Mink Bites

Barrow St. Ale House (New York, NY)

2008-08-22T08:59:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have put off writing about Barrow only because it is such an engrained tradition in the life of my friends and I, that I felt writing about it was a bit lame since one, it is a bar, and two, I had been there so many freaking times, it just sits as an afterthought to me.

However, as I am now in California, and have not been to Barrow for a while, I find myself thinking about it more and more often. I started going to Barrow in my sophomore year of college. I walked by it on they way to school everyday and they had what appeared to be an amazing special for Monday Night Football. They had $3 beers (all 16 drafts) and $25 wings. Now yes, I like wings, but until I tried these, I never realized how good wings could be. I almost have a difficult time eating wings elsewhere now. The wings are perfectly crispy, large in size and very juicy. The sauce (I get the medium) is the perfect blend between spice and flavor. I find the problem with so many wings is they just taste like "spicy." They don't really have any particular taste. These are the best I have ever had. The price of them has gone up to $0.40 per wing on the special or on non-special nights, you can get a basket of 20 for $10. Not bad if you are sharing.

The wings are the thing here, however, the menu is pretty extensive and I would not sway you from trying almost anything. For a guy who doesn't like burgers, I think their turkey burger is outstanding. I also enjoy most of the finger foods...the chicken tenders, the onion rings, the poppers, the waffle fries.

Barrow is a good local sports bar in the West Village and that is a rarity for the area. They have about 20 flatscreen TV's and will pretty much put on any game you suggest.

Worth your while.

Stay hungry my friends.

Tito's Taco (Los Angeles, CA)

2008-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Tito’s Tacos has become a Los Angeles landmark. It sits right below the 405 freeway in culver city. This place, like a number of the places I write about, is a dump and pretty much is famous for 1 thing. That one thing, is the thing you should order.

At Tito’s, the thing to get is the classic taco. A hard shell is stuffed with seasoned and marinated shredded beef, topped with lettuce and cheese. Now you might think that sounds pretty basic but the beef is so tender and flavorful, and the shell is crispy in a way that no other taco is, that it stands apart. The kicker at Tito’s is the salsa. They don’t put salsa on the taco, or have a salsa bar. They give you about a pint size container of salsa. Don’t pour this onto your taco or people will know you don’t know what you are doing. You need to just take that taco, and submerge it in the salsa, dipping and scooping out as much of the pureed tomato sauce as possible.

When you go, you should order probably 3-4 tacos. At only $1.50 easch (and they are good size), you can’t really beat this for a good lunch. The only downfalls I would say are the long line, the difficulty in finding a seat to sit (since you order at a counter) and the parking. But when food is really good, you have to make sacrifices, right?

Stay hungry my friends.

Thai Taste (Santa Rosa, CA)

2008-08-22T08:26:00.001-07:00

I decided that while in LA, I would head up north for the weekend to visit my good friend from college who I had not seen in probably over a year. This visit was long overdue. After college, he moved back to Northern California to pursue acting and recently has been in a number of shows so I finally wanted to see one of his performances.

All that aside, we of course had to eat. For dinner he took me to what is one of his local favorites and of course local favorites, are my favorites as well. We also went for what is arguably my most commonly desired cuisine, Thai. We headed into this little strip mall near his house called Thai Taste. You could tell from the moment you walked in that it was a family owned and operated business because of the service and courtesy the expressed.

Tyler had tried a number of things on the menu and we were not terribly hungry, so we got what we felt would be safe dishes (not that they probably weren’t all good). We got the pinnapple fried rice with chicken and the Panang Curry with beef. Both could have been run of the mill thai, as many thai places are these days, but these two dishes exceeded expectations. Both were great and the portions were enough to fill us up plenty. They were perfectly spiced to the point where you wanted to have a bit of water, but not overwhelming to the point where you couldn’t enjoy all the flavors.

I also go the Tum Yam soup which was solid.

If in this quaint town of Santa Rosa, check out Thai Taste for an inexpensive and delicious meal.

Stay hungry my friends.

Tenzan (New York, NY)

2008-08-21T16:40:00.002-07:00

For as much as I eat sushi, it is strange I have yet to review a sushi or Japanese restaurant. Well it’s about time! Tenzan, on 76th and Columbus has quickly become perhaps my favorite sushi eatery. I take into account not just the food, but the service and the pricing as well.

Like most sushi joints, Tenzan offers a lunch special where you can get either 2 rolls for $8 or 3 rolls for $11. Now most places who offer this deal cheap out on the size of the roll or add extra cucumber and cut out some of the portion of the fish. Not at Tenzan. Their rolls are equally as big at lunch time as they are at dinner. And their rolls are HUGE. They are perhaps the biggest rolls I have ever had.

I am not going to go into the rolls as most sushi joints have fairly similar menus but, I will say that every roll I have ordered ther, has been fresh and excellent.

There are a few unique items that I have tried and loved. Because I like to try many different things, as you might have noticed from my blog, I try to get a few appetizers. Go for the rock shrimp tempura, the gyoza or the yellowtail tartar. All awesome opening acts.

The biggest letdown of Tenzan has been their entrees. I have gotten both beef and chicken teriyaki and both were bland and a bit dry. The other entrée I dined on, the Chilean Sea Bass was just plain old boring. Maybe I am just spoiled though since I discovered this dish at Sushi Samba where it is amazing.

Whether it be lunch or dinner and you need good sushi at a reasonable price, hit up Tenzan.

Stay hungry my friends.

Redi Chick (Los Angeles, CA)

2008-08-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

The Brentwood Country Mart has slowly become a landmark in Brentwood over the past 50 years. What started as a “mom and pop” type farmers market with gift shops, has quickly grown to become a very high class, expensive shopping and eating destination. With designer stores, fancy candy and the new City Bakery (same as the one in NYC), I personally feel the Country Mart has lost its family and comfort.

One thing has remained the same however: Redi Chick. I love keeping things simple and consistent and I really can’t think of a place that lives up to this promise more than this 10x10 chicken shop. Like a number of the restaurants I review, I know what to order, and I get it over and over again. If a place is called Redi Chick and has a 10 spit rotisserie, you better be eating chicken. Yes, they have ribs, chicken nuggets and even fried clams. Stay away. I am not even saying they are bad but, if you are going to stop here, get the chicken…it’s why they are in business.

Now you can go about ordering your chicken in a number of different ways. However, you always need it in “basket” format, which means chicken over delicious fries (better than McDonalds) perfectly seasoned and piping hot. Now I give you a bit of freedom to select the exact type of rotisserie chicken you desire. Personally, I go for the wing basket. You get 6 well sized rotisserie wings, seasoned and moist. The most popular thing is the classic chicken basket, which is a half of a chicken, one of each piece, all served over those amazing fries.

A married couple owns this joint and even in there late days, still come to work and serve their customers who just keep coming back. On weekends, expect a 10-15 minute line. They are quick, but the number of hungry people is just so massive.

Oh, and don’t forget to ask for extra BBQ sauce. They are sometimes stingy.

Stay hungry my friends.

Marty's (Los Angeles, CA)

2008-08-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, this place is literally a stand that sits between a gas station and a fire station. It is called Marty's, and it is the "Home of the Combo." Now you might ask, what is the combo. Well basically, it is a half pound burger patty, with a quarter pound kosher hot dog, all piled with toppings on a hamburger bun. That is Marty's in a nutshell. They have the combo, or you can get just a burger or just a dog. It is as simple as that. People line up for this food. The shadiest places are always the best.

Also try the fries but order them extra crispy.

Stay hungry my friends.

Feast From The East (Los Angeles, CA)

2008-08-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, another entry from sunny Southern California.

Feast from the East has been one of my favorite places in LA from the time I think I started eating real food. It started as a 10x10 shack and has since expanded into a full restaurant that has table service etc. I was skeptical when this happened, as many places, when they expand, lose some quality. However, this place has not gone down hill at all. They have two signature items and signature they are! The first are their Sesame Chicken Wings. They have the perfect sweet batter, large wings and perfectly juicy. Also, if you like a lot of batter, they put a ton on and it is almost like a sweet treat while eating them.

The other signature dish, and I don't really know anyone who goes here and doesn't get this, but their classic Chinese Chicken Salad. It is so simple. Basically just lettuce, carrots, almonds, crispy wontons and then the kicker, their awesome dressing which is now bottled and sold in local LA food markets. The dressing is so light and simple, you would think, why is this so special....but there is just something so refreshing and delicious about it.

Other items to suggest are the meat egg rolls, the bbq pork and the combination fried rice. Although this is considered Chinese food, it is much more different than any place you have been. They have great take out which I usually go for. Stop by if you are in West LA on Westwood Blvd.

Stay hungry my friends.

Damon & Pythius (Los Angeles, CA)

2008-08-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Damon and Pythius, when it opened about 2 years ago in Westwood Village near UCLA quickly grew to become one of my favorite causal eateries. It is one of the freshest and delicious tasting places I think I have ever been to. Yes, the name sounds a bit like it might be Greek food but don't believe the name.

Some of my favorite menu items are the California Cheesesteak which is marinated flank steak, lettuce, tomato, crispy onion rings, a unique ranch sauce all upon a fresh rosemerry foccacia bread. See, seems like it would be a run of the mill menu item but the unique spins they put on everything set them apart from other places. Other noteworthy items are the Cobb Salad with steak, the BBQ chicken salad, the meatloaf and the Chicken Club (which is also not the norm). I feel sandwiches and salads are the way to go here. I am sure the entrees are great but the other items are plenty of food especially if you add a side item.

The sides are all great....onion rings, garlic fries, sauteed mushrooms, garlic spinach, mac and cheese and curly fries.

This is a MUST if in Westwood Village in LA. Truly one of my favorites.

Stay hungry my friends.

The Farm of Beverly Hills

2008-08-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

For some years now, when I venture back to Los Angeles, my family and I like to enjoy at least one meal at The Farm of Beverly Hills. The menu is comprised of mainly upscale and fairly expensive comfort food. They have almost every comfort food meal you could imagine with sides that sound normal, but are cooked in a unique way that separates it from the norm and also makes the price a bit more understandable.

Tonight we ordered in from there and we like to order a few different dishes and all share since we like trying everything. Tonight we ordered the short ribs, the Cobb Salad, the BBQ Chicken Chop Salad, the Turkey Meatloaf and the Fried Chicken. The two appetizers we ordered were the coconut shrimps and the mac and cheese. Of the entrees, the standouts were certainly the short ribs and the fried chicken. Both were outstanding with nice mashed potatoes, grilled veggies, grilled corn and a side salad. As for the appetizers, the shrimps were dynamite but the mac and cheese was a bit weak since I have had so much good mac in the past.

If you are in the LA and are not on a really tight budget, stop by this Beverly Hills eatery which will not let you down. The atmosphere and service is also outstanding.

Even if not an animal, go to The Farm.

Stay hungry my friends.

Sunset Grill (Westport, CT)

2008-07-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

I know I said I was only writing about NY and some LA spots, but thought this would be a nice variation. Over 300 people have written me and requested I write about shrimp cocktail.

So this past week I ventured out to Connecticut to visit a buddy of mine and we went to an eatery which he has taken me to before...Sunset Grill. Actually, his sister used to work there so he frequented it.

I had been there before with him but never actually ate anything. This time, we all were pretty hungry so we decided to get a nice seat on the deck overlooking the marina and chow down. I ordered the shrimp cocktail and a bowl of the "New England Clam Chowder." I put this in quotes because it was grey and thin. That is NOT how NE Clam Chowder should look. If it tasted fine, then okay but it was not good. The shrimp cocktail was good but a bit pricey for 5 shrimps at $15.

We also got the crab and artichoke dip for the table and that was AWESOME. If this place was not on a marina, set on a beautiful night, it would be so-so, but given that and the okay food, this place is a must stop by in CT. Eat, drink, whatever.

Stay hungry my friends.

Chirping Chicken

2008-07-19T08:44:00.001-07:00

There is no other place I order delivery from more than Chirping Chicken. I actually have only been there about 5 times over the three years I have lived close by. Maybe it is nostalgia, but I might have a love for it due to my love for the chicken at the Brentwood Country Mart in LA, which I grew up with every weekend.

This flame cooked chicken beats any chicken on the bone place I have ever been to. The flavor is unparalleled. I go for the dark meat usually but this place even made me appreciate the white also. My usual order is a half chicken of dark, and a small order of wings. Now these are not wings as you might think of them. The are basically fried spicy wings, but they are delicious and very moist...yes, I said that.

The sides are pretty awesome too. The sweet potato fries are awesome as are the bbq baked beans.

What I have not tried are the steaks or the swordfish. For a semi fast food restaurant, I just feel like that is the wrong thing to order...so I haven't. They might be good though given the high quality of everything else. My feeling is that if you call yourself a chicken eatery, you should probably order the chicken.

I will gladly eat here on any given day. And, given what is usually an unhealthy diet, the flame cooked chicken is pretty healthy. The wings, not so much but I only eat a couple of them.

76th and Amsterdam in a new beautiful building. Check it out.

Stay hungry my friends.

Indigo Indian Bistro

2008-07-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

Although Indian cuisine is among my favorites, I still have yet to write about it. However, as I dug into much Chicken Tikka Masala today, it reminded me I should write about Indigo. The Upper West Side is filled with Indian restaurants, however, Indigo is among my favorites. I try to balance quality of food with price since Indian food can be expensive. Earthen Oven, which is also on the UWS, I think has my favorite food in terms of quality but is very pricey.

Indigo has a terrific lunch special. For $13, you get an appetizer, entree, rice and a naan. Not a bad deal given the prep time Indian food requires. Although I generally lean towards the Chicken Tikka Masala, I also enjoy the Saag Paneer, Lamb Vindaloo and Chicken Korma. The appetizers are excellent across the board too.

I usually get delivery from here, but when I dine at the restaurant, the service is top notch and everyone is very friendly. The food also comes out quickly but they in no way rush you to finish up. It is a small place but feels home like which is nice.

You really can't go wrong with a number of Indian eateries on the UWS, but Indigo sits a bit above the rest on my radar.

Stay hungry my friends.

Spice

2008-07-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

So I first fell in love with Spice in college. It was about my sophomore year and a trendy new thai restaurant opened on the corner of University Pl and 10th St right near NYU. Now this was when thai food eateries were just getting cool and trendy. What was getting even more popular were Asian lunch specials. Almost every place that opened featured a lunch special. The thing that was unique about this new explosion of lunch meals was that they were high in quality. You didn't have to sacrifice anything to dine on one of these dishes.

Spice went from a nice find to an obsession. My friends and I would go there for lunch about 4 times a week. Although that pace has fallen off drastically, I still enjoy having a meal there when I am in the area. For a mere $8, you get a good size appetizer and a full size entree.

Some of my favorite dishes, whether it be for lunch or even for dinner, are the Basil Beef, Drunk Man Noodles and Bamboo with Beef. You can tell I like beef but these dishes seem equally good with Chicken.

Be warned that the lunch rush is often crowded and they serve you very quickly and try to get you out. However, for the price, it is totally worth it.

Spice is an favorite of mine and has been for many years. Stop by if you are in the area.

Stay hungry my friends.

Duke's

2008-07-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

What originally made me fall in love with Duke's is that it almost feels like a replica of the famous Barney's Beanery in Los Angeles. The best way to describe it is a classy, expensive, dump! It has sawdust on the ground, crappy beer that costs a lot and nostalgic signs from old warehouses hanging on every inch of the walls and ceiling. Not to mention, they both have an incredibly hot waitstaff. Oh, and the food is very good at both locations. I guess by writing this review of Duke's, I am also writing a review of Barney's Beanery...it is a two-for-one day here at Mink-Bites!

Duke's is located on 19th St just East of Park Ave on the North side of the street. It is a bit hidden among the gigantic eateries lining Park Ave. There is however a bright neon sign that flashes and a ton of crap in the window so given that it looks so out of place, should be a dead giveaway. The best time to go to Duke's is right after work. You will beat the crowds and they also have $3 Bud Lights. Sit at the bar for the best experience and the best service. The friendly bartenders make you feel right at home.

Now for the food. Duke's is a BBQ/Comfort Food joint so those are the dishes you should stick to. Most of the dishes are very large so it is cheaper, and less wasteful, for you to share dishes if you are not a huge eater. The first time I went to Duke's, I went with a buddy and we split a rack of ribs and JUST finished them. It was more than enough food with the two sides. For not being a classic BBQ restaurant, the ribs hit the right spot. The second time I went, I decided to venture to the southern side of the menu and got the Shrimp Po Boy which sucked. It was dry, the shrimp were shrimp like (small), and the toppings were minimal. Flavorless and no fun. Some honorable mentions include the crabcake burger, the mac and cheese and the chicken wings.

All in all, go to Duke's for the experience, the cheap beer and the fun decor. The food isn't bad, so given all the good plus the run of the mill food, Duke's is worth a visit.

Stay hungry my friends.

Caracas Arepas Bar

2008-07-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

IF you want to talk about a whole in the wall, a GREAT whole in the wall, then you should definitely check out the Caracas Arepas Bar in the East Village. For those of you who are unaware what an Arepa is, it's origin in in Venezuela, although they have variations in other South American countries such as Columbia.

The arepa is a flat cornmeal patty which is grilled, baked, or fried. They may be stuffed with cheese, vegetables, or any other desired stuffing. It is believed that arepa is a word from the dialect of the Caracas Indians (north coast of Venezuela) that translates into maize (corn).

Caracas, the capital of Venezuela as well, is also a very very crowded place. This is due to the size of the restaurant which sits about 10 people. On average, you will find about 20 people waiting outside. Some people even order an Arepa at the counter and then eat it on the sidewalk outside. Either way, there is no wrong way to enjoy one. As a side note, Caracas also has empanadas which as basically variations on the arepa.

You should order 2-3 arepas, not only because they are fairly small, but because then you can sample some of the varieties. Here are some I suggest:

La Paisa paisa cheese (mild but tasty white cheese)
La Pelua shredded beef with cheddar cheese
Reina Pepiada chunky chicken and avocado mix salad
De Pollo grilled chicken breast with caramelized onions and cheddar cheese
La Jardinera grilled eggplants, sundried tomatoes (antipasto style), caramelized onions and guayanés
La De Pernil roasted pork shoulder with tomato slices and a spicy mango sauce

Definitely not a date place but a good place to grab a quick bite or a quick meal for a very ethnic and flavorful experience.

Stay hungry my friends.

The Spanish Kitchen (Los Angeles)

2008-07-09T16:33:00.001-07:00

Ok, so hundreds of you have written to me begging me to write a non-complimentary review of a restaurant. So, for all my little "biters" out there, this one is for you.

It is my first Los Angeles eatery review so it might not pertain to most of my following in NY (except for you bisexual, i mean bicoastal, peers).

I recently traveled with me and a few of my NY friends out to LA for the long 4th of July weekend. My brown friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, brought us to a restaurant in West Hollywood for his cousin's birthday party at a place called the Spanish Kitchen. I used to live within blocks of this place but never went. Part of my reasoning was that there was always a long line of nice cars and fancy people and the other reason was that it was just such a scene. I only had cared about good food....and my instincts served me correctly.

Right when we walked in, we ordered the $18 Gigante Margarita. It had to be awesome right?!?!? WRONG. DEAD WRONG. 4 of us got the beverage and all of us, virtually at the same time turned to each other and said "Is there any tequila in this?" We took a couple more sips to make sure and all agreed, we were not feeling the buzz. Finally we said something to the waiter who was really nice and offered to take them back and get us new ones or make us another drink. That was perfectly nice of him. However, 5 minutes later the manager walks over and starts screaming at us that "he watched the bartender make those and there is a lot of alcohol"... to "good tequila doesn't taste like the normal trash you drink and that is why you can't taste it"... to "you can't taste it because this is probably your second one." NOT TRUE. We were stoned sober. Finally he said he would make the margaritas again the exact same way and waddyaknow, they were finally normal.

That was only the beginning. Now the food. A couple of us ordered the Carne Asada which is essentially skirt steak marinated in mexican spices. This steak was fatty, dull and lacked any flavor at all. I go to the local market here and get Carne Asada in a bag and it dominates this shit. Also, this one was $20. One other person got Chicken Enchiladas which were mundane but edible. Finally, another gentleman ordered the fire roasted shrimp. Those were the best, only because they merely grilled shrimp with no flavor so they sufficed.

This meal sucked and we all dropped $40 each. Do not eat here. Do not drink here.

Stay hungry my friends.

Bar Pitti

2008-06-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

It was a horribly hot and humid day in NYC so a few former co-workers and I decided to go get some lunch. Instead of being smart and walking into the first and walking into the first air conditioned eatery we saw, we walked...and walked...and walked....and walked. This lasted for about 30 minutes in the blistering heat. We couldn't agree on cuisine, take out or sit down, price etc.

Finally, after our stroll through the West Village, we walked to the corner of Bleecker and 6th Ave. There stood Bar Pitti. I had never been there but the two friends I was with, exclaimed, "We are going there!" And so we did. It sits next to a famous NYC eatery known for famous clientele called Da Silvano. Bar Pitti is the cheaper (yet just as good or better version of Silvano's as I was told). I have actually been to Da Silvano and that was going to be hard to beat.

It beat it. In spades.

We got a great table that was on the edge of the outside so we still had the air conditioning but were about to have the outside feel (and see Fergie and Kristy Turlington). I had not been here so I trusted my buddies on what was good. They all said to get Pappardelle Alla Fiesolana (flat large pasta with smoked bacon, cream, tomatoes & parmigiano). And so I did. And what did they do? Got something else. They ordered the special which was basically a bolognese but with wild boar meat instead of beef. All of the dishes were EXCELLENT and all under $14. I will admit their dishes were better. That wild boar flavor really added a kick to a pretty traditional pasta. Mine was great as well....heavy as hell. On a 90 degree day with 100% humidity it is hard to eat creamy heavy noodles, but you need to power through. I did. It was an excellent dish but if they have the wild boar special, get that.

On a side note, and I would not normally comment on this, but they had oddly amazing bread and olive oil.

I never get dessert but we did and decided to share one. AMAZING. Unlike anything I have had. I was told this was a normal thing but I guess I just haven't gotten out enough. We got the Panna Cotta which was outta sight my man. Heavy, rich, sweet, cold but the perfect ending to this lunch on a great day with my good friends.

I truly recommend Bar Pitti to everyone. Atmosphere, price and most of all, food.

Stay hungry my friends.

Blind Pig

2008-06-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Blind Pig is a bar a few friends and I ventured to in the past but have never decided to dine there. However, we were there about 2 weeks ago and these two men, who seemingly knew what they were doing, walked in, sat down and demanded mac and cheese and two full racks of ribs. My friend and I look at each other intrigued. We both love food so thought maybe we were missing something.

I couldn't just let the opportunity pass, so I demanded we at least get the mac and cheese. He agreed. We got it and at least I, was not disappointed in the least. I thought it was one of the better mac and cheeses I have ever had. He however commented that although it was good, it tasted a bit fake and I will grant him that. But if it is good, it's good, so who cares. The small bacon bites inside also added to the smokey flavor.

We often try to have a good dinner at a new place about once a month. So, after seeing the ribs I suggested we have a full meal at The Blind Pig. Because we are two people who like to try everything, we ordered the appetizer sampler platter and the full rack of ribs with waffle fries. The ribs were very, very good. Not the best I have had but I would definitely get them again. The meat was tender, fell off the bone and the sauce was excellent with a little kick to it.

That being said, the appetizer platter SUCKED! It came with Buffalo Wings, Mozz Sticks, Chicken Fingers, "Egg Rolls," Onion Rings and Poppers. Poppers are my favorite thing ever and these were awful. They had no spice and were stuffed with chedder cheese instead of the classic cream cheese stuffing. It didn't get any better, all the other items were flavorless and not appetizing... literally. The only thing I will give a good shout out to were the onion rings which had a nice crisp beer batter to them.

I will go back there and will get the mac and cheese and ribs but I am weary to try anything else. On to the next place to try I suppose.

Stay hungry my friends.

S'mac

2008-06-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

S'mac is an all Mac and Cheese eatery that opened in the East Village a couple of years ago. I used to go there about once a month and it was fantastic. You have the option to order one of their signature Mac and Cheese concoctions or you can build your own. The first few times I went there I got the "Cajun." If you are looking for some kick, here it is. Cheddar & Pepper Jack cheeses, andouille sausage, green pepper, onions, celery, garlic and, of course, some genuine Cajun seasoning. Then I started building my own which sometimes worked out well and sometimes didn't depending on how my imagination was working that day.

Recently, another S'mac opened on the Upper West Side. Sadly, this one is oddly worse in quality and service. I don't really understand how it could be that different but perhaps it became a franchise and they have different owners. I have gone there about 5 times since it opened and the first 4 times it was so greasy and heavy that I honestly could not eat it. Don't ask why I kept going back but for some reason, I went back last night again with two friends. I got the Napoletana and it was FANTASTIC. Like Neapolitan Pizza? Then you'll love this! Fresh Mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil. It was a perfect consistency and had a nice mild flavor that really hit the spot.

So, I think I might be back to eating there. I am definitely sticking to what I know best though with the Napoletana and Cajun.

Stay hungry my friends.

Fire Island Foods

2008-06-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

I would like to welcome myself back to my food blog. I have taken a bit of a break in an effort to plan my friend's bachelor party which took place this past week in Fire Island. For those of you who do not know, Fire Island is a fairly remote island off the south coast of Long Island. It truly is one of the most relaxing places I have ever been which can probably in some part, be attributed to the fact there are no cars on the island.

I am going to change up the structure of the blog for this entry as I am going to take a look at all the various eateries I went to while on this vacation instead of focusing on just one.

The food adventure started when we arrived at the dock to board the ferry. There is a small establishment called Nick's Clam Shack. I made one trip out to the island a few days prior to the bachelor party in order to orient myself and set up some of the fun. That being the case, after the long train ride out to the dock, I was naturally hungry on both occasions and Nick's is the only place to eat near the ferries. After reviewing the menu for quite a while (because I can never make up my mind when it comes to food), I oddly got the chicken fries. Now you probably wonder at a good fish restaurant, why I would get essentially differently titled chicken tenders. The plate they brought out had to have had about 50 chicken fries and this was only the appetizer portion. I have to say, they were really delicious. They were even good enough to order again the second time I went back to the island to attend the bachelor party and I got all my friends to order them as well and they were no letdown. On a side note, my friend I was with the first time got the shrimp salad sandwich and aside from also being huge, it was almost all hearty, high quality shrimps and very little salad. Certainly a good bang for your buck.

Because we were on a tight budget and also had a boat load of food at the house we rented, we only went out for 2 real meals but they are worth talking about.

We organized one big dinner out and it brought us to Maguires. Thursday nights are the ever famous Lobsterpalooza. We couldn't resist! For those who were not into Lobster, one also had the option to order prime rib. Although the "palooza" term usually implies it is all you can eat, this was not. If you ordered the lobster, you got a 1.25 lb lobster. Enough food but I wanted to throw that out there to provide fair warning. In addition, you also got a side salad and some soup. I could have done without the soup and salad but was worth having it for a few bites and also added value to the meal. The lobster was delicious and there were about 7 of us in total who ordered the lobster and I think would agree. Although I did not try the prime rib, it looked good and got rave reviews.

Our final meal was on Saturday at the Island Mermaid where we had lunch. It is unfortunate that this had to be our last meal because it was below par, especially given the high prices. I figured I should enjoy fresh fish one last time on this island since is a specialty of all the restaurants but this decision was not a good one. I got the lobster roll and you need high quality meat to make this worth while. The meat SUCKED. It was small morsels of lobster and they didn't give you any part of the tail section which is obviously the best part. It almost seemed like it was equal to what a crab stick would be like compared to real crab meat. The cost was also about $20 so I was upset to say the least. Two of my friends got crab cakes and did enjoy them. One other friend of mine got lox and bagels and the lox honestly was brownish in spots and looked rotten. All-in-all, this was not a good meal.

I hope this provides you with a quick snapshot of the dining experience on the Ocean Beach section of Fire Island.

Stay hungry my friends.

Daisy Mae's

2008-06-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

There has been a ton of hype about NYC BBQ in the past couple of years. Some have come and some have gone but this special place, in a very hard to get get to location (11th ave and 46) is worth the trip. What is great about it is that you order at a counter, you get your food when you move down the line and you sit in a cafeteria stye setting.

I will mostly review the meat here because whether you get a sandwich or plate, that is the dominate driving for for the meal. In terms of the meat and whatever combination you want, the brisket tops my list. It is so tender, flavorful. The pulled pork is good as well but almost too much flavor, to the point where you couldn't enjoy the meat.

I think the ribs lack here. Not that they were not good, but that there is much better to be had. The GIANT beef rib is good and the dry rubs are as well, but they don't compare to places i had been in the past (mostly outside of NYC).

The sides are beyond huge and I can't imagine people finishing them, on top of the meat, but SO good. I would go for the creamed corn, mac and cheese and beans. The only complaint I do have is that because the portions are large, it is pretty expensive for a "pick up your food and go sit place."

The best things about Daisy Mae's is that it does have great meat and gives you your food within 5 minutes.

It will not disappoint but, make sure you get a portion you can eat or else you will pay a lot for something you cannot finish.

Stay hungry my friends.

Cafe Asean

2008-06-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Cafe Asean is one of my favorite eateries ever. I went to college at NYU and lived close to the establishment. NYU was around West 4 b/wbway and 6th and Cafe Asean was at 10th st. and 6th ave.

It is small (with an amazing patio), cute and has some of the best service around. They do categorize their food by appetizer, entree etc... but any of those dishes can be ordered in any fashion. I have now been there about 20 times and brought friends who are just as fond as I. I steak is amazing... spiced, marinated and cooked to perfection...for only $14. One of the best steak deals I have ever seen.

Then you gotta try the noodles, and there is not just one. All of their noodle dishes are awesome.

Mee Goreng indian style stir-fried egg noodles with shrimp, tofu and bean sprouts
12.00
Laksa Lemak seafood, egg noodles, and vegetables in spicy coconut soup
10.50
Mee Rojak egg noodles with vegetables and tofu in peanut lime sauce
9.75
Bee Hoon singapore fried rice noodles with shrimp and chinese sausage
11.50
Hu Tieu broad rice noodles sauteed with beef or chicken and bok choy
11.50
Poh Taek seafood and thin rice noodles in spicy lemongrass/kaffir broth
10.50
Fun See hawker style wok fried glass noodles with seafood, chives and egg in a spicy tamarind sauce

So those are the noodles and you cannot go wrong with any.

The thai curry entree and the pork chop are really good too.

I don't want to be any more specific because this place is good ever visit. CASH ONLY!

Stay hungry my friends.

Good Enough to Eat

2008-06-09T17:49:00.001-07:00

I feel this is an appropriate title for my first blog, as I am going to try to provide my friends and New York with some restaurant reviews of places that are good, or not good enough, to eat. I might even give you some insight into great eats in Los Angeles because I grew up there.

I live on the Upper West Side in NYC and am pretty fond of food and restaurants. The UWS happens to a great place to live to have that habit. I thought no better place to start my search than at a local favorite on the UWS called "Good Enough to Eat" (now you understand the title of the entry?... and yes, that is what it is called). I have been there probably a dozen times and have had mixed experiences so I journeyed over to 84th and Amsterdam with a friend today.

You will learn to see that I am a huge fan of fried food and there is no exception here. Today I dined on the classy beer battered chicken fingers. They did not disappoint, although the service did. You would think you cant go that wrong with chicken fingers, but for people who love them, we know the difference (they also have fried fish and shrimp which is great). The fluffy beer batter mixed with black pepper makes for the perfect compliment to the slim, yet juicy chicken morsels. My friend and I split the mac and cheese and it was a bit dry, yet enough cheese to make up for it. Other notable dinner entrees which I have had in the past are the Lemon Parmesan Chicken and the Meatloaf. Both are very solid.

Now... for the service. We were there in mid afternoon and it was empty. It took 20 minutes to even get a waiter ask if we wanted a drink, and in that time they didn't ever bring water. This is despite us being 2 of 5 people in the establishment with more waitstaff than customers. Once we got food (which took 30 mins), the waitstaff NEVER came and asked us how the food was and rarely refilled our waters.

As for breakfast, dynamite. HOWEVER, the crowds are almost too much to make it worth it. Yes I love the bacon stuffed waffles and the Mexican Scramble, but it seems difficult to wait an hour just to be seated. If you are a fan of Corned Beef Hash, get it here. The meat is hearty, the potatoes well seasoned and the eggs good as they should be.

All-in-all, I love this restaurant and the atmosphere is really cute. Definitely worth it for the food but you can tell the restaurant knows it's good and isn't shameful...they could care more for their customers.

I hope you visit back to read my continuing reviews of restaurants and thank you for reading this, as it is my first entry to the blog world.

Stay hungry my friends.

Good Enough to Eat

2008-06-09T17:49:00.000-07:00