Holy jeebus, I ate so much freakin’ food last week just reviewing my photos on Flickr. It’s scary…and it’s a good thing I paced myself and this week but I’m not going to write about that yet since the week’s not over. Anyways, here’s a week’s worth of food (again). Strap yourselves and hang on for the ride!
Last Tuesday morning I went to Bis Co Latte mainly for biscotti, those wonderful twice-baked Italian cookies. I know biscotti is not an equivalent to donuts or muffins but really, I don’t care. I just want to sink my teeth in some tasty, crunchy cookies dipped or served with some good cappuccino.
Bis Co Latte
Even though the storefront looks like any other bakery I’ve ever encountered, I wasn’t expecting bright blocks colors of orange and green greeting me once I stepped in. Looks energetic and bright…it’s different.
Interior
Once I approached the counter where there are tons of baked goods and an entire wall full of various biscotti flavors, I was floored. I have absolutely no idea what biscotti flavors I want. At least the girl who worked behind the counter told me that right behind where I stood were samples I can try so I can decide…and it’s not a few sprinklings of flavors, it’s more like a dozen to try!
Their baked goods
Jars of biscotti
Biscotti samples
OMG…more samples
I think I tried about half a dozen or so flavors and I ended up choosing two that I tried, the Chocolate Gianduja, Kahlua Chocolate Espresso Bean, and something that I would never ever would’ve thought of as a biscotti flavor: Savory Red Wine, Pepper and Olive Oil. I also had iced cappuccino to go along with these cookies since it’s summer-like that week.
Iced Cappuccino
Plate of biscotti
The cappuccino was quasi-decent. I’m not expecting it to be on par with Joe’s or Ninth Street but this was too milky for me. It’s like drinking weak espresso flavored milk. The biscotti fared a lot better. The savory one was actually quite good. It reminded me of a food I ate before but I can’t put a finger on it. But it tasted rich, slightly peppery but not spicy, and it’s a bit crisp. Actually, all the biscotti were crisp but some where a tad softer than others, depending on the type of flavor. My favorite would be the Kahlua espresso bean since it has potent espresso flavor and it’s really crisp and crunchy.
I forgot to mention, they also have gelato. Since I’m always up for gelato (unless I’m sick, of course), I tried a few of their limited flavors before I bought a small cup. Their pistachio tasted weird. It’s like they added too much almond extract or something alcoholic that it tasted really artificial. I tried their Cappuccino Crunch since she said it’s pretty tasty, which I agree on the most part. The fig is basically a vanilla base mixed with chunks of dried fig, which didn’t rock my world. So, what I ended up going for is a cup of cappuccino crunch and the bacio, since it seemed like a safe flavor.
Gelatos and sorbets
My cup of gelato
The bacio wasn’t so bad. It’s basically chocolate and mixed with hazelnut and possibly chunks of Ferro Rocher? Something about the bits of chocolatey hazelnuts that tasted like it. I just wish that the gelato was creamier and more flavor.
On Wednesday, I finally went to Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien Hotel. Everyone tells me that their burger is totally awesome yet somehow I keep forgetting to go there last semester, despite the fact I always pass by the hotel every morning and late afternoon to go to and from school.
Entrance to the Burger Joint
Their Hours
Since it was 12:30 in the afternoon, this place is packed to the gills. About seventy percent of the diners there are local office workers and the other thirty would be tourists. I had to stand in line to order and hoping that there will be a table or a seat available for me to sit down and eat. Just to kill some time, I just took a few photos of the place.
People…
Too many of them…
How to order your burger
The kitchen
Dump your junk please
After I ordered and paid my hamburger with the works, rare, I spotted a table and put all my crap school books, on it just to mark my territory. You have no idea how much of a commodity it is to get a table here. Even though it looks pretty packed from my earlier photos, once I sat down it’s a TON of people since more began to walk through the doorway. It almost reminds me of a line of Shake Shack proportions, but not as bad.
The crowd eating and chatting near me
My burger
Innards
The burger was juicy, it’s waay more flavorful than what I had in Burger Heaven from the mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard, and it’s cooked to a rare-medium rare. They need to do something about that bun though. It’s not toasted or anything that would lend a contrasting texture to all the softness of the meat and the slight crispness of the lettuce, pickles, red onions, and tomato but at least it absorbed the meat juices nicely. This is the second best burger I’ve had so far. Shake Shack still rules in my book.
On Thursday morning, I left home without any coffee. And you should know by now that if I don’t have coffee, I will not be a functioning, happy camper. Since I wanted to change my typical stop at Joe’s or Ninth Street, I remember reading about La Colombe Torrefaction in TriBeca and I schelped my way down there.
La Colombe
Front interior
Back interior
It was about 8 AM when I arrived there, hence it looked empty in the back area. I ended up ordering a cup of cappuccino (I don’t like lattes that much, in case you haven’t noticed) and an interesting pastry that’s flecked with pistachios. I found out it’s a pistachio apricot croissant from Petrossian.
My cappuccino
Detail shot
Apricot Pistachio Croissant
The croissant was really good. It had an über thin, shattering layer with buttery yet crisp strata of dough and marzipan, stuffed with chunks of apricot. Surprisingly, it’s not cloyingly sweet. Mmmm…I wouldn’t mind having this pastry every morning, but I’m cutting my life span in half at that rate.
Croissant in half
Innards
Later on after my classes were over, I wanted fried chicken. Definitely not KFC or any major franchise. Where I ended up was at Bonbon Chicken at TriBeca. Yeah, I somehow felt like going really downtown. Probably just because I don’t go there that often and need to explore there.
Bonbon Chicken
Menu boards
I ended up having a small order of spicy chicken strips with a bun. Rice was the other option but I don’t want rice since I eat it at home. I was told to wait for 15 minutes but I ended up waiting for 20 just because they haven’t prepare it yet and wings were the sole parts that was readily available.
My bag o’ food
Strips of chicken
Bun
As you can see from the above photos, it’s not too bad for something that costs about $7. The chicken strips were really spicy after eating one since the heat builds up slowly and progressively that the back of my throat felt like it’s on fire and my eyes start to tear up. It’s a good, temporary type of pain. The bun was soft, sweet, and slightly denser than the average bun. It tastes good but I wish it was a tad bigger so that it could help diminish the fire in my throat besides the water that I have with me.
But since my throat was still burning a bit, I want need ice cream. Since I don’t want to go to my usual destinations (e.g. Otto, Sundaes & Cones, etc.), I thought of trying Ronnybrook Milk Bar‘s ice cream in Chelsea Market.
Ronnybrook Milk Bar
Partial view of interior
Cookies!
After thinking about it for a while, I ended up settling for a small cup of Ginger Crème Brûlée Ice Cream. It seems more interesting than the other flavors they were offering and they only allow one flavor for a small.
Cup of Ginger Crème Brûlée Ice Cream
Texture shot
Spooned…
The ice cream was not as creamy as I would like it but it has good vanilla flavor with a subtle hints and texture of candied ginger. The photo you see above is when I happen to scoop a HUGE chunk of candied ginger. It’s decent for what it is but I still prefer gelato.
That’s it for last week. I know the majority of this post is packed with a TON of photos instead of me being so loquacious. I’m sorry. It’s just the fact that I’m backed up with classwork, writing mini food editorials at Yumondo (which my time is about to end with them very soon), and study for LSATs that’s approaching in less than two weeks. Yikes! So, if the next post will be similar to this, please bear with me as my brain is about to self-destruct.
Addresses:
Bis Co Latte
667 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Burger Joint in Le Meridien Parker Hotel
118 W 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
La Colome Torrefaction
319 Church Street
New York, NY 10013
Bonbon Chicken
98 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007
Ronnybrook Milk Bar
75 9th Avennue
New York, NY 10011
omg, this is so weird…i just came from the ronnybrook milk bar AND i had the ginger creme brulee (only i had it in a milkshake), lol! i know i’m going to finally meet you at robyn’s bday, but are you free to meet and eat this weekend? i’ll email you! :)
Kathy: This is getting a bit weird…but at least we think somewhat alike in terms of food. :)
Yeah, I’m totally psyched to meet you and her other friends at her belated birthday bash! I can’t wait for the bo ssam either. ;)
Glutton, here I come!