Let me preface this post by telling you a bit about where I grew up. I'm from Westchester County, New York, which for the most part is a rich, white suburb. For some reason or other, the area seems to have this huuuge Italian/American population, and as a result, there's an abundance of Italian/American delis. Now, I'm not saying they're all great, but there are definitely a handful of places near where I lived to grab a really really good sandwich. When I moved to Manhattan a few years ago, I found myself somewhat disappointed by the sandwich situation. In my experience, most NYC delis make rather bland, uninspired sandwiches, and seem to profit mostly from selling cigarettes and beer to minors. Toasties is seemingly the first deli I've found in my area that can compete with the upscale, gourmet delicatessens of Westchester County.
At a glance, Toasties looks like the generic NYC deli. They've got the pre-made panini sandwiches, a small salad bar off to the side, and that buffet that looks like it might taste okay, but probably doesn't. After some closer examination, though, it becomes clear that this is not just some other deli. Your first clue is that they don't have all their meats and cheeses sitting on colorful little plates covered in saran wrap. Then, looking at the menu, it becomes evident that some thought may have been put into their sandwich creations. There are definitely some unique combinations and clever suggestions, all made easy to order with silly names and a convenient numbering system.
My first time at Toasties, I ordered the H6 - a meatloaf sandwich with gravy, cheddar cheese, bacon, hot peppers, and lettuce. Amazing. Meatloaf is always sort of a gamble when you order it somewhere you're unfamiliar with, but this meatloaf was thick, soft, and super fresh tasting. The bacon was crisp and delicious, and the peppers tasted surprisingly good in combination with the meatloaf. I was so pleased with my meal, I was worried it may have been a fluke. I had to go back the next day to try something entirely different. At Toasties experience number two, I ordered the Alice (#11), a turkey sandwich with brie, granny smith apple, lettuce, and honey mustard. It was sensational. The turkey was not your typical cold cut, but seemed as though it had been sliced right off of Thanksgiving dinner. The apples were thin and fresh, the brie was awesome (brie usually is), and it all tasted great together. So, my conclusion: two days, two sandwiches, two thumbs up.
Warning: Toasties sandwiches are ridiculously enormous. I happen to be a fan of oversized, absurdly portioned sandwiches, but I can understand it being a concern for someone else. Admittingly, Toasties is a messy experience. Your sandwich will probably fall apart at least a little bit, and your hands will likely end up with some gravy/honeymustard/dressing/whatever on them. Be sure to grab some napkins.
From what I understand, Toasties might have a few locations around the City. The one I went to is on the west side of Union Square. They're open 24 hours, they deliver, and they have a small outdoor seating area. Definitely recommended.
Here's their website: www.toastiesny.com
-Chris
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
My Favorite Places to Eat (Near Where I Live)
• S’Mac (12th Street in between 1st and 2nd Avenues) – This place serves up some gourmet macaroni and cheese. Some of the menu items are rather fancy, like “The Mediterranean,” but there are also more traditional options, such as the “All-American.” And they deliver!
• Crif Dogs (St. Marks pl. in between 1st and Avenue A) – This is by far my favorite hot dog. The menu has all sorts of strange options, like “The Chihuahua,” which is a hot dog wrapped in bacon with avocado and sour cream. I love ordering the stoner pack- a “mystery grab bag of eats.” They totally deliver.
• A Salt & Battery (Greenwich Ave. between 12th and 13th Streets) – This is where you go to if you’re craving some authentic fish and chips. The dudes that run this place come right from the UK, so you know you’re getting the real deal. Also, don’t be afraid to try the meat pies; they’re delicious! They do deliver, but for the optimal experience, you’re going to want to head over there yourself.
• Five Guys Burgers and Fries (Bleecker Street and 7th Ave.) – These burgers are totally delicious, but also pretty greasy. All toppings are free (except for bacon and cheese), which definitely encourages the customer to experiment with all kinds of different combinations. The fries aren’t too shabby either! And you bet this place delivers.
• Pluck U. (Thompson Street between W. 3rd and Bleecker) – Certainly the best buffalo wings you can get around here. They’re pretty big compared to the wings you get at other places and there are a wide variety of sauces to choose from, with intensity ranging from “mild” to “death.” Oh, and they deliver!
-Chris
• Crif Dogs (St. Marks pl. in between 1st and Avenue A) – This is by far my favorite hot dog. The menu has all sorts of strange options, like “The Chihuahua,” which is a hot dog wrapped in bacon with avocado and sour cream. I love ordering the stoner pack- a “mystery grab bag of eats.” They totally deliver.
• A Salt & Battery (Greenwich Ave. between 12th and 13th Streets) – This is where you go to if you’re craving some authentic fish and chips. The dudes that run this place come right from the UK, so you know you’re getting the real deal. Also, don’t be afraid to try the meat pies; they’re delicious! They do deliver, but for the optimal experience, you’re going to want to head over there yourself.
• Five Guys Burgers and Fries (Bleecker Street and 7th Ave.) – These burgers are totally delicious, but also pretty greasy. All toppings are free (except for bacon and cheese), which definitely encourages the customer to experiment with all kinds of different combinations. The fries aren’t too shabby either! And you bet this place delivers.
• Pluck U. (Thompson Street between W. 3rd and Bleecker) – Certainly the best buffalo wings you can get around here. They’re pretty big compared to the wings you get at other places and there are a wide variety of sauces to choose from, with intensity ranging from “mild” to “death.” Oh, and they deliver!
-Chris
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Dogmatic (Good)
This place recently opened up on 17th street, just west of Union Square.
Let me begin by saying that Dogmatic does not serve hot dogs, they serve "Gourmet Sausages." If you're looking for that classic NYC frankfurter, go somewhere else. What you get at Dogmatic is a sausage placed in a hollowed out baguette with your choice of sauce. I suppose it's somewhat European-esque.
One chooses either beef, chicken, pork, turkey, or lamb sausage (there's also an asparagus option for those who prefer not to eat meat). The choices for sauce are cheddar jalapeno, horseradish mustard, truffle gruyere, chimichurri, sun dried tomato feta, and mint yogurt.
I ordered a beef sausage with truffle gruyere and a pork sausage with cheddar jalapeno sauce. I also got a side of chips with the sun dried tomato feta sauce for dipping. I found that both sausages were rather tasty. They had plenty of flavor in each bite and were served hot and freshly prepared. There was also a huge difference in taste between the two meats, which I appreciated. I'm curious to try the other sausages now, the lamb in particular. The baguette was hot and toasty, tasting as though it had just been made that day. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for fresh baguettes; I would eat anything on that bread. I really kind of liked how sausage tastes on a baguette- it's not something I normally find myself in the position to try.
While I enjoyed the meal overall, I was somewhat disappointed with the sauces. I had tried three different ones, but they all tasted fairly similar. Sure, there were some slight differences in seasoning and aftertaste, but not really enough to make me care. They must all have the same base ingredients or something, because not a single sauce really stood out. The choice of meat is really what determines the taste of your meal here. That being said, I would have also liked the sausage to be a big bigger. For $4.50 a sausage, I would expect it to be plump, but it wasn't really any thicker than your standard hot dog.
Dogmatic also has homemade sodas, which I did not try. In retrospect, that was a poor decision; they're probably pretty good.
All in all, I had a tasty and unique experience at Dogmatic. I don't really know anywhere else to eat sausage and baguettes. So if you're in the mood to try something different, give Dogmatic a shot.
You can check out their website at http://eatdogmatic.com/
-Chris
Let me begin by saying that Dogmatic does not serve hot dogs, they serve "Gourmet Sausages." If you're looking for that classic NYC frankfurter, go somewhere else. What you get at Dogmatic is a sausage placed in a hollowed out baguette with your choice of sauce. I suppose it's somewhat European-esque.
One chooses either beef, chicken, pork, turkey, or lamb sausage (there's also an asparagus option for those who prefer not to eat meat). The choices for sauce are cheddar jalapeno, horseradish mustard, truffle gruyere, chimichurri, sun dried tomato feta, and mint yogurt.
I ordered a beef sausage with truffle gruyere and a pork sausage with cheddar jalapeno sauce. I also got a side of chips with the sun dried tomato feta sauce for dipping. I found that both sausages were rather tasty. They had plenty of flavor in each bite and were served hot and freshly prepared. There was also a huge difference in taste between the two meats, which I appreciated. I'm curious to try the other sausages now, the lamb in particular. The baguette was hot and toasty, tasting as though it had just been made that day. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for fresh baguettes; I would eat anything on that bread. I really kind of liked how sausage tastes on a baguette- it's not something I normally find myself in the position to try.
While I enjoyed the meal overall, I was somewhat disappointed with the sauces. I had tried three different ones, but they all tasted fairly similar. Sure, there were some slight differences in seasoning and aftertaste, but not really enough to make me care. They must all have the same base ingredients or something, because not a single sauce really stood out. The choice of meat is really what determines the taste of your meal here. That being said, I would have also liked the sausage to be a big bigger. For $4.50 a sausage, I would expect it to be plump, but it wasn't really any thicker than your standard hot dog.
Dogmatic also has homemade sodas, which I did not try. In retrospect, that was a poor decision; they're probably pretty good.
All in all, I had a tasty and unique experience at Dogmatic. I don't really know anywhere else to eat sausage and baguettes. So if you're in the mood to try something different, give Dogmatic a shot.
You can check out their website at http://eatdogmatic.com/
-Chris
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