The Spotted Pig

 Tina’s return always means a legitimate excuse to indulge. This time,  I didn’t try to get all fancy at The Spotted Pig by ordering game, and stuck with their bread and butter instead.

That meant the burger ($17) of course, slathered with their signature pungent Roquefort cheese. It’s very blue cheese-like, giving off an extreme saline aftertaste. You’ll get hit with that brininess on your first bite, but its unapologetic application on this landmark burger forces you to appreciate its in-your-face quality.

So to counter that boldness, we also got the kale and bacon ($8). It’s by no means lacking in flavor though. The freshness was obvious, with each leaf offering a fluffy crunch.  The bacon to kale ratio was on the light side, but it’s smart given how heavy most main dishes are.

Perhaps the most universally loved order of the night is still the gnudi ($16) though. Think gnocchi on steroids swimming in sheep’s milk ricotta and draped in brown butter and sage. It’s the perfect comfort snack on a chilly night, especially if you don’t have the stomach to take down a burger.

Little Cupcake Shop

Yeah, I’m sure you’re tired of the whole cupcake frenzy by now, and by the looks of it, The Little Cupcake Shop in Soho doesn’t seem to offer anything different from the hackneyed Magnolia or Billy’s bakeshops.

But…if you steer your eyes to the bottom shelf of the display case, you’ll find a variety of pretty unique flavors. I had a Friday off and Tru and I decided to indulge in some sweets after Cafe Habana.

Cue my lemon meringue cupcake.

The cake was fresh and moist, built sans gratuitously sweet icing. Instead, the topping was light and fluffy, bursting with even more lemony flavor. The space is also a bit bigger than its fellow Manhattan cupcakeries, so it’s a lovely place to just lounge over coffee and cake.

In the Kitchen: Cranberry Streusel Bar

Got leftover cranberry sauce? Saw this simple recipe on Gilt Taste for crunchy yet chewy Cranberry Streusel Bars.

No need to follow it to a tee, and I’ll point out where I put in substitutes, but I have to say it turned out pretty nice for my first streusel attempt!

The crust requires some mixing, and without an electric one, I ended up kneading it by hand. In my attempt to make it just a bit less fattening, I worked in 3/4 stick of butter instead of one and a half. It may crack a bit more as it bakes, but taste-wise it was perfectly fine.

For the topping, instead of oats and walnuts, get this, I finally tapped the two huge boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats just sitting from our last Costco trip. Using the cereal, you not only get the extra crunch, but you can pare back on the listed brown sugar input as well.

From there, the rest is easy breezy: spread the cranberry and load up the topping, and give it a final bake.

Here’s here recipe or follow this link to Gilt!

Cranberry-Walnut Streusel Bars
Makes about 16 bars

For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
½  teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cubed
For the Filling:
2 cups leftover cranberry sauce (see Note)

Streusel Topping
½  cup rolled oats
½  cup light brown sugar
½  cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until mixture just comes together in one ball. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until crust is pale golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the shortbread.
3. To make the streusel, in a small bowl, whisk together the oats, sugar, walnuts, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend in the butter with your fingertips, forming pea-sized crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel over the cranberry sauce. Bake until topping is golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Death & Co.

Exclusivity doesn’t always mean unfriendly in the city. At least not at Death & Company.

On one of the rare quieter streets in the East Village, behind an inconspicuous panel of thick wooden planks, you’ll find one of the original New York City mixologies.

There’s a door policy that’s necessary given the bar’s limited square footage. Sure it’s also there to enforce that sense of mystery, but the process is straightforward and the guy out in front is super nice about it. He’ll take down your cell so you can go off elsewhere, and if the waitlist extends into their 2 am closing time, he’ll be upfront about it so you don’t waste the night hanging around nearby.

Anyhow, the important thing is that there’s a cocktail here for everyone. Take your favorite base liquor and you’ll find a variety of unique mixtures incorporating different purees, syrups and juices. Whatever you get will really be one of a kind, stirred or shaken with attention and care.

For something on the sweeter side, I’m a big fan of the punches. Each order is made for four to six, but not too much for two if you’re willing to stick to the same drink–which I doubt will be the case once you get a load of the plethora of other creations on the menu.

It’s impossible to rehash the entire list here–plus, what you end up liking will largely depend on personal taste. But what I will add is that while it’s all about the drinks here, the food is far from mediocre–namely those truffle fries and pulled pork sliders.

Crif Dogs

$4.00 – $5.00 a dog

Back to my old stomping grounds right off St. Marks, where we lived senior year and my daily calorie count went through the roof. Dogs can’t get more gluttonous than the souped up ones at Crif Dogs on 8th Street between 1st and Avenue A.

Don’t be intimidated by the night crowd that’s likely lounging around for the secret bar called PDT hidden behind the red phone booth. Focus on the dogs, because it honestly beats dealing with that PDT hostess. Do this instead: indulge in a dot or two then head over to Death and Co. two blocks south, where the wait may not be any better, it’s just as exclusive, but the owners are far friendlier.

Anyway, I digress.

In my opinion, every dog here is worth a try — maybe months apart to give your heart a break. But out of the inspiring menu of well over a dozen dressings, the Chihuahua is one of my favorites.

I’m an avocado and sour cream fan, so it might be a relatively simple selection, but a no-brainer for me.

Jay had the Spicy Red Neck with punchy jalapeno to kick the cole slaw up a notch. There’s definitely more flavor here than my Chihuahua, but it’s much heavier as well.

Anyway, it’s hard to get tired of this place, and you can’t really find anything else like it in the city. You’d think there would be, but places like Gray’s Papaya and Katz’s are just of a different breed.

Out of Town: Joe’s Farm Grill in Gilbert, AZ

The whole farm-to-table concept might be booming in Manhattan, but when there’s a limited amount of space, a restaurant can only go so far.

That’s why our little family trip to Joe’s Farm Grill near by parent’s new house in Gilbert, AZ was a much fuller experience (not to mention a lot cheaper).

The restaurant tries to source most of its ingredients from nearby farms, collectively called Agritopia, including one that’s right down the plot. They use property pretty efficiently, planting as much as they can along walkways and around the outdoor seating area.

Naturally, this all yields pretty fresh, tasty dishes. Mom, dad, Jay, grandma and I shared a wide-ranging order from fried zucchini ($4.99) and a bacon blue cheese burger ($9.49) to an ahi tuna sandwich ($12.99) and full rack of baby back ribs ($19.99).

The food is simple, but done with a sense of instinctive ease. No frills, no over thinking. Just a nice, solid meal. I will say that the seasonal pumpkin milkshake was a tad sweet, but completely forgivable since it tasted astonishingly just like pumpkin.

The only glitch may have been the OM, with a line running out the door leading to one window that takes orders. This might be more widely accepted in New York City for the likes of Shake Shack, but seems a little out of place for Gilbert, Arizona. Nevertheless, too many hungry customers is only a good problem to have, and easily solved as the Shack has done with their shake-only fast lane.

East End Kitchen

Total Bill: $60.00 for two

It’s your friendly neighborhood Sunday morning brunch spot, glowing with its pristine white wall but at the same time cozy with it wooden wicket chairs.

East End Kitchen, opened not too long ago in the Upper East Side, may be a tad pricey, but sometimes that warm, homey comfort is just what you need.

I’ll jump straight to the highlight, which is what they dubbed Edward’s “Lost Bread.” For $7.00, you get a brick of a slice of toasted home-made French brioche, coated with a layer of lightly flamed brulee crisp. One you chip through that sugary crunch, you’ll break into the oozing creme–aka custard batter–soaked deeply into the soft, fluffy brioche.

It’s filling and a bit heavy, but for that age-old brunch dilemma of savory or sweet, this is the perfect “side” to any entree.

Our entrees were undeniably fresh, but to be honest, a bit of a disappointment in terms of presentation and size upon initial glance. I had the shrimp and grits, for $13.00, a mix of poached shrimp and Mountain View Farm bacon with a single poached egg on top of a not-so-generous scoop of grits. None of the four components were anything too out of the ordinary.

Similarly disappointing was Jay’s $13.00 biscuits and gravy. Like my grits, you’d expect a plate of comfort food, but instead find a modest chicken roulade drizzled in gravy, a dabble of scrambled eggs, and two biscuits. Needless to say, he was hungry afterwards.

That isn’t to say this place isn’t worthy of a visit. They seemed to be working out their kinks and if they spruce up the actual entrees a bit, this spot could be something much more.

The Dining Room at Anthony David’s in Hoboken

Total Bill: $48.00 for two

In our quest to find a new home, Jay has been trying to ease me into the idea of Hoboken with some more culinary-oriented experiences in the area. That, I’m always down for.

So, we drove over to Hoboken on a bright fall morning and dropped by Anthony David’s right off Washington Street.

Maybe it was fall. Maybe it was the crisp chilly air. But the restaurant was rustic and cozy, emanating the colors and warmth of the season.

It serves up a menu with the most extensive selection of eggs benedicts I’ve seen in a while, and it was so hard for me to decide. I finally opted for the ricotta truffle benedict–a very lightly seasoned pillow of ricotta infused with strong truffle flavors under perfectly poached eggs.

Jay had his go-to brunch item: steak and eggs. You don’t often get quality cooked steak for brunch, but here, it was fresh and perfectly cooked off the grill.

We ended with a box of their aromatic bourbon-soaked donuts, paired with donut holes sprinkled in fine cinnamony brown sugar. You’ll be able to taste the deeply infused bourbon with every bite into the warm, fluffy dough. And it’s refreshing to find it’s not overly sweet.

The serving sizes here remind me good old suburban restaurants. I guess after a decade in the city, anything will seem like a great deal, but it really is here. And it’s comforting for someone soon bidding Manhattan adieu that there’s quality culinary life outside the city.

Smorgasburg

I love fall in the city, but unfortunately that also means less trips to outdoor markets like Smorgasburg. So go while you can!

We went on a rainy day a few weeks back and it was wonderfully relaxing. It had serious food and you can honestly spend a whole day there for full-fledged breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Just take the course of our day for example.

Jay and I started by taking the Water Taxi–which is surprisingly efficient–from east 34th street and drops you off right at Brooklyn’s East River Park, Smorgasburg’s site each Saturday.

We shared a Blue Bottle iced coffee, a really unique bean that brews a naturally sweet coffee, and followed that right up with my favorite goodies of the day: two giant nearly CD-sized donuts. The fluffiest, freshest, most mouth-watering donuts I’ve ever had.  Based in Brooklyn, Dough carts over batches of freshly baked doughnuts to Smorgasburg seemingly by the hour. It probably has the longest line in the morning and their creations vanish from the trays within minutes.

Jay and I had a toasted coconut donut, strong with clean coconut flavors without being overwhelmed by unnecessary frosting. This was my favorite. We had to go back for seconds, and opted to try the cafe au lait donut, again strong with distinct coffee flavors without any unnecessary bells and whistles.

For lunch, we had smoked barbeque from Mighty Quinn’s, lured over mostly by herd mentality. Out of all the more savory stands, this place by far had the longest line. While it’s not the absolute best barbeque I’ve ever had, it sure lives up to the advertised smokiness. The pulled pork and slow-smoked brisket were each gushing with juice, soaking the buttered bun.

With the rain gone and sun beaming by the end of our trip, I ended with a banana soft serve with peanut butter sauce. This was probably the most disappointing item, somehow frozen but not cold, and far too overpriced for such a small serving. It lacked a refreshing feature vital to any frozen dessert, and came off almost more custard-y than chilly.

Little Owl

Total Bill: $150.00 for two

There’s a really good reason why getting reservations at The Little Owl during normal dining hours isn’t the easiest task. There are about a dozen tables and a small bar–a tribute to what seems to be an unspoken motto of quality over quantity. The staff is really friendly and the prices were refreshingly reasonable.

But most importantly, the food. The food! I don’t know what to say except that you really have to go try it. Every ingredient is fresh. No seasoning is overdone. Orders are plated with care. And they’re definitely not stingy in their servings.

You’ll read a lot of reviews of their meatball sliders. They’re undeniably good–easily better than those at The Meatball Shop. I can just see them hand-rolling them back in the kitchen. They’re cooked evenly throughout and packed with juicy tomato-y flavors.

But Jay and I both liked the soft shell crab appetizer. Lightly crisp and succulent with natural flavors, they rest delicately over a bed of heirloom tomatoes. The meatball sliders can be a bit filling, so if you want a light start, definitely go with the crab.

Then came one of the most deliciously grilled and roasted slabs of T-bone lamb I can remember ever having. There’s a slight tinge of gaminess which is essential to any fresh serving of lamb. It’s velvety pink inside and I loved it from the first bite to the very last–and it’s a really generous portion. And to top it all off, you’ll get a mound of fresh gnocchi hidden underneath a bed of greens that flawlessly balances out the lamb.

Not surprisingly, Jay went for the pork chop and walked away thoroughly impressed by how juicy and evenly cooked it was from the skin to the center. It’s so easy to find overcooked, dried-out pork chops, but there was no trace of that with every slice closer to the bone.

We ended with a ricotta cheesecake with strawberry sauce. Again, the flavors were subtle, but at the same time pronounced. It’s not your typical densely packed cheesecake, but silky and light instead. The crust was a perfect solid complement to the ricotta and strawberries.

All that said, I feel the praise still doesn’t quite do it justice. Just make reservations well in advance so you can take the time to enjoy your meal here, and you’ll know what I mean.