Read more about the article Bohemian: Secret Door, Secret Phone Number, Japanese Speakeasy
A Japanese Speakeasy Date Night Restaurant at Bohemian

Bohemian: Secret Door, Secret Phone Number, Japanese Speakeasy

I’m gonna let you in on one of New York’s best-hidden secrets. Located in the NoHo area, there’s an unmarked, members-only restaurant that doesn’t even list its phone number publicly. Even if you can manage to get your hands on Bohemian‘s phone number you’ll still need a referral to land a reservation. Seriously, when I called, the first question I was confronted with was “How did you get this number?” However, once you’ve breached their defenses and joined the ranks of their inner circle, you’ll be treated to one of the most interesting, sexy, refined meals you can find in NYC.

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Read more about the article Real Deal Texas Barbecue Burrito Bowls in NYC at Tres Carnes
Real Deal Texas Barbecue Burrito Bowls in NYC at Tres Carnes

Real Deal Texas Barbecue Burrito Bowls in NYC at Tres Carnes

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Over the past few years NYC has been going through a sort of Texas style barbecue renaissance. With many new massive traditional smokehouses popping up, the competition is fierce and some will obviously succeed where others fail. While most of the places serving ‘cue are in the traditional format of counter, line, butcher paper, and meat by weight, Tres Carnes takes a completely different approach. Their menu consists mostly of tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls which get loaded with authentic Texas smoked meats like brisket and pulled pork in a Chipotle-esque construction line. At Tres Carnes, the smoker is helmed by pitmaster Mike Rodriguez who has a pedigree that includes the very famous Salt Lick in Austin. This guy knows what he’s doing.

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Read more about the article Molecular Gastronomy Magic from Wylie Dufresne at WD~50
Molecular Gastronomy Magic from Wylie Dufresne at WD~50

Molecular Gastronomy Magic from Wylie Dufresne at WD~50

*Editor’s Note: I’m sad to report that this restaurant is not longer open.

Recently, I wrote about a particularly crazy meal I ate at Los Perros Locos. They delivered a kind of craziness through the sheer brashness of piling as many wacky pedestrian ingredients on top of one another as humanly possible. But, like I’ve said before, there are many kinds of crazy when it comes to food.

To celebrate my 26th birthday, my girlfriend took me to a restaurant that’s been high up on my worldwide to-do list for a long time, WD~50. The restaurant is the brain-child of Wylie Dufresne who established the molecular gastronomy dining scene in NYC. The kind of craziness that Wylie delivers is less like that of a psychopath, but more like that of a mad scientist through his use of complex, technical, processes and methodologies usually reserved for a chemistry lab. Every dish and drink at WD~50 has some sort of complicated twist whereby an ingredient is transformed or presented in a way you’ve probably never experienced before.

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Read more about the article Hot Dog Insanity at Los Perros Locos LES
Hot Dog Insanity at Los Perros Locos LES

Hot Dog Insanity at Los Perros Locos LES

*Editor’s Note: I’m sad to report that this restaurant is no longer open.

What’s the craziest meal you’ve ever had in New York? I know, there’s many types of crazy meals, whether it involves something outside your comfort zone like organ meat or a perhaps it’s a meal served in pure darkness. But, I’m talking about a different kind of crazy. The kind that makes you stop at ask what kind of clinically insane person thought up the menu. The kind that makes you actually utter ‘what the fuck’ out loud. Well, this is it. This is some of the most out-there food I’ve found in NYC and honestly, I don’t know anywhere else in the US quite like it either. Even the name of the shop foreshadows the wackiness to come. Welcome to Los Perros Locos. If you haven’t already guessed, they served over-the-top hot dog varieties.

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Read more about the article The Best Dumplings in NYC are at White Bear in Flushing
The Best Dumplings in NYC are at White Bear in Flushing

The Best Dumplings in NYC are at White Bear in Flushing

To find the very best dumplings, you are gonna have to hop the 7 or LIRR out to Flushing, Queens to New York’s biggest Chinatown. Situated a block from Main Street is a diminutive, slightly dingy shop called White Bear. I know it doesn’t look like much, but just trust me on this one.

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Read more about the article The Baconery Holiday Bacon Baked Goods Basket
The Baconery Holiday Basket

The Baconery Holiday Bacon Baked Goods Basket

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Ahh, bacon. Yes, one of my favorite topics and one of my favorite things in the world. For those who are not yet aware, in NYC up near Harlem there is a magical place called the Baconery (bacon + bakery, get it?). Literally everything on their menu involves bacon in some shape or form, from sandwiches to baked goods to any of their raw artisanal cuts. Even the hot chocolate is topped with bacon! Amy and I took a trip up to the shop a few months ago for a low key date night and nearly put ourselves into a dreamy bacon-induced coma.

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A Very Andrew Zimmern Oktoberfest at NYCWFF 2013

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To continue where we left off, I had the pleasure of attending two New York City Wine & Food Festival events this year. I’ve already told you all about my experience at the Thrillist’s Barbecue & The Blues event and now I get to tell you all about another fun Oktoberfest event.

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Thrillist’s Barbecue & The Blues with Robert Irvine at NYCWFF 2013

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This year I had the pleasure of experiencing two of the many events being held for New York City Wine & Food Festival. This is a massive three-day festival with with well over 50 different events taking place in a variety of locations around the city. Over the weekend, my girlfriend Amy and I attended two of the events, first on Friday night up near Columbus Circle for Thrillist’s Barbecue & The Blues hosted by Robert Irvine followed by Sunday in Astoria, Queens for Oktoberfest presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats and hosted by Andrew Zimmern. To say I was excited about attending each of these events would be an understatement.

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Read more about the article Bizarre Ethnic Food in Queens: Himalayan Yak Restaurant
Himalayan Yak Review

Bizarre Ethnic Food in Queens: Himalayan Yak Restaurant

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My buddy Evan moved to NYC about a year ago for Med School. Whenever he can get away from his studies long enough for us to get together, he’s always up for an adventure and will indulge my need to experience new cuisines. I’ve known Evan just about for forever, so when I contacted him about going on an adventure, his first reaction was ‘How about Elmhurst?’ Well yes, I had been meaning to head out to Queens and check out a whole variety of ethnic places, so I responded to his request with a list of some ideas I had in the neighborhood. One of the options I sent over, a Tibetan restaurant called Himalayan Yak, piqued his interest so that’s where we decided to meet.

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Read more about the article Seriously Good, Cheap Fried Chicken at Dirty Bird To-Go in NYC
Dirty Bird To-Go Review

Seriously Good, Cheap Fried Chicken at Dirty Bird To-Go in NYC

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In TriBeCa, nearly invisible, tucked away under some construction scaffolding on Chambers Street for as long as I can remember, you’ll find some of the best and most reasonably priced fried chicken in NYC. This is no dive. It’s a very well designed, polished space that feels like they should be charging double what they are. This is one of the those gems that feels like such a deal and nearly the entire menu is excellent.

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