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!
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