What I Ate in NYC - Part 1

It's no secret that I love New York and the idea of living there, but it wasn't until my trip to the city a couple of weeks ago that I really got to experience it in its full (a.k.a delicious) glory. My first time in NYC was a family affair that was more about navigating the city than stopping to fully savour it. My second trip was work-related, which meant I mostly ate catered meeting meals and had little time for culinary exploration.

But this time around, I was prepared. I spent an embarrassing number of hours researching restaurants online (mostly here) and asked for a few recommendations. Although I didn't have much else solidly planned for the three-day trip with my boyfriend, James, an NYC virgin looking forward to the jazz scene, I found myself with a long list of budget-friendly restaurants divided by area and meal type.

While there were two instances where I couldn't rely on the list — which, like my trusty map, surely screamed tourist — it served me well. And there was still room for spontaneity, a must for travels of any sort.

Here's a short food diary of Day Two — Day One and Three to come!

Day Two

Slept in and woke up ravenous (it's like my body knew I had to eat as much delicious food as possible). Walked to the West Village and found Hummus Place, which I was expecting to be more lunch-y, but to our pleasant surprise, just started serving Sunday brunch.

Poached eggs on English muffins with roasted eggplant, drizzled with tahini and a pesto-ish sauce. Also came with a thick yogurt dip, mushrooms and salad.

After trekking through lower Manhattan and eating an afternoon snack of a sweet and salty brownie from Dean & Deluca (yum!), we headed back to the Village for night plans.

The pub we planned to hit was packed, so we wandered down some smaller streets and found Home, a pleasantly cozy restaurant that I sensed would have good food (it wasn't on my list so my research must have penetrated my brain).

Lemon sole with chard, yellow beans and kohlrabi slaw. James had blue corn crepes with roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a goat cheese sauce. Local beers quenched the thirst.

We then hit Blind Tiger Ale House — good beers, so-so service — and Smalls Jazz Club for a cozy late-night jam session.