AlwaysInvestigating: Plaza Mexico Doña Zita’s Cemita Poblana

Josh Kaplan — September 01, 2009

Plaza Mexico Doña Zita’s Chorizo Cemita Poblana, $8.

Tucked away on an inconspicuous corner of what used to be Astroland in Coney Island (on Bowery Street at Henderson Walk, view map), a half block from Stillwell Avenue, is a humble stand called Plaza Mexico Doña Zita. Besides two show-stealing condiments (their Salsa Fresca and an intense Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce), there’s nothing out of the ordinary as far as the competent Chicken, BBQ Pork and Chorizo tacos go. But the real reason to skip Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters is a sandwich, Doña Zita’s Cemita Poblana.

The Cemita is said to originate from Puebla. It traditionally includes sliced avocados, meat, cheese, onions and salsa roja on a sesame-seed egg roll. The incarnation offered by Plaza Mexico (advertised as a torta) is spectacular— a teetering tower of beautifully-balanced flavors and textures.

The bun is slathered with pinto bean paste and fried on the griddle. Next, Doña Zita’s greasy chorizo is laid as a foundation for thin slices of avocado, tomatoes, and jalapeño wedges. It’s all topped off with a fat, stringy nest of milky white quesillo, a popular Mexican string cheese (also known as Queso Oaxaca) that has the texture of mozzarella, and shredded lettuce. When you bite into the sandwich, the cheese acts as a cold, juicy, chewy element that melds with the grilled chorizo to form a melted, integrated bite— it’s a vision of Mexican street food.

AlwaysPartying: Grill-off at Water Taxi Beach (Long Island City)

Josh Kaplan — July 23, 2009

Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City, Queens

Tuesday night, the brave, food-serious masses paid $35 to eat grilled food while huddling under tents as it rained in Long Island City at Water Taxi Beach (view site) for the Local Grill-off, the signature event of the first annual NYC Good Beer Month sponsored by the Good Beer Seal. The event benefited the Slow Food NYC Harvest Time and Snail Buck programs, which encourage New Yorkers to buy local food from regional Greenmarket farmers.

Amateur contestants battled for the title of “Good Beer Month Grill-off Champion” by preparing grilled food that was supposed to be produced from sustainably and humanely-raised animals and produce grown on farms within 150 miles. Challengers ranged in experience— some were semi-professional, competitive cooks while others were nine-to-fivers seeking culinary adventure. Their ingredients were grown, purchased, foraged, donated and hand-picked from farmers’ markets and local farms.

Ribs Within took top honors with their Smoked Pork Belly with Bok Choi Shooter. The best of the rest succeeded by aiming low and letting local, seasonal ingredients speak for themselves.

Clockwise from top left: BBQ Chicken Wings (Fatty Cue), Motz Burger (Water Taxi Beach), Pulled Pork & Pork Belly (Fette Sau)

There was other food on hand. Water Taxi Beach offered their Motz Burger and Fette Sau provided their pulled pork and ethereal pork belly. Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy’s No. 43 hosted and provided Flying Pig Farm’s Sausages with mustard. But Zak Pelaccio’s Fatty Cue owned the day with a preview of his brined, smoked, grilled, curried BBQ chicken wings served by Fatty Crab chef Corwin Kave. It was paired with a “wing condiment” (rye, sherry and lemon orgeat), a riff on the Mai Tai designed to be paired with the West Indian dry rub spices on the wings.

Following are the contestants, their entries, the farms from which they acquired their ingredients and the contestants’ favorite summer ingredients.

Click here to learn the contestants, their entries and the farms and the contestants' favorite summer ingredients. >>

AlwaysInformed: Shangri-La Seating at Checkers (Brooklyn)

Josh Kaplan — July 22, 2009

Shangri-La seating at Checkers’ Court Street location

The burgeoning Checkers (view site) invasion spreading through the city (Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn) is scheduled to continue today in Manhattan with a one o’clock opening this afternoon of a Downtown location at 77 Chambers Street. It’s almost enough to make us forget the recently opened branch in the awkward railroad space on Court Street in Brooklyn. Love it or hate it, Checkers has been so packed on several visits that even getting inside is tricky. Since the opening more than a month ago, a craving for the signature Cajun Fries often can’t be satisfied without waiting on a line the length of the one for Disney’s Space Mountain. The cramped indoor space makes for a grim seating scenario.

There are three narrow booths to the left and ten stools lining a narrow counter to the right. Customers on either side are forced to fight for space against the crush of a noisy, irritable line four to five customers-wide knifing through the restaurant’s center.

Inconceivably, salvation from the buzz of a heavily-populated commercial block in downtown Brooklyn can be found to the right of the counter at the back where customers place their orders. A narrow, snaking corridor empties into an utterly vacant, lovely, walled-in back patio complete with shaded picnic tables. It makes for the perfect setting to enjoy a mediocre burger and awesome fries in peace.

Featured Restaurant: Terakawa Ramen

Josh Kaplan — July 08, 2009

Terakawa Ramen with Roast Pork

The East Village has long been considered New York City’s Kingdom of Ramen. With so much competition, how does one hope to stand out? The recently opened Terakawa Ramen, to the north on Lexington and 23rd, appears to have found its niche in that time-honored adage of the real estate business: location, location, location.

Evidence of tempered ambition abounds at Terakawa from its intimate space and homey decor to the minimalist, reasonably priced menu ($3.50-$9). It seems to be angling as a lunch destination for the clusters of office buildings crowding Madison Square Park. There are $12 ramen and gyoza (or fried rice) combos and there’s an undeniable emphasis on speed and convenience. Call for pick up and your food will be ready in five minutes, order in-house and you’re served even faster.

That’s not to say the quality suffers. Terakawa’s Tonkotsu (pork broth) adheres to the classic profile: a fragrant, shimmering, golden brown with bubbles of fat. Minced raw garlic was present in each spoonful. The hard-boiled egg’s gelatinous yolk assumed the broth’s flavor splendidly. Al dente noodles became passable with time in the steaming broth. On one occasion the spiraling slice of roast pork had the perfect amount of fattiness, on another, it was so fatty the challenge was finding the meat. Additional helpings of roast pork, bamboo shoots and egg are available for $1 each.

There’s no competition with its more lauded cousins downtown, but if you’re in Gramercy, Terakawa will do just fine.

Check out the Terakawa Ramen restaurant page for more information, including hours and address.

AlwaysLearning: Cochinita Pibil

Josh Kaplan — June 30, 2009

What it is: Cochinita Pibil, or Puerco Pibil (Buried Baby Pig/Hog) is a whole suckling pig or pork butt, rubbed with an intricate spice blend, wrapped in a banana leaf and slow-roasted. The magic of the dish is created by Achiote Paste (or Recado Rojo), made from a distinctive spice blend that includes: clove, achiote, cumin, allspice, dried Mexican oregano, black pepper and salt, combined with sour Seville Oranges, vinegar, garlic and habanero peppers. Once slathered with paste, the meat is usually covered with sliced onions, wrapped in a banana leaf, and placed in a large baking pan in marinade. It is then covered with tin foil and cooked at a very low temperature until it falls apart. Traditionally, Cochinita Pibil was buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom to roast it.

Where it’s From: Cochinita Pibil is one of the most famous staples of Yucatán cuisine. It is commonly associated with the Mayan Indians who are said to have originally cooked it in a pit oven in the ground.

Finding it in New York City: Cochinita Pibil is on the menu at Zarela in Midtown. The fine representation (above) arrives wrapped in banana leaf with a side of creamy poblano and corn rice. Inside, the juicy, stringy pork cubes are topped with pickled onions, habanero and orange relish.

AlwaysPartying: Poutine Tasting (Park Slope, Brooklyn)

Josh Kaplan — June 26, 2009

Wednesday night at the Australian Park Slope gastropub, Sheep Station, Chef Martine Lafond (a Quebec transplant) held a Poutine tasting in honor of “La St. Jean Baptiste,” (Saint Jean Baptiste Day, June 24th), a national holiday of Quebec that celebrates French Canadian culture.

Poutine has been on the rise around the city. Draft Barn threw a disco fry tasting this week. TPoutine is supposed to open on Ludlow soon. Even the swanky Hotel Griffou makes poutine with duck confit. This Canadian junk food classic, (French fries cheese curds and gravy) is said to have its etymological roots in the Quebecois slang, “une maudite poutine,” which describes what it resembles, “an unholy mess.”

Of the three poutines at the tasting —Classic, Chicken and Peas, and Italian— the first (above) was the best. Fries were bathed in a straightforward pan gravy and topped with five curds— salty, chewy bites reminiscent of mozzarella balls. There just weren’t enough curds.

Click for AlwaysHungryNY.com's poutine pictures and descriptions >>