Food and Things

Upper East Siders may finally be able to shed their grocery store inferiority complexes now that Fairway is scouting a new store location at 240 E. 86th St., between Second and Third avenues.

Photo: Fairway.

According to Crain’s New York Business, the Upper West Side specialty grocer has its eye on the 60,000 square feet of space that recently housed Circuit City and a Barnes & Noble.

For Upper East Siders, Fairway’s arrival would mean grocery store deliverance. No more schlepping on the crosstown bus to pick up well-priced bottles of olive oil, imported cheeses and other Fairway goodies.  Question: if Fairway roosts on the Upper East Side, what’s left to distinguish that neighborhood from the hood across the park?

February 5th, 2010 | Tags: Fairway, New York, upper east side, upper west side | Category: Fairway, Manhattan, grocery stores, upper east side, upper west side |  Print This Post | Leave a comment

By Super Bowl week, my mailbox is flooded with recipes for snacks like this one for Southern Fried Popcorn Chicken. Chef David Kolotkin of The Prime Grill NYC, a kosher steakhouse in midtown, came up with this of-the-moment combo.  In addition to its trendy reliance on fried chicken, it incorporates all the essential Super Bowl food groups—fat, salt, and barbecue flavorings.

Southern Fried Popcorn Chicken. Rob Loud Photography.

Let me know how you liked this recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 qt oil for frying
1 lb chicken thighs, no skin, no bones
1 egg
3 tbsp Franks Red Hot Sauce
2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butcher ground pepper
2 tsp kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Preheat oil to 375 degrees. I recommend using a table top fryer. Otherwise you will run the risk of a fire.
2. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, about 1/2″ each.
3. Combine the eggs, hot sauce, and chicken and let the chicken marinate for five minutes.
4. Combine the flour, garlic powder, ground pepper and salt.
5. Take the chicken out of the eggs mixture and shake off any excess liquid. Place into the flour mixture, and evenly coat.
6. Gently fry the chicken in the fryer until golden brown and crispy.
7. Serve with your favorite bbq sauce.

February 4th, 2010 | Tags: fried chicken, new york restaurants, snacks, super bowl, The Prime Grill NYC | Category: Manhattan, New York City, midtown, recipes, snacks |  Print This Post | Leave a comment

The Westside Independent reports on the latest Upper West Side Trader Joe’s machinations:

Construction at the new building on the corner of 72nd Street and Broadway is ongoing, and there are still no signs of Trader Joe’s imminent arrival on the ground floor, but that should change in a few months.

Trader Joe’s will take over the retail space at 200 West 72nd Street in March and is expected to complete renovations by August, according to City Councilwoman Gale Brewer. Click here to read the entire article on the Westside Independent.

February 3rd, 2010 | Tags: New York, Trader Joes, upper west side | Category: Manhattan, New York City, Trader Joes, grocery stores, upper west side |  Print This Post | Leave a comment

Though vegetarians might not agree, a good burger joint is an essential neighborhood asset. Now, 5 Napkin Burger has opened an Upper West Side branch, occupying the space on Broadway that once housed Ollie’s.

5 Napkin Burger. Photo: tomcensani via flickr.

Of course, the original 5 Napkin Burger was conceived at Nice Matin. So in a way this stylish patty is simply coming home.

Our very own burger sleuth was on hand this weekend for the “friends and family” meal that takes place right before the official opening. Here’s her report:

Because of the layout, the space seems smaller and more intimate than the 9th Avenue one, but in fact it has about 95 seats compared to 110 or so there. And I was told the bar is actually bigger. Same menu, of course. I think it will be wildly popular, and there will be outdoor tables once it gets warm.

We had the iceberg lettuce salad with French dressing (I think that’s what it’s called on the menu, but it seems like “Russian dressing” to me. It was just like the only “salad” my father ate, a wedge of iceberg with ketchup/mayo….) The fried pickles & pastrami, so much better than it sounds and so indulgent—as most of the  menu is, though they did try to interest us in some of the sushi/wraps/etc. But that’s not the point!

I shared the iconic burger. The fries are delicious, and I got a side of creamed spinach (yummy). Seven-layer cake for dessert.

They have all those amazing milkshakes on the dessert menu—maybe once it’s open, they’ll offer those with the meal too? I could imagine stopping there in the afternoon for a milkshake as a treat (or having one of them with the burger if you wanted to go that way).

Five Napkin Burger, 2315 Broadway, nr. 84th St.; 212-333-4488

February 2nd, 2010 | Tags: 5 napkin burger, nice matin, restaurant opening, upper west side | Category: Manhattan, New York City, burgers, hamburgers, restaurant openings, restaurants, upper west side |  Print This Post | Comments (2)