First Look: Mile End
GutterGourmet — February 01, 2010
Top: Mile End’s Smoked Meat Sandwich Bottom left, Exterior. Right, Jars of pickled cabbage.
Like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton introducing traditional American blues to a new generation in the 60’s, sometimes it takes a foreigner to make you appreciate your own culture. So, maybe it’s not crazy that a French Canadian can make New Yorkers remember what the soul of a great Jewish deli is all about. Mile End (named after a neighborhood in Montreal) in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill is faithfully recreating Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen much the same way that Hill Country recreated Lockhart’s Kreuz Market barbecue.
Top 5: Latkes
December 15, 2009
Latkes: Complicated Simplicity
Where one eats latkes is a very personal thing. This becomes even more important come the Festival of Lights. There are so many factors that go into determining whether one likes a latke or not: thickness, weight, seasoning, size, crispness. So, in honor of Hannukah, we set out to find the five best latkes that embodied different versions of these factors while still adhering to traditional preparation.
Click here to find out AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Top 5 Latkes.
Have an idea for a Top 5? We’d love to hear from you. Go to the bottom of a Top 5 page and enter your suggestion into the “Suggest a Top 5” field along with your rankings and your email address.
AlwaysHolidays: The Latke Recipe
Jeff Zalaznick — December 15, 2009
AlwaysHungry’s latkes being fried.
It is very important that you have a good latke recipe to accompany your Hannukah candlelighting. Everyone has their grandma’s recipe that they love, but if you are looking to hone your craft a little bit further, this should be of assistance.
There are many different ways to make latkes, but after a variety of attempts I think that we have found perfection. The variables that we looked at included onions, eggs, oil type, grate/purée, size, matzoh meal inclusion, and potato drying technique. Our conclusion was to caramelize the onions in chicken fat, go half and half with the potatoes in the grater and food processor, dry the hell out of the potatoes (first through a strainer and then by utilizing the “jelly roll towel” technique), and finally, to fry the pancakes in a combination of chicken fat and peanut oil.
Nothing groundbreaking, but a few minor tweaks that can take your pancakes to the next level. And of course, you should listen to this while you make them.
AlwaysHolidays: Eight Crazy Deep Fried Nights
December 11, 2009
From Sammy’s Roumanian, Latkes.
Tonight marks the beginning of Hannukah. Celebrating the oil that burned for eight days while the Maccabees rededicated the holy Temple in Jerusalem, this wonderful holiday conveniently calls for oil soaked, deep fried delicacies. When else is there such a good excuse to eat foods soaked in oil? For us, almost everyday, for the rest of you, maybe not as often. While it is American tradition to celebrate with Potato Pancakes (Latkes) and Jelly Dougnuts (Sufganiyot), anything that is soaked in oil will do. So to help celebrate these Eight Crazy Nights, we give you eight of New York City’s great oil soaked, deep fried treats (including a few beloved latkes and donuts) that you can devour while you light your menorah, have a party, and dance the hora.
HAPPY HANNUKAH!
Featured Restaurant: Cafe Edison
GutterGourmet — December 03, 2009
Chopped Liver Sandwich at the Polish Tea Room. Left, 47th Street entrance. Right, lobby entrance.
So I’m schlepping around the Schmatte District looking for a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a nosh when I realize I’m all the way up on 46th street outside of The Hotel Edison (site). I walk through the hotel lobby all the way in the back through a nondescript door leading into a little coffee shop. Cafe Edison (view) aka the “Polish Tea Room” is not at all fancy-pants like the Russian Tea Room. In fact, it’s a bit schmutzy but haymish.
I get a booth and order the soup. The kneidlach are to die for. Better than the 2nd Avenue Deli’s if that’s possible. It was a shonda that this was not included in AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Top Five Matzoh Ball Soups! Then I order a bissel of the Kasha Varnishkes on the side, the Chopped Liver and the Hot Roumanian Pastrami on Rye. The bowtie pasta, buckwheat and onions are superb, the chopped liver with hard-boiled eggs needed a touch of salt, but the pastrami, though not up to Katz’s or the 2nd Avenue Deli’s standards, is just fine.
I am a maven when it comes to Chocolate Egg Creams and this one is poifect. Being a fresser, I cannot leave without ordering the blintzes, all three of them (the waiter already thinks I’m meshuga). The cheese, cherry and blueberry fried crepes make me think of my old bubby who was a waitress at Ratner’s when she was a girl. I ate so much I could plotz.
Café Edison is truly a time machine if you want to go kibitz or kvetch for an hour. I must return to try the Latkes, the Matzo Brei and the Gefilte Fish.
Click Here for Beautiful Pictures of Food at the Polish Tea Room >>
AlwaysInformed: Izz Nat Your Average Deli
The Gluttoness — October 14, 2009
Challah French Toast with Caramelized Bananas and Maple Butter.
Every neighborhood has its advantages, and while there is much I love about living way downtown, the lack of an authentic delicatessen has always been a problem. We’ve got Bubby’s and Kitchenette, my TriBeCa brunch staples, but while you may be able to order a Matzoh Ball Soup there, at neither place can you find a towering sandwich a la Katz’s. Gold St.‘s 24-hour diner concept was overthought, particularly the inclusion of a sushi bar, and ultimately, the food sucked. A good deli has to stay simple and classic. Izzy & Nat’s (view) successfully brings that authentic deli experience to Battery Park City.
The front of house is essentially your average bagelry (a luxury TriBeCa and the FiDi now have thanks to Zucker’s and Leo’s) with hand-rolled bagels, smoked fish, cold salads and schmears. The black and white tiles and leather booths give the dining room that old school deli flair. A lengthy menu provides a problem that I actually like to have—too many options—and the Fair Trade Organic Coffee, imported from Chile, is one of the best cups of joe I’ve had in a while.
On a recent visit, I thought I wanted lox and a bagel, but Challah French Toast and a Pastrami Benny kept luring my attention with promises of caramelized bananas and creamy hollandaise. Then there are all the Jewish staples: Kasha Varnishkes, Potato Pancakes, Matzoh Brie and Sweet and Sour Meatballs—not to mention a house-made Meat Knish with pastrami! Holy heaven. Should I make my own sandwich or settle for the always-satisfying Reuben? I decided on a towering Turkey Pastrami on Rye (right) and a warm slice of Chocolate Babka, which hit the deli spot. The meal tasted even better for having been able to devour it just a few blocks from home.
AlwaysPartying: Yom Kippur Break-Fast
The Gluttoness — September 28, 2009
Yom Kippur, aka the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. We ask for forgiveness for our sins and we deny our bodies food for an entire day. For those of you who are eagerly awaiting sundown, here is some “Break-Fast” inspiration:
__ Barney Greengrass’ Lox scrambled with Eggs & Onions ($14.00).__
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.
AlwaysInvestigating: Native Tongues
The Gluttoness — August 03, 2009
Growing up Jewish, tongue was often part of my deli experience (especially when Nanny ordered it). But not until I moved to New York did I realize it was an globally respected ingredient. Recently, I tried four international preparations, starting at Katz’s Deli, which specializes in my native tongue.
AlwaysPartying: Loving the L.E.O.
Jeff Zalaznick — June 03, 2009
It’s National Egg Day today. Yay. So let’s celebrate it with a classic New York staple: The L.E.O. (For the totally uninformed, this stands for lox, eggs, and onions.) At this point in time, it should probably be called a N.E.O (with Nova), since lox is really too salty to use in the dish, but for the sake of history, and the ability to call my favorite breakfast and my uncle by the same name, let’s stick with L.E.O. Now, in my opinion there is only one restaurant that makes an acceptable L.E.O., and it is the finest in class. This is Barney Greengrass, and there is no reason to ever discuss any other restaurant when it comes to this topic. A N.E.O, sliced tomatoes, sturgeon and bagel. It’s a Molotov cocktail, baby. It could kill you it is so good.
Since there is only one place worth eating it out, the best thing to do is make it yourself. The guidance I’m going to give you below will be extremely helpful in your quest to achieve the ideal L.E.O.
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 >>
AlwaysHungryNY: JoeDoe’s Conflicted Jew
The Gluttoness — May 21, 2009
With a sandwich named the Conflicted Jew, it was only a matter of time before the CORE descended upon the Lower East Side’s JoeDoe. The name of this Sammy may be tongue-in-cheek, but it actually showcases liver (tongue is reserved for the Philly Cheese Tongue). Billed as their “classic liver, bacon and onion sandwich,” the conflict in The Conflicted Jew, is obviously the fact that while a liver and onion sandwich is inherently Jewish, Bacon is not kosher.
The sandwich is served in quarters with an apple dipping sauce. Its highlight, the bread, is at turns eggy and crisp like French Toast. “The Conflict” inside wasn’t much of a struggle— the bacon should have been crisper and the liver needed more seasoning. For such a great name, the sandwich wasn’t as amazing as we had hoped, but still a pleasurable experience. The first two quarters are fun to eat and definitely worth trying but we just can’t imagine someone saying, “I’m so in the mood for JoeDoe’s ‘The Conflicted Jew’ right now.”
Even if they were, we’d be surprised if they could finish it. This is the kind of sandwich that you’d enjoy tasting for kicks because of its name and afterwards only to introduce it with a wink to your friends.
What’s in a Name? NOODLE PUDDING
Jeff Zalaznick — May 04, 2009
From Left: Noodle Pudding (the dish), Noodle Pudding (the restaurant)
When I hear “Noodle Pudding”, I instantly think of noodle kugel—the classic sweet or savory Jewish noodle casserole, which is also one of my favorite dishes in the world. As someone famous for ordering pasta for dessert, you can imagine why. There are multiple variations of this dish, but the sweet variety almost always includes the following: egg noodles, raisins, cinnamon and sour cream. Thus, you can imagine that I was perplexed when I heard of a notable Italian restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, that was named Noodle Pudding. Due to my positive association, I have always felt fondly towards this restaurant, but it has also always been a source of great confusion.
The other day, I had The Gluttoness call Noodle Pudding’s owner, Antonio Migliaccio III, to find out the deal. I was overjoyed to find out that in Ischia, a volcanic island off the coast of Naples where Antonio hails from, if you go into a bakery and order Migliaccio, you’ll likely be served something that resembles a Jewish-style Noodle Pudding. More specifically, Antonio told us that his favorite comes from the Calise Family Bakery, which sells a sweet noodle pudding known as Migliaccio di Ischia. It’s made with capellini that is baked with eggs, milk, sugar and candied orange peel.
It was this noodle pudding that Antonio thought of when he decided to name his restaurant after the English translation of his last name, and thus, Noodle Pudding was born on Henry Street. Unfortunately though, they don’t serve it there. When we asked the manager, Alfredo, if they serve noodle pudding at Noodle Pudding. He answered,“No, We serve much better desserts.” Probably not true, but either way, we love the name.
AlwaysInvestigating: Bagel Boss Invades Manhattan
The Gluttoness — April 23, 2009
We know, there are plenty of places to get great bagels in New York City. You’ve got the famed H&H, Ess-A-Bagel, Pick A Bagel, the under-appreciated Bagel Bob’s (near NYU), and a slew of Murray’s Bagels and its spinoffs. So what’s the big deal about Bagel Boss coming to New York City? Well, many Strong Island natives claim these as New York’s best. (The fact that it did not get a shout out in DJ Lubel’s life-changing power ballad Ode To Murray Hill can only be attributed to human error.) The argument isn’t entirely crazy. If you’ve ever had a Bagel Boss bagel hot from the oven with a schmear of cream cheese, you know the deal. Even the structure of these crusty bad boys is impressive— they scream homemade. A quick twist breaks open the outer shell revealing a moist, soft center.
These archetypal bagels are worth a trip to 15th and 1st Ave., just don’t look for the Bagel Boss sign you’d find outside any one of the twelve Long Island locations. Bagel Boss has taken over what was once La Bagel and the awning hasn’t been changed yet. Loyal Bagel Boss devotees will instantly spot the store’s standards: the heralded Mushroom Egg Salad (peppered with fried onions like Sammy’s chopped liver), their creamier-than-thou Baked Salmon Salad, and a fabulous Tuna Salad, chock-full of dried cranberries and chunks of apple. Sure, you can enjoy your bagel just as much with Cream Cheese on a Cinnamon Raisin or Scallion Spread on an Everything, but at Bagel Boss the top-notch salads are as integral to the overall experience as the bagels themselves.
Though business would have probably already been bumping had they opened up in Murray Hill, as word spreads, this Kosher establishment will quickly gain steam amongst Long Island imports and city folk alike. Weekend mornings are sure to be dating gold if you’re looking to meet a nice Jewish girl with an affinity for Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel. We wouldn’t say it’s the new boss of New York City bagels, but the bagelry’s Egg Salad is definitely throwing elbows and it is a welcome addition to the East Village.
Bagel Boss is located at: 263 1st Avenue
AlwaysPartying: Passover at Sammy’s Roumanian
The Gluttoness — April 13, 2009
With four mandated cups of wine, Passover is meant to be a happy holiday, a celebration of the Jewish people breaking free from the bonds of slavery, but there is one place that takes Passover to another level of craziness: Sammy’s Roumanian.
Every year, Sammy’s throws their back-to-back seders for the first two nights of Passover. Complete with a mini-service compliments of Cantor Jerry, Dani Luv’s funky renditions of Hebrew classics like “Dyanu” are only a warm-up to the raucous sing along of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Metal bowls of pickled cucumbers, tomatoes and green peppers hold over the famished until Gefilte Fish, Stuffed Cabbage, Karnatzlack (homemade sausages) and Chopped Eggs & Onions arrive. Chopped Liver with Radish & Onions is always the star of the appetizers since it’s tossed table-side with a dramatic dressing of creamy shmaltz (shown right).
While all-you-can-drink Manischevitz is included in the $89.95 prix-fixe, the drink of the evening is Sammy’s specialty: frozen bottles of vodka, either Kettle One or Grey Goose. After a few drinks and plenty of Jewish jokes, matzoh boxes become hats and the whole restaurant is dancing around the over-capacity room. It’s a shame the Home Fried Potatoes don’t come in the beginning, as they’d be the perfect base for the over-the-top chopped liver. Side dishes also include inch-thick Potato Pancakes with Apple Sauce and Mashed Potatoes with Fried Onions. For the main course, you’re given the option of choosing between Brisket, Chicken, Steak, Veal (broiled or breaded) or Salmon—but the “Romanian Tenderloin” (aka the skirt steak) is always your best bet.
The night is capped off with a Chocolate Egg Cream and an attempt to throw down some macaroons—at this point, why not? The heart-clogging meal lasts long into the evening and Alka Seltzer is waiting for you on the way out. It’s definitely a night to remember and one your body will never forget. Good thing Passover is only once a year, since this is one old school celebration that you definitely don’t want to pass over.
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