I (heart) New York. It is my favorite city in the world and, every morning I wake up there, I feel like I am waking up in the place I was meant to. It is my urban love. It is my hobby. It is the setting for most everything I read about. This post is about sharing my urban obsessions.
While they say everything is better in NYC (other than price per square foot), most all New Yorkers love to argue about how their local picks are the absolute best and how everyone else’s is pure crap. Rather than go on about how Central Park the perfect oasis or the art of Lincoln Center, the vibe of the Village, the raw edge of Tribeca, the bubbling style of Chelsea or how much I hope my daughters really end up studying at Columbia, Barnard or NYU, I would like to discuss something far more central to the true passion of the people – food. So, consider this “My Taste of New York”, if you will, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Pizza.Why not start with the sauciest topic of all (only slight pun intended). You can say what you want about John’s, Lombardi’s, Grimaldi’s or anyplace that rhymes with Ray’s. I will take Rigoletto Pizza on the Upper West Side any day of the week. The good crust, fair slice prices and always being served hot is only beat by their three magical spicy sauces that you can spoon on the top. Some places have better publicists, but none have a more enjoyable slice.
Cupcakes.
The second most passionate fight these days seems to be the war of the city cupcakes. I urge you to visit Magnolia Bakery. That should not be news to anyone, especially those that follow the “Sex and the City” tours. What might be news, though, is I would not order the cupcakes. I would go directly to the banana pudding without passing go and forgoing the $200. Even if you don’t think you like banana pudding, stick a spoon in. It will be worth the adventure.
Speakeasy.
The new trend is speakeasy dining. That is, the harder to find, the more underground or the more they make you do to get a table, the hotter the table is to get. While the Fire Marshall is giving them some problems, head to La Esquina in Soho. Ignore the taco stand on top and call ahead to get behind the grey door on the inside. It is one of the coolest rooms in NYC and I have never NOT run into someone famous. If you are there for the food and not trying to make Ironman conversation with Robert Downey Jr., I would stick with making a meal out of the appetizers and do not miss the grilled corn.
Bagel.
Even though I live a 15-second walk from hot H&H bagels, I would pick Ess-a-Bagel. Big, crusty and served with the comedy of the Captain (you’ll see).
Doughnut.
The Doughnut Plant on the Lower East Side. Stop looking.
Cookies.
This is complicated and must be broken down in categories. The best chocolate chip cookie, bar none, is Levain Bakery on west 74th street. It is sensationally cooked on the outside, and hot and a little cookie dough raw on the inside. The $4 per cookie price tag can scare on the surface, but realize that a single cookie can be shared by 3 people easy. While not as good a cookie, but a fantastic cookie experience is Cookies & Milk on Commerce Street in the West Village. Go with a group of 6-8 people and all make your own dozen with a frozen cold glass of milk. You can give the balance of the 84 uneaten cookies to a nice homeless person and help make the world a better place.
Breakfast.
This is also complicated on the surface, but not in reality. If you fast on Yom Kippur, Barney Greengrass is the place any other day of the year – the “sturgeon king” since 1903 that has gone completely unchanged. Go salty or go home. If you are someone who dines on Yom Kippur, Norma’s at Le Parker Meridien has your name all over it. The ideal place for brunch to meet your the family of your new son in law. Go sweet or go home.
Coffee.
Yes, there is a Starbucks on almost every corner. In between, there are hundreds of Peets, Seattle’s Best, World, Timothy’s and every other chain in between. There is a place that works a little harder and it is worth going to. The Sensuous Bean just off Columbus south of Strawberry Fields is a place that just does coffee and tea. No free wireless, city specific mugs or water that will save the world. They are just passionate about their narrow little place in the world and it is, all at once, everything that is perfect about the city.
If you make it through all of these, tune in again next week when I uncover the best Cardiologists, bike rentals and gym memberships in Gotham.
I think I gained 10 pounds just reading this!
Makes me wanna go back, makes me wanna go back there – to look for
)
I know this is truly boring and you are skipping to the next comment, but I just wanted to throw you a large thanks – you cleared up some things for me!
keep at it man, your almost there , thanks for the read!
Great day, A really occupying document. Continue it up.
Outstanding blog post, I look forward to reading much more.
My partner and I received a huge amount of pleasure from the blog post. For your efforts we offer you this interesting quote. – “Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” ~ Sir Winston Churchill