List | 2011, best eats on a dime

Here's a rundown of my favorite eats on a dime of 2011, somewhat by category. I've also included an honorable mention or two for each category, as well as a "possible contender" that I hope to try and compare during the new year.

Best Burgers on a Dime

Shake Shack will always be a proud guilty pleasure of mine -- the Shack Burger is my "poison" of choice. It not only has an amazingly tasty patty but also three other things that make it that awesome of a burger. First is its perfect size -- that way, after eating the deliciousness that is the Shack Burger, you won't feel as greasy afterwards yet you'll still feel comfortably full. Second is that the bun is buttered and toasted, adding another dimension of supreme awesomeness to the burger. Lastly is the Shack Sauce -- a mystery until you have a bite of it on a Shack Burger -- which rounds out the burger by bringing all of the flavors into a cohesive vessel. At $4.55 a pop, you cannot go wrong with a quick stop at Shake Shack. Just be wary of long lines during prime dining hours. If you're going to the Madison Square Park location, check the Shack Cam on Shake Shack's website to see where the line is at.

Honorable Mention: Mark's bacon sliders (with the bacon infused within their patties).

Possible 2012 Contender: Corner Bistro's Bistro Burger (a cheeseburger with bacon).

Best Ramen on a Dime (how oxymoronic that sounds, haha)

Totto Ramen is an equatable alternative to the pricier (and longer-wait laden) Ippudo. If you get here early enough, the wait shouldn't be more than 10-15 minutes (remember, this space is much, much smaller than Ippudo is). For about $10 (compared to Ippudo's $16 per bowl), you can get yourself a hefty bowl of ramen noodles with a densely flavored soup base and accoutrement of additional ingredients, too. You can wish for it to be spicy or just regular miso, and you won't feel cheated with the amount of ramen included. Totto Ramen even blowtorches its char siu (broiled pork) before it is served alongside the ramen noodles.

Honorable Mention: Rai Rai Ken's miso ramen (soybean-based noodle soup with bean sprouts, cabbage, onion, crispy garlic, chicken, and scallions).

Possible 2012 Contender: Ramen Misoya - mame ramen (ramen noodles topped with ground pork, mung bean sprouts, cabbage, scallions, bamboo shoots, and a panko encrusted fried shrimp) with a side of charshu.

Best Meatballs on a Dime

The Meatball Shop has a wittily written menu from which you can order "balls" with a dry-erase marker (yup, you write on the menu!) -- either as a hero (seen above), as a slider (one meatball on a miniature bun), as "naked" (just sauce with a side of focaccia), as a smash (meatballs on a hamburger bun), or as an "Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink" salad (meatballs served over a bed of salad and vegetables). If you're moderately hungry, the hero or the slider is the best way to go. More decisions are to be had after this -- the kind of ball, the kind of sauce, and the kind of cheese you wish to have all together. Along with the regular offerings, there are weekly/daily "specials" that encourages a dynamic menu at The Meatball Shop. If it's your first time, I highly recommend just getting the classic meatballs with classic tomato sauce just to showcase how great the guys at The Meatball Shop are at making some delicious meatballs. Venturing out will shortly ensue during your subsequent visits, which I know will be inevitable :P!

Honorable Mention: Potbelly Sandwich Works' meatball sandwich (my version: meatballs with Swiss, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning).

Possible 2012 Contenders: Frankies 570 Spuntino's meatballs with pine nuts and raisins.

Best Hot Dogs on a Dime

Asiadog offers Asian-inspired twists on the New York classic hot dog with a toasted bun. My continual favorite is the wangding hot dog -- beef hot dog with Chinese barbecue pork belly in plum sauce and a cucumber slice, topped with scallions. It is essentially a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich in hot dog form! Plus, you can get 2 for a mere $7! So if you're itching to try something outside the realm of ketchup, mustard, relish, and 'kraut, Asiadog has what you're looking for.

Honorable Mention: Gray's Papaya's hot dog with onions.

Possible 2012 Contenders: Crif Dogs' chihuahua (bacon-wrapped hot dog covered with avocados and sour cream) or tsunami (bacon-wrapped hot dog with teriyaki sauce, pineapple, and green onions) hot dog; Japadog's terimayo hot dog (all-beef hot dog with teriyaki sauce, mayo, and seaweed).

Best Tacos on a Dime

Dos Toros Taqueria and its incredible crispy chicken tacos are worth a detour on your way home from a late night out. They also make for a great quick meal without the typical fastfood grease and lower grade ingredients. Besides the freshest, local ingredients, what makes these crispy chicken tacos receive such high praise is that the tortilla is toasted with a sprinkling of cheese before filling it with protein and the assorted token condiments. That way, the tortilla has a balanced crunch to counter the more moisture-inducing ingredient-heavy taco filling for a longer period of time. The melted cheese, as opposed to being just a loosely topped, is a fitting addition as well. Lastly, the protein is not overpowered by the condiments of sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. The taco experts behind the counter have a system of closely making sure that the condiment to protein ratio is not overdone. Priced at little over $7 a taco, not a bad way to go!

Honorable Mention: Korilla BBQ's Rib Eye of the Tiger tacos (bulgogi with Korilla sauce, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, tomato salsa, and lettuce).

Possible 2012 Contender: Toloache Taqueria's carne asada tacos (chile-rubbed skirt steak with avocado and tequila salsa borracha).

--circa 2011

Shake Shack (Theatre District)
691 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
http://www.shakeshack.com

Totto Ramen
366 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
http://www.tottoramen.com

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
http://www.themeatballshop.com

Asiadog
66 Kenmare Street
New York, NY 10012
http://www.asiadognyc.com
available on Saturdays at Brooklyn Flea, 11 AM - 5 PM
for other locations throughout the week, check here

Dos Toros Taqueria (West Village)
11 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
http://www.dostoros.com

List | 2011, best restaurants for dinner

Here's a rundown of my favorite restaurants of 2011 by my very own "award categories":

Most Innovative Omakase

Sushi of Gari takes the cake on having the most innovative omakase offerings I've had in New York City. Sushi Yasuda and 15 East are my other favorites for fresh varieties of fish, but Sushi of Gari really showcases the potential of where you can take raw fish and transform it with some simple dressings. The chef can broil squid directly with a sea urchin sauce on top. He can also add another dimension to tuna with rich creaminess and a nice grainy texture. Uni can also be blow-torched slightly before serving. Sautéed tomatoes can transform raw salmon into something savory and slightly sweet. Golden eye snapper can also have a nice crunchy finish with crispy seaweed sprinkled atop. Lastly, the neighborhood vibe at Sushi of Gari makes it very unpretentious and comfortable for its patrons. Everyone is so friendly and happy, which is quite contagious during any meal there. And as with any great sushi spot, please request for seats at the sushi bar. It'll make it more dramatic and theatrical as well as personal (since you get to talk directly with the sushi chefs).

Best New Restaurant

The Dutch is a great all-around New American restaurant to satisfy any palate, generous or fastidious, where the menu's cuisine, created by Chef Andrew Carmellini, has clean and fresh flavors with ingredients that are "new" and refreshing for traditional American cuisine. Highlights include a nice glass of Furmint Sec (a Hungarian white wine) on the list of wines by the glass -- a great alternative to my usual Rieslings. The starting courses on the menu boasts a fun list of snacks and appetizers for sharing, like the Little Oyster sandwiches, which are scrumptious and a must-order! The fish "second courses" are perfectly silky with subtle Asian flavor influences like the black cod in yuzu-chili broth. Ideal place to go with friends to catch up over some solid grub.

Best Ingredient-Focused Tasting Menu (Pasta!) and Most Practical Wine Program

Chef Shea Gallate's Ciano boasts a cohesive five-course, pasta-inspired (more pasta-centric, if you ask me) tasting menu for lunch and dinner for a bargain price of $79! Highlights include a ravioli con carbonara -- combination of pecorino, smoked guanciale, hen egg, fried parsley, and black pepper, which was the pasta version of a perfect brunch on a relaxing Sunday morning; gnudi "tre-colore" -- a "nude" ravioli (just filling, no pasta) comprising of three "colored" flavors: parmigiano (white), chevril (green), and black truffle ("red") that were densely savory; and a rotolo di pasta -- a pasta roll that contains broccoli rabe, sweet sausage, and tomato ragù, which was just the right amount of deliciousness inside the roll. The portion of each course was manageable (pasta even influence the last "dessert/sweet" course), and the featuring of pastas that aren't typically seen in nearly every Italian restaurant (spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parm, penne alla vodka, etc.) makes the pasta tasting menu that much more appealing.

John Slover, the restaurant's wine director, instilled "half bottle" program at Ciano. Essentially, every single bottle of wine in the cellar is up for grabs as either a whole bottle or a half bottle! How freaking awesome is that?! You don't have to commit to the entire bottle unless you wish to, plus you can opt to try something else if you're not totally feeling the first half of the bottle. Additionally, you can "shop" off the "already open" bottle list for wines that strike your immediate fancy! So practical and simple -- one more reason to get to Ciano, pronto!

Best Seafood and Extraordinary Wine Pairings

Le Bernardin is definitely up there on my list of "Best Meals I've Ever Had" -- the seafood courses are ethereal and explosive with multi-faceted flavors, textures, and temperatures. What made this meal so memorable and share-worthy were undoubtedly the wine pairings throughout the course of our dinner. Two courses particularly come to mind, as the pairings could not have been more spot-on -- I've never reacted this way to a wine pairing, where I was shockingly wide-eyed with my mouth gaping in a lauding awe. Aldo Sohm, the restaurant's wine director (and world-renowned sommelier -- in fact, named the best one in the world in 2008) certainly has a knack for synergizing the cuisine of Chef Eric Ripert with the magical powers of the fermented grape.

Under the "Almost Raw" section of the menu (i.e., the first course at Le Bernardin), a classic is the Yellowfin tuna, thinly pounded with foie gras atop a toasted baguette covered with shaved chives and extra virgin olive oil. The restaurant typically pairs this course with a Moscatel Seco from Málaga Spain, a dry muscat that works really well with the tuna-foie gras combination as the little bit of residual sugar "connects" (Mr. Sohm's words) the richness of the foie gras with the tuna marinated in lemon juice.

From the "Barely Touched" section of the menu (i.e., second course), you must have the charred octopus with purple basil, fermented black bean, peach sauce vierge and ink-miso vinaigrette. Paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, the octopus will become simply captivating to the palate, almost like you're tasting glorious octopus for the first time ever, being able to truly grasp all of its intricate flavors and nuances in the same way a colorblind individual sees colors for the first time.

Le Bernardin is the perfect place to commemorate a special occasion. Plus, many of the popular dinner items are offered on the not-so-abbreviated lunch prix fixe for a relative bargain price of $70 per person, so maybe play hooky from work and indulge in a fine lunch.

Best Overall Dining Experience

Eleven Madison Park offers what I believe to be one of the best dining experiences in New York City. The cuisine performs at the highest marks, and the service is impeccably welcoming without being overwhelming or too hovering. I always feel completely at home and relaxed, as the service team is so incredibly excited that you're there to share a culinary experience with them. In Chef Thomas Keller's words, it's all about finesse, andEleven Madison Park has always got it. This place will always have my heart (and my beloved tummy).

As the unconventional matrix-format menu changes every season, here are some highlights from the fall-driven prix fixe menu: lobster poached with sherry butter, served alongside with a medley of autumn mushrooms, spinach, and a sabayon of mushrooms -- a velvety finish, both rich and buttery, and the flavor carried throughout each tenderly soft chunk which melts with the creamy sabayon; variations of carrots roasted in duck fat with dates and wheatberries -- an ode to the fall season with its hearty choice of ingredients with the carrots' texture caramelized with a blast of savory flavor like a subtle curry; and the whole duck roasted in lavender honey with figs and turnips -- presents beautifully with a pink center, incredibly crispy skin, and a succulent taste and tender texture as the spices and herbs work harmoniously. Before the last course (i.e., dessert), you will receive an instantly made egg cream (made right before your eyes) -- whole milk, orange syrup and oil, cocoa nibs, and seltzer. It is courses like the duck and the egg cream that makes Eleven Madison Park even more special -- the performance aspect of the dining experience is incorporated so seamlessly into its multi-course prix fixe line-up.

Any meal (whether it be dinner or lunch) should not be missed at Eleven Madison Park. Just like Le Bernardin, the restaurant also offers a relative bargain brunch at a not-as-hefty price of $74 per person. Only difference at Eleven Madison Park is that the menu choices/options are not abbreviated -- lunch has the same exactly offerings as the dinner menu does (maybe just not as many "in between"/ad hoc courses as dinner does).

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Brushstroke

David Burke Kitchen
Degustation

La Promenade des Anglais

Veritas

--circa 2011

Sushi of Gari

402 East 78th Street

New York, NY 10075

http://www.sushiofgari.com

The Dutch

131 Sullivan Street

New York, NY 10012

http://www.thedutchnyc.com

Ciano

45 East 22nd Street

New York, NY 10010

http://www.cianonyc.com

Le Bernardin

155 West 51st Street

New York, NY 10019

http://www.le-bernardin.com

Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

http://www.elevenmadisonpark.com

List | 2011, best spots for brunch

Here's a rundown of my top "brunch bunch" of 2011, somewhat by specialized category:

Best Brunch Cocktail Offering goes to Calle Ocho, located inside The Excelsior Hotel.


Its infamous unlimited sangria bar makes Calle Ocho's brunch special (i.e., each brunch main course includes "unlimited" access to the sangria bar consisting of about 6-7 varieties of sangria, so long as you abide by "The Rules" stipulated on the menu) the best deal in town for a "smashing" brunch! Expect to be tipsy, if not happily drunk, by the time brunch is over as the afternoon rolls around. Also, the restaurant's Latin American-driven brunch cuisine is a nice change of pace, to the traditional American brunch offerings (waffles, eggs, omelets, pancakes, French toast, etc.), with an eclectic flair of flavor. Like the vaca frita, which is a Latin American take on the usual American "steak and eggs" -- Cuban skirt steak with Latin fried rice, tomato escabeche, avocado, and fried eggs. Amazingly delicious! Be sure to reserve a primetime brunching reservation (I believe the restaurant takes reservations several weeks out). Or else you will be dining at an odd hour, if at all.

Best Pancakes (and Best Accompanying Side Order) undoubtedly goes to Clinton Street Baking Co.


Its classic pancakes (with wild Maine blueberries and a side of warm maple butter) and opting for a side of sugar-cured bacon (there should be no objecting here) makes for a satisfyingly sweet-and-savory brunch that just hits the spot of a classic American brunch dish. So either get here early, close to when it opens (or during "off-hours"), or risk waiting for what will feel like eternity for tables in this intimately seated joint to open up (on a weekend, be wary that a two-hour wait is not uncommon) as they do not formally take reservations.

Best English Breakfast & High Tea Shebang goes to Tea & Sympathy.

The Full-Monty Breakfast with beans (always opt for them -- I promise they will change your life if you haven't already had them) encompasses the epitome of a classic English breakfast. The breakfast consists of scrambled egg with English bacon, a banger (i.e., a sausage), and grilled tomato and includes a glass of fresh orange juice, choice of coffee or a pot of tea as well as choice of white or 7-grain toast. All for under $20! In addition to this wonderfully complete breakfast, the traditional scones are just divine, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Almost like dinner biscuits, the scones are dense, buttery, and soft in texture. Spread with the clotted cream and topped with strawberry jam is a heavenly bonus -- creamy, tart yet sweet -- balancing out the richness of the scone. These are the two dishes that you must order for the table (at least one of each so that everyone in your party can sample it). Particularly, the breakfast beans will change the most hesitant of minds (i.e., those that dislike beans normally) into true believers that when prepared well, they are in fact pretty good! Also like Clinton Street Baking Co., expect crowds to congregate outside whilst waiting for a seat in this 6-8 table spot.

Best Traditional-eqsue Brunch goes to Essex.

The brunch prix fixe special at $22.95 includes choice of brunch main course and three glasses of brunch cocktails (mimosa, bloody mary, and/or screwdriver). However, you may get lucky with your service that day, they may refill your flutes/cocktail glasses more than three times during the course of your meal. So brace yourself! As for brunch main courses, a surprising favorite is the Manchego macaroni & cheese, a fried delight! For $2 extra, the grilled ribeye and eggs is a great brunch waiting to happen, too, especially if you like a manly start to your Sunday brunch! Very tender meat -- not at all chewy or overcooked.

Last but not least, Fanciest Innovative Brunch Menu goes to Norma's of Le Parker Meridien Hotel.

The menu has some fun offerings, but the foie gras french toast, the savoriest of the savory, will certainly be one of the biggest pampering jobs you can do for your stomach during a weekend brunch. Plus, each patron gets a complimentary smoothie (even if it is shot glass-sized) before selecting a main course.Norma's also happens to be the place that offers a "secret omelette" (a name which I dubbed because it doesn't appear on the printed menu) which has a going rate of $1,000, comprising of eggs, lobster, and approximately $995 worth of caviar. So no matter what you go with, a food coma immediately following this meal is not unexpected.

--circa 2011

Calle Ocho
The Excelsior Hotel
45 West 81st Street
New York, NY 10024
http://www.calleochonyc.com

Clinton Street Baking Co.
4 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002
http://www.clintonstreetbaking.com

Tea & Sympathy
108 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10011
http://www.teaandsympathynewyork.com‎

Essex
120 Essex Street
New York, 10002
http://www.essexnyc.com

Norma's
Le Parker Meridien New York
118 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

List | 2011, best bakeries for dessert

Here's a rundown of my favorite dessert spots of 2011, somewhat by category:

Best Overall Cupcakes

If you're looking for some moist, delectable cupcakes (and aren't from California, Chicago, DC, Texas, or Arizona, haha), please go to Sprinkles Cupcakes and treat yourself to one of the following:


The chai cupcake (only offered on Fridays) with spiced buttercream is probably my favorite, followed by the classic standard offerings of dark chocolate with dark chocolate sprinkles (you need to get it with these sprinkles, I insist) and red velvet (that cream cheese frosting is amazing).

Best French Macarons
If French macarons are more your style, and you're wanting the "real deal" all the way from Paris, then you're in luck. Europe-based Ladurée opened shop for the first time in the U. S. (more specifically, New York City) back in 2011, where they fly in the treasured and delicate macarons directly from its bakery in Paris. How crazy is that? That je ne sais quoi about Parisian air appears to hold true (at least to me, haha) for the texture of these particular macarons. Never could I have imagined to have tasted anything so fluffy and light, yet utterly delicious. Here are our (i.e., for Marcus and me) all-time favorite flavors from the mint-green (and multi-faceted pastel) shop:


Ladurée has a vanilla (vanille) macaron that will knock your socks off -- it is by far the truest tasting vanilla-flavored macaron that Marcus and I have had in our macaron madness of tastings. The lemon (citron) is tart and refreshing, but just enough so that it's not overly sour. The caramel (caramel à la fleur de sel) is stellar, and the chocolate (chocolat) has a creamy, bittersweet ganache at its center. Last but not least, the pistachio (pistache) is, simply put, poetic and dreamy, with its pleasant playfulness dancing on your palate with each and every bite.

While Ladurée is the place to go for more "classically driven" (both in regards to texture and flavor) French macarons (the everpresent line out the shop's French doors is a testament to this), La Maison du Macaron holds a special place in our hearts. Our first visit to a macaron shop (i.e., one that offers macarons) together as a couple was to this very spot (formerly known to us as Madeleine Patisserie). It was also, coincidentally enough, my first time (as well as Marcus's) ever having these delicious meringue delights -- who knew it would add to an obsessive mission of ours to find the best ones in New York City!

What we like most about La Maison du Macaron is the rotating list of flavors -- and not just a rotating smorgasbord, either. There are some flavors that are offered quite frequently (i.e., raspberry, pistachio, cassis, vanilla, chocolate, etc.), of course, but there are seasonal flavors, particularly the very innovative ones, that always keep us coming back for more. While we appreciate the classic French flavors, we like having a little twist in our occasional macaron intake. Here are the flavors to look out for (that we've already tried):


Pepsi-lime still remains Marcus's overall favorite. As we've only seen it (and had it) once at La Maison, it is almost as if it disappeared into the abyss as an urban myth. We swear it existed at some point, hoping that it'll make a gallant return to the patisserie's daily jewel box of macarons. Just to catalog: Cointreau, pink champagne, lychee rose, pistachio-lemon, Nutella, mango, kir royale, raspberry, and rum-cola.

Most Creative Gelateria

Now if you're jonesing for some gelato, I know the exact place you should visit: Mia Chef Gelateria over in Kips Bay. Like La Maison du Macaron with its eccentrically-flavored macarons, Mia Chef does the same with gelato.


Offering classics like pistachio, stracciatella, Dutch chocolaate, etc., Mia Chef balances these out with some unconventional flavors (almost twists on traditional gelato ones) with the popular Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Captain Crunch as well as fig & tequila (the gelateria's take on rum raisin), strawberry margarita, and Ferrero Rocher (a twist on Nutella and hazelnut).

Best Moderately Priced Gourmet Bakery
For some fun, pretty affordable gourmet treats, DessertTruck Works is your best bet.


Among the various desserts offered by DT Works, our favorites are its assortment of French macarons (specifically, salted caramel and praline), the warm molten chocolate cake, and the yeast-risen doughnuts with Nutella filling. In conjunction with these awesome desserts, DT Works offers baking workshops for French macarons and chocolate soufflés, which Marcus and I found to be enjoyable, informative, and easy to follow -- highly recommend to sign up for these workshops if you're hoping to learn how to attempt at creating these from scratch!

Best Innovative Dessert Combination
Now title for best innovative dessert combination goes to popbar in the West Village, for combining popsicles and gelato in a scrumptious dessert.


Pistachio Premium is a wonderful choice -- especially for the freshly crushed pistachios and chocolate -- among its treasure trove of colorful offerings. Not only do you get the wonderful creaminess from the gelato, but also the frozen goodness from a popsicle.


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Beard Papa

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

Choco Bolo (formerly The Best Chocolate Cake in the World)

Doughnut Plant

Wafels + Dinges

--circa 2011

Sprinkles Cupcakes (New York City)
780 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10065
http://www.sprinkles.com

Ladurée (New York City)
864 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
http://www.laduree.com

La Maison du Macaron (formerly Madeleine Patisserie)
132 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011
http://www.nymacaron.com

Mia Chef Gelateria
379 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016
http://www.gelatomia.com

DessertTruck Works
6 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002
http://www.dt-works.net

popbar
5 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
http://www.pop-bar.com