Eating My Way Around The Big Apple!
I was recently lucky enough to spend a week in New York with three of my best friends. In a place like this, there is never going to be enough time to explore everything, no matter how long you spend there!
We were lucky enough to have some absolutely amazing meals, along with a whole lot of sight seeing, wandering and museum viewing! Below are some of my favourites:
Buddakan:
Seen in TV shows such as Sex and the City, and a place to visit if you like high end Asian food. The service was good, and the food wonderful. The stand out dish was easily the Edamame Dumplings – the outer wrapper perfectly cooked, the insides melt in your mouth amazing. A seriously life changing dish! The pork buns, and carrot and shitake mushroom dumplings were also winners.
www.buddakannyc.com
Russ & Daughters:
In the New York Times list of the 10 best restaurants in New York, this place had a bit to live up to! House cured salmon, bagels, crème fraiche, and caviar blinis… The flavours so delicate, very pleasing on the palate. Definitely a winner! Everything was fresh, the service impeccable, and then there was the gin and dill cocktail. A must!
www.russanddaughterscafe.com
ABC Kitchen
We went here for our final night together before we all went our separate ways. Was a great way to finish the trip; everything seasonal and locally sourced, great flavours in all dishes, and enough options to keep everyone happy, but not so many the menu felt too big. We ordered the roasted kabocha squash toast with fresh ricotta and apple cider vinegar, the roast carrot and avocado salad with crunchy seeds, sour cream and citrus and the pear and apple salad with blue cheese dressing, herbs and candied pecans to start and share. For mains I ordered the salmon, whilst the others ordered pasta, pizza and the pork. Each dish was presented beautifully, and tasted even better. Will definitely be back if I’m ever in New York again!
www.abckitchennyc.com
Two Hands
We found this hero of a breakfast place through instagram stalking, and realised when we got there we had arrived at a place that would fit in perfectly to the Sydney brunch scene… unsurprising considering it’s run by two Australians! My granola bowl was the perfect way to start a day of exploring, whilst Hannah was very pleased with her avo and bacon on toast. If I lived in NY, this place would be a regular!
www.twohandsnyc.com
Smorgasberg
This is part of the Brooklyn Flea markets, and a great stop off to rest your feet after a morning of shopping, or to fuel up for an afternoon of picking through the great variety of wares found at the market. There was something for everyone, from vegetarian hot dogs and pizzas to truffled pasta an arancini. For me, two words: Lobster. Roll. Lobster on a warm roll, cooked with butter, parsley and garlic. Delish!
www.smorgasburg.com
Beauty & Essex
You enter this place through a pawn shop, and the bathrooms have nearly everything you need to freshen up, along with a lovely lady who’s job I think is to give everyone compliments, and ensure they leave the bathroom looking, and feeling their absolute best. And then there’s the great service upstairs – waiters who really interact, and a menu including tuna sashimi with serrano pepper & avocado mousse, white soy chili vinaigrette, Brussels sprouts, serrano ham, fig, goat cheese and smoky aioli, and scallops (that were bigger than a golf ball) with a crust of mushroom, truffled leek, potato and thyme. Great place for a cozy dinner, oozing a great vibe.
beautyandessex.com
Other great choices:
- Grimaldi’s – just near the Brooklyn Bridge, an institution for great pizza.
- Ralph’s Coffee – above the Ralph Lauren store on 5th Ave – free wifi, great coffee table books, and perfect for when you need to give your feet a rest after spending the morning shopping.
- Tartinery – for an easy relaxed dinner or lunch.
- Maison Kayser – coffee which is great by New York standards, ok by Australian.
- Wythe Hotel and/or The Standard Hotel – both have roof top bars with great views.
- Chelsea Market – Great stop off for a picnic lunch, or the café out the front does a mean meat and cheese platter.
- The High Line – before or after Chelsea Market – great views, and great street art.
- Ma Peche – Part of the Momofuku empire. Best pork buns I have ever eaten, and their spicy Ssam Sauce… the best!
- Saturday’s and Surf – random surf and coffee shop in Greenwich Village. Probably the best coffee I had all week.
- The Butcher’s Daughter – great juices, and interesting choices for breakfast. All vegetarian options.
- Gotham Pizza – Cheap and cheerful, in the theatre district. Perfect for a pre or post show bite.
- Tompkins Square Bagels – tompkinssquarebagels.com