AlwaysInformed: Perky Jerky
Madeline G. Muldoon — June 17, 2010
Perky Jerky: guarana flavored, caffeine-imbued beef jerky.
An energy drink spills on some beef jerky during a ski trip, and two Wharton students, Matt Keiser and Brian Levin, have an idea for the ultimate term paper nourishment or snack for an all-night, cross-country drive: Perky Jerky. Keiser and Levin’s beefy energy jolt comes from the 60 milligrams of caffeine from guarana per ounce— a fruit said to contain double the caffeine of a typical cup of coffee.
The jerky certainly possesses the traditional flavor base– you know you’re eating dried beef. But, it also provides a sweet-sour burst with each bite of the surprisingly tender meat. The jerky also lacks the toughness and excess preservatives that make most national brands less appetizing. Even sports stores like Sports Authority have started to carry it. It’s as equally health-conscious as it is invigorating— the perfect combination for an off-road snack.
First Look: Momofuku’s Beef 7 Ways
GutterGourmet — May 19, 2010
Braised Shank, the main event of Ma Pêche’s Bay Fête de Bœuf, Beef 7 Ways.
Having partaken in Momofuku’s special epic preparations at Noodle Bar (Southern and Korean Fried Chicken) and at Ssäm Bar (Bo Ssäm), the Always Hungry crew answered the siren song of Ma Pêche’s online reservation-only Bay Fête de Bœuf, Beef 7 Ways, with mixed results.
AlwaysInformed: Forget Korean Tacos, Try The Crêpes
Arthur Bovino — November 30, 2009
Top, “Crêpe Korean Style Beef with Mixed Salad” at 22 Happy Cups. Bottom interior and exterior.
Anyone seeking other examples of Korean culinary fusion may be interested in 22 Happy Cups in the Flatiron District. They don’t do tacos, but this simple lunch spot offers a variety of crêpes. While most are conventional— including fresh fruit, cheese and other normal fillings— there’s one particular standout that’s more prominently featured: “Crêpe Korean Style Beef with Mixed Salad,” ($7.45).
Cross-section of crêpes, Korean-style at 22 Happy Cups.
The mixed salad is incidental (it wasn’t even dressed) and the dish isn’t exactly filling, but the light, thin crêpe was quite pleasant, and the meat inside was very tasty— sweet, salty, and juicy— your basic bulgogi preparation. If you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth stopping in for a quick bite.
Information: 688 Avenue of the Americas, (212)929-2313
Hours: Daily, 7am-10pm
Featured Dish: The Gargiulo
Arthur Bovino — November 23, 2009
Top, the Gargiulo, Brennan & Carr’s Burger Smothered w/Roast Beef and Cheese, in a “half-cup” of broth. Left, back in the day (courtesy, brennanandcarr.kpsearch.com). Right, Brennan & Carr, presently.
“Hot Beef.”
There’s little new about Brennan & Carr in Gravesend, Brooklyn. The squat, roadside beefeteria has been doing its thing since 1938: roast beef in a setting where if you squint, it could be a Revolutionary War era tavern. The roof’s sign says most of what you need to know. The rest is application: hot beef broth, hot beef burger, hot roast beef, hot beef burger topped with hot roast beef and cheese.
The roast beef is cheap and tasty, the fries are fine, and the frank tastes like the kind of dog you’d get at a beer hall. Of the other items, the onion rings are the most notable (a Burger King like exterior, but they’re bigger). But it’s all about the Gargiulo ($5.90), a “burger smothered in roast beef” and cheese. With all the burger newcomers to New York City, it pays to remember a classic. The Gargiulo, waiters explain, was named for the employees of the Coney Island Italian stalwart, Gargiulo’s Restaurant, frequent customers who concocted the sandwich.
If you haven’t been, don’t be confused, while the Gargiulo is on the take-out window menu, it’s not on the placemat menu. Don’t be deceived by its appearance either. Like most sandwiches (most everything actually) at Brennan & Carr (view), the Gargiulo requires dipping in a “half-cup” of the blister-your-mouthroof-hot-jus, which doubles as an incredibly tasty, very beefy Beef Broth Soup.
The process goes like this. Cut burger in half. Dunk. Pause. Soak. Wait. Wait. Okay, eat. There’s an infusion of flavor, the meat goes soft and juicy, the onions seem sweeter, the cheese gets all melty Kraft Single-like, and the bread turns into a moist kaiser sponge filled with flavor. It’s like a riff on French Onion Soup, American-style, with a burger sitting in it.
Remember, if you don’t do the dunk, you’ve missed the point.
Click Here for More Beautiful Pictures of the Food at Brennan & Carr >>
AlwaysInvestigating: Sandwich Holy War at Shopsin’s
Arthur Bovino — November 09, 2009
The following food adventure is told in the style of A Prairie Home Companion’s Guy Noir:
Interior of Shopsin’s General Store, in the Essex Street Market [www.gracenotesnyc.com, image].
CLICK FOR VOICEOVER “A top secret lunch in a city that knows how to keep recipes secret, but on the fourth floor of AlwaysHungryNY.com HQ in the Flatiron District, one man tries to find the answers to food’s persistent questions. Fry Noir, Private Eye.”
I was eating cold Philippe Express when she entered the office, my colleague, The Gluttoness, a food reporter known for getting a scoop. She’d come from the side of town where when it rains hipsters don’t get wet, and when they do they look good. She was writing a story about two Shopsin’s sandwiches on the verge of holy war in the Middle Feast — the Jewboy and Jihadboy — which one was better? But there was a hitch: Kenny Shopsin.
Click Here for Fry Noir's Food Escapade in the Case of Shopsin's Sandwich Holy War >>
Featured Dish: SHO’s Three Day Short Rib
The Gluttoness — October 27, 2009
Three Day Short Rib with Hazelnut and Cranberry Crust and Parsnip Purée. Left, short rib, about to be plated. Right, Shaun Hergatt at work.
It has been a while since I checked in with Chef Shaun Hergatt. Since I first waxed-poetic about SHO (view) it gained a star in the 2010 Michelin guide, was cited in Esquire’s 20 Best New Restaurants of 2009 and received an unofficial 29 rating in the 2010 Zagat guide. High time to visit the chef.
Click Here for More About Shaun Hergatt's Three Day Short Rib >>
AlwaysInvestigating: Burger Square-Off (Philly vs. New York)
The Gluttoness — October 06, 2009
SquareBurger’s Classic Hamburger.
Restaurant: SquareBurger
Address: 200 N 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (map)
Hours: Through October 31st, Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm; Sat-Sun 11am-7pm.
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
AlwaysHungry Recommends: SquareBurger, The Cake Shake, Classic French Fries
The proliferation of Philadelphia’s restaurant scene can be partly attributed to Stephen Starr. After tackling New York City and Atlantic City, he seems to have found himself back in the City of Brotherly Love. As his empire grows to encompass everything from soul food to steakhouses, he unabashedly draws inspiration from his most revered peers. His recent venture, Parc, a French bistro on Rittenhouse Square, is an obvious interpretation of Keith McNally’s Pastis or Balthazar. Starr openly toured the top pizzerias in New York and New Haven for his own Neapolitan pizza joint, Stella. This summer, in an obvious replication of Danny Meyer’s celebrated Shake Shack, he opened SquareBurger (view), a burger stand in Philadelphia’s Franklin Square just off I-95.
The small SquareBurger shack is nearby the Franklin Square Fountain.
SquareBurger is next to a beautiful fountain, but it’s in an area devoid of local foot traffic, which may explain why there were only five people there on a sunny Saturday. While there are differences between Shake Shack and SquareBurger, both pay their due to burgers and frozen sweets. Ultimately, it comes down to a direct comparison between Starr’s Classic Cheeseburger and Meyer’s ShackBurger, between a SquareBurger’s Classic Shake and Shake Shack’s Hand-Spun Shakes and Concretes. The question is, can Starr top Meyer?
Featured Dish: Philippe’s Crispy Beef
The Gluttoness — June 26, 2009
Whether you’re on the Upper East Side or in East Hampton, Philippe Chow’s Crispy Beef is one of those sinful dishes that always hits the spot. Health-wise, it’s absolute garbage: deep-fried slivers of beef lacquered with sweet, honey-tinged sauce. Taste-wise it’s awesome, addictive and exponentially better than the original dish at Mr. Chow. For the most part, the menus at these two restaurants are identical. Sure, there is squab in the lettuce wraps at Chow, and the handmade noodles go by Mr. Cheng’s at Philippe, but even with these alterations the dishes taste the same.
The greatest distinction between the cuisines of Mr. Chow and Philippe (restaurant page), its bastard offspring, is in the Crispy Beef. At Mr. Chow you can barely find the stringy bits of beef inside the soggy batter, and excessive oil prevents the dish from achieving the crispiness its name suggests. Philippe’s super-sized version has some serious beefiness beneath an impressive crunch. It’s hard to resist popping these bad boys into your mouth with your fingers— they’re like high-end beef version of Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Puffs. Considering the mountainous portions, don’t say we didn’t warn you: Philippe’s Crispy Beef is best enjoyed when wearing pants with an elastic waistband.
AlwaysLearning: Regional BBQ Primer
The Hungry Goat — June 12, 2009
Hill Country’s Beef Ribs
In honor of the summer and all the BBQ we intend to eat this weekend at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, we’ve compiled a BBQ primer for you that details many of the varied types found across the country, their cuts and traits, their typical sauces, sides, serving styles and cooking methods.
Most importantly, we have included the restaurants and dishes in New York where you can find many of these different preparation styles.
HungryChefs: Chefs Love Lupa, Mixed on Hot Dogs
The Gluttoness — June 11, 2009
Roasted Pork Shoulder “Gyro” with Pickled Cucumber & Yogurt from Anthos at Street & Savory
Some of the country’s best chefs attended Citymeals-on-Wheels’ Street & Savory Tasting Event. We’ve already brought you pictures of all the dishes and rounded up our favorite plates, but we were also able to speak with the chefs.
Our questions were obvious: What are you AlwaysHungry for? Which New York City restaurant do you crave? And in keeping with the night’s theme: what would you serve if you opened your own street cart? Some chefs took the easy route, promoting dishes they had prepared for the evening, others were quite creative with their responses.
AlwaysCooking: Free Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner
Arthur Bovino — June 11, 2009
One of the free samples we received recently was Main Street Meats’ premium chopped meat sent by Lee Selig, grandson of the company’s founder, Julius Selig. Their 1946 Blend combines Kobe Brisket, Angus Rib Cap and Boneless Short Ribs with an Angus Chuck base. Main Street says their blend is made daily to order, using a coarse blade so as not to make it too delicate. The number, 1946, refers to the year the company was founded. Three members of AlwaysHungryNY.com took samples to their test kitchens to try the blend in a few of their favorite dishes.
Click for AlwaysHungryNY.com staffer comments about Main Street Meats' "1946 Blend" >>
AlwaysLearning: Baeckeoffe
The Gluttoness — May 20, 2009
What it is:
Essentially, Baeckeoffe (or Backeoffe) is a stew with lamb, beef and pork marinated in Alsatian white wine, then slow-cooked with thinly sliced potatoes and sometimes vegetables (often, onions). The name is said to refer to the casserole the dish is cooked and then presented in: a ceramic, oval tureen. But it also means “baker’s oven,” a fact that reflects the dish’s supposed origins. Supposedly, it was the creation of busy housewives who tossed ingredients together to marinate and then, when going to town on other business (be it laundry or taking their children to school), dropped off their composed casseroles with the town baker to cook them in his cooling oven. When they returned to pick up their children or attend church, the dish would be cooked and they could pick up fresh bread with it.
Where it’s from:
Baeckeoffe’s origins are intertwined in European history and geography because Alsace, the region it’s from, repeatedly changed hands between France and Germany. Today, Alsace is a part of France, and the dish, which was once considered a poor man’s preparation of leftover meats, is now often found in high-end restaurants.
Where to get it in New York:
Fittingly, the dish can be found at Café d’Alsace, where it’s listed as, “Baeckeofe,” a “traditional Alsatian casserole of lamb, oxtail, bacon and potatoes.” Their interpretation maximizes the flavor of the traditional beef and pork components. It combines lamb and potatoes with oxtail and bacon, and braises them in Pinot Gris with onions and thyme. They serve it in its customary ceramic dish, the lid of which the waiter lifts to unleash fragrant wafts of steam. It’s a hearty, meaty broth with slow-cooked onions that add a delightful sweetness, and bites of tender meat, which take lighter turns depending on if your spoonful includes lamb, oxtail or bacon. The stew is served with salt so it can be seasoned to taste.
AlwaysTraveling: Charlie’s Hamburgers (Folsom, PA)
The Gluttoness — May 20, 2009
Charlie’s Hamburgers was first opened by Charlie Convenry in 1935. When the restaurant was forced to relocate further away from Route 402, Charlie sold it to long-time manager, Bernard “Bunny” McDonald, who opened the new Folsom, PA, location in 1986.
One juicy bite of a Charlie’s hamburger makes it easy to understand how they have maintained a loyal fan base despite a no-frills attitude and an influx of fast-food chains— little besides the location has changed. The same family of Jewish butchers has supplied the restaurant since 1935 and aside from the ice cream, nothing is frozen. The secret behind the beef is that they use meat from the front portion of the stomach. When asked about the smaller than average burger size, it’s explained that things are done the way they were first done and that, “people had smaller appetites back then.”
To compensate for the smaller patty size, most customers order doubles (above). Cheeseburgers are topped with thick slabs of yellow American cheese cut the old-fashioned way, from a giant brick. At Charlie’s, hot dogs (right) mean Philly Franks sliced through the center and weighted so the insides get blackened and extra crispy. Burgers and dogs are served on Baker’s Touch Sandwich Rolls, and the buns are always grilled on the greasy flattop. Condiments include ketchup, mustard, relish, pickles, tomato, onions, but you also have the option of ordering “à la Charlie,” with pickles, tomato and fried onion (top). Charlie’s has always used Potts Ice Cream to make their super thick milkshakes. It’s said that this is in return for Mr. Potts having lent Charlie Convenry part of the stake he needed to originally open the restaurant.
It might seem easy to saddle up to the counter and consume burger after burger with a cool Black-and-White milkshake, but if you’re the competitive type, keep in mind you’ll have to best the current record of 28 burgers if you want the title for most eaten. According to the folks at Charlie’s, this record is the legacy of Pat Ryan, who played the Mayor in The Toxic Avenger. Considering the cult following for these hamburgers, it’s fitting that an actor from a cult classic holds Charlie’s hamburger-eating title.
Restaurant: Charlie’s Hamburgers
Address: 336 Kedron Ave, Folsom, PA (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Shakes
Notes: Closed Tuesday.
AlwaysLearning: Every Dog Has Its Way
April 06, 2009
Now that baseball season is finally upon us, it’s time for stadium fare to reclaim its place in the limelight. With everyone so busy talking about the hot new chef-driven concepts coming to Yankee Stadium and CitiField, it seems like baseball’s quintessential snack, the hot dog, isn’t getting much play. But don’t overlook the hot dog just yet, because it isn’t as basic as it seems. Coast to coast, city-by-city, there are hundreds, if not thousands of ways to cook, top, and eat the almighty weenie. Decisions must be made as to whether your bun is steamed, grilled or left alone and of course there is always an unlimited array of toppings between ketchup, mustard, kraut, cheese, onions, chili, peppers, and the list goes on and on. However you have it, a great dog always makes for a doggone good day. Here are some fun takes on the classic, to help you start the season off right:
Brats
The Location: Sheboygan and Milwaukee, WI
The Dog: Bratwurst (large, white, pork -based hot dog), preferably Usinger’s
The Bun: A brat bun (Milwaukee) or a hard-roll (Sheboygan)
The Method: Simmered with onions in beer and finished off on a charcoal grill
The Toppings: Onions, cooked and topped with brown or dijon mustard
The Spot: The parking lot of Lambeau Field a few hours before a Green Bay Packers game
Cheese Coney
The Location: Cincinnati, OH
The Dog: Pork or beef hot dog
The Bun: Steamed
The Method: Boiled or grilled
The Toppings: Mustard, diced onions, Cincinnati-style chili, and a mound of shredded cheddar cheese
The Spot: Skyline Restaurant
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