For Korean food in New York City, 32nd Street is where it’s at. Sure, it’s one measly block, but it’s a block packed with Korean yumminess. Tucked away in a nondescript building among all the Korean BBQs you’ll find Han Ah Reum. This glorious gem of a supermarket features Korean classics like tangy kimchi–a fermented cabbage side dish, plus pan-Asian sauces, dried sardines and anchovies and all the supplies you’ll need to host a roll-your-own sushi party.
I recommend avoiding rush hour and lunch time. Every shelf, refrigerator case and corner is filled to capacity, maximizing what little space the market occupies. The store’s narrow aisles are already crowded with food and when you add hoards of hungry shoppers to the mix, you end up wasting valuable shopping energy dodging other shoppers and their baskets. But if you can brave the crowds and tight space (seriously, claustrophobes beware), the trek to Midtown will be well worth your time. more…
It doesn’t matter what language you speak, a nice, cold beer is the perfect remedy for a muggy, looks-like-it’s-going-to-rain-for-the-thousandth-time kind of day. Instead of cursing Mother Nature, swing by Eagle Provisions in Brooklyn’s South Slope and pick up one of the 1,500 brews in stock. Then sit back, prop your feet up, pop open that can/bottle/keg and let the cool, bubbly liquid take you away to a happier climate.
Known to many as “The Old White Eagle Market,” this grocery and delicatessen offers an impressive stash of imported European goods, fresh baked breads and kielbasa, but in the summertime I just can’t get past the beer. Everyone–from die-hard beer connoisseurs to those drawn to bottles with cute labels–can find what they’re looking for here. And don’t be mislead by the small offering of beer up by the front registers–there’s a whole beer room to your right! The selection can be a bit daunting, but friendly owner John Zawisny will eagerly help you navigate the stock and point out his current favorites. John and his brother Richard have been at the business for 30 years and watched the clientele (and their requests) change dramatically. more…
Check out our first Blog Talk Radio show, where we interview and field questions to Adam Roberts, the Amateur Gourmet. He talks about his upcoming show, the Amateur Gourmet, on the Food Network’s Food2.com and answers caller questions about off beat foods in New York City.
Just before the lunch rush hits, the Kati Roll Company has the makings for their signature dish sizzling on the grill in anticipation of the hungry passersby. Steaming skewers of grilled chicken, cheese, and beef top the grill and on an adjacent grill there is a huge mass of a spicy potato and peas mixture. These are the main ingredients that can be found in a Kati Roll, a mixture of meats, vegetables and cheeses, marinated in a blend of spices, and rolled in an Indian flatbread.
The exterior of the flatbread is slick from oil and brown grill spots are scattered all over its malleable surface. The achari paneer roll, a spicy cheese roll, is filled with large spongy cheese cubes and mixed with green peppers, tomatoes, red onions and a cilantro chutney.
When I was walking home with my fiancé Patrick last night, I happened upon a new banh mi cart on St. Marks and 2nd Avenue. Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich prepared on a soft baguette with a hard outer crust. Each sandwich came with one meat–either Vietnamese meatball, chicken, roasted eel, tuna, beef or pork– and sweet pickled carrots and cucumber, cilantro and optional jalapeños for an added kick. more…
