Ascend makes a really tasty Thanksgiving Turkey flavored jerky.
This bag contained three servings at 80 calories a pop.
I ate the whole thing during lunch with a few other low calories snacks and veggies, and was completely satisfied for the whole day, through to dinner.
Really tender, and great “autumnal” flavor that incorporates all the herbs and spices you associate with a Thanksgiving feast. Highly recommended.
My wife and I stopped in here for a quick bite and a drink before seeing a show nearby.
The space is pretty nice, with outdoor seating and bars, and a good selection of German brews. I tried a Grevenstein, which was an unfiltered style lager, and my wife tried a cider. Pints are $7 each, and liter steins are $12.
The food was pretty great. This wurst-sampler platter was $24: four sausages, fries and pretzel bread on a bed of kraut with and a trio of mustards.
This giant soft pretzel was $8.
Cool spot.
BROOKLYN BAVARIAN BIERGARTEN
265 Prospect Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215
My wife and I went to Hanoi House with some friends. I wasn’t expecting such a great showing of Vietnamese food, as NYC is notoriously not that great for the cuisine. I was pleasantly surprised.
We started with a beef tongue sandwich that we split among the four of us. I didn’t shoot it, but man was it delicious. The tongue was braised and super tender, and dressed with chili, lime, cilantro, and a coconut curry type sauce. Just the right balance of savory, spicy and sweet. A must order.
We also shared an order of summer rolls, which were filled with shrimp, pork, herbs, and crispy egg roll skin (all inside the soft rice paper wrap). These were the best I’ve had in NYC (I also failed to get a photo of these – apologies).
The pho was fantastic. The broth was more robust and murky than other places I’ve been. While many pho bowl slingers strive for a clear, almost consomme-like broth, this place embraced the opposite. I could taste the herbs and spices that simmered for hours.
I added the marrow and braised oxtail into the mix, which upped the cost by $8, but it was totally worth it. This is currently my favorite bowl in NYC. Hands down.
My wife ordered this beautiful and delicious lobster noodle dish, which also had some pork roll in the mix as well. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the portion size was generous, especially considering it was a good sized lobster.
I highly recommend this place for anyone looking to get their Vietnamese food fix.
HANOI HOUSE
119 St Marks Pl
New York, NY 10009
I call this one Scottish Punch:
Shake with ice and pour over rocks. Garnish with a cherry.
Sweet balanced with smoke.
This turkey jerky is pretty nice. At just 80 calories per serving, it’s super healthy and satisfying too.
This is just a half serving pack (40 calories). I liked the Jamaican spice flavors on it. It was tender too. Solid brand.
Sweetwood Jerky Co makes a really nice, tender, sweet and spicy beef jerky.
I was really happy with this one. Look at the pepper seeds! But that spice was nicely balanced by the sweet, so it didn’t blow up my taste buds. I highly recommend.
NOTE: THIS PLACE IS NOW CLOSED
Restaurateur and food scene influencer Matt Bruck recently partnered with Chef Hong Thaimee to open Thaimee at the McCarren Hotel.
The restaurant is bright, spacious and gorgeous, with open-kitchen views into the back so you feel like you are part of the action.
The bar is a beautiful, orchid-spotted stretch with seating for about 10 people that boasts a flavorful and inspired cocktail menu, as well as some choice wines and sake.
From what I understand, the cocktail menu is currently expanding as well, so there will be even more to choose from.
The food menu is well-crafted: not too extensive, and not too small. And with Chef Hong back there doing her thing, each dish is executed with precision and perfection.
Since we tried a bunch of stuff here, I will get right down to business.
Caveat: this place has seen some buzz regarding their magic color-changing noodles.
Although I was interested to see them in action, I felt like those babies were all over Instagram already, so I wanted to try some stuff that no one else has reviewed.
Crab Cake: Beautifully presented and packed a lot of great flavor.
Tom Yum Soup: Easily one of the better versions of this Thai classic that I’ve ever tried. Tangy and robust.
Rabbit & Noodles: Perfectly cooked and tender. The batter is thick – puffy and soft on the inside, but crisp on the outside. A big winner.
Fried Ribs: Excellent. This is a must-have dish when you come here. They’re crispy, juicy and tasty. Also a big winner.
Squash Curry: As a meat man, I was surprised at how much I liked this squash dish. It was filling, satisfying, and packed with delicious Thai style curry flavors. It’s also incredibly beautiful.
Dumplings: These babies are so colorful and tasty. Veggie and peanut filling, topped with coconut and chili oil. Colors and fillings may change daily.
Thai Basil Scrambled Egg: So simple but so perfectly executed and delicious. I highly recommend this for the table.
Pumpkin Donuts: These are great for sharing at the table as well. They’re heavier than classic fried donuts, so they will chip away at your hunger and satisfy you.
Pomelo Salad: Tart, refreshing, and well balanced, this is a great way to open up your taste buds or cleanse your palette between courses.
Pad Thai Carbonara: This is hands-down the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had. There are chunks of thick cut bacon and a raw egg yolk to mix in. It really works! And the presentation is fun too. We picked shrimp as our main protein.
Chocolate Chili Souffle: I’m not a huge chocolate enthusiast, but I liked the hit of chili on top. It made this dessert pop.
Pumpkin Flan: Very smooth, and really nice flavors. I liked the candied pumpkin seeds and crispy squash on top as garnish.
I think that about does it. You should definitely get over here for the rabbit, the ribs, the squash, the soup, and especially the Pad Thai. You won’t be disappointed.
THAIMEE AT MCCARREN
160 N 12th St
Brooklyn, NY 11249
I recently tried this “lake house lime and chili” flavored beef jerky from Stewart & Co.
I was really impressed with the calorie count and serving size. This will satisfy your post-lunch hunger pangs without spending too many calories in the process. Very healthy.
The meat itself was tender and flavorful, without being overly salty or spicy. I really enjoyed it. Grab yourself a pack!
I’ve been hitting the jerky hard lately, as you might have noticed. The reason why is because I have a sack of jerky packages and meat sticks from a recent food show that I attended. All these companies were giving out samples, and I grabbed as many as I could carry without ripping the ligaments from my arms. Slowly but surely I am getting through them all, one by one.
This is a unique meat protein: alpaca. It tastes like any other beef, chicken or pork stick. A little less greasy than some. Not grainy, good smoke flavor without too much casing skin. I liked it. It’s similar to some of the ones I tried from “Buffalo Bob’s” – unique proteins like gator, kangaroo, etc.
Anyway this one is pretty good. I still like the flat sticks from Buffalo Bob’s better, in terms of exotic protein snack sticks and jerkies. I think this was 50 calories based on an online search (nutritional info was not printed on the individual wrapper – likely on the multi-pack box though).
These little chubby, stubby beef and pork snack sticks were tasty.
Tough to choose a favorite between the two, but both were low calorie and satisfying.
I’ll have to keep my eye out for more flavor varieties. I definitely recommend.
