The Roadfood Rumshpringa Invades New York City!!

What a fantastic report...can't wait for more...hey...what made those fries at Nathan's different from the franchise places??? Fresh cut??

The burger


I got from Peter Luger was simply sensational.  They obviously use top of the line meat.  I ordered it medium and it was cooked perfectly.  Incredibly juicy, it's flavor was the very essence of beef.  This is the best thing I have had to eat all year.
 
As a bonus photo, here is PhillyBeth

enjoying her schlag laden libation!

Wonderful report! I always enjoy reading your reports Billyboy!

BB, love the photos of Beth and that that burger at Peter Luger's.  Cliff and I were talking after he had just eaten the burger above and I asked him what he thought.  He said that it was his #2 burger behind the green chile cheeseburger at Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe, NM.  For those of you who know Cliff, that is some mighty high praise!

Alright, time to put this trip report to bed!  Sunday April 10th - The Travelin' Man had to work today and I had a 10K run in the morning so Buffetbuster and the Ayersians ate their way through Manhattan and I met up with them at Pommes Frites in the East Village in the afternoon.  One of my favorite places to eat and to bring out of town guests.

 

The four of us split a regular order of frites and it was just enough but not too much for us to tackle.

And for an extra charge we included three different dipping sauces:  Sweet Mango Chutney mayo, War Sauce (frite sauce (mayo), peanut satay sauce and raw onion) and Curry Ketchup Especial (frite sauce, curry ketchup and raw onion).  I was really digging the war sauce and the Curry but the Sweet Mango Chutney has long been my go-to dip.  BB really enjoyed it too and jokingly suggested he might fight me for it!  The quarters are very tight and many people get it to go but we managed to shoehorn ourselves into a tiny table in the back.  One thing that has always impressed me about this place is that they make many of their own dips.  I came in one time and saw them making fresh pesto for their pesto mayo.  The flavor payoff definitely shows.

Chris and Amy had to head back to New England so BB and I made our way through the East Village and planned to go down to the Lower East Side to check out Economy Candy, Doughnut Plant, etc...  I can't even tell you how cool it was for me to be able to escort the esteemed Buffetbuster through my adopted city and show him some of my favorite places!
Our next stop found us on St. Mark's Place near Tompkins Square Park outside of CRIF DOGS.  

If you're not sure where it is, just keep an eye out for this unique sign!

Knuckle sandwiches are free.

Chris & Amy, if you look at the menu, two of the last three dogs listed on the menu, the Garden State and the Jersey's Finest feature Taylor ham!  Not often found in NYC.

We opted to go halfsies and I ordered the Crif Dog (deep fried dog, chili, mustard and onions) and BB had the Tsunami Dog (deep fried dog, bacon wrapped with teriyaki, pineapple and onions).  Cliff was unsure about ordering a Tsunami dog so closely after the disaster in Japan, however a portion of the sales were being put towards a relief fund so any doubts were put to rest.  We really liked both of these dogs, the crunch of the fried tubesteaks as well as the combination of flavors in the toppings.  Having a variety of East Village types dining around us only added to the atmosphere.

I love the baked beans here.  I have a feeling they are from a can but it was exactly what I was looking for.

Two of my favorite arcade games growing up.. I spent countless quarters and hours playing these!

 

 
We made our way to Avenue A and headed south, stopping at a small farmers' market to pick up some cold apple cider from Red Jacket Orchards.  As we walked along, I received a call from TTM saying he was done with work so we changed our plans and took the subway to 34th Street and walked west to meet near the Javits Center.  Steve and Cliff extended and invite to join them at Harold's Deli in Edison, NJ but I had to tap out at that point as I was fairly full and Harold's just would have been too much.  We said our goodbyes and looked forward to meeting up an breaking bread again in the near future.  Besides, I made room for one last minor stop on the way home...
No, I didn't pick up any nuts but I just had to take a picture when I passed by this cart.  Love the presentation!

Having some technical difficulties uploading pictures.  Stay tuned...!
 
 

I walked down the the neighborhood of Chelsea to see if I could finally score the three new flavors at the Doughnut Plant on 23rd Street!  

Luck was on my side and my first bite was of this chocolate chip cookie doughnut.  A cake doughnut rolled in chocolate chip cookie crumbs this was really good though I wish the chocolate chip flavor had been more pronounced.  The crumbs to me tasted like the best Chips Ahoy ever.

 

Next up was the Salty Peanut Butter cake doughnut.  A nice peanut butter glaze and lots of crunchy, salty peanuts this was another winner.

 

And finally, the Oatmeal cake doughnut.  This one blew me away.  It had the flavor of a really good bowl of oatmeal crossed with an oatmeal cookie and a nutty texture that just spoke to me.  I think there may have been walnuts inside but I'm not sure.  I almost bought another one but four doughnuts in one sitting would have been pushing it.

 

While I sat by the window enjoying my goodies, I spotted this handsome boy on the street and of course had to go out and say "hello" to him.  He was very sweet and loved the attention!

 

 
I had so much fun, so many laughs and quite a few great meals with everyone over the weekend.  It was wonderful to meet new people (Beth, Ben & Kate) and to finally share a meal or six with Buffetbuster!  Steve, Alix, Chris, Amy, it's always a pleasure to spend time with you and and I look forward to our next adventure!

Billy, are all Crif's dogs deep-fried or are they available some other way?
 
A place with PBR neon can't be all bad...
 
Brad

Lee, sorry for the late reply.  I'm not sure if the one's at the original Nathan's are fresh cut but I've always maintained that there is a rate of turnover at that location that just doesn't exist at the others I have been to in the past.  It's always busy and crazy busy in the summer and on game nights for the Brooklyn Cyclones.  Going to a Nathan's on 14th Street in the East Village, at the South Street Seaport or at a random mall isn't a destination for most people and there are other food options so I think that product sits around moreso than at Surf & Stillwell.  Plus, like most Roadfood, you just can't replicate atmosphere.  Sitting outside in Coney Island watching the people go by is a unique experience.
ScreamingChicken, I honestly am not sure but I seem to remember that there are a few dogs that are griddled.  I have a feeling that the ones draped in bacon or Taylor Ham (yegads, that sounds insanely good!) are probably deep-fried.  I checked out their menu online and it doesn't really say which ones are fried.  Sorry I couldn't be of more help.  perhaps I'll have to go back soon in the name of research...

There's a PJ Clarke's in DC now (corner of K and 16th). I haven't been yet but wondering if anyone has and how it compares to the NYC establishment.

Billyboy and Others
 
What an experience you all shared.
 
It is truly a wonderful time to share a meal with Buffetbuster, TTM and Ayersian.
 
I have had the honor of sharing varying meals/desserts with a combination of them.  Some day I look forward to sharing a meal with you too.
 
Thanks for the report and the wonderful photos!!!!

Billy, love all of this, of course -- but I totally forgot to ask you: why did you title it "RF Rumshpringa"?  None of us is Amish, as far as I know.  However, if you were thinking about the fabulous documentary Devil's Playground...   Chris

 Oh my,  Of all the amazing photos of yours that I have used for my screensaver dealie,  That BOAT O' BEANS may be my very very favorite!  Why? I don't know!  I just don't know.   

Chris, I think it was a combination of Devil's Playground and a Dateline-type special I had seen around the time I started writing this report.  I thought of RFers in the big city going on a Rumshpringa-esque type of weekend of food hedonism!
Dawn, glad you loved them!  Baked beans are definitely in my all-time top 5 side dishes!
 

Billyboy...
 
I cannot believe that you:
* lived in Boston but have never had fried clams! OMG!
* live in NYC but never see orthodox Jews around...?!
* had never met Buffetbuster...!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks for great report and pics etc... hungry now. :)

WOW billyboy, great report!  Every single one of the restaurants you went to is on my list of NYC must-eats, but the only one I've made it to is Coney Island Nathan's.  Well, I had a beer in P.J. Clark's about 35 years ago, but that doesn't count.  If you had gone to Harold's, I think I would have had to go lay down and try to control my breathing.
 
You live in NYC and you've never seen full-dress, ultra-orthodox jews?

cecif, I was always a bit of a seafood frowner as a kid and clams were high on that list so unless someone else ordered them I would never try them.  I had eaten the fried clam strips from Howard Johnson's but I don't really count that.  As for Orthodox Jews in NYC, I realize that I may not have phrased that correctly in my original post.  I have seen what I believe are Orthodox Jews over my almost 8 years in NYC but until my Peter Luger's Burger Run last year I had never seen this particular style of dress.  Long black coats, white shirts and LARGE hats that resembled lampshades covered in thick dark fur.  Probably would have helped if I had elaborated before!  ;0  As to BB, the timing had never worked out before.  We were going to meet up in New Haven one time but BB had to cancel and then I was considering the Rochester/Buffalo tour but I couldn't make it.  The planets are back in line now!  Glad you enjoyed the trip. 
MD, if you ever need some recs or a tour guide, just let me know.

cecif


Billyboy...
I cannot believe that you:
* had never met Buffetbuster...!!!!!!!!

I'm shy!