NYFF Review: Bar Paya - Part Deux

The following is a review from one of the NYFF faithful - Nora S.:

Bar Paya
65 Second Avenue (b/w East 3rd & East 4th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
www.barpaya.com
 

Dining Date: Saturday, 12/18/10

Time: 8:00pm

Party of: 4

For my sister's birthday, we returned to Bar Paya on my recommendation.  The service had been less than stellar at our first outing there, but I chalked that up to one waiter taking care of 16 people with 4 seperate checks.  The food had been delicious, and I assumed they wouldn't have trouble with a small table of 4.  Apparently I was wrong.  Also - as it was my sister's birthday, before she arrived I told the waiter and the hostess that I'd like to have a dessert with a candle come out at the end of the meal, and another girl with us also told the hostess.

We ordered a bottle of wine - for 3 of us, the 4th isn't a wine drinker.  We then ordered the guacamole (good, more lobster in it this time), duck (good again), patatas (not my thing - too spicy, but my sister enjoyed them alot), quinoa salad (excellent - could eat a whole plateful for lunch), and the tuna ceviche (also good).  That was for 3 of us, as the 4th non-wine drinker is also a bit of a picky eater.  She ordered the steak from the bottom "bigger portion" of the menu.

The food began arriving quickly - the first 4 dishes.  Then we waited ... waited a bit more.  Then the waiter asked if he could get us anything, to which Girl #4 said she could get the steak she ordered.  My sister then also had to remind him that we ordered a tuna ceviche.  I noticed he wrote nothing down in the beginning of the meal, so therefore he forgot 2 out of the 6 dishes.  Our ceviche came fairly quickly, but it took sometime for the steak to arrive.  I was told it was delicious, though.  We ate her yuca fries -- good dipping sauces, and I liked them better than the patatas.

The waiter then told us he'd give us a complimentary dessert because of the delay with the steak.  After we finished we waited ... and waited ... and waited.The waiter then brought us 4 half-glasses of wine - even to the girl who clearly doesn't drink wine.  The wine was selected specifically to go with the complimentary dessert, which were chocolate truffles.  They were delicious - rolled in crushed hazelnuts and spicy - but several things were wrong.  First, they didn't let us make a selection of what dessert we wanted, they simply brought it out.  Two, there was zero fanfare/candle/etc for the fact that it was a birthday celebration -- and we told them three seperate times.  Three, there were 3 truffles in the bowl.  I understand that is the serving size, but I would think when they are sending out a complimentary dessert to a table of four after having messed up the order, they would toss a fourth truffle in there.  Yet, they did give us four spoons.  We had to actually still ask to see a dessert menu after the fact, but still didn't get anything.

All in all, the total was $130 plus tip, after the complimentary $6 dessert.  We spent around 3 hours there which was a good amount of time, but seemed like most of it was sitting around waiting for food or someone to acknowledge us.

So ultimately, while I liked Bar Paya's food enough to go back, the service was again so poor I don't plan on ever going back.

My Favorite Kosher Deli!

Delicatessens are the fabric of New York.  You can go to any part of this country and associate Deli Food's authenticity with Manhattan.  From the 1860's, when the immigration boost was on the rise, many ethnicities poured into Manhattan with many jewish families setting up tenements in the Lower East Side.  Amongst the tens of thousands, there was a Russian Immigrant who opened up a delicatessen based upon his last name in 1888 on Houston St. and Ludlow St.  The place - Katz's Delicatessen. 

You know, you might think my opinion of why this is my favorite is because of the last name.  That's only partially true.  The main reason has to be because of the pastrami, corned beef, "sending a salami to your boy in the army", the unique tickets used as your bill, the crazy raucous to get your food, the oversize portions of everything, where harry met sally, the endless pictures of famous and sorta-famous people on the walls and the pickles.  Let it be known that Katz's isn't considered Kosher by the Halakha so we call this Kosher-style.

Mmmmm Greasy Goodness

 
When you go, if you haven't been already (why wouldn't you have gone?), you have to get the Pastrami on Rye with their mustard.  It's soft, flavorful, humongous, greasy and amazing.  Sometimes I like to get Sauerkraut thrown in their too (kinda like a Reuben) - I live dangerously.  

So don't settle for imitations, you have to get the original.  The Pastrami at Katz's Delicatessen. 

Hot Pastrami Sandwich on Rye
Katz's Delicatessen
205 East Houston Street (cnr of Ludlow)
www.katzdeli.com

Everyone's Favorite Restaurant Resources!

So here's a list of all of our favorites restaurant resources:

- Lesko (L) - Menupages.com (general resource / menus)
- Heather G. - Yelp.com (general resource / reviews)
- Stefan K. - Yelp.com (general resource / reviews)
- Lesko (M) - Jordan Hershkowitz Katz / Word-of-Mouth (general resource)
- Kantro - Yelp.com / Word-of-Mouth (general resource / reviews)
- Suk - NY Magazine (general resource / recommendations)
- Nora S. - Restaurant.com (discounts)
- J Katz - Menupages.com (general resource / menus)

Next week's theme, New York's Favorite Deli Food!

My Favorite Restaurant Resource!

So taking a step away from what we've been doing since August 9th (yeah we've been doing this for four months now!), I thought it might be a good idea to see if we can share each others go-to sources for reliable restaurant information.  For me, it's probably the first website I go to whenever I have to pick a restaurant.  Now, with a mobile app on the iphone, it makes it that much better.  I honestly don't go to menupages to read the reviews since I believe most people will sooner write a review for a negative occurrence but it's such a great source.  It has menu's ranging from the take-out place on the corner to the five-star restaurant that just has a tasting menu.  They list the restaurant's website if it's listed.  It categorizes the restaurants based on region (within the city), cuisines, if they serve only a certain meal (lunch and/or dinner) as well as enhancing your search based on recommending other restaurants that are similar to what you have chosen. 

Menupages.com simply is my favorite restaurant resource I've ever come across.  Sure I use Opentable for reservations, SeamlessWeb for delivery/take-out, NY Mag for trusted recommendations but it all starts with Menupages.

One new offering through Menupages is they now have an exclusive deal with many popular restaurants in the city.  If you book your reservation through their website, they will take 30% off the bill.  Some of the 67 restaurants this applies to are Zengo, Gyu-Kaku, Fatty Crab, Japonais, Dinosaur BBQ and many others.  Don't say I never gave you anything...

So trust Menupages as your first choice for restaurant info, which now has 9,248 different menus listed and updated online. 

Menupages: www.menupages.com

So what is your favorite restaurant resource?  Is there a place you go for unique discounts/deals (Groupon, LivingSocial, etc.)?  Is there a one-stop shop you use for everything (Citysearch)?  Do you trust the reviews in certain books/websites (Yelp, Zagat, Michelin)?

I'd love to hear what some other favorite sources may be.

Everyone's Steakhouse Favorites!

Out of all the recommendations, I have yet to try Ben Benson's and Quality Meats.  I guess I was waiting for someone to vouch for them so I can blame them or thank them later.  I have to say I'm most excited to try Quality Meats just because everyone who I know has gone there tells me it's like a religious experience when you walk out. 

Great, now I'm in the mood for a sliced porterhouse.  Ughhh...

Here are everyone's favorites:
- Lesko (M) - Old Fashioned Sauce - Peter Luger's - 178 Broadway (Brooklyn) - www.peterluger.com
- Nora S. - Sliced Filet Mignon with Cippolini Onions & Wild Mushrooms - Capital Grille - 155 East 42nd Street (3 NYC Locations) - www.thecapitalgrille.com
- Kantro - Prime Rib Steak - Ben Benson's Steakhouse - 123 West 52nd Street - www.benbensons.com
- Suk - Porterhouse - Keens Steakhouse - 72 West 36th Street - www.keens.com
- Neil D. - Aged Bone-In Sirloin - Quality Meats - 57 West 58th Street - www.qualitymeatsnyc.com
- Jordan K. - Porterhouse for Two - Primehouse New York - 381 Park Avenue South -  www.brguestrestaurants.com

The Next Theme will be a departure from the regular food recommendations.  Instead we will go with "Restaurant Resources."

My Favorite Steakhouse!

So many to choose from.  Besides our bagels and pizza, NY's steakhouses are just as well known.  You have stalwarts that date back to an earlier time (The Palm, Old Homestead, Keen's) that feature crusty 65 year old men with napkins draped over their arms that are more well-informed of their respective menus than you are of your immediate family. 

Although I'm a huge fan of these traditional NYC steakhouses like Wolfgang's, Del Friscos and Smith & Wollensky, my favorite is part of a newer movement.  Where you can get the same quality steak and service without being treated like you should be honored to be in their restaurant's presence.  Maybe it took me a while to appreciate a good cut of meat since I was an A1-Steak Sauce type-of-guy growing up, but I don't like a stuffy steakhouse.  I rather focus on the quality of the food in a comfortable atmosphere rather than the old-world mystique that comes with ordering a steak and a bottle of wine. 

This leaves me with only one place in mind as my favorite steakhouse in the city, none other than Primehouse.  They have access to David Burke's own bull who "does his business" to produce some of the top meats you can't find anywhere.  They created a custom Himalayan Rock Salt Aging-Room for their choice meats to be dry-aged before being made-to-order.  You can get a Porterhouse anywhere, but if you get it here, you know there was a lot of effort made to bring perfection to your table.  You can't just get the Porterhouse for one (20oz), you need to get it for two and bring a friend/loved one (40oz.) and have them slice it for you tableside for a cool $96.  If you're not a porterhouse person, their Bone-In 20oz. Ribeyes are offered from 28-Day Aged to 65-Day Aged. 

All of their sides are their versions of traditional steakhouse accompaniments.  Instead of

The modern look of Primehouse New York

mashed potatoes, they have Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes.  Instead of fries, they have Truffle Asiago Fries.  They just take traditional and make it better.  There's nothing wrong with traditional, it's just good to be exposed sometimes to newer takes on something that's been done in NY for 140 years. 

Porterhouse for Two
Primehouse New York
381 Park Avenue South (Cnr. 27th Street)
http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/primehouse_new_york/index.php

Sorry vegans, maybe you can surprise me with this one...  Let's hear about some of the other steakhouses!

Everyone's Ice Cream Favorites!

Golden Opulence Sundae @ Serendipity 3 - $1,000.00

Thanks to those that submitted, we have a good solid list of recommendations for this week's theme:

- Adina L. - Birthday Cake Remix - Coldstone Creamery - Various Locations (4 in Manhattan) - www.coldstonecreamery.com
- Brittany W. - Peanut Butter Frrrozen Hot Chocolate - Serendipity 3 - 225 East 60th Street - www.serendipity3.com
- Lesko (M) - Any Flavor - Emack & Bolio's - 389 Amsterdam Avenue - www.emackandbolios.com
- Nora S. - Donut Ice Cream Sandwich - Holey Cream - 796 9th Avenue - www.menupages.com/restaurants/holey-cream
- Stefan K. - Vanilla Chocolate Chunk - Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory - Old Fulton Street (Brooklyn Heights) - www.brooklynicecreamfactory.com
- Stefan K. - Stracciatella - Grom - 233 Bleecker Street - www.grom.it
- Emily A. - Black Forest Cake - Uncle Louie G - Various Locations (2 in Manhattan) - www.unclelouiegee.com
- Kantro - Eddie's Sweet Shop - 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue - www.facebook.com/eddiessweetshop
- Jordan K. - Strawberry Malted Shake - 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue - www.facebook.com/eddiessweetshop

Next up, vegan's get ready... it's your favorite steakhouse!

My Favorite Ice Cream!

My favorite Ice Cream isn't flashy and doesn't have a 30-minute wait to sit down (although it should).  It takes me back to what I envision my parents experienced when they went to their old ice cream parlors in the 50's and 60's as kids.  In fact, the place that serves my favorite ice cream was opened in the 1900's - so they actually went there when they grew up which is great to experience the generational connection. 

Eddie's Sweet Shop in Forest Hills, Queens is by far my favorite Ice Cream in the city, and the world for that matter.  They make all of their own ice cream, they are very liberal with all of their portions and the place still looks the same since it was first opened.  Eddie's isn't a place you go to just to get a scoop and walk around Metropolitan Avenue.  You would go there and sit down to take in all the nostalgia of another era.  An era where you can order a shake and get 16oz. as well as the extra amount that didn't fit in the glass served to you in a separate glass.  They use original malt from powder for the authentic taste.  They make their own syrups.  They make their own condiments.  It's a throwback where you actually need to go there for the quality of the ice cream first, and the ambiance as a compliment. 

So, if you want some great traditional ice cream the Katz's have been going to since they were a Hershkowitz and a Katz, make a visit to Eddie's Sweet Shop - I guarantee you won't be disappointed. 

Strawberry Malted Shake
Eddie's Sweet Shop
105-29 Metropolitan Avenue (b/w 72nd Road & 72nd Avenue)
Forest Hills, NY 11375

www.facebook.com/EddiesSweetShop

That's mine, what's yours?...

Everyone's Fall Seasonal Favorites!

Here are their suggestions:

- Neil D. - Captain Lawrence Pumpkin Ale - Ginger Man - 11 East 36th Street - www.gingerman-ny.com - www.captainlawrencebrewing.com
- Jen H. - Shipyard PumpkinHead Ale - Any Craft Beer Bar - www.shipyard.com
- Nora S. - Maple-Flavored Coffee - Anywhere it can be found
- Nora S. - Butternut Squash Soup/Ravioli - Whole Foods - Various Locations - www.wholefoods.com
- Kantro - Brach's Candy Corn - Anywhere it can be found - www.brachs.com
- Jordan K. - Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale - Ginger Man - 11 East 36th Sreet - www.gingerman-ny.com - www.smuttynose.com

Next up... Ice Cream!

NYFF Review: Bar Paya

Bar Paya
65 Second Avenue (b/w East 3rd & East 4th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
www.barpaya.com

Overall Rating from the Diners of NY's Food Favorites 

(Ratings are Lowest -1 to Highest -5):

Food:  2.5

Decor:  3

Service:  2

Overall:  2.5

Last Friday, myself and ten other "NYFF" contributors set out for a Tapas dinner as part of our bi-monthly outing.  This month we voted based on all of our Tapas favorites and decided to visit Bar Paya.  

Bar Paya is not your typical Tapas which originates from sampling/sharing small plates amongst groups of people, usually with Spanish cuisine.  Bar Paya actually serves small plates based with a Peruvian theme which definitely makes it very authentic and definitely aided in why it was chosen for our outing.  We were all quite excited to try this cuisine since it's not in the usual rolodex of NYC restaurant fare with some of the "more-generic" offerings. 

THE FOOD:

The menu splits it's options into Mesa (Starters), Ceviche, Tiradito (Raw Fish), Causa (Covered Yellow Potatoes), Paya (Stew) and Plato/Plancha.  At a table of 11, it's safe to say we tried many things.  Amongst myself and three other people, we shared the:

- Yuca Fries - Yuca is normally not very flavorful but it was served with three different pureed dipping sauces that complimented it well

- Quinoa Salad -Looked/Tasted more like a baby couscous salad, it happened to be very flavorful and left us wanting more, even though they were small plates

- Cacoa Braised Beef Causa - Probably my favorite dish on the menu simply because of the flavor.  You could tell that it was braised and left stewing in it's juices until perfectly ready for serving

- Barbequed Duck Causa - Very flavorful for duck, tasted like it was pulled which gave it more texture on top of the creamy yellow potatoes

- Lobster & Shrimp Ceviche - First time having a ceviche, felt it was good but not special

- Shrimp Aticucho Skewers - The aji amarillo gave flavor to an otherwise regular serving of shrimp on kebab skewers

Some of the other attendees had tried some other various dishes:

 - Lobster & Shrimp Guacamole - "I personally like my guac to be chunky with a ton of cilantro.  This wasn't, so i didn't think it was that great.  however, the plantain chips were really good." - Paul S.

- - "Loved the lobster-shrimp guac... - more cilantro could have been good." - Nora S.

- Beef Hearts Skewers - "The beef hearts were friggin' amazing.  Tasted like beef tongue and was as soft as filet mignon.  Really loved the marinade also." - Paul S.

- Skirt Steak Skewers - "...perfectly tender and well marinated"- Kantro

THE SERVICE:

While the food happened to be above-par compared with other restaurants in the city, unfortunately Bar Paya failed to deliver on the timeliness of their fare.  

With 11 people, we felt it would be easiest at a Tapas restaurant to order separate checks - split into 4:4:3, making it easy to know how much one can owe without having 11 people trying to figure it out on one bill.  Unfortunately the restaurant, while trying to accommodate our request, had created a miscommunication with their kitchen and servers.  This led to mismanaged wait times for food and disorganization regarding the accuracy of our orders.  While one group of people at our table might have received a dish or two they had ordered, another part of the table failed to even get their bottle of wine after waiting 15-20 minutes.  Due to this disorganization the dinner took almost three hours from start to finish.  

Luckily, Mark (Owner) was able to take care of this and expressed his sincere apologies for the experience as a whole.  He took 50% off all of our bills and promised to personally take care of our next outing if we choose to go there again.  Many restaurants make you feel that you should be "honored" to be in their restaurant but it's nice to know that the customer service at Bar Paya was managed courteously and professionally since it's hard to always be perfect in all aspects of a restaurant's business. 

THE OVERALL:

We were left feeling less than satisfied regarding our experience just because the food that we did have happened to be rather good and unique.  Although many of us aren't Peruvian food connoisseurs, we did feel that the food being served was authentic and stood out.  We probably won't come back as an 11 person group but I think most of us agreed it would be nice to go back with a smaller amount of people.  

Next up will be our outing for BBQ food coming in December

My Favorite Fall Specialty!

You know, I thought of Sweet Potato Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Cider - honestly anything that calls to mind what I know many people can't wait for when it's the Fall.  Then I realized I was avoiding what I truly appreciate - my Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale.  For those that truly know, I'm a snob when it comes to beer and where said beer is served.  I can't help it, I wish I can walk right into McFadden's and feel like I'm in a unique bar that serves something different but...  I can't.  If you can and/or you don't care, I'm sure your life is just easier!

Smuttynose Brewing Company makes various beers, mostly crafted on a monthly basis with short & long (full) batches.  Their beers tend to be stronger than most and definitely make sure you taste the hops at the finish.  But in-between you get all the spices and purposeful ingredients that went into making their complex beers.  Although as complex as they are, you sometimes get the sensation that they are all the same (numb palate).  Luckily their Pumpkin Ale is different.  They don't throw in weird ingredients that some brewers do which make their pumpkin ale's taste overly sweet to the point of a Lambic.  Instead they include mashed pieces of Pumpkin right at the onset of brewing along with "traditional spices" as they like to put it.  This leads to tasting a classic Smuttynose beer with the subtle taste of Pumpkin.  I can't describe it more than that but I love it every year - I even have a six-pack of it at work for 5pm on Friday's, it's that good.

Well this group is a place to tell people WHERE to go to get what you recommend, not just WHAT to get.  So I recommend going to the Ginger Man since I can guarantee it is currently on tap there.  Ginger Man is always a great place to have a beer on draught.  This large bar is warm/comfortable and has a tendency to skew towards a relaxed crowd that just want to have some good beer.  Plush, library-like couches line the front and rear of the bar while wooden booths hug the enormously long taps.  If you're looking to eat, this isn't the place since their beers are the meal.  If you're looking for cutesy little fruity-tinis, cranberry vodkas or jagerbombs, go next door to Galway Hooker.  Instead, only beer, wine and high-end spirits are served here and that's perfectly fine by me. 

Pint of Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
Ginger Man
11 East 36th Street (b/w 5th & Madison)
www.gingerman-ny.com

Everyone's BBQ Favorites!

Definitely some great recommendations for every type of BBQ eater:

- Brittany W. - Soy BBQ Buffalo Wings - Red Bamboo - 140 West 4th Street - www.redbamboo-nyc.com
- Kantro - Ribs - The Smoke Joint - 87 South Elliott Place (Brooklyn) - www.thesmokejoint.com
- Alli R. - Chicken - Wildwood BBQ - 225 Park Avenue South - http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/wildwood_bbq/index.php
- Heather G. - Applewood Smoked Organic Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, M&C & Cornbread - Blue Smoke - 116 East 27th Street - www.bluesmoke.com
- Lesko (M) - Rack of Ribs with Fried Green Tomatoes - Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - 700 West 125th Street - www.dinosaurbarbque.com
- Jordan K. - Memphis Style Pork Ribs Plate Special with M&C & Creamed Spinach - Daisy May's BBQ - 623 11th Avenue - www.daisymaysbbq.com

Next Theme:  Seasonal Favorite - Fall

My Favorite BBQ

Honestly, as most of you know, I'm pretty decisive when it comes to things.  I'll analyze, weigh my options and come to a conclusion pretty quickly.  But when it comes to my favorite BBQ in Manhattan I honestly have about 5 choices that come to mind.  To get into my preferences, I'm more of a "dry rub" type-of-guy and the Kansas City & Memphis styles fits me best - where you have your choice of sauces on the side.  The way I judge BBQ is not by having a restaurant's pulled pork or beef brisket, but by the RIBS (and they have to be pork).  My choice isn't Dinosaur BBQ, Blue Smoke or Hill Country which are all VERY good in their own way and definitely in my Top 5.  No, My Favorite BBQ in the city actually completely surprised me since their commercials are soooo weird...

Daisy May's BBQ's Memphis Style Pork Ribs is my favorite plate of ribs in the city.  It's also the best BBQ Iron Chef Michael Symon has ever ate.  Six humongous ribs (half-rack), that melt off the bone are served take-out style where you can eat in the back.  The "plate special" for $19.50 comes with two "fixin's".  You will not finish everything, but in the off-chance that you do, you will need to walk it off.  Now I've only been here three times but each time they've been consistently good.  I've had the macaroni & cheese and the creamed spinach as my sides and haven't tried anything else (why would I?).  You also have the choice of getting just a half-rack for $14.50 or full-rack for $29.00 without any sides.  If you're too lazy to go all the way to 11th Avenue, they have a street cart on 50th b/w 6th & 7th Avenues. 

Memphis Style Pork Ribs Plate Special with Macaroni & Cheese and Creamed Spinach
Daisy May's BBQ
623 11th Avenue (Corner of 36th Street)
www.daisymaysbbq.com

Everyone's Tapas Favorites!

So here are everyone's favorites:

- Brittany W. - Patatas Bravos - Las Ramblas - 170 West 4th Street - www.lasramblasnyc.com
- Kantro - Pipa Tapas Bar - 38 East 19th Street - www.pipa-nyc.com
- Nora S. - Pork Buns - Momofuku Ssam Bar - 207 2nd Avenue - www.momofuku.com
- Lesko (M) - Gyu-Kaku - 805 3rd Avenue - www.gyu-kaku.com
- Seth M. - Peruvian Guacamole - Bar Paya - 65 2nd Avenue - www.barpaya.com
- Jordan K. - Seasonal Empanadas - SavorNY - 63 Clinton Street - www.savornyrestaurant.com

The Poll is now up on our blog on the right-hand side.  The poll will close this Friday at 5pm.  If you haven't already, please let me know if you would like to attend our next outing for Tapas by next Monday, 10/25.

My Favorite Tapas

I'll keep the long-windedness to a minimum (hopefully).  My preferred tapas place is somewhere I haven't been for a while.  Before that, my favorite tapas place was Matador but that ceases to exist now unfortunately.  The place that now churns out seasonal but modern/contemporary food is Savor NY in the LES.  Sachem "Son" Allison is the executive chef, who was recently featured on "Chopped Champions" on Food Network. 

The food is very "New American", combining traditional flavors with non-traditional cuisines.  The menu is simply split up between "Fingers, Forks and Finales" - pretty self explanatory.  Although the menu changes with the season, they usually have an empanada with different fillings.  This empanada is always a treat and pretty filling.  The one that hooked me in was the "Chipotle Chicken Empanada" which was served with a mild ranchero sauce for dipping.  Although they don't have this item now, the newer one sounds just as good - "Asian Empanadas" served with beef, chicken and kimchi.  A fixture no matter the season are their Three-Cheese Rice Balls in tomato sauce.  You can't go wrong...

Their desserts are also great and usually portion-controlled so you can tell yourself "it's not that bad" when you know it's horrible for you.  They usually have some sort of combination of warm and cold together which is always good (i.e. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake).  For the fall, they have a Chocolate Truffle Cake with Cashews and Berries which sounds good. 

Most dishes range from $7-$11 and I would probably recommend three plates for every two people.  The place is small so call to make reservations.  It's only open Monday-Saturday and they give discounts for groups so maybe we'll go here for our next outing? (hint hint)

I don't know what your favorite is but, My Favorite Tapas is:

Dish:  Empanadas
Place: Savor NY
Address:  63 Clinton Street (b/w Stanton & Rivington Sts.)
Website:  www.savornyrestaurant.com

Everyone's Sangvich Favorites!

Here are everyone's favorite sangvich choices:

- Brittany W. - Turkey Club - TeaNY - 90 Rivington Street - www.teany.com
- Kantro - #2 TCS Hero - Cherry Valley Deli & Grill - 12-50 150th Street, Whitestone, Queens - www.cherryvalleydeli.net
- Stefan K. - Baoguette - 37 Saint Mark's Place - www.baoguette.com
- Lesko (M) - Jimmy T Sandwich - Lenny's - Multiple Locations - www.lennysnyc.com
- Lesko (L) - Honey Maple Turkey on Marble Rye - Lenny's - Multiple Locations - www.lennysnyc.com
- Jordan K. - Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich - Bubby's - 120 Hudson Street - www.bubbys.com

Sorry for the delay on getting this up yesterday.   As for our next topic....

One plate. Small.  Spanish. Cost-effective.  TAPAS.  Doesn't have to be a spanish plate, it can be anything.  Yeah, I went there.

My Favorite Sangvich (Sandwich)

On a whim for lunch, I decided to try out this place in TriBeCa.  One day, I simply walked by Bubby's, stopped to look at the menu and thought it looked interesting so I took a mental note.  It has a weathered feel; with cream and green paint cracked/peeled on the interior and exterior (on purpose) and probably wasn't that clean but it seemed inviting.  I looked it up on menupages and the reviews weren't too favorable, mostly criticizing the price and the cleanliness (it happened to close due to hygiene issues back in 2008).  Nevertheless, I rationalized that if they reopened, it's because they worked their stuff out for the better.
  

Some Baked Goods at Bubby's

Usually the re-openers are the cleanest places you can go to (i.e.; Serendipity 3).
We sit down and are graced with freshly baked biscuits with homemade strawberry jam.  The jew in me is happy since I like to be given something to eat as soon as I sit down.  But this week's theme isn't "My Favorite Biscuit that comes with Homemade Strawberry Jam" so let me get to the tasty heaven on a plate.  The Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich (yes, two 'chickens') is by far one of the most memorable and fulfilling sandwiches I have ever had, anywhere.  They take Bill Evans White Meat Chicken, fry it to perfection so you have a good 80/20 ratio (I'm all about ratios I guess) of chicken to breading.  On top, a healthy portion of caramelized onions, juicy tomatoes, slice of romaine and that favorable oil & egg yolk combination, better known as Mayonnaise.  Alone, this would be a great sandwich BUT it needs that extra something.  And by extra something, I mean some BACON.  Bubby's smokes and cuts their bacon slices thick which works so well when inserted in this sandwich.  The size of the sandwich is enough to share amongst two people.  I'm definitely the sharing type but when it comes to this I just can't - I choose to not share this meal (OCS perhaps?).

Now the kicker/edge-pusher to this delight is that it comes with one side too.  Some of my favorite choices include:  Handcut French Fries, Onion Straws, Hush Puppies, Mashed Potatoes or Creamed Spinach BUT my all-time favorite is the Crusty Mac & Cheese. 

I have since gone to Bubby's about ten times and have tried many other dishes but the Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich is the old-reliable at $16.  Other recommendations are the Garlic Burger, Chicken Club, BLT Club, Mr. Crunch (a Croque Monsieur that never ends) and the Tuna Apple Salad Sandwich.  All of these come with a choice of side. 

Some Additional Notes about Bubby's:
- They bake fresh pies, cakes, muffins, donuts daily
- Their menu is inspired by using/taking some of the most prolific ingredients and family recipes from around the country
- Open 24/7
- Have seasonal offerings of homemade BBQ

I think I know where I'm going for lunch today, if I get the chance anyway:

Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich
Bubby's Pie Co.
120 Hudson Street (cnr. N. Moore St.)
New York, NY 10013
www.bubbys.com

Everyone's Brunch Favorites!

So here are all of our favorites (and alternatives):

- Adina & Eric L. - Eggs with Hash Browns - Pegasus - 8610 3rd Avenue (Brooklyn)
- Mark E. - Fruit-Filled Crepes - Les Halles - 411 Park Ave. S. - www.leshalles.net
- Lauren C. - French Fries - Les Halles - 411 Park Ave. S. - www.leshalles.net
- Kantro - Pig in a Poke - Tipsy Parson - 156 9th Avenue - www.tipsyparson.com
- Kantro - The Grey Dog - 242 West 16th Street - www.thegreydog.com (Alternative NYFF)
- Nora S. - St. John - Kitchenette - 1272 Amsterdam Ave. - www.kitchenetterestaurant.com
- Emily A. - Crab Cake Benedictos - Yuca Bar - 111 Avenue A - www.yucabarnyc.com
- Stefan K. - Steak - Dock's Oyster Bar - 633 3rd Avenue - www.docksoysterbar.com
- Stefan K. - Shopsin's - 120 Essex Street, Stall #16 - www.shopsins.com (Alternative NYFF)
- Jordan K. - Mexican Matzo Brei - 120 Essex Street - www.essexnyc.com

Later today, I'll kick off this week's theme which will go on till Monday, 9/27.  The theme:  your favorite sangvich... anywhere in the city, ever.  Doesn't have to be a sandwich place, doesn't have to be a lunch place.  If they serve a sandwich, and it's your favorite, and it's in the city, then please pass along this info in the comments section so I can eat it too.

My Favorite Brunch

A lot of good theme recommendations were sent along to me - some of which I have already lined up for the coming weeks.  One theme that I realized should garner a lot of favorites is always the city brunch.  Honestly, when you aren't in the city, you simply call this "breakfast".  But of course, in Manhattan, "brunch" is larger (and more expensive) when you're really just getting breakfast.  I'm not a regular bruncher.  Why?...  because I'm straight and brunches tend to lean more towards the female persuasion. 

BUT, the only good thing I've realized about brunch is the ALCOHOL (caps needed).  Most places will have your standard breakfast options - eggs in assorted preparations (benedict, omelette, over-easy, milky, etc.), batter in assorted preparations (waffles, crepes, pancakes, etc.) and your occasional blueberry muffin lightly toasted with a side of margarine.  But they will then incentivize you with an alcoholic beverage, or three beverages and even unlimited quantities of booze.  In the JDizzle Theory of Alcohol Proportion to Food, the scientific ratio of booze:food should be at least 3:1.  I've conducted many studies and found this to be the case... and by studies I mean I've drank and eaten a lot.  One drink doesn't do anything to you if you're eating a sizable breakfast and unlimited drinking, although delightful, impairs the taste of the food and just leaves you (and your palate) drunk. 

Based on this proven (and published) theory, there is one brunch place that i've been to several times that stands out from everything else.  The Essex Restaurant & Bar, a go-to place of mine for years is easily the best brunch  I have ever had.  The food is based on the influences of the area it resides in (as well as it's history); traditional jewish and latin-american flavors.  It's a very interesting and weird fusion of cuisines but definitely works.  When you arrive at the corner of Essex and Rivington in the Lower Eastside, you come across what looks like an abandoned warehouse with red bricks surrounding the exterior; probably with 5-10 people waiting outside.  You wouldn't know you're there except for the flag waiving the restaurant's name far above.  It will probably be very congested once you enter but don't let this discourage you.  Inside you have a nice-sized bar to your right, white tennis balls stuck on the white brick wall to your left and split-level seating both above you and in front of you. 

View from the second level inside Essex Restaurant & Bar

Once seated, there will be no time wasted before you have the choice of a mimosa, bloody mary or screwdriver - pick the screwdriver.  They are sizable and NOT watered-down; oh and you get THREE of these puppies. 
There are many options to choose from for the food portion of your semi-drunken mid-day visit.  A few of my prior choices include the LES Matzo Brei with homemade apple sauce & chicken apple sausage and the crispy potato pancakes with sautéed apples, honey cream sauce and spinach-shiitake-black bean hash.  But, the old-reliable on their menu of difficult decisions is the Mexican Matzo Brei.  It is unlike anything I've had and I consistently salivate over it (even right now).  Scrambled eggs are gently mixed together with tortilla crisps, fresh monterey jack cheese, avocado, black beans & pico de gallo.  The portion is not small.  What I call "the dessert" is served right after you order your food, it's the onion roll.  I dare you to have just one. 

As has become standard, some additional notes on Essex Restaurant & Bar:
- Reservations need to be made at least a week in advance (Opentable Preferred)
- Due to NYC Blue Laws (don't get me started), you cannot consume alcohol before Noon on Sundays so they serve complimentary non-alcoholic beverages starting at 11am
- Brunch is Cash Only
- Although they limit your drink consumption to three drinks, if you are nice to your waiter/waitress they will "forget" how many you had and keep pouring

So, My Favorite Brunch in the city is:

Dish: Mexican Matzo Brei
Place: Essex Restaurant & Bar
Address: 120 Essex Street (corner of Rivington) New York, NY 10002
Website: http://www.essexnyc.com/

Everyone's Chinese Food Favorites!

Here are everyone's favorite Chinese food places:

- Adina & Eric L. - Egg Drop Wonton Soup or (Protein) Chow Fun - Wo Hop - 17 Mott Street
- Brittany W. - Shark Finn Dumplings - Vegetable Dim Sum House - 24 Pell Street
- Mark E. - Nostalgic Pick of the Week - Evergreen Shanghai/Hong Fat - 63 Mott Street
- Nora S. - Wine Au Gratis - Pearl's - 796 Amsterdam Avenue
- Heather G. - Szechuan Gourmet - Sesame Chicken with Szechuan Dumplings - 21 West 39th Street
- Kantro - Steamed Dumplings - Nice Green Bo Restaurant - 66 Bayard Street
- Paul S. - Soup Dumplings (Pork or Crab) - Joe's Shanghai Restaurant - 9 Pell Street
- Jordan K. - Sliced Chicken with Garlic Sauce - Wo Hop - 17 Mott Street

So I'm opening up next week's theme to all of you and the one that seems to be the most interesting will be selected.  Simply post a comment below if you have any suggestions.  Next week's theme will begin next Tuesday (9/7)!

My Favorite Chinese Food!

"If, according to the Jewish calendar, the year is 5770, and, according to the Chinese calendar, the year is 5730, what did the Jews eat for forty years?" - Anonymous

There has always been an affinity for Chinese Food if you're jewish.  I only know because almost every Sunday night that's what I ate growing up and realized my extended "mishpucha" all did the same.  Such Americanized Chinese food classics like Lo Mein, Chow Fun, Sesame Chicken, Spare Ribs, Wonton Soup - this is the fabric of.... my Jewish Sunday night culture.  Personally, I prefer Cantonese or Szechuan.

Growing up it was usually King Yum in Hillcrest (Queens).   Most of you hopefully know what King Yum is/was - a tiki-themed Chinese restaurant which was memorably amazing and humongous (especially with the Friday Night Karoake that still exists).  This is my favorite chinese food in the world, but not where I plan to choose as my "NYFF" favorite since you have to take a train to Forest Hills then the Q46 that runs on Union Tpke. just to get to it (roughly an hour if you're lucky). 

Instead the scene, the quality of the food, the rude manner in which I'm served, the ability to try and make 5-6 people eat in less than 20 minutes for a sit-down dinner, the lack of cleanliness and the looks you get from people who are waiting to sit the moment you seem finished eating is why Wo Hop is simply the best Chinese food I've had in the city.  Yes, it's in Chinatown.  Yes, it's in EVERY New York-centric tourist book.  Yes, it's utterly phenomenal.

Let's assume you say to yourself "Jordan has the best recommendations ever, let's try Wo Hop" (let's just *say* you said this).  You turn down Mott Street from Canal and head all the way down, passed the dirty garbage and stupid little kids throwing poppers at your feet.  You finally see a weird line heading downward into a stairwell.  Downstairs is where it's at (yo).  You wait for about 20 minutes and finally sit in a cramped table.  You get a menu but in 12 milliseconds you're already asked what you want to drink and eat.  The assumption is this isn't your first rodeo at a chinese restaurant so pick what the hell you want.  He expects you to say "please give us a minute".  I recommend getting the sliced chicken with garlic sauce if you're going to choose anything since it's usually the first dish to be empty on the table.  The Lo Mein/Chow Fon is delectably habit-forming and the shrimp is of good size.  It's important to note that restaurants like this that consistently have a lot of turnaround will put out fresher food (instead of food sitting for a few days in a meat locker until somebody orders the dish that requires it's preparation).  Most dishes don't go above $9-10.

Some side notes about Wo Hop:
- No Reservations - 1C1S
- There's no good time to go, expect to wait
- Don't go with parties larger than 4 since it's hard to accommodate.  If possible, sit in a booth so you can see the pictures on the walls.
- When eating, don't look at the people who are waiting in the stairwell. They will make you feel bad that you're eating and they're not.
- Hop Kee is next door and looks like Wo Hop, it's good but not *as* good so do the right thing and wait if you can.

The Front of Wo Hop

Wo Hop, My Favorite Chinese Food in the city of New York:

Wo Hop
17 Mott Street (corner of Mosco St.)
New York, NY 10002
212-962-8617
(No Website)

I'm eager to hear your recommendations.  It can be modern and bourgeois.  It can be the take-out place across the street.  Just make sure it's your favorite and it's in the city. 

Everyone's Cake Favorites!

Well definitely no shortage on what kind of cake most people love, it's Red Velvet:

- Nora S. - Red Velvet - Sugar Sweet Sunshine 126 Rivington Street - www.sugarsweetsunshine.com
- Emily A. - Red Velvet - Billy's Bakery - 184 Ninth Avenue - www.billysbakerynyc.com
- Kantro - Buttercup Golden with Chocolate Icing - 973 2nd Avenue - www.buttercupbakeshop.com
- Mark E. - Vanilla Cupcake with Green Frosting - Magnolia Bakery - various locations - www.magnoliabakery.com
- Brittany W. - Peanut Butter Mousse Bomb - Atlas Cafe - 73 Second Avenue - www.atlascafenyc.com
- Heather G.'s Coworkers - Red Velvet - Two Little Red Hens - 1652 Second Avenue - www.twolittleredhens.com
- Jordan K. - Reeses Cupcake - Eleni's - 75 Ninth Avenue - www.elenis.com

Next Week's Theme:  Chinese Food

My Favorite Pizza Outing

Some choice members from the NYFF posse will be having a dinner outing tomorrow night (8/27) at Totonno's to try out the Pizza most voted upon based on the poll results you see on the right-hand side.  A follow-up post summing up our experience will be forthcoming so hang tight!

Updated 8/30/10

Amongst the 7 of us, we ordered the following large pies:
- White Pie with Spinach & Extra Garlic
- Large Margherita - Half Onion / Half Regular
- Large Margherita with Mushrooms & Extra Garlic

With all the garlic we inhaled we should have put out a forest fire or something.  The pizza was good and came out fresh.  I won't speak for group consensus but here are my thoughts:

Pros:
- All ingredients were fresh and not canned
- Turn-around time was quick
- Usually when I've ordered extra garlic they will just use powder, here it was freshly crushed from the bulb
- Mushroom Pie was my favorite
- I had 5 slices so you could say it didn't taste bad to me

Cons:
- Location looked like a Ground Round
- Nothing particularly special/defining based on the taste of the pizza
- Wanted some more cheese
- White Pie's spinach was a little...  sad.  I'm trying to find another word but sad is what comes to mind 

All-in-all it was good for brick oven but I've had better.  I'd rank this above your standard Patsy's but below a Grimaldi's / John's.  I like the pizza to be a little chunkier with more cheese so I can say "3 slices was enough".  I'd recommend this place for people who live in the area simply because I'd prefer it over the Patsy's that's in the B&T center of Murray Hill (34th & 3rd).

My Favorite (cup)Cake

So after many people suggested (or enforced) that this week's theme be dessert-related, I bring you My Favorite Cake, which happens to be a cupcake.  Since the emergence of high-end gourmet bakeries in the city, like Magnolia, Crumbs, Sarabeth's, etc., people have sworn by these places for their sugar fix.  I happen to think many of these bakeries (not all of them) are overrated which I'm sure will be met with some disdain. 

For me, I DON'T like too much frosting on any cake, especially a cupcake.  I think whipped cream is an accent to make whatever dessert you're eating look more imposing and grandiose.  I think heavy frosting also is laid on thick to disguise the lack of a quality, moist, fresh piece of cake. 

With that said, I'm a sucker for anything Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - mainly any combination of chocolate and peanut butter is amazing.  Standing alone, Chocolate is merely a dominant feminine aphrodisiac by one that any guy can use as leverage against his female counterparts.  And Peanut Butter, is...  creamy, disgusting and ultimately delicious.  But together, it's like... it's... just SO DAMN GOOD!

So when I see this combination made by one of my favorite bakeries and neighbor to my old office in Chelsea Market, let's just say we enjoyed celebrating our co-workers birthdays in the office since we always ordered cupcakes from here.  Eleni's New York has in there "5th Avenue" line of cupcakes, the simply put - "Reeses Cupcake."  In case you're interested, the other cupcakes in this line are Red Velvet, Chocolate Ganache and Oreo Madness which you wouldn't say no to if forced to eat. 

On top, 3/4 of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup is stuffed into a swirl of Peanut Butter icing - and this icing isn't just for decoration or an injection of sugar.  The cake's flavor is devil's food - which is a perfect name for this cake when one is on a wedding diet.  The cake is moist, you see the flakiness and feel how "heavy" the flavor is.  Some people have different ways of eating their cupcakes; perhaps eating the icing first, or saving it till last.  I eat the peanut butter cup first, then each bite into the cupcake has to combine the icing with the cake.  The combination is key!

Some side notes about Eleni's:
- In this only store, everything is baked/made fresh daily.  If it's around past the baking day then it's sold for less.
- They are more well-known for their sugar cookie designs and customizations
- Don't go from 12-2pm on any day (including weekends), it is mobbed.

The 5th Avenue Cupcakes

So, after I can pretty much guarantee I will not be getting this cupcake any time soon, I rather share My Favorite (cup)Cake as:








 
Item: Reeses Cupcake
Place: Eleni's New York
Location: 75 Ninth Avenue - Chelsea Market (between West 15th & 16th Streets)
Phone: (888)-435-3647
Website: http://www.elenis.com
 
I'm sure there are some magnolians amongst you who I might have upset. 

Everyone's Pizza Favorites!

- Heather G. (& 1/2 Emily) - Shroomtown - Vezzo - 178 Lexington Ave - http://www.vezzothincrust.com/
- Mark E. - Totonno's - 462 2nd Avenue - www.totonnos.com
- Nora S. - Any White Slice Anywhere, Ever
- Paul WJ S. - White Pizza + Extra Garlic - Angelo's Pizza - 1697 Broadway - www.angelospizzany.com
- Brittany W. - Picante - Viva Herbal Pizzeria - 179 2nd Avenue - Menupages
- Emily A. - Funghi & Teleggio - Otto - www.ottopizzeria.com
- Lauren C. - Margherita + Pepperoni - Patsy's Pizzeria - 61 West 74th Street - www.patsyspizzeriany.com
- Stefan & Michael K. - Di Fara Pizzeria - 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn - www.difara.com
- Allison R. (future M. :) ) - Advanced - Slice West Village - 535 Hudson Street - www.sliceperfect.com
- Rita K. - Margherita + Mushrooms - Dean's Pizzeria - 801 2nd Avenue - www.deansnyc.com
- Jordan K. - Large Pie + Garlic, Mushrooms - John's Pizzeria - 260 West 44th Street - www.johnspizzerianyc.com

Next week's Theme:   My... Favorite... (cup)Cake!

My Favorite Pizza

I honestly only decided maybe an hour ago what my favorite pizza was in the city.  Why?... because it's so damn hard.  So many choices, anyone who knows will tell you it's the NY water that makes this pizza so much better than anything you'll find anywhere else.  You can also choose any kind of Pizza available... Neapolitan, Brick Oven, Deep Dish, Grilled...  so hard.  Anyway...

So my favorite pizza is served to you in a renovated Church originally built in 1888.  The five-story-high glass-dome is still present and there is a charcoal mural of Manhattan along the wall that's just as tall.  It's played host to the Opening & Closing parties of "The Sopranos" and Chris Carlin (Mets TV Personality) got married here.  This is just the atmosphere, but John's PIzzeria in Times Square is by far my favorite.  With Brick Oven Pizza in a huge tourist area, it's smart to have a blunt tagline of "NO SLICES".  The tagline is adorned on all employees clothing, menus and even in the bathrooms as to avoid annoying tourists from asking for them.  The pizza is the best part...  everything's made fresh and authentic - Fresh Ingredients (no canned mushrooms or garlic).  It's the right amount of cheese:gravy:dough ratio.  Just thinking about it now I feel deprived that there are no immediate plans (like right now) to have it.    My ideal pizza is mushrooms and extra garlic.  

Some side notes about John's Pizzeria:
1) The original John's is the "John's on Bleecker" which has more of a Grimaldi's atmosphere and was opened in 1929.
2) No Reservations - 1C1S
3) Each Pie is hand-made and no two pies are alike - Measurements are never used
4) Best time to come is NOT within an hour's time of when Broadway shows are about to start/end
5) Whole loaf of Garlic Bread comes topped with Melted Mozzarella Cheese for $9
6) They offer whole wheat dough which isn't bad if you're looking for a healthy reason to have pizza
7) Pizza isn't healthy

My favorite pizza in the city is:

Item: Large Pie with Garlic and Mushrooms
Place: John's Pizzeria
Location: 260 West 44th Street (b/w 7th & 8th Avenues)
Phone: (212) 391-7560
Website: http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com

The group will weigh in this week, and our group favorites will be posted this Friday so check back soon!

Everyone's Burger Favorites!

A very successful first week of sharing.  Here are some favorites from the group:

• Heather: Black Shack Burger - 320 Lexington Avenue. http://blackshackburger.com/.
  
• Nora: The Lamb Bareburger - Bare Burger - 33-21 31st Ave, Astoria  www.bareburger.com
• Mark: Feta Burger - Big Nick's Burger Joint & Pizza Joint - 2175 Broadway, New York, NY 10024 (212) 362-9238 http://bignicksnyc.com 
• Kantro: Dumont Burger with Danish Bleu Cheese - Dumont Burger - 314 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 384-6127 www.dumontburger.com 
• Stefan: Bistro Burger - Corner Bistro - 331 West 4th Street New York, NY 10014 (212) 242-9502 http://www.cornerbistrony.com
• Suk: Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort - The Spotted Pig - 314 West 11th Street New York, NY 10014 (212) 620-0393 www.thespottedpig.com 
• Lauren: 5 Napkin Veggie Burger - 5 Napkin Burger - 9th Ave between 44th and 45th Street or Broadway and 84th Street - http://www.5napkinburger.com/ 
• Brittany: Veggie Burger - Paul's Da Burger Joint - 131 2nd Avenue - http://www.paulsburgers.com/ 
• Jordan: Acapulco Burger - Island Burgers & Shakes - 766 9th Avenue - http://island.ypguides.net/

Next week's theme.... PIZZA!

My Favorite Burger

I'm not sure if you've experienced what I think is the most debated "Best of" in the city, the Burger.  Derived from something/someone that comes from Hamburg, Germany, the Hamburger has taken on many forms in the US, which probably explains why everyone has a different reason why their favorite burger is from where it is. 

For me, It was about a year after I started working in Manhattan... 22 years old and starting to sculpt my eventual foodiness, when I was asked to go to lunch with one of the Network Sales Reps at Clear Channel Katz Advantage, part of Katz Media Group (No, there's no relation - Yes, it's a funny coincidence, but not that funny).  It was myself and one of my co-workers going to lunch with this Sales Rep who claims to know the BEST burger place in Manhattan that no one knows about.  I said, "Okay, this is easy - has to be Corner Bistro" "No, been there. This is better"...

Me: Burger Joint?

Him: Nope

Me: Shake Shack?

Him: Nu-uh, that's good but this is bigger and better.

Me: Jackson Hole?!

Him: Just trust me...

We've now walked three avenues and six blocks away from our office, "this place better be good".  We finally get there and from the outside it looks non-descript, like a "street-meat" stand decided to design the exterior.  A huge red awning with a white sign and black painted letters reading "Island Burgers & Shakes - Home of the Chicken Churrasco" and flanked by two Coca-Cola signs is shown to indicate we're here. 

We walk in and Beach Boys is blaring from a ready-made boombox area behind the register and there's not a table to be had.  The feel is very California Surfer meets In-n-Out Burger which was fit into a narrow area the size of a hallway.  We sit down after 10 minutes and I see the menu for the first time, open it up, and on either side is a listing of various burgers I can choose - ranging from a Basic (the bun and the burger with sliced red onions, lettuce & tomato for $8) to the Slick Willie's (the Basic + ham, relish, American cheese, bacon, sour cream, BBQ sauce, grilled onions for $11).  Needless to say, I was happily overwhelmed with all 60-something choices...

His choice was the Napalm, which is their hottest/spiciest burger on the menu and was prepared blackened with BBQ sauce, jalapenos, cheddar cheese and habanero pepper sauce.  Also happens to be an awesome name for a burger.  In subsequent visits I've had the Napalm and loved it but of course with anything spicy, it's hard to really get the flavors of what you're eating and being able to savor the different ingredients. 

So for my first visit I got The Clyde which was blackened with bleu cheese, salsa and bacon.  I'm not sure how you prefer your burgers but I prefer mine "Medium."  Now they say that when one eats a meal, the serving size of your protein should fit the size of your fist.  It came out and this burger with accouterments was the size of two fists.  I struggle to make sure I get the full bite in as the patty's juices soak into the bun and all over my hands.  The bleu was crumbled, not creamy.  The bacon was still fresh and not dry like it was sitting for five hours waiting to be used.  Two napkins and 15 minutes later I'm done, not taking a break until there was nothing left to eat.  I smile and thank my co-worker profusely - vowing to come back the same time next week (which we did). 

My burger of choice has now evolved after trying about 10 burgers on the menu to the Acapulco.  This is one-of-a-kind and I now crave this monstrosity regularly (or as regularly as one can on a wedding diet).  Roasted onions, Jalapenos, Garlic & Cilantro are pulsed together into a sandstone-colored paste that is liberally drenched on top of the burger.  I prefer a slice of Monterey Jack Cheese for texture on top.  It gets everywhere and takes me no more than 5 minutes to devour. 

Some side notes about IBS:
1) They do not offer fries on the menu.  This first edition of my food favorites is already running quite long so if you need an explanation, it is listed on the menu as to why this is the case.  Dirty Brand Potato Chips are offered as an alternative for $1.25
2) Their shakes are very good
3) All versions of their burgers can also come as a Chicken Churrasco (Chicken Breast Sandwich)
4) No reservations - 1C1S

So if you decided to bypass my long-windedness, my favorite burger in Manhattan is:


Item: The Acapulco Burger
Place: Island Burgers & Shakes
Address:  766 9th Avenue (between 51st & 52nd)
Phone: 212-307-7934
Website: http://island.ypguides.net/