No Horse Play
XI'AN FAMOUS FOODS | 2675 Broadway (bet. 101st & 102nd Sts.) | [no phone yet] | xianfoods.com
UWS
Small Miracle At Big Nick’s
Big Nick's Burger Joint and Pizza Joint | 2175 Broadway (Bet. 77th & 76th Sts.) | 212.362.9238 | bignicksnyc.com
Jacob's Latter
...The delicious buttermilk fried chicken's taste and juiciness easily reminded me of many happy South Carolina family dinners, while the sausage gravy, while surprisingly light on the flour, was abundant with a variety of spices, the whole combination in each forkful being a delight to every section of my palate.... [Full Post]
Seaside On The West Side
...Their Lobster Roll Sliders offerings were not so much of the ilk of the suddenly ubiquitous lobster roll as it was a lobster salad sandwich, but a very good one at that. Chopped, fresh light, pieces of lobster tossed in a small dollop of mayo with some subtle seasoning and chopped celery surprisingly let the breezy flavor properties of the lobster nicely present and hit all the right notes, while being quietly supported by "double-buttered" brioche mini buns.... [Full post]
Lunch With The Greeks
...Another successful dish, plump soft dumpling, stuffed with a soft, mellow but "rustic" cheese, buoyed by the rich, just slightly citrusy tomato sauce, grounded by some homey greens, and heightened by the kick in the very tender spicy sausage, which, again, Leo handled with aplomb... [Full post]
Gray's Gastronomy
...Just as I remembered, drunk or sober! And, let's face it, there are a number of "hot dog and papaya juice" iterations scattered around the city. But this was my first and my favorite for so long, that the nostalgia alone makes up for the slight interior changes, and the bizarre additions to the menu, such as bagels and donuts, which make it less of the "specialty" shop it built an almost global reputation on.... [Full post]
Branching Out West
...Both apps (yes, we shared of course) were quite good, a step up from the kind of finger food you get at upscale corporate dinner functions (is that really a complimemt?). The grougeres—I hardly expected so may—were lighter in texture and taste than they looked, with the taste of Cheddar hit the taste buds last without any of the texture of cheese.... [Full post]
Shacking Things Up
...So, it's not a debate of which burger is better. Sometimes—and thank goodness not often—, I'm really in the mood for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, and nothing else would make me happier. Most burgers I consume during a year I prepare and cook myself. Could you do a lot, lot worse than Shake Shack? Easily. Could you do better? Maybe, but you'd have to work to find it.... [Full Post]
