Eataly - Manhattan

Pricey but Tasty!
I visited Eataly when it opened a few months back and immediately wanted to kill myself.  It was a buzzing mess of gawking tourists and elbowy locals, stretching wait times and my patience beyond reason.  I swam against the current out the exit, empty-stomached and pissed, no intention of ever returning.  I didn't tell this to my colleagues who booked a "haven't seen you in a while" lunch there.  Luckily, the place has settled down; you can get a table in a reasonable amount of time and savor some good food.  I regret not trying Cacio e Pepe while I was in Rome.  The Eataly version was al dente and the pecorino and ground black pepper speed-bagged my taste buds perfectly.  I could eat this every day.

Mexicue - Manhattan

More Manhattan Truck Love
If you ask me "Mac or PC?" I'll smile and answer "both."  It's not because I'm a smartass (though that helps) - I simply don't buy into the question.  On my travels I've learned that everyone thinks their country's food is the best.  Regardless the location, there's pressure to side with the locals.  With an open mind you can find good (and bad) in each country.  On my food continuum, the NYC lunch truck is closer in spirit to the Singapore hawker than the Parisian two hour wine-soaked lunch.  If you've tried the Mexicue truck you know what I mean - they serve-up quick yet excellent barbecued meats in taco and sandwich form.

Hill Country Chicken - Manhattan

Newcomer Bird vs. Popeyes
Every new fried chicken spot gets compared to Popeyes - that's how it works on this silly blog.  Why? Because this is the Puff List.  She'll ask is "is it better than Popeye's, babe?"  I still can't get over it - the little Singaporean chick loves Popeyes.  Will Hill Country Chicken come out on top?  Will Popeyes keep the crown?  It's the pseudo South against faux New Orleans.

Boqueria - Manhattan

Tapas and Sandwiches in the Flatiron
Whenever I come back to NY I'm amazed by the choice of new restaurants to try. I don't even pretend to keep up, I browse and pick them using a variety of rules, the most of important of which is the "it's close to work" rule. This is how we found ourselves at Boqueria, a Spanish tapas spot that also serves sandwiches. I spent a summer in Madrid between college and grad school and was hoping to find some eats that were more than a pale imitation. We didn't get off to a good start with the quail eggs and chorizo on toast. I don't know how they managed to make this tasteless - but luckily things picked up from here.

Ben and Jacks - Manhattan

Solitary Steak Ain't a Good Sign
In the go-go days of NY, you never would have found yourself alone in a steakhouse during Friday lunch. After a long wait to be seated, it would have been elbow to elbow combat and deafening table chatter. Fast forward to now: Ben and Jack's new location on Madison Ave between 28th and 29th. Same delicious steak you get from any good steakhouse minus the crowd. Matter of fact, it's downright scary how empty the place was.

Keko Cafe - Manhattan

Not All Breakfasts are Created Equal
Sometimes, for no apparent reason, things turn out perfectly. Keko Cafe is usually just a coffee spot for me but the Puff suggested trying their breakfast. It is a cozy, warm, closet-sized space with no more than 5-6 small tables. Every inch of the walls is covered with interesting bric-a-brac and a tv on either end, tuned usually to European soccer matches. It feels as if you've left Manhattan and stepped into a cafe in Paris or Amsterdam.

This photo from nosh and nibble.

Cart Guy at 26th & Madison - Manhattan

Friday is Danish Day!
I know, I know - Friday is supposed to be Donut Day. I've been chomping my way through the Serious Eats donut list and needed a break. I went old-school this morning and hit up my favorite cart guy for a pecan danish. If you live in NYC, you know this type of cart guy. He always has a 20-person line at his cart but has your usual order ready without your saying a word. But if you skip his cart for a week, this type of cart guy also says something like "I thought you died!" or "I guess you like that crap McDonald's coffee more than mine, huh?"

I hadn't been to his cart for over two weeks! I looked at my shoe tops, mumbling something about having to travel for work lately, not half-believing the lie. He stared hard at me as he tossed the bag across. "NEXT in line, please step up!"

Dogmatic - Manhattan

Piggies in Blankets, Flossy Style
Let's cut to the chase: Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! The name Dogmatic is misleading, these are not hot dogs, these are sausages. Here's how it works, you choose a sausage and a sauce from the list. You can pick any combo you like:

Subtletea

Just Plain Tired of Coffee?
Fancy a cup of tea, love? Why not change it up every once in a while? This Madison Ave tea house may just be what you are looking for, Puff.

It looks like an ideal place to work. The space is clean and bright, spa music plays almost imperceptibly in the background. There is a long work table with electrical outlets and free wi-fi. Plant yourself here and get a lot of work done. When not working, peer out the window and do some people-watching.

There are myriad teas and coffees offered as well as other goodies baked by International Delights. I chose a blueberry scone, which was shaped like a boomerang. It was alright, nothing special. You should check out the teas - you know more about that than I do.

http://www.subtleteastore.com/

121 Madison Ave

Manhattan

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Rafiqi's

Middle Eastern Comfort Food?
It is a cold, windy, gloomy day in the Apple. Fall is here, winter is around the corner, summer is 33 months away, life sucks, etc and so forth. Time for a little bit of comfort, no? Not hot chocolate and smores (though, as I write - that seems like a great idea) but my favorite street meat from Rafiqi. Hey, Puff - do you even know what a smore is?

There are a handful of Rafiqi carts, but I've only been to the one on Park Ave and 24th.

I love these guys - they are the model of efficiency. Join the line, order, pay, get your food in about 30 seconds, tops. In order, from left to right, you got the money guy, the chef and the sous-chef. Gentlemen, I salute you.

I went with my old standby: chicken on rice, with grilled onions and barbecue sauce. As far as I am concerned, they don't even need to throw in the "salad." Life is a little better now. I think I will make it.

Park Ave South, Between 23rd and 24th St.

Manhattan

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