The hunt for the best burger in Korea may be over… But I’m not ready to call off the hunt just yet. This burger can hold its own even against US burger joints in the States. Great fries and toppings done right. It truly replicates an authentic Brooklyn feel inside, including its open kitchen, friendly staff, and fully stacked rack of self-serve hot sauces. Milkshakes are incredible – the nutella x burnt marshmallow is insane. This place is, simply put, bomb.

Good things come to those who eat LATE! This spot is usually jampacked during regular or post-drinking hours alike, but a small crew of hungry eaters came here to munch around 1 am on a Tues night, and were treated to meatball magnificence. Dim-sum style menu instructions. Choose: meatball / sauce / bread or salad / cheese. Hear specials, re-evaluate choices and order even more. Our fiesta de carnage consisted of a well-rounded assortment of flagship standards and envelope pushers, including: Beef meatball/tomato/mozzarella/roll + “chicken cordon blueball” special/parmesan cream/naked/add an egg on it + beef/spicymeatsauce/mozz/whole wheat roll + assorted slider combos. Also added some totally unnecessary but good sides such as butternut squash daily veggie special + risotto special. With a few wines and beers, came out to $20 a head. Sharing dessert.

Don’t save room, but make some space for the ice cream cookie sandwiches. They are like Oh My Gawd. Hit the gym the next day. Hard.

mega meatball smorgasbord.

oh lonely special chikn cordon blueball slider a la parmesan creme, let me put mine lips to thee...

OUTSTANDWICHES! snickerdoodle/pumpkin special ice cream + mocha latte special cookie/vanilla ice cream

dry-erase markers. B-I-N-G-Oh

County Line BBQ
Huge Flintstones-sized portions. Country style dining with a lazy stream running in the back.

Ironworks BBQ
Smoky brisket. Fast cafeteria style BBQ on the edge of downtown Austin. Not tremendously memorable compared to the others but conveniently located for a quick BBQ fix.

Chuy’s
The definition of Tex Mex. Fresh unlimited nacho station. Good drinks and special sauces. More of a tourist spot then a “food find”, but definitely a solid meal.

Curra’s Grill
Amazing homestyle Mexican food. Super flavorful, cooked with love. Had my first ever Avocado frozen margarita, a totally unique experience.

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Southern
Favorite Dish(es): House Smoked Spare Ribs ($22), Jalapeno Cornbread

Char is a nice looking place – the kind you bring a date or your in-laws to. It’s not exactly super fancy, but there’s definitely good food to be found here. It’s themed around whiskey, with a decent selection of some typical 18 yr olds and some small batches. The food is all smoked and meant to be paired with whiskey. Ribs are the popular dish here, and are definitely worth trying. Don’t expect true Southern BBQ style though, as these ribs are super smoked and slathered with a gravy sauce. Still, very tasty.

quite possibly the best jalapeno cornbread i've ever had. so good that this one was ordered extra to take home.

not the most tender ribs, but super tasty, great smoky flavor, and good seasoning

typical chicken over greens dish, but extra smoky, with bacon-y bits on top

i'm a whiskey guy, but more of a "neat+water on side" than on the rocks. but this place, does rocks proper. nice snifters also.

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Take Out (truck)
Cuisine: American, Ice Cream, Dessert, Coffee
Favorite Dish(es): Ginger $6

This is one ice cream truck that doesn’t need a jingle. Labeling themselves as purveyors of artisan hand-crafted ice cream, the Van Leeuwen truck whips up small batches of a select list of simple gourmet flavors from Peppermint and Chip, to a bit more less traditional ingredients such as Red Currant and Gianduja, chocolate with hazelnut and almond paste. Their ice cream is luscious and creamy, softer than a hard ice cream but much thicker than a gelato. The flavors are clean, delicate, and not overbearing, so it’s easy to eat a lot. It’s definitely on the sweet and smooth side, and one of the best consistencies that I’ve found in NYC. Some of the best food in a city is often found in its street food, so don’t be surprised when there are huge lines waiting for food from a truck, and in the summertime, this yellow cream-mobile gets quite popular.

They have two trucks which can often be found at 22nd & 6th ave, and 15th & 5th ave, but they are often on the move, so you can keep track of their whereabouts on their Twitter feed. Sometimes they even carry coffee and pastries at the truck, so keep a lookout on the way to work. Scoops are available at select locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, and pints are now available at various places including Whole Foods. Check out their nifty site for more information on their craft. Bring a friend, and don’t feel bad about asking for an extra spoon – they even use sustainable, biodegradable dishware.

Keep an eye out for this yellow vehicle and you're in for a treat.

You get just what it says. Ginger. Sweet, lovely ginger.

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Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: American, Pizza
Favorite Dish(es): The Beast Master ($17)

For our anniversary we wanted to go somewhere low-key and unpretentious, instead of doing a fancy reservation-only spot. Upon recommendation from my friend (and new daddy) David, a true man about the town, we trekked over to the far industrial reaches of Bushwick for Roberta’s Pizza. This is no ordinary New York brick-oven pizza joint by any means (go to Lombardi’s, John’s or Grimaldi’s for that). Their ingredients are unconventional, super fresh, and many are grown right on the premises in their cool little DIY greenhouse out back. The service is better than top notch – you’re bound to learn a thing or two. Roberta’s is a really special place – almost magical if you will. You should make sure to add to your must-go list.

Let’s get right down to the pizza. The crust is simply amazing. It’s super light and crispy on the outside with big bubbles (for those who love them), and chewy and tender on the inside. It almost has the consistency of a super light naan (the Indian tandoori-oven baked bread). The ingredients are right on par with the crust in their quality, using really fresh mozzarella and just the right amount of ripe tomato sauce. Their toppings are the real star. The “Specken Wolf”, one of their trademark pizzas, features Speck, a salty, smoky ham originating from Austria and Italy, sliced super thin and accompanied by mushrooms, oregano, onions, and mozzarella. The “Beastmaster”, our favorite, is a monster of a pizza combining seven toppings: tomato, mozzarella, gorgonzola, capers, onions, Berkshire pork sausage, and jalapenos. It’s a flavor rollercoaster ride of salty, savory, sour, and sweet that puts any “Supreme” pizza to shame. The other pizzas also have a good combination of toppings, and we’re definitely aiming to try each and every one.

Shpecken ze Wolfen?

You can't Master this Beast at the Hut.

It’s also worth mentioning that we started off with a homemade pasta dish that we shared as an appetizer. “Orechiette (little ear-shaped pasta) with braised oxtail and parmagiano”. It had good flavor and was seasoned well, but the portion was a bit on the tiny size, even for one person, so it’s definitely only fit as an appetizer. In retrospect we could have done without the pasta and just ordered more pizza – which we ended up doing in the middle of the meal. We split 3 pizzas between the two of us, with 2 slices left over for a midnight snack.

Roberta’s is more than just a pizza spot, with a warm inviting ambiance, and plenty of areas to lounge. The interior is super low-brow, decorated in a homey way with a hodge-podge of random trinkets and little bits of artwork. There’s a decent size bar area for people waiting for takeout orders. The backyard is a special spot, with a cozy fireplace with another bar that serves warm mulled (spiced wine) during cold weather. There’s even a small local internet radio station that shares part of the patio, and the greenhouse is built directly on top of their room, that you can walk up to and check out. Roberta’s is like a Romper Room for big kids to hang out at for hours on end. Brooklynites in the area should consider themselves truly lucky.

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1.  Bouchon Bakery at Columbus Circle has some devilishly tasty-sounding specialty items this season.

• Bat TKO’s – A Bouchon Bakery Halloween favorite; crisp, bat-shaped chocolate cookies filled with sweet white chocolate ganache; $2.75 each
• Pumpkin Cupcake – These decadent devils food cupcakes are shaped as a pumpkin, complete with a rich, cream cheese center and finished with fondant; $4.50 each (see pic below)
• Spider Cookies – Homemade shortbread cookies festively decorated with fondant; $3.25 each
• Pumpkin Brittle – This classic brittle is fused with pumpkin seeds to highlight the flavors of the season; $5.75 per bag
• Caramel Apple – fresh, crisp apple smothered in house made caramel; $7.50 each

Check out these decked out pumpkin cupcakes. I can just imagine how sweet and buttery that fondant frosting must be...

…and….

2.  Cafe Du Soleil on the Upper West Side is holding a costume party dinner with a $24.95 Prix Fixe menu and $50 to the best costume.  Click the flyer image below to make reservations on their website.

This soiree looks sinful...

Sylvia’s
328 Lenox Ave (btwn 126th & 127th)
(212) 996-0660

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: American, Soul Food, Southern
Favorite Dish(es): Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese, Collared Greens ($13.95)

When New Yorkers talk about “soul food”, they always mention Sylvia’s in Harlem. It’s somewhat of a historical landmark, having served homestyle Southern cooking for over 40 years. Upon entering the original diner-style section of the restaurant (the middle building), you’re instantly blasted back to 1962, when Sylvia Woods first opened the spot with her husband Herbert. Since then, Sylvia’s has become a pillar of the community as evident by all the pictures on the wall of Sylvia and her family with almost every celebrity and famous African-American person to date, including, most recently, President Obama. There’s a very good reason why Sylvia Woods has been nicknamed the “Queen of Soul Food”. The food is just plain good.

Warm, sweet and corny cornbread with crispy crust

Southern fried white meat chicken (breast+wing), garlic mashed potatoes, mac and cheese

Fried Chicken and Ribs combo, collared greens

For our first visit, we ordered some of the most typical and traditional fare that came to mind when thinking of “soul food”. Entrees: Fried Chicken and Ribs.Sides: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Collared Greens, Mac & Cheese, Blackeyed Peas. There are plenty of other traditional Southern dishes on the menu as well, such as Smothered Chicken, Catfish two ways (fried or grilled), and the infamous Fried Chicken and Waffles combo, as well as daily specials. We were told by our friendly server, Jesse, to try the BBQ Salmon and Beef Short Ribs next time, whose advice we will surely take to heart (and stomach).

The food came out lightning fast, giving us barely enough time to sample the sweet, crispy, warm cornbread with butter served while we waited. The cornbread was so good I took the last piece home in a napkin. To give a proper assessment of all the food, here is the breakdown:

Fried Chicken:

Crust – Very crispy skin and great flavor. Not very crusty. Very light on the batter.

Meat – HUGE, supersized chicken. The biggest pieces we’ve ever seen. Choose between white meat (breast+wing) or dark meat (leg+thigh). Super moist and tender, the actual meat was not very seasoned but still flavorful. Tastes like fried chicken.

Ribs:

Sauce – Red, sweet and sour, tangy, sticky and translucent, like the red Chinese sweet&sour sauce. Very sassy. Lemon slices and vinegar pack a punch.

Meat – Big, succulent, moist slabs of pork that come off the bone very easily. Some good caramelized bark on the ends. Very juicy and well-marinated, and very different from Texan smoky ribs (a la Dinosaur BBQ).

Sides:

Garlic Mashed Potatoes – so creamy, buttery, and garlicky that one bite will keep vampires away for weeks.

Baked Mac & Cheese – emphasis on the “baked”, my favorite. super cheesy, with the right ratio of cheese and grease. macaroni cooked perfectly.

Collared Greens – a Southern food staple, flavored with tasty bits of turkey ham.

Blackeyed Peas – really tasty, especially for beans, prepared in a flavorful stock.

Conclusion:
This place is truly something special. To be honest, it wasn’t the best food we’ve ever had in our lives (For us, Good’N'Plenty in Pennsylvania still wins for best fried chicken, and you just can’t beat Texas ribs). BUT, it WAS really good, authentic, down-home, soul-nourishing food in generous portions and prepared with care. You can tell that Sylvia’s recipes have been perfected over the years, without skimping on any ingredients or shortcuts of any kind. This is food with character, made from the heart. Beyond the food, the service is top-notch, adding extra warmth to the experience. It could be because we came offpeak before the dinner time rush on a Friday at 5 PM, but we’re pretty sure that the management likes to keep the vibe very family-style. The waitstaff are attentive, laidback and honest, and the manager even stopped by every table to welcome each guest. That and the fact that the food is priced very reasonably ($14 average an entree), makes Sylvia’s a rare treat in NYC. We’re looking forward to filling up on more soul food during the upcoming winter months, and any time we have a hankering for some fried chicken.

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Pricing: Cheap
Venue: Take-Out
Cuisine: American, Italian (Pizza)
Favorite Dish(es): Margarita Slice ($3.50)

Artichoke Pizza is a fairly recent newcomer to the NY gourmet pizza scene.  They offer two signature pizzas that you won’t find anywhere else – Artichoke (of course) and, of all things, Crab.  But for our first visit, we opted for the traditional Margarita slice: mozzarella, fresh basil, and fresh tomato sauce. One word describes this pizza that makes it stand out from the rest of NYC’s many gourmet slices – “CRISPY.” This crust is super crispy, almost cracker-like and crunchy like melba toast, with very little bending or doughiness. It’s not the kind of pizza you can just fold in half and walk around with. It deserves your full attention, from tip to crust. They use quality ingredients, and don’t skimp on the cheese. We’re anxiously waiting to try the Artichoke and Crab slices next time. The Artichoke slice is a white pizza without tomato sauce, with a bit thicker, softer crust embedded with bits of artichoke and spinach.  Can’t wait to go back and test them out.

The famed Artichoke slice.

Margarita slice, as they call it. I think it's actually spelled "Margherita".

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Homemade apple butter (applesauce reduced to a jam), cottage cheese, and butter

Looks like cole slaw, but they call it Pepper Slaw since it has no mayo and has chopped green peppers. Sweet and tangy.

Can't beat fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot summer day!

The main attraction - FRIED CHICKEN! Crispy, crunchy, organic, hormone-free and fresh from the farm across the street... Best we've ever had.

There's also other dishes that they change on the menu from time to time, from roast beef to a sweet ham meatloaf, and plenty of sides including mashed potatoes, egg noodles, and corn... but in our opinion, you can't beat the chicken.

After the meal comes a selection of desserts including fresh, organic, ice cold chocolate milk and chocolate ice cream made from the same milk. Both are creamy with a clean chocolate flavor, not artificial or chemical tasting.

Some lemon crumb pie to finish it off. Totally unnecessary, but still good. They regularly change up their dessert selection depending on the fruit in season.

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