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Midtown, Small Shops
Family Lunches at Margon – NYC
08.07.09 | Permalink | 6 Comments

Octopus Salad @ Margon

For the past few weeks, I’ve been getting visitors during lunch from various members of my family; on one occasion Hannah and Adam (my sister-in-law and nephew, respectively), and on two occasions my Mom. Out of two of those three times, I took them to Margon. (I wasn’t crazy about Cuban sandwiches at Margon, but the rice dishes are homey and delicious.) Sure, I could have taken them somewhere fancy, but the people in my family don’t need pretense for a good meal, just good food. That’s how we roll. MORE »
Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Fast Food, Markets, Street Eats
Eatin’, Rockin’, and Burnin’ @ Sirenfest – NYC
08.05.09 | Permalink | 3 Comments

I’m convinced someone over at The Village Voice sold their soul to the devil because it was strangely beautiful on the day of Sirenfest (The Siren Music Festival, run by The Village Voice). In the first Saturday in weeks, we weren’t inundated by rainstorms, flood watches, and general meteorological crapiness. It was the way it should be in New York during the summer: blisteringly hot and humid. And so, David and I were off to Coney Island for some sun, music, carnival craziness, and of course food. MORE »
LES, Restaurants
Barrio Chino is Muy Caliente! – NYC
07.22.09 | Permalink | 10 Comments

For a few years now, every time I passed by Barrio Chino overflowing with hipsters I assumed the worst; fake Mexican food for posers. Trendy and tasty don’t usually go hand in hand. However, after hearing from friends fawning over the place over and over again, I decided it was about time to walk those three blocks over to Broome. Every restaurant deserves a shot in my book/blog/stomach, even the pretentious ones.

As expected, Barrio Chino (Chinatown in Spanish) tries very hard to assume the bohemian charm of most restaurants in the Lower East Side. There is exposed brick, tiny tables spaced just short of shoulder to shoulder contact with your neighbor, a drink menu on a piece of cardboard borderline scary to touch, and precarious lighting in the bathroom that will initially cause alarm when you have to feel your way out when the light goes out mid pee. However, surprisingly, it works because the food is actually good and their margaritas are killer. MORE »
Home Cooking, Nolita, Recipes, Restaurants, Small Shops
Irresistible Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) – NYC
07.13.09 | Permalink | 6 Comments

Grilled corn on the cob is good, but smothered in a creamy mayonnaise concoction and sprinkled with spicy chili pepper, salty Cotija cheese, and a squirt of lime, it’s amazing. Walking by Cafe Habana in the summertime, it’s hard not to stop in for some elote — on the menu as Grilled Corn Mexican Style ($1.95 from the takeout section next door to the restaurant) — especially when you see the hordes of pretty people outside licking their lips as they gnaw on their orders of corn. A while back, as I sat on the wooden bench in front of Cafe Habana chowing down on my elote, Heather Graham appeared out of nowhere and proceeded to nonchalantly eat her order of corn right in front of me. This corn is Hollywood endorsed!

I haven’t had the elote at Pinche Taqueria yet, but compared to La Esquina, I prefer Cafe Habana’s corn because they grill the corn the perfect amount so it’s sweetly charred but not too dried out. La Esquina’s corn leans towards the latter.

If you don’t live in New York, or want to pig out on elote without breaking the bank, it’s quite easy to make elote at home in the oven or on a grill. I’ve had successful results trying both methods. Below is an adapted recipe from one of the co-owners of Cafe Habana, Richard Ampudia. Just plan to double the recipe if it’s for more than two people. I know I can eat a whole lot of corn, especially Mexican-style corn. And perhaps if you make enough, Heather will stop by for a bite. You never know. MORE »
Bite vs. Bite, Midtown, Restaurants, Washington Heights
Bite vs. Bite / Cuban Sandwich – NYC
07.08.09 | Permalink | 4 Comments

I’ve been eating a lot of Cuban sandwiches lately. It’s a nice break from banh mis and it also fulfills my daily dietary cheese requirement. (I’m a cheese freak if you didn’t know.) The last two Cubans I ate were at Margon in Midtown and El Presidente in Washington Heights. I’ll be breaking down the two sandwiches here in a new feature called Bite vs. Bite. MORE »
LES, Restaurants
Brunch at Macondo – NYC
05.15.09 | Permalink | 4 Comments

For the past few years, I’ve suffered through bad brunches at David’s favorite French cafe in the Lower East Side. Watery salads, runny eggs, bad mussels that made me puke all night, I’ve eaten it all. Of course I could have refused, but considering all the grilled intestine and pigs’ feet dinners he’s braved, it’s the least I can do. Give and take, right? So you can imagine how happy I am now that David has a new favorite brunch place: Macondo. Hallelujah! Finally, the weekend torture has ended. MORE »
NoHo, Nolita, Small Shops
Fish & Shrimp Tacos at Pinche Taqueria – NYC
04.22.09 | Permalink | 8 Comments

Spring is here and that means it’s taco time! Sure you can get a taco in the winter, but nothing beats grabbing a taco on a warm spring day and immediately eating it street-side or even better at a park right after it’s been made. Also, temperatures conducive to drinking ice cold cerverzas with your taco don’t hurt. Two weeks ago, it was one of those beautiful sunny Sundays in New York just meant for lazy city meanderings and taco eating, when David and I came upon Pinche Taqueria in Nolita. I’d read on Serious Eats they had the “first good fish taco” “outside Southern California or Mexico,” so our meanderings momentarily ended as we filed into the tiny shop for some south of the border goodness. MORE »