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 >>

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 >>

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.

Continue Reading >>

AlwaysPartying: Jewish Beef Brisket

Jeff Zalaznick — September 18, 2009

AlwaysHungryNY.com’s recipe for Jewish Beef Brisket is the best out there, we promise.

Rosh Hashanah is upon us and we promise, the brisket recipe we published on National Brisket Day is the best one out there. We know that your grandmother makes it best, but believe us, this recipe has been perfected over the years by Chef Usha, and is without question the finest one that you will find.

Click here for the full recipe and pictures >>

AlwaysInvestigating: Texas “Desserts”

Katie Reisert — August 06, 2009

Cowgirl’s Frito Pie, Fritos with beef brisket or veggie chili, cheddar, onions, sour cream & jalapeños (small $7.95, large $9.95).

Sundaes and pies are dessert menu fare, but some New York City restaurants are shaking things up with savory interpretations of these dessert words: Frito Pie and the Truck-Stop Sundae. Frito Pie is a Texan classic served at Cowgirl and the Truck-Stop Sundae is served at the East Village restaurant named for the Texan town, Marfa, so we’ve been calling them Texas “Desserts”.

Frito Pie is made with chili, cheese, onions and corn chips. Its origins are murky but point to the South and the Southwest, specifically Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. There are two common preparations: 1) a casserole and 2) a small bag of ingredient-topped, crunchy chips. Cowgirl’s Frito Pie is the latter— it nearly explodes out of the bag. The giant reddish lump of chili contains hefty pieces of brisket superior to the ground beef you would expect. It’s piled with sour cream, onions, jalapeños and cheddar.

The “pie” is good, but reminiscent of a bowl of chili that would have been more satisfying on a ski slope than in the West Village on a muggy July day. One flaw was the execution of the Fritos. It wasn’t until halfway through the dish that an actual Frito could be found— they had almost all completely disintegrated. If only Cowgirl’s generous toppings and flavor were combined with Fat Annie’s crunchy chip layer, you’d have the city’s best Frito Pie.

Marfa’s Truck-Stop Sundae features beans, pork and “slaw,” $6

The Truck-Stop Sundae at Marfa is less elaborately presented than Cowgirl’s Frito Pie, but its deep red chili undertones and the purple of the red cabbage make it visually appealing. And what it lacks presentation-wise it makes up for with taste. It’s served with beans, slaw and pork that settles to the bottom of the dish. The beans were in a sweet and tangy sauce and the red cabbage (not weighed down with mayo or seasoning) provided the crunch missing in the Frito Pie.

OnlyLook: Lucy Browne’s

The Gluttoness — August 04, 2009

The “Big O’ Burger,” described as a “secret blend crusted with sweet shallot,” $12.00.

For a restaurant to be significant, for it to be “approved” and included in AlwaysHungryNY.com’s quality-controlled, Very Advanced Search Engine, it must first be thoroughly investigated. Lucy Browne’s (view site) came onto our radar when our friend, Josh Ozersky (aka The Feedbag), got involved in the transformation of the former Steak Frites space into a comfort food eatery with the creation of his signature “Big O’ Burger.”

Thanksgiving on a Roll, $13.50.

We’ll get to the burger in a moment. Let’s start by saying, that if we had only tasted the Thanksgiving on a Roll, our experience may have amounted to a FirstLook, a glimpse into a new AHNY-approved eatery. The soft Balthazar roll housed a well-proportioned mix of holiday staples: stuffing, gravy, juicy slabs of turkey, and an authoritative cranberry sauce speckled with fruity gems. The accompanying mountain of French fries were commendable as well, impressively crisp. Their presence was the only thing that ultimately saved our unsatisfied palates as we waded through the other dishes.

Continue reading about AlwaysHungryNY.com's first, and only look at Lucy Browne's. >>

AlwaysPartying: Big Apple BBQ Block Party

June 16, 2009

Blue Smoke’s Kansas City Ribs & Pickled Okra

The Big Apple BBQ Block Party this past weekend was a blast— full of smoke, “hog coffins,” fire, sauces and genuine, get your hands dirty eating. We even ran into some lucky winners of our Big Apple BBQ FastPass Giveaway on the express lines. Everything was delicious, but of course, we had our favorites, which we ranked below. Check out our photographs of pure BBQ goodness on the jump along with a field report from the GutterGourmet.

Click here for a field report from GutterGourmet & AlwaysHungryNY.com's BABBQ pictures >>

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.

Click Here for the full Regional BBQ Breakdown >>

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.

Click Here to read all the chefs' answers >>

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" >>

Delivery Duel: BBQ Brisket Sandwich

The Gluttoness — June 10, 2009

AlwaysHungryNY.com’s offices in Gramercy position us in prime location for BBQ delivery, so we decided to match the Barbecue Beef Sandwich at Hill Country against Wildwood Barbecue Smothered Brisket Sandwich. Both restaurants are just about equidistant to AHNY HQ and calls to them were made at precisely 12:26 p.m. by two AHNY members who finished ordering at just about the same time. The clock was ticking.

Click here for the results of the BBQ Delivery Challenge >>

AlwaysPartying: National Brisket Day

Jeff Zalaznick — May 28, 2009

Today is one of our favorite food holidays, May 28th is National Brisket Day. Since everyone else is probably going to give you something BBQ, we thought we’d go with our other favorite type of brisket: Jewish Beef Brisket. This recipe has been perfected over years by Chef Usha, and is without question the finest recipe that you will find. We know that your grandmother makes it best, but believe us, give this a try. Looking at the Jewish Calender, this may be somewhat poorly timed, but definitely put it in a box and lock it away. Shavuot anyone?

Just for good measure, the best BBQ brisket in NY is without question served over at Hill Country, so if you are in the mood to celebrate, go there.

Click here for AlwaysHungryNY's Jewish Beef Brisket recipe >>

SEARCH: Flat Screens & BBQ for March Madness?

March 19, 2009

Use our Very Advanced Search Engine to always find the perfect place. March Madness is coming! Just search for Flat Screens Included and BBQ, to find the best places to watch the games and chow down with your boys. Here’s what’s AlwaysHungry Approved:

1. Blue Smoke 116 E. 27th Street

Recommended Dishes: Deviled Eggs, Chipotle Chicken Wings, Memphis Baby Back Ribs, Macaroni & Cheese

2. Daisy May’s BBQ USA 623 11th Avenue

Recommended Dishes: Big Pig Gig (48 Hours Notice), Rack of Lamb (24 Hours Notice), Oklahoma Jumbo Beef Rib, Carolina Pulled Pork, Creamed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Corn

3. Hill Country 30 W. 26th Street

Recommended Dishes: Beef Ribs, Pork Spare Ribs, Regular Kreuz Sausage, Moist Brisket, Bone-In Pork Chop, Beef Shoulder, Beer Can Game Hen, Smokey Chipotle Deviled Eggs, German Potato Salad, Corn Souffle, Baked Beans with Burnt Ends, PB&J Cupcakes, Pecan Pie

4. Southern Hospitality 1460 2nd Avenue

Recommended Dishes: Baby Back Ribs, Pulled Pork Platter (pictured), Classic Macaroni & Cheese

5. Spanky’s BBQ 127 W. 43rd Street

Recommended Dishes: St. Louis Style Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, Mac & Cheese, Warm Tollhouse Cookie Pie

6. Wildwood Barbecue 225 Park Avenue South

Recommended Dishes: Bottle Caps, Kicked-Up Caesar Salad, Beef Short Ribs, Dry-Rubbed Pork Spare Ribs, Jailhouse Chili

Dish by Dish: Per Se

Jeff Zalaznick — February 25, 2009

Amuse Bouche: Salmon Tartare Cornets

1st Course: “Oysters and Pearls”
“Sabayon” of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

2nd Course: “Scrambled Eggs”
Sautéed Sweetbreads with Slow-Cooked Black Truffle Scrambled Eggs

Click Here for the Full Dish by Dish >>

AlwaysHungry Gets Totally Baked

The Gluttoness — September 02, 2008

Not like we need a real reason to ravage a restaurant, but with our offices just a few blocks from Totally Baked, it was only fitting that we investigate in AlwaysHungry-style—with a slew of gourmet baked potatoes. The ordering was immense, the tasting was arduous, and after serious degustation and subsequent conversation, we all agreed on a unanimous winner. So in ascending order from the lamest to the most luscious, here’s the results of our spud-tacular taste test.

Click here for the AlwaysHungry rankings. >>