Hurry up and BE my dinner!

ABC Kitchen + more Stumptown

2011-12-19T18:15:00.000-05:00

This is the mocha I'm drinking to follow our lunch at ABC Kitchen and prepare for our dinner at The Dutch.

Neglected to take pics at ABC but the avocado and roasted carrot salad was NYC dining at its best.

Getting fatter by the minute.

Clinton Street Baking Co

2011-12-19T10:03:00.000-05:00

We are back in NYC to eat our faces off for three days. Fresh off the redeye this morning, we downed two Stumptown lattes, a Donut Plant spiced pear donut, and a spread at Clinton St -where the sugar cured bacon and biscuits nearly made my brains fall out. Latkes shown were meh, and per usual with my lame ordering. But was feeling all Hannukah-y I guess.

La Torta Sabrosa - Mission, SF

2010-02-26T19:36:00.001-05:00

Mijita - SF Ferry Building

2010-02-26T12:11:00.003-05:00

So I'm not writing this to rave about Mijita—it's a little place, that due to its great location, tends to be a little overpriced. That said, the food is solid. But the reason I'm here is because Mijita sold me my first torta. I don't know how it is that I'd never eaten a torta before. They have always been there, lurking at the bottom of every taqueria menu. I just never felt like sacrificing my burrito to try one. It was amazing. Small, but amazing. A toasty little bun filled with beans, carnitas, cheese, shredded cabbage and a little crema. Damn. It would have been perfect if there had been three of them.

La Torta Gorda - Mission, SF

2010-02-26T12:03:00.002-05:00

I think of this meal as the second date of my new love affair with tortas—delicious, toasty Mexican sandwiches. The first was from Mijita, which I'll post next, out of order. Anyway, we had a couple different tortas. One was a shredded, marinated pork which was not unlike a pulled pork sandwich. Decent, but lacked something. The other was Al Pastor, which was the winner. Spicy, marinated pork with little chunks of pineapple piled onto a torta bun and pressed in a grill to make it crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. If I had to rate this one, I'd give it a 3 out of 5. It was good, but I know there are better things to come. Soon.

Kung Fu Tacos - SF

2010-01-15T14:56:00.001-05:00

Il Buco

2009-10-20T21:43:00.002-04:00

This is the first stop on our countdown to not living in New York anymore. And it was a good one. I had a duck ragu that sits squarely in my top three ragus of all time. Alex had pillowy fresh ricotta ravioli with sage and butter. Light and delicious. And we started the meal with a crispy cauliflower and gorgonzola croquettes that I could eat every day until I have to be wheeled out on a fat wagon.

BLT Burger - NYC

2009-10-18T14:55:00.002-04:00

This is my last lunch as an employee of Saatchi & Saatchi. And it was a good one. A burger with smoky bacon and cheddar, a couple of onion rings, and a milkshake made with Maker's Mark and Caramel.

After lunch, I was taken to the roof and thrown off with a box full of my belongings.

Banh Mi - West Village

2009-10-09T16:15:00.002-04:00

Damn, this is good. I ordered the Sloppy Bao - red chili ground pork with basil, cilantro, carrots and green papaya. So good. The bread was perfect - crusty outside/soft and hollowed out on the inside.

Dirty Bird - NYC

2009-10-06T13:13:00.001-04:00

Damn. I'm lucky I didn't know about thi place until now, because it's good, fast, and cheap. I had two pieces of buttermilk fried chicken with a polenta triangle and a side of brussels sprouts. $8.63. Hot damn.

Iron Works Barbeque - Austin

2009-10-03T21:25:00.002-04:00

It's good to be in Texas. I had the combination plate with perfect, tender smoky brisket, sausage and a giant beef rib. Alex had donkey ribs, I think. Not sure. They look like donkey ribs, or maybe horse. They're so similar, it's often hard to tell. See for yourself.

Frank - East Village

2009-09-23T12:06:00.001-04:00

This is a polpettone, which I figured would roughly translate to "giant meatball." But the menu said that it was meatloaf. Well, the menu was wrong.

Taïm - NYC

2009-09-03T16:17:00.005-04:00

I think I've posted about this before, but the falafel sandwich at Taïm is unbeatable. Perfectly crispy harissa falafel, Israeli salad, marinated cabbage, hummus, tahini and s'rug (hot sauce).

This Middle Eastern Delight is so good it makes me want to play hacky sack.

Oops - Healthy

2009-09-03T16:04:00.001-04:00

Waaaa waaaaaa. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich today at Blue Ribbon in the West Village and received a salad with chicken instead. I figured that was the universe telling me I'm fat, so i ate it (and almost enjoyed it.)

Five Guys

2009-08-27T23:49:00.001-04:00

This is how you fix a hangover.

Urth Cafe - Santa Monica

2009-08-24T20:47:00.002-04:00

This is a Cafe Quadra and it will kick your coffee's sorry little ass. Whoot whoot. 4 shots of espresso and a bunch of hot milk.

Cora's Cafe - Santa Monica

2009-08-24T20:42:00.001-04:00

Cora's Huevos Rancheros with White Beans is a nice homecoming for my former second home. As always, the cafe au lait was too hot and mysteriously, it didn't cool down in the 30 minutes it took to finish it.

The Fairmont - Santa Monica

2009-08-22T00:38:00.001-04:00

It's a salad. Sigh. Butter lettuce, apples and walnuts.

Ed's Lobster Bar

2009-08-17T21:04:00.004-04:00

Despite it being hotter than Houston inside E.L.B., we had a good dinner. Shrimp Cocktail from the Raw Bar and a Caesar for the lady, and a simple Bibb Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts, and a Lobster Roll with Fries and Pickles for Fatty here.

Home Cooking

2009-08-08T19:25:00.006-04:00

This is Cumin-Dusted Mahi Mahi with Green Gazpacho and it is good. I am warshing it down with a cucumber lime gin beverage that I also made with my own dirty hands.

Papaya Dog

2009-08-04T11:36:00.001-04:00

This is a garbage man's lunch. Two hot dogs and some sort of drink that tastes like suntan lotion. Not pictured is the single bite of a potato knish that I had. It had that vague, unidentifiable "knish spice" flavor mixed into the potato mush. I really have no idea what would make it taste like that. Dicey shit.

7-11 Nachos - San Rafael

2009-07-30T17:14:00.004-04:00

I don't care what you say. I'd eat it again. Although it should be noted that Alex grabbed them and threw them into the trash so I couldn't finish the job.

Casa Del Palmar - San Rafael

2009-07-24T17:29:00.002-04:00

Stuffed this in my face today. One Burrito Especial with Carne Asada warshed down with an ice cold Bohemia. Very very happy.

Zuni

2009-07-23T01:57:00.002-04:00

Oh, and did I mention that there was a pork rib roast? Yep. With orange and fennel.

Zuni - San Francisco

2009-07-23T01:53:00.002-04:00

Underneath these leaves and bread salad is one of the most perfectly roasted chickens on the planet. Dagnabbit.

Specialties - San Francisco, CA

2009-07-21T19:09:00.003-04:00

1/4 pound of crispy chewy perfectly undercooked chocolate dough, oozing with white chocolate chunks. So unnecessary.

Cafe Habana

2009-07-21T13:36:00.001-04:00

Ugly, but good. Huevos con Chorizo with black beans. And the waitress called me "baby."

Zuni Cafe - San Francisco

2009-07-13T19:27:00.002-04:00

Pre redeye Friday night, I stopped off at Zuni Cafe, where I was happy to find Burratta is back in season. I also put away a deep fried quail with rapini, some ricotta gnocchi, and a delectable bowl of corn soup laced with fresh tarragon and chives.

Momofuku Milk Bar

2009-07-13T19:24:00.002-04:00

Milk Bar now has peanut butter cookies. They don't compare to City Bakery's pb cookies. Nor do they compare to their very own Compost cookies, or Cornflake Chocolate Marshmallow cookies. But don't you like my nail polish? It's Atomic Orange, by OPI.

Perilla - NYC

2009-07-13T15:44:00.002-04:00

Manhattan summer weekends are great. It's shockingly easy to get into restaurants. We walked in Sunday evening to a 60% full restaurant and opted to sit at the bar. Edamame Falafel, Duck Meatballs, Ricotta Gnudi with some sort of Black Truffle magic, and an amazing Farro Rosotto with Pecorino and Artichoke Confit.

Clinton St. Baking Co.

2009-07-11T12:23:00.001-04:00

I hate waiting in lines to get into tiny little restaurants, but fuck this place is good. I'll do it. The Blueberry Pancakes with maple butter were perfect. Alex had the Southern Breakfast: two eggs, cheese grits with chives sprinkled on top, fried green tomatoes and sugar-cured bacon that was as close to meat candy as you can get.

Delfina Pizzeria - San Francisco

2009-07-10T20:11:00.002-04:00

I used to not love Pizzeria Delfina and I was especially skeptical, revisiting it after my year of scarfing NY pies. But this was a revolution in my mouth. Prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella di bufala, panna, and arugula. Panna btw, is Italian cream which is whats oozing in this photo. And what it does its make it taste like a mix of carbonara, cacio y pepio, and heaven.

Mercadito - NYC

2009-07-09T12:34:00.003-04:00

I found good tacos in NYC. Mercadito Cantina on Avenue B. We ordered 1/4 kilos of all three of their delicious taco meats: carnitas, pulled chicken, and carne asada. All great. each one came with two different salsas, a little bowl of onions, a pile of corn tortillas and a few limes. The ancho was my fave. Smoky tasty. We also had a couple of different guacamoles which were great. And I warshed them down with a perfect Michelada. I give this establishment an A. It is my first good Mexican Food experience in New York that doesn't have to be followed by the words "... for New York."

Camino, Oakland CA

2009-07-09T12:01:00.002-04:00

The west coast feeding frenzy continues. Last night was Camino, a restaurant started by one of Alice Waters Chez Panisse disciples. Highlights included crostini with sheepsmilk ricotta, figs and fried herbs, and all these delectable beverages. On the left is some rum ginger mint thing. To the right is tequila reposado with lemon, agave and egg white. Closest to camera is mezcal, apple, lemon and grenadine and my favorite kind of ice cubes. I'd never had mezcal before. It was a little smoky and barnyardy even (if you can say that about liquor). I'm still not sure if I loved it, but it sure was purty.

Mixt Greens San Francisco

2009-07-08T21:26:00.001-04:00

Another thing SF has over the NY food scene. Mixt Greens. Where in NY can you get an organic salad piled with pristine seasonal veggies like heirloom tomatoes, in a biodegradable container, for $10?

Yank Sing San Francisco

2009-07-07T18:18:00.001-04:00

Their soup dumplings don't compare to Joe's Shanghai in NY, but on a frigid gray windy summer day in SF, they hit the spot.

Dairy Queen - Outer Banks, North Carolina

2009-07-02T22:49:00.002-04:00

Thank you North Carolina for not posting caloric info at chain restaurants. Although if they did, this was still worth however many thousand it was. Layers of hot fudge, salty peanuts and vanilla softserve. And as big as Nick's head.

Currituck BBQ - North Carolina

2009-07-01T23:18:00.001-04:00

This looks like hot lunch and it kind of was. The plate on the bottom right is a pulled pork/brisket combo. They got my sides completely wrong because I would never order that shit under normal circumstances. Pickled beets and mushy green beans out of a can. But the meats were decent and the cole slaw was pretty good. And anything tastes good with barbeque sauce on it. Holla atcha picnic table.

Joe's Pizza

2009-06-27T13:58:00.002-04:00

Sweet redemption. One slice of cheese from Joe's to erase that awful breakfast at Cabrito.

Cabrito

2009-06-27T13:56:00.001-04:00

Breakfast FAIL. Alex got owned this morning by a disgusting, sweaty pile of soggy gray tortilla chips soaked in oil and topped with two unset fried eggs and a blob of sour cream.

Degustation

2009-06-27T09:45:00.001-04:00

This is the weirdest restaurant we've been in since we moved to New York. It looks like a sushi bar, but Spanish. Like high-end tapas. This blurry mess was a slow-cooked egg in Parmesan broth with chanterelles, matsutaki mushrooms, crispy green onion, asparagus, and pea flowers.

Peep - SoHo

2009-06-27T09:41:00.002-04:00

I love having lunch at Peep because their giant plates make me feel like a little kid. Or a midget. The tiny round thing at ten o'clock on my plate is a quarter, just so you can get an idea of scale. The wet, brown stuff on the plate is chicken with basil and chiles and yeah, it was good.

Death and Company

2009-06-26T22:07:00.001-04:00

These people know how to make a drink. The tall one is tequila with watermelon and lime juice with a sugar, spice and salt rim. The shorty is tequila, blood orange liquer, red vermouth and molé bitters. They sound pretty fancy, but I'm not embarrassed. They was good, son.

Café Colombé

2009-06-25T12:53:00.001-04:00

Double espresso friend me good.

Our apartment

2009-06-23T19:29:00.001-04:00

As in the apartment that we live in.
Lemon Gelato made with Lemons, Limoncello and Greek Yogurt.

DBGB

2009-06-22T01:04:00.003-04:00

We finally made it. The DB stands for Daniel Bouloud. GB... other than playing off of CBGB, I guess it could mean Gastro Bar? Ok, I'm just making shit up here. But who cares. This was a tasty burger. Also had Duck Meatballs, a chopped salad with watermelon, avocado and a Ginger something something dressing that was very good. Alex had Merguez sausage with yogurt sauce. Also tasty. Ok. I'm not gonna get too philosophical about hamburgers and hot dogs. Shut up and eat.
- Seacrest out.

Big Apple BBQ - Madison Square Park

2009-06-14T16:56:00.003-04:00

I don't know if I'd recommend two consecutive BBQ meals, but I inadvertently stumbled upon the Big Apple BBQ in Madison Square Park Saturday, so it's ok since it wasn't premeditated. Unfortunately, heart disease doesn't make such distinctions. Anyway, the long lines kept me out of trouble. Sadly, they also kept me out of the best BBQ. The line for Salt Lick (Austin, TX) was at least an hour long. And Jim 'N Nick's (Birmingham) wasn't much better. What we ended up with was merely mediocre brisket and pickles from
Wilson's. Take a look. Eh.

Fette Sau - Williamsburg

2009-06-13T00:40:00.003-04:00

I think Fette Sau means something not so great in German, but that shouldn't dissuade you. This place is legit. Full on BBQ. Pulled Pork Shoulder, Brisket, Sausage with lots of fennel, and Pork Belly. AND YOU PAY BY THE POUND! Shit.

Back it up with some Gus's Pickles and Sauerkraut, and pretty much everywhere it's gonna be hot.

Calexico

2009-06-13T00:36:00.004-04:00

Still the best burrito I've had in manhattan. Speak up if you can beat it. Please. This one is called the Gringo Ground Beef Burrito and it's pretty self-explanatory.

I love the packets of Cholula Sauce. Nice touch.

Australian Homemade

2009-06-03T14:54:00.004-04:00

This was some tasty iced cream. I have no complaints about it whatsoever. The pictured cone contains Crunchy Macadamia Nut Ice Cream with Caramel, some of which leaked out and stuck to the back of my hand. I then licked it off my hand, along with some subway germs. And now I have the swine flu. Probably.

Rai Rai Ken

2009-06-03T14:18:00.001-04:00

Very good ramen. I didn't really need to order it with extra pork. But I did.

Lulu

2009-05-28T18:54:00.002-04:00

Yet another good restaurant within a three-minute walk. And it's sort of cheap. Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do much justice to this delicious roaated chicken's meat and root vegetables.

Davey's Hideaway - Palm Springs

2009-05-26T10:04:00.002-04:00

I could have fixed the color on this photo, but now that I think of it, this is exactly how I remember it.

Baja Fresh

2009-05-26T10:00:00.003-04:00

The showdown. Mama Cholula vs. Carlos Tapatío.

Who will win?

I doubt it.

2009-05-26T09:51:00.000-04:00

Taqueria Tlaquepaque - Palm Springs

2009-05-22T00:52:00.001-04:00

I wonder if these people are going to be angry when the heavy guage cables that I have fastened to the roof of their taco restaurant become taut as the helicopter slowly lifts it into the sky and transports it to Manhattan.

Mud Truck

2009-05-17T17:57:00.000-04:00

Red Hook #2

2009-05-16T18:37:00.000-04:00

> This is a quesadilla. Uh huh.

Red Hook

2009-05-16T14:21:00.000-04:00

Taco Season has begun!

Patsy's Pizza

2009-05-10T22:42:00.001-04:00

Patsy's. Frickin. Pizza. Hell yes.

Central Park Snack Stop

2009-05-10T22:22:00.003-04:00

Today we biked to Central Park and by the time we got there we were ready to snack. Nick immediately went for a dog with mustard. I was leaning toward a hot pretzel but scanned the sign to see what else they had, and that's when I saw that they post calorie info next to everything. What a buzzkill. A hot dog is 240 but a hot pretzel is 440. WTF? If there are that many calories in a pretzel, how many do you think are in a Domino's Pasta in a Pizza Breadbowl?

Emporio

2009-05-07T21:11:00.002-04:00

Again. Big fan. This plate of Rustici pasta filled with wild mushrooms and dandelions is sitting in some delicious butter and truffle something with a little bit of shaved something on top.

Sunday Pub Crawl 3

2009-05-03T18:02:00.001-04:00

Next stop - The Spotted Pig
Oh Sweet Jesus. Bloody Marys. Deviled Eggs. A burger. More deviled eggs. Wine.

Sunday Pub Crawl 2

2009-05-03T16:31:00.001-04:00

Second stop - John Dory for beer, wine and oysters. Still a shitty rainy day. Getting better though. A half dozen oysters and a pint and a glass of white wine helps. Sidenote - Keanu Reeves just walked in. Terrible performance.

Sunday Pub Crawl

2009-05-03T16:25:00.001-04:00

What a shitty rainy day. We have no choice but to grab a couple of umbrellas and go drinking. First stop, Cafe Noir in SoHo for Bloody Marys and pigeon-watching.

Crif Dogs

2009-05-03T15:41:00.001-04:00

It ain't pretty, but it'll do. Chili dog with jalapeños and a side of beans.

Street Tacos

2009-05-03T05:10:00.003-04:00

Street tacos are always the best tacos. Always. This delicious al pastor* taco marks the beginning of street festival season. It was somewhere near Old St. Marks Church in the East Village. It didn't look too official, but they did have tacos, which is the important thing.

* Al Pastor isn't just pork. It is the best pork. Marinated in something reddish-orange and piled high onto a skewer gyro-style with an onion and a pineapple at the top. Little chunks are sliced off to order and if the guy has any balls, he'll usually try to flip a little slice of the pineapple up into the air and catch it with your taco as a final flourish. Think Mexican Benihana. Benny Juana.

Ippudo

2009-05-02T10:05:00.001-04:00

Don't let the murky weird looking broth throw you. Ippudo is the pinnacle of ramen deliciousness. It makes Momofuku noodle bar seem like that stuff I ate in college that was 6 for a dollar. But there's a 45 minute wait even at 8 in the morning so I'll still go to Momofuku.

Do Hwa

2009-04-29T13:16:00.002-04:00

Kim-Jong-Delicious. Spicy chili pork bulgogi, buckwheat noodles with sesame dressing, dumplings and boiled pertaters.

Jane

2009-04-28T10:49:00.003-04:00

Jane is a pretty obvious choice on a sunny day if you live near SoHo. Nonetheless, I liked my girly lunch.

Holla Atcha Salad.

Seacrest Out.

La Colombe

2009-04-28T10:42:00.005-04:00

Finally. A good cup of coffee in New York. Ok, that's not really fair. There is good coffee to be found. Just not on my walk to work, which is really the only time I need it. I should further clarify that this is regular coffee. Good cappuccinos are a dime a dozen. Impressive, but much easier to find.

Emporio

2009-04-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

New favorite. I won't say much else because i have a feeling everyone's already writing this place up and soon we won't be able to go there anymore. But it's nice while it lasts.

Giordano's - Chicago

2009-04-23T13:29:00.000-04:00

This is now a part of me. Get the paddles.

Twins Game Bratwurst - Minneapolis

2009-04-20T10:32:00.003-04:00

This doesn't qualify as a restaurant, but I ate it and that's what's important.

Also I was drunk.

St. Louis - Broadway Oyster Bar

2009-04-19T11:05:00.002-04:00

Oysters and Alligator. So nasty.
Actually, they were both kind of good, but still. I really don't think alligators were meant to be eaten. They just wouldn't look like that if they were. Everything about green, bumpy, 8-feet long with a hundred teeth hiding in a muddy pond says DO NOT EAT.

Bison is good

2009-04-18T14:33:00.004-04:00

This was a restaurant in Minneapolis. I think it was called Mission or Mission Steakhouse or something like that. Pretty good. I am always happy to eat Tatanka.

L'Artusi

2009-04-12T23:07:00.005-04:00

Sadly, this photo was taken about 15 seconds after we ate these three perfect Kumamoto Oysters that had just taken a cold shower in shallot mignonette. I think it's kind of weird to take pictures of your food before you eat it. I still do it, of course. But the hungrier I am, the less likely I am to remember. Or care.
The rest of the meal was just as fleeting and delicious. L'Artusi is the sister restaurant to Dell'Anima, which I also love. I won't describe it too much, but I will recommend either. Or both.

Art of Joe

2009-04-12T23:03:00.005-04:00

This might be the best coffee I've had since moving here. Even though I guess it isn't a cup of coffee, rather a cappuccino. But you know what I meant, so stop correcting me in your head.

Una Pizza Napolitana

2009-04-04T13:54:00.000-04:00

Pretty pretty pretty pretty good pizza.

Ditch Plains

2009-04-01T23:53:00.006-04:00

"This is why I'm fat."
One ditch dog, one dirty dog. I think dirty = sloppy joe and ditch = mac and cheese. It doesn't really matter, though, because people shouldn't be eating that shit.
For real, yo.
I am ashamed to say that this wasn't the first time I have abused myself this way. About 30 minutes after eating these hot dogs, you experience a very unique mental debilitation that makes you want to sleep under your desk. Don't fight it.

English Food

2009-03-26T22:55:00.003-04:00

This is London comfort food and it is very comfortable. I would eat this every day if the lady that i share a bed with would let me.

Momofuku Noodle Bar

2009-02-27T23:29:00.002-05:00

We can't stay away from Momofuku. And as much as I love the momo ramen, I keep forcing myself to try the rest of the menu. Tonight I had the Fried Poulet Rouge and was richly rewarded with 1/2 of a perfect, juicy, crispy chicken bathing in Ginger Scallion Broth. I don't know what happened to the other half of that poor chicken, but I kind of wish it was in my mouth. Top three chickens ever. You have to eat one of these things. After it was all gone, I dipped my left hand in the sauce and ate it down to the second knuckle before I was too stuffed to continue. Will continue post from the hospital. Peace out.
-n

Momofuku Noodle Bar

2009-02-14T19:03:00.001-05:00

I had a cold the other night so we went to Momofuku thinking something hot and soupy would help. Unfortunately I couldn't really taste much of anything. But the pork belly FELT very delicious in my mouth and the stewed kimchi with shredded pork looked amazing and it made my nose run.

Grandaisy Bakery

2009-02-06T15:41:00.003-05:00

My chocolate cream cheese sandwich cookie from Grandaisy on Sullivan St. was everything I love about cheesecake: a lot of buttery amazing crust but easy on the gratuitous cheesecakey part. And they deliver by Rickshaw as shown here. I wonder how many cookies will fit in this cart?

St. Elmo Steakhouse - Indianapolis

2009-01-30T20:16:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Bone-In Ribeye. Get on it.

City Bakery - Chelsea

2009-01-24T17:23:00.001-05:00

I don't think the hot chocolate at City Bakery is Swiss Miss Instant.

Five Guys - Greenwich Village

2009-01-24T17:17:00.000-05:00

This IS a Tasty BURGER!

Ápizz - LES

2009-01-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

Dèlice! Gnocchi with Honey-Braised Short Ribs.

Gold Star Chili - Cincinnati Airport

2009-01-18T13:19:00.000-05:00

It's not Skyline, but it'll do.

Jim & Nick's BBQ - Birmingham, ALabama

2009-01-18T11:28:00.001-05:00

The dish you are looking at is called a Pig in the Potato Patch, and it is evil. Pulled pork barbeque, cheese, sour cream, and probably some other things all piled up onto one and a half baked potatoes, because one wasn't enough I guess.

Aroma - Houston St.

2009-01-14T10:20:00.001-05:00

And the award for the rudest-looking tail end of a chocolate croissant goes to... Aroma Espresso Bar!

It looks like this loaf is pinching a loaf. That said, it was the best chocolate croissant I've had ion a long time.

Christie's Jamaican Patties - Brooklyn

2009-01-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

Afghan Kebab House - Hell's Kitchen

2009-01-02T13:10:00.004-05:00

War on Terror my ass. I love Afghanistan. Any place that has Tender Lamb and Spicy Beef Kafta Kebabs over warm, spice-scented brown basmati rice and a fresh salad with minted yogurt can't be all bad. It was really, really, really good. You can Cluster-Bomb your hunger here for under fifteen bucks.

Philly's Cheese Steak - Houston St.

2009-01-01T16:52:00.001-05:00

This is how you fix a hangover. Wit wiz.

Clinton Street Baking Co.

2008-12-30T23:35:00.006-05:00

I have been avoiding this place since we moved to New York. I read about it somewhere and it sounds exactly like the kind of place I would love, until I got to the part about there always being a crowd. I hate crowded little restaurants. Well, on a recent snowy morning I played hookey and thought I might sneak in without a crowd. Wrong. Big crowd, little restaurant. Luckily I was flying solo and a counter seat opened up almost immediately. Woot woot! I got a buttermilk biscuit sandwich with scrambled eggs, cheddar, chives, bacon and tomato preserves (= fancy ketchup). It was amazing. I don't know if I could wait a hour for it, but it was great.

Chili's - Chicago O'Hare Airport

2008-12-30T23:26:00.003-05:00

I know this is disgusting and that's kind of the point. We had a three-hour layover in Chicago today and there weren't a lot of choices. If you can't be with the one you love...

In this photo, I love how the bleu cheese looks like it's throwing up on the sad little boneless buffalo wings.

If I had it to do over again, I think I'd maybe just eat my toenails.

Peet's Coffee

2008-12-30T23:22:00.004-05:00

God it's been a long time. Why isn't there a Peet's in New York?? Yeah yeah yeah, I get it. You don't want to expand too far because the quality will suffer. This just in—the coffee in New York sucks. There, I said it. Someone will probably kill me now for saying that. But seriously, it sucks. It's weak and watery. Starbucks is just a place where homeless people go to the bathroom and soak their beards in free milk. Dunkin Donuts, if it ever used to be good, now tastes sour and funky as hell. For all of the amazing things here, you'd think decent coffee would be easier to come by. Anyone reading, feel free to correct me or point me in the right direction. I'm sure there are a few great cups of coffee to be found, but so far, none in the mile and a half between my apartment and my office. And there are some pretty foodie blocks in that walk. Ok, this has gone on long enough. Peet, I love you and your delicious brown coffee. And I'll come see you every time I am in California. Love, me.

Bleecker Street Pizza

2008-12-18T16:43:00.004-05:00

I think every place in town has some sort of sign saying that they have the best pizza in New York. This time, it might be true. At least for this single slice of pizza. Maybe the other 7 slices on this pie sucked, and I just got lucky. But I doubt it. It was a good day for the Nonna Maria Pizza—fresh mozzarella and homemade marinara. I could eat this every day, and I'm seriously considering it.

Double D

2008-12-18T16:41:00.002-05:00

Holla atcha boy! Old school miniature Dunkin Donuts are in the house. After lunch the other day, four of us split a box of 50 stale Munchkins while a homeless man salivated into his beard. It was worth every penny.

PinkBerry

2008-12-18T16:38:00.004-05:00

Pinkberry is old news. What is new to me, though, is Pinkberry with a shot of pomegranate syrup. I know it looks like someone had a bloody nose on top of my frozen yogurt, but trust me, it's delicious.