I recently returned from a mini-vacation to my favorite city outside Chicago, New York City. I try to visit New York every year to catch up with friends, explore neighborhoods, and try new and different restaurants. Every day is a new adventure there!
NYC is only a 2 hour or less flight from Chicago, depending on if your flight is on time, and what airport you are traveling to. La Guardia is my favorite as it is the closest to Manhattan and located in Queens. From there, the easiest way to get to the city is by subway. The bus system is a bit complicated for me, so I stick with the trains.
Once I got into Manhattan, which is a close half hour away on the R train, I arrived in the middle of the city, pretty close to Times Square and near to the apartment where I was staying with my friend. If you have not been to Times Square before, I have to say it’s a unique experience, but after visiting once, you may want to avoid walking through here as much as possible!
Lets talk about food! I took an early flight out and of course I was getting hungry. I would have eaten a sandwich before boarding time at the airport, but it was 6am. Once I arrived in Manhattan, my friend introduced me to La Vela, a great Italian restaurant with wonderful selection of wines and a seasonal and delicious menu. It's great for sharing a couple of appetizers and some wine of course. I started with a beautiful glass of rose and proceeded to enjoy some calamari and pastas that were beautifully cooked in delicious sauces.
For my main course, I ordered a hamburger. Yes, a burger in an Italian restaurant. I was curious to see if they were able to produce a good burger,and they did not disappoint. The burger was cooked to my liking, the bun was great and it came with beautifully ripe tomatoes for garnish.
The best way to explore this great city is by walking and getting lost in the city. By getting lost I mean wandering around until your find another cute restaurant, which you did not plan to visit. This has happened to me in the past and is great! NYC also has great food trucks, so it’s awesome to try different foods and experience the neighborhoods. Visiting museums is also one of the best things about this city. If you’re craving a hot dog, make sure to shop around, prices for the same items may be cheaper just a couple of steps away.
One other restaurant I came across is The Smith in Cooper Square, a great international bistro type where I enjoyed a lovely Tuna Poke. If you happened to miss our demonstrations with Hooked on Fish last Friday at the Mart, Karen Wollins has shared her two versions of Tuna Poke she prepared: Hawaiian Ahi Poke from The Kitchn and Hawaiian Ahi Poke from Chef Anne Burrell.
On my last day, I ventured out to Jersey City, which is a short train ride away just across the river. I attended a street fest with lots of great food and fun. The view of the Freedom Tower and the skyline is phenomenal.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make the great eats you encounter at street fests whether in NYC or Chicago, The Chopping Block has a class for that! Join us this Saturday, July 2 at 10am at the Merchandise Mart and another on Sunday, July 10 at 5pm at Lincoln Square. In this hands-on cooking class, we teach you how to make popular street fare items like kababs, beer battered fish tacos, lumpia and more. It's sure to be enough to keep me satisfied until the next trip to New York!
