The Big Apple

I've lived in Austin for the better part of a decade, and it's one of the best food towns there is. I've held that to be true since before the recent influx of food trucks and gourmet chefs. The variety and number of restaurants is staggering, especially for a city of its size. New York compares favorably to this baseline. Sure, there were a couple misfires, but we're in unfamiliar territory, so that's to be expected. Here's a brief list of places to take a bite out of the Big Apple.

I'll start with breakfast, because so many good things do. We tried the cafe attached to our hotel, the Cosmopolitan Tribeca, and weren't horribly impressed. The decor is neat, and hearkens back to the heyday of NY, when the sky was the limit, and even that was getting pushed. 30's-era bubblegum vending machines, wood paneling, pie stands, and other bric-a-brac adorned the tables and walls. This was a promising start, but the food was downright disappointing. For a better breakfast, head east a block to the Imperial Coffee House for a bona fide New York diner experience. The corned beef hash is fantastic. Sit at the counter to watch the show going on at the griddle. These guys are among the best short-order cooks I've ever seen. I've lamented the state of breakfast in Austin before. This place is the cure. If you're in a hurry check out the Dunkin' Donuts across the street. I know, I know, it's a chain. But I have a special place in my heart for Dunkin, especially their plain cake donut, which they call the Old Fashioned these days. You can keep your Krispy Kreme. There's nothing better than an unadorned cake donut from the best place to get 'em.

Moving on to lunch, you've got more options in Manhattan than you can shake a stick at. There's a little diner on West 42nd (almost to the piers, across from Lucky Strike bowling alley) called, predictably enough, the 42nd Street Restaurant. They do pizza and Greek food. Didn't try the pizza, but the meatball sub and gyro plate are awesome. On a side note, why is it that Greek restaurants always serve fries with gyros? On a side note to that side note, why is it the fries in Greek restaurants are always the best? Big, thick fries, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, never overdone, never underdone. I've held this to be true for every Greek diner I've been in, from Theo & Stacy's and Olympia in my hometown Kalamazoo, all the way to this place. It's only the diners, though. Wonder why that is. Street food has always been a staple in NY. We were pleasantly surprised by the Biryani we got from a cart on the corner of 5th avenue and 27th street. Actually, that's not true. I was blown away. I was expecting something edible and ended up with something divine. We were not quite so happy with the hot dogs we got from a cart up by 51st street. They were just sort of average. If you're in the mood for tube steak, Crif Dogs is the place to go. You may have seen pictures of this place, or caught it on TV or in a Movie. It's the one with the big hot dog above the door with 'Eat Me' writtin in yellow on the side. You can't go wrong with a chili dog or the spicy redneck, and the tots are fantastic. Also, the Red Birch beer is an experience not to be missed. Head on over to Chinatown for a quick lunch at Jaya Malaysian restaurant. I tried laksa noodle soup for the first time. The wife had the Hokkien noodles. Both were excellent, and I'll be having laksa again at the nearest opportunity.

For the week we visited, we were usually too tired or too busy to hit the pricier and more famous steakhouses, Italian joints, and other dinner places. Sometimes we just weren't hungry after such an awesome lunch. Also, budget. So we kept things simple for the most part. I was pretty disappointed in Atomic Wings at the Blue Room Bar & Grill. The sauce was ok, but the wings were way overdone and pretty scrawny. The service at the bar was good, though. Atomic is a chain that pairs with various bars around town, and I haven't tried more than the one, but I probably won't bother, especially when I know where I can get better. Mudville 9 is a stone's throw from the hotel we stayed at in Tribeca. Their wings were plump, tender, juicy, and properly cooked with a variety of interesting sauces. If I'm ever back in the Big Apple, I'll be stopping in for wings again. They also have an interesting beer selection. Butternuts Brewery's Pork Slap Pale Ale is a good summer brew. They lose points because it comes in a can and their website sucks, but they gain some back because the can is festooned with fun imagery and the website plays Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." The Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner has a little more flavor. On the subject of beer, we spent part of an evening waiting for a Broadway show at Heartland Brewery. The food was standard bar fare, so nothing to write home about there, but their seasonal brews were awesome. They had a quad bock that for some reason isn't on their website, which is ok, because it was altogether too sweet. However, the Bavarian Black Lager was great. It's a bit of a dark pour, which belies a lightness you just don't expect. Complex caramel and chocolate flavors balance out hints of coffee. I don't usually like coffee, or coffee-flavored beers. This one is an exception, because it's an exceptional brew.

The one event dinner we did indulge in is Lucky Cheng's. This place is always a blast. I'd been here once half a decade ago when they were down on the Lower East Side. They've since moved up to new digs in the theater district. The food isn't great, but it's good enough, although for the price I'd expect a lot better. What you're paying for, though, is the show. Visit the website for details, and remember to check your inhibitions at the door.

I'll be throwing up another post on our travel and sightseeing blog to cover the travel and sightseeing, so keep an eye out for that.