AlwaysInformed: Lunch at Dickson Farmstand Meats
Maryse Chevrière — March 16, 2010
Salt and Pepper Sausage on a Roll.
Those in the environs of Chelsea Market during lunch certainly don’t want for good dining options, the new offerings at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats included among them. The butcher shop, which has been serving lunch for three or four weeks, offers about five sandwiches that change daily (check their site).
A representative noted that every day they try to have two sandwiches and two sausages on the offer (the Beef Chili is a staple). The star of today’s menu? It was a deceptively simple-sounding Salt and Pepper Sausage on a Roll ($9.00). The loose, juicy sausage has a snappy casing, and comes drenched in richly-flavored, sweetish, baked beans with burnt ends. The chewy baguette holds up nicely, and the runny whole grain mustard under the sausage adds a spicy kick. Say hello to the new gourmet chili dog. Toss that tie over your shoulder, hunch over the tray, and get ready to chow down. This is going to get messy.
AlwaysStrong: Bonanza’s (Oyster Bay, Long Island)
Arthur Bovino — March 12, 2010
Bonanza Fries at Bonanza’s in Oyster Bay on Long Island.
Location: Bonanza’s
Address: 25 Shore Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Contact: (516) 922-7796
Hours: Winter, daily, 11:00am-4:00pm; Summer, 11:00am-close (usually around 8:00pm).
Grade: A-
Always Hungry Recommends: Bonanza Dog, Bonanza Fries, and Raspberry and Peach Ices Combined.
Long before the Western, the name Bonanza on Long Island has been associated with homemade Italian ices. Given that Bonanza’s was started by John “Chick” Bonanza 115 years ago, this family-run business almost stretches back to a time when the Old West existed. These days, their little red shack is just as associated with dogs and fries doused with great, messy, piles of dripping chili and cheese. They’re made the way you would have made them for yourself when you were a kid if someone had let you.
Always Hungry: Queens Hot Dog Trucks
GutterGourmet — January 08, 2010
Top, D’Angelos Italian Sausage with peppers and onions. Left, D’Angelos. Right, Angel Bonilla.
Long before the advent of trucks selling gourmet desserts, mini-cupcakes, waffles and even schnitzel, the D’Angelo family was selling life-affirming hot dogs in two very different regional styles alongside St. John’s Cemetery on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens. The styles are miles apart in taste profile, but the two different trucks selling them are separated by only several hundred yards. Both were owned by the D’Angelo family, who have been doing this for about 40 years, but the Dominick’s truck was recently sold to a family friend.
Why St. Johns Cemetery? Angel Bonilla, one of the family members who runs the D’Angelos cart, laughed and said, “My uncle started it here many years ago, for no particular reason. He thought it was a good location. It seems to have worked out well for us though.” They’re hoping for similar fortune with their new Huntington location (918 E. Jericho Turnpike), which opened about a year ago.
Continue Reading About Dominick's and D'Angelos Hot Dogs and Sausages >>
Best of 2009: Trends and 2010 Predictions
Jeff Zalaznick — December 23, 2009
It’s that time of year again. Time for reflection and prediction. As we leave the aughts behind, we look back at the trends that changed New York City’s food landscape in 2009 and ponder what’s in store for 2010. We are going to take a positive spin: those that we hope will remain and those we eagerly anticipate.
TRENDS 2009
1. Best Steaks, Not From a Steakhouse New York has always been known for our steakhouses, but this year the best meat was ripped from the house’s hands and put into the control of some of the city’s best restaurants. Much of this loosened grip has to do with the all-star quality and distribution ability of Pat LaFrieda (watch video). Though I love me a Porterhouse at Peter Luger’s, a Rib-eye at Strip House and a Double Eagle Strip at Del Frisco’s, they have been surpassed by the Côte de Boeuf at Minetta Tavern, the Rib-eye for Two at Locanda Verde, the Strip at Marea. The list goes on and on. It was also the year that the bone in rib-eye finally rose up to overtake the porterhouse as King of all Steaks. It was only a matter of time. This is a major advancement across the board.
2. Haute Dogs The hot dog went gourmet and I am not complaining. Crif Dogs has been doing impressive things with the genre for a while now (though their new usage of “everything bagel spice” is very exciting), but restaurants like DBGB, Fatty Crab UWS and Cabrito are jumping into the mix with some seriously delicious contenders. This is one that I think will continue to grow in the next year.
3. Omnipresent Octopus Seriously, think about every restaurant you’ve visited lately and ask yourself if there was octopus on the menu. I guarantee that more often than not, no matter the cuisine or price-range, this cephalopod was probably present. And why not? It’s economical to serve, and recently, the average rendition is fabulous. I am so happy that chefs have finally learned how to prepare it so well, leaving the chewy childhood memories behind. Also, keep an eye out for sweetbreads, I think that they are starting to fall into the same category.
PREDICTIONS 2010
1. Artisanal Italian beer everywhere.
2. Large-format alternative (not steak or chicken) proteins for two.
3. Lamb belly becomes the new pork belly.
4. Italian Small Plate (aka “Stuzzichini”) Restaurants
5. Brain is the hot new Offal
6. Mexican Infusion: Fusion Cuisine and Sandwich Revolution.
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.
AlwaysInformed: Cabrito & Fatty Crab at Mad. Sq. Mark’t
The Hungry Goat — October 15, 2009
Chorizo Tacos by Cabrito and Fatty Crab’s ‘Fatty Dog.’
As Grub Street reported, Madison Square Park has upped its food game with a slew of pop-up vendors. Participants in Mad. Sq. Mark’t (view) include Hill Country, Wafels & Dinges and Ben & Jerry’s, but the real story is the stand shared by Fatty Crab (view) and Cabrito (view).
The Fatty Sliders and Fatty Dog were just as enjoyable as when we had them at the Upper West Side location when Fatty Crab opened, and the chorizo and al carbon tacos will certainly hit the spot if you have a craving (especially since going to Calexico in SoHo is a real time commitment). The stands will be up until November 1st, so if you’re a Flatiron luncher, it’s a must-visit, and surely a faster line situation than Shake Shack. Some pictures follow for your enjoyment.
OnlyLook: Mother Burger
Arthur Bovino — September 30, 2009
Mother Burger’s Bacon Cheeseburger w/Applegate Farms’ Organic Sunday Bacon $8.50.
You know you should be suspicious when servers at a restaurant with ‘burger’ in the name suggest everything except the burger. That happened at Mother Burger (view site) in the plaza behind One Worldwide Plaza in Midtown when we were recently invited for dinner.
The large, open courtyard should be an ideal setting for drawing office coworkers when the whistle blows. Blockheads Burritos co-owners (and brothers), Don and Ken Sofer, must have had a similar thought when they recently signed their 10-year lease. With outdoor seating, $2.00 beer specials, blue skies, recession-friendly prices and hormone-free and organic meats, there’s reason to be hopeful, albeit skeptical when sitting down to the free peanuts.
AlwaysPartying: Food from Brazilian Day Festival 2009
Arthur Bovino — September 08, 2009
How many people attended. Check newspaper article.
The two-day Brazilian Day Festival 2009 celebration this weekend featured a lot of action in Midtown, and Brazilian food was no small part of it. Festivities started on 42nd Street and Avenue of the Americas and stretched all the way up to 56th Street. The usual street food fair-vendor suspects were there, the arepas, zeppoles, and gyros. But there was also a solid block on 46th Street between Madison and Sixth Avenue that was almost completely Brazilian food.
Green and yellow, flag-as-cape wearing Brasileiros and festival-goers got a chance to eat some of their favorites from feijoada and açai na tigela to coxinha, acarajé and of course, pão de queijo. AlwaysHungryNY.com attended, hungry and ready to eat, drink and photograph it all.
Pão de queijo, $1/3.
Coxinha, $3.
Kibe ($3/1) a Brazilian-Lebanese street snack consisting of deep-fried meat and bulgur wheat.
Crêpe with Goiaba (Guava) and Pastel de Queijo.
Click Here for more pictures of food from Brazilian Day 2009 >>
AlwaysLearning: Regional Hot Dog Round-Up
Zak Williams — July 02, 2009
Chicago Dog, photo courtesy of Navin75 via Flickr
Coast to coast, city to city, there are hundreds, if not thousands of ways to top the almighty hot dog. Aside from conventional toppings like ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, onions, chili, and peppers, there are tons of interesting toppings from beef hearts to spaghetti sauce. This being National Hot Dog Month, and Saturday’s event in Coney Island being the mother of all hot dog days, we’ve compiled a list of some popular styles.
Brats
Location: Sheboygan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Dog: Bratwurst (large, white, pork-based hot dog), preferably Usinger’s
Bun: A brat bun (Milwaukee) or hard-roll (Sheboygan)
Method: Simmered with onions in beer and finished off on a charcoal grill
Toppings: Onions; Brats are cooked with and finished off with brown or Dijon mustard, never yellow.
The Spot: State Street Brats and Lambeau Field’s parking lot a few hours before a Packers game.
Cheese Coney
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Dog: Pork or beef hot dog
Bun: Steamed
Method: Boiled or grilled
Toppings: Mustard, diced onions, Cincinnati-style chili, and a mound of shredded Cheddar cheese
The Spot: Skyline
Chicago Dog
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Dog: All beef frank, traditionally of the Vienna Beef brand
Bun: Doughy poppy-seed bun
Method: Boiled or grilled
Toppings: Yellow mustard, sport peppers, tomatoes, a pickle spear, onions, bright green relish, celery salt, and absolutely no ketchup
The Spot: Hot Doug’s
Click here for more of AlwaysHungryNY.com's regional hot dog round up >>
SEARCH: Kids Are AlwaysHungry Too
June 19, 2009
Tomorrow kicks off Kids’ Restaurant Week in New York City. From June 20th through June 28th, 32 of the city’s restaurants will be offering special prix fixe children’s menus. Some notable participating restaurants include: Artisanal, BLT Burger, Blue Water Grill, DBGB Kitchen & Bar, Kefi, Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, The Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel and Zarela.
Of course some Manhattan eateries always welcome the younger ones, it’s just a matter of finding them all. For this reason, AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Very Advanced Search has a kid friendly feature that enables you to find the best place to bring the kids without sacrificing a good meal. Clicking “kid friendly,” then searching will provide you with a list of all the city’s children-friendly restaurants.
Of course, you can also just use our Very Advanced Search Engine to find restaurants that serve kid-approved fare. We have included some typical examples below but if your children have more sophisticated tastes, well, you can search those too.
AlwaysLearning: Kolaches
The Hungry Goat — June 15, 2009
Sausage, Cheese & Jalapeño Kolache from Old Towne Kolaches in Houston, Texas
Unless you’re from Texas, you’ve probably never heard of Kolaches, a delectable breakfast snack as common in the Lone Star State as bagels and cream cheese are in New York.
What it is: Traditional kolaches (pronounced KO-LA-CHEESE) are sweet, flat yeast rolls filled with fruit jam, poppy seed paste or soft cheese.
Where it’s from: They are said to have been introduced stateside by Czech immigrants in regions like Eastern and Central Texas. The term has also come to refer to a savory variety stuffed with items like mini-sausages, cheese and jalapeño. The slightly sweet roll is best eaten warm, with the gooey cheese melted all around the salty sausage. Some believe this non-sweet adaptation on the pastry that is widely popular across Texas, to be the result of Americanization. Others maintain that the correct term for the variety is Klobasnek, a distinct albeit similar item whose name translates in Czech to “Pig in a Blanket.” Most call it a good excuse to eat hot dogs for breakfast.
Where to get it in New York: Kolache board activity on Chowhound and Yelp makes it clear that this cult, “hometown favorite” is being craved here in New York where it’s virtually impossible to find. Fortunately for New Yorkers, kolaches are scheduled to make their Manhattan debut in September of 2009 in Midtown, where two locations of Kolache Mama are supposed to simultaneously open. This specialty shop owned by Richard Saler, a Texas native, promises to be “filled with goodness.” We’ll see if they can deliver on that promise and how quickly New Yorkers are to embrace them. There are plans to open fifty Kolache Mama stores during the next four years in cities including Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta, so this Texas treat isn’t likely to be a secret much longer.
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.
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.
AlwaysHungryNY: CitiField’s Pastrami Dog
Arthur Bovino — May 20, 2009
Much has been written about the food at the Mets’ new ballpark, CitiField. AlwaysHungryNY has made a thorough investigation of the food both on the field-level and in the Acela Club. But one item, served at several Kosher Grill stands, seems to have been overlooked in all the fuss over “DannyMeyerField”: the Pastrami Dog, ($6.50).
You’re wondering if the dog is made with pastrami— it’s not. It’s a regular hot dog but it’s the best one in the ballpark. Under the watchful eye of Rabbi Katz (right, white beard), the hot dog is slipped into the bun and layered with a generous portion of pastrami which has been cooking on the flat top. The thin pastrami shavings add salty flavor and the ends that have slightly hardened while cooking, add texture. It’s a tasty combination, especially when loaded up with onions and mustard.
Discounting the Yanks’ Lobel’s Steak Sandwich, the Pastrami Dog is just another example of the superiority of the food at CitiField over what’s on the offer at Yankee Stadium.
Perfect Bite: The Ditch Dog
The Gluttoness — May 13, 2009
AlwaysHungryNY exalts the concept of the ‘perfect bite,’ the combination of an excellent dish’s best flavor elements (how many components depends on the dish) to achieve flavor maximization. The true power move at any restaurant is to take this concept to the next level: integrating the best elements from several excellent dishes to create the supreme perfect bite.
The concept was formalized during a steak dinner. The steak was delicious, but it was the juicy bite of steak topped with creamed spinach, mashed potato and fried onions that was, well, perfect. The CORE is obsessed with creating the perfect bite for every meal.
Now, while we are often forced to carefully consider flavor combinations as we stack our tines high with meticulously constructed mouthfuls, some dishes do all the work for us. Take something that may sound revolting at first, Ditch Plains’ Ditch Dog ($14).
Click here for more about the Ditch Dog and the "Perfect Bite" >>
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