Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Certainly not earth-shatteringly creative food, but Blue Smoke is exactly the sort of place we need in BPC. I'm very glad it's open. That aged Manhattan looks great!

Damn you! Now I have to find time this week to get to Abraco!! I don't even need the cake, you've just reminded me that I need a latte from them ASAP. Nothing better.

I've been to Le Verdure a bunch of times, and it is reliably delicious. It's also one of the easiest little bars in Eataly to get a seat at. I'm always amazed that every time I eat there, at least one person comes up, looks at the menu, says "oh, it's just vegetables," and leaves. Big mistake.

I've been there at that moment when the porchetta is just out of the oven, and it is indeed heavenly!!!

This is a most exciting feature. The Craft of Baking is a well-worn book in our house, and it has elevated our dessert capabilities by a huge amount.

Wow. I'm so sorry. I was a big Dumpling fan. My condolences.

Torrisi!!

They have basically the same dish at Lani Kai (I believe that they are owned by the same people), and it is delicious! Turns out pork and grits goes very well at brunch with a good rum cocktail.

Yes, that is amazing cheddar jalapeno bread, and we get it all the time, but I can't remember the name of the stand either. I'll ask my wife later this afternoon.

Yeah, I guess I just haven't seen any recent changes. If things have changed at the Shack, they changed at least a year or so ago, since my experiences have been fairly consistent recently.

Oddly enough, the first Saint's Alp in NYC was on Mott Street, but is now long gone. I think that space has been 2 or 3 different bubble tea spots since its days as Saint's Alp. They've had much more success in the East Village, with all those NYU students. Maybe it was the more intense Chinatown competition that did the original spot in.

We're going tomorrow for some pre-Xmas festivities. I can't wait!

Since we are doing a breakfast/brunch while watching the Macy's parade from my mom's window we are serving spiced hot apple cider (from the farmer's market, grocery store cider sucks) spiked with a really nice apple brandy. Delicious, and warming.