Eating New York

Wow, it's been quite awhile since I posted any new recipes! The month of June was filled with trips to New Mexico, Oklahoma, and New York in addition to having family visit us in Chicago and between that and work there just didn't seem to be any time. But don't worry, I still ate. In fact this blog will be dedicated to all the great food that was consumed in the great city of New York. I'll apologize in advance for the quality of the photos. It's hard to take good pictures when you're on the go..

It all started last Monday night, our first night on the Upper East Side. We had just returned from a Yankee's game after scoring tickets from a nice fellow on the plane who happened to have connections in the Yankee realm. We couldn't very well pass up that opportunity. It's a good thing we didn't have to pay for our tickets, because after $14 a beer we were sure to go broke on our first night in New York City. After the game we met up with some old friends for some good old fashioned pizza. If you want a delicious pizza no matter where you go just get it topped with anchovies and capers.  The salty combination on top of a thin crust pizza is amazing; the other half of the pizza was less memorable, a trusty combination of mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. At this point I had no clue where we were, between travel delays, figuring out NYC's subway system, and the ballgame I didn't have the energy to inquire. Also, I had consumed more than one cocktail at the game and I think that may have had a little something to do with it...at least I had the wherewithal to remember to take a picture!

The following morning found us at this corner of the Upper West Side . Fruit stands now inhabit hundreds of corners in Manhattan following Mayor Bloomburg's initiative to get New Yorkers eating healthier. The fresh fruit for breakfast was cheap and gave us the energy to tackle the city.We wish Chicago would adopt this idea!

Months ago when we were planning our trip to New York I requested tickets to attend the David Letterman show the week we would be in town. I had forgotten all about it until a week before our departure date I received a phone call saying we had scored tickets! Joel had just seen Conan O'Brien perform in Chicago and I had seen Jay Leno several years ago in Los Angeles. This seemed like a perfect trio for late night comedy hosts for us to have seen.Walking around Times Square before the show was surreal. It's strange to be in a place you've seen portrayed so many times on television and movies. It's a magical place!

 


Of course getting a tasty treat before the show was a necessity, the falafel sandwich wasn't the best I've had, in fact it doesn't even come close, but we devoured it nonetheless.

After a tip from a friend at work who is passionate about food and used to live in Jersey, we vistied Poseidon Bakery on 9th between 54th & 55th. The apricot & cheese strudel is the best! Thanks, Jenny!

Walking around Manhattan in 90 degree heat can really give you an appetite, with street food being so cheap, why not? This pretzel with salt and yellow mustard hit the spot.  

After tooling around the city on Monday we decided to travel outside the concrete jungle and into Connecticut.  Arguably, the best thing about New York City is the public transportation. They make it a breeze to travel in the city and beyond. After a 1 hour train ride east we arrived at our destination and were treated to a feast by relatives we had come to visit. These fresh Connecticut lobsters tasted unlike anything I've ever had. Fresh lobster tastes chewy and is substantially more flavorful than the previously frozen lobster tails I had always encountered before.

 What feast would be complete without oysters on the half shell? They're easy to shuck once you know what you're doing. We even discovered baby crabs inside the oysters, it was just a bit disconcerting... but we got over it. After whipping up a homemade dip of ketchup, horseradish, and hot sauce, it was time to reward ourselves for our labor.

 

I know your mouth is watering right now and I'm sorry. This was easily the best meal of the trip.

 

Saying our goodbyes to family was hard, but it was time to head back to the energy of the city. There was still a lot of sights we wanted to see and food we wanted to try. We started off at The Met and then wandered our way through Central Park taking it all in. Eventually we needed some nourishment to keep us on our feet. A hot dog in Central Park is a must. It will be the best hot dog you've ever eaten simply because of your geographical location.

Later we made our way to the High Line Park, an old converted elevated railway that starts in Chelsea and extends for about a mile south. It's incredibly beautiful and the views of the city are pretty amazing. There are even food trucks and a beer garden down below!

 



 It was a hot summer day and we knew we needed to keep up our energy so it wasn't long before we stumbled onto this place, The Bus Stop Cafe.

The cold blast of AC was a welcome relief and after guzzling 3 glasses of water I was ready to eat. We started off with grape leaves stuffed with rice accompanied with a cucumber yogurt sauce for dipping. It was refreshing and delicious!

The next course was a roasted vegetable panini with a chickpea salad. It was great as far as panini's go, I'm sure I've never had a bad one. The chickpea salad was a pleasant surprise and something I'd like to try at home. It was tossed with red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, dill, and a vinaigrette that resulted in a clean refreshing side dish. 

All in all this was hands down the best vacation I've ever had (SE Asia doesn't count, that was more life experience than vacation). Everyday was filled with something unexpected and amazing and we can't wait to go back.