In which I overdo it (a bit)

The Time Out New York 100 Best Things We Have Eaten and Drank this year is one of my personal challenges. In that, I would like to try everything on it. What makes it even more challenging is that I have 2008's list in my wallet, shrunken down to a smaller size as well as 2007's list. I'm making my way through it, slowly but surely. But you really have to make an adamant effort to get to certain neighborhoods, since some of the foods just aren't around them. One of those is the Lower East Side. There are a TON of great restaurants on the LES. Most of the time, if you just walk into one, it will most likely satisfy. However, for those living in Central Harlem, the LES isn't the most convenient destination. On Sunday night, Rohit and I attempted to scratch off three of the top foods and drinks to be had in NYC. Our first stop was Macondo, a place I have eyed before when getting off the F train. In the summers, this breezy place resembles some of the surfer shack type bars I saw in Costa Rica, with their garage doors open to the passing breeze and the cocktails strong and cheap. We stopped to sample the Aguacate + Mezcal, a frozen concoction made of honey, avocado, agave nectar, midori, cointreau, lime juice, and scorpion mezcal. Always a little wary of frozen drinks, I was a bit hesitant. But, boy, was this unreal. It had the sweetness of something that goes down wayy too easy, yet the subtlety of something made with class. We also sampled the Maracuya + Vodka, a bright orange cocktail with flecks of jalepeno, passionfruit, sobieski, canton ginger liquor and lime juice, which was actually my preferred drink, even though it technically did not make it onto the TONY 100. See? Sometimes they aren't always right! We shared some fried oysters pressed with panka crumbs and a poblano-cilantro sauce. Delectable. Even though we'd planned on hitting Clinton Street, I got a little greedy and we ordered the Almondegas, a Brazilian meatball made with guave sauce and tetilla cheese. Melt-in-your-mouth. I was rather impressed by the tastes we had and would certainly come back here for dinner, provided we could sit at the window bar as we did on this particularly balmy Sunday afternoon. After quaffing a bit, we headed to Frankie's Spuntino.

Even though Frankie's is not on the TONY 100, this is another example of when I think it should be. The restaurant is adorable. It's small, dark, and seems like it could be someone's personal kitchen. We sat at small wooden tables and shared the Frankies’ Greens with Cipollini Onion Cider Vinaigrette, the Roasted Cauliflower and their signature dish, the Home-made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter. Heaven is a place on earth. That dish should definitely be on the list of best things they have eaten all year. Perhaps it has been in the past? After another bottle of wine (I was reeling at this point), we walked to Cake Shop, which boasts vegan desserts and live music. We didn't stay for the latter, but picked up a pumpkin whoopie pie and the peanut butter bomb. Peanut butter? Chocolate ganache? As Joey says on Friends, "Put your hands together." Nothing could be better. I'm usually not a fan of the whipped cream, but on Whoopie Pies, there is no cutting corners. Although I was sated to the brim, of course I dug in.

Two days later, we were seeing a movie and I shopped around for a pre-movie picnic. The mission was to stick to the TONY 100 list yet again. This time, I hiked across town to Sullivan Street Bakery, which is no longer on Sullivan Street, but on W 47th Street between 10th and 11th aves. It was a rather annoying hike, but I knew that Jim Lahey wouldn't displease me. I have had the pizza bianca before, but not recently enough that it counts, and certainly not recently enough to qualify for the TONY 100. I grabbed a slice of that ($2) and took advantage of the being in Hell's Kitchen to purchase a piece of pistachio baklava from Gazala Place, which I thought was rather outrageously priced at $6. Hopping on the 6 train, I ended up at Amsterdam Ave between 84th and 83rd streets, where I had called Flor de Mayo ahead to order a pollo a la brasa, a whole roasted chicken, Peruvian style. After picking up the succulent bird, I headed down Amsterdam Ave towards Levain Bakery, to grab one of their famous chocolate chip walnut cookies. Finally, my arms weighed down by the chicken, pizza bianca, and baklava, my final TONY 100 stop for the day was Salumeria Rosi, for their unparalleled proscuitto. I was told to keep the proscuitto out of the sun so as not to let it dry up. With a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, the picnic was complete.

Setting everything out on a table (we sat at the island where Amsterdam Avenue, Broadway and 66th street intersect) and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. Part of my character is this weird obsession with checking things off lists. Whether it's making lists of books that I read, movies I watch or best things to eat in NYC, I feel compelled to fulfill all of them. I don't know how healthy this is going to be for me in the long run, but for now, my box-checking obsession on the TONY 100 (including both years 2008 and 2007) are shaping up to be very, very tasty.