AlwaysInformed: BBQ Soft Serve Now at Milk Bar
Maryse Chevrière — July 28, 2010
BBQ Soft Serve with Potato Chip Crunch at Momofuku Milk Bar.
When it comes to soft serve flavors, there really is nothing out of realm of possibility for the Milk Bar team. Their latest WTF creation, just out today: BBQ.
Whatever reason compels you to try it—curiosity, daring, a genuine love for savory desserts—if you’re going to go there, then you just kind of have to do it: go all the way, embrace the concept. “Can I get the Potato Chip Crunch on that too, please?”
The result ($4.90) is predictably weird. Not sour, like most Milk Bar flavors, instead it’s tangy, gradually sweet. It evokes cocktail sauce, or maybe Tabasco— you can’t put your finger on it. It’s not as offensive as you’d expect. With a sharp fragment of salt speckled potato chip, the equation gets even more complicated. You just have know when to stop. The whole serving would just be too much.
AlwaysPartying: Happy 4th of July!
Maryse Chevrière — July 02, 2010
Patriotic Cupcake Flag from Baked by Melissa.
Freedom! Fireworks! Independence! Sure the 4th of July is all about celebrating our soverignty, but it’s also about spending time with friends and family with lots of good food. Consider, according to the Census, 76 million Americans said they took part in a barbecue in 2009. And supposedly, in this week leading up to July 4th we’ll have bought 700 million pounds of chicken, 190 million pounds of red meat and pork, and about 63.5 million cases of beer. Head swimming yet? We figure to eat 150 million hot dogs this holiday, a few of them at the 95th Annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
From left: Pork Ribs from Checkered Pig at the 2010 BABBP, Melone cocktail from A Voce, Cheeseburger from All-American.
If you’re still strategizing your holiday weekend food plans, here are a few things to consider:
- To get you in the grilling spirit, review Always Hungry’s regional hot dog and BBQ primers. And if you need an extra helping of ‘cue, revisit Always Hungry’s coverage of the 2010 and 2009 Big Apple Barbecue Block Party events. You can also check out some burger porn, and if you’re near Massapequa and feeling like a real patriot, visit All-American for a cheeseburger.
- Because a good backyard barbecue is nothing without refreshments, try Always Hungry’s fantastic Secret Sangria recipe or A Voce’s recipes for vodka infusion cocktails at your party this year. Of course, you could also draw inspiration from Pulino’s appropriately named Limoncello Sparkler or Pocha 32’s Watermelon Soju.
- Don’t forget, as suggested last year, you’ll have to order your Baked by Melissa Cupcake Flag (pictured above) by Saturday if you want to show off your patriotism with one of their epic Red Velvet, Vanilla, and Blueberry cupcake displays (150 to 630 cupcakes, $105.00-$409.50).
AlwaysPartying: Big Apple Barbecue Block Party 2010
GutterGourmet — June 14, 2010
Left, BBQ Pork Steak Sandwich from Wildwood Barbecue. Right, top down, whole hog from Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s Pork Shoulder, Smoked Sausage from Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q.
When I got my Fast Pass for the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, I became as giddy as a six-year old cutting the line to ride Dumbo at Disneyland. The first ride at the Block Party is always Ed Mitchell’s The Pit. Fire, brimstone, smoke, chopping blades, decapitated whole hogs, and gluttons. If this is hell, I’ve died and gone to heaven.
More Photographs of the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party 2010 >>
Always Hungry: Big Apple Barbecue Block Party 2010
Arthur Bovino — June 11, 2010
St. Louis Style Ribs and Beans from Pappy’s Smokehouse.
It’s here. The 8th annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party happens this weekend.
The crowds, lines, and fast passes. The mess, the barbecue pits, the smell of slow-cooked meat in Madison Square Park, it’s all back in the City for two glorious days. As such, it’s time to cram— to prepare for all the glories that come with one of New York’s best food events. So we’ve put together a Big Apple BBQ Block Party Primer. Everything you need to know before you go.
BABBQ 2009: THE VIDEO: Three pitmasters. Two days. One epic event. We interviewed three renowned pitmasters, Pat Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que, Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson’s, and BABBP’s co-founder, Ken Callaghan of Blue Smoke as they showcased three regional preparations of meats.
CLICK HERE for The Glories of BBQ: Three Styles of an American Tradition
BABBQ 2009: THE FOOD: Among our favorite tastes from last year’s event were Big Bob Gibson’s Pulled Pork Shoulder with White Sauce, the St. Louis Style Ribs and Beans from Pappy’s Smokehouse, and The Salt Lick BBQ’s Beef Brisket and Sausage. But there was so much more.
CLICK HERE for BBQ photographs and GutterGourmet’s write-up
BABBQ: BBQ PRIMER: From Alabama to Virginia, information about the varied types of BBQ found across the country— cuts and traits, typical sauces, sides, serving styles, and cooking methods. There’s even information about New York restaurants where you can find many of these different styles.
CLICK HERE for a Regional BBQ Primer
Featured Dish: Wildwood’s BBQ Burger
Arthur Bovino — April 07, 2010
Big Lou’s ½ lb Barbeque Burger at Wildwood Barbecue.
RUB BBQ has been getting a lot of attention for its burgers lately, and with good reason. Chef Scott Smith’s weekly regional burger special is a stroke of genius— one that avoids gimmickry with skilled execution. It makes you think: what other BBQ joints in New York make good burgers? One answer lured us eastward, to Wildwood Barbecue.
The Wildwood ½ lb Burger ($11.50) has garnered attention. It features Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, French Fries, and your choice of Cheddar, Jack, American, or Provolone. But there is less buzz about Big Lou’s ½ lb Barbeque Burger, and that’s surprising.
36 Dishes in Houston, TX
Arthur Bovino and Maryse Chevrière — April 01, 2010
In The New York Times weekly column, 36 Hours, a weekend-long itinerary is given for different cities. Always Hungry takes a culinary-focused, food-challenge approach to weekend travel with an occasional feature, 36 Dishes. The goal? Consume at least 36 memorable dishes and beverages from a city’s significant places during one weekend. Boston was profiled last time. Up next: Houston, TX.
Clockwise from top: Houston skyline overlooking David Adickes Sculpturworx, musicians at El Hidalguense, and a cowboy taking a break at the Houston Rodeo.
The food scene in Houston: Barbecue, chicken fried steak, fajitas. Sure, it has them all. But this is America’s fourth largest city, one with an international business community where, one local confided, “fortunes can be made, and the good life can be had.” Sure, there are boot-wearing cowboys, but besides the large Mexican population, there are also significant Vietnamese and Arab communities. So, when visiting H-Town, it’s best to leave culinary preconceptions at home.
We did just that, during a recent weekend, tackling significant dishes in Houston (3/20-22), from Pig’s Ear Cake to Chicken Fried Meatballs on a stick. Eating began on Saturday afternoon at 12:20pm, just less than an hour and a half after touching down at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. And yes, a lot of time was spent on Westheimer Road. For the record, the number of dishes (and hours) well-surpassed the title of this feature. Don’t make us say it. Everything is bigger…
AlwaysPartying: Grillin’ On the Bay
Maryse Chevrière — March 29, 2010
Clockwise from top: Pork Ribs on the grill from Uncle Jed’s BBQ Team, Wildwood chef “Big Lou” Elrose tends to his short ribs, the scene at Grillin’ on the Bay, at St. Mark School in Sheepshead Bay.
Smoking grills and the smell of ribs cooking reminded attendees at Saturday’s Grillin’ on the Bay that summer is just around the corner—despite temperatures in the breezy 40’s. The casual, backyard barbecue-style cooking competition, sponsored by RUB BBQ, pitted a mix of rookie and veteran teams vying for top prizes in four categories: fish, chicken, pork ribs and chefs choice.
The vibe was a relatively carefree, beer-in-one-hand-cooking-tongs-in-the-other kind of relaxed. That is, until the clock for turn-in started to wind down. Gears shifted and game faces came on. Amid the rush and excitement were heated debates over rib-slicing technique and entry piece selection. (Rumor had it that the judges only took one bite, so you had better submit your best efforts).
Since food prepared during the cook-off was intended only for the judges, there was a $10 all-you-can-eat chili smackdown held just inside the St. Mark School, for whom the event benefited. Of course, many teams allowed hungry event-goers to sample their competition “rejects”— which included everything from smokey pork ribs, to Alabama white sauce-drenched chicken, to a play on a pastrami sandwich that featured double-smoked bacon and hanger steak pastrami.
Scenes from the 2010 Grillin' on the Bay >>
AlwaysPartying: LUCKYRICE Party at Fatty ‘Cue
Maryse Chevrière — March 25, 2010
Clockwise from top: Smoked Beef Brisket, The ‘Cue Cocktail, Chef Daniel Boulud and Pit Master Robbie Richter dig into the ‘cue.
When Daniel Boulud tastes your barbecue, then asks where he should go to buy a smoker for his father’s backyard in France, you know you’re doing something right.
Reports were that Fatty ‘Cue, this most eagerly anticipated restaurant, had quietly opened to the public last Friday, though it was insisted at last night’s LUCKYRICE Festival media preview party that the joint had actually only officially opened the day before. Sure, there had been a long wait. Yes, Fatty Crab Upper West Side had their one year anniversary before the opening. And yes, pit master, Robbie Richter noted that after all this time, some of the original dishes they’d come up with had come and gone. That having been said, last night’s tastes were a harbinger good things to come.
Out back, Robbie carved hunks of low-and-slow smoked brisket that was moist, integrated with fat, and sealed with a ring of charred crust. A bowl of hot chili paste materialized and things got even better. A slick, sweet-heat chili oil arrived, and a crowd formed. There were ribs, of course, pork and lamb. The first was sweet and cindery, the second, sticky and tender, with jerky-like skin and a creamy garlic-lemon emulsion.
A thinly sliced pork loin, like a superior deli meat, inspired visions of potentially wonderful sandwiches. Non-meat items made cameos. A ramen-esque Bowl of Noodles, and better yet— bowls of small clams swimming in a heat-packed broth best enjoyed after it soaked into pieces of thick toast.
The cocktail situation was on-point too. A classic Dark & Stormy, the suggestive Foreplay cocktail, and most notably, the namesake ‘Cue, which was as hot as the restaurant is bound to be.
More Photographs from Fatty 'Cue >>
Featured Dish: RUB BBQ’s Szechuan Duck
Arthur Bovino — March 23, 2010
“Szechwan” Smoked Duck at RUB BBQ.
Think duck, hoisin, and crispy skin, and likely you will have images of Chinatown ducks dancing in your head. But RUB BBQ serves a popular, surprisingly less-heralded homage, the “Szechwan Smoked Duck,” described thusly, “The Baron goes Eastern. It has a little heat and a little sweet.” It’s the collaborative brainchild of co-owners Paul Kirk and Andrew Fischel (executive pitmaster).
“They worked together on creating the duck,” said Scott Smith, RUB’s pitmaster. “They came up with a special rub for it. It’s a raspberry habanero glaze. We smoke it for a day, deep-fry it, then glaze it and put in the oven to let it set it up a little. It’s been popular since the beginning, there’s no other BBQ restaurant doing it that I know of.”
AlwaysSoBe: BubbleQ
February 27, 2010
Clockwise from top: Lonesome Dove Western Bistro’s Lamb Belly BLT with Warm Potato Salad, Big Bob Gibson’s Smoker, Champagne refills from a chandelier-dangling trapeze artist.
Thirty great chefs working the grill. An epic BLT sandwich. Free-flowing Perrier-Jouët Champagne. A woman refilling glasses while hanging from a chandelier. Only on South Beach, and only at BubbleQ.
The event was presented by Allen Brothers, hosted by Emeril Lagasse, and held under a big tent on the beach behind the Delano Hotel. It featured everything from ribs, brisket, and fried Cuban Sandwiches, to Grilled Oysters and Frittas. Unlike at Burger Bash, no official awards were given out, but our winner was Tim Love’s Lamb Belly BLT— a crunchy, well-dressed spin on a classic. Our Top 5 bites of the evening were rounded out by entries from Restaurant August, Centrico, Big Bob Gibson Bar-BQ, and Restaurant Mirazur (Menton, France).
Pork Belly featured in Centrico’s Tacos.
Featured Restaurant: Georgia’s Eastside BBQ
GutterGourmet — January 11, 2010
Fried Chicken Sandwich at Georgia’s Eastside BBQ.
Now that the craze over new fried chicken joints has died down a little, we’re taking a moment to feature a rendition at an old favorite: Georgia’s Eastside BBQ. Located on the rapidly changing Orchard Street, Georgia’s is not named for the state but for the owner’s dog whose photo adorns the wall in a place of honor between his mother and father. The spot is a wonderful dive with half a dozen tables and an old rifle hanging on the wall.
The style of BBQ ranges from North Carolina pulled pork, to St. Louis ribs, and fall-off-the-bone, beer-steamed Memphis dry-rubbed babybacks. But the highlight is— you guessed it— the fried chicken, which Time Out New York just rated as one of the top 100 things to put in your mouth in 2009. The huge serving of perfectly fried not-too-greasy, heavily-battered chicken is for lack of a more perfect description, well, perfect. If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you can get the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($7). Sides include corn bread, beans, kale, collard greens, and corn on the cob.
If you’re looking for us, this is where we’ll be eating fried chicken until the projected Spring opening of Hill Country Chicken. Pies ‘n’ Thighs news anyone?
Check out the new food pictures on Georgia’s Eastside BBQ’s restaurant page.
AlwaysInformed: Blue Smoke’s Peanut Butter & Belly
The Gluttoness — November 05, 2009
Peanut Butter & Belly: Berkshire Pork Belly on Raisin Toast w/Poblano Jelly and Peanut Sauce, ($11.95).
One of Blue Smoke’s (view) latest lunch additions, Peanut Butter & Belly, may employ a cute play on words and dainty tea sandwich proportions, but it’s actually nothing to scoff at. It features a complex combination of textures, flavors and temperatures: slices of crisped pork belly portioned to the size of small raisin bread rectangles. The toast is warm, the pork is soft and the golden raisins add surprising bursts of chewy sweetness.
The accoutrements are where you’ll find the classic combination of peanut butter and jelly. There’s a sticky peanut glaze and a salty crunch from a pile of chopped nuts. Poblano jelly acts more like a decorative hot sauce, delivering subtle heat. The sweet and spicy accents are the perfect finishing touches.
Peanut Butter & Belly is an inventive new appetizer— a tasty bite with which to begin a barbeque binge at Blue Smoke. After all, no meal there is complete without running the gluttonous gamut from wings, ribs, and burgers, to pulled pork, fried chicken, and of course, one of Manhattan’s best renditions of macaroni and cheese.
AlwaysPartying: Fatty Football Feast
The Gluttoness — October 05, 2009
The Gluttoness’ heaping helping.
I’m used to enjoying hanging with the guys for marathon Sunday football sessions, but this past Sunday was really special. As I embarked up the stairwell at 844 Broadway for Epicurious.com’s “Fatty Sunday,” the scent of smoked meat was almost palpable. On the third floor, the always awesome Fatty team was offering a sneak-peek at the Southeast Asian Barbeque that’s going to be served at their long-awaited Brooklyn outpost, Fatty ‘Cue.
Left, Robbie Richter and Corwin Kave. Right, Zak Pelaccio.
The event was dubbed, “A Zak Pelaccio Lunchtime Feast,” and the buffet-style spread fit the bill. The room was outfitted like a cafeteria, with room-length tables flanked by flat-screens (on which the Giants showed Kansas City who was really chief). The food was showcased in the demonstration kitchen, where Zak Pelaccio, Corwin Kave and Andrew Pressler worked the burners, while Robbie Richter sliced Smoked BBQ Lamb Shoulder. It was topped with a Goat Yogurt Chili Sauce and the first bite had my nose running in no time. Since the Fatty crew intends to focus on local, sustainable products, all of Sunday’s dishes won’t necessarily be available when Fatty Cue opens, but they hope to keep a lamb and/or goat dish on the menu.
AlwaysPartying: 2009 Vendy Awards
The Hungry Goat — September 28, 2009
New York City’s love affair with street vendors was on full display at Saturday’s 2009 Vendy Awards. A crowd of over 1,000 hungry New Yorkers—a record high for the event—filed into historic Corona Park to sample and support the eleven contenders by way of an hours-long eat and repeat marathon.
Highlights included: Biryani Cart’s kick-ass Kati Roll, the chorizo huaraches by Vendy’s winner, Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck’s Caramelized Bacon Ice Cream Sandwich, and “Freddy” The King of Falafel’s unforgettable performance with two lovely belly dancers.
Top, Country Boys/Martinez Taco Trucks’ Chorizo Huaraches. Bottom left, Chicken Tacos.
2009 VENDY CUP WINNER
Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck – Fernando & Jolanda Martinez
Served: Fernando said he selected his clients’ favorites, Huaraches, Quesadillas or Tacos with a choice of chicken, beef, or vegetarian filling.
AlwaysHungry For: Anything with seafood.
AHNY Notes: Fernando said his favorite restaurants are El Viejo Yayo, and Barzola.
AlwaysInvestigating: New Buns on the Block
The Gluttoness — September 09, 2009
Until now, your best bet for pork buns (not counting Chinatown) was below 14th Street, the Goliaths being, Momofuku Ssäm and Noodle Bar. During the past few months Midtown has sprouted new restaurants that serve Chinese steamed pork buns (char siu bao).
Mantou Chinese Sandwiches, on the East Side (view site), is a sliver of a restaurant specializing in sandwiches on “sesame seed-studded, steamed mantou—a traditional Chinese steamed bread …a staple of Northern Chinese cuisine.” On the West Side is Xie Xie (restaurant page), which is Mandarin for “Thank you.” Xie Xie’s five-item Asian sandwich concept is helmed by Chef Angelo Sosa, who was executive sous-chef at Jean Georges for four years. Both places have a counter for ordering and seating, but these interpretations showcase two styles.
Mantou serves two buns, Spicy Pork or Braised Pork (each costs $3.95). Instead of buying them individually you can opt for the $9.95 Combo Box which includes any two sandwiches with a side salad and shrimp chips. The buns look like Big Mac’s but are soft and luscious like fluffy English muffins.
Mantou’s Braised Pork Bun.
Mantou’s spongy bun envelops thick, tender slices of braised fatty pork. It’s dressed with crunchy slivers of cucumber, cilantro, and hoisin, which ensure fresh well-rounded flavors and juicy sweetness that balance the rich flavor of the salty pork. The first taste (with a little Sambal) was the best. Unfortunately, the next bite included the chewy end of the roast.
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