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!
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