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.