Eat it & Beat it

rachellleeroth: My new found obsession with Mister SofteeWhen I...

Sun, 13 May 2012 16:43:55 -0400

My new found obsession with Mister Softee
When I moved to Bushwick 4 and half years ago I encountered something I hadn’t been subjected to in 15 years, the ice cream man. (Raleigh, NC isn’t really an ice cream truck friendly town…at least not where I lived.) Every day of the warmer months, the Mister Softee guy (or another off brand ice cream) would go down my block. It seemed like he parked on my block for hours, the Mister Softee song, “Mister Softee (Jingle and Chimes), was incessant. It got so annoying at times, I entertained the idea of calling the cops as I heard the guys were supposed to turn the music off if they were going to park. I never did though. My husband and I decided that this was the song that played in our dog’s head all day (he’s kind of a doofus). We imagine Hank trotting along to the jingle, without a care in the world.

We stayed in Bushwick for 3 years, but the last year I barely noticed the ice cream man and his song. It was probably because all I could hear was the horrible techno music our new neighbors were playing at all hours of the day. We have been living in Greenpoint for the last year and a half and I still didn’t really notice it again until now…and now all I want is soft serve ice cream.

In the past, I always admired the trucks but now I can’t stop photographing them. They have amazing fonts and illustrations all over them. Just look at my pictures. I also have no problem with the song now. I anticipate it every day the sun is shining. It makes me reminisce about my days as a youngster in Miami. I loved going to TCBY and getting a chocolate soft serve with mini chocolate chips on top. I also refused to eat any cake that wasn’t an ice cream cake or a cookie cake. I wonder what these people do during winter? How can I become an ice cream woman? It’s probably a super fun job and you get to make people happy with sugary treats. Anyway, here is a link to some history about the jingle. When you hear it, run out and treat yo’self.

rachellleeroth: What we ate in New Orleans… including Hubigs...

Sun, 13 May 2012 16:43:46 -0400

rachellleeroth:

What we ate in New Orleans…

including Hubigs Pies, Pralines, Hot Sauce, Oyster Po Boy, Beignets and Cafe au Lait, Crawdads, Muffeletta, Oysters, Crab Claws and Barqs and an Almond Sno Ball!

Not pictured: Super dank burger from Port of Call, Sazerac (drink really) from Antoines, Gumbo, Incredibly delicious barbeque from The Joint- get the ribs!!! and two meals from Elizabeth’s including fried green tomatoes and eggs and a shrimp po boy with praline bacon.

Palm Restaurant, A NY Institution

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:51:11 -0500

So it’s restaurant week in NYC, which means I can go to fancy restaurants for less! I chose to take the old curmudgeon to dinner at the Palm Restaurant to celebrate his 7” coming out…that sounds dirty. The Palm, in case you don’t know, is a NY institution. It has been around since 1926 and has amazing cartoons on all the walls and delicious steaks. Here is an example:

So the deal with restaurant week, is restaurants have a three course prix fixe menu to choose from, $24.07 for lunch, $35 for dinner. Even fancier places like Le Cirque and Morimoto and Cafe Boulud participate. It’s a way poor people, like myself, can get a nice fancy meal at a fancy restaurant for a fraction of the price. Yay, NY!

I chose the Palm because it is so old and established. I want to visit as many of these as possible. The kind of places Frank Sinatra dined at and Jacqueline Susann wrote about. As soon as we saw the outside, I knew I was gonna love it. (BTW- go to Palm ONE not Palm too, which is across the street). There are amazing illustrations everywhere, dark wainscotting, white tablecloths and all the servers are men, most of which were hispanic. It’s a career restaurant. We stowed our coats and had a drink at the bar while we waited for our table, that is where I took the photo above.

When our table was ready we were ushered upstairs to a small booth situated below a cartoon of Lil’ Iodine. I ordered a winter salad, which had arugula, poached pears, nuts and blue cheese, the filet mignon with a crab and boursin sauce and goat cheese whipped potatoes and cheesecake for dessert.

Let me tell you, the food was great. The salad was exactly what I was looking for, light, refreshing with a little sweetness. The steak was perfectly cooked with a delicious crust on the outside. The crab was scarce, but still a nice touch. The cheesecake was fluffy and light with a sweet graham cracker crust, exactly how I like cheesecake. Also, the service was delightful. Everyone was very nice to us. It was totally worth the trip uptown in the cold. Todd wants to go back one day (he had lamb chops and fried calamari), which would be nice, but there are so many more restaurants to try!

Saha Thai

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:57:12 -0500

Happy New Year followers! Sorry I have been so lame recently. See, the thing is, I haven’t been going out…at least to any new places. However, one of my resolutions is to explore the ethnic neighborhoods of NYC more and try more freaky foods, so stay tuned for that. This week I can’t do it though because I am temping in an office. I can however get delivery!

The place I am reviewing today is Saha Thai, located between Little Italy, SOHO and Chinatown on Centre Street at Grand. Now I have been getting delivery from this place for 2 years now. Almost every Monday that I work at the Bowery, I order from them. Oddly enough, I have never actually eaten at the restaurant. What can I say, I am on the go? I have been in the restaurant though. It is small and cute and the waitstaff/take out guy are very nice. I am sure it would be a fine experience.

I always get the same thing so this may be a boring review. I get the chicken red curry. You get a giant container of the stuff (enough for dinner and lunch the following day if you are not starving) and white rice. It is delicious! It’s got the perfect amount of spice and sweetness and saltiness. The curry includes the protein of your choice, red peppers, bamboo shoots, Thai basil and what I think is Kaffir lime leaves, but I could be wrong. Every time I eat it, someone comments on how good it smells. I have had other things there (fried rice, satay, sticky rice, spring rolls, etc) but this dish is by far my favorite…actual favorite thai curry in the city. If you are in the mood for curry, I recommend you go to Saha Thai.

The Meatball Shop-Brooklyn

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:52:46 -0500

So I have been to the Meatball Shop like 5 times in the last two months alone. Obviously, it rules. Let me elaborate. So the fellas over at the Meatball Shop in the LES recently decided to open up a branch in Williamsburg (KUDOS!- now all we need is a Whitmans, Tiny’s, Shake Shack and Saha Thai annex and we will be set to never go to Manhattan again!).

Todd and I had gone to the original once. It was extremely crowded and small. The food was great and inexpensive, but since we rarely go into the city together, we never went back. The one in Williamsburg has the same dank food but it is twice the size of the original. There is a good size bar, another bar overlooking the kitchen and plenty of tables.

The system is the same here too. This is the easiest service job in the city. They hand you a laminated menu and a dry erase marker. You check the boxes of what you want and the waiter just reads it back to you. They don’t have to do anything other than bring you your food, drinks and check. I’m not saying its bad, the service is very good actually. Brilliant idea.

So on this menu, you got some decisions to make. Do you want just balls? Do you want them to rest on anything? Or would you prefer a sandwich? They have five different balls, toppings and sauces that you can combine anyway you want. Then they also have a special ball, side and sauce which usually pair up nicely (one time I got a reuben ball with matching sauce). They have 3 different sandwich sizes too; sliders=one ball, smashes=2 balls and heroes=3 balls. The picture above is what I like to get a smash with beef balls, marinara and mozz. It comes with a side salad but I also like to get a side of mashers. All that is $12 ($8 for the sammy/salad, $4 for the mash)!

Vegetarians, don’t despair, because they have veggie balls too! They also have delicious looking roasted veggies that change daily and salads and risotto. Todd likes to get the kitchen sink. It’s basically a few balls and sauce atop a salad a bunch of veggies. That’s only $8.

Last but not least, they have design it yourself ice cream sandwiches. You choose from several cookies and ice creams to make your fave. Might I suggest the brownie cookie with mint ice cream? I highly recommend you eat at this establishment. It’s well prepared, delicious food at a reasonable price.

Picture Food Tour of the NC State Fair 2011. Not Pictured:...

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:59:00 -0500

Hushpuppies

Taffy

Best Cinna-buns

Turkey Legs

Deep Fried Mac n Cheese

Hot Wisconsin Cheese

Deep Fried Kool-Aid?

Krispy Kreme Burgers

Hot Dogs

Picture Food Tour of the NC State Fair 2011. Not Pictured: Sausage Bombs, Corn on the Cob, Apple Chips with Caramel, Corn Dogs, French Fries, Bloomin’ Onions, Ice Cream and Ostrich Burgers.

Best Dang Burger in Raleigh

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:01:06 -0500

It can be purchased at Char-grill. Google it. You won’t be disappointed. The 1/4 mile radius around a Char-grill smells like delicious charred beef and french fries. You can also get milkshakes, hot dogs and chicken, but i don’t really know why you would. You place your order on a slip and slide it through a chute that leads directly to the main chef. It is then cooked to order. The slip looks like this, only longer:

As you can see, I just like mayo on mine. I like to taste the beef. I also like to get the largest of all the burgers they offer. Don’t be a wimp. Go for it. Ten minutes later, you have a totally dank meal for a mere $7. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. I only wish they would open a franchise in Brooklyn…but they haven’t even opened one in Durham, so I doubt that will ever happen. If you are in Raleigh, go there!

Air France

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:29:47 -0400

W: Since I am going to be taking a plane ride tomorrow, I figured it was time to do a review of some airplane food.

Let me start by saying domestic airlines are a bunch of stingy mofos. You get nothing but a teeny bag of crakers/cookies and some sodie/water/juice. What is their problem? This is what we got on our flight back from Europe, flying coach, mind you. A full on meal…if you can’t tell, I had a Pasta Primavera type dish, a squash and mozzarella salad, a roll with butter, some yogurt, a hunk of cheese and a delicious tart for dessert. Todd had the same side dishes but opted for the chicken curry (which was better, so I made him trade…PS-OPTIONS!!?) We also got a small breakfast and unlimited drinks (INCLUDING beer and wine). And you know what? This food was pretty good. I bet the first class people got even better eats.

Now you may say, “But you were flying from EUROPE.” Yes, well, I remember flying to Vegas from NC, which is a pretty long flight, and got NOTHING. On our flight from Paris to Barcelona (a mere hour and a half or so) we got a little sandwich and again FREE booze. So now I ask again, What is wrong with domestic airlines?

I would like to add that Air France had a shitload of entertainment to keep your mind off the terrifying fact that we were flying over the Atlantic. There were maybe 50 movies to choose from (new and old), TV shows, video games (including Tetris) and you could even watch the plane fly and land through a “wing/nose cam” (which was horrifying). Now I don’t know what the domestics offer in terms if food for International travel, but you still have to pay for drinks. WTF? Also, not sure what the entertainment’s like, but you know what? I don’t care to find out. I am only flying on International Carriers when leaving the country, and I will stick with Air France when flying to Europe. Vive La France!

Vermuteria Lou, Bar Ramon and Cervezeria Catalana, Barcelona!

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:09:19 -0400

W: That’s right. Eat it and Beat it is going International! Recently, Todd and I took our honeymoon in Berlin and Barcelona. The food in Berlin was ok (the tomatoes were out of this world actually) but the food in Barcelona was super delicious.

Most of the restaurants there serve tapas. Now there are different kinds of tapas. The main kind is really high quality canned fish and peppers and olives…anything soaked in dank Spanish olive oil. Anchovies are awesome, don’t believe the hype! These ones right here made Todd happy again after a trying hike to Park Guell.

Then they have pintxos. These are what I liked. They’re like put together finger foods. At Bar Ramon, I had a half an avocado topped with tuna, some mushroom business I couldn’t figure out but couldn’t stop eating and a shell that was filled with pumpkin, blue cheese and almonds. At Cervezeria Catalana, I had a delicious fig that was split open and topped with goat cheese, nuts and ham….which brings us to the next thing.

Ham. Europeans love pig. Every bar we went into, no matter how small, had a leg of serrano ham, ready to be carved and eaten. Here is a photo of some ham at the market. This market, La Boqueria, was amazing! The freshest of all types of food is available and it was only a block away from our hotel. I would go there in the morning and get breakfast for us.

Also available at the bars were a myriad of mayo based salads and on occasion bocadillos, which are sandwiches, that almost always have the ham. I had one with mangos, ham and cheese. They like to rub tomato all over the bread there too. For all you New Yorkers, do not expect deli sandwiches out of these bocadillos. They do not give you a pound of meat in Spain…you may be disappointed.

If you go to Barcelona, I would totally recommend all these restaurants. We had to seek out Bar Ramon, but it was so adorable and filled with rock and roll memorabilia, worth the journey. They owner even gave us some free shots of something super strong. Vermuteria Lou was just a small place we came across while walking from Park Guell to La Sagrada Familia. It was cheap and delicious. Cervezeria Catalana was the most popular of the three and is located between Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. It was by far the tastiest of the three, but not by much. Google them! And if you would like to see more pics from our trip (better ones), go here.

Watch the new episode of Brooklyn, Eat Your Heart Out…mmm,...

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:04:45 -0400

Watch the new episode of Brooklyn, Eat Your Heart Out…mmm, spanakopita….

I promise I will start reviewing again soon

stuft: I told you to leggo my goddam Eggo but you wouldn’t...

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:28:38 -0400

stuft:

I told you to leggo my goddam Eggo but you wouldn’t listen.

The Hummus Place

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:48:45 -0400

W: Yay! I have finally eaten something other than a hamburger and want to share it with you.

Today, I needed to go into town to pick up my photos of the Jazz Age Lawn Party I went to last Saturday. While I was in town, I figured I would grab lunch and go swimming at the Pitt Street pool as today was opening day (I cannot stress how excited I am about swimming all summer)!!! Now all of these places I had to go to were in the East Village.

The East Village was the first place I worked when I moved to the city, so I am super familiar with it, but I never go there anymore. I live in Brooklyn and work in Brooklyn (except one day out of the week) so I barely ever leave Brooklyn, let alone my neighborhood. I miss the East Village at times. It is home to my favorite bar in the city, The Lakeside Lounge (best jukebox on the planet)and it has great shops and restaurants all over it. The only problem with it is that there isn’t a shit ton of transportation subway-wise so be prepared to walk. However, now that I know that there is a free pool in the hood and a killer place to develop photos, I will be going a lot more.

When I went to drop off my film the other day I saw the Hummus Place. Man, I love that place. I have been going there for years but I had forgotten it was there. It was then that I decided I would stop in when I came to pick up my film.

The restaurant had expanded since I last visited but it is very cozy and Mediterranean looking. Since hummus is their main thing, they do it really well. They have several different hummus toppings you can get so it’s not just one dish. I got a small side of the hummus tahini. I also got a small health salad and 2 whole wheat pitas. It doesn’t look like much but it was a nice lunch. AND it was inexpensive (only $9 for that food and a coke)! Last time I went, they had a butternut squash soup that was delicious. If you are craving a lite, healthy, Mediterranean meal, I would try this spot. There are actually several in the city now so visit there webpage.

Whitman's

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:05:42 -0400

W: OK. I know I said I was gonna try and be healthier but I lied. I had to go for another burger this weekend…maybe I should just turn this into a burger blog… or a beef blog…

For some reason on Saturday morning, I got to thinking about Juicy Lucys. If you are unfamiliar with these, they are burgers with cheese inside them that oozes out when you take a bite. It can be dangerous, but well worth it. So I started googling them because I couldn’t remember what they were called for a minute. I came across the picture below in my research (off of alwayshungryny.com).

Obviously, I had to find out more about this ridiculously good looking sandwich. I read on. It was located in the East Village, that was the first of the good news as that is only a couple stops away from meeeee! Second, it was only $8 (that was actually wrong, it was $10 which is still a good price)! And lastly, you could get it with pimiento cheese inside!!!! Pimiento Cheese is the best cheese there is. For those of you not from the south, pimiento cheese is a mixture of grated cheeses such as cheddar and jack, mayo, pimientos and spices (in mine, I add horseradish, grated onion, s & p and a dash of ranch dressing mix) that is generally served cold with crackers or bread. I prefer mine hot, like a grilled pimiento cheese sandwich with bacon, tomatoes and spinach (this specialty will be featured at Kookie’s - my restaurant - when I have the money to open it….any investors in the stands?).

We arrived at Whitman’s around 9:30 on Saturday nite and luckily it was not jamming. Most of the restaurant is in the basement. It is very small, dimly lit and very cute. Anyway, the juicy lucy did not disappoint. It was perfectly charred on the outside, juicy in the center with super flavor. I also ordered a side of fries to accompany it. I will definitely be going into the city more often for my burger fix…especially since I just found out there is a pool in the East Village too! Anyone wanna have a meet up?

Sorry

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:58:27 -0400

I was just looking back on my posts, and it seems that I eat a lot of burgers….sorry. They are my favorite food I think, but I will try and branch out. I will try and be healthier just for you.

eeeehhhhhh, Patsy's!

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:17:00 -0400

W: Last week I had to run up to Spanish Harlem to take my food handler’s test (YAY! I passed). When looking up the address on google maps, Patsy’s came up on the map too. I clicked thru to find out more…

Apparently, Patsy’s has been in the same location for over 75 years. That was enough to get me to give it shot. I figure, if a restaurant has been open that long, it must be pretty fucking good.

After my long ass train ride, I walked over to the place. I instantly liked the sign and curb presence, very old school NYC. The inside sorta reminded me of that place Michael goes to meet with Solozzo in The Godfather, but less fancy. Incidently, if anyone knows the name of that restaurant, please send it my way. I digress…

I was seated promptly and, much to my amusement, they sat me facing the door in the back. I don’t know if you have ever heard the rumor that Italians like to be sat facing the door, just in case, but this restaurant totally has that kind of vibe, which, to me, is a good thing. Anyway, I heard their pizza was the deal, so I went for it.

My problem with this place is that you can’t just get a couple slices, you have to get a whole pie, which is WAY too much for me. That is what I went there for so I got it anyway. I figured, I could give the leftovers to someone less fortunate and they will have eaten a delicious meal.

When it came out, the people at the table next to mine asked if I was gonna eat it all. They said I coulda shared their pizza. Thanks for letting me know BEFORE I ordered. I did eat half of this pizza (thank you) and it was totally dank. Super thin crust with some burnt spots that make a good brick oven pie taste even better. The sauce was tangy and they didn’t skimp on the cheese like some of them new fangled brick oven pizzerias I won’t eat at. Cheese is good! Don’t skimp! Why do people think you don’t want cheese? Are they complete idiots?

If you gotta take the food handlers test, or you are making a trip to Target, bring a friend and go to Patsy’s.

Shake Shack...No Brainer

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:56:23 -0400

W: The other day I found myself dangerously close to Madison Square Park and the Shake Shack. I said to myself, if the line is reasonable, I will go. And what do ya know? It was. I only had to wait 10 minutes (this is NOTHING, non-new yorkers. Sometimes the line stretches clear across the park and you have to wait an hour)!

While in line, I decided upon a double burger with lettuce tomato and a side of shack sauce, a side of fries and a root beer. It was really hard not to get the Concrete Jungle, but I had to draw the line somewhere. The concrete jungle, for those who have not had the pleasure, is frozen vanilla custard, hot fudge, bananas and peanut butter and it is dank as fuck. If you just want one of those, you can get in their “b-line” which is reserved for customers who just want drinks and ice cream. Soon, I will return for one of these….soon. (*side note- all frozen custard is delicious. If you have never tried it, do yourself a favor)

A few pointers for those who wanna go to shake shack:

1. They got a bunch of locations other then the one in MSP that may not be as busy. If you must go to the original, go in the dead of winter or on a rainy day, you rarely have to wait. However, you then, will have to find somewhere to eat your food. It’s a catch 22.

2. Always get a double burger. You need the protein.

3. If you want dessert, you can order with your food and pick up later. Just tell the person who is taking your order. That way, you don’t gotta wait in line twice.

I have reviewed many…now check out my cooking skills!

Fri, 27 May 2011 14:23:50 -0400

I have reviewed many…now check out my cooking skills!

Brunch at Habitat

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:10:00 -0400

W: Sunday afternoon, I had just a few hours before a long day/night of making pineapple juiced cocktails so Todd and I rode our bikes up Manhattan Ave for brunch at Habitat. Since I was starting work so early and finishing so late, I wanted to get something huge and filling. I had looked up Habitat before, and ridden by it, so I convinced Todd we should try it.

The Habitat is located on Manhattan Ave near the corner of Huron. It is a small space that has a lot of wood…kind of a lodgey feel. Currently, they have an art show up called Poster Party. This guy, Tim Bierbaum, remade a bunch of movie posters in his own style with markers. I like the ones for Blow-up and The Karate Kid best.

The brunch there is a prix fixe deal. For $17 you get a meal, a coffee or tea and a brunch cocktail (bloody mary, mimosa or sangria), so it’s really not that bad a deal…considering most places charge like $8 for a damn mimosa. The coolest part about getting a bloody mary though is this middle photo…a make it yourself bloody mary fixins bar! You can make it as spicy or pickle-y as you like. Add a cocktail onion. Add some cock sauce. It’s up to you. The bartender just hands you a mason jar with vodka and ice and you do the rest. I don’t even drink bloody marys but I helped Todd make his. (If you don’t wanna do this, the bartender will make you one, but we all know how opinionated people are about their BMs…haha).

I ordered an item called the Habitat Heart Attack Special. It consisted of starch, starch and cream with some protein - fried chicken, bacon mashed potatoes, a biscuit, sausage gravy and a fried egg. The chicken was good, well fried. The mashed potatoes were salty in a good way (BACON!) but there was way too much. It looked like I got about 3 potatoes worth. The egg and gravy were delicious but the biscuit was kinda dry. I couldn’t finish the meal but it was definitely worth the $17.

Todd got the shrimp and grits, which look really tasty. They were.. .but not as tasty as the ones from the RDU Triangle area. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, NO ONE makes mouth watering shrimp and grits here…not like the ones back home. They are always just ok-pretty good. BACON FAT is essential. Garlic. Mushrooms. I digress. Todd got 4 gigantic shrimp, buttery, cheesy grits and a huge piece of toast. It was good. Bottom line- you get your moneys worth and it is pretty tasty food.

Grey Dog Cafe

Mon, 02 May 2011 11:00:00 -0400

J: Once again, Rachell has picked an overcrowded restaurant to eat at. As luck would have it, people left the line and we were served in a matter of minutes so I had to bitch down. The staff was very friendly and got us seated in the back. As we waited for our food we were amused by the dumbwaiter hoisting food from the basement. I ate the philly steak wrap. It was filled with shredded beef cooked to perfection and was not waited down by a big bun. In addition, because this was a wrap, I thought it would be prone to getting soggy but amazingly it did not. There must be some science behind this. The decor was very charming, cute lamps hanging from the ceiling, little pictures hung everywhere, and nice soft lighting. From the pictures on the wall I can see that this is a close knit staff that enjoys working together and hanging out. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice lunch with a wide pleasing menu.

W: Yes, as Jimmy stated, I picked a busy place to go. I was craving the turkey reuben, so sue me. I had been to the Grey Dog several times before. It is always super busy and that’s because it’s good. The Grey Dog has a couple locations, one in the village and one near NYU, which is where we went. They both have this hippie-esque vibe (that’s how I describe it), rustic wood, chalkboard menu, a lot of young people working.Their menu is vast and filled with all varieties of breakfast items, salads and sandwiches. They also have beer and wine in addition to the usual cafe drinks and soda.

How it works is you go and stand in line (usually a long one, which is why Jimmy looked like he was going to murder me in said line when I stated I didn’t mind waiting) and order your food/coffee/pastries and then go find a table. There is staff that helps with the table finding as it can be difficult. A little while later, you get your dank sandwich. As I said earlier, I was craving the turkey reuben so that is what I got. The bread is thick, toasted and buttery. You don’t get as much meat as you would at Sarge’s, but you also don’t pay $15 for it. Even though I love NY delis, personally, I do not want so much GD meat. I am gonna have other meals during the day… I paid an little extra to substitute fries for the norm of chips. The fries are golden and crispy and they have a cajun-y seasoning on them so I think it’s worth it. All in all, I am never disappointed when I visit Grey Dog. You should check it out if you are in Washington Square Park or wandering in the West Village.

Lexington Candy Luncheonette

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:18:00 -0400

W: There it is. The Lexington Candy Luncheonette. I went to the Met with Jimmy Friday to see the guitar exhibit (totally SIKKKKK) and spotted this gem on the corner of 82nd and Lex. I immediately wanted to check it out, as per my fondness for diners. Since we had already eaten, all I could do was peak inside and it was then that I decided to eat there next time I was uptown…which happened to be the following day, BONUS!

See, Todd was jealous about Jimmy and mine’s trip to the Met so we went on Saturday. I had told him of the diner when I got home and he agreed we should try it. Now we set out rather late so I was starving by the time we arrived. When either Todd or I are starving, we start floundering when we order. Todd asked me if I was ready, I said no, and he proceeded to order. NO. I was NOT ready. He got a hamburger and fries. Since I didn’t want to get the same thing and I had only looked for 10 seconds, I got chicken fingers…WOMP WOMP.

I also got a lime rickey and Todd got a cherry cola. A lime rickey, for those that are not privy, is cherry soda with a bunch of lime juice. The best part about these was that there are actual soda jerks (maybe not jerks) there who actually make the soda. You gotta stir it but then it is super delicious and authentic. Now when Todd’s burger arrived, I immediately had food envy. It looked perfect.

I had just watched the most recent Parks and Recreation where Ron Swanson makes “a burger, made out of meat, on a bun” that everyone votes as far superior to Rob Lowe’s turkey burger, and this looked just like it. It was just meat on a bun with a perfect amount of cheese and bacon. Once he took a bite I was really kicking myself. The inside was pink and juicy. Man, was I pissed that he rushed me! He let me have a bite, at least. My chicken fingers were crap, but that burger is what I am gonna rate. The fries were also very good; crispy, golden. My only issue with this place was the prices. $4 for my small lime rickey! We ended up spending $31 on this humble lunch! That is nuts…but I am totally going back for that burger.

Eat it & Beat it

rachellleeroth: My new found obsession with Mister SofteeWhen I...

rachellleeroth: What we ate in New Orleans… including Hubigs...

Palm Restaurant, A NY Institution

Saha Thai

The Meatball Shop-Brooklyn

﻿Picture Food Tour of the NC State Fair 2011. Not Pictured:...

Best Dang Burger in Raleigh

Air France

Vermuteria Lou, Bar Ramon and Cervezeria Catalana, Barcelona!

Watch the new episode of Brooklyn, Eat Your Heart Out…mmm,...

stuft: I told you to leggo my goddam Eggo but you wouldn’t...

The Hummus Place

Whitman's

Sorry

eeeehhhhhh, Patsy's!

Shake Shack...No Brainer

I have reviewed many…now check out my cooking skills!

Brunch at Habitat

Grey Dog Cafe

Lexington Candy Luncheonette

Picture Food Tour of the NC State Fair 2011. Not Pictured:...