Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridian, New York.
1/26/2009
I wish I could have updated sooner but it has been a busy week.
Well, I really haven’t been back to work since I was down in Washington covering the inauguration.
Inauguration day meals consisted mostly of Triscuits on the bus and a mess of Special K cereal bars. Sadly, because of the multitude of media reports of Obama visit to Ben’s Chili Bowl, the lines were nuts and even I won’t wait an hour for a chili smoke. Being featured the day before on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations probably didn’t help either.
[All was not lost during the walk over to U Street as we did manage to grab some cupcakes from Cake Love.]
Having been emotionally and physically scarred by the ridiculous crowds on Tuesday, we stayed in the next night as well; homemade burgers with Roquefort and sauteed onions. You can’t go wrong there.
The day had been shaping up to be a tour de food force: quiche and cappuccinos at Tryst, followed by the $4.99 brisket sandwiches at Rocklands barbecue and topped off with more espresso [Counter Culture Toscano] and churros at Dolcezza Argentine in Georgetown. A world class day, but all good things must come to an end.
BACK UP NORTH (BELOW): There was Polish platter at the Pirate in Norwalk. I can’t really wrap my head around the concept of a pirate-themed Polish restaurant but the food is good and that is all I can ask for. But, really, it is a bizarre scene in there.
BELOW: Kenka on St. Mark’s Place in New York is a Japanese izakaya, a sort-of tapas bar.
Bizarre does not begin to explain this place with its yakuza wanted posters, semi-hard-core hentai menus, bull-penis specials, pachinko machines and the self-service cotton candy machine out front.
I recommend the grilled mackerel. And the $8 pitchers of Sapporo.
BELOW: If you haven’t been to Burger Joint in the lobby of Le Parker Meridian in New York, you are missing out.
A velvet curtain in the lobby of this swank hotel hides a popular burger dive. It really is difficult to explain unless you have been here. The burgers are totally awesome and I really dig the tangy mustard. The fries are mediocre.
BELOW: Fried pork dumplings and a shrimp pancake from the food court in the Flushing Mall. The chili sauce is key.
My kid sister will never forgive me for taking her with some friends on a walking tour of Flushing for Chinese New Year during her brief visit to New York.
In an attempt to assuage the sibling animosity, I kept telling her none of her friends have ever experienced anything like this as a tourist in New York…and let’s forget about how she annoyed Bill O’Reilly in a Fox News green room. It’s a long story, trust me. But if Geraldo ever insinuates that I may not have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to O’Reilly again, I might have to slap the mustache offa his face.
Don’t make me get all Vallejo on a television personality.
I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS: After taking a bus to Chinatown and humping through NY with all of my camera, audio and computer gear, a couple of days worth of clothes and 150 frozen dumplings from New Kam Man, I couldn’t have dreamed a more beautiful sight: a perfect cappuccino from Gimme! Coffee on Mott St.
OVERHEARD [BAY AREA NEWS] AT THE CAFE: “Dude, nobody goes to Ritual anymore. After I land and get a burrito, I’ll be at Four Barrel.” Great, one more place to add to my list for the next time I visit my family back home…
–CP
Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site.
Subscribe to these comments.
You must be logged in to post a comment.