My New York food trip

I have always been fascinated by New York, the diversity of the people there, the number of sights you can see in a small amount of time and of course, the glimmering lights you can marvel at when the plane is approaching for landing at night. I have been there before 15 years ago, single and was toured around by a cousin. I remember being a little intimidated inside the subway then because the people inside looked so tall and huge I mean compared to us, Filipinos. It was also freezing because we came in January. I was not able to explore much that time and try some of their food like burgers or pizza due to limited time. But last May, I was given another chance again to explore the city but this time with my family and try some of their eating options particularly in the Upper West Side.

We chose to stay on this side of New York because it was near the American Museum of Natural History and one bus away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). We also chose this medium-sized hotel, Hotel Beacon on this side of the city because it was in front of two groceries, Fairway and Citarella and their rooms had a kitchenette so we were able to cook rice Yey!

Below are some places I had good food while we stayed there:

Café Lalo

My cousin from Canada told me about it because it was featured in the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and though it was several blocks from our hotel, we made the short trek. And I’m glad we made that long walk in the cold breeze because the luscious pastries were a sight to behold. Inside the glass case was a variety of different tarts, cheesecakes and other specialty pastries. I ordered this tart with different fruits on top and I liked it. The fruits were sweet and in season and the crust was soft and flaky. It went well with my Chamomile tea. I also tried one of their Italian pastry, the cannoli which I always see in Cake Boss. It was an elongated pastry that was soft with a vanilla filling that is not so sweet. Looking back, I wish I ordered more from that glass case and could have gone back again but we had no time. Maybe next time 😊

Freddie and Peppers

We tried another pizza place before this but this one made a good impression. It was a hole in the wall restaurant with only several tables inside. I ordered the Chicken Ranch and it didn’t disappoint. The Ranch flavor was infused mildly and but still quite tasty. Unlike the other pizza place we tried, this one had more flavor and the crust was well-made. The chicken chunks on top were substantial like the size of its pizza. My husband loved the Pepperoni and also the Buffalo chicken flavor which had a little spice. If this was the standard for New York pizza then I was glad to have tried it and would want to sample it again one day.

Shake Shack

You could not go to New York without having tried this place. This place was always packed so we often go early as in we were always the first customer. We went to the Shake Shack near the American Museum of National History because it was near our hotel. We tried their Shack burger and now I know the hype was real. The patty was tender and had a nice flavor. Their hamburger bun was also soft and the oozing cheese was not overwhelming. But I liked their Shhrom burger a lot. It had a certain texture to it aside from its good flavor. All of the burgers were well-cooked and worth lining up for. Meanwhile, I also liked their crisscut fries because it was crunchy and not oily and my son loved their version of chicken nuggets too.

Citarella

This grocery had a good selection of food-to-go products and was really a godsend to us while we were staying at Hotel Beacon. I usually order the salmon, sometimes grilled and at times steamed. It was always fresh tasting and what a huge slab. They also had different types of salad and I often order their roasted vegetables which was a filling side dish. The various types of food they offer from refreshing salads to delectable dishes and pastas were incredible. It's like a healthy version of a fastfood.

Overall, my New York food experience was good. Yes, I have tried their food trucks too but I’m not keen on writing about it as one of these guys gave me re-heated, hard and oily fries which I demanded to exchange but was given only a slightly improved version of it instead. Anyway, these four places I mentioned were a stand-out for me while I was there and if I was to return again, I hope I can also try one of their Michelin starred restaurants like the ones I see in the Chef’s Table series in Netflix. That would be quite an experience I’m sure 😊