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