Dec 2013

Northern Spy Food Co. tops the list of my favourite brunch spots in the East Village. A massive call to make, especially in an area where brunch cafés rule, however, to me this small neighbourhood restaurant stands above the rest.

Each time I’ve been the food has been fantastic, the service quick and friendly and the vibe warm and welcoming. It has also received rave reviews from visiting friends whom I’ve taken there.

While the restaurant is not overly big – I’d say about 30 or so diners at one time fit comfortably around the communal and individual tables – it certainly creates a space that is relaxed and cosy.

Bright, airy and warmed by reclaimed and repurposed natural timbers (tables, benches and flooring) Northern Spy Food Co. has a certain rustic feel to it. As does the menu, which has been built around “seasonality and quality”.

Every dish sounds equally tempting, which makes ordering difficult. However, if you’re there for brunch I cannot recommend the restaurant’s Corned Beef Hash highly enough. A delectable dish of beef brisket, confit potato and two perfectly cooked poached eggs.

It’s fair to say that it’s not the biggest meal on the menu – as mentioned to me by the exceptionally friendly and helpful waiter – but every bite was as delicious, if not more so than the last. After wiping the plate clean, I was left feeling truly satisfied.

If you’re like me and like something sweet after your meal, make sure you save room for a pumpkin whoopie pie. They’re soft, moist and delicious and if you ask me the perfect way to end your meal.

Craving something salty? You cannot go past the duck fat fries with malted spiced yoghurt. They are seriously chunky and seriously good!

Keeping in theme with the NYC brunch scene where cocktails are sipped from 10am onwards, Northern Spy also serves a selection of fruity mixed drinks.

Northern Spy Food Co. is a great place for both brunch and dinner and undoubtedly I’ll be back again soon!

Note

As to be expected Northern Spy is an incredibly popular brunch option among East Villagers at the weekend, so it’s likely there will be a wait for a table. Having said that, each time I’ve been I’ve been seated straight away. To ensure immediate seating I suggest arriving before 11am.

Posted by Jess Fleming

Oct 2013

Without a doubt, Whitmans have the best burgers in New York City! They’re juicy (without being greasy), flavourful (without being overpowering) and the toppings are plentiful and delicious.

There are a variety of burgers to choose from including a Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger! However, I don’t think a visit to Whitmans would be complete without trying the joints most popular burger – the ‘Juicy Lucy’ ($10).

A dripping burger stuffed with pimento cheese that oozes with every bite; the ‘Juicy Lucy’ really is as good as the wait staff say it is. Finger lickin’ good in fact!

And when paired with a bowl of homemade organic sweet potato fries ($5), it truly is a winning combination!

The menu even features milk and cookies for dessert, which are made fresh to order and are utterly divine.

Whitmans is a great place for lunch or dinner. And while you can take away, I recommend eating in as the atmosphere created by the decor (Manhattan chic meets country abode) is so warm and cosy.

Posted by Jess Fleming

Oct 2013

For the past 125 years Katz’s Deli (established in 1888) has been providing hungry patrons with huge and delicious pastrami sandwiches.

Still as popular as ever (indeed this Lower East Side staple is on the top of almost everyone’s to-do list in New York and quite rightly so), Katz’s Deli is known to draw in the big crowds. So if possible I highly recommend heading to the Deli at an off peak time to avoid the madness.

Don’t worry you will still be guaranteed a great sandwich just without the mob of people.

With your ticket stub (which you will be given upon entering – whatever you do, don’t lose it), order from the counter and watch while your cutter, carves then piles on the pastrami between two thick slices of bread.

At this point you’re wondering how the hell you’re going to eat such as massive sandwich but trust me you will.

At $17 a sandwich, the Katz’s experience does not come cheaply. You have to remember however that you are paying for a slice of history as well as several slices of mouth watering pastrami.

Then as you take your first bite you will instantly appreciate what all the fuss and hype that surrounds this one sandwich is about.

Enjoy!

Posted by Jess Fleming

Oct 2013

I love this place! Not only because of its fun and friendly atmosphere but because the meatballs are just so damn tasty. Yes, you must like meatballs to really appreciate The Meatball Shop’s obvious specialty, but then again who doesn’t? And yes, there are vegetarian options too.

With four locations around the city and a relatively cheap price tag, there should be no excuse not to go. Three branches lay claim to Manhattan while the fourth fends for itself in Brooklyn. While each branch has its own individual style and ambiance (exposed brick in one, photos and prints of yesteryear hanging on the walls in another) they all share a common setting of industrial chic dining.

A few small, individual tables are housed in each restaurant, as the seating is mostly communal and often shared along a large wooden table. There is also plenty of seating at the bar. Pull up a stool at the Williamsburg branch and you can watch the chefs hard at work as the bar doubles as a meatball prep station.

Laminated menus and marker pens allow diners to customise their own meal by ticking off what type of meatballs they want, as well as their complementing sauce and side.

The menu boasts a variety of meatballs to choose from: classic beef, spicy pork, chicken, vegetarian and a constantly changing special. Sauces include: classic tomato, spicy meat, mushroom gravy, parmesan cream and pesto. Then there are a dozen side options to choose from, including: pasta, mashed potato, risotto, sautéed broccoli and steamed spinach, to have either on the side or under the meatballs.

My favourite combination is the classic beef meatballs, smothered in a spicy tomato sauce on top of a generous serve of mash. Simple but delicious!

Make sure to leave room for dessert. The home-made ice cream sandwiches are hands down the BEST in town! Again the menu allows you to build your own. My recommendation is a scoop of the vanilla bean ice cream sandwiched between two freshly baked choc chip cookies. Absolutely divine! Just writing about them makes me want one. If only I didn’t have to take the G train to Williamsburg to get there.

With no reservations I suggest going early to The Meatball Shop, as they do tend to fill up quickly. Though not always an option, the next best thing is to just turn up, put your name on the list and then depending on how long the wait is go and grab a drink elsewhere beforehand.

Posted by Jess Fleming

Oct 2013

Despite its hole-in-the-wall appearance and somewhat obscure location – behind a large velvet curtain at Le Parker Meridien Hotel – Burger Joint serves up one of the tastiest hamburgers in town! And in doing so has become an absolute gem in an otherwise touristy part of Midtown where a decent and affordable eat can be hard to find.

Burger Joint’s menu is small and simple. It reads, “If you don’t see it. We don’t have it!”  Literally the choices are between a hamburger or cheeseburger. Topping options are minimal too: lettuce, tomato, sliced pickles, mustard, ketchup (oh no she didn’t) and mayo. And the sides, well only a side order of fries are on offer.

I took Burger Joint’s uncomplicated menu as a sign that these guys do what they do and do it well. And I was right! Nick’s burger and mine were cooked perfectly. The patties were juicy, the buns lightly toasted and the combination of toppings deliciously flavourful.

Like the no nonsense and no frills menu (the menu itself is written in marker on a cardboard cut out) so to is the décor. The restaurant is dimly lit, with graffiti covered timber paneled walls, vinyl booths and tarnished hanging photos. The vibe it gives off makes it feel more like a Williamsburg eatery than a restaurant inside a fancy Midtown hotel.

Useful Info

Now just because of Burger Joint’s not so secret, “secret” location, don’t assume that it’s easy to get a seat. It’s a small place with only a handful of tables and once 12:30pm hits the line becomes impossibly long. If you do find yourself there at a busy time you can always get your burger take away and walk over to Central Park, which is only a few blocks away. Or you can call ahead and place an order for pick-up.

While writing this post I found out that a second location has since opened at 33 West 8th Street, Greenwich Village, 10011.

Posted by Jess Fleming