A Trip to Queens and Central Asia

Bukharian Jews lived in Uzbekistan in Central Asia on the spice route, so the seasonings in their food are complex and satisfying. These mantu (meat-filled dumplings) are from Salute in the New York City borough of Queens.  It is located in a neighborhood filled with amazing kosher and non kosher food providers with Russian, Middle East and Central Asian specialties ranging from pickled vegetables, cured meats, savory and sweet pastries to cheeses and much, much more. 

A Smorgsaburg in Brooklyn -- NYC Photo of the Day

With 100 or so vendors of all kinds of international treats all around me, what did I choose?  The fries from the Bolivian stand.  And they were great tossed with garlic, cilantro and Parmesan cheese and served with cilantro sauce. Several Smorgsaburg locations throughout the great counties of Kings and Queens depending on day and season.  This one was at the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge Park. 

For more info check out the Smorgsaburg website.

NYC Photo of the Day -- Coffee Soda

Think of the Manhattan Special as the Red Bull of its day, which goes back to 1895. Cold, sweet and intense, this espresso soda fueled many NYU study hours for me.  Now available in diet, which does help with the post drink jitters, it still is an acquired taste.  It is thick and syrupy, very coffee flavored, sweet and slightly carbonated.  Pretty much everything I like in one small bottle.  The Manhattan Special makes regular iced coffee seem like it's for sissies.

I've only ever seen this in New York.  It might exist elsewhere but to me it's something I can only drink when I'm in a New York frame of mind.

Update: BevMo carries the regular non-diet version.

Pizza of My Heart -- NYC Photo of the Day

Yes, this happened. This specimen is from Bleecker Street Pizza near where we ar staying. 

Great crust and texture, dry sausage. I'd go back but try a different topping. 

NYC Photo of The Day -- Lebanese "Pizza"

These flatbreads covered with meat, tomatoes and onion are the work of  Manousheh on Bleecker Street in the West Village.  The staff was great, the oven roaring hot and the flatbreads crispy and tasty.

A quick dinner on the go after we sprinkled Aleppo peppers and squirted house made hot sauce on top before we took off to see Post Modern Jukebox in concert.

NYC Food Photo of the Day -- Breakfast on a Roll

This photo is of what for me symbolizes the on-the-run, to-go breakfast of New York, a hard roll (known as a kaiser roll), split, buttered and stuffed with freshly fried eggs.  Ideally wrapped in waxed paper and quickly shoved in a paper bag, it is the deli and coffee shop breakfast of my young adulthood. Perfect with a cardboard cup of java to go.

This is the first in a series of (almost) daily (mostly) food photos of my month-long visit to the Big Apple and environs.