AlwaysPartying: Superbowl Edition
Jeff Zalaznick — February 05, 2010
The spread.
Throwing a Superbowl party is something that must be done in style. Always Hungry style. The goal is to put together such an epic combination of food that your friends at the game wish they had stayed home. Normally this takes great meditation and planning, but if you stick with us, we will put it together for you. Follow these instructions and we guarantee that you will have the best Superbowl spread that any of your guests have ever seen.
Here is the move:
- New York’s best Buffalo Wings from Cercle Rouge
- Sloppy Joe Sandwiches from the Town Hall Deli
- A Bo Ssäm to-go from Momofuku Ssäm Bar
- And cook a Bacon Explosion just to ice the cake, and give the apartment that signature smell.
SEARCH: Where to Watch the Big Game
Maryse Chevrière — February 05, 2010
Clockwise from top: scene from the Saints’ victory over the Vikings, Acme’s Fried Shrimp Po’Boy, Kate’s Crazy Wings from Wogies, and Cabrito’s Danger Dog.
If you’re planning to throw a Superbowl party, we’ve already got you covered. But let’s say you want to pass on the hosting duties and obligatory clean-up hassle. Where’s the best place to go for tasty snacks, strong drinks and good company while watching the Saints take on the Colts in Superbowl XLIV?
We’ve made it simple for you. Just go to Always Hungry’s Very Advanced Search Engine, select “Guys’ Night Out” from the By Occasion field and “Flat Screens Included” from the By Features field, for a list of great game day options.
Naturally, a lot of restaurants are offering specials deals for the event. A few interesting ones:
- Delmonico’s is serving up Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Double-Fried French Fries and unlimited Stella Artois on the house from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
- For something less traditional, Artisanal is doing a Monterrey Jack Fondue with Black Beans and Chipotle ($48.50/person).
- If you’re one of the many who have been not-so-patiently awaiting the opening of Fatty ‘Cue, both Fatty Crab locations will serve a preview menu (though only the Fatty uptown has TV’s).
AlwaysTraveling: Who Dat Nation
Jeff Zalaznick — February 03, 2010
A scene from the Saints’ January 24th victory over the Vikings.
Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who dat? Who dat?
For the New Orleans Saints it has been a very long road to their first Superbowl, but finally, the people of NOLA have a football team that lives up to their wonderful food.
There is no question that New Orleans is one of the greatest, and possibly most unique food cities in the world, and we would like to make sure to celebrate that appropriately. Thus, what better way to show our Superbowl endorsement of the team than by bringing you coverage of some of the greatest meals that the Big Easy has to offer for the rest of this week. And besides, there is really not much food worth noting in Indianapolis.
First stop: Cochon.
Always Hungry: Hurricanes and Fried Shrimp Po’Boys
Maryse Chevrière — January 22, 2010
Fried Shrimp Po’Boy with Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries.
We know that you know what to do to enjoy the Jets game, but if you are not in New Orleans with Jeff this weekend, the second best way to enjoy Sunday’s Saints vs. Vikings game is with NOLA grub at NoHo’s Acme Bar & Grill. They serve a legit Fried Shrimp Po’Boy that even discerning Louisiana expats can stand behind. It may not be Mother’s, but Acme’s sandwich hits the mark with tender, cornmeal-crusted shrimp amply stuffed in a soft, crusty baguette.
The Po’Boy is served un-sauced, but it comes with a lemon wedge and sides of tangy cocktail sauce and creamy remoulade. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really need any add-ons, but a squirt of lemon juice and a dab of remoulade only improve the experience. You get your choice of one side— we recommend the cinnamon-dusted sweet potato fries, which have a dessert-like quality to them.
Hurricane Cocktail.
If you’re watching the game at the restaurant, make like you’re at Pat O’Brien’s on Bourbon Street, and order a Hurricane pitcher. This rum and passion juice-based concoction may look pink and girlie, but it’ll knock you on your ass if you’re not careful.
Alternatively, if you’re planning to take in the game at home, Acme does great take-out. And, you can fashion your own Hurricanes, Big Easy-style, with a heavy hand.
If you want to further get in the mood, follow the Always Hungry Twitter this weekend as Jeff reports live on his New Orleans eating adventures.
Let’s go Jets!
AlwaysInformed: Cabrito’s Border Dogs
The Gluttoness — October 23, 2009
From top left, clockwise, Cabrito’s Border Dogs: Sonora Dog, Danger Dog and Lucha Libre Dog.
Cabrito (view) really knows how to use the flat-screen TVs they recently installed. No NY1 on these bad boys— they’re reserved for specialty events like Mexican Lucha Libre, the World Cup, and for now, football. Given Chef David Schuttenberg’s new promotional menu for his football parties, the combination of food and flat-screens may make this your new favorite Sunday hangout, especially if you enjoy eating while watching the game, but are tired of snacking on junk while surrounded by drunken frat boys at sports bars. Schuttenberg’s line of “Border Dogs” coincides with the ongoing hot dog craze, but it was his time in Tucson, Arizona (and a recent NPR article, The Sonoran Hotdog Crosses The Border), which inspired him to recreate the “Mexicanized” Sonora-style dogs.
Schuttenberg balances the Cabrito/Fatty profile (read: spicy/funky) with the regional flavors of Mexico. As per Sonoran custom, the dogs are wrapped in bacon. At Cabrito, Nathan’s (“because they’re New York”) are wrapped in bacon, Fatty ‘Cue’s smoked coriander bacon. Then they’re deep-fried. Rather than the dense, traditional bolio, Schuttenberg uses Martin’s Long Potato Rolls, which he coats in lardo then griddles. Each of the three border dogs ($8.00/each) are distinct. For him, the “Sonora Dog” represents home, the “Danger Dog” is about being a badass, and “Lucha Libre” is pure, artery-clogging gluttony.
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.
SEARCH: Flatscreens for Your Football
September 11, 2009
Cercle Rouge’s “Cercle Wings,” house special chicken wings.
Last night, the defending Superbowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans 13-10, marking the 2009 debut of NFL football. It also marked the beginning of an eating season filled with AlwaysHungryNY.com favorites like nachos, wings, and jalapeño poppers. There are plenty of places in New York City to eat great food and watch the game, including as we noted today about Tenzan, surprisingly enough, one where you can simultaneously eat good sushi. But when we think football season, we think Buffalo wings, and when we think wings, one restaurant in particular comes to mind: Cercle Rouge (restaurant page).
Hard as it may be to believe, this TriBeCa-based, classic French bistro scores a touchdown with their Cercle Wings. As we previously reported, Executive Chef Pierre Landet tweaks the traditional recipe by adding a few upscale touches, like “Frenching” the bone, but a final coating of Frank’s Red Hot harkens the original enough to satisfy purists.
While the wings at Cercle Rouge are certainly top-notch game day fare, the setting is probably not the rowdy bar space that you’re looking for. Not to worry, if a place with pitcher specials and a room with 14 HD TV’s (like at Southern Hospitality) is more your speed, we’ve got you covered.
Just go to AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Very Advanced Search Engine and select “Guys’ Night Out” from the What Occasion field and “Flat Screens Included” in the What Features field, to get a list of restaurants where you can take in the game.
Seasonal Spotlight: Santa Claus Melon
The Gluttoness — June 08, 2009
Turns out it doesn’t have to be Christmas for a Santa Claus sighting in New York City. Santa Claus Melons are popping up in produce sections at specialty stores. It’s an ovular melon with a green rind that is similar in color to a watermelon, but it only grows to be about the size of a football and its color fades once it is picked. Also known as a Christmas Melon, it’s a late season melon, thus the name.
A thick rind makes it difficult to tell when it is ready to eat, but the development of yellow splotches usually indicates ripeness. Inside, it’s yellow like Honeydew Melon but it isn’t as sweet and it has a mild melon taste. It’s often used raw in fruit salads and puréed in fruit smoothies. Once cut open it should be eaten within five days. It belongs to the muskmelon family, which is renowned for having an awesome shelf life, so it’s possible that if you buy it at the end of October and store it in a cool pantry, you just might be able to still have one around for Christmas. Who’s got the prosciutto?
Did You Know?: Eagles Drink Pickle Juice
The Gluttoness — September 15, 2008
Between yesterday’s International Pickle Day festivities and tonight’s showdown between the Eagles and the Cowboys, there was only one fun food fact that would suffice for the occasion.
Did you know that in September of 2000, after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys 41-14 in the blazing September heat, that many players attributed the win to the vim and vigor they gained from drinking pickle juice? Defensive End Hugh Douglas was even quoted as saying, “I may start drinking pickle juice when I’m just sitting at home chilling.”
AlwaysPartying: Football Food
The Gluttoness — September 08, 2008
In honor of Donovan McNabb tearing it up on the football field, I felt it only fitting to make cheesesteaks for lunch (a very long, gluttonous lunch that eventually merged into an unnecessary dinner). While the boys were glued to their laptops for fantasy updates, I took a simple shortcut to getting the crew fed. Instead of making individual steaks, I cut off the top of a beautiful artisan loaf and hollowed out the insides. American cheese went in first, then came the caramelized onions, cooked low and slow for a good hour until nicely golden. I chose to use Sirloin steaks, which I sliced thinly and sauteed with garlic. Atop the steak went a dose of soft mushrooms, followed by another heavy coating of American cheese, and then the bread lid went back on top. I shoved that bad boy in a 400-degree oven until the cheese was nice and melted, and there you have it: a monster cheesesteak. Just slice and serve (with Sriracha if you’re at my house).
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