Website
Another burger adventure in the city, inspired by my friends' burger obsessions in the city. A coworker had recommended this place and I learned that it's Bobby Flay's favorite burger from "Best Thing I Ever Ate."
This old, original restaurant features walls of watermelon posters and paintings, and a simple menu of burgers and steaks.
- Cheeseburger
(A good one, but not my favorite. It's a good, no frills version of your typical cheese burger)
- Fries
(Really good, crispy-- I liked these more than the burger)
The burger alone is about $10, plus whatever you eat and drink on the side.
7.24.2011
7.09.2011
Eataly - Italian - $$
Website
Eataly is great. It's a marketplace, a food court, a scene, and a tourist trap, all in one. The Mario Batali owned location sells all sorts of Italian goods, from chocolate and desserts to cheese and salamis, and breads, produce and fresh fish and meat. If it's Italian, it's there.
Next to all of the little markets- whether it's fish, meat, cheese, etc., are little restaurants based on the market it's next to. So you can choose based on what you feel like eating.
The first time I went, I had a fresh focaccia pizza from the bakery (to go) and it was excellent.
The second time, we came after a long night of drinks, we opted for the "La Pizza & La Pasta".
- Pomodora Pizza
(Great wood oven taste)
- Pasta alla Norma
(Fresh made lasagna pasta with eggplant and mozzarella)
Without wine, we spent $25pp.
Eataly is great. It's a marketplace, a food court, a scene, and a tourist trap, all in one. The Mario Batali owned location sells all sorts of Italian goods, from chocolate and desserts to cheese and salamis, and breads, produce and fresh fish and meat. If it's Italian, it's there.
Next to all of the little markets- whether it's fish, meat, cheese, etc., are little restaurants based on the market it's next to. So you can choose based on what you feel like eating.
The first time I went, I had a fresh focaccia pizza from the bakery (to go) and it was excellent.
The second time, we came after a long night of drinks, we opted for the "La Pizza & La Pasta".
- Pomodora Pizza
(Great wood oven taste)
- Pasta alla Norma
(Fresh made lasagna pasta with eggplant and mozzarella)
Without wine, we spent $25pp.
7.06.2011
Minetta Tavern - Burger - $$$
Website
OK. I've already posted Minetta Tavern, but the first time I went there, I had the steak- which is not what you're supposed to go there for. The Minetta Tavern Black Label burger is the talk of the town. It's considered the best burger in the city by many, who also justify the $26 price for what I like to consider as the single-childless-yuppie-with-money-to-spend's burger.
A friend of mine who is documenting his way through the best burgers of the city invited me along. We were on a mission. Even on a Wednesday night, the place was packed and loud as usual, making it really difficult to chat, but then again, the burger was so incredible, when it did finally arrive
We went with a certain technique to extend the life of this life-changing burger, which was by: cutting it in half, eating the first half in tiny bites, then eating the delicious fries that came with it, followed by the other half of the burger. At the end of the meal, I noticed that the knife bore the evidence of how perfect and fatty the burger is.
For me personally, the best part of the night was having Riad Nasr come out of the kitchen and speak to the guests at the table next to us. For all the times I have been to the McNally restaurants and dreamt of the opportunity to meet Riad Nasr- one of my favorite chefs and chef-owner pairings.... it was like too good to be true. And there he was, not even one foot away from me, with his name embroided on his chef's jacket. I dont know which experience was better-- the burger or the chef.
We finished the meal off with the Grand Marnier souffle, which well, was also amazing.
I so love Minetta Tavern.
Burgers and dessert about $45pp.
OK. I've already posted Minetta Tavern, but the first time I went there, I had the steak- which is not what you're supposed to go there for. The Minetta Tavern Black Label burger is the talk of the town. It's considered the best burger in the city by many, who also justify the $26 price for what I like to consider as the single-childless-yuppie-with-money-to-spend's burger.
A friend of mine who is documenting his way through the best burgers of the city invited me along. We were on a mission. Even on a Wednesday night, the place was packed and loud as usual, making it really difficult to chat, but then again, the burger was so incredible, when it did finally arrive
there were no words spoken at our table, only "Mmmms"It was amazing. The burger is pretty small, but I've read all sorts of articles about how the actual meat mixture used to make this burger is secret and exclusive to Minetta Tavern. It's essentially like the best steak ground up and cooked to perfection, then topped with carmelized onions. DO NOT think to put anything on this burger. It doesn't need anything at all.
We went with a certain technique to extend the life of this life-changing burger, which was by: cutting it in half, eating the first half in tiny bites, then eating the delicious fries that came with it, followed by the other half of the burger. At the end of the meal, I noticed that the knife bore the evidence of how perfect and fatty the burger is.
For me personally, the best part of the night was having Riad Nasr come out of the kitchen and speak to the guests at the table next to us. For all the times I have been to the McNally restaurants and dreamt of the opportunity to meet Riad Nasr- one of my favorite chefs and chef-owner pairings.... it was like too good to be true. And there he was, not even one foot away from me, with his name embroided on his chef's jacket. I dont know which experience was better-- the burger or the chef.
We finished the meal off with the Grand Marnier souffle, which well, was also amazing.
I so love Minetta Tavern.
Burgers and dessert about $45pp.
Katz's Deli - Sandwiches - $
Website
Katz has pretty much been around since forever and has kept true to the authenticity of the kosher deli. It's the place where Sally faked her orgasm in When Harry Met Sally, and when you go, there's a sign hanging from the ceiling over the her seat saying something like "I hope you're having what she had".
I still don't quite understand how the ticket system works, but when you walk in, you're given a ticket as you pass through the turnstile, which you're supposed to turn in on your way out. But you're sent straight to the counter, where there are almost a dozen men waiting to take your deli order. You have choices like liverwurst (my favorite), turkey, corned beef, pastrami, beef salami, etc. You choose your bread and mustard, and then you're given a plate of pickles.
It's not the kind of place that offers insanely large sandwiches like Stage or Carnegie Delis do, which are essentially catering to tourists anyway. Katz's is the real deal, and their sandwiches are normal-sized, pricey, but delicious.
You can also order the deli meats if you wanted to. All in all, every New Yorker has to go here at least once, and anyone visiting shouldn't miss out on this either.
Expect to pay about $15 for a sandwich and a drink.
Katz has pretty much been around since forever and has kept true to the authenticity of the kosher deli. It's the place where Sally faked her orgasm in When Harry Met Sally, and when you go, there's a sign hanging from the ceiling over the her seat saying something like "I hope you're having what she had".
I still don't quite understand how the ticket system works, but when you walk in, you're given a ticket as you pass through the turnstile, which you're supposed to turn in on your way out. But you're sent straight to the counter, where there are almost a dozen men waiting to take your deli order. You have choices like liverwurst (my favorite), turkey, corned beef, pastrami, beef salami, etc. You choose your bread and mustard, and then you're given a plate of pickles.
It's not the kind of place that offers insanely large sandwiches like Stage or Carnegie Delis do, which are essentially catering to tourists anyway. Katz's is the real deal, and their sandwiches are normal-sized, pricey, but delicious.
You can also order the deli meats if you wanted to. All in all, every New Yorker has to go here at least once, and anyone visiting shouldn't miss out on this either.
Expect to pay about $15 for a sandwich and a drink.
7.05.2011
David's Bagels - $
Website
Do yourself a favor. If you're in NYC and you need a good bagel, go to David's Bagels on 1st ave and 19th st. It will forever change the way you choose a bagel, and it will forever change the way you eat a bagel. It is so unimpressive from the exterior, but it will always be packed with people- evidence of what you're getting yourself into.
The bagels are perfect-- crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and always just... well, perfect. If you're from out of town, this is the perfect place to try a New York bagel, but DON'T get a bagel and creamcheese. You can get that anywhere. DO get a bagel with lox, or better yet, the smoked whitefish. Both are amazing here, and they're so New York, you likely will not find it outside of the city.
Even if you get whitefish, the bagel will be less than $7. Soooooo gooooooddd.
Do yourself a favor. If you're in NYC and you need a good bagel, go to David's Bagels on 1st ave and 19th st. It will forever change the way you choose a bagel, and it will forever change the way you eat a bagel. It is so unimpressive from the exterior, but it will always be packed with people- evidence of what you're getting yourself into.
The bagels are perfect-- crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and always just... well, perfect. If you're from out of town, this is the perfect place to try a New York bagel, but DON'T get a bagel and creamcheese. You can get that anywhere. DO get a bagel with lox, or better yet, the smoked whitefish. Both are amazing here, and they're so New York, you likely will not find it outside of the city.
Even if you get whitefish, the bagel will be less than $7. Soooooo gooooooddd.
Artichoke - Pizza - $$
Website
Artichoke is one of the best pizza places in the city. They opened a new location with seating in chelsea. The original location was just a stand on 14th street, where you had to wait on a line for sometimes 30 min at a time. It was well worth the wait, but being able to sit, enjoy and drink the Artichoke beer is so much better.
- Stuffed artichoke
(Aaaa-mazing. You have to get it)
- Spinach & Artichoke Pizza
(This is really delicious. It is like spinach and artichoke dip on a pizza. The crust is perfectly crisp and each bite is delicious. In my opinion, I wouldn't go for more than 1 slice per person. This is a really salty, heavy slice and you will barely be able to finish 1.)
- Artichoke beer
(I originally mistook this as the house beer, but it is actually artichoke flavored beer which is the most surprisingly tasty beer i ever had. It is sweet, light and super smooth. Try it, you wont find it anywhere else.)
We each spent about $20pp.
Artichoke is one of the best pizza places in the city. They opened a new location with seating in chelsea. The original location was just a stand on 14th street, where you had to wait on a line for sometimes 30 min at a time. It was well worth the wait, but being able to sit, enjoy and drink the Artichoke beer is so much better.
- Stuffed artichoke
(Aaaa-mazing. You have to get it)
- Spinach & Artichoke Pizza
(This is really delicious. It is like spinach and artichoke dip on a pizza. The crust is perfectly crisp and each bite is delicious. In my opinion, I wouldn't go for more than 1 slice per person. This is a really salty, heavy slice and you will barely be able to finish 1.)
- Artichoke beer
(I originally mistook this as the house beer, but it is actually artichoke flavored beer which is the most surprisingly tasty beer i ever had. It is sweet, light and super smooth. Try it, you wont find it anywhere else.)
We each spent about $20pp.
Elias' Corner - Greek - $$$
Website (Astoria)
Everyone raves about this seafood restaurant for being the best in Astoria. I'm upset that my experience at this restaurant did not live up to the great hype that Elias' Corner gets. It's the kind of seafood restaurant you want to go to. There is no menu, there is just a display case filled with the fresh catches of the day. You basically go and pick out the fish you want and how you want it cooked: grilled or fried.
My friend and I however, had a different experience. We went on a Friday afternoon, and the service was awful. We started with salad, oysters, grilled octopus and the taramosalata (caviar spread). The oysters were a huge disappointment. They tasted bland and dry, and barely had any texture; it's like they were lifeless. I never had such a bad oyster before, which was so surprising, given that we were at a seafood restaurant. Then the grilled octopus, one of my favorite Greek dishes to get at a Greek restaurant, was the worst of them all. Totally charred on the outside, it had nothing but a burnt flavor, and was mushy and gooey on the inside- totally undercooked. Clearly, whoever made the dish had no idea how to prepare it. I complained to the waitress who only offered to take it back to cook it some more. Cooking it more would make it taste more burnt. How was that a solution? I explained this, and told her that it was not prepared correctly and that burning it more would not make it taste less burnt. All she said was "I don't know." She was so unaccommodating that we just asked for the check (she did not remove the bad dish from the bill) and left.
I wish this was a better experience for me, but I will definitely go back and try the seafood that the place is famous for. No octopus or oysters next time!
We spent $35 for just the appetizers.
Everyone raves about this seafood restaurant for being the best in Astoria. I'm upset that my experience at this restaurant did not live up to the great hype that Elias' Corner gets. It's the kind of seafood restaurant you want to go to. There is no menu, there is just a display case filled with the fresh catches of the day. You basically go and pick out the fish you want and how you want it cooked: grilled or fried.
My friend and I however, had a different experience. We went on a Friday afternoon, and the service was awful. We started with salad, oysters, grilled octopus and the taramosalata (caviar spread). The oysters were a huge disappointment. They tasted bland and dry, and barely had any texture; it's like they were lifeless. I never had such a bad oyster before, which was so surprising, given that we were at a seafood restaurant. Then the grilled octopus, one of my favorite Greek dishes to get at a Greek restaurant, was the worst of them all. Totally charred on the outside, it had nothing but a burnt flavor, and was mushy and gooey on the inside- totally undercooked. Clearly, whoever made the dish had no idea how to prepare it. I complained to the waitress who only offered to take it back to cook it some more. Cooking it more would make it taste more burnt. How was that a solution? I explained this, and told her that it was not prepared correctly and that burning it more would not make it taste less burnt. All she said was "I don't know." She was so unaccommodating that we just asked for the check (she did not remove the bad dish from the bill) and left.
I wish this was a better experience for me, but I will definitely go back and try the seafood that the place is famous for. No octopus or oysters next time!
We spent $35 for just the appetizers.
the walrus and the carpenter - $$$ (Seattle, WA)
Website (Seattle)
It's ironic that while I was out in Seattle, this restaurant was posted on the front page of the NY Times Travel section, which is one of my go-to guides whenever I travel.
Known for its oysters, I was eager to try. The west coast has better oysters than the east coast, in my humble opinion, so this was the perfect place to try.
We started with an assortment of oysters. Delicious. Then we had these fried English peas- really delicious, smokey flavor like I've never enjoyed peas before.
The creme de la creme was the medjool dates dessert that we chose. Medjool dates are known for being fat, juicy, buttery and delicious. These are served warm on a plate covered in vanilla olive oil and sea salt. I still dream about how delicious this dish was. I never had that combination of flavors and textures before. It was just incredible. If I ever open a restaurant, or the next time I throw a fancy dinner party, I'm stealing this recipe.
Major compliments to the chef.
We spent about $35pp.
It's ironic that while I was out in Seattle, this restaurant was posted on the front page of the NY Times Travel section, which is one of my go-to guides whenever I travel.
Known for its oysters, I was eager to try. The west coast has better oysters than the east coast, in my humble opinion, so this was the perfect place to try.
We started with an assortment of oysters. Delicious. Then we had these fried English peas- really delicious, smokey flavor like I've never enjoyed peas before.
The creme de la creme was the medjool dates dessert that we chose. Medjool dates are known for being fat, juicy, buttery and delicious. These are served warm on a plate covered in vanilla olive oil and sea salt. I still dream about how delicious this dish was. I never had that combination of flavors and textures before. It was just incredible. If I ever open a restaurant, or the next time I throw a fancy dinner party, I'm stealing this recipe.
Major compliments to the chef.
We spent about $35pp.
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