Brunch Bets: Doughnut Plant

There's few things better than freshly made doughnuts in the morning, and while I don't typically make it a habit of enjoying them too often, I thought it particularly prudent to feature the doughnuts of New York City's Doughnut Plant. Owner Mark Israel takes doughnuts seriously. Just how seriously? Well, he starts by using the same recipe developed by his grandparents before incorporating the freshest seasonal ingredients into his batters and glazes.

wd~50: Having Your Dessert for Dinner

I've never really loved dessert. Sure, over the years I've eaten my fair share of memorable desserts, and even admit liking something sweet to finish a meal, but if push came to shove, I'd definately classify myself being more of a savory person than a someone with a sweet tooth. Yet a funny thing has happened as I've grown older (and wider), I've come to gain a new appreciation for dessert. Maybe my tastes have just changed, or perhaps it's that pastry chefs have become more experimental lately, venturing further for inspiration and tinkering with once unimaginable flavor combinations (herb flavored ice creams). But it wasn't until MW and I ate at Wylie Dufresne's famed, wd~50, that I actually started craving the desserts of former pastry chef, Alex Stupak. So when news leaked that Stupak would be soon be leaving Dufresne's side, to open Empellon, a taqueria, I made quick work securing a reservation to experience one last taste of Stupak's creative confections.

A Late Night Katz Snapshot

Entering Katz Deli at three in the morning can bring the mistakes of your evening (and life) into sharp focus. Bright lights accentuate the pictures of long-dead celebrities about to stuff their faces with pastrami. Personally, I like to sit at the table in front of Dom DeLuise's picture, a chilling reminder of the dangers of gluttony (is there a John Candy photo on one of the back walls?)

The only excuse for anyone to be here this late on a Saturday night is to imbibe stomach-coating peppery, fatty meat. The sandwiches are typically devoured fast, with stray pieces of pastrami falling off faces and lodging themselves in the hidden parts of a scarf, sweater or fat-fold only to be discovered early next morning upon waking up with a vicious headache and a craving for water (the hangover from the previous night's salt bomb of a sandwich).

You know, that may actually be Paul Prudhomme...

Our experience was not much different. On entering, we had to negotiate with the ticket taker regarding whether or not we were too drunk to sit. Even though I gave a much longer than necessary explanation w/r/t our sobriety, we were deemed acceptable (I think he just wanted me to shut up and order).

A Summer Snapshot of NYC: Cheeky Sandwiches

White peeling paint everywhere. Caricatures of random people covering the back walls. Black guy behind the counter in a dress shirt and tie, still steampunk cool and taking lunch orders despite the oppressive heat. I quickly place my order for a 1/2 and 1/2 po' boy, fried oysters and shrimp. Two heavily tatted men working the fryers start preparing my shrimp and oysters for the hot oil.

I grab a Big-Shot Cola and sit on a tiny, unbalanced stool at a creaky, white bench which serves as a makeshift table. My t-shirt sticks to me as sweat drips down my back. There's an air conditioning unit at the back of the shop, which is about the size of a tiny studio apartment, but any circulating air does not register even a mere five feet away. I look up at the corrugated metal roof, which adds to the mood but seems to radiate more heat. It's so hot that my glasses steam up, barely balancing on my nose. I grab a bunch of napkins to stay dry. Sticky everywhere.

A tourist family from the Midwest is asking for restaurant recommendations. They want to go to Lombardi's, but as usual, more knowledgeable folks steer them in other directions.

Through the small window on the street, I could be anywhere: New Orleans, Brooklyn, Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It's like a time/space warp. Everything seems to move a little slower, but my sandwich comes out quickly.

The po boy tastes like the sea-- sand and the ocean floor. Briny. I was going to ask for hot sauce, but I took a bite and realized that the perfect amount had already been added. The batter has a slight peppery kick and plenty salt, with a splash of lemon and mayo bringing everything together. I momentarily forget the heat and focused completely on this incredible sandwich before me.

from http://cheekysandwiches.com/

I debate a second sandwich, but the girl sitting next to me steals my thunder when, after wolfing down a po' boy, she orders a chicken biscuit, sparking the counterman's interest as they start to chat. I figure I shouldn't cramp his style and head outside, leaving New Orleans and returning to the Lower East Side sun. City still too hot, I need a cold beer.

Cheeky Sandwiches
35 Orchard Street (btwn Hester and Canal)
Lower East Side, NY

http://cheekysandwiches.com/

Triple Bone Marrow: Double Crown, Fergus Henderson and Croquettes

If anyone follows my Twitter feed (like you care), you might know that I was really really craving bone marrow all last week. By Friday, my hunger had reached the breaking point. So before seeing a midnight showing of "The Room" with a bunch of friends in the East Village, my buddy and I went downtown in search of bone marrow. I looked on Menupages for bone marrow dishes, and noticed that Double Crown served a miso glazed marrow with orange marmalade and toast. It was also conveniently located across the street from DBGB, which serves a fantastic marrow dish with mustard seeds and Katz's pastrami.

Reaching the Bowery Restaurant District (or you could call the area around East Houston and Bowery E-HoBo), we found that DBGB was packed (as expected). So was Double Crown, and we were quoted an hour-long wait. Luckily, we slid into two open seats at the corner of the bar. My buddy volunteered that he'd been drinking since 3pm to every gorgeous girl within earshot while I desperately tried to get the bartender's attention. I ordered almost immediately after getting the menu-- bone marrow and... chicken wings?

Served "Szechuan style" ($10) on the snacks menu, the chicken wings were the surprise of the night. I was skeptical, but intrigued (and needed something substantial + cheap to go with the marrow).  I do not exaggerate when I say that these were in the top 3 best wings I have ever eaten. Completely unexpected. We were served 8 wings that looked like Korean fried chicken wings, with their telltale crispy shells. Coating the wings was essentially the common Szechuan sauce containing chile oil, Szechuan peppercorn, soy, sugar and sometimes ginger. It was awesome.... I could have eaten about 50. Are these a secret? I can't believe I haven't heard anyone else rave about them, but I would definitely go back to Double Crown for the wings alone.

My only complaint is the side of celery and carrots with... nothing. What the hell? Don't give me celery and carrots if you aren't going to serve me a delicious blue cheese dressing to dip it in. My buddy gave the bartender a crazy look as he tried to pass by, blurting out "WHERE'S DA BLUE CHEESE?" The bartender shook his head no and ran off.

My lips were still tingling from the Szechuan peppercorns when the miso glazed bone marrow arrived. It was good, but a letdown compared to the wings. The miso glaze added a nice salty richness, and the orange marmalade had a complex taste.  Eaten all together, it tasted like orange duck, especially with the five spice in the marmalade.  Unfortunately, the brioche was too sweet for the rest of the ingredients (I already have the marmalade, I want a neutral bread dammit!).

I'm A Super Heebster

Sunday, by coincidence, turned into a minor Lower East Side food tour. The Quaker and his girlfriend asked if I wanted to join them on a trip to The Doughnut Plant after I woke up from a late Saturday night.

Sure, why not.

We took the 4 train to Brooklyn Bridge and planned on switching to the J, but after sweating underground for 30 minutes waiting for a train that never came, we decided to walk. We cut through Chinatown, making a stop at Banh Mi Saigon on Mott. I split a spicy #1 with The Quaker while cruising down Grand Street. Lately, I've been taking my banh mi business to Banh Mi So #1 on Broome, but Saigon was very good today-- especially because it was fresh (unlike lately, when it's served off the pre-made shelf).

Brunch Bets: Clinton Street Baking Company

Part of what makes brunch so appealing to many people is the amount of options available. Not confined to only breakfast or lunch choices, brunch is that perfect hybrid combining the best from both meals onto a single menu. I usually find that people fall into one of two camps: the savory, or the sweet camp. I've been firmly entrenched in the savory camp for my entire life, preferring a salty chip to a sweet cookie, but have on occasion changed my mind if something particularly appealing presents itself. This was the case when MW and I found ourselves waiting in line on the lower east side one Saturday morning.

Giving Into the Hype: Lunch at Pulino's

For the past year, Eater, the Fox News of the New York City restaurant scene, has breathlessly reported every insignificant addition to Pulino's Bar & Pizzeria on Bowery and Houston. From the installation of the signage to the type of tile used in the bathrooms, no development was too small for Eater. OMG! LOOK AT THOSE AIR VENTS!!!

Their hype-boner is especially stiff since this is the New York debut of chef Nate Appleman, recently of San Francisco and A16 fame (and Next Iron Chef). Also restaurant heavyweight Keith McNally (of Minetta Tavern fame) is involved.  Yes, the folks at Eater have just ejaculated all over themselves and will require a very large towel and possibly a cold shower. Reservations for dinner, which started this week, will most likely be impossible unless you're "special" enough to not eat at 5:30 or 11:30. Which I'm not.

Regardless, Steve and I made our way downtown for lunch on Friday to see whether there is some substance behind this scene.