My latest column for Serious Eats is the first of two stories on Chicago’s Southside, where ribs come fiercely smoky and typically smothered in a barbecue sauce that is not for the meek.
Do Japanese kids ever beg their parents for a six-piece takoyaki meal? I suppose this question begs another: How often do Japanese kids beg their parents? McChildhood culture aside, Otafuku‘s takoyaki beckon the cravings center of my brain anytime I’m within a few blocks from E. 9th St. At this Japanese take-out counter, these fluffy, [...]
There’s an entire world of restaurants within the borders of New York City. Frankly, I find it hard to give a shit about the newest opening, ambitious concept, or chef’s achievement when virtually the entire world also exists within the borders of New York City. It exists in the form of a bowl of Xi’an [...]
A recent conversation in the comments on this blog called into question the worth of a burrito, even at its best. The dichotomy drawn was one of convenience and choice: While a burrito embodies comfort and convenience, almost anything else offered over a taqueria’s counter will offer greater variety, manageable portions, and minimal filler. Underscoring [...]
My latest barbecue columns for Serious Eats focus on America’s regional barbecue sauces and a hunt for the best barbecue pork ribs in Manhattan. A Guide to American Barbecue Sauce Styles Regional Barbecue Sauces Available by Mail-Order The Best Barbecue Pork Ribs in Manhattan Oh, and sandwiches! A Sandwich a Day: Charles’ Grilled Cheese at [...]
Burritos are pregnant with meaning. They are pregnant with lots of things, and some are even called pregnant by name, but others tell tales between the sheets of tortilla. El Porvenir’s carnitas burrito contains a San Diego origin story; the wet burrito at Berkeley’s La Burrita knows how stupid I act drunk; the Manuel Special [...]
Is $8.00 too much for this meal? The answer might depend on whether you’re the type of person to fork over $6 for bánh mì. After walking away from Bian Dang‘s stall at the still fresh Food Gallery 32, I proclaimed that their chicken leg dish was a tasty boatload of food for eight bucks. [...]
Location is fundamental to business. Even in a world bombarded by social media business plans, people still get up in the morning and walk down the street. And some people still walk home from the train at two in the morning, wondering if a nightcap at the corner pub is a good idea and wishing [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve had to haggle over my lunch. Fortunately, the wait staff at Taste Good Malaysian were feeling diplomatic when I asked about their chili crab. The last time I had eaten at Taste Good, chili crab was a special, something I hesitated to order because it would require the restaurant [...]
This is the best god damned muffin I’ve ever eaten. I didn’t know it was acceptable to use those words until my first visit to Blue Sky Bakery, a modest hallway of a bake shop just a few steps from where I lay my head in Park Slope. A muffin and coffee from Blue Sky [...]
