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	<title>NYC Restaurant Reviews - donuts4dinner.com &#187; meat sweats</title>
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	<description>NYC Restaurant Reviews for Sugar Fiends</description>
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		<title>Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:30:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donuts4dinner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap eats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east village]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[good for groups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jeans-appropriate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=3087</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Momofuku Ssam Bar&#8216;s large format duck dinner is a whole rotisserie Long Island duck served with chive pancakes, bibb lettuce, hoisin, duck scallion sauce, crispy shallots, and two sides of your choosing. It&#8217;s $140, feeds three to six people, and is The Best. This and the bo ssäm (pork shoulder) dinner are the only ways [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.momofuku.com/restaurants/ssam-bar/" target="_blank">Momofuku Ssam Bar</a>&#8216;s large format duck dinner is a whole rotisserie Long Island duck served with chive pancakes, bibb lettuce, hoisin, duck scallion sauce, crispy shallots, and two sides of your choosing.  It&#8217;s $140, feeds three to six people, and is The Best.  </p>
<p>This and the bo ssäm (pork shoulder) dinner are the only ways to get a reservation at Ssam Bar, and that alone is enough to make the dinner worth it, as the wait at Ssam is regularly two hours in my experience.  (Get there before 6:30 or after 9:30 on weekdays if you want to avoid the line.)  My group of six included a couple of people who can really eat (obviously I&#8217;m including myself here), so we started with some regular menu items to supplement the duck:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5187.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
</center></p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5192.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
veal sweetbreads, almond, sauerkraut, Thai chili</center></p>
<p>It&#8217;s really hard to say &#8220;this thymus really melted in my mouth&#8221; without rolling my eyes at myself, but if I didn&#8217;t know this was offal, I&#8217;d think it was dessert.  It was sweet and creamy inside, spicy and crispy on the outside, with a kick from the lemon segments arranged on top.  It&#8217;s like fried chicken, if chicken had the texture of custard.   </p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5193.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
spicy pork sausage &#038; rice cakes, Chinese broccoli, Sichuan peppercorn</center></p>
<p>This was my second time having this dish, and I&#8217;d have it a third time, too.  The rice cakes are this perfect spongy, chewy consistency, and I love all of the spicy peppers and the crisp of the shallots over the meaty sauce.  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5202.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
bibb lettuce, sambal sauce, hoisin, crispy shallots, duck scallion sauce</center></p>
<p>The lettuce and sauces arrived just before the duck did and were the ultimate excitement-builder.  I felt about these the way I feel at a concert when the lights dim after hours of standing around, listening to crappy opening bands.  Not that our starters were crappy.  You know what I mean.    </p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5208.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
</center></p>
<p>The duck arrived on a platter the width of the table with scallion pancakes, rice dripping with duck drippings, and what must have been every herb in the kitchen.  From my vantage point, it looked like a glistening little duck breast lost in the forest:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5209.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
</center></p>
<p>I took a few slices and tried to keep them intact as they threatened to separate into pieces in all of their tenderness.  I grabbed a scallion pancake and found it pleasantly salty and soaked through with oil, like a funnel cake.  The duck scallion sauce was just adding duck to duck, and the sambal sauce was too vinegary for my taste, but the crispy shallots and hoisin were just the right combination of crunch and thick stickiness.  The skin wasn&#8217;t crispy, but it had a layer of pork and duck sausage piped underneath it that was a fine substitute.   </p>
<p>The duck thighs were apparently cooked confit and served to the side of the breast, but I couldn&#8217;t see what I was doing amidst all of the basil, cilantro, and mint, so I grabbed whatever I could with the tongs and thought it was just a pile of the fatty, fatty skin.  Well, even if I missed out on the confit thigh, the skin was shockingly melty, and I wish I could feed it to anyone who&#8217;s afraid to eat fat.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5203.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
herbed fingerling potatoes</center></p>
<p>Our sides of fingerling potatoes dripping in duck fat and broccoli salad just couldn&#8217;t compare to the duck, perfectly adequate as they were.  The potatoes had a nice crispy-on-the-outside texture, but the flavor didn&#8217;t knock me out.  The broccoli salad, on the other hand, had too much fish flavor for me.  I wouldn&#8217;t order it again for myself, although I&#8217;m pleased to have had the two sides that aren&#8217;t available on the regular menu.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5212.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
broccoli salad</center></p>
<p>Clearly the duck was the star of the meal for everyone, because while half of the potatoes sat uneaten at the end of the night, my dining companions were clamoring to finish the fatty rice:  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://donuts4dinner.com/images/momofuku ssam bar/Momofuku Ssam Bar Duck DSC_5217.jpg" border=5 alt="Momofuku Ssam Whole Rotisserie Duck"><br />
the aftermath</center></p>
<p>We counted about 26 slices of duck in all, which meant four to five slices per person.  And honestly, I could&#8217;ve eaten twice that.  So next time, I&#8217;m bringing half the friends.</p>
<p>Just kidding, friends.</p>
<p>(But not really.)</p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating Ghonut.gif" alt="Blank Star"></p>
<p>This dinner will stick with me for a while.  I&#8217;ve had some good duck, but this was some <i>good</i> duck.  A couple of my dining companions were also at the <a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/16/the-duckavore-dinner-at-wong-chinese-west-village/" target="_blank">Wong whole duck dinner</a> with me, and they both thought Wong was better because of the diversity of the duck dishes.  The creativity at Wong wasn&#8217;t lost on me, and I seriously love a good Chinese bun, but I think I may have liked the scallion pancake and hoisin sauce with the duck more at Ssam Bar.  It&#8217;s a toss-up.  Go to Wong for the full-meal experience, but then go to Ssam Bar just to tear into some really well-done plain, ol&#8217; duck.</p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.momofuku.com/restaurants/ssam-bar/" target="_blank">Momofuku Ssam Bar</a></b><br />
207 2nd Avenue<br />
New York, NY 10003 (<a href="http://g.co/maps/63gea/" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul class="related_post">
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/19/sprinkles-cupcakes-sweets-upper-east-side/" title="Sprinkles Cupcakes &#8211; Sweets &#8211; Upper East Side">Sprinkles Cupcakes &#8211; Sweets &#8211; Upper East Side (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/" title="Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca">Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/10/04/alta-tapas-west-village/" title="Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village">Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village (2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/06/22/the-sightz-of-social-eatz-koreanburgers-midtown-east/" title="The Sightz of Social Eatz &#8211; Korean/Burgers &#8211; Midtown East">The Sightz of Social Eatz &#8211; Korean/Burgers &#8211; Midtown East (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/08/27/wechslers-currywurst-german-east-village/" title="Wechsler’s Currywurst – German – East Village">Wechsler’s Currywurst – German – East Village (3)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/16/the-duckavore-dinner-at-wong-chinese-west-village/" title="The Duckavore Dinner at Wong &#8211; Chinese &#8211; West Village">The Duckavore Dinner at Wong &#8211; Chinese &#8211; West Village (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/22/white-truffle-festival-at-sapori-dischia/" title="White Truffle Festival at Sapori D&#8217;Ischia &#8211; Italian &#8211; Woodside">White Truffle Festival at Sapori D&#8217;Ischia &#8211; Italian &#8211; Woodside (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/01/go-to-big-ds-grub-truck-for-the-bulgogi-but-stay-for-the-dumplings/" title="Go to Big D&#8217;s Grub Truck for the Bulgogi, but Stay for the Dumplings">Go to Big D&#8217;s Grub Truck for the Bulgogi, but Stay for the Dumplings (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/14/the-tasting-menu-at-hearth-italianamerican-new-east-village/" title="The Tasting Menu at Hearth &#8211; Italian/American (New) &#8211; East Village">The Tasting Menu at Hearth &#8211; Italian/American (New) &#8211; East Village (6)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/" title="DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village">DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village (12)</a></li>
</ul>
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		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donuts4dinner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chain restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap eats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chelsea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sandwiches]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tribeca]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vegetarian-friendly]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=2928</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know it&#8217;s awful to talk about dieting on a gluttonous food blog, but the truth is that when I&#8217;m not shoveling sweets into my piehole at fancy restaurants, I&#8217;m trying to avoid carbs at home. Not being much of a cook, it can be rough trying to find anything for lunch, so I was [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know it&#8217;s awful to talk about dieting on a gluttonous food blog, but the truth is that when I&#8217;m not shoveling sweets into my piehole at fancy restaurants, I&#8217;m trying to avoid carbs at home.  Not being much of a cook, it can be rough trying to find anything for lunch, so I was <i>pumped</i> to randomly type &#8220;low-carb&#8221; into <a href="http://www.seamless.com/food-delivery/Muscle-Maker-Grill-Murray-St-New-York-City.4331.r" target="_blank">Seamless.com</a>&#8216;s search function and find <a href="http://www.musclemakergrill.com/" target="_blank">Muscle Maker Grill</a>.  With a menu full of items made from lean meats and low-fat cheeses and served on low-carb and whole wheat wraps, this is the kind of place that makes me feel guilty about the food I&#8217;m eating until I remember that it actually fits into my diet.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/muscle maker grill/Muscle Maker Grill DSC_3958.jpg" border=5 alt="Muscle Maker Grill Rocky Balboa Wrap"><br />
Rocky Balboa wrap</center></p>
<p>With grilled chicken breast, turkey meatballs, reduced-fat mozzarella, and marinara, this is like a pizza in a wrap.  And pizza is the thing I miss most while low-carbing, so this is one of my favourite items.  I would never guess that the cheese is low-fat, and the marinara is present enough to flavor the wrap but not so obvious that I feel like I&#8217;m eating a bunch of sugary tomatoes.   </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/muscle maker grill/Muscle Maker Grill DSC_3967.jpg" border=5 alt="Muscle Maker Grill Turkey Meatball Parmesan Wrap"><br />
Turkey Meatball Parmesan wrap</center></p>
<p>I ordered this on my friend <a href="http://notboredny.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ash</a>&#8216;s recommendation and found it to be a great substitution for the bready meatball parm sandwiches I love so much.  It was so gooey-cheesy and well-seasoned, and they didn&#8217;t skimp on the meat at all.  I actually didn&#8217;t like this as much as the Rocky Balboa nor the XXL Cheeseburger wrap, though, because both of those have two different kinds of meat, so every bite is diverse.  (The XXL Cheeseburger with its turkey bacon and BBQ-esque sauce is my very favourite thing to order.)</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/muscle maker grill/Muscle Maker Grill DSC_3973.jpg" border=5 alt="Muscle Maker Grill Turkey Meatballs"><br />
turkey meatball side item</center></p>
<p>All of the wraps come with a side of baked potato, brown rice, cucumber salad (cucumbers with herbs, Ash says), steamed broccoli, pasta salad, rice &#038; beans ($1 extra), turkey meatballs ($1 extra), or turkey bacon ($1 extra).  I love the option of broccoli but sometimes don&#8217;t feel like being quite so healthy, so the meatballs are a favourite.  They&#8217;re well-seasoned, a little spicy, and a lot better than most of the meatballs I&#8217;ve had from non-healthy restaurants downtown.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating Ghonut.gif" alt="Blank Star"></p>
<p>Muscle Maker Grill is one of those places where you eat the food and think, &#8220;Why am I paying $10 for this?  I could make it at home for much cheaper!&#8221;  But you can&#8217;t, and you won&#8217;t.  All of the ingredients are much more flavorful than you&#8217;d make them, and you&#8217;d never know that the cheese is low-fat nor the bacon is turkey here.  On a scale with every restaurant everywhere, I&#8217;d obviously want to eat at the places with more butter and more sugar, but I have to give this place four donuts for making healthy food craveable.</p>
<p>My only problems with it are that they charge extra for low-carb wraps ($.79) and delivery ($1.50).  I know that neither of those amounts is significant, but I find it pretty audacious to charge for delivery when I can only name one other restaurant in the city that does.  It bothers me enough that I only let myself order from Muscle Maker once a week; I wouldn&#8217;t order from them at all on principle usually, but the food is just too good.</p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.musclemakergrill.com/" target="_blank">Muscle Maker Grill</a></b><br />
10 Murray Street<br />
New York, NY 10007 (<a href="http://g.co/maps/4795j" target="_blank">map</a>)</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>92 8th Avenue #1<br />
New York, NY 10011 (<a href="http://g.co/maps/kqjpg" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul class="related_post">
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/19/sprinkles-cupcakes-sweets-upper-east-side/" title="Sprinkles Cupcakes &#8211; Sweets &#8211; Upper East Side">Sprinkles Cupcakes &#8211; Sweets &#8211; Upper East Side (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/10/04/alta-tapas-west-village/" title="Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village">Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village (2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/09/29/saltie-sandwiches-williamsburg/" title="Saltie &#8211; Sandwiches &#8211; Williamsburg">Saltie &#8211; Sandwiches &#8211; Williamsburg (9)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/21/the-tasting-menu-at-brushstroke-japanese-tribeca/" title="The Tasting Menu at Brushstroke &#8211; Japanese &#8211; Tribeca">The Tasting Menu at Brushstroke &#8211; Japanese &#8211; Tribeca (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/08/04/the-croque-madame-at-pastis-french-meatpacking/" title="The Croque-Madame at Pastis &#8211; French &#8211; Meatpacking">The Croque-Madame at Pastis &#8211; French &#8211; Meatpacking (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/26/eleven-madison-parks-tasting-menu-american-new-flatiron/" title="Eleven Madison Park&#8217;s Tasting Menu &#8211; American (New) &#8211; Flatiron">Eleven Madison Park&#8217;s Tasting Menu &#8211; American (New) &#8211; Flatiron (24)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/21/obao-pan-asian-midtown-east/" title="Obao &#8211; Pan-Asian &#8211; Midtown East">Obao &#8211; Pan-Asian &#8211; Midtown East (4)</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/03/24/cupcake-crew-has-what-might-be-the-best-cupcake-in-nyc/" title="Cupcake Crew Has What Might Be the Best Cupcake in NYC">Cupcake Crew Has What Might Be the Best Cupcake in NYC (6)</a></li>
</ul>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>BACON EXPLOSION!!</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/09/bacon-explosion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/09/bacon-explosion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:30:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donuts4dinner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food porn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=2858</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[WARNING: If you don&#8217;t like appalling displays of meatiness, you&#8217;ll want to stop here. Otherwise, strap on your drooling bib and get ready to catch the drips. Profiled by The New York Times and reviled by lovers of heart health everywhere, the Bacon Explosion is one part bacon, one part sausage, and all parts belly-busting. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b>WARNING</b>: If you don&#8217;t like appalling displays of meatiness, you&#8217;ll want to stop here.  Otherwise, strap on your drooling bib and get ready to catch the drips.</p>
<p>Profiled by <i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a></i> and reviled by lovers of heart health everywhere, the Bacon Explosion is one part bacon, one part sausage, and all parts belly-busting.  My co-worker Adam has been talking about it basically since the day he started at our company years ago; in fact, he probably mentioned his desire to concoct one and bring it into the office to share in order to get hired.  </p>
<p>In the throngs of grilling season, he finally made good on his word and brought us two ludicrous four-pound logs of meat, all covered in <a href="http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/" target="_blank">Sweet Baby Ray&#8217;s</a> best BBQ sauce.  It was crumbled bacon wrapped in sausage latticed in bacon, and the sound of our &#8220;mmm&#8221;-ing and &#8220;ohmygod&#8221;-ing in the lunchroom was deafening.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0489 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>The myth.  The legend.  The meat.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0492 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>The man of the hour.  He&#8217;s a low-carb dieter, so this was actually not too off-plan for him.  Well, except for the 5000 calories and 500 grams of fat the <i>Times</i> accords it.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0490 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>It was sausagey and</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0491 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>bacony at the same time</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0494 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>and can really only be described with one word, used with its true meaning in mind:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0495 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p><center><b><font size=5>AWESOME.</font></b></center></p>
<p>It was awash in sweetness and spiciness, chewiness and crispiness, meatiness and meatiness.  It wasn&#8217;t what you&#8217;d call a balanced dish; there was nothing to cut the fat, as they say, nothing bright nor fresh about it.  It was pure richness, and when combined with Popeye&#8217;s biscuits, it was like a holy trinity. </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/bacon explosion/Bacon Explosion IMG_0487 copy.jpg" border=5 alt="Bacon Explosion"></center></p>
<p>We all took the biggest slice we felt comfortable keeping our other co-workers from, thinking we&#8217;d come back later for seconds and thirds, but most of us pooped out even before the first round was over.  This thing was filling.  For mind, body, and soul.<br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul class="related_post">
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/" title="Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca">Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/" title="DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village">DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/08/03/naut-too-shabby/" title="Naut Too Shabby">Naut Too Shabby (6)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/28/the-great-hot-dog-cookoff-2011/" title="The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011">The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 (17)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/13/bareburger-is-anything-but/" title="Bareburger is Anything But">Bareburger is Anything But (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/03/15/pi-day-2011/" title="Pi Day 2011!">Pi Day 2011! (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/01/04/dirty-quesadilla/" title="Dirty Quesadilla">Dirty Quesadilla (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/" title="Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/11/25/happy-thanksgiving/" title="Happy Thanksgiving!">Happy Thanksgiving! (1)</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donuts4dinner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[3.5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[celebrity chef]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east village]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[french]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dbgb]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=2376</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When my friend Kim saw a four-person dinner at DBGB pop up on GiltCity for $150, the first thing she thought was, &#8220;SUNDAE!!&#8221; And the second thing she thought was, &#8220;Can I eat four sundaes by myself?&#8221; And the third thing she thought was, &#8220;Guess I have to invite Katie.&#8221; I&#8217;d had a very so-so [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When my friend <a href="http://twitter.com/kcameron15" target="_blank">Kim</a> saw a four-person dinner at <a href="http://www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html" target="_blank">DBGB</a> pop up on <a href="http://www.giltcity.com/newyork/dbgb" target="_blank">GiltCity</a> for $150, the first thing she thought was, &#8220;<a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/03/15/despite-the-stupid-name-id-go-back-to-dbgb-for-dessert/" target="_blank">SUNDAE</a>!!&#8221;  And the second thing she thought was, &#8220;Can I eat four sundaes by myself?&#8221;  And the third thing she thought was, &#8220;Guess I have to invite Katie.&#8221;</p>
<p>I&#8217;d had a very so-so experience the first time around at DBGB, but my subsequent tasting menu at Chef Boulud&#8217;s flagship restaurant, <a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/01/18/daniel-frenchamerican-new-upper-east-side/" target="_blank">Daniel</a>, was so outstanding it changed the way I rate all other restaurants; naturally, I was interested in a second try at DBGB. So Dr. Boyfriend and I met Kim and her friend Kelly on Friday night to share what we&#8217;d read wouldn&#8217;t be enough food but turned out to be so much we couldn&#8217;t finish it all.  Nor did we want to, in the case of the final course, but more on that later.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1458.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
</center></p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1463.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
petit plateau de fruits de mer</center></p>
<p>Shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters, snails, tuna tartare and a whole crab claw.  All things I was completely terrified by a mere couple of years ago.  And it&#8217;s not that I exactly salivate over any of them now, like my boyfriend does, but I was perfectly willing to try everything on this platter.  Luckily, the fact that there were only two of some of the items meant that I only had to try a few.  </p>
<p>The mussels were perfectly cleaned, which is a major issue for me, because eww, please don&#8217;t try to feed me sand and stomach leftovers if I&#8217;m already going out on a limb by eating seafood at all.  The fact that they were covered in a cool, creamy sauce with herbs didn&#8217;t hurt anything, either.  The tuna tartare was well-appointed with fresh herbs, and the crab claw looked so fresh I didn&#8217;t even bother dressing it with lemon.  Wait, no, that was because the server took the lemon away before I could dress the crab.  Anyway.  </p>
<p>I tried one of the larger and one of the smaller oysters, but Dr. Boyfriend and Kim handled the apparently veeeery-oceany-tasting clams and the giant snails, a process which began with excited faces,</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1466.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
</center></p>
<p>quickly switched to determined faces when the snails refused to let go of their shells, </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1467.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
</center></p>
<p>and ended with whatever you call this face once they actually tasted the things:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1483.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
</center></p>
<p>I&#8217;m still not entirely swearing off trying snails drenched in butter sometime in my life, but I&#8217;m a little less sure after this.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1469.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Iceberg &#038; Blue: tomato, walnut, bacon bits, herbs</center></p>
<p>Very classic, and an excellent palate-cleanser.  The iceberg wedge is one of the only salads I actually enjoy, because:</p>
<p>a) it has bacon,<br />
b) it has cheese, and<br />
c) iceberg lettuce is basically water.  </p>
<p>I like to think of it as a vehicle for moving fatty things to my mouth.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1473.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Beaujolaise: pork, mushrooms, onion, bacon, and red wine link, lentils du puy</center></p>
<p>I think we all agreed that though this was a rich, hearty sausage, the lentils were really the star.  Which is good, since we ordered lentils, glazed carrots (undercooked for my taste and not nearly sugary enough), and ham and crayfish gumbo (flavorful but too thin) as our sides without anyone telling us we were already getting lentils.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1474.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Allemande: veal bratwurst, beer-braised sauerkraut</center></p>
<p>This one was too sweet for me.  When I see <i>beer-braised</i>, I want the lingering stench of Guinness on my breath for days; I think this might have been soaked in O&#8217;Doul&#8217;s.  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1477.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Coreanne: Korean-style pork sausage, cucumber-bok choy pickle, spicy kim chee coulis, shrimp chips</center></p>
<p>This was the most complete of the sausage plates in that there was a lot going on but that the theme was so evident.  I loved the homogenous texture of the sausage, more like bologna than ground meat, and the crunchy pickle that was such a divergence from the cooked-until-mushy accompaniments on the other plates.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1478.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Espagnole: fresh chorizo sausage with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pip%C3%A9rade" target="_blank">piperade</a>, basil oil</center></p>
<p>Easily my favourite, just because it had the most flavor.  I was in need of some spice, and I might have liked the peppers more than the sausage itself because of that.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1480.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Boudin Basque: spicy blood and pigs head sausage, scallion mashed potatoes</center></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve always been scared of but interested in blood sausage, and after having tried it, I can&#8217;t believe I ever even considered it exotic.  The texture was crumbly and dry, the taste earthy and rich.  It was like eating fake meat, or textured vegetable protein, which I did for four years as a vegetarian.  I wouldn&#8217;t say I liked or disliked it; it was boring enough that I was just sort of neutral about it.  And that&#8217;s the last thing I ever thought I&#8217;d say about sausage made of blood.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1486.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Caramel-Pear: ginger marshmallow, roasted pears, shortbread cookie, brandy caramel sauce, whipped cream</center> </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1487.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Cherry-Chocolate: vanilla marshmallow, brownies, chocolate fudge, kriek-braised cherries, whipped cream</center></p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1488.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Blueberry-Mint: candied brioche, olive oil cake, blueberry compote, toasted almonds, whipped cream</center> </p>
<p>We were there for the sundaes, and once again, they were so good they&#8217;d make me come back to DBGB again despite the otherwise just-okay food.  I went for the blueberry-mint after my first wonderful mint-chocolate experience and again found the mint flavor so fresh and herbaceous.  Dr. Boyfriend and Kim said it was like eating ice cream salad, but I loved the savoriness of the mint coupled with the olive oil cake.  The candied brioche added crunch and sugar to the very natural-tasting berries.</p>
<p>I would&#8217;ve been equally happy with either of the other sundaes, though.  Kim and my boyfriend both got the caramel-pear, which had the most flavorful marshmallows and pears that tasted like they&#8217;d just come out of a pie, while I almost got drunk on Kelly&#8217;s beer-soaked cherries.  These were <i>adult</i> sundaes. </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/dbgb 2/DBGB DSC_1492.jpg" border=5 alt="DBGB NYC"><br />
Grand Marnier soufflé, creme anglaise</center></p>
<p>I had another soufflé this bad once.  The server asked us how we were enjoying it, and I said we weren&#8217;t, and he brought us another dessert.  This time, the server was basically absent for all of our meal, so we just left it sitting.  </p>
<p>I was the first to poke my spoon into it to make a hole for the creme anglaise, and I described the bite as &#8220;exactly on the edge of egginess&#8221;.  Well, of course, the farther we got down into the soufflé, the eggier it became, so once everyone had a bite, the rest was inedible.  It was the very opposite of the Grand Marnier soufflé we had at <a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/07/13/the-mark-restaurant-by-jean-georges-french-upper-east-side/" target="_blank">The Mark by Jean-Georges</a>.  Egg when you want cake is disconcerting.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating Half.jpg" alt="One-Half Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating Ghonut.jpg" alt="Blank Star"></p>
<p>As with my last visit, this was a mixed bag.  The sausages–which are of course supposed to be the focus of the restaurant–are good, but none of them had me <i>mmm</i>ing in disbelief like so many of the dishes at Daniel did, and for $13 to $15 per sausage, I should&#8217;ve been.  The place is borderline hip (what we could hear of the soundtrack was all indie rock), but the noise level is obtrusive, and the service suffers because the servers can&#8217;t interact with diners.  Not that they&#8217;d want to, apparently: our server seemed like the classic NYC wannabe-actor who&#8217;s annoyed by customers, and the waiter at the door who looked like a greeter was actually just waiting for us to move so he could leave.  Luckily, the sundaes were incredible at $9, and I can see myself popping in just for dessert some night if I&#8217;m in the Bowery.     </p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html" target="_blank">DBGB</a></b><br />
299 Bowery<br />
New York, NY 10003 (<a href="http://g.co/maps/uj42n" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul class="related_post">
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/07/13/the-mark-restaurant-by-jean-georges-french-upper-east-side/" title="The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges – French – Upper East Side">The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges – French – Upper East Side (14)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/02/03/le-bernardin-seafoodfrench-midtown-west/" title="Le Bernardin &#8211; Seafood/French &#8211; Midtown West">Le Bernardin &#8211; Seafood/French &#8211; Midtown West (2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/14/the-tasting-menu-at-hearth-italianamerican-new-east-village/" title="The Tasting Menu at Hearth &#8211; Italian/American (New) &#8211; East Village">The Tasting Menu at Hearth &#8211; Italian/American (New) &#8211; East Village (6)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/05/04/riverpark-is-only-worth-it-for-the-views-american-new-kips-bay/" title="Riverpark is Only Worth It for the Views &#8211; American (New) &#8211; Kips Bay">Riverpark is Only Worth It for the Views &#8211; American (New) &#8211; Kips Bay (6)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/04/08/whole-suckling-pig-at-the-breslin-bar-dining-room-gastropubamerican-midtown-west/" title="Whole Suckling Pig at The Breslin Bar &#038; Dining Room &#8211; Gastropub/American &#8211; Midtown West">Whole Suckling Pig at The Breslin Bar &#038; Dining Room &#8211; Gastropub/American &#8211; Midtown West (14)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/03/18/per-se-french-columbus-circle/" title="Per Se &#8211; French &#8211; Columbus Circle">Per Se &#8211; French &#8211; Columbus Circle (26)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/" title="Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/10/19/momofuku-ko-japaneseamerican-new-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ko &#8211; Japanese/American (New) &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ko &#8211; Japanese/American (New) &#8211; East Village (6)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/09/23/nougatine-at-jean-georges-french-upper-west-side/" title="Nougatine at Jean-Georges &#8211; French &#8211; Upper West Side">Nougatine at Jean-Georges &#8211; French &#8211; Upper West Side (10)</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/28/the-great-hot-dog-cookoff-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/28/the-great-hot-dog-cookoff-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:30:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ohhhhh nyc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sandwiches]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=2130</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After our 1 hour, 42 minute wait for a souvlaki earlier this year at a similar event, I was understandably a little hesitant about last weekend&#8217;s Great Hot Dog Cookoff. Not only do New Yorkers notoriously flock to food happenings like that, but it was also supposed to be the second-hottest day of the year. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After our <a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/22/prospect-park-food-truck-rally/" target="_blank">1 hour, 42 minute wait for a souvlaki earlier this year at a similar event</a>, I was understandably a little hesitant about last weekend&#8217;s <a href="http://thegreathotdogcookoff.com/" target="_blank">Great Hot Dog Cookoff</a>.  Not only do New Yorkers notoriously flock to food happenings like that, but it was also supposed to be the second-hottest day of the year.  Luckily, there were a few factors working in my favor:</p>
<p>1) Only 600 tickets were being sold.<br />
2) There were 23 different hot dog concoctions to choose from.<br />
3) It was the best-organized food function I&#8217;ve ever been to in NYC.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff Logo.png" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>After showing our IDs to a first line of volunteers, we were then shown to a series of tables where we could check in by last name.  We donned our wristbands, grabbed our souvenir cups, met up with our friends <a href="https://plus.google.com/113107703310572380052/posts?hl=en" target="_blank">Eric</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/105776208956426171061/posts" target="_blank">Christine</a>, and went to town.  The entire block was filled with tented tables, two kinds of hot dogs to a table, with the respective chefs doing all of the dirty work–from grilling to bunning to dressing–right there:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0791.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>We picked a table at random to start, and wouldn&#8217;t you know it–it ended up being my second-favourite dog of the day: the Snap, Crackle, Dog!, which was mole poblano with &#8220;a super-special bun&#8221; that turned out to be a Rice Krispies treat!  Of course the one that doubles as dessert would be tops for me:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0786.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Next to that was Crepes! Doggie Style that used a crepe instead of a bun:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0794.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Early Riser, with cheese and bacon on a muffin:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0789.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Dr. Boyfriend clearly has no idea what to do with this thing, which is how we felt about most of the well-appointed dogs.  But we weren&#8217;t complaining!:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0790.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Conquistadog on Portuguese sweet bread with manchego and a cherry and port wine reduction:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0796.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Cracker Jack Daniel&#8217;s Dog, with whiskey caramel peanuts on a pretzel bun:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0797.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Hot Dog Experiment, a chili cheese dog with a side of melon juice:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0799.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Panuchos Perros, with pickled onions wrapped in a tortilla with black beans and avocado:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0803.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Frat Boy Dog, with potato chips, onions, jalapenos, and . . . Easy Cheese?:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0806.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Soul Slider, with baked beans, collard greens, pulled pork, and a pickle:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0808.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The Fat Hog, with pulled pork, relish, and Fritos:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0810.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Corn Dog Mini Jack Muffins with Sweet Heat, with shredded jack and sweet/spicy mustard:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0824.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>This is the one I actually voted for to win the whole shebang.  The 8 Fat Fat 8 Lucky Dog, with garlic, ginger, onion, cilantro, hoisin, and daikon:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0826.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Perros Banditos, with cheesy Frito pie (although mine only had one Frito chunk):</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0827.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>There was also a table making <a href="http://www.sodastreamusa.com/" target="_blank">Sodastream</a> beverages on demand in ginger, hibiscus, cream soda, and lime.  They saw a lot of me, but it was their fault for using the tiniest plastic cups instead of letting us fill the large cups we got with our wristbands at the entrance.  It was also their fault for being <i>delicious</i>:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0800.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>There were shockingly tiny samples of ice cream from <a href="http://sococreamery.com/" target="_blank">SoCo Creamery</a> (It was 100 degrees, SoCo! Give me at least a spoonful!):</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0828.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>and raffle prizes that these hopefuls didn&#8217;t even come close to winning:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0841.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Mostly, it was like a giant block party with way better food, and a DJ, and a totally-famous host we recognized but couldn&#8217;t name, and a sprinkler:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0832.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Since it was held at the <a href="http://www.kelsoofbrooklyn.com/" target="_blank">Kelso of Brooklyn</a> brewing company, unlimited beer was also included, and they were more than happy to fill our big plastic cups aaaaall the way full of pilsner or ale, yet there was so much to do that somehow, I never saw more than a handful of people waiting in line:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0830.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>The line for the two portable toilets was always just as short, and at the end of the day, there were still plenty of hot dogs to be had (Except, of course for the one that ultimately won, the hot dog with lobster on top! Learn from our mistake and show up right when the event starts.):</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0843.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>See what a good time this young Ph.D. was having?</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/great hot dog cookoff 2011/Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 DSC_0784.jpg" border=5 alt="Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011"></center></p>
<p>Overall, and despite the heat that made me just want to gobble up a bunch of dogs and leave, it was an awesome experience.  I tried 13 different dogs, two kinds of beer, four kinds of soda, and one pitiful spoonful of ice cream and never had to wait for any of it.  I had thought the $45 price tag might be a little steep at first, but just the sheer joy of being able to walk up to a tent and have a full tray of hot dogs waiting for me was well worth that.  I&#8217;ll definitely be returning next year, and in fact, I wish there was another round this year!<br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/" title="Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca">Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/15/dont-mess-with-the-bull-young-man-youll-get-the-horns/" title="Don&#8217;t Mess with the Bull, Young Man.  You&#8217;ll Get the Horns.">Don&#8217;t Mess with the Bull, Young Man.  You&#8217;ll Get the Horns. (3)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/09/bacon-explosion/" title="BACON EXPLOSION!!">BACON EXPLOSION!! (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/" title="DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village">DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/08/25/underfed-and-cranky/" title="Underfed and Cranky">Underfed and Cranky (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/13/bareburger-is-anything-but/" title="Bareburger is Anything But">Bareburger is Anything But (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/03/23/macaron-day-nyc-2011/" title="Macaron Day NYC 2011!">Macaron Day NYC 2011! (17)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/" title="Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/11/25/happy-thanksgiving/" title="Happy Thanksgiving!">Happy Thanksgiving! (1)</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>17</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Bareburger is Anything But</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/13/bareburger-is-anything-but/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/13/bareburger-is-anything-but/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:30:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[burgers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap eats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[midtown east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bareburger]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=1987</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lately, all of my friends (and by &#8220;all&#8221; of them, I mean &#8220;two&#8221;) have been going on and on about how great Bareburger is. And even before I tasted the burger, I was pleased by the people making it and their commitment to all-natural ingredients like grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, and organic produce. As much [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Lately, all of my friends (and by &#8220;all&#8221; of them, I mean &#8220;two&#8221;) have been going on and on about how great <a href="http://www.bareburger.com/" target="_blank">Bareburger</a> is.  And even before I tasted the burger, I was pleased by the people making it and their commitment to all-natural ingredients like grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, and organic produce.  As much as I love my home state of Ohio, my friends there have to hunt for grass-fed beef, while I have easy access to restaurants like this that serve nothing but tasty, tasty, vitamin-rich cowmeat.    </p>
<p>Now, the astute reader will recognize that I have a bit of a <i>carb problem</i>, so on the days that I&#8217;m being a good girl, I do things like eat burgers without buns and order side salads instead of French fries.  Obviously this makes for terribly boring blogging, but luckily for me, Bareburger makes it so it doesn&#8217;t have to be terribly boring eating.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/2011/Bare Burger DSC_0001.jpg" border=5 alt="Bare Burger NYC"><br />
Bacon Cheese Bareburger on a lettuce wrap &#8211; $9.95</center></p>
<p>No one should ever order a lettuce wrap if they don&#8217;t have to.  There, I said it.  I really appreciated how this one came contained in a paper wrapper that really did make it easier to keep everything cohesive, but the problem is that the paper held in steam and juices that made the lettuce soggy, unpalatable, and really not helpful at all as a burger vehicle.  I really don&#8217;t know how to make a lettuce wrap better, though.  Maybe just use two really sturdy pieces of cabbage?  </p>
<p>Anyway, the burger itself was delicious sans lettuce.  Juicy, cheesy, just-blackened on the outside, with crispy bacon and crunchy RAW red onion, which is the only way onion should ever be.  Unless it&#8217;s in an onion ring.  Which is just what was on my boyfriend&#8217;s version.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/2011/Bare Burger DSC_0403.jpg" border=5 alt="Bare Burger NYC"><br />
Bareburger Supreme &#8211; $10.95</center></p>
<p>Truth be told, my boyfriend was napping when I ordered these for us, so he had absolutely no say in what he got, and I basically just got him the worst thing on the menu.  &#8220;Worst&#8221; meaning &#8220;worst for you&#8221; and therefore actually &#8220;best&#8221;.  This was colby jack, onion rings, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, chopped French fries and Bareburger special sauce on a multi-grain roll.  See what I did there with the multi-grain roll?  Makes the burger totally healthy.</p>
<p>Just as Bareburger put some thought into buying and serving all sorts of sustainable meats in interesting combinations, they also put some thought into their side salad.  Can you imagine?  Our Caesar salads were fresh and crunchy, with huge slivers of Parmesan all over the place.  (And tomatoes and croutons, but of course I didn&#8217;t eat those.)  Definitely a win, as far as salads go.   </p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating.gif" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Glazed Rating Ghonut.gif " alt="Blank Star"></p>
<p>One star for quality ingredients.  One star for awesome combinations of ingredients.  One star for caring about carb addicts and the gluten-allergic (tapioca buns!).  And one star for just plain yummy food.</p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.bareburger.com/" target="_blank">Bareburger</a></b><br />
514 3rd Avenue<br />
New York, NY 10016 (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209217925473671529157.00048afac4d373e8b1682&#038;msa=0&#038;ll=40.748622,-73.975368&#038;spn=0.01993,0.045447" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
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<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/10/04/alta-tapas-west-village/" title="Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village">Alta &#8211; Tapas &#8211; West Village (2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/08/04/the-croque-madame-at-pastis-french-meatpacking/" title="The Croque-Madame at Pastis &#8211; French &#8211; Meatpacking">The Croque-Madame at Pastis &#8211; French &#8211; Meatpacking (8)</a></li>
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</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:35:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[3.5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[great for dates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[midtown east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steak]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael jordan's the steak house n.y.c.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=1279</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you can get past the fact that it&#8217;s owned by Michael Jordan and is called Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. (what?), this place is actually a decent steakhouse with atmosphere that beats the usual Harvard-crimson carpeting and gold-lacquered everything. My boyfriend and I talked casually about visiting The Steak House every time we [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you can get past the fact that it&#8217;s owned by Michael Jordan and is called <a href="http://www.michaeljordansnyc.com/" target="_blank">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C.</a> (what?), this place is actually a decent steakhouse with atmosphere that beats the usual Harvard-crimson carpeting and gold-lacquered everything.  My boyfriend and I talked casually about visiting The Steak House every time we spotted it overlooking Grand Central Terminal, but it took seeing Chef Michael Vignola on an episode of The Food Network&#8217;s &#8220;Chopped&#8221; to make us seriously consider a reservation.  On the show, the chef was super-creative–quite the opposite of what we expect from someone just cooking steaks and lobster all day–and we were excited to see what sort of avant garde creations he was pushing out with Michael Jordan&#8217;s blessing.  But alas, The Steak House&#8217;s menu mirrors every other one we&#8217;ve seen.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/michael jordan/Michael Jordan IMG_4525.jpg" border=5 alt="Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C."></center></p>
<p>Never overestimate the power of assorted breads when it comes to getting an extra donut in your rating from me.  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/michael jordan/Michael Jordan IMG_4527.jpg" border=5 alt="Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C."><br />
lobster salad</center></p>
<p>I&#8217;m just starting to get into lobster after years of hating seafood, and this was just the right dish for a newcomer.  It was lightly-dressed enough that the ocean flavor came through but included enough other ingredients that I was sufficiently distracted from the idea of eating, as my boyfriend says, the insect of the sea.  The cabbage helped keep it fresh, while the spicy mayo on the side gave it a kick.  Also: potato chips.  Yeah.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/michael jordan/Michael Jordan IMG_4528.jpg" border=5 alt="Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C."><br />
crab cake</center></p>
<p>Obviously this dish totally cheated by dressing itself with roasted corn.  I didn&#8217;t particularly care for more cabbage slaw, but I suppose they don&#8217;t expect you and your date to be gluttons who order multiple apps on top of their filet mignons.  I did particularly care for the lemony sauce the crab was swimming in, and the filler factor was slim to none in the cake.  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/michael jordan/Michael Jordan IMG_4531.jpg" border=5 alt="Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C."><br />
filet mignon, macaroni and cheese, creamed spinach</center></p>
<p>The mac &#038; cheese is listed as <i>Michael&#8217;s</i> Macaroni &#038; Cheese on the menu, which only furthered our belief that he would pop out of the kitchen at any moment in his tall chef&#8217;s hat, giving us a friendly &#8220;bork bork bork!&#8221; a la the Muppets&#8217; Swedish Chef.  But no.  Both of the sides were oversalted to my boyfriend&#8217;s taste, but I&#8217;m a freaky saltfiend who likes to make the waterboy come over every two minutes to refill me, so they tasted great to me.  The mac &#038; cheese was definitely the better of the two, though, almost certainly because it&#8217;s <i>Michael&#8217;s</i>.  </p>
<p>As for the steak–it was well-seasoned and cooked to my liking.  It wasn&#8217;t <a href="http://www.peterluger.com/" target="_blank">Peter Luger</a> quality, but it wasn&#8217;t <a href="http://www.outback.com/" target="_blank">Outback</a>, either.  (Sorry, Outback.)  The problem is that the prices are more Peter Luger (and actually even higher than that) and less Outback, which means I was expecting the same quality.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating Half.jpg" alt="One-Half Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating Ghonut.jpg" alt="Zero Stars"></p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/michael jordan/Michael Jordan IMG_4535.jpg" border=5 alt="Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C."></center></p>
<p>I love the view over Grand Central location so much that I&#8217;d forgive the lesser quality if it wasn&#8217;t for the higher price.  I&#8217;d recommend The Steak House for impressing out-of-towners, clients, or anyone who hasn&#8217;t been to the city&#8217;s top-notch steakhouses like Peter Luger and <a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2009/09/30/restaurant-review-keens-steakhouse/" target="_blank">Keens</a> (which itself isn&#8217;t nearly as good at Luger, as you&#8217;ll see in my review).  Come for the classy black-and-white action stills of Jordan hung on the walls and the menus that feel like the skin of a basketball, but don&#8217;t come expecting the best-quality steak. </p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.michaeljordansnyc.com/" target="_blank">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C.</a></b><br />
23 Vanderbilt Avenue (inside Grand Central Terminal)<br />
New York, NY 10017 (<a href="http://goo.gl/maps/MYt7" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
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</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
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		<title>Happy Thanksgiving!</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/11/25/happy-thanksgiving/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/11/25/happy-thanksgiving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:30:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thanksgiving]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=1203</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[via UNBREADED May your turkey be as big as hers, ifyouknowwhatImean. Related Posts Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8) Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca (4) BACON EXPLOSION!! (5) DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village (12) The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 (17) Bareburger is Anything But (8) Michael [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AnZQHuzevEY/TN1LQ7S8HaI/AAAAAAAAAjo/JAE9KP6yPZY/s1600/Giant+Turkey.jpg" height="461"><br />
<font size=1>via <a href="http://unbreaded.blogspot.com">UNBREADED</a></font></p>
<p>May your turkey be as big as hers, ifyouknowwhatImean.</center><br />
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2012/01/25/momofuku-ssam-bar-rotisserie-duck-korean-east-village/" title="Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village">Momofuku Ssam Bar Rotisserie Duck &#8211; Korean &#8211; East Village (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/12/02/muscle-maker-grill-healthysandwiches-tribeca/" title="Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca">Muscle Maker Grill &#8211; Healthy/Sandwiches &#8211; Tribeca (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/11/09/bacon-explosion/" title="BACON EXPLOSION!!">BACON EXPLOSION!! (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/09/07/dbgb-frenchamerican-east-village/" title="DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village">DBGB &#8211; French/American &#8211; East Village (12)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/28/the-great-hot-dog-cookoff-2011/" title="The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011">The Great Hot Dog Cookoff 2011 (17)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2011/07/13/bareburger-is-anything-but/" title="Bareburger is Anything But">Bareburger is Anything But (8)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/12/21/michael-jordans-the-steak-house-n-y-c-steak-midtown-east/" title="Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East">Michael Jordan&#8217;s The Steak House N.Y.C. &#8211; Steak &#8211; Midtown East (5)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/08/27/wechslers-currywurst-german-east-village/" title="Wechsler’s Currywurst – German – East Village">Wechsler’s Currywurst – German – East Village (3)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/03/30/yakitori-torys-weird-chicken/" title="Yakitori Torys Weird Chicken">Yakitori Torys Weird Chicken (4)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2009/09/30/restaurant-review-keens-steakhouse/" title="Restaurant Review: Keens Steakhouse">Restaurant Review: Keens Steakhouse (3)</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Wechsler’s Currywurst – German – East Village</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/08/27/wechslers-currywurst-german-east-village/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/08/27/wechslers-currywurst-german-east-village/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4.5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap eats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east village]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[german]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[great for dates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=951</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I would go to Wechsler&#8217;s every day. It&#8217;s one of those quintessential East Village finds that&#8217;s tiny, cozy, and cheap, yet unlike most of the East Village, it&#8217;s somewhere you can actually take a date. Not, like, a snobby date. A date like me. Basically, I just want to go back to Wechsler&#8217;s, and I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I would go to Wechsler&#8217;s every day.  It&#8217;s one of those quintessential East Village finds that&#8217;s tiny, cozy, and cheap, yet unlike most of the East Village, it&#8217;s somewhere you can actually take a date.</p>
<p>Not, like, a snobby date.  </p>
<p>A date like me.</p>
<p>Basically, I just want to go back to Wechsler&#8217;s, and I want you to go with me.</p>
<p>Anyway, here&#8217;s a picture of some meat covered in some sauce:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/CurrywurstIMG_1984.jpg" border=5 alt="Wechsler's Currywurst NYC"/></center></p>
<p>That&#8217;s what currywurst is: sausage, sliced and covered in a saucy blend of tomato and curry powder.  It&#8217;s traditionally a German street food, but when I recommended Wechsler&#8217;s to my friend Steve, he reported back the next day that it&#8217;s waaaaaaaaaay more bland in Germany.  Wechsler&#8217;s is spicy and sweet, like the base of a really good chili.</p>
<p>It is a <i>meal</i> at $6, and they serve it with crunchy fries and this tiny little fork that will make you feel like a curry-lovin&#8217; giant.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Rating.jpg" alt="Rating"> <img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating.jpg" alt="One Star"><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Donut Rating Half.jpg" alt="One-Half Star"></p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://www.currywurstnyc.com/" target="_blank">Wechsler&#8217;s Currywurst</a></b><br />
120 1st Avenue<br />
New York, NY 10009<br />
(<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&#038;hl=en&#038;msa=0&#038;msid=104490450106564782091.00048afac4d373e8b1682&#038;ll=40.841347,-73.977814&#038;spn=0.277393,0.727158&#038;z=11&#038;iwloc=00048ed32b401894740bc" target="_blank">map</a>)</center><br />
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</ul>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Yakitori Torys Weird Chicken</title>
		<link>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/03/30/yakitori-torys-weird-chicken/</link>
		<comments>http://www.donuts4dinner.com/2010/03/30/yakitori-torys-weird-chicken/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>plumpdumpling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[japanese]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meat sweats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[midtown east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.donuts4dinner.com/?p=543</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Don&#8217;t be fooled by the look on my boyfriend&#8217;s face as he eats his seseri, or grilled chicken neck, at Yakitori Torys. This is actually his favourite thing on the &#8220;Chicken Limited&#8221; menu. That, the crispy chicken tail, and the chicken oyster sell out fast and are well worth arriving early for. I can&#8217;t speak [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Yakitori Torys Chicken Neck DSC02476.jpg" border=5 alt="Yakitori Torys Chicken Neck"></center></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t be fooled by the look on my boyfriend&#8217;s face as he eats his <i>seseri</i>, or grilled chicken neck, at <a href="http://torysnyc.com/">Yakitori Torys</a>.  This is actually his favourite thing on the &#8220;Chicken Limited&#8221; menu.  </p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Yakitori Torys Chicken Limited Menu.png"></center></p>
<p>That, the crispy chicken tail, and the chicken oyster sell out fast and are well worth arriving early for.  I can&#8217;t speak to the grilled soft knee bone, though, as it&#8217;s been sold out every time <a href="http://unapologeticallymundane.com/2008/03/20/i-am-not-the-least-bit-irish/">we&#8217;ve been there</a> in the past two years.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.donuts4dinner.com/images/Yakitori Torys DSC02467.jpg"></center></p>
<p>The place also has the best decor for taking faux-serious photos.</p>
<p><center><b><a href="http://torysnyc.com/">Yakitori Torys</a></b><br />
248 East 52nd Street<br />
New York, NY 10022 (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&#038;source=s_q&#038;hl=en&#038;geocode=&#038;q=248+East+52nd+Street,+new+york,+ny&#038;sll=40.703399,-74.013682&#038;sspn=0.00911,0.022724&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;hq=&#038;hnear=248+E+52nd+St,+New+York,+10022&#038;ll=40.756425,-73.968201&#038;spn=0.009102,0.022724&#038;z=16&#038;iwloc=A">map</a>)</center><br />
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</ul>
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