The Meatball Shop! Get it to go and eat at the park

Skip the 2 hour wait at The Meatball Shop and get yours to go and enjoy a nice night at the park (or the benches on Allen St...heheh)

Last Friday my boyfriend and I went to The Meatball Shop after hearing raves about it from everyone.  Everyone I know was so surprised I hadn't been yet, so I had to change that status quickly.

Upon hearing that the wait was at least 1 hour and 45 minutes - we proceeded to head straight to the take out counter and get our sandwiches to go.  Note - no sliders to go, you an only do the hero sandwiches.

No problem as I had already heard the spicy pork really was the must have meatball of choice.  We went with one spicy pork and tomato sauce and one with parmesan cream sauce.  I was partial to the parm cream sauce, but the tomato sauce is a pretty good classic choice as well.  The meatballs were made to order - perfectly juicy and seasoned nicely.  Not really spicy, just packed more of a punch than your usual ground meat.

Surprisingly the sandwiches weren't even that messy!  Paired with the salad garnished with crisp sliced apples - for 9 bucks, this was a pretty good deal.

And definitely don't forget dessert - the ice cream sandwiches are amazing.  Mix and match your favorite freshly baked cookie with your ice cream of choice.  I went with espresso and chocolate chip cookies, while my boyfriend did the blackberry/raspberry with brownie cookie!  Yum!!!  And since the cookies are soft and fresh - the sandwich is pretty manageable to eat without it totally falling apart.

The worst thing about most ice cream sandwiches is a stale cookie.  No chance of that here!

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St.
NY, NY 10002

Abraco - not just for coffee...

I just wanted to post a quick update.  Ever since being introduced to the wonderfully delicious and incomparable iced coffee at Abraco - I now go every single Saturday as my weekend treat!

Stop 1 - Abraco for iced coffee
Stop 2 - Tokio 7 to scour the designer resale stock!

Anyhoo...back to Stop 1 - Abraco is not just about the coffee.  I know NYMag did this whole thing on their food options - but I just wanted to pipe in here and echo the sentiment.  The food at Abraco is amazing.  And I underscore Amazing!!!

Try to get a slice of their fritatta - this is the best in town in my opinion.  By a long shot.  Made like a layered cake - its super moist with layers of creamy egg, potatoes - and different vegetables.  It sells out quickly (and to be honest I haven't figured out when it comes out - is it breakfast or lunch? )

The sandwiches are also wonderful - fresh ingredients from mushrooms, to mozzarella - sandwiched between super crunchy bread (doused in olive oil I think/hope)...

If you are craving something sweet - the pain perdu is always a good option.  Or go with whatever brioche they have that day - it's always seasonal and super delicious...

Finally - one must try the olive oil cookie.  At least once!  This is a true adult cookie!  :)

Abraco
86 East 7th St (between 1st and 2nd Ave)
212-388-9731

Baoguette - Best $5 bucks you can spend in NYC

Baoguette's new location in Saint Marks is a wonderful addition to the already bustling East Village food scene.

Serving up the ever so popular Banh Mi sandwiches, my favorite is the bbq chicken version.

Spicy bbq chicken, piled on high with carrots and pickled slaw with refreshing cilantro, this sandwich is delicious from the start to the end.

The bread is nice and toasty - a French baguette that is super fresh with none of the hard and chewiness that I commonly associate with baguettes.

While the sandwiches at Num Pang may be a little more sophisticated, the bread at Baoguette is far superior.

Plus at the discounted price of $5 versus an average of $8 at Num Pang, there really is no better deal that Baoguette.

Baoguette
37 St. Marks Place (Between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
212-380-1487

61 Lexington Ave (Between 25th and 26th)
212-532-1133

'witchcraft for lunch = delicious sandiwches

Part of the growing Tom Colicchio empire, 'witchcraft for lunch is a wonderful option if you are lucky enough to have one near you.

Given their recent expansion, more likely than not there is a 'witchcraft within walking distance to your office.  You may just not know it!

While they also serve dinner, they don't serve the sandwiches.  Thus, I haven't really been super interested to try dinner yet.

I frequent the 'witchcraft in flatiron - located on 20th between Broadway and 5th Ave.  Housed in a charming, yet narrow building, 'witchcraft takes up several floors.

Order on the first floor and bring your card upstairs for seating and the servers will find you.

The second floor has a nice seating area plus an outdoor garden if you want to venture out on a nice summer day.  There haven't been many of those here lately, but I'm sure it's lovely in September!

Exposed brick throughout, it's a rather nice lunch spot for neighboring offices or tourists who are savvy enough to choose this over Chipotle or goodburger.

I personally love a good grilled cheese, and 'witchcraft has several options.

My go-to sandwich is the grilled cheese with gruyere and caramelized onions on rye bread.  Delicious!  The onions are the star of this sandwich.  Sweet, sugary and soft, they are the perfect complement to the gruyere.  Yum.  And served piping hot.  There's nothing worse than a cold grilled cheese.

As for the cold sandwiches, I like the chickpea sandwich.  A nice and refreshing option to the usual fried falafal.

Roasted red peppers, olives, lemon and parsley make this a wonderful, cool option for vegetarians - or non vegetarians!

Go to 'witchcraft for a nicer lunch alternative and if you need a pick me up - between 3pm - 6pm they have a coffee happy hour!  50% off all coffee items.  Yay!

'witchcraft
11 locations around NYC

Num Pang Sandwich Shop - I could eat here everyday!

So I have walked by Num Pang many times without knowing what it was - just seeing a sea of people crowded in front of a little takeout window...

Today I finally met up with a friend at Num Pang to try their sandwiches.  Delicious!

So hard to choose from the menu - I mean seriously everything sounded so tasty.  Coconut tiger shrimp, pulled pork, grilled skirt steak...the list goes on and on....

I went with the five spiced pork belly with pickled rhubarb.  Yum!!!  Fatty pork belly - can't go wrong with that.  The pickled rhubarb cut into the fattiness of the pork belly, topped with carrots and cucumbers and my all time favorite herb, cilantro - the spiciness matched with the refreshing veggies was just about perfect.  I've finally found a contender with Momofuku's pork buns....

My friend Yue tried the peppercorn catfish in sweet soy sauce. Grilled nice and flaky with a spicy bite from the peppercorns- all she could say was yummm.....

 We washed our sandwiches down with their blood orange lemonade which was just about perfect on this 100 degree day!  The blood orange is a nice complement to a usually overly sweet lemonade.  Just right.

Next time I'll have to try the watermelon juice and the tiger shrimp sandwich. Or the veal meatballs, or the pulled pork, or the cured duck breast....you get the point.

Num Pang
21 East 12th Street (Between University and 5th Ave)
212-255- 3271

Milk Bar at Chelsea Market - Fresh Dairy from the Farm

Ronnybrook Milk Bar at Chelsea market offers up fresh dairy products from Hudson Valley - pints of ice cream and jugs of milk fill the fridge.

I think the main reason to drop into milk bar is for takeout - as in takeout ice cream pints or ice cream sandwiches, milk or a milkshake and ice cream float.

The dining menu includes expected country favorites like "egg in a hole" and country baked mac'n'cheese.  I stopped in for lunch the other day and tried the mac'n'cheese and a roast chicken sandwich on olive panini bread.

Unfortunately both were a bit underwhelming as the mac'n'cheese looked more like the Kraft version rather than a baked mac'n'cheese.

The sandwich was good - but nothing special - somewhat like the standard fare you could find at any deli around town.

I almost was going to try to blended frozen mint lemonade - but thankfully the guy sitting next to me had one that looked a very suspicious color of green - maybe a bit too much mint?

Anyhow, he had one sip and told me not to order it.  Save my $4.50 and apply it toward a shake!

All in all - Milk Bar is probably really only good for one thing: milk.  Stick with what you know - and always order the house specialty.

Ronnybrook Milk Bar, Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave (Between 15th and 16th)
212-741-6455

Legendary Schatzie the Butcher comes the Upper West Side

Famous for the "Dirty Brisket Sandwich," Upper East Side staple Schatzie the Butcher is moving from 88th and Madison across the park to 87th and Amsterdam.

After rents tripled at his 30 year UES location, Schatzie will be moving into a block with neighbors such as Popover Cafe and Barney's Greengrass.

Upper West Siders rejoice! Another great addition to the burgeoning neighborhood. Between Amsterdam and Central Park West lie such new addition greats as Shake Shack and s'Mac to accompany the old guard.

UES loss is at the gain of UWS - who still lives on the upper east anyhow? Can't wait to get the roast beef on rye... "That's a beautiful piece of meat!"

Amy's Bread Grilled Cheese - A delicious take on a classic

So we all know Amy's Bread has awesome loaves of bread - duh, I know.  But, they also have super delicious sandwiches too!

A grilled cheese afficionado - I am loving the fact that it's now become a pseudo gourmet comfort food staple at restaurants and bars around town.

The grilled cheese at Amy's Bread features New York cheddar, red onions, tomatoes and cilantro with a spicy chipotle pepper puree.

The red onions give it a nice kick, while the cilantro adds a freshness and refreshing end to a somewhat hearty sandwich.

For a grownup grilled cheese - Amy's Bread is a great choice. Served hot it's a great lunch snack anyday of the week.

Amy's Bread
Hell's Kitchen
672 9th Ave. New York, NYC 10036
212-977-2670

Chelsea
75 9th Ave. New York, NYC 10011
212-462-4338

West Village
250 Bleecker St. New York, NYC 10014
212-675-7802

http://www.amysbread.com/

Fika Espresso Bar - Great sandwich and coffee bar in a snack starved location

Fika Espresso Bar is a great place to grab a quick lunch or coffee if you work in midtown or are out for a shopping day on 5th Ave and don't want to pony up at Berfgdorf.

Located on 58th between 5th and 6th Ave - Fika is in an odd location, nicely filling a desperate void of snack options.

It's a tiny space with no more than 6-10 counter style seats so at rush hour plan to take to go.

Fika is a Swedish bar serving up classics like Swedish meatball sandwiches (somewhere to get them besides Ikea, yay!) and Gravlax and Laxpudding (salmon and potato pie).

My favorite sandwich is the Smogen - shrimp salad wtih egg, dill, red onion  and lemon on ciabatta.  The dill particularly adds a nice touch.

Fika also serves a mean espresso, hot chocolate (nice and rich) and a variety of chocolates and macaroons.

Open 7 days a week, hop in for a quick snack - but don't count on it as take out dinner - Fika closes at 7pm on weekdays, 6pm on weekends.

Fika Espresso Bar
41 West 58th (Between 5th and 6th Ave)
212-832-0022

407 Park Ave (Between 28th and 29th)
646-649-5133
http://www.fikanyc.com/index.htm

Yummy@Home BLT + Avocado + Egg!

For dinner we decided to make a simple BLT - my favorite!  I always end up ordering it at restaurants and it usually sets me back $10-$12!  Which seems like a lot for bacon, lettuce and tomato...

Tonight we tried to make it on our own and jazz it up a bit.

• Toasted sourdough bread
• Lettuce
• Bacon (Turkey if you want to be healthy - we used both turkey and pork)
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Red onion
• And last but certainly not least - a fried egg on top.  Dripping with all that gooey goodness.

Delicious!  And soooo simple and easy to make.  Add a Peroni and you have the perfect meal for watching the game tonight!

Bouchon Bakery - A grilled cheese to go along with your chocolate bouchon

Bouchon Bakery on the 3rd floor of the Time Warner Center serves up a surprisingly delightful array of sandwiches and soup at very "un Thomas Keller" like prices, providing an alternative to go to places like 'witchcraft or Le Pain Quotidien.

A great place to grab a light lunch or early dinner, Bouchon Bakery offers gourmet sandwiches like a Roasted Wagyu Beef Sandwich with wild arugula and fontina cheese and classics like a Ham and Cheese on a Baguette.

My favorite however, is their grilled cheese and tomato soup combination.

 At $12 - it's not a bad deal for a grilled cheese with fontina and gruyere on "pain au lait" (milk bread) + a cup of tomato soup. The pain au lait is an extra nice touch as it gives it that delicious buttery flavor and light texture.

All entrees are under $20, and while the sandwiches may seem a bit on the pricey side, they are worth it as each one has a very well thought out flavor and texture composition. As for the bakery - you must get dessert.

Favorites are the chocolate bouchons - like rich mini chocolate brownies to go, or if you are staying to enjoy the view - go for the chocolate souffle.

While it costs just about as much as an entree - it's worth it, dark chocolate - rich and flaky with a liquid center - it's one of the best around town.


Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle (Time Warner Center)
212-823-9366
http://www.bouchonbakery.com/

Press - A Quick Eats Highlight in Murray Hills

Yesterday I went apartment hunting with one of my best friends, Yue and her boyfriend Luis.

Since I signed on the first apartment I saw - I didn't get to participate in the usual 100 apartment sight seeing tour associated with getting a place in Manhattan, I decided to live vicariously through her and tagged along to see some apartments in Murray Hill.

After seeing a couple of places, it was time for lunch. We chose a tiny new takeout joint called Press, that serves - you guessed it - fresh pressed sandwiches.

Although this time instead of the traditional paninis you can find in countless delis around town - Press serves up grilled wraps, filled with your choice of fresh veggies.

Think of it kind of like Chipotle - but with more options. Press works like an assembly line:

1. Choose your protein - chicken, rib eye, burger, eggplant & goat cheese, and mushroom & zuchini
2. Choose between white and whole wheat wrap
3. Pick your fillings - fresh veggies including carrots, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, lettuce
4. Finally - choose from a wide assortment of sauces including exotic choices like blood orange vinaigrette and favorites like chipotle mayo

Between the three of us, we sampled the rib eye, chicken and eggplant& goat cheese. All three were delicious and quite different depending on the sauces we chose. The meat and vegetables were cooked perfectly and the fillings were as fresh as can be.

Add a side of spicy fries and you are all set!

Prices are a bit on the higher-end - a combo (sandwich + fries + drink) is $12. But the freshness of the ingredients make it worth it. I'd definitely come back when I'm in the area.

Another plus - Press opens late - till 4:30am! Perfect for after those bar crawls up and down 3rd.

Press NY
379 3rd ave (at 27th) New York, NY 10016
212-679-4699
http://www.pressny.com/