Serendipity3

A very, very long time ago a charming boy attempted to take me to Serendipity around Christmas. The three hour wait foiled that plan and we ended up at Patsy's across the street. It took another two years and better planning, but I finally went this past Christmas with my parents. The decor at Christmas is worth the wait, but on a normal day it isn't quite as pretty and I'm not so sure. It won't look anything like the movie at least, and, let's face it that is probably what you are expecting.

Today's trip was the first time I tried the food and while it was decent, I suggest that you simply do dessert. The Haight-Ashbury sandwich and the Catcher in the Rye BLT and fries were perfectly decent, but the portions were small for their price ($13.50) and fries were a la carte ($3.50). That is what you get for going to a "tourist trap." One that Tyra Banks frequents, but nonetheless a place for tourists.

The dessert options make the wait worth it, at least once, though. The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate ($8.50) with real, not sweet, whipped cream is delicious. It actually tastes like chocolate; you can almost imagine falling into love movie-style over it. I can't decide if it tastes better when eaten with a spoon or with the straw. I suppose that is why they give you both. While there with my family we ordered the Strawberry Fields Sundae ($13.50) and it was delish as well. Both desserts were generous enough to share, so remember to do so.

Location: 225 East 60th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues)
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30a-12:00a; Fri 11:30a-1:00a; Sat 11:30a-2:00a (be prepared to wait ~2.5-3 hours regardless of when you go; if you are lucky you can call for limited reservations during certain times of the year)
Cost: $$

My Most Favorite Food

After seeing Deuce, we needed a place close to Times Square for coffee and dessert. Wandering led us down 45th Street where I suggested we try My Most Favorite Food. I saw it while temping in the area and found the name and desserts in the window tempting at the time.

Laura and her Mom ordered decaffeinated tea, which took two discussions to arrive. For some reason decaf meant black tea? Yeah, right. Anyway, I ordered a cupcake, of course, Gary ordered the carrot cake, and Laura ordered the cherry cheesecake. Their cakes trumped my cupcake - both were moist and not overly sweet. My cupcake had a whipped frosting that looked lovely, but didn't have much flavor and the cake was slightly dry. After eating it, I realized it probably came from the Cupcake Cafe. I should have known because of the decorative flower on top.

All was well UNTIL we asked the waiter to take a picture of the four of us. He was seriously not capable. The camera was held at an angle that captured two of four people... This was funny. Then we had to chase someone down to get our check. As if we aren't anxious to go by the time it arrived, the waiter basically urged us to leave faster. Based on the service, I do not plan to go back and sample the regular food, which is a shame as I'm a sucker for packaging and this place certainly had that.

Location: 120 West 45th Street (between Broadway & Sixth Avenue)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:30a-10:00p; Fri 8:30a-3:00p; Sat 9:00a-1:00p; 11:30a-10:30p
Cost: $$

'inoteca

Tonight I had the pleasure of joining most of Laura's family for an outing. Our starting point was dinner at 'inoteca on the Lower East Side. I knew the evening was off to a good start when walking directly from the 6 train stop took a lot less time than expected. Unfortunately, the slow bringing of the check after a mixed-up order plus traffic caused us to sprint to the theater later. There was bound to be some rushing though...this is New York.

That isn't to say that the service was all bad at 'inoteca. When I arrived the sommelier had already set-up our table with wine. According to the B's he was quite knowledgeable and had great taste. I'm not even going to claim to understand wine, so I'll just add that I enjoyed what was presented to me. The next challenge was interpreting the menu, which is basically in Italian. The staff was helpful here too as they didn't mind explaining everything more than once.

I started with a beet salad with orange, mint, and hazelnuts ($8) so good that I hardly wanted to share. It was worth it to taste Laura's salad with baby strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and greens and Gary's salad. Laura and I had paninis for dinner. While good the roasted vegetable and ricotta fresca panini ($9) did not live up to the inventive, flavorful salad. Laura's prosciutto, pesto, and tomato panini ($9) fared better, but still didn't excite me as much as our introductory food. That said, 'inoteca is definitely worth a try. Just be aware that when you eat beets, they will affect you for a few days afterward...

Location: 98 Rivington Street @ Ludlow Street
Hours: Mon-Sun 12:00p-3:00a, Brunch Sat-Sun 10a-4p
Cost: $$

Black Bean (Pasta) Salad

After discovering that Sunday's Green Market on my street doesn't really close at 5:00 pm, I was stumped about what to eat this week without going broke. I spontaneously came up with the salad below; however, it might not be spontaneous as it is entirely like that I stole the mixture of ingredients from one of the numerous recipes I have read. Either way, I thought it went well and have recorded it below for posterity.

Black Bean Salad

One 15 ounce can of Black Beans
1/2 small white onion
1 bunch Italian flat parsley
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1 large cucumber
1 block of organic feta cheese
2 cups of Gemelli Pasta
1 large bowl with a lid

1. Put the 2 cups of pasta on to boil following the boxes instructions.
2. Open the black beans and put them in a colander. Rinse and drain them.
3. Cut the onion, 5 of the sun dried tomatoes, and the cucumber into cubes (or whatever you want - I'm way to anal and thus a very slow cook). Place the chopped ingredients in the bowl.
4. Add a little bit of olive oil from the jar of tomatoes to the mix.
5. Add the black beans and stir everything.
6. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water. Add it to the mix.
7. Cut 1/4 of the cheese block into cubes and toss into the salad.
8. Enjoy.

In retrospect, I would add the feta cheese as desired whenever you plan to eat the salad. It loses it's flavor if you let it sit overnight. I just added more cheese when I ate it on subsequent nights.

Obviously, you can omit the pasta. I just enjoy it and can "afford" to eat it since my parents suggested I force feed myself a little. They feel I'm too thin; Vika just says I'm NY thin. It's all a matter of opinion.

Luna Park

As with most outdoor venues, Luna Park's distinguishing factor is its location: outside. Being located in Union Square is also very convenient. Luna Park also has other pluses: the staff is friendly and offers prompt service. Best of all, you can talk without yelling. It was the perfect spot to meet up with Britt and his friends to catch up on life while drinking a little. Thank goodness they got there early though or we would have been without a table.

The crowd is attractive and dressier than typical for the area, but still fairly casual. I suppose when you are seated in plastic chairs under umbrellas, it wouldn't make sense to wear your Sunday best. The biggest downside to Luna Park would have to be the bathrooms, which are public park bathrooms. If you were interested in stealing the roll of toilet paper, forget about it, it is Masterlocked into place.

Location: Union Square West (between 16th Street & 17th Street)
Hours: Mon 12a-1a, 11:45a-12a; Tue-Wed 11:45a-12a; Thu-Sat 11:45a-1a; Sun 12p-12a and only during the summer!
Cost: $$ (not entirely sure as for once I didn't pay for my drinks, but numerous websites say this)

pinkberry

A few weeks ago I made the mistake of going to pinkberry. I wanted to know what the big deal was... I'm still not entirely sure, but I find myself craving it pretty much all the time.

It could be the fresh fruit toppings generously layered on the cool, slightly tangy yogurt. It could be the novelty of it. It could be that it doesn't leave that gross I had too much sugar (and liked it!) taste that other ice cream leaves. Whatever the reason, it needs to stop or my social, discretionary spending funds will be depleted from my private, pinkberry outings.

I recommend that you avoid trying it or you might end up like me, but if you must I would get the matcha green tea flavor with rice cakes or the original with a fruit of your choice (I'm partial to raspberries). Whatever you choose it'll be gone before you know it.

Location and Hours: For location and hours visit their website. I was visiting the one on 32nd Street, but now I know about a closer one at 82nd Street.
Cost: $$

Dumpling House

This past weekend my parents came up to help me move into my new apartment on the Upper East Side. My dad seemed a little worried about all the expenses involved, so I went through my long, long list of places I wanted to try in New York for the inexpensive ones. Dumpling House fit the bill perfectly.

For $10.50, the three of us had more food than we could eat. We sampled the boiled pork and chive dumplings (10), sesame noodles, a small hot and sour soup, and two "sandwiches." Most disappointing was the Hot and Sour soup, which wasn't sour so much as slightly sweet and low tasting. The highlight of the meal were the "sandwiches" served on fresh, fried sesame buns stuffed with fresh veggies or a tuna salad involving peas, carrots, and cilantro. They were to die for. I actually tried replicating the tuna salad the next night for my lunch. It was passable, but if the Dumpling House was beside my workplace, I would never pack a lunch again!

One caveat, there isn't really seating beyond a few metal stools in the back. I suggest carrying your food over the few blocks and sitting in Sara Roosevelt park. My parents have warned me that this spot would be hard to beat on future trips and I have to agree. I think even Magnolia Bakery came up short afterward...

Location: 118 Eldridge Street (Between Broome Street and Grand Street)
Hours: Daily 7:30a-9:30p
Cost: $

Brother Jimmy's Bait Shack

Have you ever craved sweet tea and southern BBQ in NYC? Brother Jimmy's is a good place to go. I've been to the original location and the Bait Shack; both locations did not disappoint.

The first trip I enjoyed the punch bowl drink, as I can't resist beverages that come with lots of florescent straws and an alligator full of grenadine, while my roommate and her boyfriend had dinner. My tastes of their dinner told me that my dad would love it.

I was right as our post-move dinner confirmed. Since we were too tired to decide on a simple meal, my parents and I shared the BBQ sampler platter and a sampler of the sides. It was so hard to pick 4 sides that our waitress kindly gave us a bonus one (a sadly too smoky biscuits and gravy). Everything else was divine though: creamy macaroni and cheese, North Carolina-style BBQ, spicy and savory collard greens, etc.

I guarantee I'll be taking guests to this restaurant again in the future as it is tasty and convenient to my new place.

Location and Hours: Various (see the website)
Cost: $-$$

Patsy's

I've been to Patsy's three times now... Twice while waiting for Serendipity and a third because I genuinely like it.

While I've seen tables around me order various entrees and appetizers, I always stick to the pizza. It can get a little pricey with toppings, but luckily, I like a classic pizza or one with fresh mozzarella - simple and satisfying. Patsy's pizza is never an oil slick and has a great thin, slightly crispy NOT chewy crust. Occasionally there is some charring, a risk of a coal oven pizza. I have also split the basil, mozzarella, and tomato appetizer three ways with a great deal of pleasure.

The service is slow but once your order is in the food comes promptly, servings are generous, and I have never had to wait for a table. In my mind these qualities make Patsy's a reliable meal choice.

Location: 206 East 60th Street (near 3rd Avenue)
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30a-11:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:30a-12:00a
Cost: $$

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Mom was in town this past weekend and as she is always up for food adventures, I thought Momofuku Noodle Bar was the perfect place to go. The rave reviews from critices, the chef's credentials, and the relatively affordable prices had placed it on my list.* Actually, all the listings online put it in the $ category, but I am placing it in $$ category since it is only that cheap if you eat an appetizer as a meal.

We arrived at 3:30 pm and there was still a wait for lunch. Momofuku's decor is minimal, think a single bar with a row of wooden stools, and the restaurant is tiny. That said the service is efficient and from most of the seats you can see the kitchen at work, which is always fascinating to me.

Mom and I split the steamed buns with Berkshire pork, the sauteed sugar snap peas with fresh grated horseradish, and the tsukemen (dipping broth, chilled noodles, shredded berkshire pork, and poached egg). The sauteed sugar snap peas outshone everything else we consumed; I would go again just for their simple, buttery goodness. In fact, that might be the only thing I would repeat order from our meal as nothing else left a strong impression.

Location: 163 1st Avenue at 10th Street
Hours: Sun-Thurs 12:00p-4:00p, 5:30p-11:00p; Fri-Sat 12:00p-4:00p, 5:30p-12:00a
Cost: $$

*It actually doesn't take much to get on the list of places I want to try; I'm discriminating and yet the list is so very long.

Cloning Meat...Seriously?

Amen. It isn't like we're running short on meat in the first place and/or don't have alternatives.

Kwik Meal

While working at one of my favorite temporary jobs, I forgot my lunch one day and went in search of an inexpensive, yet tasty meal in Midtown. didn't find the mythical Cuban restaurant I meant to find, i.e. one whose address I did not write down and therefore couldn't find, but I stumbled across Kwik Meal.

Luckily, I had cash on me and ordered the feast to the right for a mere $7.00. The salmon was better than most I have ordered in restaurants, plastic fork tender and not at all dry. The veggies were well seasoned and the yogurt sauce was the perfect compliment. As I have a small appetite, or something, I was able to stretch this into lunch and dinner.

Two warnings. Like most cheap, tasty food I have found in NYC, you can't sit and eat at the cart. I suggest heading over to Bryant Park at 42nd Street and 6th Avenue to enjoy your meal. Know what you want by the time you get to the front of the line. Their quick service doesn't allow for, or appreciate, thoughtful consideration of what you want to eat. I speak from experience.

Location: 45th Street near 6th Avenue
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:00a-7:00p
Cost: $

City Bakery

During a rapidly cooling pre-Marathon afternoon, my favorite Marathon runner and fellow food admirer, Katie, and I were in Union Square finding the perfect running capris for the following day. Since we were so close, I suggested that we wander over to City Bakery to warm up and try the famed hot cocoa.

It was wonderful for warming us up, but the rich flavor and thick, creamy texture made it more like hot chocolate soup. We both agreed one cup with extra homemade marshmallows was the way to go on future trips. While at City Baker we also tried a chocolate chip cookie and the pretzel croissant. The cookie was slightly soft and very tasty, but the pretzel croissant was dry and somewhat flavorless.

I'll try City Bakery again eventually, but it wasn't love at first taste.


Location: 3 West 18th St (Between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue)
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30a-7:00p, Sat 7:30a-6:00p, Sun 9:00a-5:30p
Cost: $$ ($11.50 for 2 hot cocoas with marshmallows and a cookie)

Fat Black Pussycat

I didn't find Fat Black Pussycat (FBPC) via Citysearch, although eventually I would have given its impeccable ratings, rather my friend Vika had her birthday outing there in August. I had so much fun that I insisted that all of my friends visiting from DC go there this past weekend; FBPC didn't disappoint. Word to the wise: go on the early side the line isn't any fun.

The DJ on the weekend is amazing and they play the videos along with the songs, even without being at the dance club portion it is hard to stay still upstairs. So much so that on my first trip we took over an alcove by the bar and had our own dance party. The staff doesn't approve of dancing on tabletops, by the way, but they don't scold you for cramming large parties in small spaces around tables, which more than makes up for it.

They also share secrets like you get more martini for your $ in the pint glass. Try the Absolut Sex one...it tastes a sweet tart and costs $9.50. I definitely plan to go back here again (and again). Sometime I might even go dancing where I'm supposed to - downstairs in its sister dance club, Village Underground.

Oh and they have a half price happy hour from 4-8 pm on weeknights that might be worth checking out as well.

Location: 130 West 3rd Street (Between 6th Avenue and Macdougal Street)
Hours: Sun-Mon 1:30p-4:30a
Cost: $ (no cover, around $5 for a rum & coke, & $9.50 for a 10 ounce martini!)

Microfinance: A solution to poverty?

My good friend, Jaime, sent me an article on Microfinance today from The New Yorker. Millions for Millions by Connie Bruck is long, but definitely worth the read if you are interested a solution to poverty.

Microfinance is the practice of extending small, small loans to the (very) poor, who can't normally qualify for loans. It allows them to start a business or otherwise enrich their lives. I initially learned about it while working at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and I have been intrigued ever since and, trust me, I don't typically get too excited about economics. Here's a great excerpt about an organization called Jamii Bora from the article:

Munro started it in 1999, and today it is the fastest-growing microfinance institution in Kenya. Munro is from Sweden and her husband from Canada, but they have lived in Kenya for the past twenty-one years. In 1988, they adopted a boy from the streets. “It was a small seven-year-old boy who more or less adopted us,” she said, chuckling. “And then we later found his two brothers and adopted them. With a situation like that, like in all great love stories, in literature and in real life, you are a helpless victim, you know?” Through her sons, she got to know other street children, and their mothers, who were beggars. She was the head of the African Housing Fund, which works with the homeless. “When I retired from the African Housing Fund, the beggars kept coming to my house and banging on the door, and they said, ‘You can’t abandon us now, Mum, you are our mother.’ So they really challenged me, and I said, ‘O.K., if you want me to do something for you, now you have to do something for yourself.’ I challenged them to save a little bit of money. ‘For every shilling you save, I promise, I will find somebody who will give two shillings, and then you can borrow twice as much as you’ve saved.’ ”

“The unique thing is, then, that it started with trust,” she said—sounding like Pierre Omidyar, her doctrinal opposite. “Also, I thought it was just a small club, a group of women I thought were very special. But, really, it grew like a bushfire! After a few months, we had to formalize it. We decided to call it Jamii Bora—jamii bora means ‘good families’ in Swahili. And that’s what we say—you can be very poor but you’re still a good family, and you still have the talent to get out of poverty.”

Munro started with a group of fifty beggars from the slums of Nairobi, and over the past seven years Jamii Bora has expanded to sixty-one branches, serving about a hundred and thirty thousand members; Munro aims to reach at least five hundred thousand by 2009. She says that she has stuck to the original idea, “that you can borrow twice as much as you’ve saved—which means we have a very strong foundation, because we have a lot of savings, and our members take very small risks.” Jamii Bora has received some grants, but it largely pays for itself. About a third of its borrowers are men. And nearly all of its staff members are former borrowers or their relatives.

Cafe Habana

Ever since spending New Years in Ecuador a few years ago, I've been obsessed with finding choclos, not to be confused with cholos, here in the United States. It was the perfect (drunk) food over there. Roasted, cheese-covered corn on a stick served by street vendors on every other corner late at night for a $1.

The closest thing I've found is Cafe Habana's grilled corn coated with butter, cheese, & chili powder. It alone makes trips to this tiny restaurant worthwhile and has made me declare Cafe Habana my favorite venue for brunch (the only time I've been). They serve everything from Huevos Rancheros and Cuban Press sandwiches and all of the food I have tasted was delish. The omelet with plantains and salsa verde is my favorite.

Even better is the fact that the food is super affordable for NYC. The only downsides to Cafe Habana are the long lines to be seated and the often less than stellar service. I recommend going before 11:00a if you want a more reasonable wait or you can just grab take out from the counter next door.

Location: 229 Elizabeth Street (Near Prince Street)
Hours: Daily 9:00a-12:00a
Cost: $ ($3.50 for two ears of corn)

Beets

Every time my mom served beets, hot and pickled, while I was growing up I cringed. I'm sure that the fact my dad always put the ball of seasoning on my plate saying, "Look! Sarah a giant beet.," didn't help.

While in LA last March, my intense hunger forced me to try beets again when they arrived as a complimentary appetizer. I was surprised to find chilled, pickled beets sweet and tasty, and ever since then I've been hooked on buying cans of them.

Today in the NYTimes there was a cute article called A Good Year for Beets and Self-Reliance by Annie Raver. Here's an excerpt, which shares a way to pickle fresh beets. I might have to try it!

"I remembered the beet salad that I love to eat in New York: roasted diced beets, with arugula, goat cheese and walnuts. “Hmm, sounds good,” Mother said.

Then she showed me how to pickle beets the Eastern Shore way. Just trim the leaves off the washed beets, but leave an inch or so of the stems. Cutting into the root leads the beet to bleed Into the water, leaching out vitamins and flavor.

“Beets, you know, are full of iron,” said Mother, who was trained as a nutritionist.

Cook until just tender enough to stick easily with a sharp fork. Then drain, peel and slice as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Mix half a cup of sugar with half a cup of vinegar in a big bowl, stir in the warm beets, and salt to taste."

Making your own salad dressing Part II

Yet another NYTimes article on Salad, The Well-Dressed Salad Wears Only Homemade by Mark Bittman, has me thinking about Laura's salad making skills. Maybe one day I'll be able to master the art of making my own dressing too (as long as I continue reading the daily headlines via email and practicing).

Here's his recipe: "The simplest dressing, vinaigrette, is this: around three parts oil to one part vinegar or lemon juice, salt and pepper, and maybe some added flavor. This may be an herb (a pinch of dried tarragon is good, fresh chives better) or a condiment (Dijon mustard is classic, and a splash of soy sauce is amazing). There might be a bit of onion, garlic (easy on this), scallion or shallot. Combine them with a fork for a “broken” dressing, or with a whisk or a blender for a lovely, creamy emulsion. Presto."

Bowlmor

I went bowling tonight for the first time since high school and it was surprisingly fun! As I grew up bowling at AMF's in Richmond, Virginia, Bowlmor lanes with its elevator up, cushy benches, and full bar was my swankiest bowling experience to date. Our 8:30 arrival was perfect for getting the last open lane.

My favorite fancy feature was that after each frame the bowling pins changed colors, something I made sure to point out to my "date." Sadly, he was not as enchanted with this feature as I was. He was, however, a much better bowler than I after he remembered his technique (basically he ended each roll kneeling).

The staff was friendly overall, but our waitress stopped being attentive after it became apparent that we weren't planning to booze it up. But, seriously, it was Wednesday and we already were paying plenty to bowl. I hope to go again, but on a Monday which seems to be the best deal: $20 for unlimited bowling on a first come, first serve basis.

Location: 110 University Place (Between 12th Street and 13th Street)
Hours: Mon 11:00a-3:00a, Tues-Wed 11:00a-1:00a, Thurs 11:00a-2:00a, Fri-Sat 11:00a-3:30a, Sun 11:00a-12:00a (after 5 you have to be 21)
Cost: $$ ($5 shoe rental and anywhere from $8.95 to $9.45 per person per game, depending on the day and time)

Vintage

While a little complicated to get to from my location in Queens, like all things not off of the NW, I enjoyed Vintage tonight. As soon as I walked in the waiter, John, decided he liked me and encouraged me to definitely go for it as my date "was cute!" He also later told my escort he was lucky to have me with him as I was more attractive than him, which was just wrong, amusing, and confidence boosting all at once.

Vintage has a HUGE drink menu, which was perfect since I love drink menus. Unfortunately, this slowed my decision making to a halt along with the getting to know you conversation. Don't worry me made up for it later and shared a drink "Lady and the Tramp" style. I ended up with Nadia's Perfect Ten as my first drink (a girlie martini of course). It was sweet without being too sweet; I highly recommend it. My other drinks weren't quite as good, but they still were interesting.

Vintage was very relaxed with comfy couches in the back, quiet yet good music, and sports on TV. It is a great location for meeting people that you actually want to hear, and I definitely would consider going back, especially if John was working. He even made sure I got home dry by giving me an umbrella!

Location: 753 9th Avenue (Between 50th Street and 51st Street)
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5:00p-1:00a, Fri: 5:00p-2:00a, Sat 12:00p-2:00a, Sun 12:00p-12:00p
Cost: $$ (but I only had drinks)