L's4WLNYC- Part 1

my life here is so weird. granted, i have been having a lot of fun but not having a daily routine, not really being a contributing member of society (apart from this extremely popular, hugeley sucessful, captivating, stimulating and inspiring blog...) is getting really old. and so is the cafe food.

its been a frustrating week of dead ends. hours and hours of internet scouring at various coffee shops with no results. starting to get a little worried guys. starting to get a lot worried...BUT, this week i'm gonna try something new and split it up into not one, not two, but THREE different posts. short(ish) and sweet.

Lindsey's 4th Week Living in NYC (L's4WLNYC)
Part 1: these are a few of my favorite things (to eat)

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY June 28th, June 29th, June 30th, July 1st

being unemployed and dejected and living in the most expensive city in the entire world (AND the most exciting in terms of food) it's important to remain positive and find ways to make even the most frustrating and sticky- hot exciting and fun-food-filled. give a warm welcome to:

Dumplings, Bahn Mi, & Pizza

these have become staples in my diet. (healthy huh? whatever, its like a million degrees and i walk everywhere. i think it evens out.) while i have sampled a number of options in all three of these categories, here i present to you my favorite of favorites: (and all within 5 blocks of my house!)

1.) Pizza. doy, you know i love it. you have read a thing or two about a particular place that still moves me almost to tears every time i eat there and ex-heart-throbs like Matt Dillon also enjoys...(South Brooklyn Pizza). however, it's important for me to mix it up a bit so that i a.) don't become a house-hold name which would be sorta cool but also sort of humiliating (im already well on my way...) b.) don't get sick of it! plus i like variety!

my other go-to spot is Two Boots (which i have also blogged about). it's not THAT good, but they have many many selections of slices to choose from which i enjoy! and many many meaty options, which i also enjoy! my favorite is the Super Newman (named after the Seinfeld character- the place doubles as a Video Rental so all the 'za's have film or tv names). The Super Newman is topped with Sopressata, sweet Italian sausage, capicola ham and ricotta. other menu options include The Dude (Cajun-bacon cheeseburger pie), The Bird (spicy buffalo wings, blue cheese dressing, scallions & jalapenos on a white pie- Garret are you reading this?????) and many many more. i'm pretty traditional when it comes to 'za so i'll stick with Italian meats (and lots of them...)


2.) Dumplings. this is a brand new cheap food option for me. i've always been a pot-sticker fan but little did i know that dumplings would have such a tremendous influence on my new New York life! i've blogged about Vanessa's Dumplings twice with glowing reviews but i have found another (and i think, better) place for a dumpling fix.

Dumpling Man is located on the very happening street, Saint Marks (also know as E 8th) and is a bit pricier than Vanessa's (6 for $3.95 instead of 6 for $1) but the Dumpling Man is a.) adorable and b.) offers me options! in addition to your basic dumpling choice (pork, shrimp, chicken, veggie and surprise (!!!) i usually always got with Pork for most dumplings) you also get to choose a sauce! the possibilities! i have only tried the Hot Monster, chili, wild pepper, garlic, green onion, rice vinegar, soy sauce and peanuts but I'm just as eager to try the other options, Cool Monster, Asian Tahini, and Green Curry. the dumplings are hot and fresh and handmade like Vanessa's but they have more substance i think. they are more exciting. more complex. great attributes for a dumpling. (they also offer sweet dumplings filled with things like bananas and pumpkin pie filling but you know how i feel about sweets.)



3.) Bahn Mi. aka The Vietnamese Sandwich. ive tried three different places: Bahn Mi Saigon (from that first week) Baoguette and finally, Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches, which is at the end of my block. Nicky's wins for me. ive only tried Classic Bahn Mi (Pate, Vietnamese ham, Roasted ground pork w/pickled carrots, cucumber, cintroy and mayo on warm, crusty toasted baguette) but i'm
quite happy with it. the two other places i tried were also fabulous but the ground pork was marinated or cooked in a sweet, bbq-like sauce and i just prefer the savory pork at Nicky's. i also prefer my Bahn Mi to be less than a block away! and $5. all visitors will be required to try Nicky's.(don't worry mom, the cilantro comes out easily!)


while i desperately miss Mexican food (especially Little Chihuahua) i believe i can be happy with Bahn Mi, Dumplings and Pizza as my new go-to meals. and at those prices, it's hard to not eat them everyday! (however, i've been told that eating cheap dumplings everyday for an extended period of time doesn't end pretty...)