Update: Beer Street is now a bar and not a bottle shop
If I had to pick one thing that was wrong with my corner of Williamsburg, it was that we didn’t have a craft beer store. A place for those with restless palates and hearty livers to discover new bottles and generally geek out about our favorite beverage. Well, now the beer gods have smiled upon the denizens of Graham Avenue, with the opening of Beer Street. (more…)
Puddin’ is so good that I once went there four nights in a row, and I don’t even live in the East Village anymore. The only thing that would make it better is if they opened a branch by me in Williamsburg, which would probably seem right at home between the burg’s very own Crif Dogs and Caracas Arepa Bar. (more…)
The first time I tasted a penicillin was unforgettable. In fact, you could probably pin the blame for my home cocktailing zeal on this moment. There was a nose full of scotch smoke up front, a bit of numbness on the lips at first sip, and then a fiery kick of ginger on the tongue. This was followed by a surprisingly smooth finish, balanced between honey, lemon, and a mellower scotch. (more…)
Usually, I don’t like eating to be messy. But the rule doesn’t apply to tacos–particularly if they’re excellent. Breakfast at Whirlybird was a five-napkin affair, and I couldn’t have been happier. (more…)
Over the years I’ve eaten quite a few chicken parmesan sandwiches–in the name of research, of course. I’m not just falling back on my childhood comfort foods when I select them from the menu–I’m expanding my expertise. Or so I tell myself. Parm, the casual offshoot of Torrisi Italian Specialities, is all about that saucy, cheesy, bear hug of a sandwich, whether your preference is for chicken, meatball, or eggplant (it’s chicken of course, but just saying). (more…)
Stroopwafels are my all-time favorite cookie, but they can be devilishly difficult to find. I suppose scarcity has a way of making the heart grow fonder, but when I do amass a stockpile of them my fondness doesn’t fade the way it does halfway into a box of Girl Scout cookies. What makes this the perfect cookie is the combination of textures. (more…)
Ever since my juice cleanse I’ve been tossing around the idea of making healthy juices and shakes at home. I started out by making one inspired by my favorite drink from One Lucky Duck, a vegan juice bar in Union Square and Chelsea Market. I thought it turned out pretty well. The cashew milk and frozen bananas lend it a nutty flavor and creamy texture that’s exactly like a milkshake without the milk. Here’s the recipe: (more…)
Recently I attempted to recreate a billionaire cocktail, my favorite drink on the menu at the famous Employees Only, without the $15 price tag apiece. I pulled the recipe from the New York Times, but made a few changes. (more…)
Have you ever had food-induced anxiety from walking into a place where there were too many tasty things to eat? This was the state of Snackish at Smorgasburg, the Saturday-only food fest on the Williamsburg waterfront that features 100+ vendors. I mean, I knew what I was in for—I’d even worn an elastic-waist skirt, a dual-purpose headband/sweatband, and an old t-shirt that could take some food dribbles without causing major upset. (more…)
This was my first stab at reproducing a drink I had at Milk & Honey, a cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. Milk & Honey has been around since 2000, and may be single-handedly responsible for kicking off the speakeasy trend in New York City. In the past decade a number of bars have opened downtown, each boasting about serious mixology and decked out in Prohibition-era decor. (more…)