The Choice is Yours to Eat

Aaaah! Sorry, major awesome brain fart! Meant to post this weeks ago, but better late than never I suppose. Enjoy!

What can I say about Choice Eats that hasn't already been said? It's amazing. It's mind-blowing. It's chock-full of yumminess! After the food coma I left in last year, I was determined to be smarter about things this year. Although I love bread, I would only try a nibble of it in say a sandwich, and just focus on the filling. Also, I did not eat whole servings of everything I tried and sadly had to throw a lot away. Lastly, despite the boundless alcohol sponsors, I stuck to water. This was a MUCH better way to make my way though the 50+ food samples (disclaimer: I didn't make it to all) that filled the 69th Regiment Armory. Let's begin.

I arrived and was led to the special VIP room downstairs where I was given a Choice Eats tasting glass and pen. Unfortunately press didn't get gift bags, but they looked intriguing. 

The VIP lounge included several food and drink vendors. My favorite of those was SCRATCHbread because along with a selection of breads, they served fresh mozzarella (the way to my heart). Brooklyn Cured had a great pastrami on rye sandwich, but if the meat had been a tad leaner I would have liked it way more. I tried the Ceviche de Bife from El Amacen and though it wasn't anything special, it was tasty. Murray's Cheese had a selection of their finest and Fatty 'Cue ran out of whatever they were serving before I got there.

  

Pastrami on Rye (Brooklyn Cured)

Murray's Cheese Selection

Ceviche de Bife (El Amacen)

Mozzarella on SCRATCHbread

VIP Lounge

The main room was not supposed to open until 6:30 but I was super excited when they announced it was open at 6:10. That gave all the VIPs an extra 20 minutes before the general admission ticket holders were let in. I'd highly recommend remembering this next year if you bought your general admission tickets this year and ended up waiting in line for an hour or two.

I walked past Dirt Candy, who were whipping up Tomato Chipotle Cotton Candy, and though I was tempted, I couldn't risk missing some of the tables who were bound to have long lines very soon by scarfing down cotton candy. Did anyone try it?

My first bite was Cured Arctic Char with Orange-Chicoree Salad, Lemon Gel and Dill from Edi and the Wolf. This place is innovative and that's why I love it. This bite was fresh and tasty, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the flavors.

Cured Arctic Char with Orange-Chicoree Salad, Lemon Gel and Dill (Edi and the Wolf)

 Next I made my way to one of my favorite tables from last year, Patacon Pisao. This place knocked my epicurean socks of last year when they served authentic mozzarella arepas (didn't I tell you mozzarella was the way to my heart?) called cachapas. So imagine how elated I was to find they were serving the exact same areapas! It took all the willpower I had not to eat two.

Cacacha (Patacon Pisao)

Next up was one of the more unique things I tried at the event: Savory Buttermilk Pannacotta with Roasted Carrots, Almonds, and Licorice from Northern Spy Food Co. Always an innovator in farm-to-table cooking, Northern Spy created a dish that was both delicate and hearty, savory but creamy with a hint of sweet. I definitely finished this one.

Savory Buttermilk Pannacotta with Roasted Carrots, Almonds, and Licorice (Northern Spy Food Co. )

Next came the meat. And a whole bunch of it. My favorites were from Porchetta, the obligatory Porchetta Ragu on Toasted Crostini; from Goat Town, the Goat Face Sandwich (no, there wasn't an actual face stuffed between the Texas Toast but meat from the face - supposedly it's the tastiest!) with pickeled jalapenos and marinated onions; and from Kutsher's Tribeca came Milton's Short Rib and Brisket Meatball Sliders with caramelized onions and cream horseradish sauce (YUM!).

Porchetta Ragu on Toasted Crostini (Porchetta)

Goat Face Sandwich on Texas Toast with pickeled jalapenos and marinated onions  (Goat Town)

Milton's Short Rib and Brisket Meatball Sliders with caramelized onions and cream horseradish sauce (Kutsher's Tribeca)

For a quite fiber break I sampled the Fried Brussel Sprouts with tahini/pomegranate drizzel and garlic crusted panko bread crumbs from Tanoreen -- basically the most delicious brussel sprouts I've ever had.

Fried Brussel Sprouts (Tanoreen)

Then came the seafood. I was smart to head straight for Luke's Lobster. Before the crowds came and formed a line all the way down the aisle (you'd think these people had never seen a shrimp roll before), I was able to step right to the front and indulge in the glory of fresh shrimp, simple spices, all on a buttery grilled bun. Then came super creamy New England Clam Chowder from Littleneck. Next, Juliette put out a classy and colorful display of Main Diver Scallop Shooters with clear tomato broth, shaved scallions and toasted mustard seeds and Cured Arctic Char with charred charentais melon and crispy serrano ham. I had the scallop shooter and it was very refreshing and light.

Shrimp Roll (Luke's Lobster)

New England Clam Chowder (Little Neck)

Main Diver Scallop Shooters and Cured Arctic Char  (Juliette)

My last two favorites were a Oaxacan Style Chicken Tamale with Mole Poblano from Mexico Lindo - a place right by my apartment I for some reason have never been too - and the kick-ass display of sandwiches from Joe Dough. Though I didn't partake in a sandwich (that would have been the beginning and end of my Choice Eats experience just based on the size of their portions), they looked amazing and I will definitely swing by the shop one day to partake.

Oaxacan Style Chicken Tamale (Mexico Lindo)

Sandwich Display (Joe Dough)

Though I had to run before I could tackle dessert (and honestly my stomach couldn't hold anymore), I did try The Blue Stove's Bourbon Chocolate Cookie Pie and OMG. Super moist and you could definitely taste the bourbon. Who needs beer and wine when you have boozy cookie pies?

Bourbon Chocolate Cookie Pie (The Blue Stove)

All in all, another successful Choice Eats. I'm already counting down the days until next year!

Beerooklyn

Rub a dub dub, hundreds of suds in a...bank? A beautiful old bank in fact, and not your typical suds. The Village Voice recently held its first Brooklyn Pour event at Skylight One Hanson in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and if you like day drinking and beer, it was the place to be.

One Hanson Place

Built in 1927 in the popular Art Deco style, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank (yes, with an "h") now boasts Magic Johnson-built condos above, and one of the most unique event spaces in the five boroughs on the ground floors, Skylight One Hanson. I was impressed by the magnificence of the high-vaulted ceilings and finance-inspired stained glass and sculpture work. Just taking in the grandeur of this slice of NYC history is enough to make you slightly tipsy.

Financial stained glass

Mosaic map of NYC

However, the main attraction at this bank had nothing to do with moola and everything to do with beer. Lots and lots of beer. More than 50 brewing companies, beer shops and breweries set up shop throughout the main hall and the former vault downstairs. With each sampling between one and seven ales, ciders, lagers, stouts and porters, it was near impossible to try every beverage from every purveyor with my little beer tasting shot glass. Nevertheless, I gave it a good go.

Beer tasting glass

Main banking hall

Old teller windows served as brewery booths

Beer purveyors

Entrance to the vault

Beer tasting in the vault

Making my rounds throughout the main hall, I had the game plan to steer clear of the beers I know and love so that I could find and appreciate some newbies for my liver to contend with. But really, some of these beers were so local they can't take the express train (bad NY joke?), and I'm a sucker for locally made anything. 

One of my favorite sips of the day came not from a beer company, but from the cider brand Original Sin. NYC-based, these guys were sampling their apple and pear ciders at a booth covered in their amazing and risque posters (no one else came close in the decoration department). You almost wanted to visit the booth just to read the posters. 

Original Sin's display

Another favorite was Ithaca Beer Company's Apricot Wheat. Not overwhelmingly sweet, this beer managed to convey wonderful apricot flavor and I could totally picture sipping it on the deck of some upstate lake house while watching the leaves turn. Now if only I could go find that lake house and those leaves...

Ithaca Beer Co.'s display

I tried several Oktoberfest varieties, but my favorite was Brooklyn Brewery's. I know I said I was steering away from what I already knew, but I just couldn't help it after my wonderful experience at their brewery tour. 

Me enjoying some suds

Other favorites included Allahash Curiex, from the makers of my trusty Allagash White, which was aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels and hence took on a truly different flavor. Doc's Draft pear cider and the Champagne-like Gaffel Kolsch from Germany were also hits. Singha beer was cool too because they hooked me up with a sweet keychain.

Lastly, I sampled several flavors of Fresh Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost and am now hooked. Complete with pieces of real ginger floating throughout the bottle, these ginger ales are better than anything you were ever served on a sick day growing up. The ginger flavor is celebrated instead of hidden in these non-alcoholic sodas, and I would highly recommend picking one up at Whole Foods next time you're in the area.

Allagash bottles

Doc's Draft ciders

While Brooklyn Pour revolved around a certain alcoholic beverage, the food was not to be missed. I think some of the food stands were confused as to whether or not they were supposed to sell their food or give it away because some intermittently sported makeshift price signs while some were mobbed with freeloaders. About an hour in, all were asking a few dollars for their items, with the exception of Bareburger, which I'm SO glad I finally got to try.

A local and organic Brooklyn burger joint, these guys like to experiment with their meat and the results are amazing. I had two four wild boar sliders, which were served on lightly grilled buns with some amazing pickles, cheddar cheese and chipotle ketchup. They were also serving bison and elk burgers, but the crowds gobbled them up before I got to sample either. Other local food stall included Sigmund's Pretzels, Rye House and Pizza 33.

Bareburgers

Sigmund's pretzels

Der Schwarze Kolner, a nearby Fort Greene bar, hosted the official after-party, however this awesome girl was feeling a little too full of awesome beer to partake in the ongoing festivities. If it was anything like the main event, it must have been a blast. After experiencing Choice Eats, and now Brooklyn Pour, I can tell you that The Village Voice really knows how to throw a party, especially one that revolves around anything you eat or drink. Stay tuned to see what they cook up next.

Pour Me Some More Sudsy

More and more, New York is becoming a beer town. It seems like every week I hear about a new craft beer bar or hear about a new microbrewery popping up in Williamsburg. In fact, since Brooklyn seems to be the epicenter of all of this sudsy madness, the Village Voice is being super appropriate by hosting a celebration of all things ale, lager and cider in the borough this Saturday 10/15 at Skylight One Hanson in Fort Greene. Brooklyn Pour, the publication's first annual beer event, is organized by the same amazing folks who put on Choice Eats, and is designed to feature over 100 local craft brews along with food and entertainment.

As of today the event is sold out, but I'm sure you could snag tickets on Craigslist or the like. Brooklyn Pour runs from 3-6 with a VIP hour from 2-3 and an afterparty at a local beer garden, Der Schwarze Kolner. Which of my lovely awesome readers will I see there?

An Awesome Choice

Sometimes I wonder, does any other city in the world have as many amazing food tastings as we do? And then I stop wondering...NO, OF COURSE NOT! I'm super exciting for one of the kings of food tastings coming up on Tuesday March 29 at the Park Avenue Armory - Choice Eats! Put on yearly by the Village Voice, this festival of the palate will feature more than 50 Gotham restaurants serving food representing more than 35 nations!

Scrolling through the list of restaurants, I'm flabbergasted as to how I'm supposed to fit that much deliciousness into my digestive system in only one night. At this point, I'm most excited about sampling food from the following vendors I've never had the pleasure of eating before: The Taim Mobile, Del Posto, Cascabel Taqueria, Dirt Candy, Northern Spy Food Co, Porchetta. And of course some of my already-faves will be there as well: Luke's Lobster, The Meatball Shop and This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef. Libation specialists will also be on hand with custom beer, wine and spirits pairings.

Tickets are on sale through the Choice Eats website. General admission are currently priced at $35 but it's a special price, so I'm sure it will go up to $45 soon. If you'd like to partake in the VIP hour from 5:30-6:30, tickets are currently $70, and in addition to receiving early entrance, you'll get complimentary beverages, a VIP gift bag ($100 value), entertainment and access to the VIP room. The organizers are pulling out the stops for those waiting outside to get in this year as well. Calling it "Choice Streets," a food truck will be parked outside the entrance of the event sampling the top truck food from across the city.

Holler if you'll be there. You definitely won't want to miss this night!