The thing about living abroad is that you wind up missing the strangest things.  Particularly strange are the foods and restaurants that lure with a siren’s call each time I return home.  These are places that I want to go to each and every time I find myself stateside.  Scratch that – need to go to and eat at while stateside.  And I’m more than a little embarrassed to say that these must-visit restaurants include the Olive Garden, Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-fil-A and Denny’s.

I know, I know.  I have no excuse.  I should be smacked.  But there you have it.

So imagine my disappointment when I learned that the only Denny’s in NYC is a bar.  Somehow I didn’t think they offered a Grand Slam breakfast platter.  I’d have to find another breakfast venue during my stay and try to make do.

Luckily, the New York Luncheonette was right around the corner from my hotel.  This small, clean restaurant was a welcome respite from my hotel’s overpriced breakfast buffet.  And though it didn’t definitely couldn’t match Denny’s for price, the New York Luncheonette definitely topped them on food quality and service.  The pancakes, bacon and even the corned beef hash were top notch.  My first breakfast there of waffles and bacon was so good that I knew I’d be returning the next day.  And maybe the one after that, too.  And as far as a Manhattan dollar goes, the price wasn’t too shabby either.

So though I’m sure the New York Luncheonette might not exactly appreciate the comparison, they definitely made it so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on my Denny’s fix.  And for an American who has lived abroad for the past 5 years, that’s a pretty big deal.

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The New York Luncheonette
135 E 50th Street
New York, NY 10022
212. 838. 0165

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Photo by gailf548.

Barrachina stakes its claim as the birthplace of the Pina Colada, and there’s a really good chance that’s true. That iconic drink of a tropical vacation was definitely first concocted SOMEwhere in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the mixologist who invented it did indeed work at Barrachina. Close enough to sound legit, so my friends and I were happy to check out this restaurant. In fact, we went twice; this means something, considering that we wanted to sample as many different restaurants as we could on a weeklong girlfriend getaway to Puerto Rico.

Great Pina Coladas and Mofongo at Barrachina (barrachino.com)

Dinner and a Flamenco Show (barrachina.com)

Barrachina is a pretty touristy restaurant, without much of that feeling of being in a restaurants the locals try to keep secret. The waitstaff spoke fluent English, for example, and the courses weren’t particularly spicy. What makes Barrachina worth the trip (besides those pina coladas) are the family-friendly atmosphere, indoor and outdoor seating, and the mofongo. This traditional Puerto Rican dish, made from mashed plantains, was actually better at Barrachina than at another restaurant – the one that the locals supposedly try to keep to themselves! The mofongo with pork was excellent, and the fajitas were also quite good. We ordered the nachos appetizer but, perhaps because this is a Puerto Rican, not Mexican, restaurant, the nachos weren’t quite what we expected. Rather than the huge pile of queso blanco cheese, hot jalapenos, and salsa/guacamole/sour cream, the nachos at Barrachina were kind of tame. Left more room for the entrees, though, which can be considered a good thing! The Spanish sausage, and the shrimp in garlic, were both tasty entrees. I also recommend the red snapper, for those interested in somewhat lighter fare.

Last, it’s important to note that Barrachina hosts weekly flamenco shows every Friday and Saturday. The women are incredible. I tried to take photos and video of the flamenco dancers, but their feet were often moving so fast – without a misstep – that all I got was a blur. This show, with dinner, makes for a special night out while on vacation in Puerto Rico.

The Burger Joint may be the last kind of place you’d expect to find in the lobby of the posh Le Parker Meridien hotel in New York City.  But that may be why it’s expertly hidden — the handmade, cockeyed menu boards and old naugahyde booths might stick out a bit amidst the lobby’s clean, fussy marble.

And this is part of the Joint’s charm.  New Yorkers, you see, seem to be on a never-ending quest to find the best burger in the city.  I know this because I saw it on an episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”  And the Burger Joint is definitely a contender for the honor.  If only because it is the kind of place that requires an insider’s knowledge mixed with a dash of adventure to find.

Enter the hotel, wander, and you’ll soon see it.  A small neon burger displayed on the wall, nearly hidden behind a large, red curtain shows you where to go.  And if that one small indicator of the Burger Joint’s location is obscured, then the line of hungry NYC natives, representing all walks of life from Wall Street to panhandler, happily queueing up behind it will surely point you in the right direction.

I’ve heard tell of the Burger Joint on several previous visits to the city.  But as soon as Le Parker Meridien was mentioned as the location, I’ll admit that I balked.  Not that I have anything against the hotel – it’s a gorgeous property with a great bar.  But, you know, I can get a $30 hotel burger just about anywhere in Manhattan and not have to go on what amounts to a quest to find it.  And I don’t have to wait in line in a dark, crowded hidey-hole for the privilege either.

But this time around, my host insisted.  “It’s the best burger in Manhattan,” he said.  “Plus, they have fantastic milkshakes.”  But it was his final sentence that sealed the deal for me.  “And the burgers are like only $7.00,” he exclaimed.  A $7 burger in New York City?  Was that even possible?  I had to find out.

And sure enough, it’s all true.  I don’t know if it is the “best” burger on the island – I don’t know if I can afford to sample them all – but it was really, really good.  But keep in mind that the Burger Joint is definitely a no muss-no fuss type of operation.  You stand in line, ask for a burger from a guy who aspires to be the Soup Nazi, pay in cash (and only in cash) and then hope against hope that you’ll manage to snag one of the few tables before your order is up.  If not, you’ll snarf your food standing against a fake wood-paneled wall adorned with a Sopranos poster, get some ketchup on your shirt in the process and like it.

But you know, maybe they put something in those burgers, because I’d happily return.  But this time, I’m holding out for a booth.

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The Burger Joint
Le Parker Meridien New York
119 W. 56th Street
New York, NY 10019

212.245.5000

http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat4.php

Hours:
Sunday through Thursday: 11:30-11:30
Friday and Saturday: 11:30-midnight

Another Fictional Fable with Food … by Sharon the BloggerQueen

Jasmine was in town for a Bikram Yoga conference.  She didn’t go every year, but this time it was to be held in Santa Rosa with close proximity to wine tasting, vineyards, and the ocean.  Being from Phoenix, she was looking forward to some change of scenery. She stayed in the historical Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa and, upon asking the concierge for a recommendation, Jasmine was swooned into trying out a new restaurant called Sushi to Dai For.

Jasmine was wearing here yoga pants and a tight sleeveless tank. She felt pretty comfortable walking into the restaurant.  It was clearly casual and progressive.  She opted for the Sushi bar, the perfect landing zone for lonely single from out of town.  Ironically she was placed next to a sign that she’d hoped would work on her.

Dining Alone?

Tuesday is bargain hand-roll night at Sushi to Dai For.  Only $2.50 per roll.  Since she only had $15 in her little yoga pocket she decided on that.  She ordered two Spicy Tuna, one Maguro, and a BBQ Eel.  It did not come with anything but water and edamame beans.  Luckily she was a light eater.

The sushi master was from Japan, a rarity in Phoenix and he spoke to the servers in Japanese but all his customers in English while he playfully teased her about her yoga convention.  “I do yoga six days a week!” she proudly spouted.  Immediately after she told him that she realized she was bragging again. That was something her ex always hated about her.  Embarrassed by her big mouth, she stuffed the Unagi hand-roll in it.  The meat was prepared perfectly and the sauce was light and flavorful, unfortunately the avocado was a little mushy and it squirted out the tail of the seaweed cone.  It was rather unappetizing. 

The next three rolls were fresh and tasty.  The spicy tuna was mixed with enough wasabi to make her sinuses open, but not enough to make her cry.  Good.  Looking around she noticed a very light crowd, but she heard they were packed for lunch.  All in all, it was a nice sushi dinner $15 bucks.

Since the sign did not work, Jasmine returned to her room alone and did the Child’s pose to comfort herself.