Semi-decent burgers and fantastic cupcakes!

June 24, 2010 — spud

Burgers & Cupcakes
458 9th Avenue (35/36 Streets), Chelsea/Midtown West

I’ve been taking this improv class, which gets us into Chelsea on a regular basis. This has proven to be interesting when it comes to dining, and we’ve definitely had a difficult time finding wonderful cheap eats.
Burgers and Cupcakes has been on my list for years…..I guess it’s because of the simplicity of the name. I mean, who doesn’t love burgers and cupcakes??? And in the same meal? Even better.
The burger was okay….I think that everyone should order it medium-rare to rare, because we got it done medium and it was waaayyyy over-cooked. It was advertised as coming with tomato, lettuce, onions and pickle. We assumed this meant on the burger, but then it was strangely served with a pickle spear on the side. Hey man, what if I want pickle on the burger?? We tried to cut it and place it on the burger, but this just turned out messy. The bun was nice and soft, but the meat itself was lacking flavor. We tried their sweet potato fries, which were smaller than shoe strings and really, really, fried. They were okay as well.
We also ordered a pizza. What’s this?? Pizza at a burger place? Yeah, well, it was pretty good. They have a wood burning stove in the shop and the pizza had a nice charred flavor. We got prosciutto and arugula on it…..the meat could have definitely been sliced a little more thinly. Then it would have crisped up nicely.
The best part of the meal came with dessert. They have two sizes up cupcakes….really, really tiny ones ( I wouldn’t recommend those because they dry out faster….even if there are two of you, get a larger cupcake and split it), and then larger ones. We tried the peanut butter, chocolate cupcake. It was fantastic! There was real peanut butter on top of a chocolate ganache frosting. It was wonderful and the deep chocolate cake was moist.
At the end of the day, this place was casual and easy to sit in….it’s got a nice diner-feel to it, but really, I would recommend getting a burger elsewhere and just coming here for a good cupcake when you’re jonesing for one.

Posted in burger, chelsea, dessert, midtown west. Leave a Comment »

My Favorite Dessert of 2009

January 12, 2010 — wecouldeat

La Bergamonte Patisserie
515 West 52nd Street (10/11 Ave), Hell’s Kitchen/Midtown West

While it has been in the top 3 dessert listing in Zagat for years, I had never given must thought to La Bergamonte. I always wrote it off as some snobby place where the pastries would look great but taste like cardboard. Luckily, I was partially wrong all these years. Yes, the pastries look great, but they actually taste even better! And while I don’t know if it’s snobby, because we were the only customers, the staff was friendly, and who really cares when the sweets are this good?? The mousse mouse was rich and chocolaty, but the raspberry Napoleon was unbelievable! It was easily the best Napoleon I have ever had. The cream was rich with a thick texture, the filo layers were not too stiff and not too soggy, and the ripe whole raspberries put it over the top. It was one of those special food items, where every bite I took was a high because it was so delicious, but simultaneously a low, because I knew it was one bite closer to coming to an end.

The one downside of the Hell’s Kitchen location is that it’s on a boring side street and is easily overlooked. The facade looks like it’s a Midtown deli, but the inside is more sleek and modern. The Chelsea branch is more inviting, more like a traditional cafe. Either way, go for the pastries, they are quite remarkable.

Posted in dessert, midtown west. 1 Comment »

Double Happiness in C-town

January 23, 2009 — wecouldeat

Chinatown often gets overlooked by native New Yorkers. It is normally seen as jam packed, smelling of fish and a tourist trap. All this is true, but like anywhere else, once you get off the main street, it has its charms. We walked over to Bayard Street, one block over from chaotic Canal and found a pair of gems.

Nice Green Bo
66 Bayard Street (Mott/Elizabeth), Chinatown
Now there are hundreds of small hole-in-the-wall places like Nice Green Bo. I have no idea if this is one of the best or even very good, but we enjoyed its authenticity. The main reason I picked it was because of the sign, on which you can clearly see it was fka New Green Bo. I guess it’s not new anymore, so they had to change the two letters. Although the staff was not overly nice either, but this place is clearly about the food, the service and ambiance are bare bones. We thought we had ordered 4 small appetizers, but received a table full of noodlicious goodness. Cold sesame noodles are always a favorite. The vegetable dumplings and pork dumplings were huge and doughy – in a good way. The real standout was a dish new to us: shredded pork and szechuan cabbage rice cake. I expected a giant ball of rice, but instead found small disk-shaped rice noodles with meat and vegetables. We left with dumpling filled doggy bags so that could we venture directly across the street…

img_0153img_0154img_0155

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
65 Bayard Street (Mott/Elizabeth), Chinatown
I was expecting a large cement structure with many workers bustling around, but instead Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is a narrow shop with one person behind counter and similar to any other NYC ice cream store. However, the main difference is in the unique flavors. They have all the standards, as well as the Asian influenced wasabi, lychee, durian(!), pandan, and taro. We tasted a few and made the choice of almond cookie and zen butter. Zen butter sounds transcendent, but is peanut butter with black sesame seeds. It was pretty good, although sesame seeds belong on a bagel, they are too overwhelming for the subtle nature of ice cream. The almond cookie was excellent and tastes just like its namesake. The Ice Cream Factory is no trendy downtown place, it has been around since 1978.

We recommend this solid twosome or try any of the fantastic, authentic eateries in the area. It’s fun to be immersed in another culture and still make it home by 8 o’clock. Plus, it is Chinese New Year now, so C-town will be one giant par-tay.

img_0156img_0157

Posted in chinatown, chinese/dim sum, dessert. Leave a Comment »

Spontaneous East Village Tour

October 21, 2008 — wecouldeat

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and we found ourselves in the East Village surrounded by many tantalizing grub-tastic options. Why should we go to a single eatery and have another moderately priced sit-down dinner, when we could eat at 5 or 6 fun funky joints? We should not. We did not. We created an on-the-spot tour and enjoyed grub from Belgium, Vietnam, Mexico, and Israel – for the price of a standard boring meal.

1st stop:
Pomme Frites
123 Second Ave (7th/St Marks), NYC

This well-known counter/tiny storefront has arguably the best fries on the planet. They are slightly less thick than steak fries and perfectly crispy and salty. They are scrumptious on their own, but the creative plethora of sauces puts them on an even higher level. We had the Vietnamese Pineapple Mayo, Wasabi Mayo and War Sauce (Frite Sauce, Peanut Satay and Raw Onion). All were incredible. Of course my lady, Spud, was in potato heaven. This is a craving we’d have daily if we lived in the hood. There are only maybe 12 seats, but the place has faux Belgian feel. The fries come in a paper cone and all the tables have little holes that fit the cone. It’s a nice touch. And all for $7.

2nd stop:
Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches
150 2nd St (A/B), NYC

I had heard about Nicky’s awhile back, but never got there until now. The facade is a regular awning and the inside is nothing special either. There are 3 small tables and looking around you might think you were in a pizza place or coffee spot. The Simpsons DVD was playing in a loop on the flat-screen TV. The vibe is a low key neighborhood feel that caters to a lot of regulars. Spud and I split a Classic Vietnamese Sandwich: Pâté, Vietnamese ham, roasted ground pork, pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and mayo on a toasted French baguette. The melange of ingredients yielded complex interesting flavors and textures – it was tasty. The ground pork and pickles carrots stood out to me more than the other ingredients. While I did enjoy it, I don’t think it will be a destination for us. Although I would definitely eat it again and try some of the other sandwiches: Chicken, Sardine and Pork Chop. It certainly makes for a better lunch than a standard grilled chicken or deli sandwich. $5.

3rd stop:
Snack Dragon Taco Shack
199 East 3rd Street (Ave B), NYC

I found this place on Menupages and its name makes for a decent description. It’s a window with one employee and a few chairs outside. As small as it is, it definitely has a funky Avenue B attitude. It is directly across from Mama’s Food Shop – one of our all-time favorites. There are Christmas lights up and an eclectic mix of info and kitsch. We ordered a carne asada taco and it was delicious and beautiful looking. The blue corn tortilla contrasted with the red salsa and bright green herbs. The meat was tender and spices were authentic. This is not a typical fast food taco. My only regret is that we did not order several. They are really good and really difficult to share with another person. If you are in alphabet city, Snack Dragon makes an awesome meal or snack. $5 ($4 during happy hour 4-6p).

4th stop:
Sundaes and Cones
95 East 10th Street (3rd), NYC

After this food, we needed a cool treat. S & C is an ultra-modern spotless ice cream shop. It is the opposite of the old fashioned ice cream shop. The staff is Asian and efficient and you come here for the frozen treats, not for the atmosphere or experience. The ice cream is quite good though and the Asian inspired flavors are unique. Not sure that I have ever seen flavors like Wasabi, Ginger, Sesame Seed and Black Bean. I had the Lychee which was interesting, but not really good or bad, and the maple walnut which was good. The wifesters had pumpkin which was amazing. All the ice creams were thick and dense with a rich creamy texture. This is “real” ice cream with a high fat content, which makes it tasty of course. Maybe next time we will try a sundae or 3. $8.

After, we took a few hours off and saw a good movie at the Sunshine. Man on Wire is a great documentary. Phillipe Petit performed the most amazing/crazy feat I have ever seen in my life. Down the block from the theater we found a Chickpea for some fast Middle-Eastern grub.

5th stop:
Chickpea
147 East Houston (2nd Ave/Chrystie)
This place is tasty and reliable, although it has too much of a chain feel for me. We had platters of baked falafel and hummus and chicken shwarma with salad and pita. Some good healthy food to round out the day. Doesn’t their chickpea logo look like something else? A vagina or butt, perhaps? Maybe they should re-think it. The platters were fine, but next time I’ll have the shwafal sandwich, their specialty of falafel and shwarma, and skip the thick plastic packaging. The menu is slightly confusing and could use some deals instead of the mix-n-match structure. $19.

So this was an exciting afternoon and evening of eating and wandering around the EV. We ate lunch and dinner at 5 joints representing 5 different cuisines. All for $39 for both of us. This city can actually be quite cheap if maneuvered properly. Either way, it certainly is fun.

Posted in Eating Tours, dessert, east village, mexican, middle eastern, vietnamese. 4 Comments »

Turning Rice into Gold

October 7, 2008 — wecouldeat

I am usually not a big fan those small storefronts that only sell one item in many varieties. They are good in theory: “Wow, a place that only sells peanuts (or hot dogs or cheesesteaks)!” I am calling them One Trick Ponies until I can think of a better name. Usually the item they make is good, but not good enough to make me a frequent customer. But of course a OTP that makes a sweet treat is something special. Even after you have already had a meal, there is always room for dessert. That’s the main reason for why Rice to Riches has been so successful. The other is that they have not franchised, there is only one location. Whenever I am around Spring Street, no matter what I am doing or whom I am with, rice pudding is always on the menu.

Rice to Riches
37 Spring Street (Mott/Mulberry), NYC

The decor has a definite metallic space-age feel. As you enter you see the sprawling counter of 20 or so pudding varieties. This could be a glimpse of a distant future where all foods come in sweet pudding form. Most of the fun is deciding what flavors and size vat of pudding to consume. Category 5 Caramel? Stubborn Banana? Don Cappaccino? Sex Drugs and Rocky Road? It’s difficult. The pudding is delicious, although not cheap. I think most of the inflated prices are due to the non-recyclable thick plastic containers and dishes. It is unconscionable that they use such wasteful packaging. I took mine home and use it as a sugar bowl, but most people won’t. I do love the thick gooey pudding. I believe it is a perfect anytime food and gets a Golden Bonzone from me. You have to love NYC, a place where a rice pudding only eatery can be a gold mine.

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, one trick pony, soho. 2 Comments »

Nacho Belly

April 21, 2008 — spud

Noche Mexicana
852 Amsterdam Ave (101/102), NYC

Yes, I have suffered from all kinds of “belly” ailments……they result from eating large portions of amazingly perfected foods, and believe it or not, I am quite picky about what foods I eat copious amounts of…..for example, I have suffered from “nut belly”, “pie belly (savory)” and “potato belly” (what gal named “Spud” wouldn’t have?) and last Friday night, I succumbed to “Nacho Belly” at Noche Mexicana…….my *favorite* Mexican Restaurant for now! It fits all of the requirements of a Grub Hub Golden Bonzone contender. It is scarcely decorated, unassuming, incredibly authentic and dirt cheap! Run, run, run to the border……the Noche Mexicana Border, that is!
The three of us devoured the large platter of perfectly proportioned Spicy Chicken Nachos. The chips were recently fried and crispy and warm, the chicken seasoned and spicy, the guacamole given on top substantial and hearty and super-yummy and the pickled jalapeno slices plentiful and just given for the right amount of kick!
I was quite satisfied with my order of tamales…..the were salty and filled with rich cornmeal and there was plenty of pork in the center. They were delicious and I was given three for $5. Unbelievable deal! Mr. Headphones had a shrimp burrito that was loaded with really nice sized shrimp, not the usual tiny ones you’d expect, and the Hubs had huaraches, which is kind of like a Mexican pizza with a deep fried dough on the bottom and loaded with lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and sour cream. We were so satisfied and insanely full with authentic Mexican flavors. We will definitely be returning.
I don’t think that I have seen a bill for $30 for three people in the longest time!! Granted, we didn’t drink, but they offer full bottles of wine for $15, so we might the next time.
Check this place out, you will not be disappointed!

Cafe Lalo
201 West 83rd St, NYC
Afterwards, we stayed on the Westside and traveled down to the famed Cafe Lalo for dessert. The cafe has dinner items, but is mainly known for its dizzying display of desserts. It is widely known as a prominent setting in You’ve Got Mail and is always packed with locals and tourists. We enjoyed a strawberry Napoleon, peanut butter chocolate mousse cake, and cherry pie.

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, mexican, uws. 3 Comments »

Great Expectations: The Down and Up of Being a Foodie

January 18, 2008 — wecouldeat

We had last Friday night all planned out… a good ol’ dinner and a movie. First we went to the movie at the Angelika, which was fine, and then we walked over to the LES to the Kuma Inn. We had found it in Zagat’s and were very excited: a funky Filipino/Thai small plate hole-in-the-wall with a 24/15/19/$34 rating. Sounds good, huh? Yeah, well we weren’t the only ones who thoughts that… It turns out when we got there that it was completely booked all night =(. Of course we did not make a reservation, because we are idiots. So for most people finding themselves in the EV/LES at around 8pm on Friday, it doesn’t create a problem. For us ridiculous foodies, it does. We did not have a backup plan, were hungry and had literally a few hundreds options. Totally overwhelming. It was a nice night so we start walking around the LES to find a simple place for dinner and this is how is went: Schiller’s (too trendy)… Clinton Street (too many of the same little unnamed places)… Kate’s Joint (great name, but all vegan)… my great idea to walk over to Bao 111 (packed and overpriced)… oh let’s go to Momofuku (with everyone else in the city)… settle for Taco Loco (too fast-food)… Mermaid Inn (no seafood)… where’s that little French place? No clue… and another dozen or more nameless places… finally after 90+ minutes we are tired, starving and realizing that nothing will do. We stop to look at yet another menu, and are coerced to go in by the shady guy in the doorway. We couldn’t refuse and step into Candella, Candella, a Italian/Cuban fusion place, but as soon as we sit down we know this will not be a good meal.

Candela, Candela
92 Second Ave, NYC

img_1886.jpg
The music is all off, it is too aggressive Euro/club for the setting, the other customers do not look interested in the food, only drinks and each other, and the waiter looks like he just stepped out of an Italian club. We are both thinking of bolting, but order anyway. THe waiter comes over with… Italian bread and ice cold taco sauce in a bowl, I kid you not. He said the “salsa” is for the Cuban side and the bottles of oil and vinegar are for the Italian. Now we are really thinking of bolting, but then our appetizer comes. It is pureed cauliflower and cheese over pureed fava beans. Mush on mush and does not scream Italian or Cuban. But it wasn’t horrible because we were starving. Then the mains: “homemade rolled” pasta with scallops, pancetta, chickpeas and a few other things that didn’t quite jive. Not sure when or at what home the pasta was made, but it wasn’t there and wasn’t recent, at least it seemed. The other dish was something we could have made at home, and it would been much better. It was chunks of pork with corn, red peppers and some other ingredients. Truthfully it was not a very good meal at all. It wasn’t horrible, but the expectations in this city are just through the roof. A good meal anywhere else is just average or below in NYC. We never have a meal that is inedible. And we only have a meal like this once or twice a year, which is actually quite an amazing feat.

Chickalicious Puddin’
204 E10th 1-2 Ave, NYC

But the night quickly redeems itself with an incredible surprise…almost an act of god… we stumble on Chickalicious Puddin’! I am very familiar with Chickalicious, although I have never been there, but had no idea they opened a take out pudding place across the place. I love pudding. Just love it. All kinds. So for a place to be called Puddin’ and have the Chickalicious name, I knew immediately the night would be redeemed. We had both the steaming vanilla pudding with apple cake in it and the “adult” chocolate pudding. The vanilla was warm are satisfying with the soft cake and the rich vanilla flavor. The chocolate was cold and rich and creamy and was definitely the real deal. The counter guys were really nice and the solid cups of puddin’ were only $4.50 each. It is not instant pudding, but it is certainly an instant hit. I’m giving this puddin’ palace a Golden Bonzone.

NOTE: They have changed around the interior and the menu, but still have great pudding and rich molten lava cake.

img_1891.jpgimg_1890.jpgimg_1889.jpgimg_1888.jpg

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, east village, one trick pony. 3 Comments »

Stinkberry!

January 6, 2008 — wecouldeat

Pinkberry = Stinkberry. If you ever pass by one of those Pinkberrys, don’t be tempted. It may look modern and interesting, but they offer only 2 flavors of frozen yogurt – and when I mean frozen yogurt, I mean it tastes like a container of Dannon’s put into a freezer. It’s uninspired and overrated and the fact that they are on an American Express commercial now is appalling.

Posted in dessert. 3 Comments »

Chocolate by the Bald Man

November 27, 2007 — wecouldeat

Max Brenner’s
841 Broadway (13th/14th), NYC
141 2nd Avenue (9th), NYC

On the weekend of our first anniversary, we decided to keep it low-key and have a chill day in the East Village of food and movies. Of course a decadent breakfast was a must. Max Brenner’s: Chocolate By The Bald Man was definitely the right choice. We had been before, but never for breakfast, but apparently it is an indulgent treat for any age, at any time of the day. The atmosphere succeeds in being warm and comfortable with dark wood paneling, with everything chocolate brown and a soothing soulful soundtrack. It is very similar to Starbuck’s in its planned comfort that has made every detail so comforting and inviting, you forget the contrived corporate machine. But the atmosphere wasn’t why we were there. We were there for one thing: the thick Italian hot chocolate in the hug mug. It has to be one of the greatest creations on the planet. It’s warm, thick, rich, molten chocolate in a white mug that you wrap your hands around and hug while you sip it. My wife is a chocolate fiend and she was beaming on a day when little else would be quite as satisfying.

We also had some interesting egg dishes served right in their sizzling skillets. It’s a great place for kids. They offer a s’mores fondue plate that’s great for sharing, and a large menu of chocolate based sandwiches, drinks, snacks and desserts, although I can’t imagine anything else being as satisfying as the Italian hot chocolate. It gets a Golden Bonzone just for that. Go and try it. Now.
hugmug.jpg

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, east village. 1 Comment »