NYC Food Guy’s Profile
Recent Comments
What's Your Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie?
Just look at this photo and tell me it's not the best looking chocolate chip cookie you've ever seen:
http://nycfoodguy.com/2008/02/05/levain-bakery-the-best-chocolate-chip-walnut-cookie-on-the-planet/
Don't get me wrong, Jacques Torres is delicious too, but in a high class chocolate way, because thin, buttery cookie is all about the shards of chocolate:
http://nycfoodguy.com/2008/05/30/jacques-torres-dark-chocolate-chip-cookie-rivals-levain/
City Bakery is fairly similar to Jacques in that it's thin and loaded with gooey shards of chocolate. The only thing I didn't love about City is that it's so buttery, the cookie doesn't have that delicious, home-baked, reminds us of Mom's cookie flavor that Levain has. It's that characteristic that makes Levain the best.
NYCFoodGuy
Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC
Nick,
Good to hear back from you and point well taken. I just WANT to like Mark because its the closest I'll get to sliders late night. There's room to improve and I appreciate the fact that you support that, just would have liked to have seen that kind of forgiveness in the actual review. Seems like you're holding a place that hasn't claimed to recreate perfection to some pretty high standards (i.e., White Manna).
Veselka burger has fallen off big time and its especially worse every time I've had it after 1AM (never cooked to order and inconsistent bun offerings) and Blue 9 is meh. Too bad Back Forty's not open at 1AM although that would be a bit sacreligious eating a burger than high quality after a drunken night. I've had Crif and it's also just OK. What did you like about it? What's your top late night burger in the EV as of now? Either way, I digress.
I haven't had Shopsin's sliders yet (talk about sacrelig) but the ones I see on Beef Aficionado are what you call "charred" onions, just like Mark, and nothing like the deliciously succulent ones at White Manna.
I'm going to have to agree with you that maybe a blend as fine as the one at Mark may be better utilized in the form of a full-size burger, where the flavor and texture of the porterhouse ends and short rib can truly be appreciated.
It's also tough to compare the immediacy of the attention given to Bill's Burger, a place with a year's worth of R&D behind it from a millionaire restaurateur, to Mark, a place from a couple of guys who are giving a talented Bobby Flay-trained line cook a chance to work some magic in a sliver of a spot on St. Mark's.
I'll be giving Mark a 2nd and probably third chance, if not for the sliders, than for the crispy russet fries with some of that fiery jalapeno sauce alone. The sliders weren't bad, they just weren't the best. As NYers and Web Surfers, it's what we've come to expect.
Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC
What's up Nick,
Long time no speak. I think it's tough to decree the final word on a new spot in the first two weeks of its existence. That being said, I can't totally disagree with you, the burger was a little over-salted when I tried it too. And while the bacon-filled burger wasn't very "bacony" it was definitely tasty and a little more tender than the standard slider.
But where else in this city are we getting sliders even remotely close to White Manna, espcially until 1AM every night? Conversely, we need to remember that this ISN'T White Manna. Just because they sell sliders that happen to feature American cheese and griddled onions (which were nice and thin during my lone eating experience), does that mean there's no room for divergence from the recipe?
You may wonder why I feel the need to come to the defense of Mark. It's because in my East Village neighborhood, there's nothing like the sliders at Mark; affordable, tasty and served alongside Ciao Bella Gelato shakes.
In the end, there's definitely room for Mark to improve, but we don't have much of a sample size to base our opinions on.
I do know that the fries were awesome; plentiful, thin, crisp, and piping hot. The house made sauces, particularly the combo of the slightly smokey Chipotle BBQ and the fiery Jalapeno, are great as well. Add that combo to a slider and it's a new experience. Unfortunately, they're only open until 1AM but could you imagine having the option of eating these greasy, cheesy sliders after a FULL night of boozing in the East Village? That would certainly change things.
I agree, these are by no means White Manna, but I think that's okay. There's always room for something new, different and delicious. I say reserve final judgment until we give Mark a chance to find their groove.
See more comments by NYC Food Guy »
Recent Posts
NYC Food Guy hasn't written a post yet.
Recent Favorites
NYC Food Guy hasn't favorited a post yet.
Recent Polls
NYC Food Guy hasn't answered any polls yet.
Recent Quizzes
NYC Food Guy hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
About NYC Food Guy
Website: http://nycfoodguy.com
Location: NYC
About: I love food, it's the simplest pleasure in life. My goal is spreading the word on my favorite affordable places throughout the city. Check out my website for some great photos and reviews.
Favorite foods: Burgers, Ribs, Pizza, French fries, and anything spicy
Last bite on earth: Tough to say...let's stretch the limits: Bite from an old-school Donovan's Burger, bite from a Houston's cheeseburger, handful of fries from Houstons, a bite from the Houston's brownies sundae, and a bite of Banana Pudding from Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Seems like every story you read features the same restaurant recommendations: Grand Sichuan, Oriental Garden & Congee Village. How come no one asks him what he actually EATS at those restaurants?