Steve’s Key Lime Pie

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Location:  204 Van Dyke St., Pier 41, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

http://stevesauthentic.com/wpnew/

Cost: $15 for entire pie.  $5 for chocolate covered key lime pie on stick.

On a recently episode of Dexter, he is on a search for the best key lime pie for Camilla while she is on her death bed.  He asks his sister Deb where one can get the best key lime pie….her reply is ““You can’t.  They all taste like sour dog sh*t.”  While that maybe the case for Deb and many other people, me and some friends found a spot worth treking out to for a good piece of key lime pie in Brooklyn’ Red Hook.

Although you can get a slice of this stuff at a few restaurants in the city, the journey to Red Hook is part of the experience that makes the pie pretty tasty.  Considering the actual bakery is located in Red Hook you know that you’re getting some fresh stuff.  You can get a whole pie or get a key lime pie on a stick dipped in Chocolate.  I personally preferred the stick version since it offset the sourness of the pie a bit…and who doesn’t love anything chocolate dipped.  Overall, the crust is great and has a great consistency in the lime filling part.  I hear that the slices work great with whipped cream which I didn’t do.  I suggest anyone  planning a trip down to Brooklyn Ikea to stop by this joint.  Who knows maybe this pie will go well with the Swedish meatballs?

.:cL

The Shack Stack @ Shake Shack

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Location: 366 Columbus Ave & Madison Sq. Park

Cost: $8.75

Sometimes we’re so accustomed to getting the same thing at a food joint we overlook the fact there may be something far greater and tastier on the menu.  For example, my experience at a Mediterranean restaurant called Pita Inn located on the Northside of Chicago.  I had gotten the combo meal every time from high school to early college.  It wasn’t until my higher education kicked in and decided to try the chicken shawarma that my life swiftly changed with each bite of that yellow chicken…well sort of changed.  I never looked back and I’ve been getting the same crazy yellow chicken shawarma everytime I go back to Pita Inn.

I feel like this could be the case at Shake Shack, the darling burger joint to which every New Yorker gladly will wait 30mins to an hour in line to get their food.  I recently realize that people over often go for the Shack burger and overlook the mutated shack burger which births a portabella mushroom deep fried and injected with cheese called the Shack Stack.  This burger which recently changed its name from the former name “Double Stack”, adds an entirely different dimension (size & flavor) to the burger experience at Shake Shack.  If you’ve tried both then, you know what I’m talking about…but, if you have not then, please deviate from your routine and try it out.  Your life might change…sort of.

Random last note:  The delicious Cranberry Cinnamon frozen custard almost tastes like strawberry flavor.

.:cL

Del Frisco Steakhouse

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Location: 1221 6th Ave. (at 49th st.)

Cost: $12.95 for steak filet tips & mash potatoes.

In NYC midtown there is always a balance of expensive dining options and the dirt cheap street food options.  You usually find these varieties on the same block except one is in a clean nice interior setting w silver utensils and the latter is food off a cart w plastic sporks.  When I read about a cheap steak option at Del Frisco Steakhouse in midtownlunch.com, me & Mike decided to go.  Supposedly, it was steak tips & mash potatoes for $10.95 off the bar menu…in actuality it cost us a bit more than that.

I have to say the interior setting was pretty classy for lunch, since they had super high ceilings & lots of glass to make for a bright airy experience.  I also have to say being surrounded by midtown exec types and being served by a pretty hot bartender made feel pretty important.  Alas, we went onto order the cheapest dish on the menu, the steak tips which was accompanied by some complimentary bread…yum.

The steak filet tips themselves were juicy pieces cooked to your preference and it was surrounding an order of buttery mashed potatoes.  The steak was good & almost like the real thing BUT these tips were WAY too peppery….why??? That’s all I can ask really.  Although the portion was quite small, any meal involving steaks & potatoes can be quite heavy & food coma-inducing.  So all in all, glad I tried it out but, we both agree we won’t be going back anytime.  I’d rather get a huge $5 philly cheese steak sandwich right outside at the food cart.

Fette Sau

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Location: 354 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Cost: Approx. $15/person for hearty portions of meat, sides, &  a pint beer.

The two words Fette Sau means something if you are German or have been to the homey BBQ joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Fette Sau means “fat pig” in German and after devouring pounds of meat and sides from this place, that’s exactly how I felt…but, in a good happy way.  This restaurant  is tucked away behind a pseudo alley off of Metroplitan ave and once you enter the establishment you are transported to an off the beaten path southern-esque restaurant.  You immediately smell the wood burning smell and the varieties of BBQ meats along with the LCD screen fire place.  The seating system is a bit weird since you have to wait randomly for people to get up from the bench style seats to claim your own.  Its not a big deal since you can enjoy the varieties of craft beers that are served while waiting, & they even serve gallon portions of beer!

I came here with Kah & 2 other friends from out of town & It was an educational experience waiting for our tables since I got to study the anatomy of a cow and the different meat cuts.

You can buy the meats at the counter by the pound or by pieces.  We decided to get a little bit of everything (pulled pork, beef rib, pork chop, sausage, pork belly, Pork & beans, & pastrami).  All the meats were well cooked, juicy, and had plenty of flavor but, the pastrami & pulled pork were my personal favorites.  The potato salad and broccoli sides were nothing special but, the pork & beans are a must. I would consider this place my favorite BBQ place in NYC so far but, I do have a few more places to try…& I will continue to be a “fat pig”.

Ronnybrook & Alice’s Tea Cup

I had Veterans’ Day off and it seemed like I was the only one, amongst my mostly banker friends, that had it off.  And being the asshole that I am, I dedicated the day to myself as my “mental health” day, instead of honoring our veterans the proper way.  So what does one do on a “mental health” day?  It’s only natural that I would pick to do the most “couple-y” and “mom-y” things in the city, duh.  Enter.. Guggenheim.  If abstract art is your thing, it’s a good time to go

Alice’s Tea Cup

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Location:  220 E 81st St (bw 2nd & 3rd Ave), 102 W 73rd st and 156 E 64th St.

Price: $3

While staring at Kandinsky’s art, all I could think about was the pumpkin scone that was soon going to be in my stomach.  Once I got to Alice’s Tea Cup, I couldn’t get myself to sit next to moms having tea parties with fellow moms and daughters so I had mine to go.  For $3, you get a huge scone and a side of preserves and cream.  I tore off a small piece as I walked out the door and the first thought was “Oh shit, that’s good.”  Afraid of becoming a victim of thoughtless eating, I placed the scone in my bag for later consumption.  I thought the scone was seriously lacking the pumpkin flavor but too strong on the spice.  A little more moist than the generic scone and it was actually topped with a caramel glaze that tasted nothing like pumpkin.  It was the combination of the pumpkin scone and the slighty burnt caramel-taste glaze that I absolutely loved; too bad they didn’t drench the whole scone with the glaze.  Muffin tops exist, why not scone tops?

Good, but doesn’t deserve a dedicated trip to the UES for it.

Ronnybrook Milk Bar

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Location: Inside Chelsea Market (9th Ave bw 15th and 16th St.)

Price: $8.50

With so many mentions in the New York Diet (nymag), I was thoroughly excited to try Ronnybrook Milk Bar.  Because my uneaten scone was still in my bag, I trekked down to the Chelsea Market for a leisurely lunch and to soak in the smell of heavenly butter produced by all the bakeries.  I ordered the Pressed Mozzarella (pesto, tomato, basil, eggplant on olive panini).  This sandwich was so disappointing, the pesto was lacking, there were maybe 4 pieces of basil (I opened my sandwich to check), the tomato wasn’t ripe, and I totally forgot about the eggplant because I didn’t taste any eggplant.  It was so bland that I topped the sandwich with the side salad, making it a little better.  I do give Ronnybrook credit with the fresh mozzarella and the olive bread.  The bread was flavorable for bread standards and the mozzarella was fresh with the right texture.  Such a shame the bread and the cheese flavors couldn’t shine through this sandwich.

-kah