experience that I finally experienced probably the best Brazilian cheese bread that I’ve had in the city.

Unlike some other PDQ (pão de queijo), these were ginormous. They were giant puffs of cheese bread with a nice browned exterior and lots of rich airy goodness inside.

I was also not used to seeing these served with dipping sauces and here they came with three.

The requeijāo was reminiscent of a salty tangy cheese spread. Cheese on cheese – what could be bad?

Next to that was a guava jam that provided some tropical sweetness and was irresistible. And finally, a portion of chopped up ‘nduja (spicy, spreadable sausage) was the meaty clincher.

These truly were as the menu said: the best PDQ in NYC! And I’m glad to know I can get them fast and on my own time. Price: $10