Mid-Week Insta-Nom: Spumoni Ice Cream Cake at Parm (NYC)

Here’s your mid-week Insta-Nom to help get you over the hump:

Even with snow falling outside and a thick, fuzzy scarf still wrapped around my neck for warmth, I couldn’t resist the call of Parm’s spumoni ice cream cake. At the casual Italian-American sister to Torrisi, pastry chef Megan Fitzroy has created a dessert celebrating both Italian flavors and American tastes. With chocolate cookie crumbles as the base, the sky-high slice features layers of pistachio, strawberry and chocolate gelato and is topped with a whipped frosting, rainbow sprinkles and a maraschino cherry. Freezing my buns off was never so deliciously worth it. 

Parm

www.parmnyc.com

248 Mulberry St. (between Prince and Spring)

New York, NY 10012

(212) 993-7189

Mid-Week Insta-Nom: Montanara Pizza at Don Antonio (NY)

Here’s your mid-week Insta-Nom to help get you over the hump:

Montanara Pizza at Don Antonio

 

One of my favorite bites of last year was the Montanara Pizza at Don Antonio in Midtown New York. The star of the pizza, which has its roots in Naples, is the crust, which is flash deep-fried for around a minute, then topped with smoked buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and finished in a wood oven. The result is a crust which is airy and pliable yet crisp with a hint of sweetness and not at all greasy. While the other pies at Don Antonio are also delicious, the Montanara is the star of the menu.

 

Don Antonio

www.donantoniopizza.com

309 W. 50th Street
New York, NY 10019
(646) 719-1043

Eleven Madison Park (NY)

For my birthday last year, my present from my boyfriend was an experience rather than a thing– an unforgettable, edible experience. With a trip to New York planned for just days after my birthday, he suggested that we visit a big ticket restaurant to celebrate, and three little words immediately sprang to mind: Eleven Madison Park. The three Michelin star restaurant of head chef Daniel Humm had long since parked itself at the top of my to-eat list, and so exactly twenty-eight days before our desired date (the restaurant’s reservation policy), he booked us a table for two for lunch.

When we arrived, we were greeted by name and seated in a corner booth under one of the enormous windows casting beautiful natural light throughout the space. There was even a card on the table with my name on it.

Naturally, we started with some bubbles!

Our visit to NYC coincided with a heat wave that caused temperatures to reach over 110 degrees. Given the heat and the graduation ceremony for Justin’s brother we were attending afterwards, we chose the now defunct four course menu ($74). Shortly after our visit, Eleven Madison Park converted their dining experience into an extravagant four hour long tasting menu which pays homage to the history of New York ($195). 

Rather than a traditional menu, Eleven Madison Park presents diners with a four by four grid from which you choose one item from each row. When ordering, we were asked to state any preferences whether because of allergies or dislikes. As someone with shall we say “selective tastes” (i.e. kind of picky), I appreciated that this system allowed for the surprise of a tasting menu without any surprises of the unpleasant kind (*cough* fish *cough*).

Our visit gave us a preview of some of the changes to come at Eleven Madison Park– for example, these savory parmesan and black truffle black and white cookies, which arrived as our first amuse bouche.

The smoked apple celery tea with a thyme bundle was uniquely sweet and savory.

Bacon chive brioche

Crispy panisse with dill yogurt

The curry lollipops with lentils were my favorite amuse. Their cool crunch and creamy interior were delightfully surprising and reminded me of a savory ice cream bar.

Chive oil egg sabayon— Justin’s with sturgeon and mine without.

The bread with goat’s milk and cow’s milk butter was another pre-meal highlight. We could scarcely stop ourselves from piling the creamy, rich butters on the bread, which was somehow both flaky like a croissant and crunchy like a roll.

Asparagus: Asparagus poached in buttermilk with quail egg

Hamachi: Hamachi with horseradish, pumpernickel crisps and apple sorel vinaigrette

Lobster: Lobster poached in meyer lemon with smoked leek and black garlic. 

This vibrant, beautifully composed dish was even more wonderful to eat and remains, hands down, the best lobster I’ve ever had. 

Plantain: Plantain with ham, black eyed pea ragout, cilantro and cheese

Lamb: Lamb loin with hay, freekeh and artichoke

Pork: Pork cheek with mint guanciale sauce, spring pea and shaved asparagus

Following our third course, we were treated to a kitchen tour and liquid nitrogen cocktails. During the tour, we learned that, as the restaurant prides itself on giving diners the same quality of experience at lunch and dinner, it has approximately the same number of kitchen staff at both meals. Justin and I marveled at how busy yet quiet the kitchen was.

 

Liquid nitrogen cocktail

When we returned to our table, it was time for Eleven Madison Park’s tribute to the egg cream, prepared with whole milk infused with cocoa nibs, seltzer and orange oil and syrup.

The sweet, fizzy and refreshing drink signaled the beginning of our dessert courses.

Chevre: Goat cheese cheesecake with raspberry gelee and chamomile sorbet

 

Chocolate: Dark chocolate with lavender crumble and sorbet

Malt (birthday bonus edition): Malt sorbet with peanut brittle

 

Traditional black and white cookies bookend the dining experience.

“Happy Birthday” chocolates

After we wrapped up our meal, a member of the staff walked up to us and handed us a bag, saying, “We heard you were going to an outdoor graduation ceremony later. You’ll need this!” The bag contained coconut water, sunscreen, a spray bottle, Evian water spray, tissues and water balloons– an incredibly considerate gesture which both touched and surprised us. The food alone was enough to make the meal unforgettable, but the quality of the service floored us and solidified the experience as my best meal to date.

Although this post is admittedly overdue, I’ve thought back many times on our meal at Eleven Madison Park and still feel giddy when I remember the remarkable food and attentive, warm, and decidedly unpretentious service. Thank you, Justin, for the fabulous birthday present. I’m a lucky, lucky girl!

Eleven Madison Park
www.elevenmadisonpark.com
11 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010

NYC Cheap Eats Food Crawl

In June, Justin and I visited New York for a double whammy celebration– his younger brother’s high school graduation and his grandparents’ 60th anniversary. While our short trip naturally focused on family time, we two gluttons, of course, planned for some serious eating as well.

Our red eye’s morning arrival in NYC allowed for an early start on our day, which was to be dedicated entirely to our hefty “To Eat” list. In a fun twist (i.e. not fun at all), our first day coincided with the beginning of a heat wave, which brought scorching record temps and fairly oppressive humidity. After a quick stop at Justin’s house to freshen up and drop off our luggage, we threw on the lightest clothing we had packed and hit the streets.

We began our day at Parm, a casual Italian-American spot known for its hulking sandwiches and skyhigh cakes and sister to the famed Torrisi Italian Specialties, which sits next door.

Although we had heard of lengthy waits, Justin and I walked in and were seated immediately at the lunch counter. With floral wallpaper and vintage signs and photos, the space radiated with the perfect amount of kitsch– just enough to feel as though you were seated in an Italian nonna‘s dining room rather than a Bucca di Beppo.

Given our hunger and the chefs’ stellar reputation, Justin and I struggled to stick to our small portion crawl plan. We, however, mustered every ounce of self-control we had and ordered two sandwich rolls to share.

My Eggplant Parm Roll ($9.00) arrived with with a heaping slice of eggplant parmesan positively bursting out of a white sesame seed roll and garnished with parmesan cheese and freshly torn basil. Each toothy bite yielded exactly what one what would hope for in such a sandwich– a delightfully squishy bun, tender eggplant covered in a simple but flavorful red sauce and gooey cheese tendrils stretching from your last bite to the rest of your waiting sandwich.

After a tip from a friend/all-around NY dining scene guru, we also ordered the House Roasted Turkey Roll ($9.00), partly because he vouched that it was the “best turkey sandwich [he’d] ever eaten” and partly because we wondered whether a turkey sandwich– the king of boring, go-to healthy lunches– could really be that good. The answer: a resounding yes. The mountain of tomatoes, red onions, shaved lettuce and juicy turkey topped with a sweet sauce I couldn’t quite pin down lived up to the hype and edged out the eggplant parm as the tastier of the two (no small feat).

Despite chugging ice water galore at Parm, the 98 degree weather and epic humidity dictated that our next stop was a cool one– Big Gay Ice Cream Shop to the rescue! I’ve wanted to sample their sweets since first hearing of the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (before the shop opened in Fall 2011) because, if there is anything I love as much as ice cream, it’s the gays.

My elation at both the air conditioning and the prospect of ice cream caused a serious case of tunnel vision, and I neglected to snap a shot of the interior, but the shop is cheerily decorated with its various awards as well as a giant, glittery unicorn mural.

After debating between various cones and sundaes, I opted for the shop’s signature item–The Salty Pimp ($5.00), a vanilla soft serve swirled with dulce de leche, sprinkled with sea salt and, finally, dipped in chocolate. The classed-up cone perfectly melded sweet and salty flavors and felt simultaneously grown-up and gleefully childlike.

Bea Arthur, I’m comin’ back for you…

As I mentioned, I neglected to snap a shot of the whole unicorn, but I did preserve for posterity its butt, which is fine since everyone knows that unicorns fart glitter.

While wandering down E. 7th Street, Justin and I sadly acknowledged that neither of us could handle a lobster roll from Luke’s Lobster at that moment. After about 10 more minutes of walking, however, we reached Crif Dogs and were game for more.

Crif Dogs, recently featured on “The Layover” with food-lover dreamboat Anthony Bourdain, is raising the bar for wieners with its deep fried dogs and unique toppings. At night, the small restaurant joins forces with the bar next door PDT, a speakeasy-style bar with seasonal cocktails to offer a few special Crif Dogs creations (reservations are taken same-day only at 3:00PM). As we were meeting friends for dinner, however, a day time visit sans booze would have to suffice.

Reminiscent of a dive bar, Crif Dog’s dimly lit space holds a counter and a few small tables as well as a few old school arcade games–and a disco ball.

Although the Soup Nazi demeanor of the woman behind the counter proved a bit intimidating (adds to the atmosphere?…), we asked for a recommendation of the one hot dog we couldn’t miss.

The Wiener Nazi recommended the Chihuahua ($4.50), a deep-fried, bacon-wrapped hot dog nestled between avocado chunks and a generous helping of sour cream, and she did not steer us wrong. While the combination at first seemed strange, the creaminess of both the avocado and the sour cream paired surprisingly well with the salty, crunchy bacon. When we had finished our dog, I was instantly heartbroken that it was gone.

While others might have taken a break, we forged onward to Baohaus, purveyor of Taiwanese street food such as buns, bowls and Asian-influenced fries with an emphasis on all natural, antibiotic- and additive-free meats. We passed owner Eddie Huang on our way in and caught his brother and fellow owner Evan in a pic of the shop’s exterior, but I found myself chef-struck and chickened out on saying “hi.”

But I did make friends with this guy.

In keeping with our plan to order one dish to split at each store, we settled on the Chairman Bao ($3.50) for our taste of Baohaus.

In our Chairman Bao, a thick slice of braised, all-natural Berkshire pork belly, crushed peanuts, cilantro, Taiwanese red sugar and a special Haus Relish rested in a pillowy soft bun. Deliciously simple and well-executed, the bao was so tasty that, if I wanted to say hi to the Huang brothers before, I wanted to hug them afterwards.

After hours of eating, Justin and I finally took a breather and walked the High Line, a public park built on a preserved historic freight rail line. The High Line was built in the 1930s as part of the West Side Improvement, a large public-private infrastructure project. The rail line elevated freight traffic 30 feet in the air, removing dangerous rail lines from the streets of Manhattan’s West Side, a busy industrial district. Today, the High Line is no longer needed for transport but offers beautiful views of the City and a great opportunity to lounge and cool down with water features.

After taking in the sights and going about a whopping hour with no food, we again turned to a sweet treat to beat the heat.

L’Arte del Gelato makes its gelato and sorbetto fresh daily and is often hailed as some of the best gelato in the city. We sampled a few of the silky, dense traditional flavors such as pistachio and nocciola but ultimately decided upon some light, refreshing sorbetto. Our passion fruit and mixed berry (frutti di bosco) sorbetto ($4.50) were both bright and crisp and tasted just like their namesake fruit(s).

Our first day in New York allowed for us to make a sizeable dent in our To Eat list. The day provided a fabulous start for our trip and shall go down as a day unrivaled in face-stuffing.

Parm
www.parmnyc.com
248 Mulberry Street (between Prince and Spring)
New York, NY 10012
212-993-7189

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
www.biggayicecream.com
125 E. 7th Street (between 1st Avenue and Avenue A)
New York, NY 10019
212-533-9333

Crif Dogs
www.crifdogs.com
113 St. Marks Place
New York, NY 10009
212-614-2728

Baohaus
www.baohausnyc.com
238 E. 14th Street
New York, NY 10003
646-669-8889

L’arte del Gelato
www. lartedelgelato.com
75 9th Avenue (between 5th Ave. and 15th St.)
New York, NY 10011
212-366-0570

Num Pang (New York)

Gastronomically speaking, any trip to New York is too short. Several days (or weeks, even) are simply not enough time to eat everything one hopes to gorge themselves upon and certainly not enough time to eat at the same restaurant twice. Right? Wrong.

One night, I found myself searching for a (super) quick ‘n tasty spot for dinner with a friend. I was on a tight schedule, but this was the one mutually free time for me and my friend during my trip. As such, I wanted our meal to be tasty and memorable. My best friend B suggested Num Pang, an Asian fusion sandwich shop near Union Square.

As this was the first I had heard of the restaurant, I didn’t know what to expect other than, well, sandwiches. What I certainly did not expect was for my five-spice glazed pork belly sandwich ($7.50) to become one of my favorite things I ate in 2010. With juicy, flavorful pork belly dripping with fatty goodness plus the kick of Sriracha mayo juxtaposed against the sweetness of a pickled Asian pear, the sandwich was Heaven on a perfectly toasted baguette.

Two days later, when B and I found ourselves contemplating lunch options, cries of “Num Pang! Num Pang!” rattled around in my head. I felt that I really should try something new, but the pull of pork belly was too strong. With that, for the second time in three days, I trekked to Num Pang.

The tiny shop is divided into two stories– the first houses the kitchen and ordering area, and the second holds counters with an assortment of stools and benches for sit-down eating.

Upon approaching the cashier, I didn’t even look at the menu; I knew why I was at Num Pang. Unfortunately, however, they were out of the pork belly sandwich (*angrily shakes fists at sky*), and I opted instead for the pulled pork sandwich since I had amped myself up for porcine goodness.

For her lunch, B ordered the peppercorn catfish sandwich with house-made sweet soy sauce ($7.50). Although she’s a Num Pang regular, this her first time ordering the catfish, and she was impressed by the generous portion of fish and the kick of the peppercorn.

My sammie of pulled Duroc pork with spicy honey ($7.50) featured densely packed, juicy pulled pork topped with shredded carrots, cucumber, cilantro, all sandwiched between two pieces of toasted baguette slathered with Sriracha mayo. The spicy honey added a unique and unexpected dimension to the smoky pulled pork, and the sturdy baguette held up well despite it’s juicy contents. Although I could recommend this sandwich to anyone in good conscience, I still pined for the pork belly.

If I lived anywhere remotely near Num Pang, I’m sure I’d be on the first name basis with the staff. After all, there’s still the coconut tiger shrimp, hoisin veal meatball and ginger barbecue brisket sandwiches to try…

Num Pang

www.numpangnyc.com

21 E. 12th Street

(b/w University Pl. and 5th Ave.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 255-3271

Traif (Brooklyn, NY)

For any true food fanatic, a trip to New York City necessitates compiling a lengthy to-eat list. Despite varying tastes and budgets, these often lists are often populated by the same handful of names prescribed by the Food Network or Travel Channel: Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Minnetta Tavern, Shake Shack, Gray’s Papaya.

Another restaurant, however, deserves a spot on your NY must-eat list: Traif.

Of Hebrew origin, the word “traif” refers to food not in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. For this reason, the restaurant’s location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Hasidic and hipster cultures intersect, is both perfect and ironic (perfectly ironic?).

In the kitchen is Chef Jason Marcus, who co-owns the restaurant with girlfriend Heather Heuser. Marcus’ impressive resume boasts time at both Le Bernardin and Eleven Madison Park before opening Traif in April 2010. Highbrow cooking without the hefty fine dining price tag? Yes, please. The menu, which changes daily, celebrates the delicious and the forbidden because, let’s face it, food is tastier when you’re not supposed to eat it.

Our table of four–two Jews and two goys– was greeted with an amuse bouche of miso broth shooters, which instantly zapped our tastebuds’ attention with their delightfully and uniquely potent flavor.

Our dinner officially began with the arrival of salt and pepper spicy lobster, sweet potatoes, pineapple and string beans ($15.00). The bite-sized pieces of lobster were creamy on the outside and snappy on the inside– an overall texture reminiscent of honey walnut shrimp. The pineapple cubes brightened up the mellow flavor of the lobster, but the fruit’s trademark tang was kept in check by the butternut squash.

With smoked and braised pork bellies and cheeks as well as kielbasa, the heirloom pork cassoulet ($10.00) boasted enough of the curly-tailed creature to make anyone’s bubbe say, “Oy vey!” The porky flavors beautifully soaked into the dish’s lentils and came together nicely in a mix of different tastes and textures.

The duck confit lettuce wraps ($8.00) arrived with shredded duck, cucumber salad and a banana-tamarind sauce to swaddle in soft lettuce leaves. The sauce was sweet but subdued enough to complement rather than overpower the duck’s sumptuous flavor.

The crispy sweetbreads with purple eggplant, brussel sprouts and fork-mashed Yukons* ($15.00) were a huge hit and favorite of the table. The morsels of sweetbreads were cooked to buttery perfection, practically melting in my mouth. The brussel sprouts were pleasantly crispy and salty, adding a delightful contrast to the sweetness of the sweetbreads. The eggplant added another meaty texture to the dish, while the fork-mashed Yukon potatoes were creamy and added another level of decadence to the exceptional dish.

Distinct flavors melded harmoniously in the tender, bite-sized lamb and chorizo meatballs ($8.00). After each bite, the smooth flavor of asiago slowly spread through my whole mouth with a fluid-like ease. I could think of nothing I wanted more than a meatball sub made entirely of these un-kosher goodies.

Our last savory plate was the seared scallops with butternut squash, huckleberries and pumpkin seeds* ($16.00). Given Chef Marcus’ time at Le Bernardin, it was no surprise that the scallops were fantastic: perfectly seared on the outside while still moist on the inside. The butternut squash puree was incredibly smooth with a sweetness that complemented the scallops nicely. The pumpkin seeds added a crunch to the dish while the huckleberries added both sweetness and acidity.

For our first dessert, we ordered bacon doughnuts, dulce de leche and coffee ice cream ($6.00), a perfect juxtaposition of things Jewish and forbidden to the Chosen people. Although I like bacon desserts in theory, I usually end up loathing them in actuality. These puffy, doughy morsels, however, were topped with just the right amount of bacon for taste and texture. The side of coffee ice cream made this the sugar addict’s breakfast dream. After devouring this plate, we were none too surprised several days later when we heard that New York Magazine had selected the dish as one of its favorite desserts in its Where to Eat 2011 issue.

With whole cranberries and hints of ginger topped with a crumbly crust and passion fruit ice cream, our second dessert was cobbler perfection ($6.00). The tastes, textures and temperatures combined to create something so wonderful that we nearly requested a second order. I am still thinking of this dish and wish that we had gone with our gluttonous instincts.

All of our dishes were cheeky and inventive and executed remarkably well. We continued to talk about our meal not only for the rest of the night but also for the duration of our trip. We dined at Traif just in time for me to add it to my list of favorite eats in 2010.

Traif

www.traifny.com

229 S. 4th Street

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(347) 844-9578

*Adam M., food writer for the Hastings High School Buzzer (and brother of J!), contributed to this post.

Stew Leonard’s (Yonkers, NY)

During my first trip home with J a few years ago, he one day remarked, “Oh, I have to take you to Stew Leonard’s.”

He then explained to me that Stew Leonard’s, which began as a dairy store in 1969, is a large grocery store at which his family frequently does its shopping. My reaction?: “A grocery store? You have to take me to a grocery store?” However, with the promise of free samples, I begrudgingly embarked on our grocery shopping adventure.

As soon as we arrived, I realized, Whoa, this is no ordinary grocery store. I mean, does Bristol Farms give you free ice cream or coffee when you spend $100? (Really, they should give you something. I spent $27.00 on nuts and fruit there the other day).

Since expanded to four locations, Stew Leonard’s has taken its roots in fresh milk and expanded them to include meats, seafood, produce, baked goods and cheese. This place has everything from regular groceries to fresh-made bread and cheese to an incredible amount of pre-prepared food such as sushi, sandwiches, soup and lobster rolls.

The most interesting part of the store is that there are no aisles. The store is, instead, maze-like, with a winding path that travels through the entire store. Fortunately, along the way, you are bound to happen upon delicious samples and at least one or two things you didn’t realize you needed.

I wish all produce sections had pretty Christmas lights!

Also contributing to Stew Leonard’s delightful and unique environment are the animatronics stationed throughout the store. This one sings about the healthy nature of bananas.

Here’s J starting up the Chiquita Banana for old time’s sake (actually, he does this every time we come…). This Yonkers outpost was not yet here when he was little, and his parents would often make day trips out of visiting the original Stew’s in Norwalk, Connecticut, so that they could shop and he could enjoy the store.

Stew Leonard’s wasn’t named the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores” by The New York Times for no reason.

Now, I definitely understand why J had to bring me here. Stew Leonard’s offers so much more than your average grocery store and boast an incredibly impressive selection of fresh items made on-location (I practically chugged their fresh orange juice) and to-go items (I wish there was one near me to grab lunch for workdays). Visit one of their locations if you get a chance!

Stew Leonard’s

www.stewleonards.com

1 Stew Leonard Drive

Yonkers, NY 10710

(914) 375-4700

Dessert Truck Works (NYC)

Although the Kogi Truck may have popularized gourmet food trucks in Los Angeles and may be the first of the LA food truck fleet to set up a brick and mortar restaurant (see: Chego), well, folks, New York had already beaten us on both of these culinary fronts.

The Dessert Truck first hit the streets of NYC in 2007, serving haute, gourmet sweets to the masses. This past January, however, the owners bid adieu to the ex-postal truck and opened a storefront on the Lower East Side called Dessert Truck Works, which offers the truck’s full menu and then some.

I was very impressed by how beautiful all of the pre-prepared desserts in this case were. Although I’ve never needed arm-twisting to eat my sweets, something about cute desserts particularly demands that you eat them.

Just look at those gorgeous macarons! I ordered a lemon-raspberry one to-go. Unfortunately, I can comment only on the flavor–not the texture of cookie itself–because it got smooshed in the fridge. (For the record, I enjoyed it).

The menu at Dessert Truck Works strikes the perfect balance between familiar and comforting and innovative and adventurous. Take, for example, the warm molten chocolate cake, which everyone has eaten, but, when you factor in the olive oil ganache, you’re in a whole ‘nother dessert ballpark.

If ever there is creme brulee on a menu, I will order it. I was particularly interested in sampling their take on the dish with fresh vanilla.

Although the vanilla creme brulee ($6.00) was enjoyable, the vanilla flavor was quite mellow, and this was, as a result, not as different from traditional creme brulee as I had hoped. This, however, did not stop me from leaving next to nothing left in the generous cup.

J ordered the warm chocolate bread pudding with bacon custard sauce ($6.00), which intrigued both of us.

This is undoubtedly the prettiest bread pudding to ever reach my palate. With its chocolate wing and edible dessert truck logo, it looked too good to eat–well, almost.

Even the tiniest bite of this dessert packed an incredible punch, with a unique marriage of sweet and savory flavors that put my tastebuds to work trying to figure them out. While eating, I felt like Remy in Ratatouille as he sees colors and shapes as he eats. Although I enjoyed my few bites, the bacon flavor was ultimately too strong for me to have ordered and enjoyed this dish by myself.

There is little not to love about a gourmet dessert shop with reasonable prices located right in Party Central, NYC that’s open ’til midnight on weekends. I hope to make a stop during my next visit to New York to try the goat cheese cheesecake and brioche donut holes!

Dessert Truck Works

www.dt-works.net

6 Clinton St.

(Between Houston St. and Stanton St.)

New York, NY 10002

Juniper (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY)

There must be something in the water in Westchester County’s tiny town of Hastings-on-Hudson that fosters culinary inspiration. Last year, Buffet de la Gare, a romantic, Old-World French restaurant earned an “Excellent” from The New York Times. Now, Juniper has entered the Hastings scene, recently garnering its own acclaim from the NYT with a seal of “Don’t Miss.”

Although J and I had heard that Juniper was booked solid following the NYT write-up, he ventured that the rains blanketing the town would work in our favor of dropping in. Fortunately for us, he was correct, and we sat right down for our brunch visit.

Although the restaurant’s business may be booming, its decor asks you to have a seat and peruse a book (Molecular Gastronomy, anyone?). The color palette of light blue, white and dark brown and use of dark-stained wood further lend to the cozy and homey feel.

J’s mother ordered the French Toast with pears, toasted almonds, wildflower honey and creme fraiche–one of their most popular brunch dishes ($9.00). The french toast was hearty but not overwhelmingly filling, and the pears and almonds worked together perfectly to lend a lovely sweetness and interesting texture to every bite. After one bite, all three of us understood why everyone raves about Juniper’s french toast.

J ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes with caramelized bananas and pecans and whipped butter ($9.00). With its delightfully sweet and crunchy bananas and thick but fluffy hotcakes, this dish felt more like a dessert than the most important meal of the day–although I suppose that the two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive…especially when the meal/dessert in question is this delicious.

Whenever I head to brunch and am faced with the question “Breakfast or lunch?” I inevitably choose lunch. Perhaps it’s because if I am at brunch, it means I’ve waited that much longer to eat my first meal…In any case, I ordered the Burger with Gruyere, mustard aioli, griddled onion and roasted tomato on a country roll ($8.00) with a side of French Fries ($3.00), which was easily the best burger I’ve eaten in some time–most likely because of the tasty combination of the Gruyere married with the mustard aioli. The fries were also top notch, crunchy with the perfect amount of seasoning.

For the invalid Adam, we ordered a Slow-roasted Pork Sandwich with shaved fennel, pickled red onion and salsa verde to-go ($8.00). After he yelled at J for stealing a bite, I opted out of sampling it myself but, based on the two boys’ reactions, this was one tasty sammich.

In LA, food of this caliber would easily be $4-5 more expensive per dish but shhhh! Don’t tell Chef Alex Sze that. I think the people of Hastings-on-Hudson like things at this charming restaurant just the way they are.

Juniper

www.juniperhastings.com

www.twitter.com/juniperhastings

575 Warburton Ave.

Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706

(914) 478-2542

Billy’s Bakery (NYC)

One of the perks of staying with someone who has recently shattered his ankle (requiring surgery and five screws) is the endless parade of “get well” baked goods that make their way through the front door. You name it–lemon bars, banana bread–Adam was given (and I sampled) it all.

Photo courtesy of roboppy

One night during my and J’s visit, the delivery was a box of cupcakes from Billy’s Bakery, a name which was new to me as an Angeleno.

Upon opening the box, we all oooh-ed and aaah-ed over how perfectly each cupcake was frosted and how positively pillowy the frosting appeared. Just look at ’em!

As a cupcake connoisseur and red velvet fanatic, I was unsure of what to expect from Billy’s red velvet cupcake–the first flavor we sampled. There seemed to be a lot of frosting on that little cupcake…How would it compare to those from Sprinkles?…

As my teeth sunk first through the sweet, whipped frosting and then the incredibly light and airy cake, all thoughts floated from my mind and Billy’s Bakery became my new gold standard for cupcakes.

Admittedly, my and Adam’s cupcake eating style was somewhat primitive. We’d take a bite, involuntarily moan, and then hold it out for someone else to take their first bite (which was then followed by their own involuntary moan). A PLATE AND FORK WOULD ONLY WASTE PRECIOUS CUPCAKE-EATING TIME. We then repeated the process for the carrot cake cupcake.

Adam takes the first bite of the carrot cake cupcake

There was universal agreement throughout the house that these were the lightest cupcakes that had ever graced our palates–they simply crumbled in your mouth. Furthermore, the flavors were crisp, clean and pure; they all tasted like my dream version of each flavor. *Sigh* From here on out, all cupcakes will only stir a longing for…Billy’s Bakery.

Billy’s Bakery

www.billysbakerynyc.com

Chelsea

184 9th Ave.

Between 21st and 22nd St.

(212) 647- 9956

Tribeca

75 Franklin St.

Between Broadway and Church St.

(212) 647-9958