(I Ate It) A Real Taste Of New York

My time in New York was punctuated with plenty of unforgettable drinks and superb meals. Here is a look at some of the highlights…

Mulberry & Vine (or… finding food in a zombie apocalypse)

This seemed to be a recurring theme for Anishka and me whenever we tried to spontaneously find food or navigate the city. On this particular afternoon, we went to see the Freedom Tower and do a bit of shopping. Eventually, we got shopping brain and could no longer think straight – food was in order.

We were in New York City, a culinary hub, and yet we couldn’t find anything besides a Chipotle with long lines and nowhere to sit. We played a game, Choose Your Own Adventure style, and one of us would pick which street we turned down. We continued to choose wrong and wrong and wrong because we seemed to only get farther from the food. Eventually we came to Mulberry & Vine. My photo probably makes the food look like the dog’s breakfast, but I assure you this largely vegetarian place is full of tasty options that are organic, local and antibiotic free. Once we’d eaten and shed our zombie exteriors, it was time to head home for the next round. *ding*

Bathtub Gin

The night was one unlike any other I have experienced. It was the thing of my dreams. Intricately delicate and robust cocktails. An atmosphere that bled the 1920′s and Prohibition era. Beautiful people and a giant copper bathtub in the middle of the bar. But the food?

Anishka’s exact words were “I’m glad that’s over.”

I’d love to go on and on about how amazing the food was, so that the grub could parallel the quality of the cocktails, but this just wasn’t the case. We split a plate of pork belly sliders topped with quail egg and aged cheddar. The whole thing was delectable, but the pork belly was mostly belly and no pork. I’ve had pork belly before (here), and it was life changing. This was merely a mouthful of hot fat. Kind of gross.

The olives were tasty though, and the fries were addictive, so maybe we just got unlucky with our cut of meat.

Coffee and the walk of shame

The night had been raucous. By 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, I was walking through the streets of New York with my dear friend Kaitlin, someone I have known since high school (and those are the really special friendships when they stick around). We ended up at her hotel and (amazingly) talked and talked into the even more wee hours of the night – or morning? After a few heavy hours of sleep, I had to get back to Hoboken and Anishka so I wouldn’t hinder the plans she’d made for us.

I stumbled out of Kaitlin’s apartment, disoriented by the bright sun and the reflections on the sea of yellow cabs. I needed sunglasses, and I was still wearing my dress from the previous night. For a block or two, I just wandered, lost, confused, hungover and still (probably) drunk, before I realised that I was meant to be hailing a cab.

When I arrived at the pier, the only thing I could think was COFFEE. I got a big cup of the stuff and waited for my ferry. In the meantime, I got hit on by a strange man who “just wanted to talk” to me and then I met a lovely couple from Ireland who were visiting for the weekend. Collectively we got off the ferry at the wrong stop and ended up walking together to Hoboken and chatted the whole way.

Boozy Brunch

This is a New York rite of passage. For $25, diners choose a meal and get unlimited mimosas or bellinis. We were lucky to get a seat on the patio so we could soak up Soho while drinking at 1:00 in the afternoon and sniffing the wafting garbage smells that New York is so known for. It felt very Sex and the City to me – four hot babes, some great food and lots of gossip. IN NEW YORK CITY.

We went to Kittichai for our boozy brunch. And oh yeah, our server was hot too.

New York style pizza

Need I say more?

But really… huge soft slices, hot melty cheese, rich tomato and herbs, so much ooey-gooey good stuff.

Yes please.

Strangers on a rooftop

We went to Pod 39 to celebrate the birthday of one of Anishka’s friends. We waited in the packed bar/lounge and sipped stiff rum drinks before we were allowed to go up to the rooftop terrace that was transplanted directly out of Mexico. The view of the Empire State Building from up there was alright too.

I met this group of bozos (said with all the love in my heart) and spent a big chunk of the night with them. We shot the breeze, and one guy gushed over his love of Winnipeg (which was random but welcome).

Hoboken Pier

Anishka and I headed down to the pier on my last day. So as not to go through withdrawal, we started our dining experience with two bottles of prosecco before diving headfirst into pulled pork sliders and more New York style pizza. At one point, some of my pulled pork dropped onto the picnic table. Arrogant from having just survived over 2 months in India, I picked that pulled pork up off that New York picnic table and popped it in my mouth. Also, it’s pulled pork so I don’t really have to justify my actions, do I?