Chasing Cupcakes

New Yorkers love moving targets. The fact that gourmet trucks are always so popular is proof of this. You feel a sense of pride when you finally locate that elusive banh mi cart, you feel lucky when the falafel cart regularly parks along your commute. And when the cupcake truck graces you with its presence, maybe you dash down the street like a little kid that heard the faint ringing of the ice cream truck.

The Cupcake Stop truck finds a new home each and every day, and fans can track its location on Twitter. Last week the truck happened to be a few blocks away from the office, so I went out and got a red velvet one. The cupcakes were much smaller and far less sweet than Crumbs, which was a welcome surprise after a big lunch. They bake them fresh every morning and you can tell, the cupcakes were way moister than any cupcake I've ever gotten from Buttercup.

Here's hoping the Cupcake Stop truck and I cross paths again someday.

Fresh Air and Fiery Chili in Portsmouth

I think most people in NYC can understand the need to get out of the city and breathe sometimes. For Rob and I, that place of refuge is Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It's the perfect New England port town with eclectic shopping, cozy coffeeshops and, of course, great food. We probably pay our sanctuary a visit about once every eight weeks or so. I can't think of many places I'd rather be.

We almost always start our day off at Colbys. This cozy little establishment has a fireplace, warm red walls and local art hanging on the walls. We partially come here because there aren't many other breakfast choices in the area -- the Friendly Toast always has a wait and isn't even very good, and while Popovers has puffed pastry the size of your head, they don't offer table service, or much beyond your standard bakery fare for that matter. Colby's it is, then.

But aside from the lack of choices in the area, Colby's has something very special to offer -- Lobster Benedict. It's on the specials list about 80% of the time, so there's always the fun anticipation of waiting to see whether or not it will be a lobster benny morning. They give you tons of lobster meat and top it off with lots of hollandaise, and for $12.99 a plate I can tell you that you'll pay a lot more for a lot less in Brooklyn.

Colby's

105 Daniel St.

Portsmouth, NH 03801

Our most recent visit was a perfect fall day, with the sun shining, a tiny chill in the air, and beautiful folliage abound. And because Porstmouth is a real-life Pleasantville, that Saturday just happened to be Portsmouth's Chili Fest day.

The chili here came in all shapes and sizes. Some were beef-based, some were chicken-based, some were made from pork, one was even made from steak (and, it should be said, not that good). They came with beans and without, with or without scallions, any variety of salsa, with or without cheese. Some had onions. Some had stations where you can add cheese or sour cream til your heart's content. Some were served with tortilla chips. One even had a zinfandel reduction sauce (it was actually served on the steak chili and again, not recommended). The chilis here saw no limits. My favorite was a simple ground beef chili, with beans and a lot of chili powder, that left me breathing fire. Oh, you wanted a water? You'll have to wait in that gigantic line over there to buy a ticket for $2. Well, everything has its price I guess.

On the plus side, we did meet some pretty nifty new friends.

There is so much more to say about Portsmouth's dining scene. Espresso-coated filet mignons at the Green Monkey, lobster rolls at Lobster in the Rough, pizza at the Flatbread Company, crab cakes at Cafe Mirabel, fresh flounder at Jumpin' Jay's. I'll have to save those for future Portsmouth installments. Or maybe you'd like to join us for our next getaway?

Sandwich Obsession Deconstructed: Marlow & Sons (& Daughters)

My sandwich kick went strong for awhile, and now here I am at what I consider stage 2 of sandwichiritis: the deconstruction. Cured meats and cheeses are now best enjoyed separately, so as to enjoy the subtle differences that come with preparing the same foods in different ways. And restaurants always throw in some chewy bread, so you still get the sandwichy effect. It's a happy disease.

A few weekends ago Rob and I finally went to Marlowe & Sons in Williamsburg. It's gotten so much hype but I never really felt like going. Their specialties of charcuterie, oysters and soup just seemed like a boring way to spend the evening. I was so, so wrong and I'm glad. It was one of the most memorable meals Rob and I have had in a long time.

We went on a Saturday night and they don't take reservations, so we had to wait at the crowded bar for quite awhile. It was annoying being right in the servers' way but as soon as we got a stool at the bar, we were treated well during our wait. They asked if we wanted to start with any appetizers on the house, so we went with the olives. Two minutes later we were presented with a huge bowl of all sorts of shiny and briny olives in all shades and shapes. They were some of the meatiest olives I've ever had. In a good way. The perfect accompanyment to our 1/3 bottle of wine.

After waiting a little over an hour we get a seat, and luckily its towards the back of the room. Lots of people are sitting about four feet away from the bar. There's not a whole lot of room for personal space here.

Marlow & Sons switches up their menu every day based on what's fresh in their kitchen that day. I think there are a few constants, like the brick chicken. We decided against the idea of getting any of the three entrees and went for a little bit of everything else. First, a meat plate and two kinds of cheeses. The memorable cheese was a Point Reyes from California. We savored this stuff like it was the last thing we were ever going to eat. It was a little smokey with a familiar aftertaste that neither of us could identify. We would alternate taking bites, trying to nail down what it reminded us of. We couldn't come up with anything. The other cheese was good but not nearly as mystifying, so I guess it lost out on the allure of its brother cheese.

The meat plate was made up of five kinds of cured porky wonder: toscano, soppressata, finnochiona, nostrano and prosciutto. Finnochiona is a salami with fennel, or finnochio (one of the few Italian words I actually know and use!) Each and every type of meat blew me away with its lush spices and meltiness.

To finish our deconstructed sandwich, we ordered the crostini of the day. On this particular day the crostini was topped with housemade butter, goat cheese and Concord grape compote. Before we tried it, we were thinking "Bread and butter with a little cheese and a little jelly, sounds kind of boring and maybe a little weird." The crostini was neither of these things by a long shot. After one bite, both of our eyes shot up. First the warm, sweet housemade butter runs down your throat. Then the strong, acidic taste of the supergrape fills your mouth. You crunch on the grape seeds while the taste of the goat cheese comes through, a bit overpowered but still present. It was truly amazing. The idea that these simple ingredients can form into something so powerful was nothing less than inspiring. I almost cried a little.

But we're not done yet. We had read pretty stellar reviews of the Parmesan soup, another constant on the menu. We were expecting a rich, cream-based soup, but it was actually cloudy broth with housemade croutons and greens, though I don't remember what those greens were. The soup wasn't much to look at but it was light, salty, cheesy, buttery. Score.

And since we were there, we might as well try their oysters. We tried one kind from New York and another from North Carolina. I've never been too fond of oysters but this place has converted me into a full-on oyster believer. The New York oyster was a bit overpowering in its briny punch but I found the North Carolina ones to be just right.

At this point we were both too full for dessert. But this didn't stop us from getting the chocolate tart with sea salt and caramel to go. I think it may have lost something in the way of texture (and temperature) after a day in the fridge, but the flavors were still there. They definitely did not skimp on the sea salt, making for a sharp contrast with the rich chocolate and smooth caramel. Even non-sweet toothed Rob enjoyed this one. Well, at least the bites that I let him have.

I can't wait to go back so I can try the pork belly, the brick chicken, the fried corn and chicken liver pate. That is, on top of everything else that we have already tried.

Until our next visit, there is always Marlow & Daughters, the small grocery store/butcher next door. Like Marlow & Sons, the prices are a little steep at the store devoted to the female of the Marlow offspring, but I bet it's worth it.

Marlow & Sons
81 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 384-1441

Marlow & Daughters
95 Broadway (between Bedford Ave & Berry St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-5700

I'm Examining!

Some semi-delayed news -- I've finally branched out my food writing beyond the scope of this blog. I am the official Brooklyn Brunch Examiner for Examiner.com! I started towards the end of August so I only have a few articles at this point. Check me out if you get a chance, and keep checking back for more updates. Brooklyn is a big place and brunch is more or less a universal restaurant thing, so if anyone has any tips or ideas to share, please pass them my way!

Also, if there are any writers out there, Examiner hires all sorts of people to cover sports, fitness, animals, etc. I can hook you up!

Creepy Jello Salads and More

I was blog-surfing a few weeks ago when I came across something hilarious: Weight Watcher's diet recipes from the early '70s. Take a look.

Warning -- You WILL lose your appetite.

A Sandwich and Gelato; Perfected

This past weekend I found myself wandering around a winding street fair in the West Village. It's impossible for me to shop without getting hungry, so Rob and I began searching around for something quick yet quality to eat. He suggested we hit up Faicco's Pork Store, next to Murray's Cheese Shop. I thought it was an odd suggestiong seeing as how I didn't even know they provided quick meals like sandwiches. But they do. And it is amazing.

There are tons of fantastic meats to choose from here, and they aren't just limited to pork. There's housemade roast beef and frozen pastas and other fantastic looking treats. But mostly pork. Cured meats, bacon, sausages, even a pork roast, which is a juicy little slice of porky heaven. I know because I came back to try it.

We finally settled on the hot sopressata with fresh mozzerella and artichokes, drizzled in olive oil and topped off with lots of pepper. Wow. When they handed us each a fresh piece of meat right off the slicer, we knew we found a quality place. The sopressata had the right amount of lean and fat, the perfect amount of spice that gets you in the back of the throat. We get to eat a whole sandwich of this stuff?

This quick meal sparked a sandwich obsession that has lasted all week. I constantly wanted meat and cheese on a baguette, or something equally crusty yet hard to bite. After a few lame deli sandwiches, I finally caved and went back for my second visit to Faicco's today. I ordered the same exact thing, except unfortunately they forgot the artichokes this time. That's okay. Still amazing, even though the artichokes lended a good amount of moisture and a subtle taste that complemented the fresh cured pork and cheese well.

I don't think the sandwich obsession will stop here, although I sort of hope it will. There aren't enough good sandwich stops in midtown or Greenpoint that cut the bill, especially now that I have been spoiled by Faicco's.

After the sandwich today I stopped for some gelato at Grom. I've had gelato here a couple of times now but nothing has stood out as much as the caramello -- carmelized sugar with pink Himalyan sea salt crystals. I thought the sweet/salty combo would be a bit overpowering, but it was actually quite creamy and mellow, with a soft aftertaste that was maybe vanilla or egg yolks. The pink salt wasn't visible, but that's ok. You have my heart anyway, Grom.

Faicco's Pork Store
260 Bleecker St. (between Cornelia St. & Morton St.)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-1974

Grom Gelato
233 Bleecker St. at Carmine St.
New York, NY 10022
(212) 206-1738
www.grom.it/eng

Westville: Not Your Typical Diner

Last Wednesday, Rob and I met up with a few friends for dinner at Westville East. I did some quick research before heading out the door that evening and saw that Westville (and its Avenue A branch, Westville East) was perceived to be a sort of health food diner with salads, sandwiches, and lots of vegetables. We went in with fairly low expectations, and were pretty amazed with what we found.

We had to wait about half an hour at 8pm. On a Wednesday! And people were still waiting for our table at 10pm. I think this speaks pretty loudly about Westville's loyal following.

Luckily for us, they'll give you your wine or beer in a paper cup so you can take it outside while you wait for your table. This definitely makes standing outside a little (ok -- a lot) easier to do.

The atmosphere in Westville East's corner spot is simple, with white walls and a few decorations. It's the people that give Westville its true bustling, hearty feel.

Now I'm not crazy for vegetables or anything, but their list of market fresh sides was almost overwhelming. I tried the chicken, mostly because it came with two sides. I finally settled on fennel with parmesan and green peas with shallots and bacon (their "Add Bacon" sign in the front must have gotten to me). I was a little sad that I had to pass up on the lemon grilled asparagus, beets with goat cheese, snopeas with sesame and ginger and cucumber dill salad. Next time. At least, I hope next time -- they switch up their listings every day based on what's fresh at the market.

The grilled lemon herb chicken was thin and unmemorable, but the sides were pretty fantastic. Luckily they didn't skimp on the veggies in the least. Rob had the porkchop topped with onions and mushrooms and chose the cauliflour dijonaisse for his side. The cauliflour was fairly plain tasting and the porkchop was a tiny bit overcooked, but the smothered topping was pretty tasty.

All those healthy veggies set off my sweet tooth, so I had a bowl of "world famous Bassets" mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. It was nice and creamy and they gave me a lot, like the kind of dish I would scoop up for myself if I were home. I still do not know who Basset is.

Exciting news for them -- they are currently in the process of opening up a new branch in Chelsea. Now they'll have a Westville East, West, and.... Northwest?

Westville East

173 Avenue A (at 11th St)

New York, NY 10009

212-677-2933

WestvilleNYC.com