Hosive

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

and here’s where we go once a year to get bbq not from nyc!

every year in the early summer, nyc with the help of snapple, flies in big time pitmasters to put on this bbq fest for us. this year, zoe was due right around there so we had no hopes of partaking but she arrived a few days ahead of schedule so in the early hours of her 1 week birthday, i headed out to madison square park to get our booty. the prices were moderate though the portions were more taste sized. but as i’ve explained to the haters, this saved me the price of the plane tickets to go to all these places around the country!

i’ll let the pictures do most of the talking from here on out.

this is western tennesse whole hog bbq….which was the prize of the day for me since this style of bbq is not readily available in the city. they take a whole hog, spice it up, cook for 20 hrs then chop it up into pits so you get tastes of the whole pig in every sandwich. this was a smoky taste of the divine. because their pickled sides did not arrive yet, they comp’d me with some crispy skin cracklings. much better than pickles!

up next is perennial favorite salt lick from austin! i brought my own dr. pepper to down the great brisket and sausage.

i wasn’t going to get any ribs this year especially from this seemingly ordinarily named joint but the line was bonkers even before the festival started so i figured that nyk’rs knew something that i did not. also…the line was moving at a great clip so picking up some ribs was superfast. turned out to be some great, great magical ribs. the beans were also very savory….i can feel them working on my heart.

next stop was for some more whole hog…this time from north carolina with a more vinegar based sauce. i liked the tang while theresa preferred the other whole hog more. for me both were winners…we were winners!:having different kinds of whole hog delivered to us.

notice i brought chinese tupperware to pack the goodies…

to take home for grandma and my starving nursing bride. vroom, vroom, party starter.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

just south of times square is this hidden gem of regular people food: go go curry as in 55. the deal here is simple: what would you like with your curry: chicken, pork, shrimp, sausage, egg, rice….all of the above? as for me and my house, we say…yes, please.

the seating is super casual…first come, first seated at two or three tables…or at the side bar with stools. come late and its wait or take out. the whole place seats about 15. not fancy at all….no first date warning! you must be pretty secure in your relationship with your girl to bring her here. or she’s got to be super cool.

the curry is  japanese curry which is not as spicy and a little bit sweet.

the go go comes from hideki matsui’s number with the new york yankees and the baseball theme continues with the sizes ranging from walk to single to double to triple and of course, the grand slam curry. for really a few bucks more, the grand slam feeds 2 people. it comes with all that stuff i listed above.

theresa does not like curry that much but generally thinks coming here is a good idea. for awhile, we came here mostly when it was convenient but more frequently, we’ve consciously made trips here…arranging in our itineraries to squeeze in a grand slam. $12 bucks is a cheap meal for 2 in the city….and one that we actually want to feast on! now that zoe has arrived, she can eat the sausage which i have been sacrifically consuming on her behalf during her pregnancy.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

but today, something special and some place we’ve never been to before…

staten island is a mystery to us no longer….after taking one of the best deals in the city…the staten island ferry…for a free ride from manhattan to the unloved borough child of the city…..we had a tour guide waiting for us on the other side to show us the goods and he delivered.

it felt like an episode of no reservations by anthony bourdain…..arriving at an undiscovered country…with the salt of the earth good people with their culture and of course, their food.

justin started us out at denino’s…a low key family institution…for families by a singular family.  there is no pretension: paper plates and casual dress. no slices or delivery either…because they don’t have to. they know that they have a great product.

our lead has grown up going here and suggested the calamari to start…fresh, tasty and addictive. but we’re here for something else….

the pizza! we order half cheese/regular, half garlic and a full margarita with fresh mozzarella. the ingredients are rich…the garlic popping and alive, the cheese rich, the sauce sweet and tangy, the mozzarella fresh….but the magic is the great crust; some of the best i’ve had in the city. its crisp and you want to eat it all rather than putting it aside to get another slice. in fact, i would eat just the crust.

stuffed, we still headed across the street for ralph’s for italian ices. no…not just lemon or cherry….check out these flavors…

these guys would make a killing in the city but choose to stay at home, serve the locals and enjoy their winters off…who needs the rat race of the city? this maybe a metaphor for the staten island vibe and lifestyle. though there are a few branches in brooklyn.

i got a peanut butter cup/chocolate combo with soft serve vanilla while theresa got a strawberry shortcake with grape on the bottom. perfect.

the trek took up most of the day so i don’t know how often we’ll do this…once a year?…but we’ll know where to go. and who to go with!

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

the walls say bon bon…the packaging says bon chon. also, the bags used to say bon bon but if you looked closer, it was a sticker that covered the bon chon logo. no matter the name or the identity crisis, i know what i’m getting into: the korean fried chicken craze. with a choice of mild or spicy, both with asian taste sensibilities, these wings are an occasional treat. some testify that they are made with crack. this outpost is closer to lower manhattan so that you can get chicken without the pompous faux bar scene.

they also offer rice or bread here as a side order. that’s almost irrelevant. the main attraction is the chicken that is double cooked/fried that somehow makes it less greasy? maybe these are made with sorcery.

make sure to get the wings and not the drumsticks. the smaller bites have more flavor while the bigger pieces have the initial burst of flavor but then you wind up eating unseasoned bird…for a long time.

also make sure you have some time. these are made to order so there can be a delay. but don’t be scared away by this disclaimer on the wall about quality time care blah blah blah. that’s to cover their booties. it’s still downtown and there is not as much foot traffic as midtown. i’ve only experienced hit and run snacking here.

best ever urbana announcement dude, greg jao, approves!

i would argue that the one in k-town is a little tastier but this satisfies my korean fried chicken cravings whenever i’m in lower manhattan. i’m still waiting for the kyochon opening that has been promised since winter! that’s the place i tried in korea that blew away all the new york places. but then again, that’s seoul…..

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

presenting pinch and smac….not as in an s&m eatery but as in pizza by the inch and mac and cheese. a great idea for the exponential family crowds at the museum of natural history. after we saw night at the museum uno with ben stiller, we noticed the packed uptown b/c trains all getting out at 81st…and the crazy mobs piling in at the stop on the way downtown.

there weren’t many family friendly places for those masses to obtain nourishment. uptown shake shack absorbed some of the crowds….as did this place!

brilliant. pizza and mac and cheese are no brainers for kids. especially since you can order as little or as much pizza when its sold by the inch! but brains do make an appearance in the form of gourmet mac and cheeses that adults will want to eat as opposed to have to eat because of child slavery….as in the kids are the master and we’re the ones chained. here are buffalo chicken mac and cheese and napelentana: fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic & fresh basil. the pizza is made to order…your exact order. multiple choices.

just ask these ravenous kids. adults had similar pics but they seemed less cute and presentable.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

i suspect that wichcraft is something that tourists stumble upon but decline because of the price of the sandwiches. maybe some are scared off by the name! they’re not pricey for a nyc lunch…..but for a sandwich? however, wichcrafts are everywhere in accessible places like bryant park and the concourse at rockefeller center; and they are part of top chef’s tom colicchio’s food empire..so i expect more outsiders to pay closer attention soon if they have not already.

i will be ok if i got to keep this a secret: these are not just sandwiches…they are a magical journey. real flavor is the point. not just meat colored cardboard slapped down between bread colored cardboard. its painful to eat some of these “subs” at fast food deli’s. at wichcraft, no pain here…but rather, one of my small pleasures in life. i usually get a combo with one of the soups of the day….today was a rich tomato with strips of cheese. my favorite item on the menu is the slow roasted pork with red cabbage, jalapenos & mustard on ciabatta roll. i also like the grilled cheese with smoked ham, pear & mustard on cranberry-pecan bread.

no way i would go to subways or quizno’s when this is around.

i love being a middle class person living in the city with access to occasional small tastes of luxury and flavor reserved for those above my pay scale. i’m sure they eat much better than this but i pretend.

here’s a closer look at the juicy goodness………splurge and spend the extra $3. your soul will thank you.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

some days, living in new york is like living in any place in the world. we do mundane things: we go to work, wash up, eat(everyday things)or maybe not. we go to bed and reboot. then there are days we find extraordinary people with no line on the horizon visions who decide new york is the place for their realities. welcome to the doughnut plant.

there are doughnuts and then there’s this place. this is high art. off the website, here are some of the featured flavors: coconut glaze with coconut cream, creme brulee, cashew, peanut butter glaze/strawberry jelly, vanilla bean, tres leches…

the taste and feel of the pastries: decadent. these are some of the best doughnuts i have ever tasted. this is the way doughnuts are supposed to taste. everywhere else are serving fraudulent doughnuts.

i am glad that i do not live near the lower east side….i would be at least 50 pounds overweight if not obese. and fat pastors are so cliche with their shrill reprimands about our temple of god bodies and social justice for the poor and hungry. hard sells when you fit through the turnstiles sideways.

but i am starting to run again and for special occasions…usually when i’m eating with my parents near congee village or when i am at the starbucks at allen and delancey…i make a stop here and pick up a few for my family…

here are chocolate something doesn’t matter its awesome, pistachio and tres leches. tres leches was magical. i’ve had other varities here and magical is the word.

the upside is that i rarely eat doughnuts knowing that this place is out there. its ruined my taste for what others try to pawn off on me. so when i do get a chance to buy these up, i feel no guilt.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

there are a lot of prententious places in the city along with their pretentious prices…even for a simple bowl of noodles. not here. tucked away, just around the corner from the places we do not want to eat at is a place we eat at all the time. a no nonsense, cheap for manhattan always delivers for the common man ramen place is sapporo. this place feels like a noodle diner. not a first date place but maybe a i’ve been married and feel comfortable with you and appreciate a night off from cooking place. very filling and satisfying….like eating at someone’s home.

i like the meaty noodles. theresa likes the summer noodles but settles for this in the winter. my mom got the seafood noodle.  both were the biggest bowls. you can get extra ingredients/add ons if you like.

here are some other variations…..great for a winter meal….or for this spring that we’re getting right now. “spring”. glad that my boy calvin turned me on this place.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

i’m a little iffy on the history but i know that this is a popular tofu house in la. its where we go when we are there…for late night tofu runs, for lunch, for dinner, for whatever. theresa loves this joint. after success in la, the brand made it back to the motherland? or maybe that’s just legend?  it’s that good that people believe it to be true.

but for sure, it’s made its way to the east coast and to our city and that makes theresa very, very happy. not as good as the la versions…but that’s the way the story goes with most korean places in k-town. but it’s good enough. another big favorite of ours…we really come here once a month.

it starts out with a plethora of the korean appetizers…pretty high quality stuff……

especially the real treasure……the fried fish…every tofu order comes with one of these!!! i could eat a ton of them alone.

then there are the tofu offerings…….

with beef……

….kimchi…..

and curry….the only place i know with curry soon-dobu. blasphemy for korean culinary snobs. but a winner with me. theresa rolls her eyes but at least she gets to come to bcd.

there are varying degrees of spiciness….and it seems like they started out mild at launch and have elevated the spice level each time we’ve come…so be warned. start slow. and bump up each time so that you are not in flames.

when people come into the city, we are always surprised by where they want to visit or to go eat. they are equally surprised that we do not frequent those places or want to go eat there. no. i do not want to eat at ruby tuesdays , bennigans or tgifridays in times square. then they ask where we go……so here are the places we like…not the best or the cheapest or whatever category….just where we go and go on a regular basis…

i don’t always trust my tastes when it comes to chinese food. sometimes i settle for mediocre stuff. so i go with my parents and make them order.

the real measure of good chinese is of course…where the chinese go to eat. and across the board, congee village is the choice of new york chinese. my parents almost exclusively ask to meet here for the selection, authenticity, taste and price point. on a weekend evening and sometimes even during the week, expect a long wait…maybe an hour plus…and don’t expect people to drop out early either.

this place is consistently named amongst the top cantonese restaurants in the city….it certainly is a tsang family favorite! we are here on average once a month.

meats are popular from the house chicken to ribs to pork chops to stir fried beef. seafood and veggies are also excellent. of course, congee village is good for their namesake. congee is usually an appetizer for the main dishes seen here.

during the holidays, we came here a lot with friends, family and palm: the pastoral and lay ministry group that ministers to ministers hosted their annual christmas luncheon here. we came here for chinese new year as well.

this place is not in the more touristy parts of chinatown but people in the know seek it out. that is in keeping with our food mission statement that i slap on each food post. this also helps with crowds not being completely out of control….just regular busy crowded. we used to live pretty close to congee village, on the lower east side when we first got back to nyc….and miss being able to make late night runs a few blocks away. it was a treasure.