NYC Food Day #2 (With Pictures!)

[jrichman]

On a rainy Saturday afternoon in October, myself and Kobi (another member of EGullet) ventured out to Brooklyn and Manhattan for another food tour. To see our previous food tour of all 5 boroughs of NYC, click here

As you can see, our previous tour focused on all 5 boroughs. This tour was a little different, as we decided to concentrate on Brooklyn, and made one stop in lower Manhattan as well. The pictures from this tour are not as good as the previous tour (some of the pictures of the food inside the restaurant did not come out), but they still give a good presentation of our tour.

Nathan's

I know, I know... Nathan's is for tourists. We're real New Yorkers, and have eaten at some of the better hot dog places (Rutt's Hut, Hot Grill, Grey's Papaya, etc.) in the area, but still couldn't make our first trip to Coney Island in a decade without stopping in. The hot dogs were surprisingly good- very well crisped and flavorful. We had one with sautéed onions which were mediocre, and one with kraut and mustard. A nice way to start the day, which would certainly be on the upswing quickly, our visit to Nathan's was a solid breakfast

Totonno's

Totonno's is, no doubt, a special place. Down a block or two off the beach in Coney Island, it is an experience both for the eyes and the palate. Right in the middle of a block in a true working class neighborhood, Totonno's is the opposite of pretension. They ladle out the sauce from small pots and the food preparation area is the size of a walk-in closet in a modern home, but they can certainly make a pizza. In comparison to some places of similar stature, I think Totonno's has more flavor- you taste the sauce, you taste the cheese, and they are both complemented by the VERY thin crust, which serves as more of a medium for the other ingredients than anything else. Having been to the outpost on the UES, this was certainly more enjoyable (made it was the placebo-like effect of the classic atmosphere, but I am not questioning it) and of better flavor.

We had no real complaints with this pizza. It was cooked to perfection, the crust was notably thin, and the sauce and cheese distribution was great. I assume one could be disappointed with how small the pizza is (a pizza feeding only one person is not unfathomable) but we had no qualms with it.

A great experience and a great meal

L & B Spumoni Gardens

Just a subway stop or two away, L & B Spumoni Gardens was our next stop. A great atmosphere both inside and outside, as there seemed to be plenty of regulars around. The square slice is the highlight at this place...cheese on first, then a sweet tangy sauce, followed by a variety of other grated cheeses.....all in all a great slice of pizza and real tasty. We'll be back for more and hopefully next time save some room for the famous Spumoni!

Grimaldi's

Grimaldi's was the fourth stop of our day, and the third pizza experience. We came in with very high expectations and were not disappointed. The place was noisy and packed, even at an off hour on a rainy day. We were seated pretty quickly near the pizza-making area. The pizza was VERY good, although certainly a notch (or two) below Totonno's. We almost thought it was more similar to Brooklyn Pizza or John's than some of the others. Great texture, great sauce, but not much flavor from the cheese or the crust. The crust was cooked perfectly, though, with great char and very thin. A great experience, but not in our personal pizza holy trinity.

Nha Trang Centre

NTC is one of our favorite spots in C-Town. On this visit, we had beef cubes with white rice and noodle soup with well done beef. The beef cubes were excellent, VERY tasty and well complemented by the table-side sauces. The soup, while more exotic, was not as enjoyable for us- probably because we didn't really know what to expect (and had stopped at four other eating locales on the same day prior). However, it was good, and it was "fun," also, as one gets to combine some of the ingredients table side. The beef (4.50 or 5.00) is a true bargain, and a great lunch-time meal. Highly recommended.

Edited November 15, 2005 by jrichman (log)

[Kobi]

It was a great day.... we have been to: Di Fara, Lombardi's (NYC and Philly), John's (multiple locations), Grimaldi's, L&B, Totonno's (UES and the original). Next up are Una Pizza Neopolitana, Patsy's and Denino's.

- KOBI

[Claudia Greco]

It was a great day.... we have been to: Di Fara, Lombardi's (NYC and Philly), John's (multiple locations), Grimaldi's, L&B, Totonno's (UES and the original).  Next up are Una Pizza Neopolitana, Patsy's and Denino's.

- KOBI

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AHAHAHA! So glad you hit the TRUE #1 locations of life-long Brooklynites! Debating the merits of different pizzerie in New York is a lifetime occupation, but for those on the east side of the river, there is ONLY Grimaldi's for thin crust, and L&B's for Sicilian. Nathan's hasn't been the same since the family sold the business to a conglomerate, the old time grizzled grill guys (excuse the alliteration) died off or retired, and - worst of all - THEY CHANGED THE GREASE ON THE GRILL!! Oh, man, that was bad - made the dogs taste like Nathan's in Manhattan. Or the mall. But we've shaken it off.

[Pan]

[...]Debating the merits of different pizzerie in New York is a lifetime occupation, but for those on the east side of the river, there is ONLY Grimaldi's for thin crust, and L&B's for Sicilian.[...]

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Is there some important way in which the pizza at L&B -- which to me is merely good and not worth a trip -- is more Sicilian than the square pizza at DiFara's, which is not just better than L&B's but in an entirely different category (artisanal vs. what, commercial?)? I happen to be a Manhattanite, but it's obvious that there are Brooklynites who prefer DiFara's.

[raji]

It was a great day.... we have been to: Di Fara, Lombardi's (NYC and Philly), John's (multiple locations), Grimaldi's, L&B, Totonno's (UES and the original).  Next up are Una Pizza Neopolitana, Patsy's and Denino's.

- KOBI

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AHAHAHA! So glad you hit the TRUE #1 locations of life-long Brooklynites! Debating the merits of different pizzerie in New York is a lifetime occupation, but for those on the east side of the river, there is ONLY Grimaldi's for thin crust, and L&B's for Sicilian.

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When does Anthony's open? I just read a blurb about them in New York magazine - could they be vying for the title? I haven't been to Difara's yet, many many Brooklynites sing their praises, but many of them are those who live out past Park Slope and like to thumb their nose at people living in Manhattans, so I really have to find out for myself. I was like that too when living in Brooklyn, "I don't need to go to your stinking Manhattan!", but I really want an objective take on it. I will say that your average slice shop is better in Brooklyn, with most of the pizza in Manhattan being made by Mexicans...

OT: How do I post images? I think I have the same status as the thread-starter but no options to upload pictures - is that done elsewhere on the site? I say that because I'm looking at a 5-day culinary adventure as my best friend from Tokyo is arriving today and is going to want to go to the latest and greatest, and would like to post with pictures as well...

[menton1]

Wow, quite a day-- seems a little rough on the digestive tract, but...

I did notice, however, that you put the mustard on TOP of the sauerkraut--- other than being quite messy, any benefit to this as opposed to the more common mustard under the toppings?

[jrichman]

This link should give you all the info you need to know on how to post images. Hope it helps!

It was a great day.... we have been to: Di Fara, Lombardi's (NYC and Philly), John's (multiple locations), Grimaldi's, L&B, Totonno's (UES and the original).  Next up are Una Pizza Neopolitana, Patsy's and Denino's.

- KOBI

←

AHAHAHA! So glad you hit the TRUE #1 locations of life-long Brooklynites! Debating the merits of different pizzerie in New York is a lifetime occupation, but for those on the east side of the river, there is ONLY Grimaldi's for thin crust, and L&B's for Sicilian.

←

When does Anthony's open? I just read a blurb about them in New York magazine - could they be vying for the title? I haven't been to Difara's yet, many many Brooklynites sing their praises, but many of them are those who live out past Park Slope and like to thumb their nose at people living in Manhattans, so I really have to find out for myself. I was like that too when living in Brooklyn, "I don't need to go to your stinking Manhattan!", but I really want an objective take on it. I will say that your average slice shop is better in Brooklyn, with most of the pizza in Manhattan being made by Mexicans...

OT: How do I post images? I think I have the same status as the thread-starter but no options to upload pictures - is that done elsewhere on the site? I say that because I'm looking at a 5-day culinary adventure as my best friend from Tokyo is arriving today and is going to want to go to the latest and greatest, and would like to post with pictures as well...

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Edited November 29, 2005 by jrichman (log)

[Claudia Greco]

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[docsconz]

I think that aprt of the allure of L&B is that they have been around for a long, long time and there is a huge nostalgia appeal. Personally, I haven't had it since I was a kid so can't say one way or the other. It does, however, elicit many fond memories for former brooklynites.