Photo by myself, in Midtown.
When Chick-Fil-A opened its doors for the first time in Manhattan, there was a line out the door and down the street. Not just for a day or a few days or a week. For weeks.
That is how nutty some people are about their chicken sandwiches and/or nuggets. See how serious people look in line? It is serious stuff!
This fast food place has two floors. Now that the hoopla has died down, you can actually get a sandwich without waiting many minutes outdoors.
Below, a view of the line from the air.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Outside Chick-Fil-A, from Above and Below
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Up and Down Rue Moffetard, in Paris
Photo by myself on or about Rue Moffetard, in Paris.
The area on and around Rue Moffetard in Paris, is known for tons of eateries, bars and the occasional clothing store. The street is packed every night with students, visitors and locals, looking for dinner.
Unfortunately my photos from Paris are very limited this year; I was too preoccupied with looking around, and then there was an terrible accident with my camera and a bottle of water. Ugh.
My camera is pretty beaten up, so maybe this was good timing. The photo below was taken on my phone.
Outside a restaurant serving Spanish food, a giant pan of paella was being cooked up. The dish is served only on Wednesdays.
Related posts: No-Bull Hot Dogs, on the Upper West Side, Outside Baked by Melissa, in Soho, and Baked Fresh Daily, in Soho.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Serious Sweets, in Paris
Photo by myself, in Paris.
Two gentlemen ordered their pastries the other day in a little shop that sold treats covered in honey. I'm not sure which neighborhood this was, probably near Montparnasse, where we were walking around from beautiful boutique to beautiful boutique.
I must say, the bread places and patisseries that are open to the streets are pretty incredible. You can just smell freshly baked STUFF with butter. I'm very lucky not to have much of a sweet tooth, but even without one, I have been tempted by all the gorgeous cakes and things. The French take these pleasures very seriously, along with their coffees and wine.
Our typical day has gone like this: coffee and light breakfast while sitting outside, then a walk around, then a simple lunch, say a toasted sandwich with salad, with more coffee, then more walking around. Then perhaps a breather with a macaroon and coffee, then a careful yet deliberate search for the perfect dinner place, followed by desert somewhere else, such as perhaps a crepe made on the street. Yippee!!!!
The sweets on show at Thevenin, in the 6th Arr., near the Luxembourg Gardens. We sampled some really delicious macaroons.
Related posts: Get Your Street Sweets Here, Pistachio Cupcakes, in the East Village, and Serving It Up, at Naruto Ramen, in Park Slope.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Grilling Guinea Pigs, in Prospect Park
Photo by myself in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
A man grilled one of several guinea pigs this weekend, in Prospect Park.
He was a very sweet man, actually, and when I approached him, he said 'cuy' (pronounced 'quee'). I asked whether he was from Ecuador, and he said yes.
Later, Mark saw that someone had called the police, thinking the man was 'mistreating a squirrel'. The police call made it to several internet news sites, including the New York Daily News.
Guinea pigs are popular pets for children here, hence the surprise.
For the NY Daily News article, click here.
For the DNAinfo post, click here.
Related posts: Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side, Visions of a Cheeseburger, in Midtown, and Cow Appreciation Day, on Fifth Avenue.'
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Amid Tall Buildings, Near Bryant Park
Photo by myself, around 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown.
Above, the universal stance used when taking a picture of a tall building with one's phone.
There is a glut of tall, glass buildings along Sixth Avenue. Behind me, Bryant Park provides a welcomed relief from all the pavements and other hard surfaces. You can see some of the park trash cans, painted light green and resembling plant life.
There is no lack of food stuffs, food kiosks and food carts. You will never go hungry here, as long as you have a buck or twelve.
On the left, a kiosk for 'Wichcraft, a chain of restaurants owned by Tom Colicchio, one of the judges on Top Chef. The 'wich' part is from 'sandwich', as in 'high end sandwich with a mix of snazzy ingredients'.
It's Labor Day weekend, in the States. Everyone is enjoying an extra-long weekend. Hooray!
Related posts: Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, Casimir, on Avenue B, and Colorful Eats, at Kelley and Ping, in Soho.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Human Drive-Thru, in Midtown
Photo by myself, in Midtown.
Behold, a line outside Dunkin Donuts, a very popular chain. There are 30-some locations in Manhattan, most of them south of City Hall.
As you can see, New Yorkers are such a picky bunch that they will undergo public humiliation to get a 'good' cup of coffee. Along this stretch of Midtown, the only coffee purveyors are carts parked along the sidewalk and the occasional deli.
[Disclaimer: Use of the word 'good' in this case is debatable. I'm not a fan of Dunkin Donuts, but that doesn't mean anything!]
Related posts: Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, On Line, in Midtown, and Waiting, in Alphabet City.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
At the Bar, at Brooklyn Crab
Photo by myself in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Crab is located just across the way from Fairway at the edge of Red Hook. It opened about a year ago and has since become a destination. Mark and I were there at the bar, enjoying drinks and raw oysters.
When the new building was going up, it created quite a stir. There are three very open floors and outdoor seating. The vibe is decidedly beachy, and with the waterfront view and sea breezes, you feel as if you're on a big boat. We went there once recently for dinner and the place was packed to the gills.
You can get whole blue crabs here, along with those little mallets and skinny forks to dismantle them with. Or skip all that hard work and enjoy a clam roll or crab cakes with a bowl of chowder. And of course, all the beer to go along with it. On special days, raw oysters are $1 a piece!
For the Brooklyn Crab website, including their menu, click here.
Related posts: Pistachio Cupcakes, in the East Village, In a State of Fusion, at Sushi Samba, and Brunch at Barbuto, in the West Village.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Weiner Bar, in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Photo by myself, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Der Kommissar is a small weiner-themed bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They have a great array of beers and nine different sausages to choose from, including a vegetarian option.
The sausages are delicious. Mark and I visited twice last week. They make some of the sausages themselves from scratch, including one called a 'Pak wurst' that has a curry-influenced filling.
We are in love with this place, which has outdoor seating in the back and a pick-up window in the front for the late-night wurst cravings I see in my future.
Above the chalkboard menu are snippets from local papers about Anthony Weiner, the unfortunately-named politician running for mayor who is renown for his sexting scandals. Recently, he admitted to sexting pictures of himself a year ago, after he had vowed to stop.
I think most New Yorkers smacked their foreheads and groaned when they heard about the last sexting revelation. It was all over the news, and brought down what was once a promising political career. Here is the Wiki entry, if you're interested.
For the Der Kommissar site, including their delicious menu, click here.
Related posts: Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Sausage Guys, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and On the Price of a Slice, Downtown.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Wine Tasting Outdoors, in Midtown
Photo by myself, around 35th Street and Broadway, in Midtown.
A fellow representing the Robibero Winery beckoned passersby to try free samples of their wine during lunch hour. He wore a funny shirt decorated with wine bottles at an outdoor market, in Midtown.
The Robibero family vineyards are located in New Paltz, New York, 85 miles north of Manhattan. They produce many different white and red wines.
As with any business, please do some research first. I had serious work to do in the afternoon, so I sadly could not enjoy a taste.
For the Robibero website, click here.
Related posts: Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Outside Pinisi Bakery, on East 4th Street, and On the Price of a Slice, Downtown.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Selling Snacks, Below Ground
Photo by myself at the subway station of Atlantic/Pacific Street, in Brooklyn.
A woman named Maria sells homemade fried pastries on the subway platform in Brooklyn. She allowed me to take her photo, but for some reason, did not look at the camera.
I see Maria standing here often, during the evening rush hour. She also sells chocolate bars.
Related posts: The Empire State Building, Bathed in White, The View from Bryant Park, at Dusk, and Under the Canopies, in Bryant Park. Read more...
Monday, November 12, 2012
Harvest, on Display in Midtown
Photo by myself around 41st Street and Fifth Avenue.
A display outside a high-end deli used corn stalks to reflect the season. All the fruit was placed in wicker baskets.
Mangoes and asian pears were going for $1.99 each, while apples were going for the same price per pound. Limes were 4 for $1.00.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Related posts: Fresh, on the Upper West Side, Bright Lights and Cured Meats, on the Upper West Side, and Food on the Brain.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The Borough of Brooklyn, on the Subways and No Reservations
Photo by myself on the Q Train, in Brooklyn.
Just another night underground on the way home.
You know the drill. The boom box comes out. The kids start clapping and calling out in loud voices to enjoy the show. And then it begins.
The twirling, the whirling, the flipping upside down and yelling. Meanwhile the rest of us are trying to sleep or read or play that game on the phone that we're addicted to.
The commute between Brooklyn and Manhattan went smoothly Monday. You wouldn't have known there'd been a hurricane at all.
Tony includes some new high end restaurants with tasting menus and some old school restaurants that have been around forever. He even takes a ride around Red Hook with Ralph Balzano, whose pad I photographed a few years ago (!).
Mark and I watched the final episode and were amazed by the list of restaurants we'd never heard of and now have to visit. It was very flattering for Bourdain to choose Brooklyn to showcase, since he's sampled food all over the world.
For more about Bourdain's final episode of No Reservations, click here.
For my impromtu photo session with Ralph and his incredible hang out pad in Red Hook, click here.
Related posts: Flipping Out, on the B Train, Daredevil Tattoo, on Ludlow Street, and Hot Diggity Dogs, All Day Long. Read more...
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Photo by myself around 6th Street and 7th Avenue, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
A patient pug waited outside a creperie in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Crespella serves up sweet and savory crepes all day. I stopped by for a crepe stuffed with scrambled egg and pancetta the other night. It was de-lish.
I was sorely tempted to have one with strawberry jam and fresh ricotta. Oh, and another with lemon curd and raspberries! Argh!! Decisions, decisions...
For the Crespella website, which includes a current menu, click here.
Related posts: Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side, Brunch at Barbuto, in the West Village, and Colorful Eats, at Kelley and Ping, Soho.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Eye-Popping Signage at Pop Pub, on University Place
The giant cut-out sign at the pick-up window at Pop Pub is visible from the sidewalk. The descriptions advertise the scrumptious menu to the street.
Pop Burger is a chain, with three locations in the city. The other locations are at 58th Street in Midtown and Ninth Avenue and 15th Street, in Chelsea.
Besides burgers, sandwiches and salads, other pub food is available, such as pork chops, fried calamari and fish and chips (!). There is a full list of beers and wine available.
I haven't eaten at Pop Burger, and reviews are mixed. As with any restaurant, do read reviews before going.
You can see their menus and even order online from the Pop Burger website, here.
Related posts: Outside Memphis, on Broadway, Lit Up, on Fifth Avenue, and The Ghostly Glow of Times Square.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The View from the Met and One Last Thing about Japan...
The view from the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a scenic one.
This is a popular place to take a date. There is a bar and sculpture garden. From here, you can watch the sunset and lights of the city come on.
I didn't think I had more to say after returning from our 12-day trip. But tonight, while very jet-lagged, my fiance Mark switched on a documentary that was highly recommended to him, called Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
The movie is divine. It tells of an 85-year old sushi chef, Jiro Ono, whose restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars, and his relentless, daily devotion to his craft.
Jiro left home at the age of seven. His two sons are also sushi chefs, working alongside their father.
The movie is beautifully shot. Anyone who appreciates color photography will appreciate this film. At the beginning of the movie, Mark said 'Oh, I wish we'd seen this earlier...we could have gone to the restaurant.'
Um...no. The tasting menu costs 30,000 yen per person, or about $375 USD (!!!). The movie was filmed in 2011 and opened in New York in March, 2012.
Here's the trailer:
For the Times review of this movie, click here.
Related posts: From the Rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, On Japanese Food and Fish, and Serving Up Sushi, at 15 East 15th. Read more...
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
A Farewell to Fukuoka, Japan and Ichiran Ramen
A night view at one of the many yatai along the canals in Fukuoka, Japan.
Fukuoka is a canal city and is much smaller in scale than Tokyo. 'Yatai' are the street carts parked along the main canals in Fukuoka, at night. They serve up satay, ramen and beer. During the day, the cooks rest and the yatai are packed up and parked away.
My fiance Mark and I are leaving Fukuoka on Wednesday, traveling to Kyoto, a historic city about 3 hours away. This was our second visit to Fukuoka and I am absolutely saddened to leave.
There is a vibrant street culture here that is precious. People are friendly and very polite when approached (in general, the Japanese keep to themselves). We have enjoyed walking about and getting to know this city.
One of our favorite discoveries has been Ichiran noodles. Ichiran is a chain of restaurants throughout Japan.
Eating Ichiran noodles means sitting at a bar with blinders to either side, so you are focused on your food experience. The main attraction is tonkatsu ramen, a traditional ramen in a broth made from stewing pork bones for hours.
You order your food via vending machine, as with many Japanese restaurants. Then you customize your order with a checklist - firm noodles or soft, with hot sauce or without, with pork meat or not.
Then you place your order by pressing a button. A waiter/waitress rolls up the screen and takes your order. You can only see a bit of their torso. After a few minutes, presto, your ramen is delivered in a clay pot, and the screen is rolled down.
A photo of my Ichiran booth. Each booth has its own water dispenser, glasses, soup ladles and wall of instructions.
Each ramen costs about $10 US. You can add full or half-servings of noodles to your broth as well. I was so in love with this place, I went once for lunch and again for dinner!!!
Mark and I are delighted to learn that there will be an Ichiran opening in New York, though we're not sure when. I'm also doubtful how well these booths will hold up in New York, where younger kids tend to litter everything with graffiti.
For more about Ichiran, see their website (in English) here.
I am away in Japan through the rest of August! Posts will continue here, as usual.
Related posts: On Night Life in Fukuoka, Japan, A Trip to the Countryside, in Yufuin, Japan, and Highlights from Japan, Part One.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
At the Counter of L&B Spumoni Gardens, in Bensonhurst
At the counter of L&B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst, I asked the fellow taking my order whether I could take a photo. He said to me gruffly, 'Okay, but don't expect me to smile.'
Haha. This tough exterior is typical of this neighborhood, a tell-it-like-it-is attitude. The deep dish Scilian pizzas here are possibly the best in Brooklyn. And we loves and knows our pizzas!
My fiance Mark returned from LA on Friday and one of the first things he said to me was 'L and B Spumoni'. Hence our trek out to Bensonhurst, a 15-minute ride east by car from Park Slope.
The pizza is light, fluffy and doughy, with a wondrous layer of sauce. I know it sounds odd to wax poetic about pizza, but I cannot help myself. A half-tray of Sicilian (12 slices) costs $19. Somehow, we resisted digging in until we got home.
Above, L and B was featured on Man v. Food.
Check out their website here.
Related posts: Mad. Sq. Eats, in the Flatiron District, Eat Here, Eat Now, in the West Village, and Shining Bright, at Live Bait.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Outside Mamoun's, in the Village
There is almost always a line of people waiting to get into Mamoun's, a middle-eastern falafel place in the Village.
The place itself is tiny, with just a counter with a few tables inside. You're lucky to get a seat. They serve falafel, shwarmas and other sandwiches for extremely low prices, for as little as $2.50 a piece.
Mamoun's is also open til 4 or 5 am every day, which means this place is the ideal 'we've-had-too-much-to-drink-and-whoops-now-I'm-suddenly-starving' joint.
I've had many a falafel here, so I can recommend their sandwiches heartily - they are generously sized and served quickly. Check out their website here.
Related posts: Mad. Sq. Eats, in the Flatiron District, Eat Here, Eat Now, in the West Village, and Shining Bright, at Live Bait.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Sausage Guys, in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Street fairs are a regular occurrence in the summer months. Above, a guy at a sausage kiosk gave me a friendly wave.
Streets are shut down to car traffic, allowing pedestrians to wander from booth to booth. Booths sell all sorts of food and handicrafts, including t-shirts, jewelry and hand-painted art.
The only trouble with street fairs is that they interrupt traffic patterns, and you're not allowed to park on that street. On every single day of every weekend, there is a street fair taking place somewhere.
For a comprehensive schedule of the street fairs in the city and some parts of New Jersey, click here.
Related posts: Yet Another Street Fair, Bleecker Street, Mad. Sq. Eats, in the Flatiron District, and Buon Gusto.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Outside Pinisi Bakery, on East 4th Street
Very few things are offered for a dollar, here in the city.
A small bottle of water, if you're lucky. Or perhaps a greasy slice of pizza.
Cupcakes are sold for a mere dollar each at the Pinisi Bakery on Mondays thru Wednesdays, in the East Village. I was drawn to their colorful storefront.
For another photo of this bakery from the sidewalk, click here.
Related posts: Baked Fresh Daily, in Soho, Outside Jane's Buns, in the East Village, and Sweet Treats at the Doughnut Plant, in Chelsea.
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