Taking a Bite into the Big Apple Day 2 - Chelsea Market, Time Square & Shake Stack

Day 2 of the trip started with an early morning breakfast at the Chelsea Market. This former National Biscuit Company factory complex (where Oreo was born) isn't your typical weekend Markets, but rather an enclosed shopping mall with various food stalls, flea-market type shops and offices within it.

Welcome to the Chelsea Market

Obviously, I was most interested in the food selection there. I knew beforehand that they have a wide selection, but I didn't know it was going to be THAT many choices. I was pretty much at a loss on what to start with. Oddly, we chose proximity over the natural palate progression (bread - mains - desserts). We started with desserts - Elena's Cupcakes. Located near the entrance, the colorful array of cupcakes and cookies caught our eyes and we were naturally drawn inside.

Cupcakes

Cookies

Gift Boxes

We ordered the Chocolate Ganache Cupcake and the Red Velvet Cupcake. The red velvet was a pretty decent but nothing to rave about. However the Chocolate Ganache Cupcake was awesome. The chocolate ganache is so rich that it overwhelmed me on the first bite. Despite its richness, the texture is thick (yet it doesn't become the usual chocolate) enough to ensure that I don't get sick of it on further bites. A certain must-try!

Fine Selections

Chocolate Ganache

Red Velvet

Elenis

Next up, we headed to the famous Amy's Bread where they make their own bread and pastries right inside Chelsea Market. It was pretty interesting to see the bakers at work.

Fresh bread all-day

Bakers hard at work

The selection of bread and pastries was amazing. I'll let the pictures do the work.

Take your pick...

Alright, they might not have as much pastries as they have with bread, but the selection is still pretty amazing. We tried their special Amy's Bread special bread. I would say that the freshness of the bread and the quality of their bakery is certainly reflected in the bread. However, it's definitely not a life-changing experience that will win any bread-haters over (maybe it'll win some hearts of the neutrals). All bread lovers, you have to try this shop.

Our Order

Amy's Bread 

 The last place that we went is the famous The Lobster Place. Everyone has been telling to try the soup here and I should never leave Chelsea Market without exploring this place. And the moment I stepping into the shop, I knew the reason behind all the hype.

Lets take a tour...

Entrance to the Lobster Place

Cashier

Sushi Section 

Menu for the day

Overview of the place

Here are the food selections... (We tried the clam chowder and it was really good. It was hot and creamy and a perfect way to start any meal).

Clams and more clams

One of the many fish stations

Lobsters Galore

Raw Salmon

Dragon Roll

 After our breakfast, we made preparation for our 2nd activity of the day - Broadway Musical. We headed down to Time Squares to get our tickets and took the chance to walk around.

This is basically the 3rd time I'm taking a walk around Times Square and it still feels the same as my first time. The energy in this place is amazing and it seems to renew itself repeatedly. There is always a sense of expectancy is this area, like everyone is waiting for something to happen. It is the energy and this sense of expectancy that keeps drawing hordes of people back to this place. Simply hanging out in the middle of Times Square is already an experience on its own. 

After Times Square, our stomach brought us to the Shake Stack which is famous for both its Milkshake and Burgers (i.e. Stack). The long queue didn't deter us and we joined the queue expecting to wait for at least an hour. However, the staff were efficient and we got our food is less than 1/2 hour. 

Front of the Shop - Shake Shack

Crowded at Lunch Time

The Menu itself was easy to understand and pretty much self explanatory - choose a burger, grab a fries and pick your shake. The only bad thing is that there is no set meals, so basically everything adds up to a pretty expensive price for a set meal. The good thing - you can choose not to have one of the selection if ain't feeling too hungry. Oh and they have their daily special Shakes flavor, so do find out beforehand on their website if you are there for their shakes. 

Drinks Menu for Shake Stack

I ordered their Shack Stack Buger, which is basically a combination of their Cheeseburger and Vegetarian Shroom Burger. It comes with a patty of of beef and a patty of Vegetarian Portobello filled with melted Muenster and Cheddar cheeses. This was the first time I was more impressed with the vegetarian patty than the meat patty. The beef patty was so-so but the portobello and melted cheese combination was so good that I was so tempted to get another vegetarian burger. The melted cheese adds a tasty flavor the mushrooms and the crispy outer layer puts a wonderful icing to the lovely burger. A double must-try for all. 

Shack Burger and Cheese Burger

Shared a Plate of Cheese Fries

The Vegetarian Patty of my Shack Burger

After a quick meal at Shake Shack (which we were very tempted to come back again), we went for our Spiderman Musical. My advice for all musical-loving people out there - DO NOT GO! The musical is a good show for Kids looking for action, with the Spiderman stuntmen zipping around the theatre fighting the green goblin. But as a musical, it fails in many levels. The singing was below average, the plot was worse than any movies that was produced and overall it was a bore throughout. As my friend Andre puts it: "If this was a side show in Universal Studios, it would be worth the time, but as a Musical, its a no-go." Here are some photos:

Interior of the Theatre 

Souvenirs for Spidey Fans

Spider Man, Turn off the Dark

Foxwoods Theatre

USA 2012: Conclusion

My 30-day USA Coast-to-Coast trip finally came to a concluding halt yesterday night when I touched down at Changi Airport.

The trip was an adventure in itself, with great sights and gastronomy experience that was coupled with fantastic company. A special shout-out to Dawn, Andre, Yao Feng, Dina, Hannah, Sandy & Xiuli for making this trip such a blast.

Unfortunately, the schedule was so packed that I really couldn't squeeze in the time and energy to keep this blog live during the trip itself.

Instead, I'll be updating this blog from today onwards, giving the low-down of each day of my trip over the next few days. I'll be sharing our itineraries, my thoughts and recommendations (for both food and sights) for each city, though I can't give everything in details as some of the details were lost due to memory decay. Nevertheless, I'll try my best to share everything in hope that anyone that reads the posts will have a clearer idea on what to see and where to eat in the different cities.

So stay tuned and feel free to email/comment if you need more information from me. :)

Cheers!

US Summer 2012 Day 1 (P2): High Line & Katz Deli

The second half of the day saw us going to the new High Line (W 30th Street). The High Line was a public initiative to turn the old railway into a park that spams across around 20 Streets to around 1.6 Kilometers. The railway-turned-garden concept was conceived in 1999 and was opened in September 2005. The park itself has plenty of greenery and rest stops, making it the perfect place for the both tourists and locals to chill and enjoy a break away from the busy streets of New York (a good break away from Central Park too). Furthermore, its free for all to use.

Here are some highlights:

Start of the High Line at 30th Street

The old railway is still very visible

One of the few interesting exhibits along the way 

Another one: The Bird House

Its very interesting how they make use of the cityscape to be part of the garden-scape

Plenty of places for you to chill 

Ending the walk

It was lovely, having to stroll through the high line and admiring the city from afar. It kinds of give you the detached feeling, which brings you away from the stress of the streets, yet you are not too far off that you feel lost. I would recommend a stroll there if you happen to be in New York.

After the walk down High Line, we headed to our dinner place at Katz Delicatessen. This place is not only famous for its wonderful pastrami sandwich but also for its hollywood appearance in When Harry Meet Sally. The deli was the location of the famous "I'll have what she's having.." fake orgasm scene.

Entrance to the Katz Deli 

Your typical Deli interior design

Obviously, it didn't took us long to decide to order. However, it did take us a while to figure the ordering system. It was basically a ticket system (akin to Marche) and you had to queue behind individual cutter (instead of a dedicated line for sandwiches) to get your food. 

The Cutter who helped us

We tried the Pastrami Sandwich (USD$ 15.76) and it was so tasty. The meat was definitely the highlight. It was nicely seasoned (maybe a little too salty for some) and the fats around the meat was so good to bite into. The only downside is that it is as good as it is unhealthy. The bread was average, so nothing much to rave about here. We also ordered the Matzo Soup (USD $5.95), which was basically stuffing ball (akin to your Turkey stuffings) in broth. The broth was pretty tasty but the ball itself is something I would give a miss.

Pastrami Sandwich

Matzo Ball Soup

Dinner for the night

I would definitely recommend a visit to this Deli. Not just for its history in Hollywood but also for the Pastrami Sandwich. The portion's pretty big, so if you ain't a big eater, ordering one for two persons is more than enough.

Katz Delicatessen

205 East Houston Street (corner of Ludlow St)
New York City, 10002

Monday - Wednesday: 8:00am - 10:45 pm
Thursday: 8:00am-2:45am
Friday: 8:00am - Open all night!
Saturday: Open all day!
Sunday: Open until 10:45pm

(Friday & Saturday open till Late Night)

Nearby Subway stops:
F to Second Avenue Station 
F, M, J or Z to Delancey/Essex St Station

Price: USD $$

Celebrities Galore

After a hearty dinner, we took a short tour around Greenwich Village. We went by Washington Square (which was the location of Will Smith's I Am Legend House) and New York University (NYU). We managed to conclude our night with a Jazz performance (Music Charges $22 for Bar Area) at the Blue Note. We were, however, too tired to enjoy any of the jazz and left midway through the set.

NYU Library

Washington Square

Blue Note

For more pictures: http://on.fb.me/J2oDqO

US Summer 2012 Day 1 (P1): Flea Markets, High Line & Jazz Bar

After 1 full night's of rest, we were ready to go at 9 a.m for our adventures in New York. Dawn, Andre an me headed out of our apartment to search for a T-Mobile shop, but ended up in Times Square again. This time, it was for a visit to the tourism center. It was a pleasant surprise that even the visitor center is worth a visit even if you DO NOT have any queries for them. They have some decent broadway exhibits,  a dedicated Dick Clark (the guy who hosted the New Year's Countdown) exhibit and the Ball thats dropped every year.

A section of the Wishing Wall dedicated to Dick Clark

Dropping the Ball in NYC

After getting the information we wanted, we headed to our first destination: Smorgasburg Food Market, Brooklyn. It was a 1/2 an hour subway ride (it took us awhile to figure out the system, figuring that it will be a whole lot of trouble once you get to the wrong side of the platform) to the Food Market and we reached a little earlier than the opening hours. So we decided to shop around the nearby flea market.

Artists & Fleas

A peak at their interior

The Artist & Flea market actually has quite pretty and unique stuff but the price of each item is really un-flea market-ish. A ring can go up to 30 - 50 USD and they don't look willingly to bargain. So unless you have the cash and ready to splash, this market isn't the best place to shop for your stuff.

At 11 a.m promptly, we stepped into the Smorgasburg Food Market and begin to find ways to fill our famished stomachs. As most of them are still setting up stall, we settled for the stall with the train-like out-door stove which easily caught our eyes. We ordered the beef brisket and the meat was fantastic! If I were to go back, I'll definitely go for round 2. The small ones was really puny so we went for the large ones instead ($9).

Choo-Choo Train

Hard at Work

Beautiful Beef Brisket

They sell Ribs too

It didn't take us long to find our next dish. Just nearby, we were intrigued by the mozzarella cheese making display and decided to get the mozzarella plate once the show was done. Verdict: The huge slabs of mozzarella is a good fit for all. The cheese wasn't so "cheesy" that it puts non-cheese lover off but not so bland that it taste like nothing. The cheese is freshly made and it shows in the taste. It goes perfectly with the bread, tomato and the vegetables that comes with it. Nice :)

The Mozz Shop

The Candid Chef

The Mozz Plate

Next up was the Lobster Roll ($16). I must admit, it wasn't the wisest of choice. I could have gotten a better and nicer deal anywhere else and the staff wasn't the friendliest. Still, I was tempted by the prospect and jumped straight into ordering it. 

Lobster Roll

Sharing the Roll

On a side note, there was a celebrity filming his food documentary while we were in the market. He looks really familiar (I'm very sure I have watched his show) but I just can't put my finger to what his name is. Maybe someone can help me out here by posting his name in the comment section.

Back to the food. Another popular dish going around is the Fried Anchovies($7). We picked the Jersey-styled anchovies (with the head on) and had a go at it. Basically its Fried Breaded Shishamo (Japanese Pregnant Fish) without the eggs. Not the best fried fish (it was a little to salty and overcooked) but still a good to-try.

Jersey Style - Head On

Fried Anchovies

Last but not least, I had the Porchetta. It was pretty decent, with nice slices of boneless pork meat and rare chuck of crispy port fats put together with a less-than-average bread. Decent dish but I would recommend you try something else.

Porchetta

The Porchetta

That would be last dish for the day as my stomach called for a time-out. Here are some of the other highlights which I would like to try the next time I'm here.

Large Doughnuts

Lovely Drip Coffee

Award Winning Bacon Cupcakes

That marks the end of our first flea market tour and headed to the nearby Fort Greene Flea Market. This flea market is your typical flea market - they basically sell all kinds of crap. From dolls to furniture and clothes to accessories. they have it all. It was really interesting as to what actually could be sold. One of  which was what I called "Crap on Ring", which was basically anything junk (e.g Keyboard keys or legos) put on top of the ring. I'm surprised people actually buy that. The overall price is still pretty high for a flea market, there are actually some pretty decent deals around. You just have to be patient and take your time to search the entire place.

Fort Greene Flea Market

This place was actually built around a track and field

Cool Old Furniture Up for Grabs

Rocking Chair, Anyone?

Nostalgia in a Box

Star Wars

Besides selling used products, there is also quite a selection of food. Since most of the stalls can also be found in Smorgasburg and our stomach can't really take more food, we decided to give the food a miss.

All in all, I would recommend these two flea markets for anyone that is in New York over the weekend. For foodie-lovers, you HAVE to go to the Smorgasburg Food Market. There are a lot more varieties than the ones that I have posted here, including Ethiopian food, Columbian food and Vietnamese food. You may not get the most authentic experience, but its a good place to try and learn more about these cuisines before moving on the dedicated restaurants. The quality is pretty decent, the price is a little pricey (given the portions) but the still worth it overall.

For the non-foodie fans, I would recommend just the Fort Greene Flea Market. There is still a healthy number of choices in this Flea Market of which most are repeated from Smorgasburg. Even if you don't intend to buy anything, it will still be interesting to see what is on sale there, especially when the stall changes from time to time.

Smorgasburg Food Market

East River Waterfront (Btw North 6 & 7 St.)

Brooklyn, New York

Take Subway L line to Bedford Ave.

Saturday 11 am - 6 pm

Fort Greene Flea Market

176 Lafayette Ave (btw Clermont & Vanderbilt Av) 

Brooklyn, New York

Take Subway C Line to Lafayette Ave

Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 5 pm

Website: http://www.brooklynflea.com/

For more photos: http://on.fb.me/KxQHST

Thats all for now, stay tuned for Part 2 of New York Flea Day...

US Summer 2012 The Journey Begins!

Finally! After 6 months of planning and waiting, I have set off to the United States of America for a month long exploration. So excited!!!

I am done with my 1st day here (technically its the 2nd day after more than 24 hours traveling) but I haven nothing much to report. This is due to the fact I spent most of my time recovering from 36 hours in planes and airport. So stay tuned for more as I update my journeys through this freedom-loving country.

Times Square against the Evening Sky

Till then.. Good night!