By Ari, on January 15th, 2012%
For those who don’t know, New Yorker’s take brunch very seriously. Every Sunday people crawl out of bed, whether they’re hungover or not, to let the best chefs in the country ease their pain and tempt their palates. If you work in a restaurant kitchen, Sunday mornings from 10 am (or really 8 am when you begin prep) till 4 pm is a time to be scared. A time to panic, and pray to whomever you believe in (the food gods, of course) for an easy morning. Pray that the tickets don’t get backed up. That the line chef standing next to you doesn’t flop his first order of omelets or pancakes.
For the rest of us — the civilians — all we have to do is cross our fingers that the front of house staff doesn’t run out of coffee.
The majority of people who brunch fall into one of two categories:
(1) Those who had a low key evening the night before. These people are able to get up in time to stand in line outside the restaurant (currently in 15 degree weather) 20 minutes before the doors open to ensure themselves a table.
or…
(2) Those who had an epic night to remember (which sadly, they don’t remember) and are forced out of bed around 1 pm by their significant other because, let’s face it… if he or she doesn’t eat immediately, you’ll never hear the end of it.
I would say 99.9% of the time, John and I fall into the former.
Shocking, I know.
Our recent meal at Mile End, a Montreal-style Jewish delicatessen in Brooklyn, reminded me why I love brunch: when it’s prepared well, it can be the perfect start to your day.
The menu is a dream come true: not only do they have traditional breakfast fare (eggs, hash, bacon, etc.), but they’re also serving up all the Jewish deli classics a girl could want (latkes, chopped liver, lox, whitefish salad, brisket).
When you walk into Mile End, you have the option of sitting at the counter (with a direct view of the chefs as they cook — yes, please!) or at one of the smaller, family-style picnic tables in the room. We sat at the bar and chatted with the chefs a little as they worked. Everything here is homemade and fresh, from the twice-fried french fries, to the chopped liver and smoked brisket.
My decision was easy: the mont royal.
Potato and chive latke, lox, and a dollop of creme fraiche.
Heaven. Everything was seasoned well, presented simply, and absolutely delicious. The best part? Neither the lox nor the latkes were greasy. I could eat this every day. Continue reading Mile End
By Ari, on December 9th, 2011%
Last weekend John and I were lucky enough to enjoy a stellar meal at Momofuku Noodle Bar. Not just any meal, I assure you. Two of our friends were gifted the infamous fried chicken dinner in celebration of their engagement last year. As with all family-style meals at Momofuku restaurants, there is a minimum requirement of four people, and a maximum of eight. How fortunate we were to make the cut!
After ordering a few drinks to toast the bride- and groom-to-be, we started with a few appetizers.
You can’t go to Momofuku Noodle Bar (or Ssam Bar… or Milk Bar… you get the drift) without ordering David Chang’s highly publicized pork buns. Small steamed buns are filled with unctuous pork belly, hoisin, scallions, and cucumber. If you’ve never experienced these before, you are truly missing out.
 Continue reading Momofuku Noodle Bar – FRIED CHICKEN!
By Ari, on November 3rd, 2011%
Last night we enjoyed our first quick meal at BARK, a small, nouveau hot dog joint in Brooklyn. (My plan for cooking during the week sometimes falls through when “I don’t feel like it” rolls around.”)
The NY Times says they’re closing in on the gap between “artisan chic and fast food.” That’s a pretty accurate description of what you can expect here. They serve quality food (from local farmer’s, no less!) in an environment that feels hip and trendy.
The menu is a mix of classic dogs with new, innovative ideas.
John had the classic “Bark” dog — sweet pepper relish, mustard, and onion (left) — while I veered off and tried the veggie dog — chickpeas with roasted mushrooms and a garlic aioli (right).
 Continue reading BARK
By Ari, on September 16th, 2011%
For those wondering if we’re ever going to move, the answer is “no.” We’ve been looking at apartments (both online and in-person), but nothing has given us that we-want-to-move-right-now feeling.
Regarding Queens, we like Forest Hills — a lot — but it would make for a pretty long commute.
Astoria is great, but I’m not sure that young crowd is the vibe we’re going for.
In Brooklyn, I adore Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, and Park Slope, but I’d like to be able to move into a bigger apartment and feed my husband and dog every now and again. (Yes, it’s that pricey.)
And then there’s Manhattan. Would I die to live on the UWS or UES? Yes, probably. But we need more space for less money than those neighborhoods are asking. Also, moving to Manhattan would indisputably mean selling my car. Sad.
I don’t consider places like Soho or Noho viable living options for us. We’re just not those types of people.
Midtown? Nope. Financial District? Not happening. Harlem or the Bronx? I think I’d rather not.
Hi, I’m the pickiest person ever. Continue reading Pies ‘n’ Thighs
By Ari, on May 11th, 2011%
Do your parents ever rave to you about food from their childhood? My parents always told me about the “good ol’ days” when they could get their favorite pizza from this place or that, and how nothing would ever top the restaurants and diners they used to eat at when they were younger.
To my future children: apologies in advance for raving about the Best. Deli. Ever., Delimania, which used to reside in Tampa, FL. Sadly, this deli no longer exists. My parents practically lived at this place, though. And while I fondly remember going here multiple times a week for breakfast or lunch, what I will remember most is the outrageously good corned beef. This was my go-to order. Either corned beef and eggs, or corned beef hash, or a corned beef sandwich on rye… yum. I could go on and on about all the wonderful things that made Delimania so fabulous, but the most astonishing fact was that the chef (who executed everything perfectly, I might add) was vegetarian! Continue reading Ben’s Best Kosher Deli
By Ari, on May 9th, 2011%
We don’t go out for brunch very often. When we do, it is frequently just to the diner around the corner from our apartment (who doesn’t love a good diner?). Recently, however, we decided to give Marc Forgione a chance. I’d looked at the menu a few times in the past and always thought everything sounded wonderful. Then there’s the fact that the chef, Marc Forgione, is the most recent “Iron Chef.” Should have been a very memorable meal for us. Continue reading Marc Forgione
By Ari, on April 28th, 2011%
There’s this fantastic little neighborhood gem, danny brown, that we just can’t get enough of. It has easily become our favorite restaurant in Queens; it simply does not disappoint. Continue reading Danny Brown
By Ari, on April 19th, 2011%
Brilliant name for a restaurant, right?
I had hoped dining at the newest addition to Sunnyside would bear a close resemblance to our highly enjoyable meals at Traif, but sadly, I’m not rushing back.
Continue reading Salt & Fat
By Ari, on March 25th, 2011%
Last weekend, John and I were running some errands in the city. Due to poor planning, we hadn’t figured out a plan for lunch, and we soon found ourselves hungry and giving into temptation. (Temptation = anything not allowed on the wedding diet.)
So there we were, standing in front of This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef – yes, that is actually the name; I love it! Continue reading This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef
By Ari, on March 10th, 2011%
Shortly after the New Year began, John and I enjoyed our first meal at Bistro 33, a small neighborhood restaurant featuring a fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. Given the location in Queens, we were pleasantly surprised with both the quality of food and the buzzing atmosphere. (Both times we’ve gone, the restaurant has been fully occupied with a line out the door.) On our first visit, we were wowed by seared foie gras ($9) and innovative sushi rolls ($8-18), and determined to return again soon.
Last week, we finally made it back. Instead of sushi (which I couldn’t turn down before), I branched out and started with something seemingly appropriate for this time of year: crispy crawfish!
 Continue reading Bistro 33
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