NYC Tastes

It's New Brew Friday and we're chilling in the neighborhood with an Other Half Green City at Blue Smoke .   This New England style IPA is brewed with Citra, Centennial and Simco hops giving it juicy, tropical flavors of orange and pineapple with a dry biscuit finish.  It clocks in at just 7% and is the perfect pairing with some of Blue Smoke's Alabama White Sauce Wings, which are half off during all March Madness games. Cheers to the weekend! Blue Smoke 116 East 27th Street at Lexington New York, NY 10016

It was an absolutely gorgeous day to be on the Brooklyn waterfront celebrating the third year of Taste Talks and the All Star BBQ Sunday.  The grills were smoking hot as chefs and celebs alike showcased some fantastic food collaborations.  There were 16 different food/drink stations and I manged to hit them all.  Here are a few of my favorites. My very first stop was at Blue Smoke for Chef Jean Paul's juicy Chicken Wings tossed in Alabama white sauce... ...followed by an incredible Grilled Pizza with pulled pork, creamy ranch slaw and crispy onions from the Brooklyn powerhouse team of Emily Loves Pizza and Hometown BBQ. I was really excited to check out the Chicken Thigh sandwich from MOMO Sushi since it incorporated yuzu kosho; an amazing spicy sweet condiment of yuzu peel and chilies from Japan that I love. Not only was this Chicken Thigh one of the best bites from the afternoon but it was served to me by none other than Chef Jarobi ...

When Mr. T and I are at a complete loss at to where to eat in our neighborhood we almost always turn to Blue Smoke. It has a bright airy atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating, a well curated list of beer and cocktails and although BBQ is the specialty they also do a great job with other items beside the standard pulled pork and ribs. Like the hearty Breakfast Burger; a thick ground beef patty topped with choice of cheese including blue, cheddar and pimento; thick slices of bacon and a fried egg on top.  I'm not a fan of the thick cut fries (more like a potato chopped into three parts) but I usually pass those off to Mr. T in exchange for some of his delicious green beans. Yes I said delicious green beans. They've been simmered long and slow in butter and bacon taking away that awful bitter flavor I remember from growing up.  In fact there are still chunks of bacon in every bowl.  A perfect addition to the spicy Fried Chicken and thick cut Texas To...

There are so many new places in our neighborhood it's easy to forget abut the old standbys; like Danny Meyers BBQ restaurant Blue Smoke.  It had been a full year since Mr. T and I had dined last and our first time checking out the new menu since Chef Bourgeois became head chef. The regular Blue Smoke Burger was as hefty and tender as I remember but now included toppings like creamy pimento cheese and sweet maple smoked cheddar. The Fried Chicken had also been revamped to include one of my favorite Brooklyn condiments Mike's Hot Honey.  I absolutely loved  the spicy sweetness of this...Mr. T didn't quite agree with me but we he's wrong a lot :) The one thing that didn't change were the cocktails.  The award winning Porch Swing (their spin on a classic Pimm's Cup) and the cucumber Ellington were just as I remembered...it's always nice to come home to some old favorites. Blue Smoke ...

BBQ and beer just naturally go together so it only makes sense that Danny Meyer's Blue Smoke has a great draft list. The most recent visit Bells Hopslam was on tap; a tropical,piney Double IPA with a long bitter finish sweetened slightly with honey.  This is a big, bold beer that stands up well to saucy bar food like the Blue Smoke Chipotle Chicken Wings. These are big, hefty wings; more smokey than spicy with thick, creamy blue cheese dressing on the side.  It's a match made in heaven. Blue Smoke 116 East 27th Street between Park & Lex New York, NY 10016

Many of you probably don't realize this but when Shake Shack opened in Madison Square Park years ago they served breakfast.  I only lived a block away so this delicious treat was something I looked forward to many mornings.  Well when they stopped serving it I was devastated...no more breakfast ever? Then I heard they were opening up in the new Delta terminal at JFK AND bringing back breakfast.   Trip booked!  I raced through the terminal Friday morning to get there on time for 11:00 AM breakfast cutoff. The Shack is located way over near Gate B 34 and when I saw the shiny black and green menu I knew I was in the right place. They offer all the regular offerings including the beefy Shack Burger and Flat Top Dogs... And breakfast!!!! I went for the classic Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich. Thick salty Nimon Ranch Bacon with a fried egg, melted cheese and a squishy grilled potato roll. Oh my this was delicious!  It seriously ha...

On a delicious Porch Swing cocktail from the bar at Blue Smoke. Hendrick's Gin, Pimm's No. 1, Lemonade and Cucumbers makes for an extremely refreshing summer drink.  One perfect for those warm breeze in your hair kind of days where you can day dream about just about anything. Blue Smoke

It was of those rare weekdays where both Mr. T and I had off from work.  We lazed about all morning...and into afternoon...until suddenly evening was upon us!  Time for a neighborhood favorite Blue Smoke. A delicious Fitz's Root Beer to start. Then an appetizer and entree to share- Ceaser Salad. Then onto the Applewood Smoked Chicken with mashed potatoes and crispy onions.  This is a seriously smokey and delicious dish.  I loved the char on the bird and the crunchy onions on the side are such a treat.  So is a weekday lunch with Mr. T!  I wish every weekday was like this. Blue Smoke

Sometimes you just need some meaty goodness at Blue Smoke.  Mr. T and I started out with an order of deviled eggs. These are some of the best in the city with an ultra-creamy center and a spicy kick on the end.   Next up the Creekstone Farms Texas Beef Brisket. I was a little worried ordering the lean rather than marbled but this was done just right. It was still juicy with a ton of flavor without the sopping pieces of fat. The mashed potatoes are and crispy onions just sealed the deal for Mr. T. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was good with lots of pork and a squishy bun.   However I have to say I’ve enjoyed the last few I’ve had at RUB and Wildwood better.  Both have a bit more sauce and coleslaw that blow this out of the water.  We added on a side of beans and came home with a ton of leftovers.  Between the two of us we didn’t come anywhere near to finishing which was just fine. What’s more perfect for a little late ni...