We were fortunate recently to be able to cobble together a five-day weekend around the Labor Day holiday, and we decided to use our extra time off to head upstate to the Adirondacks.  If you’re unfamiliar with New York State’s geography, here’s a primer:  the Adirondacks form a state park which begins about 4 hours directly north of New York City.  It’s the largest state park in the entire country – comprising almost 6 million acres – and it’s home to the largest mountains in New York, plus some interesting historic sites.  So it was a great place to spend a few days, go out in nature, escape the city’s heat, and get to know some of the corners of our state that we hadn’t previously explored.  And of course while we were there we tried a lot of local foods, and now we’re going to share them with you (but just be warned that we will show some images of meat here).

For the first couple days of our trip, we made the town of Lake Placid our home base, since it was near some of the hiking trails and other places we wanted to visit.  It’s also one of the larger and more popular towns in the Adirondacks, so there were lots of food options.  For example, we stopped one morning at Cocoa & Dough to try a few of their donuts – here’s a campfire donut (on the bottom left), made with marshmallow fluff, Golden Grahams, mini chocolate chips and a chocolate drizzle; a Zinger (bottom right) with vanilla frosting, raspberry jelly and coconut flakes; and a Rhys Reese’s, with peanut butter and chocolate frosting plus mini Reese’s Pieces.

Then one day for lunch we went to check out Big Mountain Deli & Creperie, which serves up 46 different sandwiches, made on your choice from seven different breads.  Miriam decided to get the Seymour (on the left), made with grilled mushrooms, zucchini and bell peppers, fresh mozzarella, and pesto, all on basil pesto bread.  Meanwhile, Cyril had the Marcy, made with turkey, apples, white cheddar, and horseradish, on asiago peppercorn bread.

We also stopped one day at Big Slide Brewery so Cyril could try some local beers, and while there we decided to get a small charcuterie plate so we could try some local cheeses.  You can mix and match items on your board, so we got camembert from a creamery in central New York and some cheddar from up near the Canadian border, served with crackers, local raisin fennel bread, truffle honey, and Marcona almonds.

Then we went to check out another brewery in town, which we heard also had some good food.  At Lake Placid Pub & Brewery Miriam got to try their soup of the day, which was tomato and Gouda …

… while Cyril had some hot wings.

The brewery happens to have some interesting meatless selections, like this vegan BLT made with tempeh bacon and a vegan basil mayo.

And a pizza topped with vegan chicken tenders, tempeh bacon, jalapeños, and a chili ranch sauce.

And we finished off with this piece of Mount Marcy mud pie.

We found a cool local ice cream place in Lake Placid too – Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery, where we decided we wanted to try a crazy shake.  This one is the cookies and cream shake, made with cookies and cream ice cream, chocolate sauce, a crushed cookie rim, and two Oreos on top filled with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles.

On our way out of Lake Placid we decided to stop at yet another brewery, this one in the town of Saranac Lake.  Aside from trying more beer at Blue Line Brewery, Miriam was able to get their mac and cheese, made with an IPA sauce and served in a crispy edible bowl (you have to ask for it without bacon, though).

And Cyril had the Yak-Zie pizza, with a BBQ-buffalo sauce and tomatoes and chicken on top.

Also in Saranac Lake we got to visit Mountain Mist Ice Cream, where we split this sundae with vanilla soft serve, chocolate sauce, and nuts.

Later we headed up to the very northern part of the Adirondacks, which is pretty desolate in terms of restaurants (but has some very lovely trails!).  For dinner we had to head up to the town of Malone, which lies just north of the edge of the mountains, and there we found a cool restaurant, Hearth of Malone.  We started our meal there with their jumbo pretzel, which comes with sides of beer cheese and homemade maple mustard.

Then we split a bowl of their fettucine alfredo …

… and a margherita pizza.

The next day we headed east, to the town of Essex, where you can ride the ferry across Lake Champlain.  Just about a block from the ferry dock is Pink Pig Cafe, where we picked up some quick brunch items.  Miriam had a slice of the quiche of the day, which was spinach, red pepper and cheddar …

… and Cyril got the egg sandwich, with bacon and cheddar on a croissant.

Later in the day we drove through the town of Long Lake and decided we had to stop at Custard’s Last Stand, for ice cream but also because we love a good punny name.  There Miriam had some chocolate-vanilla twist custard, topped with caramel-filled chocolate turtles.

And Cyril got another sundae, also with chocolate-vanilla twist, caramel, and nuts.

That evening we ended up in the town of North Creek and got dinner at Bar Vino, which serves up some pretty interesting small plates.  We tried these eggplant chips, in a hot honey sauce …

… and some arancini made from polenta, corn and green onions, with tomato sauce and a spicy aioli.

Plus Cyril had the shrimp and grits.

The next morning we stopped for sandwiches at Izzy’s Market and Deli, also in North Creek – Miriam got the Little Slide, without bacon, which had lettuce, tomato, onion, and white cheddar on sourdough.

And Cyril got the Rapid Runner, made with fried eggs, sausage, cream cheese, spinach and tomato on a ciabatta roll.

Finally, as we were headed out of the Adirondacks on our last day, we went through the town of Warrensburg, near the southern end of the park, for one last local ice cream stop.  Luck E Star Cafe has a seasonal ice cream stand, so there Miriam had a cone of the maplenut soft serve, which combines maple and walnut flavors …

… and Cyril got yet another sundae, this one with peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter cups, and nuts.

We went up to the Adirondacks primarily to go hiking, but we also really enjoyed getting the chance to check out so many different food options:  breweries, local breakfast and lunch spots, some hidden gems – and lots of ice cream places.  Some of these restaurants and stands may not be open by the time you read this, as a lot of places in the area are seasonal and only open in the warmer months.  But summer is the perfect time to visit the mountains, so if you’re headed up that way some time in the future, we hope your consider our recommendations and check out these places in one of the most beautiful areas of the United States.

Where We Ate: The Best Food in Newport

Over the past few months we’ve been trying to squeeze in a bunch of trips that we’ve been meaning to do since the pandemic hit – and this one was our latest.  For a hot summer weekend this August we traveled by train and then ferry to Newport, Rhode Island.  This town is very popular in the summer because it sits on the Atlantic Ocean – in fact, it’s been a seasonal resort town for almost two hundred years, and there’s a section of Newport that’s lined with huge, historic mansions overlooking the coast.  So we went up to visit the beach, check out the town, and of course try some food.  We’ll highlight here some of the places we liked, but be aware that we will show some images of meat here.

One of the things we were excited about when we went to Newport was taking a food tour, which was offered through Rhode Island Red Food Tours.  Our awesome guide, Morgan, took us to six different spots, all within walking distance of each other, where we got to sample a very interesting variety of foods and restaurants.  Our favorite was The Nitro Bar, where we got a simple and tasty sourdough toast topped with mozzarella, tomato, balsamic vinegar, and homemade pesto.

We also got to visit the Vanderbilt Hotel, which is housed in one of Newport’s most famous mansions, and there Miriam sampled a mini samosa …

… and Cyril got an oyster, served with homemade cocktail sauce.

Then we stopped by Perro Salado, where Miriam was able to try the famous avocado fries, with a chipotle mayo on the side.

And Cyril had some sticky ribs.

Next up were two restaurants that showcase the diversity of food on offer in Newport:  at Humming Bird, which serves up Carribbean fare, Miriam got a plantain with cabbage salad.

And Cyril tried a jerk chicken wing, also with some plantains.

We also got to check out Leo’s Market, which is a convenience store in the front and a Salvadoran quick-service restaurant in the back.  Miriam had their bean taco …

… and Cyril got a steak taco.

And for a sweet ending, we had these mini coconut cake shooters at Stoneacre Garden.

Since Newport is a summer town, Cyril also wanted to get his hands on some seafood, so he searched out some good spots that also had vegetarian options.  One such place was Flo’s Clam Shack, which is near Easton’s Beach (one of the most popular beaches in town) and has been around for almost 90 years.  Here’s what we got there:  for Cyril it was a platter of clam cakes (on the top middle), clam strips (on the bottom left), and a stuffed quahog (on the top right).  Miriam had some Jersey shore onion rings, made with red onions, and a lunch hot cheese (on the top left), which is a Rhode Island specialty of American cheese melted inside a hamburger bun.

We also stopped by Benjamin’s Raw Bar so Cyril could get a lobster roll – specifically, their lobster salad roll, which also comes with fries.

And Miriam snacked on their huge plate of nachos.

We also couldn’t resist stopping at The Cookie Jar, where we tried three of their cookies:  an oatmeal raisin (on the right), an oatmeal butterscotch (on the bottom left), and a ginger snap (on the top left).

But we’re also going to add in some food we got not in Newport but in Providence, Rhode Island’s largest city.  We got to Newport via a boat from Providence, and then we had to go back to Providence in order to come home, so we figured we’d try a few things while we were there.  Specifically, we’d heard about two good pizza places in the city – the first was Providence Coal Fired Pizza, where we got the Rocket – a pie topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, and arugula.

And the second was Caserta, an old-school pizzeria that sells just a few types of square pizzas, cut into strips – this one is a plain with cheese.

Cyril also tried their Wimpy Skippy, which is a baked dough pocket stuffed with spinach, olives, pepperoni and cheese.

This was really a great variety of food we got to sample in one weekend:  seafood, of course, plus we got to continue on our journey to try a bunch of different pizzas, but we also had the chance to get several small bites from different places around Newport.  We enjoyed all this food – plus the chance to get out to the beach and sail around the state of Rhode Island – and we would recommend Newport to anyone who wants to sample some regional fare.  We had fun, and if you’re looking to travel we hope we inspire you.

Where We Ate: The Parlour Room & Peachy Keen

We’ve been traveling a lot this summer, but during the times we’ve been home we’ve made it a point to scope out some cool restaurants around New York.  Today we’re featuring two of the places we visited recently, which were both new to us.  These spots are in Midtown Manhattan, which can sometimes feel like a wasteland for good food – there’s a lot of mediocre places there that caters to tourists, but if you do your research you can find some gems.  We think these restaurants fit that bill, so read on (but just be warned that some non-vegetarian food is featured here).

First up, The Parlour Room on West 36th Street.  This place focuses on whiskey, and we got some whiskey flights to accompany our meal, but they’ve also crafted a menu of elevated American food that pairs well with the spirits on offer.  We started our meal there with some homemade French onion dip, paired with chips …

… plus a mushroom tart, with a side of spicy aioli.

Then Miriam got a slice of the vegetable lasagna, which comes with a tomato and cabbage slaw on the side.

And Cyril had the house cheeseburger, topped with raclette and served with hand-cut fries.

If you head a little bit north to West 44th Street you’ll find Peachy Keen, which has the ambience of a 50s diner crossed with a disco.  They’ve got all kinds of cool drinks – like a rum punch served in a glass that glows at the bottom – but there’s also a menu of comfort food, like this fried burrata served with a pomodoro sauce.

Here’s what that burrata looks like on the inside:

And here’s their tater tots, made with gravy and cheese curds (sadly, they’re not vegetarian):

We also shared the truffle mac and cheese, topped with fried mushrooms …

… and the peachy greens salad, with almonds, red onions, goat cheese, and peaches in a champagne vinaigrette dressing.

These were both really good finds for us:  at The Parlour Room, we got to sample some whiskeys paired with upscale dishes, and at Peachy Keen we had some cool drinks and tasty classics while bopping along to the music.  The Parlour Room is tucked away among a bunch of office buildings, while Peachy Keen is right near a bunch of Broadway theaters, so it might be easy to overlook them both – but don’t, because they offer some good experiences in a place where restaurants can be kind of bland.  If you happen to be out and about in Midtown and want something unique and tasty, these are two spots that go beyond your typical restaurant menu and offer pretty interesting dining.

Where We Ate: Rowdy Rooster, Simò Pizza & Mission Sandwich Social

Today we want to highlight some good lunch spots we’ve discovered recently in New York.  These are all counter service places where you can get a quick bite on the go, and they’re pretty reasonably priced.  They also represent a wide variety of different foods, and we enjoyed what we got at each restaurant so we wanted to share these cool spots as recommendations.  Almost everything we had was vegetarian – though we do have one image of meat here, as a warning – so there’s plentiful options for delicious food at these three spots.

Let’s start in Manhattan:  we first decided to try Simò Pizza over in Chelsea, which specializes in quick-cooking Napoli-style pizzas.  Each pizza is individually-sized, so we decided to get two and split them.  This one is the Tre Gusti, which is three pies in one – it’s a margherita pizza on the left, a pesto and pecorino pizza on the right, and in the middle is a white cacio e pepe, made with both mozzarella and pecorino cheeses.

We also got this burrata and pomodoro pizza, topped with arugula, garlic, and basil.

And we finished up with some pistachio-dipped cannoli.

If you head directly east to the East Village, you’ll come across Rowdy Rooster.  As you might be able to guess from the name, this place specializes in chicken – specifically, fried chicken in the style of Indian street food.  But because India is home to such a large population of vegetarians, there’s also veggie options on the menu.  Miriam was able to get this vada pao, made with a fried potato patty with a spicy chile and chutney sauce, all on a potato bun.

But Cyril definitely wanted to try the chicken, so he got a Big Rowdy, made with a piece of spicy fried chicken (you can choose your spice level – he went all the way to a 4), plus a yogurt mint sauce and pickled onions.

And we also split an order of the fried eggplant pakora.

Now if you want to go over to Brooklyn, you can find Mission Sandwich Social in a storefront in Williamsburg.  They’ve got a fairly extensive menu of San Francisco-style sandwiches made on the city’s famous Dutch crunch bread – and not only do they have several vegetarian options, but you can also make some of their meat-based sandwiches into vegetarian versions by asking them to swap in tofu, eggplant, or Beyond Chicken.  So we decided to get two sandwiches and share them:  first, here’s the Vegan Barbacoa, made with Beyond Chicken tenders doused in hot sauce and chili powder, vegan chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions, and jalapeños.

And here’s the vegetarian Four Horseman, with Beyond Chicken (instead of a regular chicken cutlet), sharp provolone, barbecue sauce, ranch, lettuce, and tomato.

And for your viewing pleasure, here’s a close-up of that Dutch crunch bread.

It’s pretty amazing that in a city filled with high-end, world-renowned restaurants, you can also find some pretty great and unique cheap eats.  Wanting a quick and less expensive meal doesn’t mean you have to settle for fast food – there are so many interesting local options all over the place.  We got to try some Indian street food, some pizzas, and some sandwiches from the opposite coast.  We really enjoyed hunting down all these places and choosing some good things to eat, and we hope we’ve inspired you to try these spots or search out some good food for yourself.

Where We Ate: Some Good Pizzas in Manhattan

Cyril has been on a pizza craze lately – a quest, perhaps, to find some of the best pizzas around.  In our recent travels we’ve gotten to try some good pizzas in Illinois, Milwaukee and Buffalo, but we’ve also focused on some good pies right in our own backyard.  So today we want to show you what we’ve found to be excellent pizza right here in Manhattan, and we’ll feature everything we tried at a variety of places.  Most of these pizzas are vegetarian, but there are some images of meat here, so be warned.

We’ll start at the bottom of Manhattan:  almost near the tip of the island is Kesté, which serves up Neapolitan pizzas.  Each pie is on the small side, so you can order several and get yourself a sampling of what they have on offer.  We got one from the pizza rosse (red pizza) menu:  this simple marinara, topped with tomato sauce, basil, oregano and garlic.

Then one of their special Montanara pizzas, with tomato sauce and pieces of buffalo mozzarella on top of a lightly fried piece of dough.

And Cyril also had one pie from their pizze bianche (white pizza) menu – this prosciutto and arugula, which also has mozzarella and grana padano cheese on it.

If you head a little bit north to Nolita, you’ll find Rubirosa, which is so popular that it’s almost always packed (so you have to plan ahead if you want to go there).  They serve a lot of different Italian-American dishes, but their pizzas are especially popular, and in particular their tie dye pie.  It features a combination of vodka and tomato sauces, topped with mozzarella, then finished with a swirl of pesto – so of course we had to try that.

Now if you swing over to Alphabet City you’ll find Gruppo, which is best known for their thin crust pizzas.  We were told that the Shroomtown pizza was particularly good, so that’s what we got.  It’s made with three different types of mushrooms plus truffle oil, all piled on top of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

And in the West Village you can find Brunetti, which also serves up Neapolitan-style pizzas.  Here’s the margherita piu, with tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, and buffalo mozzarella …

… and the meatball pizza, featuring sliced meatballs, tomato sauce, and mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese.

Next, if you venture up to East Harlem you can find Patsy’s, which has been around since 1933 and is considered to be one of New York City’s original pizzerias.  Patsy’s doesn’t have different types of pizza on their menu – instead, it’s just their original coal oven pizza, with cheese and tomato sauce, and then you can add on other toppings.  We went with fresh basil and roasted peppers.

And finally, we did tell a little lie:  not every one of these pizzerias is in Manhattan.  We also want to include Louie and Ernie’s, in the Pelham Bay neighborhood of the Bronx.  It’s a bit of a hike to get there, but it was a fun trip to visit this very unassuming storefront that’s been serving up pizza for 75 years.  We decided on an eggplant pie there, with chopped garlic also added on.

We enjoyed going all around Manhattan (and the Bronx) in search of these pizzas.  It was a great variety – we got some classic New York pies, some Neopolitan pizzas, and some inventive new styles.  We hope to get out to Brooklyn and Queens to try some other well-rated pizzas, and we’ll update you on what we find!