A few weeks ago I visited the world's unofficial capital, New York City. This was my second visit, and I had a mission: to find the best food NY had to offer. My first trip was a disappointment, due to lack of guidance and a small budget; my diet primarily consisted of hot dogs and pizza. This time was a different story. I was determined to seek out the gastronomic heart of NY cuisine. With a fat wallet and an empty stomach, I began my journey...
DAY 1 - A 6-hour long flight has rendered me starving for a hearty meal. I meet with my homeboy Kevin, a Parsons student that has shed his native Californian skin and molted a new East Village coat.
Dallas BBQ: Gigantic chicken wings in a delicious golden honey sauce that makes you want to lick the plate. Homemade cornbread. Texas-sized margaritas. Southern comfort has found a home in Manhattan.
Magnolia Bakery: Banana pudding. Wait, let me re-phrase that. BAHHNANAAAA POOODDIIIINNNG! Rich yet fluffy, creamy with Nilla wafer crunch, Magnolia's banana pudding is a sweet oxymoron.
DAY 2 - Dinner with my East Coast cousins. Let's see what the locals have to say...
Bread: New Italian in SoHo. Calamari, octopus salad, bruschetta, and mushroom ravioli in a marinara sauce that is to die for. It's my cousin Heather's favorite place, and I could see why.
Rice to Riches: If ColdStone and Pinkberry had a European cousin, it would be this trendy little rice pudding shop off Spring Street. Over 20 different flavors of creamy rice pudding (chocolate...tiramisu...pecan pie???) and various toppings that somehow blend together harmoniously.
DAY 3 - A long day full of tourist madness and shopping. The perfect ending to a day like this can only come in one form: DESSERT!
The Dessert Truck: The fairy Godmother of all food trucks. Crème brûlée, chocolate souffle, hazelnut donuts, quality for under $5. Our pick of the night: hot chocolate, so creamy and thick you'd swear they just melted a Hershey bar and poured it in a cup.
DAY 4 - Exhausted after another long day of fun, we decide to stay in and try another New York staple: ordering take-out. In NY, anything and everything can be delivered to your house at nearly time. We order bulgolgi and kimchi stew from a local Korean restaurant. Slight disappointment, overpriced and bland, but at least we had the luxury of resting our feet and having the food brought to us like kings.
DAY 5 - The St. Patrick's Day parade off 5th Ave leads us to another hot spot in New York's culinary world.
Greenberg's Bakery: Claimed by many to be the city's best black and white cookie. Covered in sweet, creamy icing and large enough to cover your face, this cookie takes the cake. Get it? Cookie? Cake? Nevermind.
There you have it, a few highlights from my trip. I highly recommend going there for yourself and creating your own culinary adventure. The city thrives on restaurants, so it's hard to find a bad meal out there. And if you can't find anything, there's bound to be 5 pizza joints in a one block radius of your location.
