Tuesday, June 23, 2009

"Belgian" Fries to Die For

Pommes Frites
123 2nd AveNew York, NY 10003

***** (Best in Category)



When thirty year old Suzanne Levinson resolved in 1997 to risk everything and open up a street shop in the East Village, she based her decision on just one enlightening trip to Belgium when she came across rows of street shops selling the perfect Belgian fries. She saw the need and the opportunity for one in her home city of New York and that, in a nutshell, is how Pommes Frites was conceived.

Wacked Out Goodness: Beware!

Shopsin’s
120 Essex StNew York, NY 10002

**** (Definite Must)

At the other end of the spectrum of dining experiences I’m normally used to, lies Shopsin’s - a small restaurant unlike no other, tucked away in one corner of Essex Street Market in Manhattan. This, I say, not because I had to wait in line for an hour and a half before I was seated for lunch. And not even because the menu I grabbed to idle time away during my wait was over 900 items long and so cramped that it hurt my eyes just trying to make sense out of it. Shopsin’s is different in that its approach is exactly the opposite of that of the typical ‘customer is always right’ one.



Cheapest Bite in Town

Fried Dumpling
99 Allen St
New York, NY 10002

*** (Worth a Visit)



This tiny storefront probably won’t dish out the best dumplings you have ever eaten. Also, the Asian woman behind the counter hardly speaks any English and some knowledge of sign language is probably necessary to be able to place an order.