[Spareribs]

Trip to Raleigh, North Carolina

Pulled pork sandwich

The most famous or one of the most famous dish from North Carolina is the pulled pork sandwich or also known as chopped barbecue.



Typically served with cole slaw in the sandwich and it’s delicious. Yes I know you can get a pulled pork sandwich in every major city in America but it’s nice to have it in North Carolina since it’s a pioneering state of this sandwich

 

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New York City pizza tour

Vodka pizza from Joe and Pats Pizza in Staten Island

Joe and Pats pizza is considered one of the best pizzas in New York and is highly referred to among insiders in the New York pizza world. Absolutely amazing! Blown away! I can see why it is so highly regarded….Although it looks terrible in the photo, it really is a treasure




This phenomenonal pizza is one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had. And interestingly, it breaks the rules of what a New York pizza should be. A totally different texture and nothing like a New York pizza. It’s really in a class if it’s own.

They also have a location in Manhattan but I chose the Staten Island location because it’s the original location. Super impressed!

EDIT:

I just found out now that Joe and Pats Pizza was featured on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

 

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New York City pizza tour

L’Instustrie Pizza

L’Industrie Pizza is the highest rated or one of the highest rated pizzas in New York

The texture of the pizza dough and crust is phenomenal. It’s like artisanal bread.



The pizza on the left is called the Tartufo and the one on the right is called the Burrata. The Tartufo is mushroom, ricotta cheese and truffle oil. The Buratta has burrata cheese on it.



This place is very popular. The pizza has a level of refinement that you won’t see in other pizzas. I’ve read that they use a different type of specialty flours and it’s their own blend. It’s pizza like this that makes me lose interest in pizzas in other cities. One of the reasons why I visit New York.

 

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New York City pizza tour

Baby Luc’s Pizza

Mark Iacono is the owner of Baby Luc’s pizza in Brooklyn and his pizza restaurants are considered to be very high end and among the best in New York and in America

Mark Iacono is featured on a lot of YouTube videos and is even featured on a Netflix food episode about pizza on David Chang’s series.



This pizza may possibly be my all time favorite slice. The bottom texture had an amazing crisp. The pizza sauce tasted like a blush sauce and it synergies well with the pizza dough. It’s like eating a perfect sushi bite. It could be the ultimate pizza. It really scores high on my personal list



This is another winner. Ricotta cheese and broccoli rabe. Another fantastic creation.



Here is outside the pizza restaurant in Brooklyn. Mark Iacono also has another pizza place a few blocks away called Lucali. That place is so famous that it can be hard to find a seat so his more casual pizza joint here is a fantastic substitute.

 

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New York City pizza tour

Johns of Bleecker Street Pizza

Johns of Bleecker Street pizza is considered a New York City institution. Famous pizza reviewer Dave Portnoy frequently uses this pizza as his reference pizza and has said it is his favorite pizza of all time or at least within in his top 3 pizzas.



The sauce is excellent and has a very natural tomato taste. The cheese is phenomenal as they use an aged mozzarella cheese. You can really taste the fermentation of the cheese in a good way. This is a very natural tasting pizza.



This pizza place was also in the 1979 Woody Allen movie called Manhattan. Many pizza aficionados regard this pizza as a holy grail in the pizza world.

This place also has a Wikipedia page since it’s one of the icons of New York

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John's_of_Bleecker_Street

 

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Katz Deli New York City

Katz Deli is probably the most famous deli in the world.



Their pastrami sandwich is highly regarded and so many YouTubers have made videos on it.



Although nobody really talks about it, I love their thick cut fries.



Opened in 1888, this place is legendary. Check out the long line outside. This place was also featured in the movie When Harry met Sally.

 

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Accidental food discovery in New York

The Jerusalem Bagel

I was walking down the street not too far from Greenwich Village and saw a lady eating this strange bagel at a sidewalk table. What is this???


As a diehard foodie, I had to order it. It’s called a Jerusalem bagel. It’s basically a lighter version of a bagel and served with labneh cheese and olive oil.

I love it. What a great food discovery

 

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Best banana pudding in America?

Banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery in New York. Bleeker street location

Banana pudding is commonly associated with the southern states and generally classified as a thing of the south so it’s not a New York thing…… However many people have the opinion that the banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery is the best.

I’ve tasted a bunch of versions of banana pudding in the southern states and even recently had one in North Carolina. But this version from New York’s Magnolia Bakery is possibly the best. It’s excellent.



There’s no seats inside the bakery so I had to eat it outside on the sidewalk which actually made it more photogenic



Here’s outside the place.

A bit of trivia: The TV show Sex and the City was frequently filmed in this neighborhood a couple blocks away

 

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Maybe the most famous bagel sandwich in America?

The bagel lox sandwich from Russ & Daughter’s in New York

Many people have the opinion that the Russ & Daughter’s bagel lox sandwich is the best bagel lox sandwich or at least one of the best.



It’s a very well balanced bite. Every ingredient is high quality. In some ways I think it’s kind of a quintessential lunch or late morning breakfast. For more info, check out YouTube videos.



Outside the establishment. They have other locations too in New York but I chose this original location in the Lower East Side because it’s where it all got started. If you’re into history, the history of this neighborhood is amazing.

Russ & Daughters has been around a long time and there’s even a Wikipedia page about it

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_&_Daughters

 

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Japanese curry

Japanese curry is an authentic Japanese dish that is relatively unknown outside of Japan but it is incredibly popular in Japan and I would even say that in some ways it’s more Japanese than sushi because it’s so common in the home kitchens in Japan….although this version is from a takeout joint.



This version has potatoes and carrots on a bed of rice with fried pork chop.

The interesting thing about this dish is that it doesn’t really look Asian. It actually came from the British in the 1800s with an influence from India. Basically an India influence from England. Eventually Japan evolved this dish to suit the Japanese tastes to make it its own identity. It’s primarily a home comfort food but it can get more fancy in some of the restaurants in Japan.

 

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Conveyer belt sushi

You see this more in Japan but occasionally you will see in cities across America.



Just grab a plate as the moving conveyor rotates around the restaurant. If you’re still confused there’s a bunch of videos on YouTube showing the experience

 

[peterinvan]

Healthy & Tasty Breakfast Smoothie:

1/2 cup milk (just cover the blender blades)
Tablespoon frozen avocado bits
1/2 an apple
Teaspoon psyllium husk
Teaspoon Cylon cinnamon
3 Brazil nuts
Tablespoon hemp seed
Tablespoon almonds (sliced or whole)

Blend till no large bits showing

Add:
1 cup frozen blueberries
Heaped tablespoon full fat greek yogurt (non-sweetened)
Teaspoon molasses

Blend till smooth
Enjoy… you may not feel hungry for hours!

 

[abheybir]

 

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Classic Hummus

This is basic classic hummus. Garnished with a little paprika, chopped parsley and olive oil. Love it.

 

[abheybir]

Butter Chicken + Indian Garlic Bread (naan) + Mint Chilli Sauce + Spicy Onion with Lemon = Heaven!!