Breakfast at Berkli Parc: The Day We Became Famous

I had promised my staff member, Nicole (no relation), that we would have a breakfast date this week.  She was positive that I was purposefully planning to do fun things with other staff members while she was busy.  I explained to her that this was because I secretly hate her, but she wasn't buying that.  So during our Friday morning meeting, we braved the bone chilling cold and ran over to Berkli Parc to grab some breakfast.

When we walked in, there were two women having a conversation/interview - love advice of some sort - and being filmed.  At first we were quiet and hesitant, waiting for them to politely ask us to leave or at least to be quiet.  Since neither of those things happened within the first 20 seconds that we were there, we went on with our loud and ridiculous conversation.

Their menu was intriguing!  They had all sorts of new and exciting coffee drinks that we had never heard of... The California Latte, Dirty Chai Latte, Strawberry Fields Latte, and so on.  The only problem was that none of these exciting drinks had any explanations as to what went into them.  This caused a chain reaction of numerous questions and side bars between Nicole and I about our feelings and thoughts on these drinks.

While we waited for our coffee, chai, and breakfast sandwiches, I had a lovely conversation with the restaurant's owner.  He too is a native Californian in fact, we're both originally from Sacramento. This is not something I usually tell people... that I was born in Sacto (and if you've ever been there, you'll know why - sorry Sacto peeps, I still love you).  However, we bonded..  He even honored a fictitious discount that Google Offers was spreading around about them.

Nicole got a Chai Latte, hold the Dirty (which we found out meant a shot of espresso and not an olive as I had initially suspected).  I got the Californian Latte (had to represent), that orange zest, cloves, and cinnamon, I believe.  It was zesty and lovely, and I appreciated the foam art.  Our sandwiches (or half sandwiches that were pretending to be whole sandwiches) were Bacon, Egg, and Sprout on Whole Grain.  Despite it really only being a half sandwich for $6, it was really tasty.  The egg was perfectly over easy and had a nice bit of runniness to it (or nature's gravy, as I like to call it) that pulled the entire sandwich together.  The earthiness of the sprouts was very clean and fresh - and nothing like baby trees, as I explained to Nicole.

Nicole's big break!

But really the highlight of the breakfast outing was that Nicole and I became famous.  Yes, that's right, we are now reality TV stars.  As we were waiting for the light to change outside the coffee shop, we heard a man yelling "Ladies, hey girls!" at us. Naturally, being New Yorkers, we assumed it was a crack head and completely ignored him.  To our surprise, it was actually one of the film crew from the coffee shop wanting us to sign a release for the show that we were just staring in.  It's a new "reality" TV show (although, we have serious doubts about how realistic it is) on MTV called "Girl, Get Your Mind Right."  I declined to be shown, since my agent wasn't there to broker this agreement, so my face will be blurred out.  However, Nicole will be staring in a full role.  We will be credited as the Two Annoyingly Loud Girls That Won't Shut Up.  So tune in to MTV in May and see our big premiere at breakfast.

Lower East Side Gastronomic Adventure!

I LOVE my neighborhood.  It is hands down, the coolest neighborhood in New York City these days.  It's where all the new and hip restaurants, bars, music venues, shops and galleries are these days.  And before it gets ruined by being over gentrified (which is happening very soon), I need to know it like the back of my hand!

I moved to the Lower East Side in Manhattan 6 months ago and I'm already in a rut.  And for no particular reason except that I got lazy on trying new places and I love my new haunts.  I swore I wouldn't do that again when I moved here and it's time to get on it.  One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get to know my neighborhood like the back of my hand.  So I went through and picked out restaurants that had a Yelp rating of 4 or more and started a list... a loooong list.  I have one year to visit 50 60 + places (and it will probably be more given there's a few places about to open up any day now).

I am hoping that my friends will want to join me this little LES (or Lower East Side for you non-New Yorkers) exploration, otherwise that's a lot of meals alone.  I know my staff will definitely be lunching with me, as we tend to do now and then.

This list is broken down by meal type.  I went through the menus to see if having lunch or brunch was a better deal (it usually is) but that there were still enough menu options to make it an interesting meal.  So I hope you'll follow me on my gastronomic adventure through the LES.  Feel free to click on the links and check out the restaurants for yourself.  Let me know if you have any recommendations.  I'll cross out the places as I go to them!

Coffee, Tea & Breakfast

Atlas Cafe

Berkli Parc

Cafe Grumpy
Dudley's

Home Espresso Bar

Konditori

Lost Weekend NYC
Roasting Plant

Press Tea

Brunch
Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya
Cafe Katja
Fatta Cuckoo
Family Recipe
Lobster Joint
Taverna Di Bacco
Freeman's Restaurant
Saro Bistro
Stanton Social
Tre
Zucco Le French Diner

Lunch
Banh Mi Saigon
Cheeky Sandwiches
Empanada Mama
Falai Panetteria
The Falafel Shop
Gaia Cafe
Landbrot Bakery & Bar
Links
Little Muenster
Los Perros Locos
MasalaWala
Mexicue
Panade Puffs and Pastries
Pause Cafe
Taqueria Lower East Side
Zest
Zoe Restaurant

Dinner

Alias Restaurant

Antibes Bistro

Apizz
Barrio Chino

Cata

Cocoron

DoDomPa

Georgia's Eastside BBQ

Ha-Chi

Jadis

Mission Chinese Food
Pearl and Ash

Pig and Khao

Rustic L.E.S.

Sorella
Todd's Mill
Tromba

Via Tribunali

WD-50
Yopparai

Yunnan Kitchen

Dessert

Bisous, Ciao

Cocoa Bar

il laboratorio del gelato

Prohibition Bakery

Stellina

Tache Chocolate
Tao Hong Bakery

Imagining the Lowline

For the past couple of weeks the Lower East Side has been a buzz about the Lowline!  A couple of very cool LES architects discovered that there's a huge abandoned trolley turnaround station under Delancey Street.  They thought it would do the neighborhood good to build and underground park in there - and I do agree!  The architects created a new solar technology that would help foliage grow underground and it's quite stunning.  Imagining the Lowline is an exhibit to help them gain patronage and interest and I hope it worked.

  To have a park under the street that I live on that I can go to year round, regardless of weather, is pretty freaking awesome.  The idea of utilizing underground space for such innovations really opens the mind to all sorts of crazy ideas.  Rachel and I also enjoyed the Star Trek quality of it as well.  Rachel has decided to sign up for the first space biosphere project (given that there is internet in space) and I have decided to stay here and see what new innovations pop up in NYC.

For more information about the Lowline, visiting their website thelowline.org

NYC Immigrant Neighborhoods Food and Walking Tour

Eat your through New York City's historical immigrant neighborhoods!  Have a nosh and wander through some of New York's oldest neighborhoods.

This tour will take you through the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, and back full circle to where you started.  Since there is a lot, and I mean a LOT of eating on this tour, it is recommended that you share everything (it's also cheaper that way) so you don't end up in a food coma halfway through.  But it you do it right, you'll thank me later!

Duration: All day
Cost: Moderate $40 - 50 (includes TONS of food and admission into 2 museums)



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Starting Point A:  Breakfast in the Lower East Side

Start your morning off right with a traditional Jewish nosh.  There are two great options on Houston for a filling breakfast.

Yonah Schimmel's Knishes

137 E Houston St, b/t 2nd Ave and Chrystie St

Cost: $4

This place has been slinging world famous knishes since 1910!  They're piping hot and delicious!  Recommendations... Potato Kinish - you can't go wrong with a classic.

- or -

Russ and Daughters 

179 E. Houston St., b/tEast Houston St and Chrystie St

Cost: $4
This purveyor of smoked fish and specialty foods has been around since 1914 and is a fourth generation owned store.  It's worth the pop in just to see.

Recommendations... Bialey toasted with scallion cream cheese - no one will appreciate your breath as the day goes on, but it's well worth it, so who cares.  I'm not a lox fan, but I've been told they are the best.

Eat your bialey or kinish while you make your way down Orchard Street to the Tenement Museum.

B: Tenement Museum

108 Orchard St., b/t Delancey and Broom

Cost: $15 - 20

This is really a NYC must see!  I can’t believe it took me so many years to come here, but I’ll be back on a regular basis.  Step back in time and into the preserved and partially restored 1863 tenement building at 97 Orchard St., where you can get an idea of how our ancestors lived when they first came to America.  It's an eye opening and extremely touching tour that I highly recommend!  Building tours are limited to 15 people, so you may want to consider buying tickets in advance.  Also, they have an awesome gift shop.

Recommendations... Getting By: Immigrants Weathering Hard Times Tour, it is extremely comprehensive and wonderful.

Next it’s time for a little taste of Chinatown…

C: Vanessa's Dumpling House  

118 Eldridge St, b/t Broome St. and Grand St.

Cost: less than $5

This is my favorite cheap eats in NYC.  Not only is it good, but it’s fresh and made right in front of you.  Watching the Chinese women make the dumplings and scallion pancakes is memorizing and fascinating.  Tip: Bring cash!  They take cards with a $9 minimum, and you could buy the whole place lunch and never hit $9.  It’s soooo cheap.

Recommendations... Get the Peeking Duck Scallion Pancake, it'll change your life.  No really, I'm not kidding.  Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

After you’ve finished stuffing your face, it’s time to waddle down to the beautiful and historical synagogue on Eldridge.

D: Museum at Eldridge Street 

12 Eldridge St

Cost: $8 - 10

This is a Jewish Synagogue that was built in 1887.  They recently finished a 20 year restoration and it was well worth it.  This place is beautiful, serene and historical.  Another must see.

Recommendations...

• ·         Do one of the free guided tours they offer.  They have them every half hour.
• ·         Mondays are free.

Now it’s time to hit up little Italy and have a little gabagool, as Tony Soprano would say.

E: Alleva Dairy & Di Palo's Fine Foods 

Grand Street, b/t Mott St. and Mulberry St.

Cost: Depends 

These are the two best Italian deli and cheese markets in Little Italy and they’re right next to each other.  You can’t go wrong with anything in these places.  Pop in, grab a little smattering of cheese, cured meats, and maybe a stuffed pepper or two and continue on your way.

F: Rice to Riches

37 Spring St, b/t Mott St. and Mulberry St.

Cost: $4 - 7

This rice pudding bar in NoLita is one of a kind.  They have 20+ types of rice pudding (and you can try them all before you decide).  It’s a great stop for a sweet treat.  The portions are big and the pudding is very rich.

Recommendations... Man Made Mascarpone Rice Pudding with roasted cherries, it’s rich, subtle but not too sweet – it’s to die for and clearly my favorite.

G: St. Patrick's Old Cathedral 

263 Mulberry Street, b/t Prince St. and Houston St.

Cost: Free

If you've watched The Godfather, you've seen the inside St. Patrick's Old Cathedral—this is where the infamous baptism scene was filmed. It’s New York’s first Cathedral Church, built in 1818.  The outside doesn't look like much, but it’s unbelievably stunning on the inside.  There's a maze of mortuary vaults underneath the cathedral, and the outdoor cemetery is the final resting place for notable and historic New Yorkers.

Finish up your tour of Little Italy and NoLita by ending full circle back in the Lower East Side.  Round off your day of eating with an old fashioned pastrami or corned beef sandwich.

H: Katz Deli 

205 E Houston St, b/t Avenue A and Essex St

Cost: $20 

This is hands down my favorite Delicatessen in NYC, and there are a lot of good ones to choose from.  It’s been around since 1888 and has been in numerous movies, most famously where Sally had her “orgasm scene” in When Harry Met Sally.  The food is expensive, but the portions are HUGE!  So you can share and still have leftovers.

Recommendations... The Ruben and a Chocolate Egg Creme - just do it.