Bingo!

A perfect solution for a gluten-free ice cream sandwich. Macaron and chocolate sorbet. Hey, it's good for the lactose-sensitive/intolerant to boot! Chikalicious's more casual sister spot across the street, Dessert Club, Chikalicious, makes it possible for the dietarily marginalized folks to cool their palates with some mid-summer icy sweets.

Dessert Club, Chikalicious
204 E. 10th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 479-0929

"Local" Returns to It's Roots

My friend AM recommended this newly opened East Village restaurant specializing in locally grown meals. As many restaurants are riding the 'locavore', farm-to-table, know-your-butcher, wave, harvesting peak seasonal ingredients from nearby farms and buying specialty food items from the people who love their craft, they also seem to be conflating this philosophy with haute cuisine. Before agribusiness, local was all there was. Even if one was hungry, that scraped up meal was still from around the corner and not doused in herbicides ore pesticides. So why should going back to the way things were have to cost so much? Something to think on...

In the meantime, there's a little place in the East Village called Northern Spy Food Co. that is offering the same quality meals, albeit in a homier setting, for the responsible eater who doesn't necessarily have a gourmet budget. It isn't pennies, but definitely worth every penny for beautifully prepared nourishing meals that are not only sustainable, but satisfying.

Kale salad with clothbound cheddar, butternut squash, almonds and lemon dressing; wonderful roasted Bobo chicken; red quinoa with radish and sherry dressing; wild hive polenta with mustard greens, mushrooms and creme fraiche; Farmer's salad with artichoke hearts, turnips and arugula; homemade concord grape and quince seltzers.

Northern Spy Food Co.
511 East 12th Street (btwn Ave. A and Ave B.)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-5100

Exquisite Corpse On Fruit

Novelist, poet, essayist, Andrei Codrescu held an exquisite corpse workshop followed by reading at the Sunday Salon at Jimmy's No. 43 in the East Village. He suggests smooth surfaces like bananas, pears and even grapes. Seasonal fruit like persimmons are good too.

Ramen in 90 Degrees

I met N for lunch at Ramen Setagaya in the East Village. It was 90 degrees in the shade and the ac was broken. N said it reminds her of eating soup outside in Asia during the summertime while sweating out all the heat. Yes, but we were inside and not in Asia. If we were in Asia and inside, during the summer they would have the ac blasting. N is a fearless ramen fiend and was loving every bite right down to the yummy Setagaya egg. Nothing comes between her and bowl of ramen. I, on the other hand, was exhausted from fanning myself with a menu.





Ramen Setagaya
141 1st Ave
(btwn 9th St & St Marks Pl)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 529-2740