Category Archives: good food

Here’s what’s going on

With me, at any rate….

It is probably obvious to you and to my besties by now that, if we go out somewhere, I am likely to report on it.

Or find something interesting in the outing. At least interesting to me.

For instance, guys, last night we tried Tacombi, a place usually very accessible, and it was full. Packed. I know, maybe it’s Taco Tuesday, and that 6:30 is not an early bird hour. The happy diners here were young and loud. 

M. and I moved on to the Beach Cafe, at her suggestion. This is more her nabe than mine, while I do live close by.

The happy diners at the Beach were older and settled in, but we got a booth made for a bigger party than we two. By 7:45, or so, the restaurant had pretty much emptied out.

What happened to the City That Never Sleeps?

The Beach has a neon ad over the bar that says Burgers til 1am.

We were pretty dubious and even snickered on our way out.

BTW, Tuesday is for tacos here as well although they are co-opting the cuisine.

Elusive

Strawberry rhubarb is in season

Searching can be a pleasant way to pass your time.

Anyone with a smart phone has a feel for that experience. 

We know that all conversations can lead to you pecking into the keyboard. Oh, yes, so-and-so is….

Wish that my search had been as simple as that. I was looking for a more elusive thing.

Something that I could not just see on my screen, but needed to have on my plate. I wanted a piece of the pie.

It’s strawberry rhubarb season, well it’s always strawberry time but rhubarb, well that’s short lived.

In fact, I was going to resort to boiling up my own; couldn’t find it at any green grocery.

That didn’t bode well for my pie quest!

I remember when, because it was its season, you could walk into most local area diners to enjoy a piece of my favorite pie.

My phone search told me that I could find a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie at JG Melon. I took this as encouraging, and intended to stop by for a slice.

Thwarted, again. Lines waiting for a table were discouragement enough.

Amazingly, there was a huge pie at Citarella. So, yes, this story of a pursuit has a happy ending.

Some of the strawberry rhubarb pie is now waiting in the freezer. Some has been digested, and yes, it was good.

The season is short. Hurry.

Bussing to a lunching

Look at the motto, which reminds me

This struck me as exceedingly clever.

The bag says The Container Store. The tagline says

WELCOME TO THE ORGANIZATION.

Bloomingdale’s country has several new interesting hi-rise neighbors to the flagship store

It was in one of the several dining rooms at Bloomingdale’s that I met D for lunch. My notation post our get-together was «lunch with D was heavenly.« Should I have journaled «divine?«

I had what I always described as a Bloomingdale’s habit as a teen. The store was midway between school and where my parents, who were my ride home, worked. That made it the perfect stopover.

For years, if you needed a break during your shopping trip, there were only 2 places to visit. 40 Carrots, a yogurt emporium was downstairs. [There were always lines for that treat.] The fancier restaurant, tablecloths and all, named Blue something, was on 7.

All the options upon our visit were more casual if upscale. We hit two on the same visit. The adorable Studio 59 has a limited menu, with the exception of a cocktails list. The breakfast was excellent. On to Flip, the burger joint (get it, flippin’ burgers) off the Men’s department. It checks off every box: Very friendly. Very tasty. Plenty of variety. Very cute.

Of course, my journal comment wasn’t about the (good) food. It was most definitely about the good company and sprawling conversation we, D and I, shared.

There are moments

When are you most happy?

Like these:

We favor a Mexican place, but each of my friends and I tend to gravitate towards one or a few specific restaurants.

Speaking of lunch with a friend

Let me expand on this particular Mexican restaurant.

They deconstruct a delicious street food and serve it in a paper coffee cup. This touch kind of preserves the feel of a «off a food truck« delicacy when you dig in on the mix of flavors. The corn has been de-cobbed, as it were, for ease of eating. Aka, it’s not as sloppy a dish at table as when you walk through a street-fair.

We both really enjoy this menu choice at Tacombi. 

There’s an industrial feel to the location (ours is on the UES), and I see from their website that they favor this look. Other Tacombis have converted garages into dining rooms. It’s a style. I love it.

M.C.N.Y.

Sing it to the tune of .. yeah you guessed it.

When you tell people you plan a visit to the Museum of the City of New York, they usually have a positive response.

My friend M said something to the effect of , “I love that place.” You get the drift.

I loved the Manny Vega exhibit. That especially, but there was a lot to like in every gallery.

So, a chance to enjoy tea [and crumpets?] with a curator just seemed like a perfect lunchtime activity.

One such event passed us by on the 2nd (with Sarah Henry), and The Curator’s Cup: Afternoon Tea with Sarah Seidman is on Oct 22nd, aka this Tuesday.

I am intending on attending the November 19th. I look forward to The Curator’s Cup: Afternoon Tea with Lilly Tuttle.

Too much of a good thing

It’s a fine line between great and more than you need. I have been illustrating the upside of BurgerFi – and the food is all tasty – but it is also uniformly caloriFIc.

Onions might count as vegetables, and I want to give ’em credit in that column, but the thick, delicious crust and gentle deepfrying belies its cred.

Chicken wings are not a diet food. I have yet to get my burger wrapped in a lettuce roll. The Beyond is the closest non-meat burger you’d want, but it too comes at a calorie cost.

In short, go and enjoy. It’s an indulgence.

Fries with that?

My cheeseburger didn’t last long enough for me to take its portrait.

This was also the case last week when I ordered the Beyond. As non-meat meat goes, Beyond captures the texture and quality of its beef counterpart. I find that true of the sausage version I get as a breakfast sammy, too.

Today’s cheeseburger was a treat via the BurgerFi app. Completely free and I was treated royally at my location on 2nd & 82nd.