Posted by roxiao on March 12th,2011  Chicken Banh Mi from Banh Mi Saigon  Pork Banh Mi from Thien Huong  Pork Banh Mi from Banh Mi Saigon For the longest time,the only thing I knew about Vietnamese food was pho. Well I’m now happy to say that I’ve improved on that number by 100%! There are tons of banh mi places in the city and each of them have slightly different offerings and slightly different takes so it’s really up to you to find one that fits your palette. The two places that we’ve gone to recently are Banh Mi Saigon which is at Grand St and Mott St in Little Italy and Thien Huong which is along Bowery St near Confucius Plaza. Comparing the sandwiches from these two places,I’d have to give the edge to Banh Mi Saigon. The banh mi that they make are served on a much thicker and crustier bread which I prefer because it offers a nice contrast to the juicy vegetables and meat. Also,Banh Mi Saigon doesn’t put any mayonnaise on their sandwiches so overall,it feels a lot lighter in your stomach compared to Thien Huong. Don’t let that stop you from trying both places though! Amanda actually prefers the banh mi prefers the thinner bread of the Thien Huong because it means a better meat to bread ratio,so it really just comes down to personal preference.  Posted by roxiao on March 10th,2011  Almond cookie ice cream. Do yourself a favor and get it. When you think of Chinatown,the first thing you think of is ice cream,right? No? Well stop by Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and it just might be. It’s a little store tucked away on a side street so it can be real easy to miss. Amanda and I walked right past this store dozens of times before we realized that it was even there. They have the standard ice cream flavors like chocolate,vanilla,and strawberry but what really caught our eye were the Asian inspired flavors like almond cookie,ginger,black sesame,lychee,pandan (used often in Malaysian cuisine,it has a nutty flavor to it),and the egg custard. You really can’t go wrong with any of them but our favorite by far is the almond cookie. Posted by roxiao on March 9th,2011  Peanut butter and jelly donut.  Racks of fresh made donuts If you’re familiar with the NYC food scene,the doughnut above probably looks very familiar. There’s not really much I can add to the countless posts about this place so I’ll keep it short. The peanut butter jelly doughnut at the Doughnut Plant is AMAZING. It’s freshly baked,then topped with freshly made peanut butter. Then it’s injected using this super secret jelly injector thing so that each bite is guaranteed to have some jelly goodness. If you’re not a fan of peanuts (what?) or allergic to peanuts (tragic.),they do have a bunch of other really good doughnuts to satisfy your sweet tooth. There’s a rotation of seasonal items like the strawberry doughnut in the summer,which happens to be my favorite,there’s the blackout and valrhona chocolate donuts for all you chocolate lovers,and if you REALLY need a sweet fix,go for the tres leches doughnut which comes with a filling of evaporated milk,condensed milk,and cream. Posted by roxiao on March 9th,2011  The classic - pastrami on rye with mustard and a side of pickles.  Slight variation with chopped liver. Yes,it might be a bit of a tourist trap and yes,I’m sure New Yorkers will roll their eyes when people say “I’ll have what she’s having”,but no one can deny that the sandwiches that Katz’s serves up are the epitome of the NYC deli sandwich. When you first walk in,it might feel a little intimidating. The counter where they serve you pretty much stretches the whole length of the restaurant and there will be a whole mess of people if you’re unlucky. What isn’t super obvious is that each server actually has their own separate line. If you can,push your way through the mass and try to find the server with the shortest line. Katz’s makes a variety of deli meats and you can ask for a sample if you’re having a hard time deciding. My personal favorite is the pastrami on rye with mustard. I’ve tried their corned beef but it just can’t compare to the juiciness of the pastrami. The sandwich also comes with a side of homemade pickles which I feel helps cut through some of the grease and fat from the sandwich. So if you’re in NYC,definitely make time to stop by Katz’s. The prices may be a bit higher than any ol’corner deli but you’d be hard pressed to find a place that serves you anything as big and as delicious. You can even sit in the same seat that Meg Ryan sat in when they filmed that scene and what other deli can offer you that? Don’t worry,no one will judge you.  | |
