Sugar Freak
26-18 30th Ave, Astoria

I am sure some form of popcorn pudding has been in existence in Native American or Nebraskan culture for centuries, but this dessert was brand new to me when I ordered it at Sugar Freak recently. After one bite, I was convinced that it should be offered all over this country. It was very sweet, but the popcorn texture kept it from being cloying and provided for a full dessert and not an insubstantial pudding cup. Corn pudding isn’t new, but using popped corn is the stroke of genius here. Popcorn seems like such an obvious combination that should be included in the pudding cannon with chocolate, rice, bread and tapioca. After all, everything in our culture is basically made from corn.

Do not be mistaken by its name, while Sugar Freak offers a few quality desserts, it is actually a real deal restaurant cooking up Louisiana cuisine in the heart of Astoria. The Cajun/Creole offerings are some some of the best NYC has to offer, with favorites like crawfish etouffee and oyster po’ boys. The muffulettas are excellent, with quality ingredients on an authentic huge round roll. For a great $10 lunch, split the veggie muffuletta ($15) and a side of red beans & rice ($5). You won’t be sorry. If you are feeling saucy, try the spicy creole bloody mary, and don’t forget the popcorn pudding.

Astor Bake Shop
12-23 Astoria Blvd, Astoria

I wrote a detailed review of our love for Astoria Bake Shop in January 2011, but I have found a new favorite item there that I have to share. Their cupcakes and more elaborate pastries are very good, but what the bakery really excels at are the more basic breads, both savory and sweet. The herb scones are delicious, but my new obsession are their *almond croissants*. I don’t usually crave danish or croissants, but this hybrid is making my mouth water just thinking about it. It is not puffy like a croissant, but is very flakey, yet not too airy. It is more substantial like a danish, yet with a light almond flavor. It is quite remarkable. The rest of Astor Bake Shop’s menu is very good as well. If you live nearby, you’d be a damn fool not to come here. That’s right.

rice pudding - possibly the worst food to photograph

*** I originally posted this review in 2008, but we recently revisited Rice to Riches and it still holds up. While it’s easy to forget about this unique dessert spot, it may be worth a repeat visit. ***

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 (Best deal: 2 flavors for $8.50). 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. You have to love NYC, a place where a rice pudding only eatery can be a gold mine.

Doughnut Plant
220 West 23rd St (7/8 Ave) | 379 Grand St.

Perfect pillows of glazed dough await for you at this new Chelsea outpost of Doughnut Plant. They have two different kinds of doughnuts, yeast and cake and just enough tables and chairs to enjoy some coffee or tea, too. On this particular visit, we sat down to enjoy two yeast ones: Pumpkin (round) and Peanut Butter and Jelly (square). What I love more than anything about Doughnut Plant’s goods is that they are not overly sweet. The glaze adds just enough sugar, but the cake is synonymous with brioche. The pumpkin doughnut has toasted sunflower seeds adorning it, while the peanut butter and jelly has chunks of peanut caught in its sticky glaze. I wish this plant would grow in my garden.

While I was tempted to repeat the delicious delicacies from Round 1, there are just too many options here. Spud and I had big discussions about this foodie food court and settled on a great porchetta sandwich ($9) from Piccolo’s Cafe with a nice hunk of pork, arugula, mozzarella, carmelized onions and a sweet and spicy aioli. Next was a heaping, messy, bold and tangy pork bun (2 for $6) from Fatty Snack. The final savories were from Asiadog: Sidney ($5)- Thai style
relish with mango, cucumber, red onion, crushed peanuts and Mel & Steve ($4.50)- Asian slaw with sesame seeds. Both were good, but not as bold in flavors as the earlier dishes. I will try Asiadog again, because it is supposed to be amazing. On to dessert, with 6 tiny, delicious donuts ($2!) from Cuzin’s Duzin and an excellent Wancko’s cookie ($3) of peanut butter, chocolate chips and pretzel chunks from Sigmund’s. This was another successful adventure at Mad Sq Eats.

The cheap eats gods have aligned and provided us with a place to taste many eats from top food truck vendors and have included hot sunny weather! On the west side of Madison Square Park, until October 21st, you will find a gathering of amazing food vendors like Wafels & Dinges and Momofuku Milk Bar, plus great beers. With nearly everything priced at under $10, I will have to break down my posts by rounds:

Round 1: For our first visit, we tried Manushe ($6) a rolled flatbread with yogurt, mint, cucumber and spices from upscale Lebanese eatery ilili. Next, we had a Cheddar Truffle Pretzel ($3) from pretzel guru Sigmund’s. Both snacks were tasty, but neither compared to the Tomato Chile Dumplings ($6) at Mehtaphor/Graffiti. These dumplings are made on the spot, with crispy edges and bold flavors, and are ridiculously good. I think Chef Mehta might be a genius. The cannolis from Artisan Stuffed Cannolis provided a sweet dessert (3 for $5). Go with the peanut butter cup in a chocolate shell, it’s always a winner. Skip the Shake Shack line, and check out these awesome vendors. (Thanks for the tip Litza!) Stay tuned for Round 2!

B & W Bakery
614 Main St, Hackensack, NJ

B & W Bakery has, without a doubt, the best crumb cake I have ever had. This isn’t just my opinion, reviewers on Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Roadfood are nearly unanimous about the pride of this institution for over 25 years. Jersey has great blue collar food: pizza, subs, hot dogs, diner grub, and yes, crumb cake. You can enjoy fancy croissants and scones, but this crumb cake really satisfies. When I visited, I mistakenly asked for 2 pieces, and was met with 2 massive 10 inch square slabs of crumb cake! I didn’t realize that one piece actually serves about 8 people! Besides the quantity, the cake is moist, doughy and sweet, and loaded with crumbs. Grab a large coffee and feast on this breakfast treat. It’s only 20 minutes from Midtown.

Ashley’s Ice Cream
280 York St, New Haven, CT

Ashley’s has been serving amazing ice cream or as they put it “yummy deliciousness” to Connecticut since 1973. It’s an institution in downtown New Haven that really brings you back. Not back to the soda fountains of the 1950′s, but back to quality ice cream parlors of the ’80′s and ’90′s. Back before the Yolatos and Stinkberry’s, when you could get great real ice cream and just a few quality toppings. Thanks to our heroes, Jane and Michael Stern of Roadfood, we landed on Ashley’s on a recent New Haven roadtrip. We chose their awesome Coffee Oreo ice cream, with fresh brewed coffee and the right amount of Oreos, topped with just hot fudge and real whipped cream. It was classic and delicious, and I could go for one right now…

I am sure that I can’t write anything original about the Morningside Heights landmark Hungarian Pastry Shop, but if you don’t know the hood, you should be aware of this bakery. I don’t know how long it has been in existence, although it must be at least 60 years, and it definitely has that old world, kinda-seedy-in-a-good-way NYC feel. It’s a Columbia U hangout and its tables have experienced hundreds of thousands term papers, intellectual conversations, and Sunday Times. It’s always packed, but still chill. The Hungarian name only shows up in its baked goods selections. My favorite is the classic strudel, particularly cherry, but the apple and other flavors are all good. The baklava also gets high marks. There is nothing fancy here, mostly good cookies and pastries, and the coffee is average, but the classic vibe is worth the trip. There are just not many of these places left anymore. Plus, St, John’s the Divine across the street adds a bonus cultural destination when you finish your strudel.

If you are a loyal WeCouldEat reader, you know Spud and I are in love with Astoria eats. There is so much diversity, quality, and the prices are grub-tastic. Here are some off the beaten path places we have discovered:
   
Arepas Cafe – Venezualan (33-07 36 Ave): Quality arepas, corn pockets filled with everything from spicy pork to shark to peanut butter + bananas. They are cheap, filling, and a departure from the ordinary. Favorite: Arepas   Bonus: C,reamy, cinnamony, Chicha shake

Cafetal – Mexican  (30-19 Astoria Blvd): A real hole in the wall under the N/W subway where you might have to break out your Spanglish, but the food is no frills and delicious. Favorite: Huge torta filled with meat, beans and the works  Bonus: Mexican Breakfast of sloppy eggs and chorizo, a neighborhood fave. (Now on Seamlessweb!)

Gianpiero Bakery – Italian Bakery (44-17 30th Ave): Even in a mini-Italian neighborhood this old time bakery is a standout. It is all about tradition here. Favorite: The incredible cream that fills cannolis and lobster claws, hell I could eat it with a spoon! Bonus: The old men sitting outside with espresso arguing in Italian.

La Papa – Baked Potato (30th and Crescent): From the Mundo owners, this place is obviously Spud’s dream come true. It’s a shrine to the tuber with amazing baked potatoes and unlimited toppings. Favorite: All American with cheddar, bacon, broccoli and pickles. Bonus: Red lentil soup 

New York Pao de Queijo – Brazilian (31-90 30th Ave): This joint has the craziest combos on their burgers and is a real South American experience, but is tiny so get it delivered. Favorite: X Egg, we love it so much, we’ve dubbed the whole joint “X Egg”. It is a burger topped with egg, bacon, mozzarella, corn, potato sticks, mayo… Bonus: Chocolate shake 

Lorusso’s – Pizza (18-01 26th Road): It’s a nondescript pizza place hidden on a side street, but the focaccia is delicious. $6  gets you a personal size focaccia with an array of toppings. Favorite: Potato. Hands-down this is delicious foccacia with creamy whipped potato topping. The owner keeps the recipe top secret. Bonus: The spinach-ricotta (when the potato sells out).

Zorba’s Souvlaki – Greek (29-05 23rd Ave): You can’t have an Astoria list that doesn’t include Greek. This place is not at all hidden, but can be overlooked on a block packed with eateries. Sit outside and get simply prepared dishes. Favorite: Grilled chicken souvlaki with rice  Bonus: Greek Pizza is huge and tasty.

Istria Sports Club – Istrian (28-09 Astoria Blvd): Intimidating on the outside, friendly on the inside. Feel like a tourist tasting traditional Istrian dishes. Favorite:  Fuzi (Istrian Noodles) Bonus: No sports watching required