Undercover Gourmet

Just when you thought all gyro’s were the same, High Voltage will surprise you with a unique flat pressed gyro wrap. My favorite is the New York, pita bread packed with a nice helping of beef and lamb, feta, onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki. The outside is seasoned with oregano and sea salt before it hits the press, sealing in a crispy and savory crust. The kettle chips are also very tasty, featuring homemade potato chips seasoned with a Greek spices.  Hours of operation vary as the shop has been closed for dinner on several occasions (I think it’s a one man operation!). Lunch is generally safe with the exception of holidays. Located on the corner of Calgary Trail and 63^rd Ave.

I recently had the privilege of spending my Christmas holiday in the Big Apple. In a nutshell, the trip was just as I envisioned it to be. The streets were busy, the weather fluctuated considerably, shopping was plentiful, and the food choices were endless. Overall, my husband and I had a wonderful time.

We ate lots, about 6 times a day, usually consisting of breakfast, lunch, a couple midday snacks, dinner, and midnight snack. These are some of the experiences worth sharing:

A side of meatballs at Carmine's

Carmine’s (Times Square) – The atmosphere of this family style restaurant is electric! Busy at almost all hours of the day, Carmine’s is an Italian style eatery located right in the heart of the Theatre District. The décor is eclectic Italian-American, showcasing pictures, holiday decorations and large wall mounted menus in every corner. My only regret is not having my family and friends there. The portions were served family style, leaving only the two of us to polish off a plate of raw littleneck clams, monstrous cheese stuffed ravioli with meat sauce, and a side order of meatballs (which turned out to be 6 tennis sized balls)! Top it off with a cappuccino and that set the bar for my very first meal in Manhattan! Many thanks to my lovely co-worker Marcie for an excellent recommendation. 

Kat'z Pastrami Sandwich

Kat’z Deli (Lower East Side) – Hands down the best pastrami sandwich I had ever eaten. The meat was moist and juicy, the ratio of lean meat to fat was ideal, pickles were delicious, what else can I say… I was too busy eating to even notice the endless photos of celebrities on the wall. A must when in NYC!

Tuna Tartar at Morimoto

 

Morimoto (Meat Packing District) – I watch a lot of Food Network, so I was quite excited to visit the infamous Iron Chef’s restaurant. We had the omakase, a 7 course tasting, but to avoid boring you with minute details, there was really only one course that lingers in my memory. The very first dish was a tuna tartar served with 7 condiments. It was the presentation that impressed me the most. The tuna was ever so finely chopped, and smoothed into what I could only describe as a miniature wooden wash board, resting on a bowl of ice. Just below the perfectly square sheet of tuna were 6 contrasting condiments ranging from white, to green, to brown to black. In the ice stood a metal spoon-like paddle, and a separate bowl of ponzu sauce on the side. We were told by the server to scrape the tuna using the paddle, dip in the sauce, and then with the neatly arranged condiments which included wasabi, mayonnaise, nori paste, avocado puree, chives, and rice crisps. Other than that, I was disappointed by the lack of clean flavors from the remaining dishes, especially the Maine lobster with Indian spices. I prefer my experience at Shibuya in MGM Grand Las Vegas.

Candied Nuts (street vendors in various locations around Times Square and Central Park) – The cold weather brought out these delicious snacks for shoppers and sight seers to enjoy. Go for the mixed bag which includes peanuts, almonds, cashews and coconuts. The smell is irresistible, and the taste is even better. The buttery candy coating sticks well to the nut, leaving less “shells” at the bottom of your bag.

Garrett Popcorn

The question I am about to ask will either begin a wave of nodding heads, or cause you to shake your head in disgust. Have you ever watched a food episode like “Top 5” or “Unwrapped”, and imagined how wonderful it would be to try whatever food they are broadcasting? Well on my recent trip to New York, I finally had the chance to experience that dream, and the outcome was fantastic.

It all started long time ago while watching a program on the Food Network. The host was raving about Garrett Popcorn from Chicago, and how the Chicago Mix (a mixture of caramel coated and cheese popcorn) is the ultimate popcorn snack. I quickly went to the website hoping to place an order, but as many Canadian’s can relate, the shipping cost was ridiculous, almost matching the cost of the popcorn itself. For years I waited for a sign of hope, maybe a flagship store in Edmonton (I think my chances of winning the lottery are greater), or maybe a colleague passing by the windy city, but the opportunity never came. When finally, a layover in Chicago made my dreams come true.

The experience began when the popcorn shop conveniently caught my eye while I briskly dragged my carry-on bags from one gate to the other. I sauntered to the clear glass displays of popcorn, and without even looking at the menu, ordered a Chicago Mix. Cheese popcorn was scooped first into the bag, followed by a healthy addition of caramel popcorn, filling the bag almost to the brim. Ummm, how are you going to mix them together I said to myself. Then, like watching a graceful performance at the theatre, with 2 fingers gently clasping the bottom of the bag, with the other hand holding the upper flap, the man started to toss the brightly coated corn in a rhythmic, circular motion. Within seconds the once obviously separated golden and orange puffs blended into one. Clutching my bag of little treasures, I found a place to sit and opened the bag as if I were opening my Christmas present. I impatiently tried a cheese kernel, not bad I thought to myself slightly disappointed, but nothing phenomenal. I tried a caramel, the coating was delicious with strong caramel flavor, successfully sticking to the entire kernel. Very tasty, but still nothing ground breaking. Then I had an epiphany, “what am I doing”, I said out loud, “it’s a Chicago Mix, eat them together!” With slight uncertainty, I grabbed one of each flavor. I thought, maybe my expectations are too high because of the anticipation. Why do I place so much trust in my television?! I chewed slowly, savoring the flavors, then ate a couple more, and then another two. It was delicious! The explosion of salty and sweet flavors was addicting, causing a nonstop desire for more. As my appetite became content, I experimented with different combinations of caramel to cheese. As the sweet caramel candy was more dominating, I agreed on a 1 to 2 ratio. I slid into my seat, more than satisfied with my experience.

I had lived a small part of the foodie dream.