Dinosaur Bar-B-Que!

Look up "barbque" on Google and the first link on the page will be Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Another establishment in an under-established neighborhood. Right across from Fairway Market, there's a distinct garage looking restaurant up in Harlem. that's where you might find the best BBQ in the city. For Sarah's 22nd B-day, I took some advice from my friend and decided to take Sarah to what my friend described as true "Texas BBQ". (He's a Texan, Cowboys fan and all) And I wasn't dissappointed.

First we started out with some "Fried Green Tomatoes", one of the favorites at Dinosaur. Along with some wings to really get the party started. The Fried Green Tomatoes were excellent. It was tomato-y, however the distinct flavors of the underdeveloped fruit showed and made it a new experience. The wings were also good. There were multiple flavors, but we opted for the Hotter-Garlic Chipotle and the Honey BBQ. Both equally distinct in their flavors and just spicy enough to give you a bit of a blush. Then it was onto the main course.

BBQ BBQ BBQ! RIBS RIBS RIBS! This is real BBQ. The flavors were smokey and juicy. The big fuss I have with BBQ is that it's way too often just smothered in BBQ sauce and takes flavor away from the ribs. Dinosaur does a good job in offering the BBQ sauces on the side with their well grilled ribs. Our order also came with four side orders. We got the Mac-n-Cheese, Coleslaw, Potatoes and Asparagus and Baked Beans. Each of which was delicious. (Especially the Mac-n-Cheese). All in all a great dinner with really great service. AND WE HAD LEFT OVERS!

I have to say this is one of the better experiences I've had in BBQ joints in a while. Service was quick and easy. Space wasn't too cluttered and prices were exceptional. Here's the damage.

Total Costs: Fried Green Tomatoes + 1/2 Wings + Sweetheart Deal for Two = $50 (Tip and Tax Included)

I recommend this for those who wanna grab a good meal and doesn't mind a bit of a trek. It's way on the west-side. However, you definitely will come to realize that the exercise will come in handy.

Enjoy!

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
646 W 131st St.
New York, NY 10027

Cafe Havana

Soho, the hipster staple of New York is known for its high-end eats, but after a bit of searching we came across a nice little restaurant called "Cafe Havana". Staying true to its Cuban roots, we find an authentic mix of spanish flavors with a bit of "gastronome" flair. I didn't care too much for the all-hipster crowd, but the eclectic staff makes up for this somewhat snobby guestlist.

We started with the Mexican style corn. For those who watched "Nacho Libre", this is the bad boy that Esqueleto was eating. And lemme tell you, this is as good as it looks. A lil spicy, but the sweet and salty mix is key to this dish. Sarah went a lil wild and ate an entire corn while the rest of us share half of 1. (Gotta love a girl that eats) Then we moved on to a bit of the other stuff that was prepared for us.

This was a bit of fun for me. I'm no newbie to the Cuban food and what I noticed was that this bad boy had all the elements to a good sandwich. Comes with some garnish, but nothing I really ate. I'm more of a carnivore myself. Juicy and well layered I can say that I truly enjoyed it.

We also had Sincronizada Toluca. This baby had some real nice flavor to it. Basically a tortilla with Motz., Chorizo and Avacados and all the other good things that make Spanish flavors come together. All in all a great meal.

However don't come here if you don't like cramped places. The seating will allow you to hear everyone's conversation even if you don't want to hear it. You might like the waitstaff if you enjoy really strange people however if you're looking for a quiet sitdown, this isn't it.

We're in it for the food however so a lot of things don't apply to us.

Total Costs: Cuban Sandwich + Sincronizada Toluco + Cuban Style Roast Pork + Mexican Corn = $31 (without tip)

At $31 you'll be able to feed 3 which isn't half bad. Recommended for the young, the young at heart, or if you're young in the pocket.

Enjoy!

Geno's and Reno's Cafe

For our 2 year anniversary we decided it'd be fun to go down to Philly for a weekend. Of course our first stop would be at the unforgettable Geno's.

Being about 30-40 degrees outside we decided an outdoor lunch would be be suitable.

With large expectations of what a "Philly" Cheesesteak really was. We found that it wasn't the greasy looking stuff that we find in New York all the time. With each one made on the spot with high quality ingredients you can see why these bad boys are so coveted by foodies. With the addition of Birch root beers and cheese fries, you can get an awesome meal for two for less than $20!

They also got a nice little condiment stand filled with mild and spicy peppers. I normally don't like these pickled menaces, however these tasted like nothing I've ever had. Delicious flavor in each. And it was kind of fun guessing whether or not the next one you ate was gonna burn or your tongue or not. This staple is definitely worth the visit.

However the real show stopper was at Rene's Cafe.

Looking for a refreshing cup of coffee we unexpectedly landed in Rene's Cafe. Only to be greeted by this man right here. Rene in his cool fedora and thick french accent is as passionate about his culture as he is about his food. Using his own hands he prepared for us 2 drinks. He led me into getting his own patented "Rene's Espresso" while Sarah took the less conventional approach and got the "Volcano Hot Chocolate". He meticulously prepared the drinks in front of us putting on a show for 2 tourists and expressing his love for all things chocolate. A master of his craft, he spends time preparing each of his listed menu items.

Fresh ricotta cannoli covered in honey and pistachios, a chocolate covered truffle and a pistachio covered truffle was our dessert. A perfect pairing for a perfect day date.

Our costs = $15 including drinks. (However I did leave a bit of a tip for his attention)

When in town check out the "Love Park", a nice little place to take pictures. Philly was an incredible experience. I truly enjoyed the foods and people. I couldn't have thought of a better way to enjoy our 2 year anniversary.

Enjoy!

Porchetta

Remember when dating was easy? And all you needed to do was go to Applebees order buffalo wings and a burger and it was considered all good.

No longer. So now I'm embarking on an adventure of food and deliciousness. Consumed of course at a decent price. Looking for a place to take your date or to eat? Look no further.

Me and Sarah go on dates every weekend and we try to go to different places every week. A couple weeks back we went to the very hipster famous "Porchetta". Well.. pictures are better than words.

Here's the famous pork sandwich. The bread was a bit hard, but the pork was something else. Good cracklings are hard to come by, but this was way good. My only concerns are that it did seem a bit dry. Above all the potatoes with crackling bits made it very please meal all together.

It's a quaint, good, clean restaurant. But if you're looking for ambiance, you won't find it here. Good for a quick snack before hitting up St. Marks or something like that.

NY Mag gave this place 4 Stars. Considering the price and what you get, I'd say it's deserves it.

Total costs : 2 Sandwiches + 1 Potato = $25

Enjoy!