[Sometimes, us Lushes do some serious R&D...working super hard and all. This lovely piece of writing was crafted over Manhattans at the Twisted Spoke. Erin and Kelly busted ass while Shawn mixed up the cocktails. Enjoy!]
Wine Geek: Field Trip!
New York…what a wonderfully interesting place to be, be seen, and most importantly, to eat and drink! So many exciting places and things to try, I could hardly manage 5 days there. I will try my best to recount the best things that I ate and drank while there, but time went by in a New york minute - and please excuse my brain for any fuzziness, it just means I was having fun!
Day 1: After traveling, I really just wanted a nice beer to celebrate the trip, so my friend and I stopped in a brewpub in Union Square called Heartland Brewry. It’s a fun place to stop and have some brews not found here in the great midwest. The oatmeal stout was a touch too sweet for my taste, but the Bavarian black lagar was just what I wanted. Medium bodied with a nice coffee note, malty but not too sweet…hello New York!
I then headed to a new taqueria, Dos Toros, to visit my darling cousin who is managing the place. Wow, if you’re in Union Square, this is a must. Just about everything is made fresh and their red sauce - amazing. I may be a little biased since my cousin is managing the place, but the New York Times reviews are surely not (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/dining/reviews/06unde.html)
Day 2: I hit up a recommended wine bar, Terroir (http://www.wineisterroir.com/), for a glass of vino, and was delighted at their impressive list with pages and pages full of Riesling. There were some very interesting Austrian wines as well - I managed to try some but forgot the all-important step of writing down what I was consuming - AMATEUR, how about it! Oh well, I was on vacation! Either way, this is one place worth checking out.
I wish I had more time to spend there, but a legendary tiki bar was calling my name…
Day 3:
Well, today was the day to compare 2 bit things from Chicago to New York; Hot dogs and pizza. For those that may not know, I have an abiding love for hot dogs - Chicago style that is. It was going to take a lot to impress me. I decided to stop at a random vendor to try the true style NY hot dog. While it was pretty delicious, I have to say Chicago’s dogs are way better. No contest. The pizza, however, is another story.
I went to the infamous Lombardi’s (http://www.firstpizza.com/) and holy crap, that is some good pie! The crust is crispy, yet chewy and perfectly cooked. If I could marry this pizza, I totally would.
Day 4: More pizza for me! From a street vendor this time. Still delicious.
Day 5: Being my last night and all, I decided to go all out. We started at a wonderful little German bar in Brooklyn called Radegast Hall & Biergarten (http://www.radegasthall.com/) - what a little treasure! All german beers all the time. And what’s more is the wonderful grill master serving up delicious sausages at your request - along with a wide choice of mustards to pair. Yum.
With my belly full of jelly, I mean sausage and beer, we headed to the lovely Death + Company (http://www.deathandcompany.com/lounge/) in East Village. If you’re looking for a great cocktail, this is your place for sure. I began with a whiskey and amaro drink that was perfectly stirred. Amaro, the one spirit I seem to always have on hand, yet so underrated! Its perfect bitterness, mellowed by smooth whiskey, was enough to carry me away into the night. A few more drinks were enjoyed, then I clicked my heels togther and some how I ended back at LUSH with Toto and Auntie Em, Tucker and Rachel, and all was right with the world.
kc
Tags: amaro, Chicago, death and company, dos toros, East Village, erin, heartland brewry, hot dogs, kelly, lombardi's pizza, lush wine, pizza, tacos, terroir wine bar, Twisted Spoke, union square, West Town