NYC Tastes

My favorite semi-annual pop-up is back for the Spring season and this years line up is better than ever.  My first stop is usually at Roberta's for their delicious  Bee Sting  pie but this year Takumi Taco won the first season pit stop.  I've become obsessed with both their Spicy Tuna and Short Rib tacos topped with cabbage, wasabi crema and scallion. Old favorites like Red Hook Lobster Pound, Illili Box and Asiadog were on hand doling out lobster rolls, shawarma and all sorts of specialty hot dogs topped with Chinese pork belly, and sesame slaw. But the biggest line of the day was at newcomer The Truffleist.  In addition to their specialty truffle oil and butter products they were whipping up Cheesesteak Sandwich's with rich truffle bechamel sauce and melted Swiss cheese. And there's no shortage of beverage options this year; passionfruit & mango margaritas at Mexicue, prickly pear Shiner Bock and white wine sangria at Hill Country ...

Madison Square Eats ends on Friday which means only three more days to grab some delicious treats all in one spot.  If you see a sign for the special Spulace pie at Roberta's I highly suggest trying it out. It's got crazy dollops of cheddar cheese curds melted throughout the basil and tomato top with that thin charred and chewy crust. Delaney BBQ is still there doling out their rich, fatty brisket tacos along with a veggie option the Brussels Sprout taco with black bean puree and red onions. Or you could just return to one of your favorites as I did.  One last spicy, sweet Bee Sting pie for the season ender!

I love this seasonal pop-up right next to Madison Square Park.  It's the only time of year I can get the fabulous Bee Sting from Roberta's without the long trek out to East Williamsburg. This super spicy pie with sweet honey is always a favorite but this year a new vendor shares the spotlight- Delaney BBQ.  Remember that fantastic slab of brisket from a few months ago...it's back in taco form. Topped with red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and a sweet chili sauce... The brisket is just as wonderful as ever...super juicy with a fatty burnt crust.  The meat is so fantastic on its own the toppings almost took away from the flavor.  Next time I would order just the meat with cheese and chili sauce. Stick to the brisket taco as the Fried Chicken is mostly breading and pepper.  But don't forget to check out some of the beers while your at the Market.  NuNu Chocolates has the rare Double DBA from Firestone Walker on draft an...

There's no better way to celebrate today than enjoying some tasty eats and drinks outside- NYC style at Madison Square Eats. Perhaps you're feeling like a little BBQ- we got some pulled chicken and spicy Brisket sliders from Mexicue. Or how about some wood fired pizzas from Robertas- the Bee Sting with honey and chili oil is a good start.   The Speckenwolf is even better with mushrooms, onions, oregano and speck.   Or the insanely delicious Smoked Beef Brisket sandwich from Mile End my current favorite obsession. You really can't go wrong with any of them but get them soon.  All this wonderful food goes away on Friday! Madison Square Park

Truth be told Sunday is my favorite day of the week but who doesn’t love a Friday as well? Fridays are great for me since I usually get out of work early and have some city time alone before the rush of the weekend crowd sets in. Last Friday I walked home across the Brooklyn Bridge, through Chinatown and into the East Village where my first stop was Abarco for a warm macchiato. Then I hopped on over to Good Beer where I enjoyed a delicious Joan of Arc cider while I perused the shelves of beer for weekend imbibing. After getting fully stocked I lugged my haul over to Momofuku Milk Bar and picked up some more weekend treats- birthday cake truffles. And finally I ended up near home at the Madison Square Eats for their final night. Mr. T joined me and we enjoyed a hearty Imperial Black Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company. Then shared an awesome, creamy Brussels Sprout pizza that seriously rivaled Motorino’s version. Then we retired home for a nice scary mov...

Last weekend the Madison Square Market opened up again with lots of unique shopping stalls and a bunch of food and drink vendors. There were a few guys from last year that returned- Cabrito, Wafels and Dinges and Suzette but honestly it mostly newcomers. Iilli, Almond and Resto made sense to me since they are right in the neighborhood. However I was shocked to see two Brooklyn guys- Roberta’s pizza and Pies N Thighs! I have always wanted to try out Roberta’s and don’t make it out to Bushwick that much so that was my first stop last week. They had some really thick Sicilian slices for $5 called the working man special but I wanted to try out one of their thin crust pies. Look at this pie! As you can see the crust was gorgeous with lots of charred bubbles and a super foldable middle. The tomato sauce was a little on the sweet side but the fresh mozzarella and basil really shined. See how it’s made? They brought their little oven outside. How cool is that! This was a very good p...