The third and final episode in our NYC Trilogy is all about Food Porn. After watching chickens get slaughtered in Queens and vegetables grow in several boroughs, this Manhattan video is just a montage of our wonderful dinner at Prune Restaurant one evening in September. It was amazing to cook at such an incredible place and with such great company. The menu for the evening was: More

"I would absolutely die to participate in this taste test. Come to think of it, I would probably die after, as well."—neverending appetite, on "The Best Cupcakes in New York City" More

Since a trip to Japan years ago, I've searched high and low for authentic yakitori joints in the U.S., mostly to no avail. They should be simple little places, sheathed in wood paneling and coated in smoke resin, built up from years of nightly grilling. I love Biwa in Portland, and New York City's Totto empire, but even their happy hour prices can seem exorbitant. Still hoping for that true yakitori experience, this week I tried two "yaks" on a scouting trip to Los Angeles. More

If it was served from a truck, cart, bus, camping trailer, or some other mobile contraption, it was probably a little cooler to eat this year. No longer does "street food" just mean a humdrum hot dog or pretzel—it now covers everything from brioche ice cream sandwiches to duck tacos and schnitzel. While food carts have historically illustrated a community's immigrant growth, this year it seemed like everyone and their grandma were opening a sidewalk food business, no matter where they came from. Here were some highlights.... More

"The signature of the Danish Hot Dog is the mountain of crispy fried onions—pretty much exactly like the canned French fried onions." [Original artwork: Hawk Krall] Past Weeks' Dogs 24th & Passyunk TruckTexas TommyPhilly Dirty Water DogChicago Dog This week marks the first Hot Dog of the Week outside of North America. Unique hot dog styles are evolving on every corner of the planet. Brazil alone has three or four unique styles. Japan probably invented four new hot dogs while I wrote this article. European hot dog variations are extra fascinating because the dogs themselves are closer to the original German wieners, yet many of the serving styles and toppings are influenced by American hot dog variations. I was thrilled... More

"If you're like me, you've always wondered what tropical fruit drinks have to do with hot dogs. But the strange combination surprisingly works." Past Weeks' Dogs 24-Hour DogSlaw DogPuka DogThe Philly ComboTijuana DogsTexas WeinersFlo's Hot Dogs New York City just might be the hot dog capital of the world. Ever since Feltman's started selling frankfurters on rolls on Coney Island in 1871, the hot dog has been part of the city's culture. Recently New York has become home to all sorts of variations including Kobe Beef dogs, Colombian hot hogs, and even lard-butter basted hot dogs covered in pork braised beans. It's hard to pin down one style as the classic, quintessential New York City hot dog, but The Papaya... More

Have you hugged your favorite food cart vendor today? In The Food Cart Song, comedy duo Rhett and Link visit food carts around New York City and hug the carts' vendors after telling us the stories behind the hot dogs, pretzels, roasted nuts, and more. Kind of. Whether or not Abul is selling nuts to help pay for his daughter's $800 cell phone bill we'll never know, but it rhymes in the song. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Rameniac, one of the premier noodle blogs, has revealed its 2009 King of the Bowl ramen ratings, with lists for Las Vegas, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. In Los Angeles, the noodle scene was largely static, "save for the opening of one or two sub-par shops." Seattle was all about tonkotsu (a specific type of ramen). "Had Kurt Cobain slurped down a few Samurai Armor Plates (from Seattle's Samurai Noodle) during his lifetime, grunge might have never happened." Vegas is more famous for "99¢ buffets and Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo," but there are three ramen spots worth noting. And then there's New York. Fresh off the Japanese airlines, the heaviest hitters go straight to this... More

In every decent-sized city, there are essential eating experiences, bites every serious eater should enjoy. Here at Serious Eats, we thought it would be fun to post guides to essential eating experiences in cities all over the world, starting with New York. More

The New York Times notes that many traditional soul food restaurants have closed in Harlem as victims of the neighborhood's changing tastes. Is this trend is going on in other non-Southern cities with well-established African-American neighborhoods. More