Upcoming visit to NYC

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:07:53 GMT

Yes - take a look at the last 4 or so posts on page 1 of this thread and you'll see I provided the links to Slice.

I still cant believe Adam posted my lil' emails as features :-) Makes me smile.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (EatingTheRoad)

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:28:56 GMT

You're the TJ from Slice!!! For whatever reason I didn't put the two together. I've been reading your exploits over there. I love Slice...and AHT....and Serious Eats.

http://slice.seriouseats....c-trip-turned-out.html

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (David_NYC)

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:41:23 GMT

Item 10) - A few blocks east of Tonnelle Ave is JFK Blvd. in Jersey City. The #88 bus will take you to JFK Blvd. and 31st St. Transfer at 30th Street to the 190 bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:52:28 GMT

Michael Hoffman

a place called The Spot was better than either of them, but Pepe's now owns the Spot

I'm sure you already know this, but for the benefit of others reading, Pepe's has a parking lot on either side, and the spot is a tiny place at the back of the parking lot on the left (as you face Pepe's from the street). We parked in that lot, and I actually got a picture of the Spot before I took a picture of Pepe's

My understanding is that the Spot is essentially an annex to Pepe's and they open it at peak periods to serve the overflow crowd

Pepe's was at capacity on a monday by 11:20 - we got in right at 11

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:15:53 GMT

TJ Jackson

Michael Hoffman

Sounds terrific, TJ. And I cannot tell you have pleased I am with your reaction to Pepe's.

Not sure any pizza could ever top those three, but I am willing to let Sally's, Modern, and the others there take their shot at me ;-)

I prefer Pepe's, but I do love Sally's, and a place called The Spot was better than either of them, but Pepe's now owns the Spot, so I can't even offer a suggestion. I've never been to Modern, but people I know in my hometown love it.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:25:16 GMT

Michael Hoffman

Sounds terrific, TJ. And I cannot tell you have pleased I am with your reaction to Pepe's.

Not sure any pizza could ever top those three, but I am willing to let Sally's, Modern, and the others there take their shot at me ;-)

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (EatingTheRoad)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:18:07 GMT

We ordered a white clam (naturally), a plain pie with mozzerella, and a bacon pie. These three pies now occupy the number 1, 2, and 3 positions in the list of best pizzas I have ever eaten.

I love this...that's one of the best statements ever

It's good to see you found new culinary highs and from the sounds of it you've got a few places that you'll venturing back to with others in tow. Great report and good tips and advice. I was in NYC recently and I concur on the public transportation (and learning to use it). I found you could just a few people until you got pointed in the right direction.

On White Mana...personally I don't think you missed anything...that's just my opinion. The greatest point for me there was just seeing the building and sitting at the counter...and you got to see the building so....

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:17:40 GMT

Sounds terrific, TJ. And I cannot tell you have pleased I am with your reaction to Pepe's.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:39 GMT

Since I did not cover any ground that has not been extensively explored by Roadfooders before me, I will just cover the highlights of the trip. Every meal was at least good - not a dud among the bunch (unless you count the free continental breakfasts at the hotels, but hey, free and quick is good too)

1) I was very, very happy to finally get to The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Ground Zero. Ground Zero is very covered up now, 20-30 foot high fences covered in tarps, ergo no decent views from the street level, though I assume if you know enough about the surrounding tall buildings, you could find a place to get a look

2) the wife bowed out late, so a couple of college buddies took my up on the invite to ride along in her stead

3) Did not get to go nearly every place I wanted to - Patsy's and Yonah Schmimmels and etc were skipped due to full bellies or not enough time or other hindrances.

4) Difara
was very good, not life changing, and it was indeed about watching the man work than eating the pie. Which was good, because none of my companions wanted to deal with the crush up at the counter, and thats EXACTLY where I wanted to be. So it worked out. Liked the (thin) round pie MUCH better than the (thick) squares, which are par baked in advance and finished off at the time of ordering.   Very little space to sit and eat, so if you go there when it unsuitable to do a carryout, take at least 2 people with you so that you can monitor the counter and ensure your pies dont get missed, and the other two can simply grab the next available table, and then sit down and wait thereafter. One other thing - yes, the whole pies are a better value than the slices, but plan to wait a whole lot longer if you want a whole pie. They know they're making more money on slices, and it was clear from watching that they were trying to spend as much time on generating pizza for slices as they could. besides, just to try them out, you don't need a whole pie - a slice aiece will do,and you'll get out of the queue there a lot earlier, and have time and belly space to check out some other great pizzeria - maybe Lucalis.

5) Peter Luger's
was excellent albeit quite expensive - nearly 250 incl tip for the 3 of us with no adult beverages. The steaks met my extremely high expectations, and the bread basket was just outstanding, but the burger - oh man, the burger exceeded them. I had heard that they frequently overcook their burger, and indeed, my MR came out more M to MW. Despite that, it was easily the very best burger I have ever eaten, hands down. The beef flavor was intense, and it was juicy as all get out. The wife still wants to visit NYC with the kids when they are older, and I will take her here. She will get the steak, but I will HAPPILY settle for the far, far less expensive burger. Hell, I may get two of them. Yes, I do know it's a lunch-only item :-) Oh, and we got in fine right at opening with no reservations, and casual dress.

6) Katz's
The environment was everything I expected it to be, but the pastrami sandwich did not meet my high expectations. There was not very much of it, maybe a third of what i see on sandwiches others have taken a picture of, and it was good but not great. Again, it was a good meal, but my expectations were set very, very high from reading the experiences of others. I did have the cel-ray with the sandwich - tasted like ginger ale, smelled like celery. Interesting. Oh, and we also picked up a 5$ halal combo platter to go with this, just to sample some classic ny street meat. Also good but not great.

7) Frank Pepe's   ---(*)---BEST STOP OF THE TRIP---(*)---
Side trip to New Haven on Monday. We got there about a half hour before they opened, and walked the length of Wooster, marveling at how many italian eateries thrive on this short street. Naturally, several folks told me to go to Sally's instead of Pepe's, but with Sally's closed on Monday the choice was easy. We ordered a white clam (naturally), a plain pie with mozzerella, and a bacon pie. These three pies now occupy the number 1, 2, and 3 positions in the list of best pizzas I have ever eaten. The crust in particular was amazingly good, with excellent leopard-spotting on the underside. My favorite was the white clam, although the larger pieces of clam were rubbery and so I removed them from the many slices I ate. My companions marveled at the bacon pie, as every bacon pie they have ever ordered has little bits of bacon all over it - whereas this was full 4' whole slices of very good bacon all over this pie. I had everyone order birch beer as their beverage, and everyone liked that as well. And to top it off, the prices were not much higher (clam excepted) than far far lesser pizzas to be found in my own area. Great value. If I am anywhere near this area again, this will be an absolute must-stop, even though I'd love to also make a stop at Sally's, Modern, etc.

8) G&M and Faidleys
One of my bufddies just absolutely loves seafood, and so i modified my original plan to include a stop for dinner in Baltimore on the last part of the trip. Ok, ok, I have always wanted to go to this place anyway, but with him along, it made the decision that much easier.   So we drove from lunch at new Haven to late dinner in Baltimore. My buddy absolutely raved about the crabcake at G&M, proclaiming it the best he had ever had. I liked it as well, but the thing he liked - the near absence of filler - actually was a negative for me. I wanted some more spice, a more cake like texture, more flavor. All f which I got in abundance at Faidley's the next day. Faidley's is smaller, less crab, and little more expensive, and in a far less nice setting - but despite all that, I thought it was worlds tastier. My buddy proclaimed it the second best he had ever had but a distant second - still high praise, as he travels a lot and eats a lot of seafood. The other thing about Faidley's is that it is located within the Lexington market, which is the most impressive assortment of single proprietor food stalls I have ever laid my eyes on. I felt like a kid walking through a toy store. I could eat here every day for a month and probably still not get to sample even a quarter of the prepared foods available. Now, the place is a little grimy and rough around the edges, maybe not a great place for kids, but any Roadfooder in the area should stop by fo a look, even if you're not planning on crabcakes at Faidley's.

9) Finally
if you plan on visiting NYC, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you spend some time familiarizing yourself with the various systems of public transportation and use them. Driving in NYC was an experience I will always remember, but not fondly. One of my passenger commented that he'd have pulled his hair out after just an hour if he'd been he driver. Learn the system, use the system, and use cabs to fill in for the very few gaps where walking and other public systems don't fit the situation. I had intended to do just exactly this, but did not invest the time needed to learn the system(s), and so we spent many many MANY hours sitting in dead-stopped traffic, mostly in Manhattan. Dont make the mistake I made :-)

10) Finally (part 2)
My hotel in Jersey City was Red Carpet Inn on Tonnelle. Parking was great, within their own enclosed, well lit, camera monitored lot - and was free. Free high speed internet, free continental breakfast, fairly near Manhattan, clean and comfortable, no frills - and downright cheap. However - Tonnelle is divided, requiring a lot of u-turns to navigate but without turn lanes, so navigating it was treacherous at times. I am also not sure about how close public transportation was due to my mistake of not trying to make use of it (see item 9). That said, if someone will confirm public transportation is within walking distance, I unequivocally recommend this place on the cheap/nofrills basis.   As an aside, a cool roadfood type place is right across the street - White Manna, which is an ages-old diner and slider joint - but the traffic is so heavy and I was always so full and tired when i got back to the hotel that I never checked it out. Yet another mistake, I'm sure.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Tony Bad)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:13:47 GMT

Morfood

Mamoun's Falafel...on Macdougal Steet...

Good stuff! One of my favorites.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Morfood)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:45:07 GMT

Mamoun's Falafel...on Macdougal Steet...

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (David_NYC)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:44:45 GMT

TJ, I would go DiFara to watch the man work. Even if you don't have the time to wait for the slice, the trip will still be worthwhile. You are on vacation, not trying to grab a bite to eat between errands.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (wanderingjew)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:58:26 GMT

The Travelin Man

It is not often that I like to admit when wanderingjew is right - Lord knows we don't need the ego swell around here -

Here's a quote from a younger. less cynical and less jaded Travelin Man prior to succumbing to the influences of Bruce Bilmes and Davydd back on January 23, 2005 on the "what makes a good roadfood town" thread-

I have to tell you, wanderingjew is more often right than wrong. He tries, as do I, to keep a little focus as to what this web site has some foundations in. As he said, you will find the definition of "roadfood" right on the home page, but that seems to matter less and less around here lately.

I should never let you live this down!

but, as for DiFara's, I believe that he is. He mentioned to me that before DiFara's became "known," it was just the local pizza joint for the Midwood section of Brooklyn - a place where (mostly) local residents, specific to that predominantly Hassidic section of Brooklyn would go for a slice or two. Then....his place became famous. It is still essentially the same place it was when he was just the local slice guy - with the exception that demand has spiked beyond imagination.

It is definitely an experience....and I still do hope that it lives up to your expectations.
[quote/]

Travelin Man is right I used to live 6 blocks away from DiFara's , back in the late 80's and even throught he 90's it was just the local pizza joint, and it served in my opinion the best Sicilian Slice I've ever had. The last two times I've been back all within the last 4 years, was after it gained the notoriety that it has now. and I thought both times the pizza was lacking, not that it wasn't good, it just wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. Even after a good 5 years absence and a return visit back in 1997- it was as good as ever but was still "just the local pizza place" at that particular time.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:19:20 GMT

EatingTheRoad

What would TTM's premium and deductible be on that poilcy?

TTM carries excessive risk, and would be declared ineligible for coverage

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (EatingTheRoad)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:03:06 GMT

You know, it might be lucrative to start up a company offerring "Traveling-Man" insurance that pays out only when you get traveling-manned

What would TTM's premium and deductible be on that poilcy?

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:23:37 GMT

I checked the hours on every place I intend to go, and in some cases, also made phone calls to ensure they were going to be open

You know, it might be lucrative to start up a company offerring "Traveling-Man" insurance that pays out only when you get traveling-manned

Or maybe not

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (billyboy)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:50:20 GMT

TTM, knew I could count on you, buddy!!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (The Travelin Man)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:45:58 GMT

Tony Bad

TJ Jackson

As always, all the input is appreciated. Thanks all :-)

A quick clarification on the stop at DiFara

I have noted that DiFara's days of operation have shrunk at least twice and prices have gone up several times, and Dom himself is quite old and does not seem to be teaching an heir apparent

As such, it is my feeling that if one waits much longer, Dom may retire altogether and the opportunity to eat his pizza will be lost. DiFara may be open, but without Dom, it will probably no longer be the pizza mecca that it is seen as by many right now.

So....the one absolute must stop for me is DiFara. Over all other destinations.

I believe I will have a shot to try some of the other places on a return trip sometime in the future. I dont believe I will get that opportunity with DiFara.

TJ...sounds like you are going for the right reasons. I think folks who come away disappointed are those who judge the place solely by the pizza. I think it is great, but tastes vary, so some may feel otherwise, but I think there is no arguing the place is unique because of who and how it is run.

Let me add that I, too, think you are going there for the right reasons - and, perhaps, with the right expectations in mind. The man is truly a master at what he does. I only hope that I am so motivated to get up and go to work - and strive for perfection - the way he does, at his age.

It is not often that I like to admit when wanderingjew is right - Lord knows we don't need the ego swell around here - but, as for DiFara's, I believe that he is. He mentioned to me that before DiFara's became "known," it was just the local pizza joint for the Midwood section of Brooklyn - a place where (mostly) local residents, specific to that predominantly Hassidic section of Brooklyn would go for a slice or two. Then....his place became famous. It is still essentially the same place it was when he was just the local slice guy - with the exception that demand has spiked beyond imagination.

It is definitely an experience....and I still do hope that it lives up to your expectations.

As for your question about a second slice, let me also throw my hat into the ring for L&M Spumoni Gardens, which is also in Brooklyn, but all the way across town. That is where you can find the quintessential square (Sicilian) slice - and fabulous spumoni! Normally, this is a place I would recommend for summer dining, as they have a great outdoor seating area, but the food is worthwhile, even if one must eat indoors!

billyboy

TJ, just to piggyback a bit on what TTM said, some of the Lower East Side spots are closed on Saturdays. I know for sure that The Pickle Guys and Kossar's Bialys are both closed on Saturdays. Not sure about Yonah Schimmel's or Katz's, but as the Roadfood credo goes, "Call Ahead!". Happy travels and happy eating!!

Katz's, for sure, is not closed on Saturday. They are not Kosher - merely "Kosher-style" or "Jewish-style." I believe the same is true for Yonah Schimmel's, but I am less confident than Katz's.

Besides, why would you expect that I WOULDN'T recommend someone go to a closed restaurant?

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Tony Bad)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:18:40 GMT

TJ Jackson

As always, all the input is appreciated. Thanks all :-)

A quick clarification on the stop at DiFara

I have noted that DiFara's days of operation have shrunk at least twice and prices have gone up several times, and Dom himself is quite old and does not seem to be teaching an heir apparent

As such, it is my feeling that if one waits much longer, Dom may retire altogether and the opportunity to eat his pizza will be lost. DiFara may be open, but without Dom, it will probably no longer be the pizza mecca that it is seen as by many right now.

So....the one absolute must stop for me is DiFara. Over all other destinations.

I believe I will have a shot to try some of the other places on a return trip sometime in the future. I dont believe I will get that opportunity with DiFara.

TJ...sounds like you are going for the right reasons. I think folks who come away disappointed are those who judge the place solely by the pizza. I think it is great, but tastes vary, so some may feel otherwise, but I think there is no arguing the place is unique because of who and how it is run.

Again, have a great time!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:24:59 GMT

As always, all the input is appreciated. Thanks all :-)

A quick clarification on the stop at DiFara

I have noted that DiFara's days of operation have shrunk at least twice and prices have gone up several times, and Dom himself is quite old and does not seem to be teaching an heir apparent

As such, it is my feeling that if one waits much longer, Dom may retire altogether and the opportunity to eat his pizza will be lost. DiFara may be open, but without Dom, it will probably no longer be the pizza mecca that it is seen as by many right now.

So....the one absolute must stop for me is DiFara. Over all other destinations.

I believe I will have a shot to try some of the other places on a return trip sometime in the future. I dont believe I will get that opportunity with DiFara.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Tony Bad)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:10:39 GMT

The Travelin Man

TJ,

I hope the DiFara experience lives up to your expectations, though I fear that it won't. When we went on our group tour, the people that were happiest were the folks who got a slice from a whole pizza. Slices at DiFara's are now 5 bucks a throw - which is expensive, even by NY standards. I am not trying to talk you out of it - I know that you have had your mind made up on this since you started the thread - but, you should be aware. I am not one of the bashers - but, on my one and only trip, I couldn't see what the hype was all about.

I AM a fan of DiFara's, but confess that it has much to do with the place and the man as it does the pizza. If I was asked for advice for someone in town for a short stay, I don't think I would include it. It is just not that much better than other offerings to merit the trip, the time you may wait, and the cost. Joe's on Carmine Street just off Bleeker is in a food rich neighborhood...near places like John's Pizza, Faiccos, Murray's Cheese, Porto Rico coffee and is not that far behind DiFara in the quality of its offerings.

Just another county heard from.

Enjoy your visit TJ!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (billyboy)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:03:24 GMT

TJ, just to piggyback a bit on what TTM said, some of the Lower East Side spots are closed on Saturdays. I know for sure that The Pickle Guys and Kossar's Bialys are both closed on Saturdays. Not sure about Yonah Schimmel's or Katz's, but as the Roadfood credo goes, "Call Ahead!". Happy travels and happy eating!!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (The Travelin Man)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:45:21 GMT

TJ,

I hope the DiFara experience lives up to your expectations, though I fear that it won't. When we went on our group tour, the people that were happiest were the folks who got a slice from a whole pizza. Slices at DiFara's are now 5 bucks a throw - which is expensive, even by NY standards. I am not trying to talk you out of it - I know that you have had your mind made up on this since you started the thread - but, you should be aware. I am not one of the bashers - but, on my one and only trip, I couldn't see what the hype was all about.

Jersey City will also give you great access to the Statue of Liberty (Liberty State Park), should you choose to make that part of your trip. I don't recall if you said that you were bringing the family with you, but I just kind of assumed that you would. As such, and I mean this in all seriousness - be careful. Jersey City has some very nice "re-developed" neighborhoods - but, it also has some absolute slum areas where you would not want to be caught walking the streets late at night by yourself. $60 is well below the average room rate for this area, and your "free" parking may likely be unsecured. Like I said, just be careful.

As for your Lower East Side trip (Katz's and Yonah Schimmel's), here are a couple of notes:

In between the two places is also Russ and Daughters, which specializes in traditional Jewish "appetizing." It is worth the poke inside the door - even if you do not choose to purchase anything. At Yonah Schimmel's, avoid the temptation to get one of the sweet (fruit?) knishes and stick to the savory. Your best bets are the potato and the kasha (easily the best kasha knish I have ever eaten). They will warm them for you if you want to eat them on the go. In this same area, you are in convenient, easy, and safe walking distance to other LES popular destinations that have been discussed here frequently - Doughnut Plant, Kossar's Bialys, The Pickle Guys, and (especially if you do have the kids with you) Economy Candy.

As for your dumpling hunt, you can also walk from this area to/through Chinatown and find Vanessa's Dumplings (or Dumpling House...I forget - but, Vanessa's is the key). I went there with Billyboy and Lexi the last time I was in the city, and they were excellent - and cheap. Also get the sesame bread (pancake?) - delicious. Most folks on Yelp seem to like the place - especially if you weed through the comments of what the people who DON'T like the place are complaining about.

Enjoy NYC. This is a great time of year to visit.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (joerogo)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:19:17 GMT

TJ Jackson

This also was helpful
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/11/sallys-or-frank-pepes-sallys-apizza-new-haven-ct-connecticut.html

TJ, I feel like you are cheating on us here at RF

Sounds like you will be driving East on I-80. If you start getting hungry before you hit NJ, try the White Haven Family Diner for a monster burger. http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.aspx?m=524931

Think about Charlies Pool Room on the way home via baltimore.

Have fun!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (MiamiDon)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:22:34 GMT

Have fun, TJ. I applaud your inclusion of Yonah Schimmel's with the Katz's visit. It's very close, and certainly a cultural relic/landmark.

I hope to get some advice from you on Cincinnati eats when I go next year.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:17:33 GMT

This also was helpful
http://slice.seriouseats....en-ct-connecticut.html

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (HDtravlr1)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:42:35 GMT

TJ looks like a great list of places to eat. Let us know how you like the hotel in Jersey City. I am planning a NYC trip for 2010. I have often wondered about the hotels outside the city near public transportation. Have fun!

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (Scarchly)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:08:51 GMT

Try the Hotel Belnord. It's not luxurious, but there's free on street parking and it's just around the corner from Barney Greengrass and the Popover Cafe on Amsterdam.

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (TJ Jackson)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:42:41 GMT

The trip commences this coming weekend

My stops - nothing new to any veteran Roadfooder, just a list of places I have always wanted to go, with plenty more I had to eliminate due to limited time

Patsy's in Harlem
DiFara
Katz's
Yonah Schimmels (right near katz's)
Peter Luger's
White Manna Hackensack
Rutt's Hut
Ess-a-Bagel
Papaya King
and Random street noshing - hopefully some 5 for 1$ dumplings

and then, not in NYC but to finish out the trip

Pepe's New Haven
G&M Restaurant Baltimore MD
Faidleys Baltimore MD

and on the way home

Country Kitchen in WV for Pepperoni rolls

I found decent accomodations with free parking for under 60/night in Jersey City, which looks to be reasonably close to Manhattan. I looked at everyone's recommendations, and indeed, free parking was very hard to find

This was helpful in finding my second pizza stop (in addition to DiFaras): http://slice.seriouseats....-what-would-it-be.html

Re:Upcoming visit to NYC (MikeS.)

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:12:21 GMT

TJ, PP and I stay at a Holiday Inn in North Bergen. 2 years ago they had free parking and a lot of it.