NEW YORK: Tea and Sympathy

Whoever told me that British food sucks years ago lied. Either that or Tea and Sympathy is an exception to the rule.

Joe was craving meat pies, so we decided to stray from the usual at Tuck Shop and head over to T&S. Great decision. The place is cute, but small and usually packed. (I think it has about 20 seats.) Luckily we only had to wait ten minutes to get a table, but quite honestly, I think I would wait an hour if I had to. The food is just that good.

I loved the Sussex chicken (the sage and onion stuffing was delicious), but after a tiny bite of Joe’s chicken and leek pie, I was jealous. I had instant food envy. The creamed chicken and puff pastry were absolutely mouth watering. If my cornish hen didn’t take up half my plate, I probably would have ordered another chicken and leek pie on the side. I loved it so much; I even offered to take Joe back to T&S the next day because I was still craving that pie.

The next time I go back, I will definitely order one of those and make room for dessert. The couple next to me split a bread pudding which looked surprisingly good.

If you go check it out, make sure you get the drink below (it’s pronounced iron brew). It tastes like cream soda!

BROOKLYN: DuMont Burger

I’m going to give this place another shot. I think it was overhyped for me; I was expecting too much. The burger was good, but not great–
much of this was due to the meat I think. I asked for medium rare, but it was pratically still moo-ing when I got it. The bloody taste and awkward softness of the burger ruined it for me. Definitely getting a medium next time. On the other hand, the fries were good.

NEW YORK: Peking Duck House

If looking at the picture above does not cause your mouth to salivate instantly, Peking Duck House is just not the restaurant for you.

There’s Peking duck all over Chinatown, but I’ve heard this was the best. I’ve strayed once while in New York and since then I’ve learned my lesson. You get what you pay for here and, since we are in the city that never sleeps, you pay a hefty sum. A duck a la carte sets you back $45, but you can get a set meal with your friends to make it a bit more worth it. You can get something cheaper elsewhere, but the skin is perfectly crisp, the meat is juicy, it’s not saturated in MSG, and I’m not worried about the waitstaff’s BO overpowering the smell of my food. I highly recommend you try this place at least once. Make sure you get their duck and ask for the bones to be cooked in a soup– that’s not on the menu. And stay away from their pork soup dumplings!

You’ll be shocked when step foot here; it’s the nicest, cleanest restaurant in Chinatown– I was the only Chinese person at this place minus the workers! I normally take that as a reason to question the restaurant’s authenticity, but in this case, I can vouch for them as I’ve been a handful times and have always left happy and stuffed.

More Updates

More updates coming over the next few days. Things were hectic before with moving, unpacking, going to India, going to LA, food poisoning, and catching up with work. Now that I’m back, expect more posts again!

NEW YORK: Dean and Deluca

After a bad incident of Dean and Deluca food my freshman year of college (which involved stomach cramps for days), I vowed never to eat there again which has lasted until today. I was starving as usual, so I just ran in there to grab a quick bite before I met Joe at Uniqlo. I got their red velvet cupcake because I was craving something sweet. It was perfect. Just the right size and so, so tasty. It was light and airy with the right amount of cream cheese icing. I inhaled it, so no picture– sorry! It was $3, so a bit pricey since for a few bucks more you can get a monster cupcake at Crumbs, but sometimes you just don’t want a monster cupcake!