BLOGHUNGRY

SuperMac - New York

I have long been at odds with restaurants who promise a good Mac and Cheese only to serve up something yellow and eggy with overcooked pasta and no flavor. That said I love the idea of a restaurant dedicated solely to making macaroni and cheese. I just wish they could some with a stronger and more complex flavors.

Food: Mediocre Mac and Cheese in 12 varieties. First I tried the four Cheese with whole wheat pasta and bread crumbs with was severely average. Then I had the Cheeseburger Mac which as a slightly more homemade version Hamburger Helper. Both types surprisingly tasted better after sitting in my fridge overnight.

Atmosphere: Pinkberry meets the Pasta Roni aisle

Bloghungry Rating: B-

SuperMac
348 Seventh Ave.,
New York, NY 10001 
(212) 760-1900

Grimaldi's - New York

New York is not known for their customer service, and for good reason. I grew up in the south where people talk slow and bend over backwards to make sure you are well fed. In New York you are herded, yelled at, and made to fight to order your food. Despite my misgivings, Grimaldi's pizza was worth a little effort.

Food: Italy meets California in Brooklyn. Grimaldi's serves fresh dials of mozzarella, basil, and tomato sauce on thin but soft crust with crispy edges. It’s tasty and surprisingly light for New York pizza.

Atmosphere: There are no reservations or Fast Passes for this over-hyped pizza joint. To eat inside is to wait in an endless line to get yelled at by an old Italian man and pushed into whatever corner they can cram you into. Your best bet is to call in an order and take it back to your place or at the nearby pier.

Bloghungry Rating: B+

Grimaldi's
19 Old Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 858.4300

Serendipity - New York

Serendipity is so deeply rooted is a corny pop culture cliche that I had to go. The number of times they've been on the Food Network for that $1,000 Ice Cream Sundae or Frozen Hot Chocolate is enough to make a grown man cry... or change the channel. However, it's a great place for John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale to fall in love or for rich little girls to eat ice cream with their grandfathers in movies.

Food: I was warned by a few people that the actual food was terrible and to only order dessert. So, I ordered a Frozen Hot Chocolate and a Hot Fudge Sundae. The Frozen Hot Chocolate tasted like a powdered hot chocolate in milkshake form and was both brilliant and trashy. The hot fudge sundae was huge and tasty, but the fudge was room temp. and clearly from a can (Shame on you Serendipity).

Atmosphere: The kitsch that time forgot circa 1994 (two words: dust & update)

Bloghungry Rating: B-

Serendipity
225 East 60th Street
between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
New York, NY 10022

Sun-Thur 11:30am to midnight

Friday 11:30am to 1:00am
Saturday 11:30am to 2:00am

Rice to Riches - New York

 

Forget everything you thought you knew about rice pudding. I have never really been a fan of it in the past, but this is no ordinary rice pudding. Rice to Riches' rice pudding is officially my favorite dessert in New York and will no doubt take over the rest of the country and the world soon.

The Food: Over 20 different flavors of Rice Pudding based in a cool, rich, and flavorful custardy texture. I tried the Caramel, Cheesecake, and Rum Raisin flavors and would happily to est a tub of any of them. You can mix flavors or add toppings too, but why mess with perfection.

The Atmosphere: Pink Berry meets Instructo Art

Bloghungry Rating: A+

Rice to Riches
37 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
(
212) 274-0008

Billy's Bakery - New York

The rumors about Billy's bakery spawning from the disgruntled creator of Magnolia Bakery who has since had a sex change is a little more tantalizing than their baked goods, but Billy's Ice box cake is still pretty great.

Food: Billy's bakery serves classic cakes, cupcakes, and pies with slightly modern presentations. I tried the Icebox cake and the Banana cake. The Icebox cake was soft and moist with layers of deliciously subtle chocolate cookie and vanilla creaminess. The banana cake was a little dry with more baking powder than banana flavor and a lackluster cream cheese frosting.

Atmosphere: A straight-friendly gaykery evoking the charming nostalgia of the year 2000

Bloghungry Rating: B-

Billy's Bakery
184 9th Avenue
NYC, 10011
(212) 647-9956

Baked - New York

I love the look and feel of Baked. It's probably the best designed bakery in New York. Unfortunately their baked goods are just average.

Food: Brownies, cakes, cupcakes, whoopie pies, and homemade marshmallows. I tried the Chocolate and Mocha Buttercream sandwich cookie and a Salted Brownie. The buttercream was a little waxy with a lacked flavor and the brownie was crying out for more fudgy saltiness.

Atmosphere: Mod Mountain Lodge Chic

Bloghungry Rating: B-

Baked
359 Van Brunt Street
Brooklyn, New York 11231
Tel: 718.222.0345

Babycakes - New York

 
Usually “easier to digest” is not something I am looking for in a cupcake, but I have to say the smelly hippies and lesbians are really onto something. With some mystical vegan powers Babycakes is trying to reclaim the dying art of cupcake making. Theirs was easily the best cupcake I had in New York.

Food: Vegan cupcakes with your choice of gluten free and spelt varieties. I had a vanilla spelt cupcake and it was filled with a rich complexity of flavor that I have never tasted in a cupcake before. they aren't exactly sweet, but they have depth.

Atmosphere: Earthy Hipster Mommy and Me Bake Sale

Bloghungry Rating: A

Babycakes
248 Broome St.
New York, NY 10002 

(212) 677-5047

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery - New York

 

Everything in the bakery is cheap which is exciting until you realize that you get what you pay for. After touring a handful of bakeries in the area, it became clear that this one wasn't up to snuff.

Food: I had a pistachio cupcake. It was subtle in flavor, a little dry, and topped with a filmy and whipped sad excuse for frosting. I took 2 bites and decided not to finish it.

The Atmosphere: Hipster Kindergarten Bake Sale

Bloghungry Rating: D+

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
126 Rivington St., NY, NY 10002
(212) 995-1960

Three Tarts - New York

Discovered while looking for coffee after our flight in, Three Tarts became Bloghungry's favorite overall bakery in New York. Note to the Magnolia Clone Nazis: Any bakery worth it's salt should offer more than just one type of baked good and should have their own spin on everything they serve. Three Tarts is a fudgy orange brownie in a world full of dry and bland cupcakes.

The Food: They offer a collection of cookies, brownies, tarts and "petite treats" that are bordering on frou-frou, but looked and tasted great. I had a dark fudgy brownie topped with a thin slice of candied orange. It was probably the best brownie I have ever had, which is saying a lot given the time it took me to find my own favorite brownie recipe.

The Atmosphere: Small but cute bakery meets boutique. If the word "shop" was in the title it would definitely be spelled "shoppe"

Bloghungry Rating: A

Three Tarts
164 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 462-4392

Hours:
Tue-Sat 11am-8pm
Sun 12pm-6pm

BH in New York

Bloghungry is making his first trip to New York this week with Popmuse. We will be pretty busy on our trip, but I have opted to forgo any tourist foolishness to eat the best of what New York food has to offer. My concept is New York street food. I want the best bagel, the best pizza, the best bakery, etc.. Please help a brother out with some suggestions.