NYC FOODIE CHINATOWN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: SUN SAI GAI

After seeing my friend Josh Ozersky do a piece about the char siu (roast pork) at Sun Sai Gai for his channel www.ozersky.tv, I knew I had to stop by and check it out for myself. And after my meal there two weeks ago, I can confirm that Josh does know what he is talking about-it was some good stuff! I also got some of their roast duck, which was fabulous, and a bun with sausage in it. My total bill came to around $20, and the NYC Foodie was a happy diner once again, satisfied by the culinary treasures of Chinatown.

Sun Sai Gai
220 Canal St.
New York, NY 10013
212-964-7256

NYC FOODIE UPCOMING EVENT OF THE WEEK: GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL DINING WEEK

Hey Foodies!

Check out this upcoming event at Grand Central Terminal:

From August 20-29 GCT will be launching its first ever Grand Central Terminal Dining Week. (www.grandcentralterminal.com) This is the first time that the eateries and food sellers in the Terminal have come together to promote the various dining, snacking and foodie shopping options that are available at Grand Central.

· Sit down restaurants will be offering a special prix fixe menu

· To-go restaurants are offering a selection of discounted to-go meals

· Other food retailers are offering two items each, one at a 20% discount, one at a 10% discount

For more details check out: www.grandcentralterminal.com

NYC FOODIE DRINK OF THE WEEK: SPICY GINGER SLUSH WITH RASPBERRY PUREE MIX-IN FROM KELVIN NATURAL SLUSH CO.

Another truck, another great idea. This one comes to us from the Kelvin Natural Slush Co. truck, a new truck dishing out all natural slush beverages. This ain't a Slurpee people. This is some great and natural flavors that are refreshing, unique, and ingenious. I stopped by two weeks ago and had the spicy ginger with raspberry puree mixed in, and it was just that.

www.kelvinslush.com

NYC FOODIE BEST MEATBALL SANDWICH IN NYC: MIA DONA MEATBALL CART

Ladies and Gentleman, I had the BEST meatball sandwich of my life two days ago, brought to us by Donatella Arpaia's Meatball Cart outside her restaurant Mia Dona. I got mine ($7) with spicy ragu. Four veal meatballs, caciocavallo cheese, and arugula, inside a wonderful potato-ricotta foccacia. This sandwich was amazing, fabulous, fantastic, messy, delicious, eye-opening, titilating, and dare I say it, orgasmic. Yes, I use that word to describe many things I eat, I guess I'm that easy, but even my sister was moaning with glee from this heavenly sandwich. You should try one too, and let me know what you think. Don't be shy, just follow your emotions like I do.

Mia Dona Meatball Cart (open from 12pm-2pm)
206 East 58th Street (bet. 3rd and 2nd)
New York, NY 10022
212-750-8170
www.miadona.com

NYC FOODIE TRIP OF THE WEEK: HARRAH'S ATLANTIC CITY

When you think of Atlantic City, most people think of gambling and casinos, the boardwalk, the beach, and nightlife. When I think of any place, I think about one thing: the food. So it was with great pleasure that I set sail on a three day foodie trip this past weekend to AC, with food on my mind.

I stayed at Harrah's, away from the boardwalk, but with enough amenities (restaurants, an amazing pool and sundeck, clothing stores, gambling, etc), to keep everyone happy. It is a one stop shop, for sure. 

My first meal took place at The Steakhouse. An expansive restaurant with ample room between each table, giving diners plenty of space to enjoy juicy and great steaks. As you ponder which cut of meat you desire, nibble on some complimentary nice onion or pretzel rolls, and spread some English mustard cheese on them to give a nice kick. Then dive into the raw bar sampler ($65 for two), filled with a medley of jumbo shrimp, clams, oysters, lump crabmeat,, and crab legs. Seafoodlicious!

If you prefer your meat slow roasted, do what I did, and order the Black Angus Prime Rib Roast ($38 for King Cut 22oz) with natural juices and creamed horseradish. This juicy hunk of meat would make Fred Flinstone jealous. Be prepared for doggy bags. It was succulent and flavorful.

If you prefer your meat grilled with a char (I actually prefer this), then do what my dining cohorts did, and order the Prime Sirloin ($50 for 16oz) or a special Kobe Sirloin, both were fantastic!

For sides, skip the overly, way-too-sweet, inedible, sweet potato steak fries ($7), instead, order the perfect sautéed spinach with garlic and olive oil ($8).

End with a splendid and wonderful crème brulee ($9), bruléd tableside. It is a festive ending to a fabulous meal. Welcome to Atlantic City.

The Steakhouse 
At Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City
777 Harrah’s Boulevard
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
609-441-5575
http://www.harrahsresort.com/casinos/ha ... etail.html

For my second dinner on my foodie trip to Atlantic City, my dining cohorts and I ate at The Foundation Room, located at The House of Blues, inside the hip and cool Showboat Casino (also owned by Harrah's).

This semi-private lounge has a unique, gypsy-like, Asian-Indian-Zen-like vibe to it, with many hidden alcoves for dining and imbibing. Take a seat at a corner booth in the back dining room, and nibble on some tasty contemporary American fare influenced by the American South and Pacific-Rim. 

Before you sit down though, grab a drink overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the AC Amusement Park, it is a truly magical view!

Start with the Foundation "Pupu" Platter ($21), a mix of kobe beef satays, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, and Lobster hoe cakes. Fun and tasty!

The Shrimp "BLT" ($15), bacon wrapped shrimp, tomato salad, micro greens, on a grilled brioche, with Creole dijonaise, was delectable. Bacon and shrimp? Yes, please!

A memorable Salt and Pepper Calamari ($15), with sweet chili sauce, and Meyer lemon aioli, is a must order. Sweet and spicy perfection.

If you are a cheese fan, and the NYC Foodie loves cheese, try the Regional Artisan cheeses ($15 for 5). They are served with some fantastic homemade jams!

Also, the complimentary cornbread is unbelievable, unreal, and one of the best I have ever had! Served with a honey walnut butter, it is truly addictive.

Save room for your entree though. My grilled veal chop ($42) with wild mushroom risotto, bolognese, and Truffle oil dust, surely hit the spot. Juicy, tender, and a really nice hunk of meat. The risotto was excellent. (The one thing I would tell the chef though, is to please get rid of that hard, inedible, potato nest on top of the dish. It is inedible, and thus, pointless!)

The Foundation Room
At The House Of Blues Atlantic City
801 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
609-343-4523
http://www.houseofblues.com/venues/club ... onroom.php

NYC FOODIE KOREAN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: KUNJIP

I love Korean food. I just wrote about my favorite Korean restaurant in NYC, but what comes in a close second, is the open 24-hour spot, Kunjip. I love late night dining, and Kunjip is the place I go to when I crave Korean food after midnight. It is great!

I've been to Kunjip so many times, and each time it is a wonderful experience. On my most recent visit, besides having the fabulous banchan (the small dishes served before your dish comes) I had a great bean paste soup with pork. 

So get your Korean on at Kunjip. It'll be the smartest move you'll make all day, or night.

Kunjip
32 W. 32nd Street (bet. 5th and 6th)
New York, NY 10001
212-216-9487
www.kunjip.net

NYC FOODIE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEEK: THE CUPCAKESTOP TRUCK 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Hey all you cupcake lovers! Check out this press release:

"CUPCAKESTOP TO CELEBRATE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH NEW TRUCK & CUPCAKE GIVEAWAY ON JUNE 3rd

WHO: Pras, a Grammy Award winning Haitian-American Hip Hop artist and CupcakeStop owner Lev Ekster

WHAT: To celebrate the official 1 year anniversary of CupcakeStop, owner Lev Ekster will give out 100 cupcakes and CupcakeStop t-shirts to the 1st in line beginning at 12pm at the truck’s new South Street Seaport location. Fugees star Pras will also be on-hand to announce the launch of a specialty line of cupcakes to benefit Haitian relief efforts with the gourmet cupcake truck on wheels.

WHERE: The CupcakeStop Truck

Entrance of Pier 17 and Fulton Street

WHEN: Thursday, June 3 2010

12pm"

BON APPETIT!

NYC FOODIE BROOKLYN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: FIVE LEAVES

Brooklyn restaurants. There are a lot of good ones, and I am trying to get to many of them. Crossing that bridge is harder than you think though. Also, I'm not as hip as most Brooklynites, although I'm just as cool.

Two Sundays ago I stopped into the bustling Five Leaves in Greenpoint, a small and hip sliver of a restaurant, packed with hipsters dining on some fine Brooklyn brunch grub.

I ordered the Big Breakkie ($13), two organic eggs (mine were up), hash browns, whole wheat toast, and two sides (I chose sauteed Tuscan kale and thick cut bacon). This hearty brunch was really good and hit the spot. I felt hipper after I cleaned my plate.

So get your Brooklyn Brunch on at Five Leaves. It'll bring out the hipster in you.

Five Leaves
18 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-383-5345
www.fiveleavesny.com

NYC FOODIE TAPAS SPOT OF THE WEEK: EL QUINTO PINO

I love Spanish tapas. Trying a little bit of everything is the way the NYC FOODIE likes to eat, thus tapas style dining suits me perfectly!

El Quinto Pino, a teeny tiny box of a restaurant, or rather Spanish tapas wine bar, I have been to many times, and wrote about two years ago, is one of the best tapas spots in town. The chef Alex Raij who opened it, and then left to open Txikito across the street, has now taken the reigns back, and it is still just as wonderful as it always has been.

Fideua, a Spanish noodle paella ($12), a dish I love, was superb here. The other word I'd use to descibe each mouthwatering bite of tasty noodles, shrimp, and squid would be "orgasmic".

Fava beans with morcilla (Spanish blood sausage) ($9) was also excellent. This dish does wonders to the fava bean, almost making it feel and taste like a meat, combined with the morcilla, it was a bowl of meaty goodness!

Torreznos, Castilian pork cracklin's ($6), is one of my favorite dishes in all of NYC. You need to order these little bites of salty, crispy, joy every time you come to El Quinto Pino. A phenomenal snack!

So for some of the best Spanish tapas in NYC, El Quinto Pino is the place to be. It might be a small space, but the food packs a powerful, memorable punch, you shall never forget.

El Quinto Pino
401 W. 24th St. (and 9th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
212-206-6900
www.elquintopinonyc.com

NYC FOODIE ITALIAN DINNER OF THE WEEK: LOCANDA VERDE

Italian food. There is sooo much of it in NYC, it can get a tad nutty. Where to go? What to eat? One of my favorite Italian spots in NYC is Locanda Verde, the hip and cool spot at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. I have been there a plethora of times, and have written about it on this titillating website you are reading. 

I revisited two weeks ago in a drunken state of mind, and was once again satisfied with the great fare from chef Andrew Carmellini.

I must first talk about the complimentary focaccia sent out. It is amazing! Hints of rosemary, olive oil, and lemon, make this some blissful bread!

One dish I crave on a weekly basis is Locanda's Sheep's Milk Ricotta ($12) with sea salt and herbs. It is so addictive, splendid, and wonderful, I would take a bath in it if I could.

Gigantone ($19) with Sunday night ragu and provolone picante will do any Italian grandmother proud. It's a heartwarming pasta dish I devoured within minutes.

You can't go to Locanda Verde and leave with out trying one of Karen DeMasco's fabulous desserts. She is a pastry genius, and her Banana Walnut Brown Butter Cake ($11) with banana gelato, walnut brittle is proof of that. Not overly sweet, but just about perfect. I could end any meal with this slice of heaven.

So head on down to Tribeca and get your Italian bite on at Locanda Verde. Cool and hip digs, great food, a festive time all around. It's fun sober too, trust me.

Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St. (and N. Moore)
New York, NY 10013
212-925-3797

www.locandaverdenyc.com