The Final Two

I'm down to my top two food pics from New York . . . drum roll please . . .

It was a tight race between these two places. I thought I had it pretty cemented while I was in New York, but just looking at the pictures again makes me want to change my mind. Ok, here goes . . .

#2 Grimaldi's

With their hours-long wait and lines that seem to go for miles, this place is for the true die-hard pizza lovers. Steph and I were fortunate to make it there about 45 minutes before it opened, so luckily, the line wasn't too bad.



However, along came this little Brooklyn "pizza tour" van, and out came some people who got to jump ahead of everyone.



After some grumbles and bit more waiting, Steph and I made it safely in with the first batch, so smiles and cheery anticipation resumed. We ordered up one pizza -- half with only cheese and the other half with pepperoni and mushrooms. Maybe 15-20 minutes later, this beauty arrived piping hot at our table.



And here's a closeup so you can see it in its full glory:



Now, pizza is probably my favorite food in the world. There's rarely one that I don't like. But this one is special. I was in bliss! Words cannot do it justice, so I'll just keep it short and sweet. If you're in New York and you love pizza and have some time to spare, make sure you stop at Grimaldi's. Just get there early!


#1 Banchan (Mad for Chicken)



While it goes against my nature not to give the number one spot to Grimaldi's, I have to go with my original gut feeling. My sister kept telling me about "the best chicken" she ever had, so I made sure to have her plan it into our schedule. Banchan (now known as Mad for Chicken) is a Koreatown eatery specializing in chicken. If you don't know where it is, you would easily pass it by, being that the restaurant is on the 2nd floor of a nondescript building with no signs in the front. It's all part of the magic of Banchan! You see the lackluster surrounding, you go in not really believing the hype about how good it can be, and then it totally sweeps you off your feet!



We ordered the soy garlic combination wings and drumsticks. It comes to you served with daikon, carrots, celery, and a dip. I have no idea what kind of dip it was because I was too busy with the chicken. The sauce makes the chicken a little bit salty, a little bit sweet, garlicky, and the best part, super crispy. There were four of us sharing two orders, and by the end, I was licking my lips and fingers, staring longingly at the plates and wishing for more.



We also ordered some kimchi pancake, which was also very tasty. I am definitely not a chicken person, but I was begging Steph to take me back there again before I left. It was so good, that we had it again on my last night in New York. Banchan totally rocks!

The List: #4 and #3

#4 Malatesta Trattoria



This charming restaurant came as another recommendation from Ayumi. The night before our first reunion, she asked me what kind of food I wanted to eat. One thing I've always wanted to have was really good, fresh pasta. And since we were in New York, I knew there must be some good stuff around. Being the thoughtful and sweet person that she is, Ayumi looked it up, and made reservations for Malatesta Trattoria. We started with a caprese salad (I have to do a shout out to C -- when I saw this on the menu, I thought of you and had to order it!). The classic combination of tomato, mozzarella, and basil was a nice start . . .



But then we were served the fresh pasta, and that's when the magic started. Ayumi and I ordered the spinach ravioli stuffed with artichoke while Steph got one with a "pink" sauce (I can't remember what was inside, probably cheese).





It was all so good. Steph's face sums it up the best:




#3 5 Napkin Burger

On my second night in town, Steph and I made plans to tag along to dinner with my college friend Justin, his fiancee, and his sister. Justin's one of my most food-loving friends, and he came into my life senior year of college. That was the year my culinary world exploded, since I lived with two world travelers who loved to bake and cook amazing food. Justin also helped a lot with introducing me to different ingredients and dishes. I was shocked when he told me that he could watch the Food Network all day . . . but now I'm guilty of doing that every Saturday! He was also the coolest sophomore at Brown because he hung out with three senior girls and went on road trips with them! Here we are back in the day boogeying at the MIT luau . . .



And now those three girls' brother is engaged and all grown up. I'm super happy for him! Ok, back to the food. I knew it would be good because it was Justin-recommended, but Steph, who isn't a very enthusiastic meat eater, wasn't so thrilled when she heard they'd chosen a burger place. We decided to share the "Original 5 Napkin Burger" . . . a juicy concoction of burger patty, carmelized onions, gruyere cheese, rosemary aioli, and fries on the side. And a really really soft, delicious bun.



So amazing was this burger that Steph said it was the best one she ever had . . . and that it was #1 on her list! Coming from an almost-vegetarian, that should give one a hint that this burger is pretty extraordinary. Directly after that mind-blowing experience, I took a pretty nasty fall and earned this pretty little shiner.



That was my second fall in two days! Damn those hot $10 Savers boots with worn-out grips! But all was ok since the klutz in me remembers to pack band-aids everywhere I go. Steph and I had a pleasant subway ride home . . . still talking about that burger.

The List: #6 and #5

#6 A Salt & Battery



Hello there! And cheers! Continuing my little countdown today with this British fish and chips place. I think I heard about this place through the Food Network, and it was in a bunch of guidebooks that I consulted. As a result, Steph and I decided to check it out after a morning of touring the beautiful Frick Museum.


(Picture taken in ignorance before being reprimanded for taking pictures.)

The tiny A Salt & Battery specializes in everything fried, though, sadly, we didn't get to try any fried candy bars during our trip. It's also located in a very "Little Britain" part of West Village, with a smattering of tea shops and bars reminiscent of London nearby. Being that I love all things British . . . the accent, tea, afternoon tea, the charming way they say "Happy Christmas," and Robert Pattinson to name a few . . . being in this area made me ever so giddy and happy. I could just close my eyes and imagine I was somewhere in London. Then seeing all the different Cadbury chocolate bars in the Carry on Tea and Sympathy shop next door transported me to Melbourne.



But back to A Salt & Battery. Steph and I ordered some chips and fried fish, to share. I can't remember what kind of fish it was, we just took the recommendation for the most popular one. The eating area there consists of two bar counters and stools, so it was a little tight. Steph and I huddled in one corner uncomfortably, standing at first, and inhaled those tasty, crispy morsels. Everything got doused in malt and ketchup (well, that was on the side, really). A little malt never hurt anyone, and a lot just elevated the fish and chips to a whole new level! Seriously, malt is my new favorite thing. And that tartar sauce was super yummy as well. It didn't have that mayonaise-y or relish taste that most have. It was more like a dijon-vinegar tartar sauce. Have you ever had an eating experience where your fork and mouth just don't work fast enough? Where you're not even done chewing what's in your mouth but you're already scoping out then fighting for the next piping hot, browned, flaky, malt-soaked piece? Well, I had that experience here, and it is a hard one to replicate. Bravo, A Salt & Battery. I tip my hat to you!


#5 City Bakery (hot chocolate)



I have gone back and forth between my #5 and #4 many times. Can a drink really be so good? Anyone who knows me knows I have a major sweet tooth and satisfying it is a full-time job. So it should come as no surprise that a hot chocolate is in my top five. Relegated to the lower position only because it is a beverage.

Before leaving for New York, a friend told me that I had to have her favorite hot chocolate in the city. And when she said City Bakery, I just nodded in agreement. I know ALL about that place. I had made the serendipitous discovery on a previous trip, and the hot chocolate there was just something that stayed in my mind and never left. I made plans to have it at least twice while I was in the city.

That being said, this beverage is not for everyone. It's like drinking a melted candy bar! It is so thick and creamy and rich. Some can only have one sip. But I just nursed it throughout the night, and came back another day for seconds . . .



this time to try it with their famed homemade marshmallows. Delish.

The chocolate chip cookie (pictured above) got some good reviews, but to me it was just secondary. You really come here for hot chocolate. And just for fun and to compare, I tried the Aztec hot chocolate from a place called Mariebelle.



It was about a third of the size as the one at City Bakery but more expensive. Six bucks for the espresso-size cup! Not as sweet, but just as creamy and rich. Perhaps they use a more refined chocolate with higher cocoa solids, but I still prefer the first. City Bakery remains my favorite hot chocolate place in the world!

The List: #8 and #7

#8 ESS-A-BAGEL

Before I endure any crap about having a bagel place on my top ten list, let me remind you that we are talking about New York here. When in New York, you must have their bagels. They are the best. So, using my well-honed research skills, I plucked Ess-a-Bagel from the "best of" lists . . . having already tried H & H Bagels on a previous trip and being pretty unimpressed. I must also mention that I had lunch here after a two and a half hour exhausting walking tour of The Met (amazing, by the way). So by lunchtime, my feet were aching, my stomach was twisting into knots, and I was craving something quick, fast, and loaded with carbs. So bagels it was.



Before I even got there, I already knew what I wanted to order: an everything bagel with lox cream cheese. I mean, is there anything better than an everything bagel? You got sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion . . . enough said. Perhaps a peanut butter chocolate bagel can come close to rivaling it, but I don't think they had those. Since it was a warm day (in the 70s! in October!), I wanted to take my bagel to go. But, after hearing my intentions, the kind man making my bagel replied, "Why you take it to go? Why not you eat it here? No one will bother you." So with those words of assurance, I took my tray and had a seat by the window.



And entered into warm, crunchy, pillowy doughy, salty, tangy, creamy heaven. I like to make up rules when I eat certain foods, and with this bagel, my rule was to take one bite of the sandwich as it is. Then, disassemble the sandwich into four separate pieces . . . the longer to enjoy such simple perfection. I sat in that bagel place for quite a while, watching the passersby getting on with their New York days. And when I had eaten the last sesame seed off that white paper, I was re-fueled, completely satiated, and happy to get on with things as well.

#7 CHA-AN



My dear, sweet friend Ayumi wanted to introduce me to this adorable little tea place, and since I love little tea places, I was happy to oblige. So we made plans to meet up with our college friend, Laura, and my sister. Since Laura was coming from way uptown and would be late, and since my sister was coming from work and was starving, the three of us got things started. Ayumi and I planned to just get dessert and tea (and have a $1 pizza afterwards), but Steph needed some real food.



She ordered a chicken and kabocha pumpkin with broth dish and rice. We all had a sample of it, and although it looks simple, the dish was so delicious and complex. The only negative about it was that there wasn't enough! Ayumi and I ordered a dessert trio and two teas, a green (Genmaicha if I remember correctly) and a Darjeerling. We all admired the lovely and authentic presentation:









The standout of the dessert trio was the black sesame creme brulee. The top of the dessert was properly caramelized so that you got the nice contrast of the crunchy sweet top and creamy interior. The black sesame added an unusual touch, but I couldn't stop eating it!

Cha-an may not have delivered portions of the standard American meal, but it earned a nice spot at #7 for its quaint and cozy atmosphere, perfectly done dishes and teas, and its creativity.

It's all about the food . . . the Top Ten List (#10 and #9)

No matter where I go, it's always about the food. I could be in the middle of lunch, enjoying a perfectly pressed panini, and still be contemplating what's for dinner. So I have diligently reviewed the pictures, replayed each experience in my head, tallied up the scores . . . and now I present Patty's list of top ten culinary adventures in New York. Let the countdown begin!

#10 JOE'S SHANGHAI
Oh Joe's. Had I been making this list last year, this well-known Chinatown establishment would have easily been in the top two. Last year's memory of snagging a coveted table in the back of the restaurant, filling it up with our gang much to the chagrin of the parties of two waiting outside in the cold, and being introduced to the world of soup dumplings is such a happy one for me. Our New York locals explained that you bite a tiny hole in the soup dumpling so you can slurp all the delicious broth inside. And you must do this over your spoon so as to catch all that precious soup. Amazing!

But this is not last year. Just me and my sister this year, so we shared a big 10-seater table with another family. The waiter didn't even have to ask what we wanted. It was just, "How many you want?"

"One order of regular soup dumplings and green onion pancakes," we chirped, stomachs rumbling with great expectations.



But these were not the soup dumplings of my last year's memory. The dumplings got stuck to the cabbage leaves so by the time they made it to my plate, all the soup had fallen out. Also, the "famous" dumplings we ordered had pork (fine) and crab roe (I was trying to be adventurous). I think last time we may have ordered just the pork ones. Crab roe is not for everyone. Oh well.



Being that we were famished, when our order arrived, Steph and I decided we needed one more dish. Rather than go through the menu another time and delay gratification, we eyed the dishes our table mates were enjoying . . . lots of veggies, fish, beef broccoli (bleh!), shrimp and scallops -- ooh that's the one! We'll have one of those!



That's the last time I'm ordering from the table. When the check came, we found out that last dish was a "special" and cost $20. Lesson learned. Joe's Shanghai, you just squeezed your way into my top ten on a memory and because I like green onion pancakes so much! And that seafood dish was good . . . just not $20 good.

#9 EMPANADA MAMA



This is another one coming from last year's memories that I was looking forward to reliving. Last year's experience was so good that I scoured the internet for empanada recipes for days. I dreamed of empanadas, my mouth watered at the thought of them. So I had to go back.

I was alone on this day, so my one task of the afternoon was to conquer the mystery that is the New York subway and make my way to Hell's Kitchen, to a small but cheery little restaurant. When I got there, it was busy, so I felt a little awkward having a table of two for myself. To compensate, I ordered way too much:

Began with cassava and guacamole,


and went on to devour two Brasil empanadas filled with meat, onions, olives, and who knows what else.


Everything was really tasty, but I think eating alone put a damper on things. Being able to share the experience with someone makes all the difference in the world. So I ordered my dessert empanada (chocolate & banana) to go and enjoyed it in the comfort of Steph's apartment.





As in life, better things are still to come!