Gastronomic Gutbuster: Beer Belly

If you're starting a diet soon, I highly recommend you go to Beer Belly.  Not for your diet.  For your last hurrah before your diet.

I imagine the beer here is really good.  I imagine because I can't actually tell you because I don't drink beer, but I did have a great spicy Blenheim ginger ale ($3).

Death by Duck -- duck fat fries, duck skin cracklins, duck confit, raspberry mustard ($8).

A damn good way to die.  Freakishly delicious.  Even non-duck-loving Amber was a fan!

Buttermilk fried chicken -- breast strips, roasted corn aioli ($9).

While the rest of us were quacking, Eleana cried, "Give chicken a chance!"  And, boy, were we glad we did.

The Duck French Dip -- sage-roasted duck breast, Provolone, duck-skin horseradish aioli, duck au jus, pickled onions ($14).

Sometimes it's the condiments that really make a sandwich.  Gold stars for the duck-skin horseradish aioli and the duck au jus!

The Beer Belly Grilled Cheese -- cheddar, Asiago, Gruyere, goat cheese, applewood bacon, maple syrup ($11).

Maple syrup!  Yes, once again, the condiment made the sandwich.  What an epic inclusion!  At our table, Mercy recognized this first.

Chipotle and beer-braised short rib -- cheddar puff pastry, roasted short rib jus, dill and onion housemade chips ($15).

Hard to believe that this dish came from a street-art-adorned Koreatown structure and not a fancy-schmancy Beverly Hills establishment.

Deep-fried mint Oreos, Nutella, strawberry puree, whipped cream, strawberry sugar, chocolate chip ice cream ($5).

This tasted like the county fair.  I like the county fair.

Next time I want to try the deep-fried cheddar with beer and bacon batter and jalapeño aioli.  And pork belly chips.  And steak and garlic truffle fries.  And pizza mac 'n' cheese.  And a fried Twinkie.

American Classic: Wayfare Tavern

Chef Tyler Florence isn't just a Food Network darling. The man can really run a restaurant. His Wayfare Tavern absolutely dazzles with its comfort classics.

Reservations can be difficult to score at night, but lunch is easy to book! Yay!

Complimentary popover.

Piping hot, fresh, and so damn good!

Chilled Maine lobster half, lemon garlic butter ($18).

Simple but incredible. High-quality stuff!

Smoked Sonoma pork ribs, roasted plums, corn on the cob, TF's barbecue sauce ($26).

Packed with flavor and fall-off-the-bone excellent. And plums? Corn? California produce at its finest!

Organic fried chicken -- buttermilk brine, roasted garlic, crisp woody herbs, lemon ($22).

Crisp! Juicy! Not too heavy! Garlic! Lemon! Stunning!

Baked macaroni and cheese -- Jack cheese, garlic bread crumbs, chive, and smoked olive oil ($8).

Pure joy in a cast-iron dish!

Wayfare Tavern totally won us over with its familiar but wonderfully executed dishes. If you're looking for comfort, this is it!

Bonus pic:

We spotted this raccoon outside our hotel. We can find wildlife anywhere!

Southern With International Flair: Red Rooster

Mr. Monkey and I were very excited to eat at Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster in Harlem. I became a big fan after watching Chef Samuelsson win Top Chef Masters. Mr. Monkey became a big fan after we met Chef Samuelsson at last year's Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival. He was easily the most personable chef at that event.


Red Rooster is very much a reflection of Chef Samuelsson himself, a happy Harlemite with Ethiopian roots and a Swedish upbringing. The food is decidedly Southern but includes ingredients, spices, and tastes from around the world.

We had a delightful time. I've read a number of unfavorable reviews, and I'm baffled. Everything we ate was marvelous, and our bill was rather reasonable by New York standards.

My only issue with Red Rooster? Photos are not allowed! The hostess berated me after I snapped the shot of the bar above. I literally had to sneak all of these food photos very quickly when staff wasn't looking. This was no easy task.

Jerk bacon and egg, brown beans, pikliz (Haitian pickled vegetables) ($16).


Dirty rice and shrimp, aged basmati, curry leaves, almond ($13).


Blackened catfish and black-eyed peas, fried pickles, lemon dill slaw ($23).


Creole red grits, crab, shrimp, chorizo ($10).


Fried Yard Bird -- dark meat, white mace gravy, hot sauce, shake ($22).


Sweet potato doughnuts, cinnamon sugar ($8).

The flavors were really strong and interesting throughout the meal. My illicit photography doesn't do Red Rooster justice. This meal made us even bigger fans of our dear Marcus.

Southern Sunday: Hattie's

One highlight of our first Dallas trip was Sunday brunch at Hattie's with Tam Pham and her husband!

Hattie's is refined Texas loveliness. I toasted Tam Pham and her husband with a mimosa -- they drove a long way! What great Internet friends!

Fried green tomatoes with buttermilk dressing.

Low country shrimp and cheddar grits in Tabasco pan sauce ($16.95).


Poached eggs on Hattie's crab cakes with Hollandaise ($14.25) and an extra sausage.


Special of the day -- fried chicken, bacon, gravy, and biscuits. A fancy KFC Double Down!

Hattie's Hangtown Scramble -- herb scrambled eggs, bacon-wrapped fried oysters, and hash browns topped with Parmesan shavings and Hollandaise sauce ($13.25).


Fried strawberry pie.


Online pals.

I highly recommend that you brunch at Hattie's when you visit Dallas. Great food and cheery Texas hospitality!

How Harlem Does the South: Amy Ruth's

We started our Saturday at Amy Ruth's up in Harlem.



The menu boasted comfort, cuisine, courtesy, and culture.

And Amy Ruth's lived up to this.

Complimentary cornbread, peach juice ($4.00), lemonade ($4.00).

The cornbread was a tad on the dry side, but the drinks were exactly what we needed on a warm day.

Amy Ruth's names all of its entrees after notable African-Americans, including Barack Obama, Al Roker, and Al Sharpton.

The Nate Robinson -- BBQ spare ribs + two sides ($14.25).

Tender, smoky, and flavorful. Mac 'n' cheese and buttered corn were fab.

The Ludacris -- four fried chicken wings + two sides ($12.25).

Golden fried crunchy yumminess. Candied yams and cheesy grits rocked.

Worth the trip to Harlem. Good food. Good service. Good prices.

While we were in the neighborhood, we visited Serena and Blair's Ivy League stomping grounds. Yes, that was another Gossip Girl reference.

After taking photos of one of the many law schools that rejected me, we headed back down to tourist central.

If you watch Project Runway, you may recognize this billboard featuring contestant Gretchen's winning navy jumpsuit early this season.

I embrace being a tourist. It means I can say I adore Times Square.