Pig Island!!

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New York City is a wonderful place--every possibly language, culture and cuisine has a home here. And pork gets its very own island! I took the ferry out with That Sara (of NYCNomNom--her review is here) and her BF, Mike. It was a beautiful, albeit humid, day, in September.

Make no mistake--this is no place for vegetarians or vegans (although they offered a vegetarian ticket, what we saw was definitely not worth it!)

We got there bright and early---I'd read many a time that food events on Governor's Island quickly went south, running out of food and causing outrageous lines. We weren't taking any chances! Since we'd bought the Thrillist discount, we also got to go through a little faster: advantage: US!

We planned to make a quick loop around the area and see what we wanted to come back and try, but it didn't really work out that way. Too many tempting stalls stopped us in our tracks. There's so much to show you, but I'm going to narrow it down to my 3 favorite bites:

Ici (remember how awesome they were at Brooklyn Uncorked??? Still awesome) had a stand where they had a shredded pork over spicy greens. This contained peppers, so Sara ordinarily wouldn't be able to try it, but they offered to make a non-pepper version just for her--so we came back about 30 minutes later and they had it waiting. I thought that went above and beyond! It was delicious--the greens were fresh, the dressing had lots of black pepper, and it was just bright and scarfable. I must get to this restaurant in 2012!!

The Smorrebrod stand had 3 bites: 2 bits on bread and a meatball. The pork terrine on the most amazing rye bread--holy crap. I could have stopped here and been so, so happy. The pickled veggies on top gave it a nice crunch, too. I have to track down this bread--it was so delicious that I found out which person at the stall was responsible for it told her repeatedly how amazing it was. A-may-ZING.

The meatball was just okay..but look! Another butter-slathered slice of that to-die-for bread!

Rounding out the top 3 is Austrian restaurant Edi & The Wolf. I had just seen the owners on The Today Show a week or two ago, and everything they made looked amazing. I can't even remember what this bite is--I just know that normally I would have passed it by, but after seeing the spot on the Today Show and talking to the enthusiastic workers at the stand, I had to give it a shot. What a delicious, transformative mix of flavors. Get ready, ABF--we are GOING HERE!

And there was a sweet bite I loved too--bacon-maple-cinnamon rolls. Yeah, you heard me. I went back for a second one. I could have gone back for three, four, five and six, but I didn't.

The beer flowed a-plenty, too, courtesy of Six Point Beer. I'm not much of a beer person, but the Belgian White ws light, refreshing, and not too malty.

Overall, the event was excellently organized--there were only long lines at a few spots, and plenty of food to go around. Even the bites that were just 'ok' were still fun to try. Things started disappearing around 1:30, but by then we'd eaten our fill and then some!

I can't believe this was my first trip to Governor's Island-- I will be back to rent a bike, ride around, and take in the gorgeous scenery, including jaw-dropping views of the NYC skyline that I love so much.

Will I be back for Pig Island 2012? Hmmm...maybe. But if you've never been, I definitely suggest going at least once! And do yourself a favor: go hungry.

Also..wanna see more yummy pix? Check out my Stuff I Ate FB page and/or click here!

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The Meatball Shop

The Meatball Shop has been on "The List" for a long time, but it wasn't until the Williamsburg, Brooklyn outpost opened up that I made it there for a meal with Jen A & Tom. The original store is on Stanton in Manhattan's Lower East Side, but you'd be just as fortunate to hop on the L train and give this place a go.

I read a few reviews that said this place is roomier than the LES location. This wasn't exactly a sprawling place, so the original shop must be a tight fit!

We sat at the kitchen bar, aka a front row seat to some serious controlled chaos in the kitchen! These guys are HUSTLING, and they do it to a T.

The 'shtick' with Meatball Shop is that you make your order as you like it on laminated menus with dry-erase markers. You can customize your meal down to the smallest detail: type of meat, sauce, sides, you name it. You can even design a tailored cocktail, using one of their house-made infused syrups.

I checked in on FourSquare and saw a tip to try the "Fool-Aid," house-made punch. This tastes an awful like sweet grape Kool-Aid with a hefty dose of booze. It is not for the faint of heart! It was okay, and a nice foil for the meat, but I don't think I'd order this again. I think I'll go for a root beer float next time!

Jen ordered a cocktail with their lavender-thyme syrup and vodka. I tried a sip but no me gusta. Lavender tastes like soap to me in large doses, and this was not my style. Jen, however, really enjoyed it.

I decided to have a little bit of everything, so I ordered 3 sliders ($3 each): 1 beef with tomato sauce, 1 pork with spicy meat sauce, and 1 chicken with Parmesan-cream sauce. They were adorable and delicious! The meatballs were soft without collapsing, perfectly spiced, and quite nommable. I'd say the chicken and pork were my favorites, but all three were good. The spicy meat sauce had a nice kick without overpowering the tomato flavor, and the parmesan-cream sauce is potentially habit-forming!

Jen ordered 3 sliders too, and got chicken, beef and the veggie burger. She liked the first two, but her tip is to skip the veggie meatball--she found the texture overwhelming.

Tom ordered the "Smash," ($9)which is 3 meatballs and sauce, smooshed under a bun and served with arugula and apple salad (zingy and bright!) He also ordered the pork with spicy meat sauce, and gave it two thumbs up.

Jen & I shared the house salad, a mix of greens with crispy celery & radish and roasted eggplant, and fat curls of parmesan cheese on top. This was crunchy, refereshing, and had just enough dressing on it.

We also dove into a small dish of their daily risotto: this one flavored with leeks and tomatoes. Sooo good. I'm not really a rice fan, but when it's cooked in the risotto manner, I can't stop eating it!

With drinks, sides, and main dishes, this came out to about 20 dollars a person. Our orders were flawlessly excuted, they came pretty quickly, and we'd all go back in a heartbeat. I would absolutely grab a seat at the Kitchen Bar if you can--great kitchen-watching and a bit roomier than the tables. For a place that could just fall back on a 'shtick,' The Meatball Shop does an excellent job delivering more than just a fun theme.

The Meatball Shop

170 Bedford Ave

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

718-551-0520

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Midtown Find: 48 Lounge

It can be tough to find a good Happy Hour spot in Midtown--you have a lot of (seriously overpriced) chains and sloppy frat boy spots, but a nice post-work spot that has plenty of space? Tough to come by, so when you do find it, you want to spread the word!

48 Lounge is in the same building as our office, but it took Mel & me forever to get here. We sat at the shiny bar just before 5 on a Wednesday and checked out their menu. We both decided to order the LoJito ($14), a lower-calorie version of the Mojito (a favorite of LKP's!) made with fresh raspberries, lime, white rum, & agave nectar. $14 is more than I normally like to pay for a cocktail, but we wanted someplace close and quick---bingo!
Now, I don't normally mess with the original mojito, and I wasn't expecting much, but holy COW this Lojito was delicious. So delicious, we had 2! Splurge much? :)

We also ordered the spinach-artichoke dip ($11), a pretty safe go-to when you're not ready for dinner but way past lunch. We were both impressed at how fresh this was. Chunks of deep green spinach and savory artichoke--and it wasn't an oily, mayonaisse-y mess. It was light, delicious, with just enough salty cheese on top, and the garlicky toasts that went with it were outstanding.

Mel & I couldn't help noticing that there were more and more people showing up--most of them men. Helllooooo, ladies! Delicious drinks, dip, and mobs of well-dressed men? Yes please!

48 Lounge NYC
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
(212) 554-4848

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Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in NYC

LA-based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf came to Manhattan this summer, and with all the buzz you'd have thought we'd never had a coffee shop before! I waited for the lines to stop wrapping around the block before giving it a shot (yes, this East Coaster still hasn't made it out to LA yet).

One sunny gorgeous September morning I wandered past the shop and hopped inside. I thought I'd have a minute to browse the store, but a young woman with a notepad chirped "Can I take your drink order?" before I knew what hit me. Man, they push you right through!

I had checked in on Foursquare and saw my friend Sara's tip (Sara of NYCNomNom fame) to order the iced coffee with no-sugar-added chocolate powder. Like a mocha with less sugar/guilt. That's what I ordered, and I was herded on over to the register and past the piles of pastry.

I was going to order the raspberry "clawssiant," (sic--should be "aint"--I know, I can't help myself!) but the server convinced me that the chocolate was sooooo much better. I was skeptical but figured I'd go with it.

What do you think of the random Wall of Glam? Odd, but pretty. Something to stare at while waiting for a drink!


They definitely are not messing around with the line. I was in, ordering, paying, and then waiting for my drink in a matter of seconds. I didn't have to wait that long, but I still definitely felt super rushed.

I grabbed some outdoor public seating right outside and tried the drink--tasty, but not out of this world. It reminds me of a drink I've had somewhere else but can't quite place. Good, just not lifechanging.

The clawssiant, however, was a total letdown. It looks pretty, sure, but yuck. It had a heavy hint of cinnamon, the chocolate was kind of chalky, and it was just not worth it--I threw the rest of it in the trash. Bleah.

Was the coffee good? Yeah. Is it worth going out of your way? Not just yet for me. I'll probably go back in a bit and get some of their coffee beans, which I hear are their specialty. In the meantime, what do YOU like about "The Bean?" Give me some delicious things to try on the next visit!

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
1412 Broadway
New York, NY 10018

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Belated Birthday Dinner: Manzo

That Sara & I share a birthweek (among other things in common!)--hers is 2 days before mine, and every year, we take ourselves out for a fun dinner. This year our schedules were a bit hectic, so it was a week later when we got together. We decided to try Manzo, the only restaurant in Mario Batali's "Eataly" establishment (read more about the vast empire that is Eataly here) that accepts reservations (all other restaurants in the, well, complex, are first come, first served).

We ordered a bottle of Friulano wine, but they were out, so the accomodating sommelier brought us a bottle of the Lidia Bastianich Friulano, but gave it to us at the lower price of the wine we originally requested. This was delightful and tart and bright, and sweet and lovely. Win!

Manzo is Italian for meat, and that was the focus of our meal, but first, some bread & cheese...

The obligatory bread basket brought us some so-so focaccia (it was just too bland to be noteworthy), but some delicious, toothsome, sourdough-tasting type bread. I'm glad there wasn't more of this because I would have eaten every slice!

Our server was quite helpful and she explained that portions at Manzo are smaller than most places so customers can sample more of the menu. We still weren't starving, so we opted to split a app, a pasta dish and an entree in hopes of having room for dessert.

First came the mozzarella with brown butter and guanciale (pig cheek, similar to bacon or pancetta). This was super-soft and fresh, a tad too salty, but the crunch of the guanciale was a nice offset to the cheese. The crunchy-soft pieces of garlicky bread were the perfect foil--what a great combo.

THIS is the split portion of pasta---the Tajarin with Sugo d'Arrosto (classic sauce from Italy's Piedmont region that is basically drippings from a roast--YES IT'S DELICIOUS). This was quite lovely. My first bite was not fully covered in sauce, so I thought I might be disappointed, but the second bite and every one after that--sooo good.

And half the normal pasta dish was more than enough for us!

For our main dish, we got the hay-smoked veal chop. This chop was HUGE. I couldn't believe this was considered a 'smaller' portion. Have you ever taken a fresh piece of hay or straw and chewed it? That sweet, grassy, fresh flavor was perfectly infused in this chop. What a scrumptious dish!

I was also delighted to find that the broccoli rabe (atop the chop) was absolutely delicious. Normally I pass on this vegetable, as it's usually too bitter to enjoy, but this had a wonderful, savory, earthy flavor that was quite impressive.

Thanks to our sharing strategy, we had enough room for dessert: a chocolate crostata with plums and sliced almonds. This was deep, riiiiiich chocolate. Very good. Very rich. Perhaps pushing it as far as our bellies' boundaries, but yeah, worth it.

Manzo was a delicious experience, the service was spot-on--attentive but not intrusive or harried, and I would definitely recommend it for a hearty, mouthwatering meal. Che delizioso!

Manzo @Eataly
200 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
(212) 229-2180

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Crisp on Wheels

NYC is a city famous for, among many things, food trucks. They're especially popular in midtown (where I work) and the financial district, where large clusters of people work. The Crisp on Wheels truck stops outside our offices a lot, and I'd heard good buzz. When sunny weather, no line, and my arrival all worked together perfectly, I popped over for a bite.

The ordering happens near the driver's door. I was surprised to see they take credit cards--very rare for a mobile food spot! I decided to keep it simple and order the Crisp falafel sandwich--a few falafel in a whole wheat pita with cubed salad. YUM! I received my order slip and stepped to the right to wait for the deliciousness.

People LOOOVE to complain about lines at food trucks, but let me offer you some perspective--it's almost always still faster than going to a restaurant and sitting down. Fine, it's not as fast as a "fast food" spot, but you're usually getting tastier food. I just have to roll my eyes at the impatient, whiny people stomping their feet and complaining about the 5, 10, or 15 minute wait. If the line is stretching to the corner and you're in a hurry, don't stop there, then!! Rant over.

It took all of about 5 minutes to get my order. While waiting, I saw that checking in on FourSquare for the first time got me a free iced tea or lemonade. Done! I showed the woman who got me the food and she breezily got me a passion fruit iced tea. I was delighted to find it was not sweetened. The passionfruit was clear and clean and just the right flavor for a sunny summer day.

Upstairs I eagerly unpacked my lunch. The pita sandwich comes in a ziptop box--with clear instructions. I zipped it open in no time and surveyed the bright colors. I couldn't just leave it in the box though....

Look at those colors! A fresh, perfectly diced salad topping of tomatoes, onions, parsley and more, spilling out from the fresh, soft pita. I took a first bite and was happy with the burst of vibrant flavors. I still thought, though, hmmm..is this going to be worth it?

The more I ate, however, the better it got. It wasn't until I was 1/3 though the sandwich that I got to the shmear of hummus on the inside of the pita. It was not an overly garlickly or citrusy hummus, it was smooth, damn near velvety, and so delicious. Wow.

There were three falafel inside, and they were pretty good. Not the best I've had, but darn good. And it all worked together so well. The layers of flavors in this sandwich really impressed me. Worth every penny. I didn't mean to finish it--this is a big sammich--but I just didn't want to STOP eating.

It's not an everyday meal for me, but I'm definitely adding Crisp on Wheels to my lunch routine! If you live in NYC, you can follow them on Twitter or Facebook, and if you're a tourist traveling through, definitely try them out for an affordable, fresh, delicious bite!

Visit Crisp on Wheels on the web here
or Twitter @CrisponWheels

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