(I apologize in advance for the photos--there were lots of snap and eat moments. No artistic food porn here.)
Between the hours of 7pm and 4am, the following places happened, in my mouth.
1. Porchetta: sammich place
Why that face you ask? The italian guy in the middle was grabbing my ass! He's lucky both my hands were full with delicious meat and wine!
To this day, I seriously still daydream about that very sandwich. So imagine my utter excitement when Will (our old college friend aka food/bar guide who's been living in NYC for 6 yrs?) took us by this place!
Behold the porchetta sammich:
Verdict: meat--juicy! flavor--good! But it's way too expensive ($10) for a dinky sandwhich AND most importantly, where's my crispy skin??! The skin didn't render out all the fat so it was chewy! Still, it's better to have porchetta in your life than none at all =(.
2. Ippudo: ramen joint
The line here is always LONG. Get there 2 hours early (seriously), put your name down, get the Ippudo App on your smart phone, and they'll notify you when your table is ready.
While waiting we headed around the corner for some octopus balls...(no, octopus does not have actual balls)
3. otafuku
- combo B, takoyaki - "octopus ball" & Okonomiyaki (potato/cabbage shrimp pancake)
Hole in the wall, no seats except for the bench outside. It happened to also be crazy stormy that night so we all huddled under our umbrellas trying to poke at these balls with plastic forks.
BACK at Ippudo with time to spare. What to do...but order beers and pork belly buns at the bar!
These pork buns were tender, a tiny bit salty, and had the right amount of color and char-ness served with iceburg lettuce. I didn't appreciate how good these were until I had another version at Momofuku later...
FINALLY SEATED!
What we ate:
-Shishito flash-fried japanese peppers with yuzu salt. I was really ready to hate them but Will insisted that they're his and the restaurants most favorited item. They come out hot! Tastes slightly bitter, and really yummy dipped in yuzu salt. Such an awesome little snack. Finally a non spicy pepper I like!
-Akamaru modern ramen, Spicy miso ramen, and another order of Pork buns please!
There was so much more on the menu I wanted to try! I also heard their chicken wings were good!
There was so much more on the menu I wanted to try! I also heard their chicken wings were good!
4. Crif dogs: for deeeeeelicious weiners!
Go here!!
Reason 1, 2 and 3: Good Morning (deep fried bacon wrapped weiner with melted cheese + fried egg), Chihuahua (deep fried bacon wrapped weiner with avocadoes and sour cream), deep fried CRISPY tater tots! YES YES YES!
Even AFTER several meals, and self doubt that you have any inkling of stomach space left, I stillll recommend this place. So I unbuttoned my pants, and we came in for at least a bite..or 2..or 3...
Even AFTER several meals, and self doubt that you have any inkling of stomach space left, I stillll recommend this place. So I unbuttoned my pants, and we came in for at least a bite..or 2..or 3...
Reason # 4: an unassuming phone booth inside a little hot dog shop with a SECRET door to a SECRET swanky swank BAR through the phone booth!
Go in the booth, pick up the phone which activates a secret camera. If you're cute, the bartender on the other side will let you in. If you're ..not so cute...you're just a dork standing in a phone booth.
Hehehehehe Albert tried and couldn't get in! But the girl did!!!
If anything, the cheap deep fried weiners here (that surprisingly tastes clean and not greasy) tastes great and people watching to see who's rejected by the secret bar God behind the phone booth is fun!
/;5. Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
http://www.yelp.com/biz/big-gay-ice-cream-shop-new-york
Ok, come on..how can I not get ice cream from a place called Big Gay ice cream shop!!!
Albert's head hurts from flavor overload !
Ok, come on..how can I not get ice cream from a place called Big Gay ice cream shop!!!
Albert's head hurts from flavor overload !
I had to try the Salty Pimp (vanilla icecream, dipped in chocolate, injected with salted caramel and then sprinkled with freshly ground sea salt)!
OooooOo..not a fan...Well can't say we weren't warned...it was SALTY.
6. Kasadella -
-tebasaki wings (crispy lightly soy ginger garlic flavor wanggs are my weakness!!)
-beef salad with garlic chips (yuuummmm!): but too salty!
-OooOO! Chicken skin cracklins!! I've never had chicken rinds before and dipped in yuzu sauce no less! GOOD!
-My plum wine with club soda: could have been sweeter but I love anything w/ fizzz!
-Grilled Squid Legs: I always get so excited when I see this on the menu but not a lot of places do it well. This place was not an exception..it was rubbery and tasted really fishy...
7. Summit bar - for dranksssss
I don't know much about alcohol and only drink occasionally but this bar was packed crowded with locals and had some amazing drinks on the menu. Will recommended the:
-Guv'nor: Yamazaki 12 Year Whisky, toasted cardamom infused agave, Japanese yuzu, fresh orange juice
& I got the the Governess which is the same thing but made with Russian Standard Vodka. -Guv'nor: Yamazaki 12 Year Whisky, toasted cardamom infused agave, Japanese yuzu, fresh orange juice
I ended up really liking the Guv'nor better. Who knew I rather sip on whisky than Vodka!
Their cocktail list: http://www.thesummitbar.net/cocktailmenu.html
They also cut their own giant squared ice cubes--cute! My attempt to put the whole thing in my mouth failed..
8. Meatball shop -
At this point, we were beyond full--except for cow whale pig George NG who "could go for a couple of balls!!!".
Will: These meatballs are AWESOME when you're drunk. But what's so awesome is that they taste good even when you're NOT drunk! SOLD! Lets go!
Now, lets get real serious about THESE meatballs for a minute...Nobody's gonna re-invent the meatball (unless you count crusting it with bacon then deep frying it and injecting it with some cheese). I'm talking about classic moist and flavorful meatballs. Sounds easy enough but so many places overdo it, overdry it and mix all kinds of crap I don't want in my meatball. I just want "NAKED BALLS!!"
MMmmMMmm! in a spicy classic tomato sauce (!!!) and pesto (!!!)
MMmmMMmm! in a spicy classic tomato sauce (!!!) and pesto (!!!)
WHERE else can you get amazing meatballs at 2: 30 a.m?? God I love NYC! This place was still buzzling and alive with hungry ball lovers!
9) Last stop--Halal cart somewhere in East Village to eat back at Will's place. I had all of 3 bites left of stomach space in me. I can't resist a good spicy halal cart!
Ready to chillax on Will's roof with a spicy (!) chicken and lamb plate.
(p.s. I love you NYC..but I can't imagine living with these apartment stairs with no elevator, the trash...on a hot east coast humid afternoon..? yikes! Lets just be food friends)
I love summer nights with good friends and good food =)
Thanks Will for letting us stay with you and for showing us the good eats!!!
SUNDAY MORNING:
Why not brunch into lunch?
1. Clinton Street Baking Company:
A very crowded, very busy, and very small local brunch favorite!
Mmm...90-120 minute wait. We'll get a text when our table is ready! Time for boba!
Storm be-gone! Hello beautiful sunny sunday morning!
I love NYC's chinatown--so crowded and alive!
Kung Fu Boba to get the stomach rolling...
Oooh only 1.5 hours wait! We were buzzed and summoned for brunch!
The prize, the must have: fluffy, airy pancakes topped with blue berries and maple butter. Albert, Christine, George and I were debating ordering a second stack...They were so light! Deeelicious!
The weird one colored yellow omelette with mushroom and monterey jack cheese was scary to look at...Real eggs don't look like that! the accompanying hash brown though? On point! Crispy on the outside and full of pillowy mash on the inside!
Potato pancakes: I feel like I should love potato pancakes..but I don't. But these weren't served savory style but with a sourcream apple sauce and the crispy outside makes it irresistable!
mmm...I could go for some more of these soft pillow bites right now..
Since we all shared everything we had a teeny bit of space left for our last meal in NYC, RAMEN!!! It is the only responsible thing to do (the things I have to do for this blog *smh*)--to compare the other hyped up ramen place, MOMOFUKU (home of my beloved pork bun recipe that I tried a few blogs ago) to Ippudo.
On the way there we saw this giant turtle on the sidewalk... just chillin' w/ his lettuce
2. Momofuku Noodle Bar - for pork buns, momofuku ramen, miso ramen
Eh..wasn't impressed. We came in at lunch--the place was crowded but there wasn't a huge line--ding ding ding #1.
Pork bun: No crispy char, no flavor..bordering BLAND! Pickled cucumber..bland...Why you effing with my pork bun momo!?! Why!
Ramen: no fatty murky broth. The broth felt really healthy. Except one flavor stood out above the rest: salt! It was very salty!
Ippudo wins!!!
And that, in a gut-shell was our food adventure in less than 24 hours! Thank you for reading!!!
See you NYC for more delciousness in October!!
