Posted by Adam Kuban, May 6, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Wait, what? We don't have anything about Sarabeth's on SENY beyond this single slide in a slideshow and a mention of their oatmeal? Maybe that's because we've always just assumed everyone's been there and knows the score. After all, its UES and UWS locations* are legendary brunch spots, and when you show up at either during prime brunch hours it certainly feels like everyone's there. Which is to say, expect a wait, folks.
No worries, though. At the UWS location, which I visit most often, I've never waited more than a half hour (long enough to window-shop at Zabar's nearby), because if there's one thing Sarabeth's is, it's a brunch factory. And I mean that in the best possible way: After serving what must be tens of thousands of meals since the early '80s,** the place makes consistently great plates of breakfast and brunch items -- in addition to the preserves and baked goods that originally gave Sarabeth Levine her first-name-only status among Upper West Siders.
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Posted by Carey Jones, October 21, 2010 at 10:00 AM
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
The Winners!
#1: Ceci-Cela
55 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 (map); 212-274-9179; cecicelanyc.com
#2: Petrossian
911 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019 (map); 212-245-2217; petrossian.com
#3: François Payard Bakery
116 West Houston Street (map); 212-995-0888; payard.com
A good croissant is hard to find. To turn a butter-based dough into a pastry that's simultaneously soft and flaky, shatter-crisp and mouth-meltingly tender, is a difficult thing indeed. With such a pure flavor—butter, heightened by salt and united with flour and transformed into a layered, stretchy dough—the quality of those ingredients and the skill of the pastry chef is critical. And if they're not handled properly, you'll end up with a pastry that's doughy, or flabby, or tough, or bready—not qualities you want in a truly great croissant.
Frankly, plenty of imperfect pastries still taste delicious, particularly after they're popped in the toaster oven or slathered with Nutella. But where can you find a perfect croissant, straight from the pastry case? We wanted to find out.
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Posted by Leah Douglas, July 22, 2010 at 10:00 AM
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
We know, we know—it's been years since cupcakes first hit New York. And Serious Eats hasn't been the sort of blog to breathlessly cover every new cupcakery in the city. But at some point we realized that when asked where to find the best cupcakes in New York City, we didn't have an answer. And that just wouldn't do.
So I took the initiative to track down New York's best. But to be honest, I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into. And I soon found myself in charge of arguably the most epic cupcake taste test ever attempted.
The Criteria
So what were we looking for, exactly? Well, a good cupcake, in our minds, has to first and foremost have a great texture—this means a moist cake base with a tender crumb that doesn't get too sticky in the mouth. And the frosting must be smooth and fluffy, but not overly buttery, grainy, or airy. As for the flavor, neither base nor frosting should be too sweet, lest they earn the unfortunate designation of "Sugar Bomb." And the cupcake needs to taste like it reads—if a cupcake's called Devil's Food, then it better be mighty chocolatey. These, and other factors, were at the forefront of our mind during the final tasting.
Almost fifty bakeries, after the jump.
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Posted by Lingbo Li, July 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM
There are a million international varieties of shaved ice, but Taiwanese-style holds a special place in my heart.
It's not quite an American classic—yet. While some have fruit toppings, you'll traditionally find sweetened beans, jellies, taro root, and related goodies, tied together with a generous drizzle of brown sugar syrup, and if you're lucky, a hit of oh-so-sweet condensed milk. Another variety, as of yet undiscovered in New York, uses milk ice for a finer shave.
Done right, it's a revelation. The ice should be fine and fluffy—neither too crunchy, nor too dense and wet—and blend seamlessly into the toppings. Those might range from the home-cooked flavor of sweetened azuki beans to a quivering mound of pudding or a mass of chewy black tapioca pearls. As you plow away, condensed milk-laced spoonfuls of toppings alternate with rich, sugar-laced slush. Great Taiwanese shaved ice is substantive and refreshing, a perfect meal in itself.
No wonder I was determined to find New York City's perfect bowl. I pared the list to 11 spots in Manhattan and Flushing. I took on Manhattan on day one, and did all the Flushing stops on day two.
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 17, 2010 at 11:00 AM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
Cured meats, crusty bread: Italian-style heroes are almost always a delicious thing. Here are five of our favorites from across the boroughs.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 16, 2010 at 2:45 PM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
Roast pork. Pulled pork. Even crispy fried pork. Pig on a sandwich is a beautiful thing. Here are five of the best pork sandwiches that we've eaten so far.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 16, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
It's not hard to find a phenomenal roast beef sandwich in New York City—especially
once you get to Brooklyn. Here are six of our favorites, from the century-old to the brand-new.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 15, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
Why should meat-eaters have all the fun? Vegetarian sandwich lovers in New York have all sorts of options, from chickpeas to pickled beets to squeaky cheese. Here are six of our favorite veggie-friendly lunches.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 15, 2010 at 11:00 AM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
A turkey sandwich doesn't usually get our hearts pounding—but there are exceptions, of course. Here are five of our favorite turkey and chicken sandwiches so far.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 14, 2010 at 1:30 PM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
Ham on a sandwich is one thing, but prosciutto—salty, pungent, delicate—is just a little bit more exciting. Here are five prosciutto sandwiches from across New York we really loved.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 14, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Editor's note: It's been three months since we launched A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. And with so many happy lunches behind us, we thought it was high time to look back at the delicious ground we've covered. All week, expect recaps of the best sandwiches we've eaten thus far. —The Mgmt.
Ham and cheese: such a time-honored combination. But what about avocado? Truffle oil? Or just a healthy handful of salt?
Check out our favorite ham sandwiches thus far—the classic, the cheap, the dainty, and the perfect.
All the sandwiches we've conquered »
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Posted by Carey Jones, June 1, 2010 at 10:00 AM
It's hard work, but someone had to do it: hunt down the best falafel sandwich in New York.
We're sure you have your own favorite falafel joints. And yet, as with a bagel or a chocolate chip cookie, there's an enormous difference between a falafel sandwich that's satisfying—crispy falafel balls, soft pita, enough hummus or tahini—and a falafel sandwich that's the best in New York.
Having a solid and reliable $3 sandwich nearby might be more than enough for you. And that's just fine. But for a falafel to crack the Top 7, it's got to be truly memorable.
What that means? Falafel with crispy shells and tender interiors, not too dry, with a good internal balance of chickpea, parsley, and spice; pita that's fresh-tasting, delicious, and, at the very least, not a detriment to the sandwich; sauces and toppings that add to the total package.
So, bring on the flamethrowing in the comments: some of New York's most highly touted falafel sandwiches were eliminated in preliminary rounds.
What got the axe, our top 7, and the best falafel in New York, after the jump.
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Posted by Sara Markel-Gonzalez, May 24, 2010 at 10:00 AM
[Photographs: Sara Markel-Gonzalez]
I couldn't stop the search at just five places for one of my favorite foods in my favorite borough. This second round-up began the minute that you, Serious Eaters, started commenting on the first post on the best falafel in Queens. How could I not go to Grill Point, you said; how could I ignore Turkish, and what about Steinway Street? Well, you were all right. These next sandwiches should not be missed. And this trip around Queens for falafel was even more fun than the first.
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Posted by Sara Markel-Gonzalez, May 3, 2010 at 10:00 AM
There are so many great places to find falafel all over New York City; we will be exploring the best of the best here at Serious Eats. And we're starting the search in Queens. Every place had their own little twist on the classic Middle Eastern sandwich of fried chickpea fritters topped with tahini sauce and stuffed into pita bread. From Kew Gardens Hills for kosher-style, to Forest Hills for a Lebanese version, to Astoria for the King of Falafel cart, I traveled Queens far and wide for falafel, and loved every bite.
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Posted by Carey Jones, April 30, 2010 at 1:30 PM
Who doesn't love french fries? We've long been looking for New York's best, and decided that the city's fries deserved more than a post—they needed a column of their own. Here's TGI Fry-Day, your weekly dose of deliciousness. Got a nomination? Let us know. —The Mgmt.
[Photo: Robyn Lee]
At Jean-Georges Vongerichten's new locavore-friendly ABC Kitchen, you could make a memorable meal of far more virtuous vegetables: cumin-roasted carrots, roasted beets, memorably sweet sugar-snap peas. But don't overlook the fries. A pile of classic frites, kicked up with crisp fried parsley, tender fries with tons of salt and bits of crunch. And though they may be fancy fries, they're served with the everyman's condiment—Heinz ketchup. Available with the cheeseburger, or as a side for $6.
ABC Kitchen
35 East 18th Street, New York NY 10003 (Broadway/Park; map)
212-475-5829
abckitchennyc.net
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