Grub Meals

Eric Kayser comes to New York City

2012-08-19T23:12:00.001-04:00

The 1st time I was lucky enough to try Eric Kayser's awesome bread was in Paris. Flash forward a few years and this master baker has opened his 1st United States bakery in my beloved new york city! This ode to all things baked and yummy recently opened on the Upper East Side. I normally don't have a good reason to get up to this area, but for my main man Eric, I made an exception. He did not disappoint.

The main bakers here are from France and have studied under Eric before moving to nyc to run this first of 3 new bakeries opening in the city. The people who work there wear these frenchy outfits, kinda cheesy, but helps with the theme.

Here is a display of some of the sweet baked goodness.

I ended up getting a sampling of some of the best baked goods I've eaten since Paris. Lets start with the croissant. Ridiculous flaky and buttery. Light as a feather, it was just incredible.

Next up, the chocolate croissant, surprisingly even more airier that the normal plain version.

I forgot what this thing is called, but its basically the raisin bun. Creamy and gooey on the inside, crunchy with caramelized raisins on the outside. Its the breakfast of French champions.

Next up, pistachio brioche bread. Check out that green color inside. So so grub, just fluffy and chewy goodness. The pistachios were roasted with a super strong nutty flavor. I think there were small chucks of apricot in it was well.

Ended with a classic french baguette. wow! watch out nyc! This is by far the best piece of bread I've eaten in all my days here.

Do yourself a favor, make your way to the upper east side, fight your way through the face-lifted old ladies, and get yourself some of the best bread and baked goods in the whole U S and A.

-J

Mamoun's is nom nom

2012-07-15T22:45:00.001-04:00

Mamoun's Falafel is the type of place you go to when you are wandering around the city at 2am, stumbling after your 6th beer. The only difference is that this middle eastern place is JUST as good sober at 2pm. Situated in the heart of Greenwich Village, this small falafel and shawarma spot is surrounded by the craziness off the neighborhood.

The menu is small and cheap, falafel, shawarma , shish kebab, hummus, all the standard fare. You cant go wrong with anything, all under 5 bucks. I usually go for the beef shish kebab, they grill it up right after you order it, so it comes up hot, charred and the perfect medium rare.

So if you are in the neighborhood, drunk or otherwise, please be sure to give this place a shot, Mamoun's is the shiznit.

-J

Get baked with Melissa

2012-03-06T19:41:00.000-05:00

Since when are cupcakes the new crack? Everywhere you go its cupcakes this and cupcakes that. "I want my wedding cake to be made out of cupcakes", and on and on. So whats better than cupcakes then? "How about mini cupcakes! OMG! Like totally AWESOME! Like for realssssss!"

There is this tiny little spot in Soho called Baked by Melissa that is producing these mini little wonders. Its gimmicky, yes, I know, but they do look kinda cool, and actually taste incredible.

The idea is; make really interesting cupcakes with fresh ingredients,....then shrink them. I think she uses the same machine from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

The result is a bitesize cupcake that become as addicting as, .....well, you know.

I especially dig this chocolate peanut butter fellow below. Smooooooth and creamy.

I think Melissa really IS putting something addictive in these little suckers, because since I've gone to this one small spot in soho, she has since expanded to 6 locations all over NYC. Mad props to your miniature crack filled cupcake empire Meliss.

-J

Mission style Mexican at Dos Toros

2012-03-04T21:19:00.000-05:00

Finding good Mexican food in NYC is always a challenge, but Dos Toros near union square puts out a more than decent taco and burrito. Known for their Nor Cal mission style burritos and tacos, the place looks like a mini Chipotle, but with actual backbone.

Choose from burrito, taco, quesadilla, then meat; steak, chicken, pork, toppings, blah blah. I've had all 3, and all are fresh , juicy and delicious. Steak with guac is my fav though. The tacos are packed full and large, so 2 will usually leave you satisfied. One extra cool thing they do is melt cheese onto the tortilla before packing it with goodness. Its not the best taco in nyc, but its not the worst either, give them a shot if you are in the area, or just watching a Lakers game at the Forum.

happy grubbing,
J

Shake Shack, thats it, I have nothing else to say

2011-08-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

Shake Shack is the mecca of grub cheap burgers in NYC. Owned by top-notch restaurant stud Danny Meyer (Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, Mialino Union Square Cafe, and on and on), he brought his culinary genius to the simple concept of a hamburger stand. Even though there are multiple locations(opening one 2 blocks from my apt, :) happy time!) around NYC now, my favorite is still the OG spot situated in picturesque Madison Square Park. Nothing beats eating your meal on those flimsy metal chairs with gorgeous trees towering over you.

Usually there are some pretty long lines at this place (as you can see from the pic). They even have a webcam setup on their website pointing at the line in real-time so you can gauge your wait. fucking technology.

When ever I come here I go on fatty alert, there are so many grub things, its hard not to order the whole menu. On this visit, I went with the chicago dog, mushroom burger, shack burger, and cheese fries. The Chicago dog is done right, classic chi town toppings, mustard, bright relish, tomato, onions, pickle and celery salt. If you put ketchup on a chicago dog, you will be shot. and you will have deserved it.

The cheese fries...Im usually not a big fan of cheese fries, but these are pretty fantastic, I think they just work with the crinkle cut. The cheese has the consistency of whiz, but feels slightly elevated. The fries are always crunchy, so thats cool too.

Ok, onto the mushroom burger, I know, I know. Sounds weak, but its far from. So this thing is a portabella mushroon cap, sliced open, filled with a combination of cheese goodness, battered and deep fried to perfection. Saaaay wHaT!??! The result is shockingly grub. Crunchy exteror, meaty mushroom, and the gooey-est cheesest center ever. Oh! and the bun, how could I forget, this bun can NOT be overlooked here, its a slightly sweet potato bun that is soft and squishy, it complements the burgers like a guy trying to pick up a girl.

Burger time! (remember that game?) The meat here is sourced from the now famous Pat Lefrieda, I don't know the meat blend ratios are for this burger, but its insanely juicy and flavorful. They press it down on a flat top so its gets a slight crust of salty meatness. They dont over cook the quality meat, as you can see, there is a slight pinkish hue, gorgeous. Top that with a fine slice of american cheese, ripe tomato, crisp lettuce, some shack sauce (think thousand islands, ketchup, mayo) and you have yourself bless in your hands.

I now this is blastfemy for anyone from the west coast (like myself) to hear this, but I actually like this burger MORE than In-N-Out. I know, crazy talk. But for reals. This is a my favorite non-restaurant burger. period. exclamation point! hashtag #bestnonrestaurantburger

-j

Sushi Yasuda is a no frills mastery of the art of sushi

2011-08-18T16:28:00.002-04:00

Sushi Yasuda is pure sushi bliss. This Manhattan sushi mecca in Midtown East pumps out some of the freshest sushi I have ever had. The menu and decor are super simple, its all about the fish here.

They don't have any crazy rolls with 6 ingredients, they keep it pure... one fish, some rice....bring it.

I stuck with some of the classics, blue fin tuna, eel, yellowtail, salmon and uni (sea urchin, cause I'm gangsta like that).

A few traditional rolls(eel, salmon, tuna) for good measure. They keep it old school with the sea weed on the outside, none of that inside out weak sauce.

So the master chef here actually moved back to Japan recently to open up a sushi place back home, but have no fear, he has passed down the reins to a very talented staff. Domo arigato.

-j

City Sandwich in Hells Kitchen is dang tasty

2010-12-07T01:32:00.000-05:00

City Sandwich looks like a very unassuming sandwich shop in a very unassuming neighborhood of Manhattan. But looks can be deceiving, just like strangers on the subway. Before watching a Laker game, I decided to give this newly opened Portuguese inspired sandwich shop a try. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with friendly smiles, and within minutes was chatting it up with the very enthusiastic owner(Michael Guerrieri). He went on to explain his menu in detail and I could feel the love he had for his newly found shop.

The menu is easily color coded between sandwiches with meat, without meat and a special section with eggs (yummy). Each sandwich has a name, according to the owner, these are the names of his friends that helped him along with the restaurant. I thought that was a nice personal touch. On this trip I got to try the Todd (below), pancetta, lettuce, tomato with a honey-dijon yogurt sauce (no mayo here, all sauces are made in house). This one was like a Portuguese BLT, solid, and satisfying. I would have loved it more if it wasn't compared to the next sandwich.

Next was the Henrique, oh gosh, I looove you Henrique. This gooey sandwich consisted of Portuguese alheira-vinegear chicken sausage, steamed collard greens, grilled onions, tomato, and melted mozzarella. JIMP.

As you can see this masterpiece was one big melty stack of goodness. This is the first time I have ever had a sausage like that, it was very soft, almost like a spread after the first bite. Besides the unique ingredients, all this stuff was sitting between a PERFECTLY crusty and soft piece of bread.

I really cant wait to go back and try the rest of the sandwiches at this place. A good, unique, affordable sandwich shop is hard to find.....I just scored one! Thanks Michael, bravo!

-J

Mmmmmm, let them eat cake!!!

2010-11-17T14:40:00.000-05:00

Just take a look at this gorgeous cake. Mmmmm so cakey. One of the best I have ever had, home made, moist and delicious. The best combo ever?...Magic and Kareem you say? I don't know, probably, but a close 2nd is this combo of raspberry and chocolate devils food cake.

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to meeee!

oh, its not actually my bday today, just a flashback post.

-J

Bark Hot Dogs in the Slope

2010-11-12T17:33:00.000-05:00

Hoooot dooooogs, get your hooooooot dooogssss here! Bark Hot Dogs in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn makes a mighty fine dog. All of their hot dogs are specialty made by Hartmann's Old World Sausage in Rochester, NY specifically designed just for Barks. Actually all their ingredients are hand picked from farms and purveyors mostly in the Northeast area. Fresh local ingredients makes for serious grub.

Got to try a few things here, the onion rings were good...suuuuper crispy, a tad heavy, not for the faint of heart, but very satisfying. The hot dog was the Cole Slaw dog, such a great combo. Cold brisk slaw matched against the warm dog and potato bun. The dogs have a good snap to them as well. They don't put too much mayo in the slaw either which is cool, i hate too much mayo. But after all that, and being a 'hotdog' place, the BEST thing on the menu is the CHEESEBURGER. Its super simple but the fresh ingredients just made it work. The bun is soft, the meat is ridiculously juicy and the homemade pickles just make it rock.

Head over to the Park Slope, push all those baby strollers out of the way and get yourself a dog(or burger). Afterwords you can check out the upscale adult toy shop Babeland which is right next door, come on now, where do you think all those strollers come from anyways.

-J

Doughnut Plant donuts would make Homer Simpson wanna cry

2010-11-10T01:41:00.001-05:00

My inner fat guy (and sometimes outer) loves donuts....but who doesn't right? You have to be some kinda sicko not to. When I'm not being photographed eating them, I like to head down to the lower east side of Manhattan for seriously the BEST DONUTS EVER at the Doughnut Plant.

All of their donuts are handcrafted with the freshest seasonal ingredients. They are just luscious, gooey and oh so sweet. Above I have a good sampling of some of their Fall donuts; the square one (yea, square, kinda cool) is peanut butter with jelly filling. JIMP! Next is the smaller cake donut which was pumpkin flavored, mmmm tastes like October. 3rd was a standard glazed, simple, perfection.

I kid you not, really, hands down, these are the best donuts ever (not including dessert donuts from fancy restaurants, like from a donut store and stuff, yea, you know what I mean).

-J

Fried Chicken at Brooklyn Bowl will make...

2010-11-08T15:27:00.003-05:00

..em say Ugggh Nah-Nah Nah-Nah. I feel like I've been eating alot of fried chicken the last year or so. Not that its a bad thing, just a matter of fact. Anywhoooo, some of the best crispy chickeness I've had is at a bowling alley. yea. really. Well, its true, Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg fries up some mean bird. It's not your typical line cook back there, this place is catered by the famous Blue Ribbon Group, so they def have some culinary chops behind them.

So the crazy good thing about this crispy, crunchy, moist chicken is whats helping coat that skin....the secret? Matzo-Meal! Hells yea! Jews win again! It just makes the skin light and crispy. Went with the dark meat combo, but even the white meat is juicy at this place. You don't believe that chicken could be so grub from a bowling alley? shiiiiiit, if you don't believe me, watch this dude:

So if you find yourself in the Burg, slap a hipster in the face, then make your way to Brooklyn Bowl for that kick-ass chicken.

-J

Xi'an Famous Food will blow your mind

2010-11-07T15:26:00.001-05:00

This place called Xi'an (i cant pronounce it, can you?) Famous Foods takes Western Chinese food to the next level. They have a few locations; queens, chinatown(takeout only), but I always hit up the one in the east village. This location is always crowded (thanks Anthony Bourdain) and super cramped, but sorry, who's going to Flushing? The guy who runs the east village spot is alittle militant too, but fair. OK, now that I scared you off, here is the reason why its actually worth going there...

So the special thing about this place is that they hand pull all their noodles. They are springy, soft, with a bite to them. The other special thing about this spot is they use alot of lamb and cumin, not typical ingredients in Chinese cuisine, but this is Western China, hence the Middle Eastern influence. My absolute fav dish here is D1, aka Savory Cumin Lamb Hand-Pulled Noodles. They are a tad spicy ( you can ask for non-spicy), but in an addicting way. The lamb chunks are savory, the bean sprouts crisp, and the noodles are to die for.
All this for $6 bucks. They also have a killer lamb or pork "burger" for $2.50 that is one of the best deals in the city.

Forget your generic Chinese take out, Xi'an Famous Foods will smash your impressions of what Chinese food is supposed to taste like.

-J

NYC Taco Challenge - Tehuitzingo (round 2)

2010-02-01T21:48:00.010-05:00

On my search for authentic tacos in nyc, my next spot took me to Techuitzingo (thats a mouthful) a few doors up from Tulcingo on 10th ave and 48th st. This place was literally hidden inside a small deli.

Walk past the tight isles of juice and canned products and behold the magnificent floral curtained taco window. Its tucked deep in the back of the store, just poke your head in and wait for the nice Mexican lady to come out to take your order. I was still pretty full from my last taco meal all of 10 minutes before, so I just just went with a single carne asada taco.

For $2.50 they are quite a deal for nyc standards. Unlike Tulcingo, this place only focuses on tacos and tortas. These tacos reminded me of those classic mexican taco carts you would find at a soccer game at a local park. Corn tortillas and meat were both warmed on a flat-top stove. The tortillas weren't homemade, but still good. The carne asada was legit. What I liked the most was they keep it on the stove long enough so each piece had a nice char on the outside. Topped with cilantro and diced white onions, it was the classic Mexicano taco.

So which taco did I like most? Tulcingo or Tehuitzingo? Hmmm, they were different, but both equally grub, Tulcingo was a more refined taco, while Tehuitzingo was more authentic street food fair. I think the guacamole won me over, this round goes to Tulcingo. But please, don't take my word for it, go check them out yourself and decide.

-J

NYC Taco Challenge - Tulcingo (round 1)

2010-02-01T21:12:00.011-05:00

Coming from California, I have been spoiled with my Mexican food selection. So while in NYC its been hard to find a decent CHEAP authentic taco. After doing a little research I found two gems on 10th ave in Manhattan. The first was Tulcingo, a small split deli and restaurant. Its a bit out of the way (47th st), but well worth the journey. I went for the warm restaurant on this trip.

They have a full menu of authentic Mexican cuisine, but I came the tacos. First off, they were cheap, $2.75 a taco. Bueno. Second, they came with real guacamole (not that crappy watered down shit). Bueno. Third, they had a good selection; carnitas, carne asada, tongue, chicken mole, etc. Bueno. I went with the carnitas(pork), the traditional carne asada (beef), and the tongue (cow in this case). All were extremely flavorful and fresh fresh fresh. The tortillas were made with flour and you could that each were made by hand with care. I would say my fav was the carnitas. Washed down with a cold Corona, and I was all set.

One nice surprise was at the end of the meal when I was presented with a mini Chiclets box. "Chiclay, Chiclay, Chiclay!" Taking me back to days in TJ. It was unique flavor too, guava I believe, just a great way to end a meal.

So I highly recommend Tulcingo if you are in the city and are craving some grub Mexican food and don't want to spend city prices.

-J

Peter Luger Steakhouse lives up to the hype

2009-12-26T14:26:00.013-05:00

Those of you that know me, know I'm a beef man. So I loves me a a good steak. Peter Luger in the South Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, NY has been hyped by many to have one of the best steaks in the United States. I would have to agree. The ambiance is very manly, wooden tables, big sharp knifes, waiters that give you shit. Its a fun fun scene. I celebrated the finish of an amazing triatholon with some buddies at this palace o' meat (i know, i know).

I started out with their thick cut bacon. This is not yo momma's bacon, its like a meal in itself. Crispy outside, chewy center, salty and porky. A must-have if you come here.

At Luger's there is only one type of steak you can get; It's the porterhouse for 2, 80 bucks, period. It's well worth it. The piping out steak comes out pre-cut sizzling on the plate. The masterful waiter carefully takes 2 pieces and places them on each person's plate, spooned over with the greasy juice left over by the mighty beast.

Be sure to order your steak properly. NEVER order well-done, you might as well ask them to throw your steak on the ground and stomp on it. I usually go for medium-rare everywhere else, but since they really know what's going on, I go with medium here and it comes out a proper pink in the middle (ohh yeaaaa). This steak is unreal, it just melts in your mouth. It has a slight char on the outside with the proper amount of salt crust. But the middle is what makes this steak probably the best I have ever had. Its soft, flavorful, pure pure beef at its finest.

In addition to great steaks, the sides here are nothing to laugh about. We went with the German potatoes (think hash, but with more onions and butter...really really good), the onion rings, and the star, creamed spinach. I'm more of a fresh vegetable guy, but this creamed spinach really is something special. Once again, the best I have ever had.

I know there might be better steak in the US, or even New York for that matter, but this place really just does it for me. It just makes you feel like a real man; STEAK, STEAK STEAK!!!

-J

Crepes in Paris

2009-12-06T18:38:00.000-05:00

Searching for the perfect crepe in Paris is a task where you are always a winner. Check out this bad-boy, large and in charge. That's fresh ham, gruyere cheese, and an egg for good measure.

Wrapped up and I'm on the go! It was sooo good, texture overload, crunchy, gooey, salty and hammy.

My search also landed me a sweet sweeet nutella and banana crepe that blew my mind. I could have eaten 3 of them that night.

You can't always trust street food in major cities, but in Paris, don't shy away from any crepe, never had a bad one there.

-J

Summer Time grub at Trout in Brooklyn

2009-12-05T18:27:00.003-05:00

For this those of you that are freezing your ass off today, I'm bringing you back to the summer. Trout in Brooklyn has a great spot with a huge hipster deck to soak in the sun.

Their fries are top-notch, salted heavily, double-fried, crunchy on the outside, moist and hot in the middle. Paired perfectly with fresh watermelon topped with clover honey.

Mmmm dang, I almost forgot its 30 degrees outside right now.

-J

Homemade Apple Pie!

2009-10-29T22:47:00.007-04:00

I'm not much of a baker, but with the help of a friend this pie turned out delicious. Baked in my very own oven in humble Brooklyn, NY. It was filled with 6 tart granny smith apples and a flaky french inspired crust. The contrast of the cold vanilla ice cream floating on top of the piping hot pie nearly made me jimp.

Baking is fun! Let it be known.

-J

Porchetta makes a mean Pork Sandwich in the East Village

2009-10-10T23:36:00.002-04:00

Let us eat as the Romans did, let it be glorious, let it be gluttonous, let it be porky. In the East Village of New York City you can find a small sandwich shop called Porchetta. It's known for roman style roasted pork sandwiches. It only has about 5 stools inside and a small bench outside which is nice for sunny days.

Check out this massive piece of pork shoulder, the skin is crisscrossed and becomes super crusty and salty.

I went with the roasted crispy potatoes which included burnt ends. They could have included a few more ends, but they were still utterly addicting.

So here is the traditional sangwich, super simple, super good. Its just a really fresh ciabatta baguette topped with the succulent sliced roasted pork. They also throw a few pieces of that super hard and crusty pork skin in the mix. Watch out, this crunch is not for those with a faint of heart, so if your not sporting dentures, this shockingly hard bite is unbelievability tasty.

So special thanks to the Romans for conjuring up such a tasty way to make something so simple, taste so grub.

-j

Grimaldi's Pizza in Dumbo Brooklyn, Forgettaboutit!

2009-10-05T23:03:00.001-04:00

It's kinda strange that this is my first post about pizza considering I live in NYC. So, without further ado....PIZZAAAAAA! Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Dumbo Brooklyn is regularly ranked among the top pizza joints in the city. There is constantly mob of tourists and locals alike lined up 50 deep outside.

My bro and I went for a regular pie(geez, I say "pie" now for pizza, I really am from Brooklyn) topped with pepperoni. The crust is super thin, I mean thin, like Kate Moss thin. The center gets a little soggy, but after that first bite, its got a great crunch to it. The fresh mozzarella cheese is creamy, and the light tomato sauce has a nice zing to it. The fresh basil is nice touch too, just wish they put more of it on.

The best thing about the pepperoni is that is curls up like one of those popper toys you played with as a kid. Leaving you with a little pepperoni cup filled with porky grease, oh yeaaaaa.

Get in line early for this place, its always packed, but is worth the wait. Don't forget to take a stroll down to the water to walk off that grease.

-J

PS....I'm back!

Pink Berry is yummy yummy

2009-08-03T22:45:00.001-04:00

Pink Berry is a frozen yogurt spot that originated in LA and has made its way to NYC over the last 2 years. They are known for a natural tart flavor that I really dig. This one is from their location in the East Village on St. Marks street. My favorite topping is usually a combination of raspberries, kiwi and mango. But on this outing I went for the mango overload.

Everybody loves the pinkberry.

So if you are in LA, NYC, Dallas, or Kuwait(!?!) make sure you spot by the pink. There are plenty of imitators these days, but only one original...STAY PINK.

-J

Eric Kayser makes the best bread in Paris

2009-08-02T21:03:00.010-04:00

Eric Kayser is to bread, as Jenna Jameson is to porn. Pure genius. While in Paris, I was lucky enough to be staying a few blocks away from one of his pastry shops. His bread made me weep, it was that good. I can honestly say it was the best bread I have ever tasted in my life.

On a sunny afternoon with friends, we paired his crusty baguette and a loaf of sliced sourdough with an assortment of goodies. Some super sweet cherry tomatoes, a mix of olives, fresh cheeses only the way Frenchies can do it....way stinky and way grub. All finished off with a bottle of Rose. I just love that rose, I've been hooked on it for the rest of the summer.

His sweet concoctions were just as good. This was a tart with apricots and pistachios. Wow, what a combination. What I really liked about this tart was they didn't add tons of goopy cream like the usually fruit tarts around town. This one was light and the cream was green from pistachio goodness. And since the apricots were from France, they just popped with flavor, not too sweet, and still firm, this thing was just magical.

Finished off the meal with the goddess of all fruit. Fresh passion fruit. This thing looks like a shriveled up ball sack when it's ripe. Just slice it in half (ouch!) and scoop out the purple and orange goo that looks like alien brains. The flavor is like a bitch slap in the face of the most powerful passion fruit flavor you have ever had.

Eric, you have taught me what bread is supposed to taste like. I thank you for that, but I also curse you because I know its going to be hard to appreciate the crap I eat on a daily basis. Viva la France.

-J

Senegalese chicken and peanut soup from Almondine

2009-07-19T20:30:00.002-04:00

Almondine continues to surprise and amaze me. This french soup/sandwich places breaks out great traditional French fair, but Senegalese chicken and peanut soup? come on now? WTF is that? I knew this soup was going to be legit when I saw the 200 lb African grandmother in the back stirring the pot. Peanut soup you say? Sounds weird right? Well, it is. Really freakin weird, but shockingly good if you like peanut flavor. A bit spicy with chunks of tender chicken, celery, carrots and okra I believe. I believe she also threw in some voodoo spices into the pot to get customers addicted. If you click the picture(fyi, you can click on all the pictures on this site for a larger view) you can see a close up of the red ring of grease along the top, mmmmm, red grease, you know you love it.

Thanks to the Frenchy for allowing his staff to do thier thing and bring alittle flava to my favorite lunch time spot.

-J

Philly Cheesesteak at O'Keefe's Bar in Brooklyn Heights

2009-06-30T20:21:00.002-04:00

Fatty alert!!! I repeat, Fatty alert! You have been warned.

I had very low expectations walking into O'Keefe's Bar and Grill in Brooklyn Heights. Mainly chosen as a spot to watch the Laker game based on their TV size, I knew it would be the standard pub grub. In these cases, I usually go for the most standard thing on the menu (you should shy away from Oysters Rockefeller in sports bars), burger, wings, cheesesteak, etc.

I ordered a blue moon and the philly cheesesteak which was recommended by the barkeep. Sure, why not, philly it up. Ten minutes later I was presented with this monstrosity of a sandwich. Fatty indeed, but it looked promising. One bite and all my reservations about this place vanished. This sandwich really shocked me by how good it was, probably because my expectations were so low, but I digress.

The hero was actually garlic bread, which was toasted, with a nice crunch on top. The beef, slices of prime rib-eye, was tender and sauteed with green peppers and onions. All that goodness was topped with melty mozzarella cheese which kept me reaching for the napkins. As you can see by the grease on the plate, this was not for the faint of heart. The fries did themselves justice as well, no McD's, but damn good bar fries.

On that day my friends, I polished off this beast of sandwich, 2 pints of blue moon, watched the Laker's win, and then went home and enjoyed a victory nap. That cheesesteak really got the best of me.

-J

Persian Food at Ravagh in New York City

2009-06-21T22:16:00.010-04:00

Let me start by saying I love Persian food. Growing up on this cuisine I am as familiar with it as the food of my homeland, mutha Russia. So when I moved to New York, I knew I had to find a decent Persian restaurant that would satisfy my appetite for Ghourmeh Sabzi and Albaloo Polo. So when I found Ravagh in the Murray Hill area of NYC, I was super pumped. They serve traditional, no frills, reasonably priced Persian fare.

Started with Mast And Khiar which is a yogurt, cucumber and dill mixture. It was cool and refreshing, just scoop it up with pita and enjoy.

I kinda wussed out and went with the safed beef shish kebob, but they had Sultani Kebob, Ghourmeh Sabzi, Khoresh Gheymeh, and all the goodies. The meat was tender and juicy with a nice char. The rice, fluffy like a pillow (I debated taking a nap on it, but I thought better of it since old Persian ladies don't like you sleeping on thier rice). And it was accompanied by a grilled tomato and onion. I like mashing up the tomato into the rice, good stuff.

The only way to end a meal like that is with a nice hot cup on chai. Ahhh, I loves me some chai. The way it warms your throat on the way down and then settles in your belly to bully all that kebob to behave themselves. Nice work chai.

This place does it's job well, solid Persian food that won't break the bank. So for all your pedar sags out there who are fiending for grub, get off your koon and head on over to Ravagh.

-J