S’Mac: Cheeseburger & Alpine Macaroni & Cheese

Date June 30, 2009

It’s been a while since my first feast at S’Mac so I stopped in to try the Cheeseburger (Top – cheddar, American and ground beef, $6.25 Nosh) and the Alpine (Bottom – Swiss, gruyere and slab bacon, $7.25 Nosh), both with bread crumbs added.  Per my first encounter at S’Mac, I discovered bread crumbs add a whole new level of decadence and texture.  Read on to find out if I’ll be ordering either variety on my next visit…

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Eating Shopsin’s Menu One Item at a Time: Treif, Moe II & Feather-Fried Potato Shreds w/ Jack & Hatch Chile

Date June 29, 2009

DISCLAIMER: There’s nothing like eating at Shopsin’s General Store and that’s because most people feel awkward, uncomfortable and offended upon merely entering the vicinity of the place. One thing that holds true is that if you don’t feel any of those three undesireable emotions upon arrival, or at any point during your meal, then you know you belong.  And then you’re in for one hell of a meal.  In the end, Kenny Shopsin is a great dude; if he feels like being one.  If not, well then be polite, know what you want to eat ahead of time, and if Kenny curses at you, feel free to curse back.  If you go to Shopsin’s and you’re not prepared for this, please don’t mention you found out about it from me.  Read this article by Calvin Trillin to understand what I’m talking about.

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Awesome and awe-inspiring.  Both words describe the two defining characteristics of Shopsin’s General Store:  its menu and its owner/chef, the inimitable Kenny Shopsin.  And with a constantly changing menu (the massive Mexican skillet combo is already gone) and equally unpredictable maker, every trip to Shopsin’s provides a new opportunity for edible adventure.

This post features three dishes:

  • Treif: 3 Jewboy (brisket, onions, jack, Swiss) Egg Sliders ($17)
  • Moe II: Maple bacon French toast sandwich, eggs on top ($14)
  • Fried Potato Shreds with melted Jack and Hatch chile ($11)

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Update: Tuck Shop’s New 2nd Location Will Open Tonight at 6PM

Date June 26, 2009

Tuck Shop’s new 2nd location (115 St. Mark’s Place b/t 1st Avenue & Avenue A) will open tonight at 6PM and remain open until Niall, the co-owner, contractor and counter man, “drops.”  If you’ve never been to Tuck Shop’s original location (68 East 1st street b/t 1st & 2nd Ave) now you have no excuses. Get over there tonight after 6PM and eat some meat pies or try some delicious desserts.  Click here for NYC Food Guy’s food photos and recommendations.

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Clockwise from top left: Thai Chook (Chicken) Curry Meat Pie, Beef Meat Pie, Lamington Cross Section, Stack of Lamingtons

Update: Tuck Shop 2nd Location Opening pushed to Friday

Date June 24, 2009

Tuck Shop’s 2nd location at 115 St. Mark’s Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A, pushed back their soft open day to this Friday (June 26) in an effort to ensure they’re ready to rock. And rock they will, they’re original location (68 East 1st street b/t 1st and 2nd Avenues) is a great blueprint for success: fresh baked meat pies and homemade Australian desserts from breakfast until the wee hours of the night (5AM Friday and Saturday, 2AM Sun. – Thurs.).  My three favorites are the beef pie with a side of ketchup, the Thai chook (chicken) curry with a side of sweet chili sauce and the Vanilla Slice, vanilla custard between two sheets of pastry puff all topped with vanilla icing.  The new location, just a few doors down from Crif Dogs, will deliver all the classics plus a few new additions.  Click here for a look at the new shop’s interior and a list of new items.

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Big Bob Gibson’s Pulled Pork Wins Best Bite at Big Apple BBQ Block Party for 2nd Straight Year

Date June 23, 2009

“I wish they did this four times a year,” said my brother Craig as we watched Chris Lilly pull two shimmering pork butts from the smoker, some of the 3,000 pounds of pork cooked by the Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q crew at this year’s Big Apple BBQ Block Party.  Lilly, 8-time Memphis In May Champion and co-creator of Big Bob Gibson’s famous Bar-B-Q sauce, then proceeded to pull, chop and sauce the best pulled pork I’ve ever tasted.  Read on for the step-by-step pulled pork photos and a look at some other hits and misses at the 2009 Big Apple BBQ Block Party.

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