meatpacking district – Hillary Weller

Travel Eats: Best savory bites from 4 days in NYC

Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.

Everything bagel with pastrami-cured salmon and horseradish cream cheese, Russ & Daughters

While in New York, there was a lot of other eating to do outside of our Restaurant Week reservations. First off, in such a bagel-centric city, breakfast was a high priority. I was especially awestruck by Russ & Daughters, a smoked fish mecca that’s been around for 100 years, but that I hadn’t visited until this trip. The pastrami-cured salmon combined two potent New York flavors into one unforgettable bagel topping, only enhanced by a slick of horseradish cream cheese. I can’t wait to go back and taste more kinds of fish! We also stopped at legendary Katz’s Deli (you may remember it from When Harry Met Sally or Enchanted) – since it was a little too early in the day for a sky-high sandwich, we settled for a simpler snack of latkes with applesauce and sour cream.

Cream cheese and caviar at the Russ & Daughters counter as my bagel is being prepared — Cream cheese and caviar at the Russ & Daughters counter as my bagel is assembled

Latkes and coffee, Katz's Delicatessen — Latkes and coffee, Katz’s Delicatessen

Interior at the legendary Katz's deli, including the "When Harry Met Sally" sign — Interior at the legendary Katz’s deli, including the “When Harry Met Sally” sign

In pursuit of pizza, another important New York food group, we ventured out to Roberta’s in Brooklyn. Both pies we tried were sublime, with bubbly, charred crusts and perfectly melted rounds of fresh mozzarella. The duck prosciutto with crusty bread had a nicely subtle richness as a starter. On the other end of the spectrum, I couldn’t resist inducting my friends into the late-night tradition that is 99-cent pizza: a piping hot, classic NY-style slice that might be the best value in Manhattan. It’s served at locations all over the island, and was a staple for my roommates and me when we lived there.

Four Emperors (arrabbiata, mozzarella, ricotta, capra con pepe, asiago, and sesame seed) and Lionheart (tomato, mozzarella, pecorino, prosciutto cotto, brussels sprouts, and onion) pizzas, Roberta's — Four Emperors (arrabbiata, mozzarella, ricotta, capra con pepe, asiago, and sesame seed) and Lionheart (tomato, mozzarella, pecorino, prosciutto cotto, brussels sprouts, and onion) pizzas, Roberta’s

Duck prosciutto with bread, Roberta's — Duck prosciutto with bread, Roberta’s

A late-night slice from one of the many 99-Cent Fresh Pizza locations

And then there was brunch at The Spotted Pig, Chef April Bloomfield’s ultra-popular West Village gastropub. I went for the sizzling sisig special, traditionally a Filipino dish made with diced-up pig face and an egg added in the middle. It was crispy, porky, garlicky, and a little over-the-top, but so delicious. All I wanted were more bread crisps to dip into what was left in the cast-iron pan. The deviled eggs made a zesty first bite, especially together with a Bloody Mary that was heavy on shaved horseradish.

Sizzling sisig (Filipino pig face dish), The Spotted Pig

Speaking of drinks, we came away with a few other favorite places to imbibe. My Calle Fresca margarita at the Meatpacking District location of Dos Caminos was pleasantly tropical with a punch from the ancho-salt rim (I also loved their chips and salsa). We were also seeking somewhere cozy for a glass of wine in Midtown East, and Cello Wine Bar fit the bill. Exposed brick, red-toned cushions, and lots of candles – and, of course, diverse by-the-glass options that we all enjoyed sipping.

Calle Fresca margarita with Cazadores Blanco, mango, cucumber, and ancho salt rim, Dos Caminos

The details: Russ & Daughters, 179 E. Houston St., Manhattan; Katz’s Delicatessen, 205 E. Houston St., Manhattan; Roberta’s, 261 Moore St., Brooklyn; 99-Cent Fresh Pizza, 473 Lexington Ave. (and many others), Manhattan; The Spotted Pig, 314 W. 11th St., Manhattan; Dos Caminos, 675 Hudson St., Manhattan; Cello Wine Bar, 229 E. 53rd St., Manhattan.

Travel Eats: NYC Restaurant Week recap

Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.

I dined on four Restaurant Week menus in as many days during a recent trip to New York. From the Financial District up to Harlem, and from Bowery over to Meatpacking, each three-course meal was distinctly delicious – here’s a round-up.

Dinner at Delmonico’s

Classic baked Alaska with walnut cake, apricot jam, banana gelato, meringue, and crème anglaise

Best Bite and other notes: Counting its earlier iterations, Delmonico’s is hailed as the oldest fine dining restaurant in the U.S., and this meal certainly had the most old-school feel, complete with mahogany-paneled walls and monogrammed china. Delmonico’s also lays claim to conceiving the classic baked Alaska dessert, which came in the form of a spiky, marshmallowy mound that encased banana gelato and almond cake. The equally delicious entree, a petit filet mignon with red wine sauce, creamy potatoes, and charred cauliflower, had the simplicity and execution you’d expect from such a storied steakhouse. See full menu.

Petit filet mignon with Delmonico potato, charred cauliflower, and cabernet wine sauce

Delmonico's classic interior — Delmonico’s classic interior, including the mural that was inspired by a 1940’s photo

The details: Delmonico’s Restaurant, 56 Beaver St., New York.

Dinner at DBGB Kitchen & Bar

Chef's selection of East Coast oysters — Chef’s selection of East Coast oysters

Best Bite and other notes: I’d never been to one of Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and was impressed not only by the food, but also the decor – especially the mirrored walls emblazoned with culinary quotations. For dinner, I happily slurped down four briny East Coast oysters with a garlicky champagne mignonette and devoured the plump duck and pork belly sausage with grainy mustard. My favorite course, though, was the playful dessert. The bourbon chocolate sundae was vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and bourbon, and then scattered with cubes of all textures – dense chocolate brownie, bourbon gelee, crispy chocolate-chip cookie – all underneath one big whipped cream cloud. It was my favorite ice cream dessert since the Choco Taco at Little Goat here in Chicago. See full menu.

Duck and pork belly sausage with housemade sauerkraut, glazed turnips, and fingerling potatoes

The details: DBGB Kitchen & Bar, 299 Bowery, New York.

Lunch at Red Rooster

Mac & greens with smoked gouda, NY cheddar, and caramelized onions

Best Bite and other notes: Red Rooster seemed to truly capture the spirit of Harlem, with vibrant colors and all kinds of cultural relics. I was also thrilled that Chef Marcus Samuelsson himself was at the restaurant that day, and stopped by our table to say hello! I really enjoyed all three courses: the coconut-cauliflower soup fragrant with lemongrass, the oh-so-cheesy mac ‘n’ collard greens, and the cinnamon-sugared doughnut holes with light sweet potato filling. See full menu.

Red Rooster doughnuts with sweet potato filling and cinnamon sugar

Interior of Red Rooster — Colorful interior of Red Rooster

The details: Red Rooster, 310 Lenox Ave., Harlem.

Dinner at Spice Market

Mapo tofu with black bean sauce, Chinese long beans, and thai basil

Best Bite and other notes: Spice Market is the Southeast Asian-influenced restaurant in Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s dining empire, so it seemed like a fun, shareable pick for Restaurant Week. Ornate and dimly lit (please excuse the lighting in the photos!), the palatial space fit right into the buzzy Meatpacking District. Food-wise, the mapo tofu was the winner, with chunks of tofu, chewy rice-cake slices, and Chinese long beans lacquered in black bean sauce. There was also irresistible crunch in the grain salad – we later learned it was millet and amaranth – amidst lots of veggies and a tangy tamarind vinaigrette. See full menu.

Crispy grain salad with tamarind vinaigrette

The details: Spice Market, 403 W. 13th St., New York.