Cupcake Crew

There are few people who can say they’ve never had a cupcake.  Birthday parties, bake sales or my favorite excuse…Just Because! But I can assure you, you’ve never had cupcakes like the ones from the newest food truck, Cupcake Crew.­ They may have the typical flavors like chocolate cake with vanilla icing but it is their new and unique flavor combinations that they are using to make a name for themselves.  I have made numerous trips to the Cupcake Crew truck and have had a lot of their flavors so I cannot tell you about each and every one.  But take my word and if I haven’t mentioned a specific flavor that you were hoping for, that doesn’t mean it isn’t available.

One thing that really helps Cupcake Crew stand apart is their offering of both regular and mini size cupcakes.  The minis are the perfect bite of cupcake; well balanced with the perfect amount of icing to cake.  And just to stress how good these cupcakes are, I don’t just pop it in my mouth to enjoy.  I take my time.  At least 2 or three bites to really let all of the flavors soak in.  Don’t even get me started on how long it takes me to eat a regular size cupcake.  The flavors are so delicate but also spot on.  I honestly have not had a cupcake that I haven’t enjoyed.  And if I haven’t given you enough reasons yet to hunt down the truck, I just hosted a party at my office which was catered with 3 dozen minis from Cupcake Crew.  Every single one of my coworkers fell instantly in love and can’t wait to find the truck and introduce their friends and family to them.

The Cupcakes:

Banana Hummingbird, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Almond Joy, Fluffernutter, Cookies N’ Cream, Boston Cream and who could forget Cousin Vinny.  This list doesn’t even begin to do the overwhelming menu justice.  I make sure that I check Twitter every day to see what new flavors are available.  Of course there are the standards like Chocolate w/ Vanilla icing or Red Velvet (and these are also deliciously amazing) but that is not why I go back over and over. 

I can’t go into describing the intricate nature of each cupcake but take my word, I know cupcakes….and these are amazing.  If you get to the truck and any of the options for that day contain the peanut butter icing, GET IT.  This isn’t a fake, over-processed flavoring.  This is the real deal.  My absolute favorite cupcake to date is the Fluffernutter: Vanilla cake with PB icing.  But it doesn’t end there.  You’re asking where’s the fluff?  It is injected INTO the cupcake.  I know! I can’t believe it either!  One of my other suggestions would be the Cookies N’ Cream.  Bits of Oreo cookies mixed into the cake batter become soft to the bite but filled with great flavor.  Interested in the Cousin Vinny?  I was too…but what is the fun in giving away all of the fun secrets.  Track down the truck and check it out!  I’ll give you a hint…Think cannoli.

And to make the whole experience even better is that the man behind all of these delicious cupcakes, Frankie, is so friendly and so excited to be handing out these treats that you really feel great about the whole transaction.  Sure, you’re paying him, but I can guarantee that if you ran into him on the street you’d receive the same reaction.  There is truly a passion and you can taste it.

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Cupcake Crew

Website: www.CupcakeCrew.com

Twitter: @CupcakeCrewNYC
Facebook: Cupcake Crew

Swich Wholesome Sandwich Company

A quick plug before we start because I would never have found this place without the Scoutmob iPhone app. Scoutmob is a great website offering so many amazing deals at locations throughout the city. The deal that drew me into Swich was 50% Off! Check out www.scoutmob.com and start saving!



Swich Wholesome Sandwich Co is located in Chelsea on 8th Ave. I know what you're thinking though, Another sandwich shop?! But my answer to you is No…this is not just another whole in the wall that has some coldcuts behind the counter with day old vegetables. Swich is all about fresh, healthy, and most importantly, delicious sandwiches. I have been there twice so far and each sandwich has been satisfying and doesn't leave me walking away with that "I shouldn't have eaten that" feeling.



Picture a Subway that only had fresh ingredients. There are no paper cups of precut "meat" sitting on the counter hoping somebody picks them. But much like Subway, the ordering is an assembly line. First, choose your bread. (Ciabatta [reg or lg], 7-grain baguette [reg or lg] or Sliced whole wheat) Next, chose your protein or select one of their pre-arranged sandwich selections. Finally, you can add a variety of vegetables; some of which are slightly more money.




On my first visit, I selected The Hippie: Grilled Chicken, avocado, sprouts and a Citrus Vinaigrette. The chicken is pulled from it's steamy bath of broth and goodness and arranged on my large ciabatta. This is real, juicy pieces of chicken; nothing frozen…nothing unrecognizable. That alone, looked ready to devour, but they weren't done. When slicing the avocado, there was a sensation of caring. They didn't just throw 2 slices on the bread and continue on. Each, of the numerous, slices were carefully arranged on the bread to guarantee each bite would be equally delicious. I also chose to add some lettuce and red onion. The mound of sprouts that followed added the perfect balance of green to the unsaturated sandwich. Finished with a squeeze of the citrus vinaigrette and my sandwich was ready to consume. You can make it a combo by adding chips and a drink or throw some soup in to enjoy.

The Hippie was delicious. You can really taste all of the fresh, natural ingredients. The flavors all combine perfectly to really make you feel like you're eating something healthy. All orders are served with a complimentary offering of lemon-mint edamame.


If you're a fan of edamame like I am, these are a must eat! If you've never had or don't like edamame…these are a MUST EAT! I like to save mine to the end as a crisp palette cleanser.




My next visit led me to The Mexicana: Roast Beef, Avocado, Cilantro, Jalepeños and Citrus Vinaigrette. (Once again on a large ciabatta.) the roast beef was taken out from where it is stored dry and dunked and submerged into a hot bath of jus and deliciousness. After a minute or so, it comes out of it's bath and is piled upon the bread. The jalepeños are arranges with such perfection that there is a spicy blanket on top of the roast beef. As with the Hippie, the avocado is next up. Because I loved them so much on my first sandwich, I added some sprouts next. Finally, a few pieces of cilantro top the sandwich.




The jalepeños added a strong kick that is kept under control by the cooling avocado. there isn't much to say about this sandwich other than, I can't wait to go back. The creators of these sandwiches have really found a happy balance of their ingredients and offer up such a large selection that it will be a long time before I have to repeat a lunch.

As I was finishing up my sandwich and licking my lips I saw signs for their "famous" banana lemonade. You heard me right…but it sounded like something I couldn't get anywhere else so I opted for a cup to go.


Wow! Sweet and tart but neither of which is more powerful than the other. It was the perfect drink for the unnaturally warm day.

The biggest regret I have about Swich is that it took too long for me to discover it! It is really too far for me to walk to on my lunch breaks so once the weather gets bad and the rollerblades go away, so will my sandwiches; I'm just out of delivery range. But rest assured, I will be taking full advantage for as long as I can.

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Swich Wholesome Sandwich Co.
Address: 104 8th Ave (@ 15th St), New York, NY
Website: www.SwichWholesome.com

The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

I had been hearing all about the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck since I got interested in the NYC food trucks. My biggest problem was that he never came close enough to work for me to realistically eat lunch, get there and back on my 1 hour lunch break. So I always just hoped that one day I would magically come across it. But then I learned on Twitter that the BGICT shuts down for the Winter months. I know I shouldn't have been so surprised but it made me realize that if I was going to try this ice cream, I needed to make it happen.

It was a gorgeous day so I put my rollerblades on at work. I didn't really have any plans that day for lunch but I flew downtown on Broadway. I reluctantly grabbed a small sandwich at some little shop not worth mentioning and sat down at one of the little tables facing the beautiful Flatiron building. With my sandwich done and time to kill, I popped open my Twitter and much to my surprise, the BGICT was just a fee blocks away on Broadway & 17th Street!! That wasn't going to be a problem, especially on my rollerblades. I've been hearing stories and tweets about this truck and expected a big extravagant vehicle with rainbows and unicorns and jelly beans dancing with lollipops. I have no idea why…at all! I turned the corner and there it was; a small white ice cream truck like you have seen since childhood. The only difference was the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck logo on the side panel.





The line wasn't too bad, with 3 people in front of me, I had time to take in all of the amazing and unique menu items. Varying from olive oil & sea salt to blood orange infused balsamic syrup, I had a big decision to make. I had one shot at greatness for the next day was closing day! Without notice, I was next! Scanning all of the different pictures along the side of the truck I finally see something that I cannot say no to: Vanilla ice cream with Dulce de Leche & ground Nilla wafers. "I'd like a Bea Arthur, please!"





A squeeze bottle of Dulce de Leche starts off the party inside of the cone. Next, a swirling tower of vanilla ice cream grows. Now everyone pay attention, this is where the magic happens.


The squeeze bottle makes another appearance; shoved into the ice cream and slowly drawn out and up creating pinstripes of deliciousness. This process is used around the entire circumference of the cone with such random precision. The whole thing then gets a bath in ground Nilla Wafers and placed into my eagerly awaiting hands. I find a spot across the street to sit down and partake in this coned creation.



Let me tell you, words cannot describe how incredible this ice cream was. The Nilla wafers were so light and packed with vanilla flavor. The dusting also created such a great texture in my mouth when mixed with the rich and creamy ice cream. Don't think I forgot about the pinstripes of joy! The Dulce de Leche was thick and sweet and sticky and the perfect balance to the wafers and ice cream.


You don't hear this very often but Bea Arthur had totally made my day! Unfortunately, Bea Arthur also made me late for work! But it was worth it.

Let it be known now, the day the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck rolls out into the city next year, you will be sure to find me in line; waiting to try the newest creation.

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The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck
Website: www.BigGayIceCreamTruck.com
Twitter: @biggayicecream
Facebook: The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

Rice Pudding from Frites 'N' Meats

By now, especially if you follow me on Twitter, you know my love of the guys and food at Frites 'N' Meats. My weekly burgers have only gotten better since I have been sampling the Burger of the Week. But as amazing as the burgers have been, there is another hidden gem within the yellow truck. Typically I am not one to get dessert after lunch. Usually just after dinner…or breakfast. :-) But when I learned that there was rice pudding available, I could not resist.

Offered with and without a dusting of cinnamon, the generous portion of rice pudding is the perfect way to cleanse your palette after a Frites 'N' Meats burger.



The pudding is thick and creamy and the cinnamon adds a powerful punch to make sure the sweetness doesn't get out of control.


The rice is cooked perfectly; not mushy but not too firm that you're picking it out of your teeth. Now I usually don't talk about price but this beautiful dessert is only $3.00! This isn't a little tasting portion either. When it comes to Frites 'N' Meats, there is no holding back. I highly recommend tracking down this truck and grab a burger, fries and of course a container of rice pudding.

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Frites 'N' Meats
Website: www.fritesnmeats.com
Twitter: @Fritesnmeats

Cooking at Home - Pad Thai

Recently, my wife picked up the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. Slowly, we've been trying it out. Last night we made Chicken Pad Thai.

It was summer break from college when my wife (girlfriend at the time) gave me a tour of her favorite places in Manhattan. One stop was a restaurant called Lemongrass; a little whole in the wall that was dimly lit and had a very authentic feel. This was my first experience with Thai food. We made numerous trips to Lemongrass in the following years until it was taken over by a more modern Japanese Fusion place. The food is still good but just not the same.

Ever since then, my wife and I always try out various Thai places and dishes but one of our favorites will always be Pad Thai. We had attempts making it once before while in college but let's just say that day ended with my wife spending a few hours in the ER. Thankfully, our second attempt went a lot smoother. The recipe called for shrimp but we swapped that out for a combination of chicken and tofu. We had to get some of the other ingredients from a local Asian food market such as the tamarind paste, rice noodles & fish sauce but some supermarkets do carry those items. Side note: If you've never used tamarind paste before, it is a very interesting food.

If you go to make this dish, be forewarned… prep everything first. The cookbook even warns that the dish comes together very fast once you start. So be prepared otherwise you'll be scrambling all over the kitchen. Now let's cut to the chase; how did it come out? Actually pretty good. I don't mean to sound so skeptical but I had over cooked the rice noodles and the overwhelming power that the rice vinegar was hard to shake. But my mom, wife and I all really enjoyed it and left the table quite satisfied.






You'll start to notice that a lot of the pictures of our dinners are in this big black bowl. That's frankly because we don't really have anything else that size. Plus, I think it adds a nice contrast against the food. Don't you? :-)

Garbage Plates from Nick Tahou

This past weekend I was up in Rochester, NY for a friend's wedding.  The drive was long but the one thing that kept me going strong was the memory of a magical food known only to the locals.  It was time for me to share the greatness known as a Garbage Plate with my wife and friend for the first time.  I was first introduced to garbage plates when I was in college in Syracuse. I used to visit a friend who went to RIT and he took me out one night. A little worried by the name, my friend assured me that it was good and not to let the name scare me.

What is it?
The garbage plate is a mix of a few different types of food, all thrown together into one heaping plate.  First you'll need to choose what type of garbage plate you want.  Your choices are: Cheeseburger, Italian Sausage, Hamburger, Grilled Cheese, Red Hot Dog, Fried Ham, White Hot Dog, Fish Fry, Chicken or Veggie Plate. My friend and I went with the Cheeseburger and my wife ordered the Chicken.  Your next choice is the sides.  There are a few opinions online about what and how many sides to get but the safe bet is to go with two.  The options are Home Fries, French Fries, Macaroni Salad and Baked Beans.  The three of us got the Home Fries and Macaroni Salad.  Last but not least, you need a topping: Mustard, Onions and Hot Sauce (This is not your typical tobasco type sauce.  It is more like a beef chili and interestingly enough, it isn't spicy).  I recommend getting all three toppings unless you have a serious aversion to something.  All of this goodness is piled together for your enjoyment and served with a side of bread and butter.

As weird as some of these combinations may sound, a garbage plate from Nick Tahou is a must try if you're ever in the area.  The hot cheeseburger paties mixed with the cool macaroni salad and spicy brown mustard is just a great combination.  I cannot wait for my next excuse to head to Rochester for another garbage plate.  Hmmmmm, you know, it is ONLY a five hour drive...

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Nick Tahoe Hots
Website: www.garbageplate.com

320 W. Main St.

Rochester, NY 14608

585-436-0184

3070 West Henrietta Rd.

Rochester, NY 14623

585-272-1182

Cooking at Home - Beef Empanadas

Before I start off, I've decided that for the posts I put up about food I've made at home, I will not be posting the recipes. Not to keep them secret but more for the readability of the blog. If at any point somebody would like the recipe for a meal, please comment on this page or on the new Facebook page and I will gladly give that out. Along those lines, if anybody has a favorite recipe they think I should try, please let me know.

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A few weeks ago, my wife and I made empanadas. This was definitely a learning as we go meal. A few notes to start off. We baked them, not fried. Also, we had no idea what we were doing. :-) All that aside, they actually came out pretty good.

Although, a little time consuming to make, I can't wait to take what we've learned making these and try again soon. The filling was very bold and delicious. The most prominent flavors came from the beef, eggs & green olives. Our crust was a little thick, but very flaky with a strong buttery flavor. My wife thought a little too buttery but if we don't make it as thick, it will probably be better.




The only thing that was really missing was a sauce of some sort. I had a somosa from an Indian restaurant near work that came with a thick plum curry sauce. Maybe I'll try something like that.

Souvlaki GR

 I started out my lunch break, like I usually do, with a tweet to the truck that I am going to visit that day. Like most of the food trucks, Souvlaki GR does not really come close to my work, so it was another 32 block walk roundtrip for me. As I turned the corner, I stopped to take my necessary photo of the truck when I hear "Are you Mike?!" Amazing! (I forgot that even know my Twitter name is TheArtofCorbo that it shows my full name too) Abby introduced herself to me and we chatted a little more about my hike to see them and it really made me admire the Souvlaki GR truck. It isn't just about mass-producing food to make a buck. It was about making friendships out of customers who will be sure to return again, and maybe even bring a friend. It doesn't hurt that their food is incredibly delicious too! No wonder why they won a 2010 Vendy Award for "Rookie of the Year."

I have only really had souvlaki from one other place in the city; Uncle Nick's Greek Cuisine, 747 Ninth Avenue. I would place an order on the phone, go to the bank & walk over to the restaurant. I would then still have to wait 10 minutes or so for my order to be filled. The pitas were delicious but the meat was always overcooked (no wonder it took so long) and the other ingredients were just thrown together inside the pita. Nothing tasted fresh and there was definitely no care behind their food. It was also way too expensive for the quality of food. It almost made me give up on souvlaki until I heard about the Souvlaki GR truck on Twitter. The problem was, it was never close. Always coming near at night when I was on my way home to my wife and dinner. But then, one magical day, they announced they were open for lunch at 21st & 6th! I left the lunch I had brought to work that day in the fridge and headed out to see if they could change my mind.

I have made a few trips to the Souvlaki truck so far I have only tried two of their menu items: the Chicken Souvlaki Pita & the Pork Souvlaki Pita. You start with a warm pita that was fluffy and not greasy at all. Inside is the meat of your choice, red onion, tomatoes (which I don't get), tzatziki sauce and french fries. You heard me...FRENCH FRIES inside the pita! This is all wrapped tightly into rolls for a tasty treat to eat on the go.

Where do I start on what makes these so good? The meat is cooked perfectly. I usually get one of each when I go. Everything is cooked to order so don't expect to walk up, order and go. They only take a few minutes so hang out, listen to the music they play and let the anticipation build. It is WELL worth the wait. Usually I am not a fan of red onion but they people at Souvlaki truck have done it right. They don't pile on half an onion but instead just a few little slices. The sharp flavor really cuts through and is not overpowering at all.

As I was enjoying my first ever chicken souvlaki, I took a bite that was filled with this amazing and unexpected flavor...was that a french fry? I was so excited to have gotten my pitas that I completely forgot about these hidden secrets inside! Let me tell you, the french fries may sound out of place but they pull the entire flavor profile together. They are soft and salty and adds a beautiful compliment to all of the other ingredients. Do not take these guys for granted. As if this doesn't sound good enough already, everything is finally finished off with their tzatziki sauce. This tangy yogurt sauce is incredible. So good, in fact, that I actually ate some of the wrapper! I need to bottle this and put it on everything.

I can't wait to go back and try some of the other menu items but it will be hard not to get a souvlaki pita to go with it.

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Souvlaki GR

Website: www.souvlakigr.com/

Twitter: @souvlakitruck
Facebook: Souvlaki GR

Cooking at home - Fried Oreos

In addition to my various restaurant & food truck visits, I would also like to use this blog to talk about what my wife and I are making at home. We are married for about a year and a half now and we love to cook. So we tend to grab a cookbook or just look inside the fridge and see what we can do. I haven't really decided on what to write about though. Just telling you I made a delicious meal doesn't really benefit the reader. Or does it? I've also considered throwing up the recipes for some of the dishes. Is there any interest in that? Being I am still trying to figure that all out, I chose a very simple, yet delicious first posting: Fried Oreos. So many times, I've been to fairs or festivals that have offered up this tasty treat and it wasn't until our honeymoon, at our favorite restaurant, that we had our first fried Oreo dessert. It was incredible! Ever since, agendas we had the opportunity, we took a moment to enjoy the fried goodness. If you've never had a fried Oreo, I highly recommend it. The cream becomes just the slightest bit melted while surrounded by a warm chocolate cookie which is finally engulfed in a batter and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sounds good, right?!

So one night my wife and I decided that we didn't have to wait for the next state fair, we could do it ourselves. Basically, it is just an Oreo dipped in pancake batter and then lightly fried in oil. Although I don't have the exact recipe on me at the moment, you can take your favorite pancake mix and go to town. I would recommend making it a little thinner than the recipe calls for though. The most important step is to make sure your oil is very hot. If the oil is too cold, the oil won't cause the steam necessary which will ultimately allows more oil to seep into your cookie. That would not only be more unhealthy but would also taste pretty bad. I counted roughly 5-6 seconds on each side for a nice golden brown. I used a pair of cooking chopsticks for the flipping and a metal slotted spoon for extracting.


Place the recently fried Oreos onto a cooling rack over a cookie sheet to allow them to cool evenly and not sit in any excess oil. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy! These shouldn't be mouth burning hot but be careful. They are best served right away so don't make too many too fast or you will end up with a pile of wasted Oreos.


Enjoy!

Food Parc

When one of the creative minds behind iconic films such as Tron and Blade Runner teams up with some of the city's top culinary talents you get Food Parc. Located only a few blocks from Penn Station, this modern take on a food court is perfect for Midtown Westers such as myself. I've made two visits so far, the second one with my wife, and I've tried to cover as much as I could, but there are still many more trips needed to cover everything. So consider this posting as Part 1 and stay tuned for future endeavors to this land of deliciousness.

Food Court?!
Food Parc is made up of 4 different restaurants: Red Farm Stand, Bacon Burgers Beer (3Bs), Fornetti & The Press.

Ordering
If you want to get the full experience of Food Parc, you need to pay with your credit card. Don't worry, if you can't or don't want to you can pay cash but you do miss out on the fun of playing with touch screens. They are almost impossible to miss. Besides the one wall dedicated to these monitors, there are also a couple randomly placed through the room. Just walk up, say how many people you have in your party, and start scrolling through the full menus for all 4 locations. When, you're done, simply swipe your credit card, get your receipts and watch your order come to life. If you are paying cash, you can just walk up to the place of your choosing and place your order with a real person behind the counter. But really, where is the fun in that?! Along the back of the room, you will see a few more tv screens. These will show you your order status. Just locate your order number on your receipt and ind the corresponding number on the monitor. You will see a gray circle under the name of each place you ordered from. When that circle turns orange, head to the counter and pick up your order. Done! And possibly without any human interaction to mess up your food. As somewhat of a picky eater, I find there is nothing worse than getting food that is not as you ordered it. If this while experience seems a little overwhelming or intimidating, don't worry. There are many helpful and friendly staff members walking around to ease you through the process of getting food into your stomach.

Bacon Burgers Beer (3Bs)
How could you expect anything bad from a name such as this? My first trip to 3Bs led me straight to a sandwich that had my mouth watering before even seeing it: Pastrami Bacon Reuben on pumpernickel bread. Note- that is not a Pastrami with Bacon sandwich but a Pastrami Bacon sandwich.


I'll give you a minute to let that sink in…Okay. This layering of pastrami bacon with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing is unbelievable. The salty, sour and tangy ingredients have been assembled with such delicate care that every bite is as amazing as the one prior. (Personal note: my mouth is endlessly watering as I'm writing this.) As soon as I finished my sandwich, which I have since named Pumpernickel Heaven, I craved more. 3Bs…I Love You!


When my wife joined me to Food Parc, she also ordered from 3Bs; a Classic BLT with a side of fried green tomatoes. We stood and watched the chefs construct the sandwich. There is so much care and love when putting everything together that really makes you as a customer proud to eat their food. A single slice of bread is laid out and each piece of iceberg lettuce is folded and strategically placed on top. There is no handful of shredded lettuce that has been sitting out for who knows how long. Everything is clean and fresh. Next the grill master walks over and drops off a fee pieces of bacon, right off the grill. Gingerly arranging the tomatoes and bacon so that you get a little bit of everything with each bite. An then it happened…my wife watched as they spread a coating of mayonnaise on the bread. Didn't I just mention this? She specifically ordered no mayo. But before my wife could say anything, the girl making the BLT realized the error she had made. She neatly finished the sandwich's construction while calling for new bacon. She started over! So this time she was probably going to just hurry and throw everything into a messy pile right? NOPE! the very same care and attention went into making the new BLT. I was, and still am, very impressed by that. So how did it taste? She would have liked a little more tomato and lettuce and the bread was a little too buttery but overall, very good.


Unfortunately, the fried green tomatoes did not match the standard set before it. They were very greasy and sour. My wife also felt like they could have been better seasoned.

Red Farm Stand
From the first time I saw the Red Farm menu, I knew this was a place I had to eat. Offering up a variety of Asian food but with a twist. My first sampling was of the spicy beef wontons.


I'm going to cut straight to the chase, these were probably the best wontons I have ever eaten. The wrapper was slightly thick which had a chewy bite to it. Each wonton was covered with ground black pepper and swimming in a spicy broth with peppers and onions. The heat is strong but not overpowering at all and accentuates the wonton's flavor.





Next up was the Beef shortrib bun. Although this is technically not a nun, I loved it just the same. The beef was slightly tough but in a good way. It made for a good bite; something to really sink your teeth into. The "bun" was light and sweet and didn't get soggy from the food resting on it. That was an initial worry of mine. The only regret I had with this nun was that it isn't very big. A few normal Corbo-sized bites and it was gone.




Last, I had the Bacon Egg Roll. This was my least liked dish from Food Parc so far. The egg roll wrapped was very crispy. Not like most egg rolls and that would probably have been good…and I can't believe I'm saying this…if it wasn't for the bacon. It was way too smokey and not cooked enough for me. It was chewy to the point that I had to make sure it was actually cooked at all. On an up side, the dipping sauce was a tasty duck sauce.

Food Parc also offers up various (and delicious-looking) salads, sandwiches, pastas, coffees, cookies, milkshakes, egg creams and even a bar in the back that will all have to be tried at some point.

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Food Parc
851 W. 6th Ave. (btwn 29th & 30th)
Website: www.FoodParc.com

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Kelvin Natural Slush Co.

"You're walking how far for a slushie?!" That is the usual response from my coworkers before I head out on my 40-ish block (roundtrip) adventure. The best part though, is knowing that every hot, sweaty step I take will be met with cool, crisp refreshment from none other than Kelvin Natural Slush Co. So why do I walk across Manhattan for such a drink? Because it is un-matchable. Kelvin offers such a unique and varied list of natural flavors and fresh ingredients that are always being rotated in and out.





ORDERING: When you walk up to the truck, you'll need to make a few decisions. First, what is the base flavor you want. Your options are Ginger [spicy], Tea [sweet], Citrus [tart] or any combination of the three. Next, you'll have to choose your mix-in(s). With so many changing options, it is hard to list them here, but some I have seen include mint, mango, cherry, green apple, blueberry, caramelized pineapple and the list goes on. Finally, choose your size. I find that the medium ($4) is the perfect size for my walk and leaves my coworkers jealous and curious about the final few sips left in my cup.

And before I get to the concoctions that I've created on my numerous trips I need to add one more, very important, note. Every time I have visited the truck, I have been greeted by some of the friendliest New Yorkers I have met. Offering up suggestions both in person and on Twitter, you can't help but smile and talk with the
staff
…that sounds so bland. Friends is much more fitting.


On to the Slushies! My first visit, I was so eager to try everything I needed to take a minute and really narrow down my options. So I asked for help! After a minute of tossing ideas around, it was suggested that I try a Tea/Citrus Slush with white peach. Built in layers of freezing cold deliciousness, each flavor stands apart. But then you take your straw and start to swirl and mix the separations into one cohesive uber flavor. Absolutely to die for!


On my next trip, I received a new suggestion via Twitter. Ginger with Blueberry. The ginger is very strong and spicy. My first few sips made me doubt my friend's suggestion. But as the slush started to melt and mix in with the sweet blueberries it all came around. I don't know if I would get another full base of Ginger but I think that mixing it with the citrus or tea would make for a nice balance.


The last flavor combination I would like to mention is Tea with White Peach and Mint. The tea and peach were sweet and paired really nicely together. The mint really threw me for a loop. There was actually a scoop of chopped mint leaves in my slushie. The flavor was so so crisp and fresh and really cut through the sweetness. Here was my problem though. Drinking leaves. It tasted delicious. But every sip I took, I couldn't get used to drinking leaves. For all you mojito lovers out there, go ahead and mint it up! But as tasty as it was, I think I'll stick with my plant-free slushies.
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Kelvin Natural Slush Co.
Website: www.kelvinslush.com
Twitter: @KELVINSLUSH
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Frites 'N' Meats

Craving a burger and want to avoid the inevitable guilt and depression from fast food? Jump on Twitter and track down the Frites 'N' Meats truck. Offering up a choice of two types of beef burgers (Grass-fed Angus or Wagyu - American Kobe) a delicious assortment of toppings and Belgian fries (with an equally impressive list of dipping sauces), this truck has perfected the hamburger. (They also offer a steak sandwich but I have yet to try it.) I have made numerous trips now and each burger stands above all other competition. Perfection was only made more amazing when I became the lucky winner for the month of October! My prize? FREE burgers and fries for a whole month!! That's a burger a day for 31 days! My only wish was that the truck came closer to work so that I really could take advantage of my winnings more often. I still can't complain that twice a week I get to treat myself to the Frites 'N' Meats truck. Now, let's get to the burgers.

First, we have the Angus burger with cheddar cheese, mesclun greens, garlicky guacamole and bacon on a Brioche bun. A simple burger in writing but the flavor was anything but simple. All of the burgers are cooked to order and their meat is cooked to a beautiful medium rare; the way all burgers should be. There is such a powerful beefy flavor that keeps me coming back for more. The brioche bun is light with a little sweetness and pairs nicely with the beef. The delicious applewood-smoked bacon is thick cut and perfectly portioned on top of the burger. As for the guacamole, it was a little thinner than I would have imagined, leading to a less the prominent flavor, but nonetheless satisfying. The fries are handcut and double fried and consistently raved about on Twitter but I feel like they don't live up to the hype. Are they delicious and crispy and a perfect accompany to the burger? Absolutely!! But I just am more preferential to a thick steak fry, that's all. I also sampled the horseradish aioli with the fries. My only regret there was that I didn't try it out sooner to add it to my burger directly. I love the combination of beef and horseradish.

My second burger was practically the same thing but with savory onion jam instead of the guacamole. This had been the best decision I had made that day. A nice thick coating of the onion jam was spread around so you got a taste with every bite. I highly recommend this jam even if you don't like onions on your burger.

The last burger I will mention was the burger of the week. This week's: The Marital Bliss Burger.
A Wagyu burger with cream cheese, jalepenos and bacon. I know what you're thinking…cream cheese on a burger? Believe me, I was thinking the same thing. I almost didn't order it for that exact reason. But I am so glad that I did. The cream cheese slightly melted and added a smooth, creamy consistency. It was not over powering but quite the opposite. Absolutely delicious. Sadly, the jalepenos were a little scarce. I only found a couple cubes. If they had been a little more prevalent, the heat would have nicely balanced out the salty of the cheese and bacon. And who can complain when you get a lollipop too?! But I definitely added a new condiment for the next time I decide to throw a couple of patties on the grill. Thanks Frites 'N' Meats!



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Frites 'N' Meats
Website: www.fritesnmeats.com
Twitter: @Fritesnmeats
Facebook: Frites N Meats