101 Sandwich Project (Sandwiches 1-10)

I sure do love a good gimmick. And if it involves lists, even better! After seeing New York Magazine's list of the city's 101 best sandwiches, Alexa and I decided we needed to try every one of them. Will we actually do it? Probably not. But we shall certainly try.

These will mostly be brief reviews...for better descriptions read the actual list from NY Mag. We've tried a few of the sandwiches in the past, so I've lazily decided to grandfather them in. These include:

#1: Porchetta, Porchetta Sandwich
A delicious porchetta sandwich with some herbs and spices. Nothing complicated, but with some high quality pork. Best part is the crunchy skin pieces mixed in-these provided some good texture.

#2: The Meatball Shop, Pork Meatball Hero
A good but not great meatball sandwich. Points for the bread not being soggy and the spicy sauce, but otherwise nothing extraordinary.

#3: Katz's Deli, Pastrami Sandwich
A mountain of pastrami on two pieces of rye bread. Jewish meat sandwich incarnate.


New sandwiches we've done so far:

#4: Vanessa's Dumplings, Sesame Pancake with Beef
I live around the corner from this place, so I've enjoyed their insanely cheap and delicious food before. Their vegetable sesame pancake is a staple of my diet, but I had never tried it before with beef. Deli quality roast beef adds a lot to it, and for $2.50 is a great value.

#5: Sunny & Annie Deli, P.H.O. Real
An unassuming corner store in Alphabet City, this place serves some serious sandwiches. The P.H.O. Real is basically a roast beef sandwich with some veggies and some heat, but it is done really well. I'm usually not a huge fan of very spicy food, but this worked well. I'm excited to try some more of their constantly rotating sandwich options soon.

#6: Bark Hot Dogs, Crispy Pork Sandwich
It felt weird to get a sandwich at a hot dog place, but this selection was keeping in line with the basic idea of a hot dog. Case in point, when I bit into this concoction, I was greeted by pink meat and a squirt of grease onto my plate. The texture of the patty was a little weird, but there was a good balance of flavors, with some jalapeno peppers providing some needed crunch and kick.

#7: Russ and Daughters, Super Heebster
This is one of the oddest sandwiches on the list. On paper it sounded a little chaotic and intimidating, but in practice it worked just fine. The sandwich consisted of dill cream cheese, white fish salad, and wasabi-infused roe on a bagel, and yes I know, that sounds ridiculous. You're either someone who likes the crunch of fish eggs or someone who doesn't, and luckily I am the former. I don't know how, but all these tastes managed to go together really well, and made for a very satisfying breakfast option. Having said that (Curb reference!), Russ should invest in some better bagels, and the sandwich was actually upstaged by a second bagel we got, this one with vegetable cream cheese and baked salmon.

#8: Georgia's East Side BBQ, Fried Chicken Sandwich
This was a really solid sandwich. The chicken was incredibly moist, and the batter was tasty and not overly crispy. The pulled pork sandwich we got was kinda dry, though, and the service left a little to be desired.

#9: Fatty Crab, Tea Sandwiches
This was the first major disappointment we've experienced. To be fair, the tea sandwiches on the list were with pork, while these had lobster salad. Still, at $13 a pop, I would expect much more than a so-so tiny lobster sandwich on white bread. Luckily our main course of mussels saved the meal.

#10: 99 Miles to Philly, Cheesesteak
The second major disappointment. I should've known better though. Getting a cheesesteak outside of Philadelphia once you've had one there is never a good idea. It just never lives up to the quality you expect. This was no different. The meat was good, and there was the appropriate amount of grease, but they skimped on the whiz and produced yet another average NYC cheesesteak. And yes, I know I am a cheesesteak snob.

That's all I got for now. More to come as I consume more bread, meat, and veggies.

Some Housecleaning

Alexa and I have a big project coming up that we've already started (will start posting about it soon, maybe even tonight), but in the meantime there have been a few meals that I've found noteworthy over the past few months.

I've been checking out the Hester Street Fair almost every weekend since it's opened, trying a new vendor each time. No perfect meals, but a nice sampling of some of the good, low-concept food from the area.

Mile End: I actually had my best meal at this simple deli. I got a Brooklyn sesame bagel, with the works, which was basically cream cheese, lox, and capers. Although a little pricey ($8 for a small bagel) it was very delicious. I can't honestly say the Montreal bagel tasted any different than a regular bagel (maybe a little sweeter and softer), but the very fresh lox was what really set it apart. A great breakfast meal.

Luke's Lobster: This was somewhat of a disappointment. Again, somewhat pricey for a street fair and a small portion. I got a pretty basic lobster roll, and it was in no way life changing. Not that I particularly expected a lobster roll to change my life, but I've consistently been hearing great stuff about this place. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt that I got my roll away from the main store, and towards the end of the day, but for a better roll, stick with the Blue Plate Special at Mermaid Inn.

Malbon Brothers BBQ: A tasty, but dry, pulled pork sandwich. Another place I had high hopes for, but was pretty let down. Their baked beans were pretty good though.

Sigmund Pretzelshop: Had a great cheddar cheese and truffle pretzel dipped in real mustard. Not much to say about this really, other than it was good. I tried my friend's blue cheese pretzel at a later date...wasn't as much a fan of that one, but mostly because I've had some traumatizing experiences with blue cheese (I guess that's what happens when food smells like a foot).

Last week I also tried Eddie Huang's of Baohaus sample from his upcoming restaurant. It was a really good cold noodle dish. I'm sure I'll do a full review when the restaurant opens.

Let's see, what else...

Had some great avocado fries at El Almacen in Williamsburg last week...a tasty mango and peanut covered hot dog at Asiadog at the Brooklyn Flea Market...some good free vanilla ice cream courtesy of Blue Marble Ice Cream at the same market...and a few more things I'll get to in my next post.

Accompaniments (idea stolen from Aaron Turner of the (soon to be late,) great Isis...plus you knew I'd find a way to include music into this thing anyway): Helms Alee "Night Terror", Isis "Wavering Radiant", How to Destroy Angels "s/t", The Black Keys "Brothers"

Fatty Cue

Restaurant: Fatty Cue
Meal: Red Curry Rubbed Duck, American Wagyu Brisket, Ikan Bakar

I recently read an article about the whole foodie phenomenon and why it's bad (and sometimes good) in Eddie Huang's (of BauHaus fame) blog. (Sidenote: BaoHaus is really fucking good-I need to get myself back there soon) He detailed the different types of food appreciators-essentially it's people who grew up in a food culture and always appreciated food; those who didn't grow up in that culture, but grew to enjoy food; and sort of the gatekeepers of taste: the culinary school, sometimes snobby type.

The first and third groups are pretty well established, but it's the second group that is important to how we consume and appreciate food, especially in a place like New York City. I definitely belong in this category, as I did not grow up in a household that appreciated or celebrated good food. That's not to say I didn't have plenty of fine meals growing up, nor did I fail to appreciate them, but food was always seen as more as a means to an end, and my family wasn't particularly adventurous.

It's only been in the past few years, and really only since I moved to Manhattan that I've really started to "get" food. I know this basically makes me a poseur, and I know I'm late to the party, but I think that's ok as long as I consume good food for the right reasons. And those are basically that it tastes good and I enjoy it. I know I tend to flock to the places Yelp and Grub Street tell me to, but I would never say I liked (or disliked) any of that food simply to comply with popular opinion. I don't have a very refined palette, or proper context for almost any ethnic dish, but that doesn't make my opinion any less valid.

I won't lie-I think I started writing this blog with vague aspirations of becoming some sort of tastemaker; I almost instantly regretted that notion. I do this now (however infrequently that may be) because I enjoy the act of writing, and I think it's good for me (and my friends) to have some record of the good restaurants I've visited, for posterity's sake or whatever. I'm embarrassed that I embraced the idea of being a foodie-I humbly rescind that claim. I'm a newbie for sure-but getting better.

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So what does this all have to do with Fatty Cue? On the surface this is exactly the type of place a hipster foodie goes to. It has all the staples of the current fads in NYC: fusion (but not called fusion-just a "modern take" on traditional food), location in hipster-friendly Williamsburg, tons of meat (especially pork), and gimmicks (fried fish bones!). The restaurant itself was small, cozy, and smelled like a fireplace. They served PBR tallboys.

And yes, I partially went here because the Internet told me I would like it. But the bottom line is none of this shit mattered once I started eating. Why? Because the food was good. Period.

We started with some curry duck, which was packed with flavor. There wasn't much meat on each bone, but the taste was so dense and meaty, we didn't need much. It also had a nice kick to it, which I usually don't see paired with duck. It was served with pickled daikon, which was a nice contrast, but I can't say I'm a big fan of pickled vegetables (other than the normal deli pickle).

The brisket was tender and delicious. It was eaten in buns, with some toppings that I can't remember off the top of my head, but the whole package together was great.

The final dish was probably not the best but certainly the most interesting. My friends and I struggled to get the meat off the bone of our smoked fish (some sort of mackarel I think?), and despite being cooked well and with a nice kick, the fish itself was a little too fishy. It wasn't a bad piece of fish or anything, I just tend to prefer milder fish. The best part though happened when we finished, as our waiter took away the bones, only to return a few minutes later with the same bones, deep fried. I'm proud to say I ate a fish's spine, and it was actually quite delicious.

So anyway, fuck foodies, enjoy your food, and definitely check out Fatty Cue if you find yourself in South Williamsburg.

Yogee Noodle

Hello all,

Making my first appearance here on Broome's Belly... Dan Schwartz. Glad to be here.

Last week my dad and I tried this Chinese place on Chyrstie Street called Yogee Noodle. I knew nothing about it besides the fact that it was nearby, but was pleasantly surprised at the quality of our meal. The restaurant was clean and neat (no small consideration when eating in Chinatown), and the enormous menu was filled with affordable, intriguing options. We started with soup, my dad getting the hot and sour while I ordered Egg Drop. I've never ordered egg drop soup before, despite having spent an inordinant amount of time in Chinese restaurants. It was a delicious success, not too eggy, and my dad really seemed to enjoy his soup too.

For entrees, we shared chicken and chinese mushrooms with black bean sauce and shrimp with Chinese vegetables. The chicken dish was absolutely the highlight. The sauce was phenomenal, and I couldn't get enough of the perfectly cooked mushrooms. The shrimp with veggies didn't have a particularly noteable flavor, but tasted so fresh it was enjoyable nonetheless. Overall, a great meal and I look forward to working my way through the menu in the future.

2 Quick Hits

Restaurant: The Elephant
Meal: duck with cinnamon glaze, shrimp dumplings, crab cake

I went for a quick dinner with my sister at the Elephant in the east village. We weren't expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised. Although quite empty for a Saturday night, it was still an inviting atmosphere, with dim lighting, colorful surroundings, and very friendly service. We started off with shrimp dumplings and crab cake. The dumplings were nothing special, but the crab cake was very tasty due to the spicy, slightly citrus-y sauce put on top of it. The duck I ordered was incredibly tender and full of flavor. Served with papaya and some mixed greens, it was a well put together meal. Duck for me tends to be very hit or miss, and I'm happy to say they really cooked this duck well.


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Restaurant: Peep Soho
Meal: Asian beef spring rolls, Massaman curry dish with shrimp

We went out for my roommate's birthday at Peep Soho this past weekend. It was an interesting space-very modern looking with "see thru" bathrooms. The meal itself was ok, although most of the other people I went with seemed to really enjoy theirs. The beef rolls were a little clunky, and were a little under-flavored. The curry was good in theory, but suffered from some over-salting. The shrimps were very plentiful, and had good texture, but the curry was sometimes overwhelming salty, which detracted from the rest of the dish.

Peter Luger Steakhouse

Restaurant: Peter Luger Steakhouse
Meal: steak for 4, tomato slices, creamed spinach, potatoes, and pecan pie

If you live in New York City (or anywhere really) you've heard of Peter Luger Steakhouse. Known for their top notch steaks and old school charm, this place has been around forever and is the go to place for a high end steak. I had tried their burgers before, which were great, but I figured it would be a good idea to use my birthday as an excuse for my parents to pay for a steak for me.

After arriving half an hour late for our reservation (thank you very much Chinese New Year), and a celebrity sighting (Judge Judy) we took our seats. We started off with tomato and onion slices and a Caesar salad, which were both good but not great. The obvious attraction though was the steak for 4 (my sister got the salmon for some reason). Although we asked for medium rare, the steak was basically rare, which was fine with me. It was just as juicy and tasty as I had expected. Along with some creamed spinach (basically butter in the form of spinach) and some potatoes, it was really an excellent main course. I of course ate more steak than necessary, but there was still some leftover for a steak sandwich the next day.

For desert we got a pecan pie, which was scalding hot, but very tasty once feeling came back in my tongue. They also put some candles in a humongous mound of whipped cream for some reason too.

Unlike certain Ninja restaurants (review possibly forthcoming), Peter Luger's truly lived up to the hype, and I'm glad I finally got to go. Although I can't really afford to be a regular steak eater there, I'll certainly be back for some burgers in the near future.

Frank Restaurant

Restaurant: Frank
Meal: vegetable salad and roast chicken sandwich


I went to Frank restaurant for lunch last week with my aunt. After having a little difficulty getting in (ignoring the "Please use other door" sign, etc.), I waited for my aunt in the barroom, a small, cozy space with dim lights. Eventually my aunt showed up and the host brought us around to the dining room, which included a walk through the edge of the kitchen. The main room was small but inviting, and featured mostly young couples and groups of older people.

Even though it was still somewhat early, I decided to forego the prix fixe brunch menu (I was a little under the weather and anything with eggs seemed a little risky). Instead I went with a pretty basic meal of the vegetable salad and roasted chicken sandwich. The salad was nicely presented, but not very cohesive-big pieces of broccoli and beets and large string beans made it hard to combine anything. All the vegetables were fresh and tasty, but it ended up being more of a sampling plate than a salad. Certainly not bad-just not what I was expecting.

The sandwich however was very nicely put together. The goat cheese tended to overwhelm the taste a little, but this was a good thing, as the cheese had great texture and flavor. The chicken was well cooked and the tomatoes added a nice contrast. Overall everything was great, and based on the strong recommendations I've gotten from other friends, I hope to go back sometime on a settled stomach and try some of their more interesting fare.

The Meatball Shop

Last night, my roomates and I ventured through a massive snow storm to "The Meatball Shop," a new restaurant that opened in the Lower East Side only two days ago. The atmosphere was perfect for such a cold night - it was cozy and romantic with old photos hanging on the dark red walls. When we walked in, we were greeted by the owner, Micheal, who led us to a long communal table where he explained the menu.

The menu is barely one page but offers diners a wide variety of options. There are four different meatballs which can be served as heroes, sliders, or in a platter with different sides (pasta, polenta, veggies or white beans). You can also mix and match different meatballs with any of their unique and original sauces.

My roommates, Andrew and Dan, both had pork meatball heroes with spicy meat sauce. I tried the salmon and pork meatball sliders. The pork meatballs were definitely the best - they were juicy and their spicy sauce complemented them well. The salmon meatball slider was okay, perhaps a little too fishy for my taste.

We all inhaled our dishes very quickly and eagerly awaited dessert. The owner had explained to us that his wife makes the ice cream herself so we felt compelled to order two different ice cream sandwiches. We shared a vanilla ice cream and peanut butter cookie sandwich, and also the brownie and espresso ice cream sandwich. While eating our dessert, the chef came out of the kitchen and asked us for our feedback. We told him the cookies and ice cream were probably among the best we ever had.

I imagine "The Meatball Shop" will become a local haunt among all of my friends. The service, food, and affordability definitely make it a place worth visiting often.

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Restaurant: Momofuku Noodle Bar
Meal: Pork bun, fried chicken, veggie wraps

I went with a group of friends to Momofuku's special fried chicken dinner the other day. The reservation was recommended for groups of 4-8, but despite having a group of 8, there was more than enough food.

The meal started off with a round of pork buns, which were fatty and delicious. The waiters then brought out a bowl of veggies and some sauces, which we weren't quite sure what to do with. The carrots could be dipped into the (mostly spicy) sauces, but it was unclear how to handle the rest of the mostly lettuce-like other vegetables.

This was soon forgotten as the main course was brought out: a giant plate of 2 full fried chickens. One was fried Southern style-basically KFC but much better quality. The other was done Korean style, which had a more tangy, spicy sauce on it. I preferred the Korean style, but they were both good, and the opinion of which one was better was split pretty evenly across the table. The chicken itself was very juicy and tasty, and the extra crispy skin added a nice texture.

My only complaint with the meal was the lack of variety. I had been here previously and had a nice sampling of smaller plates. This time beyond the chicken and pork bun I didn't really have anything else. There were pancakes for use with the vegetables, but that was a little messy and it was unclear exactly how to combine everything. Thankfully the chicken itself was delicious, and more than made up for the lack of variety.

Welcome

Welcome to my site! I decided recently that I was on the verge of becoming a foodie** and wanted to document some of the places I've dined at in NYC. I've always enjoyed food but only recently have gotten into the whole culture of it. If that sounds pretentious, then good!...I truly am becoming a foodie. Feel free to leave comments, recommend new places, and hopefully visit the places I recommend.

Coming up will be reviews of The Meatball Shop and Momofuku Noodle Bar.

**[UPDATE 3/20/11]: I want to delete this but I won't. Foodie is a dumb term, but I guess a year ago I thought it was cool. Let the record show I am an idiot.