Red Rooster

Price: $$$

Forks: 8

310 Malcolm X Boulevard
Harlem, NY10027

Red Rooster was on my list, and has been for a while. I have a minor obsession with the head chef, Marcus Samuelsson, as I think his background, story, and of course talent, are fascinating and inspiring. I’m also a sucker for Southern food. Well, for my birthday my DEAR friend Shein *Andrew to strangers* told me he wanted to take me to dinner. Since I had planned him a surprise party, *you’re welcome J* he wanted to make it a surprise and pick the place, so he told me to send him my “list.” Now, I’m sure you all have a list, and if you don’t, start one. When we hopped in a cab and he told the driver the address was in Harlem I knew immediately where we were headed and MAN was I excited. We pulled up to what seemed to be another world; a light strung, hopping restaurant that was blasting reggae music. When we walked in, we were truly transported. A DJ was spinning the tunes right next to the door, a circular bar filled the front room, and a cool, hip, and what I’d like to describe as “extremely chilled rastafariean-esque crowd” was gathered round. 

 how chic

 This place had a kickin vibe and it was awesome. I just felt cooler being in the room. What was not so awesome, however, was the 30 minute wait for our table. Are they too cool to seat us? Not fun. Once we were seated at small communal tables, it was all made better by the fact that I had a kitchen view. Happy Birthday enough right there.  I longingly gazed as sizzling chops, steaming collard greens, and other soulful dishes were being rushed and bussed constantly.

 The menu was simple and not very long, but boasted a variety of options. To start, we went for the Jerk Bacon & Egg and the side of cornbread. Served over a thick mixture of smoky brown beans were two plump seared pieces of jerk rubbed pork belly, a runny fried egg, and a spicy cabbage slaw. The pork belly was tender, just fatty enough, and totally melted in your mouth. The jerk rub gave it a flavor jolt, an unusual taste that was more then welcomed. Combined with the richness of the runny egg and the intensely flavored beans it was a crazy Southern/Jamaican spin on my favorite breakfast foods. Throw in the spicy cabbage slaw to lighten the whole dish up, and it was perfection. We loved, this was Shein's favorite.

Then came the cornbread, which I had heard praise and admiration for. It came accompanied by honey butter and a tomato jelly and while it looked like any cornbread I’d had before, upon eating it I was skyrocketed into flavor town. It was heavenly and sweet, boasting whole kernels of corn that lavishly soaked up its accompaniments. If butter wasn’t so bad for me, I’d be eating this by the bucketful. Towards the end of the dish it was more like, “did I want some corn bread with my butter?” status. Tehe.

Next came our entrées, the Fried Yard Bird and the Pork Loin. The Fried Yard Bird, Red Rooster’s take on fried chicken, was good. Was it amazing? No. Was it all that it was cracked up to be? No. It was fine, the spicy seasoning it was served with was good but overall it was just a moderate fried chicken. Slightly disappointing when you're expecting the best fried chicken in the world.

 prettttty crispy.

The Grilled Pork Loin, however, was incredible. Topped with a boldly flavored spring mushroom ragu and sweet pea tendrils, this was just insane. It was perfectly cooked and super tender, literally lip-smacking status. Apart from the actually meat itself, the peas and mushroom topping carried the same killer juices and flavors yet maintained their vegetable lightness. It was awesome.

Yes it was for my birthday, but sometimes when you’re so full you can barely stand up, leaving dessert for next time is just a reason to come back. SO that's what we’ll have to do. Red Rooster’s atmosphere is amazing, stellar 10, and I give the food a 7.3,  so overall an 8. My soul left feeling well fed and loved. WHAT a birthday treat. Do I have a good pal or what?

THANK YOU SHEIN 4 FEEDING MY SOUL

xoxo

hungreegirl. 

The Golden Steamer

Price: $

Forks: 9

The Golden Steamer

143A Mott St.

New York, NY 10013 (Chinatown)

What’s white or yellow, shaped in a ball, and holds inside the best surprise in the world? If you guessed Chinese Steamed Buns then YES, you are correct. But, chances are you didn’t. A ball of doughy goodness that cradles a variety of enchanting fillings, steamed buns, when made properly, are above and beyond delicious. 

It was a random craving for these lil babies that led me and my friend Kimberly down to Chinatown for our lunch break. Actually, scratch that, it was more of a mission. Kimberly had visited the Golden Steamer before, and promised me some of the best steamed buns I’d ever have. My hopes were high. Smack on the border between Chinatown and Little Italy, The Golden Steamer is that hidden treasure that while appears to be seemingly passable on the outside, is a spot that you cannot only not pass by, but that you must make a destination. Ya it doesn’t look like much, but I’m telling you, looks lie. 

I let Kimberly, ***who happens to be in love/minorly obsessed with Chinese food***  order our lunch. We settled on three buns: one pork and vegetable, one red bean paste, and one pumpkin. Handed to us within seconds were little parchment bags stuffed with warm squishy pillows. We started with the pork and vegetable. I bit into the fluffy dough of the bun only to be greeted by a rich and well seasoned filling of pork goodness. It was savory, a little smoky, and totally divine. The bun itself was light, and pillow-like and in my version of heaven pillows will now be made of steamed buns. 

Next we broke into the red bean paste bun, and dark granite colored paste oozed from the center. Its flavor was as rich as its color; sweet, and slightly peanutty with an almost candied aftertaste. The smooth yet faintly grainy texture of the paste brought a welcome contrast to the fluffy plumpness of the bun. 

Finally, bun three: the pumpkin. I have to admit I was dreading diving into this one because that meant that after it was gone we’d be done #hungreegirlproblems. Instead of the milky white color of the previous two, this bun was a perky light yellow. Solemnly, I split it in half, revealing the vibrant orange of a pumpkin puree that I swear was calling my name. The puree was naturally sweet and rich and tasted like the Asian breakfast version of pumpkin pie. It was fantastically creamy and thick; not-so-slowly devouring it was a blissful experience. 

clooooseee up

So, steamed buns have now been added to my list of obsessions, and The Golden Steamer is now my not-so-secret spot.  Also, the buns are incredibly cheap, about $.85 each and will fill your tummy without emptying your bank. Kimberly, I owe you presents for this one. 

bun for the money

xoxo

hungreegirl.

Urban Lobster Shack (food truck)

Urban Lobster Shack Food Truck
Price: $$
Forks: 6.5

find 'em on twitter: @urbanlobster

It's official. I've joined the work force, kinda. I am now a workin gal commuting into NYC by day, and tiredly dragging myself back to G-Wich by night. Gone are my lazy poolside days. I've traded them for WORK. Welcome to the real world me. Incase you're curious, work is good. But I don't want to talk about work right now, because I've been grilled by every member of my family already. I want to talk about my favorite part of my day: lunch. My lunch break to me is a day off of work for someone else. It rejuvenates me, replenishes me, sends me ready to tackle those databases with full force throttle. There are so many options to choose from and while I already have a list about 7,089 restaurants long, I find new ones every day. Take today for instance. It was freeekin HOT outside and I needed a break.  Kimberly (another intern) and I came across the Urban Lobster Truck that was serving up cold lobster rolls. Bingo.

Pick from a classic, an old bay seasoned, an Asian influenced, a garlic scampi, a chive roll, a west coast roll with avocado and tomato, and a lobster BLT roll. Woah. We got one Old Bay and one Scampi and split them and had a nice summer lunch in the park. They were really good, not newsworthy, but they hit the spot on a hot day. There was a good bun to lobster meat ratio, but the lobster was frayed into little pieces. Yes there were a few chunks but I want to see some REAL BIG pieces of claw and ish. Ya hear? The Old Bay was classic lobster salad topped with an old bay spiked mayo. It was tangy and tasty, but I wish it was mixed in with the actual lobster instead of just being a topping.

The Scampi was garlic and buttery perfection, with a little of the garlic mixture rubbed on the bun underneath the lobster salad making for a light blanket of sauce that soaked the bun exquisitely and gave you a flavor kick from every angle of the bite.

The perfect lunch for a hot day. See this is why lunch breaks are so great. My lobstah roll made me temporarily forget my city background and sent me sailing to the shores of the beach. If only...#workinggirlproblems. More lunch time chronicles to come. And a note to the Asian inspired lobster roll: I'm coming for ya.

lobstah luv

xoxo

hungreegirl. 

Walters Hot Dog Stand

Walters Hot Dog Stand

Price: $

forks: 8.9

932 Palmer Ave, Mamaroneck, NY

I live in the woods so everything is far, but Mamaroneck is REALLY REALLY far. Once in a while, however, I make the trek for one reason: Walters Hot Dog Stand. Leading me on all these treks is the Queen of Hotdogs herself, Paige. Now if you think you like hotdogs, meet Paige and then reconsider how much you like them because I guarantee she likes them more. On my most recent trip, me, Paige and Karly, headed to the promised land to grab some lunch. Walters, put simply, is the best. The hot dogs are extremely addicting and once you eat one you'll want at least five more. The dog menu consists of a single dog, a double dog (two dogs in one bun), and a puppy dog (a mini hot dog that is so cute). These hotdogs taste like America. They're rich and tasty, almost buttery if you will, and sit atop a fluffy bun that happily soaks up the dog's juicy goodness. Paired with a homemade creamy mustard and classic ketchup, you'll literally find yourself asking to be in the Coney Island hot dog contest if Walters were the dogs being served. One is never enough, so Queen Paige would recommend getting a single and a puppy. I agree. 

It's not just the dogs that will keep you coming back, but the sides as well. Curly fries, shoe string fries, potato puffs, and something called sweet spuds are all mouthwatering complements to your hotdogs. Lets take a second to talk about the sweet potato spuds. A crunchy fried coating gives way to a steaming middle of oozing sweet potato. Think about normal potato cones and then throw that image away and replace it with these because they are 10 times better, sweeter, and amazing-er. These are BEYOND, I'm talking breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner status. 

From Karly's facial expression I think she likes them as much as I do...

The fries are salty, thick, and crispy but still the spuds are the way 2 go. 

Set up camp at the outdoor picnic tables and wash your meal down with an old fashioned egg cream, malt, italian ice, or 7UP freeze and you're living the American dream. It is for this reason, this edible dream, that is the only thing to justify/explain this trek halfway around the world. But let me tell you when I say, its beyond worth it.

doggy bag please

xoxo

hungreegirl.

Piero's PUH-LEASE

Piero's
price: $$
forks: 9

44 S. Regent St.
Port Chester, NY

I've been avoiding writing this post and I'm not really sure why exactly. I think its because sometimes when something is SO good and SO special I'm afraid I can't capture it in a post. But, sigh, it is worth a try because Piero's is a secret that cannot be contained. Me, my family, and all of my friends *specifically lolo who showed me this joint, LOLO THANK YOU* agree that Piero's is the best Italian restaurant among Greenwich, Rye, Port Chester, and Stamford. Piero's is a hole-in-the-wall place that is your classic Italian spot serving up homey real Italian fare. Everyone is friendly, Italian, and happy to re-fil your wine glass the second it looks less then half full. And then there is the food. UGH the food. We came to celebrate Father's Day, dad's choice restaurant obvi, and as always the food was impeccable. The food tastes of homemade Italian LOVE.

To start we got the classic Mussels in a Red Sauce. The mussels are tender, the sauce is tangy and vibrant yet has a rich and hearty tomatoey undertone. I get these mussels every time I come, which is often, and they are always amazing. This is sop-worthy spoon sipping broth to the max so get that crusty bread ready to dip.

 One of the nightly specials was a Stuffed Red Pepper filled with cheese, portobello mushrooms, and proscuitto. This was melt-in-your-mouth status, with oozing cheese pouring out as soon as the pepper was cut into. The portobellos bring an earthy richness and the proscuitto brings a salty note that are all enhanced by the killer broth. Once again, the broth is drinkable. Seriously Piero's kills it with the sauces.

 Our final starter was the Asparagus Gratin, siple roasted asparagus topped with a roasted crispy parmesan in a light olive oil butter and lemony coating. Simple and light, iz delish, but not my favorite.

 And now the entrees: This is where Piero's puts every other Italian restaurant around the area to shame. Read on please. My Dad is a biiiig Chicken Scarpariello fan, and this one is awesome. Served on the bone or boneless (your choice) tender pieces of chicken are mixed with hot and sweet peppers, a hearty sausage, and a slightly spicy sauce. Its rustic and YUM-ME.

 My Mom went with the breaded bone-in veal chop accompanied by an arugula and tomato salad. The chop was succulent and juicy, and got a nice kick from the acidic balsamic dressing that dripped into it from the salad.

I went with the Chicken Marsala but added artichoke hearts to it. The same tender chunks as the scarpariello, the chicken is covered in perfectly cooked mushrooms and a marsala sauce that will have your tastebuds singing. Think liquid velvet, beyond dreamy. 

JJ went with the favorite Penne Vodka. Piero's is makin this bad boy right. Homemade pasta smothered in a creamy sauce that boasts generously sized bacon bits, tomatoes, and onions, its by far one of the best I've ever had. More creamy then tomatoey, it tastes like your wrapping yourself in a cashmere blanket.

Alright. I confess. This is the reason I haven't posted about Piero's, because I have some irrational fear that they will run out of the Chicken Parmesan. I'm going to keep this love note short and sweet, but once you taste this chicken parm you won't want to eat it anywhere else. Pounded thin but not TOO thin, enveloped with a lavish amount rich tomato sauce, and topped with broiled-to-perfection melty cheese, this chicken parm takes my breath away. THIS is what I miss when i'm at school and I can say confidently its one of my favorite dishes made by any restaurant. Its embarrassing how much I talk about this, seriously. 

 like come awn...ITS NOT FAIR !

Now that you know the secret, I suggest you go to Piero's. Keyword: suggest. Yes, I could implore, and yes, I could beg, but I see no use in trying to convince you further because these photos and words of love should be enough. Plus, I'm still afraid that you'll somehow make all the chicken parm disappear and don't want to push you because I'm superstitious #hungreegirlfears

piero's please

xoxo

hungreegirl.

The Waverly Inn

The Waverly Inn
16 Bank St. New York, NY

REUNITED WIT MY GURLS AND IT FEELS SO GOOOD. Sorry for all the caps but I just couldn't contain my excitement. Finally,  after 4 long days, half of my pack was reunited. Yes, 4 days may seem like no time to some, but when you live with people 24 hours a day for 3 months, then it seems like an eternity. Well in New York City it was a beautiful day; nothing but blue skies and sun, and it officially felt like summa time had arrived. What better way to catch up and reunite then over some brunch? We hit up The Waverly Inn and went to town on brunch. We sat in the back garden area and were able to enjoy the beautiful day while we dined. To start my group ordered the Strawberry Scones. Now, scones have a special significance to my group. We had a minor obsession with them and when I say minor I mean we ate them twice a day every day for a two month period. Surprisingly enough, the scones at school were actually amazing, props to Ali and her scone hunting abilities, so we needed to be impressed. And when the warm strawberry scones arrived accompanied by strawberry jam and creamy butter, we were. The scones melted in your mouth, were doughy, and had a prominent strawberry flavor. Slathered with butter and jam, our mouths happily compared them to the scones of our pasts, and silently ranked them among the top.

 In classique Ali fashion, she ordered a plain, I mean plain, burger and an Arnold Palmer, her sig. drink to wash it down. Ali thoroughly enjoyed her well done, plain, burger, with absolutely nothing on it.  Actually, I will never understand. Her Arnold Palmer, was GREAT. So flavorful and refreshing, it was summer in liquid form.
Below is the meal of a picky 8 year old. Like she doesn't even like ketchup...who r u?

The Princess herself

B and Loulou split the Eggs Benedict and the Turkey Club Sandwich. WHAT A PAIR<3

The eggs were beautifully cooked, served atop a crispy seared piece of Canadian Bacon, making an honorable homage to the traditional dish. B broke the rules and started cutting before I took a pic, but that nail polish really makes the whole thing POP, don't ya think?

The Turkey Club was amazing. Firstly, it was massive. Secondly, it was just so good. The bacon was salty and crunchy, the bread nicely toasted, and the tomato brought a fresh bite to create the classic combination.

 oh YEAH

 I ordered the Grilled Vegetable Salad, a medley of grilled vegetables like corn, asparagus, and peppers tossed with radicchio and other lettuces, topped with a fresh slice of avocado and a lemony vinaigrette. It was light, well seasoned, and utterly delicious. I could have eaten plate after plate. The vegetables soaked up the fresh lemon squeeze and the presence of the fresh avocado really enhanced the dish, giving it a contrast in texture and in flavor.

The meal was delicious, obvious as we ate our plates clean. The food was classic and light and the atmosphere was garden-esque and summery and both put us in wonderful "strolling" moods. It was the perfect way to kick off a summer of munching and brunching wit my girls.

to the first of many

xoxo

hungreegirl.