Good Eats in NYC

So, yes, it’s been a while since we got back from NYC, but I’ve been enjoying my family being here so much that I haven’t had time to edit my pictures and write anything about the trip! But enough is enough.. the world deserves to know how amazing the eats are in The Big Apple!

While we were there, all we did was eat. We would eat breakfast, walk around until we were ready for lunch, eat, then walk around till we were hungry for dinner and dessert and eat again. It. Was. AWESOME!

So what did we eat, you may ask? Here’s a round up of all the goods!

Alice’s Tea Cup: This restaurant will make you nostalgic for your youth! We dined on: Mango black tea, ham and cheese scones, scone benedict with a potato and chicken hash. Be sure to get there early or call ahead for reservations- they get busy! We made it in on a Friday and only had a 15 minute wait, but the small, Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant doesn’t have much space.

Buddakan: You may remember this long table from Carrie’s rehearsal dinner in the Sex and the City movie! We visited and absolutely LOVED the atmosphere and the food, of course! We ate a sampling of five different appetizer plates (BBQ spare ribs, spring rolls, sticky buns with pork belly, beef lettuce cups, General Tso’s dumplings) and three desserts (coconut cake with mango gel and coconut ice cream, almond bread pudding and a peanut butter ice cream pie). The appetizer plates were more than enough, and came out at staggered times, so there was always food coming and everything we ate was delicious!

Brunch at Aspen Social Club: This was a little gem in the heart of Times Square, which really surprised me because of what a good deal brunch was. For only $25, we enjoyed unlimited mimosas and Bloddy Mary’s PLUS our choice of a huge breakfast off the menu. I got the Denver Omelet, with a side salad and potatoes and toast, and Cele got a delish french toast.

Lunch at Little Muenster’s: This is a gourmet grilled cheese shop, but it’s oh-so-much more than that! I just enjoyed a bowl of Tomato Basil soup, and Mr. R had a Patty La Frieda Melt, which was a short rib & dry aged, 2 year Grafton cheese sandwich. It’s a little pricey, but super cute and tasty. There were only 2 tables in the restaurant, so don’t come with a big group!

Big Gay Ice Cream: What a FUN place! Big Gay Ice Cream literally has a line around the corner every time you come by, and of course, because the ice cream is TO DIE FOR! The Salty Pimp is their most popular flavor, and it consists of salted carmel lining the bottom of an ice cream cone, with vanilla ice cream and chocolate, and a little more carmel. Mmm mmm mmmm!

The General: The General is a great spot for some gourmet doughnuts (and more!) We split the following flavors: Coffee, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. They were literally covered in the cereal, and had a cream filling inside. SO GOOD!!

Pies -n- Thighs: Pies -n- Thighs is NYC’s take on a southern meal. There was fried chicken, buscuits, collard greens and black eyed peas, plus we had an amazing bourbon pecan pie! It’s a bit of a drive (or subway ride) to Brooklyn, but definitely worth it for the experience! They open at 5, so get there early!

Rice to Riches: THIS is probably my favorite stop from the trip. I’m not even lying, I had a dream I was eating this rice pudding again last night. Basically, it’s a fro-yo bar (which is all the rage right now) but instead of yogurt, it’s rice pudding. There were at least 30 flavors of rice pudding, plus you get to mix and match and add toppings. It was amazing!!! We had Coconut and Almond, which was a great pairing!

Baked By Melissa: Baked by Melissa is the cutest little thing ever! It’s a bakery that only sells bite-sized tiny cupcakes, but having one definitely left me wanting more! I had a pina colada flavored cupcake here!

El Rio Grande: This restaurant provided me with an amazing taste of home with some authentic Mexican food (and YELLOW cheese!!!) They even make their guacamole tableside, so you can see the waiter cut up the avocados, onions and more. You know how fresh it is!

So tell me, what looks like the place you’d want to try most?

XO,

Amanda