If I've hinted at anything about food throughout this blog thus far it's that I'm eating obsessed! I had been told that it would be difficult to find 'good' food in America, but not only was I totally up for the challenge, I was headed to New York City which made everything far easier in regards to choice. Here's a few of my food favourites from my time in New York.
Asian
I was expecting to see more Asian food in the city, but after noticing a lack of it in our travels I ended up doing a bit of research and finding Vanessa's dumpling house at Union Square on East 14th street. There are two other locations, one in Chinatown and the other in Williamsburg. I enjoyed this place way too much, and I definitely over ordered (I had been deprived of dumplings for almost a month - torturous!) but despite struggling through my excessive meal it sure lived up to the online hype. Not to mention the extremely reasonable prices - you can get 4 pan fried dumplings for US$1.59!
Dessert
There happened to be a Momofuku Milk Bar location just around the corner from the aforementioned dumpling house, and despite eating far too much I couldn't pass up an opportunity to try the infamous crack pie. Generally, I'm not a big pie person, but boy oh boy did this change my mind! I've recently discovered that the recipe for this culinary masterpiece is available for free online, which is both excellent for my my tastebuds and worrying for my waistline.
Pizza
Grimaldi's wins the prize for best pizza I've tasted outside of Italy. We stumbled upon the Coney Island pizzeria on our last day in New York and opted for the 'make your own' pizza. We went for the large regular pizza with Italian sausage, feta cheese, spinach and oven roasted sweet red peppers. The three of us shared the large, and despite initial worries that it wouldn't be enough we barely got through the incredibly sized pizza.
America, home of fast food. I was devastated to discover that there were none of the iconic In-N-Out burger locations in New York, but my sadness didn't last too long as I discovered Shake Shack. This has got to be one of the best fast food places I've visited yet - think classic burgers, hotdogs, crinkle cut fries and milkshakes updated with beer, wine and even doggy treats for your four legged friends. My favourites were the Shack-cago dog, their amazing fries, classic vanilla shake & the weekly special of their Shack-made blueberry lemonade. It's safe to say I was a return customer!
Despite enjoying the multitude of deliciously unhealthy foods available in America, it got to the point where I was craving my diet staples of fresh fruit, cous cous and oatmeal. When in need of health food? To Wholefoods! A haven of delicious and healthy alternatives right by Central Park, Wholefoods had just about everything I could have ever wanted. We stocked up on healthy snacks to keep in our hotel room and got a delicious soup and DIY salad to eat whilst we were there.
Mexican
I'm a huge Mexican food fan, and when my friend Angela told me I had to check out Chipotle for a quick and reasonably priced meal, I happily obliged. I visited one of the Lower Manhattan locations, and despite it being incredibly busy of a lunch time, the staff were incredibly friendly and efficient, and it was great to see the food being prepared in front of you. Great for a quick bite if you're craving fresh Mexican food.
Street food
New York is undeniably the king of street food. Hot dogs, kebabs, bagels, pretzels - you name it, they do it! I was won over by the bagels in America, especially when served with cream cheese. Prior to New York I don't think I've ever tasted a bagel that I've enjoyed, so if you're anything like my in your general dislike of them I encourage you to give them a chance here - you may well have a very pleasant surprise! My favourite street food however was the hot dogs. The one below is from a stall in the middle of Central park, and although I hadn't been expecting much it was surprisingly delicious! Go for one with the lot, you won't regret it.
Buon Appetito!
-Melissa