The New York Pizza for Crust Junkies

Baking and breads fanatics, tune in. Pizza crust haters, please move along.

Go eat Corner Slice. It’s a pizza spot from the found of Ivan Ramen.

WUT?

Yup. And the focus of the pie is not the red sauce, the cheese or other stops, although those are really important and good, this place is all about the dough.

They start with spelt and durum wheat blend from Central Milling. The dough undergoes a 60-hour fermentation at 80 percent hydration. The dough has a starter as well as some cake yeast. This process creates a crispier crust (it’s delicious) and lower levels of gluten.

After the dough is done fermenting, it gets par-baked and then topped. Once you place an order, the pizza is finished off quickly in the oven. While it results in a thicker piece of pizza, it’s actually much lighter than you expect.

What I’m trying to say is that it’s a crust lovers pie.

And if you’re into tomato pies (look it up if you don’t know), which I most certainly am, start with one of those slices. I’m willing to volley it’s the best tomato pie in NYC, even though it’s a very different crust type than normally on a tomato pie.

Once you’ve fully appreciated the dough and delicious sauce, then you can try cheese, white pie and meat topped options.

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Where Do French Fries Come From? It Ain’t France!

It’s #FryDay! Go French Fry it up like you mean it. Suggestion: the salt, pepper and Parmesan with a trio of dips from Rochelle’s NYC.

#FunFryFact: while you may think they originated from the country of France, they can actually trace their origin to Belgium.

People who lived in the Meuse Valley in the late 1600s primarily lived off a diet of fried fish. In the winter, when the river would freeze over, they needed another source of low cost food. Bring on the potato!

But where did the word “French” enter the scenario?

The official language of the Belgian army was French. US Soliders stationed in Belgium during World War 1 nick name this local delight “French Fries” and the name just stuck.

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Order This After You Get the Stuffed Burger at the Iron Horse

Most people will tell you that when you visit the Iron Horse in Westwood, NJ you need to get one of their stuffed Burgers. It’s a spot on suggestion.

But once you’ve been there several times, you’re going to be curious about the rest of the food.

That’s when you need to step to their “Original” Philly Cheesesteak. It comes with grilled onions and provolone.

I’m gonna urge you to add cherry peppers and extra cheese. You’re not going to regret that decision.

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One of the Best Reasons to Eat Sliders

One of my fave styles of Burgers is a properly made slider.

Like these ones from the White Mana in Jersey City.

I like them for a lot of reasons but among the top is there’s no guilt in eating multiple.

Go get a stack and enjoy!

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Genuine Roadside Might Be My Favorite Burger in NYC

“What’s your favorite Burger” is the top question people ask me.

It makes sense. I like Burgers. People have a sense of trust in my opinion. They want to know where I would go to get one. I am humbled to be asked this question. However, the reality is that I like a whole ton of different Burgers. Picking just one is difficult.

More often than not I choose where I’m going to eat a Burger based on how I feel at that moment. So maybe I want an old school slider or I’m looking for something chef driven and fancy or I want to old school Irish pub-style Burger.

The point is; I feel crippled in having to give somebody just one answer. Mostly because I believe in equal opportunity Burger eating.

However, if you’re going to nail me down to a subset of 1 or just a couple answers without giving me qualifications based on the type of Burger you like or the neighborhood you’re asking about, I do have some standards.

One of the BEST Burgers in NYC is the Spicy Smokehouse Burger from Genuine Roadside. It’s topped with Spicy Smokehouse Burger bacon, smoked gouda, charred jalapeño mayo, sweet pickles & chipotle bbq.

While I would normally opt for something more traditional, like cheese and grilled onions, I will always deviate from that answer when I believe a restaurant understands how to do something unique better than anybody else.

This Burger from @eatgenuine is the shining example of how this restaurant knows what’s good in Burger innovation.

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The Best Sliders in NJ – White Rose Diner

A properly made slider is hard to find. In NYC it’s almost impossible. In NJ, there are still few classic joints making proper sliders.

What is a proper slider you ask? Let’s start with what it is not. A slider is not a smaller version of a larger sandwich, those are mini’s. You can have a mini Burger, a mini pulled pork sandwich, mini chicken and so forth. A pulled pork slider is not a thing.

MINI BURGERS ARE NOT SLIDERS

A slider is a form of Burger preparation. You take 2-3 oz of fresh ground beef, smash it on a well seasoned flat top griddle while cooking thinly sliced onions on top or underneath using steam. It’s served with cheese on a squishy bun, sometimes with pickles.

You can add other elements, like bacon and egg but thats a slider with bacon and or egg. Slider is the base. Anything else is NOT a slider.

Back to the Garden State, where you’ll find a few places still making real sliders. My absolute fave in NJ is the White Rose in Linden. Some locals still refer to it as the “System,” and old nickname related to how they were cooked. It’s just south of Newark airport and only open through lunch.

Good chances are when you stop by, you’ll find the owner, Rich, working the grill. He’s not the original owner but has a lot of passion for the business, the food and his customers. That’s him in the back of the photo.

Go there tomorrow. Get the Jersey slider topped with pork roll.

In the meantime, click the link in my bio for more info about the White Rose and sliders vs mini Burgers.

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Breakfast Tacos at Choza – You Need This

What’s the only way to improve Tacos? Serve them for breakfast

Thanks Choza Taqueria for this egg and chorizo fueled #TacoTuesday morning.

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These Are the Best Fries to Top With Cheese

There about 20 or so types of french fries out there and crinkle cuts are by far the best vehicle to deliver cheese sauce to your face.

Caveat: they must be well done, crispy, hot and salted. You cannot bake, undercook or under season them and expect good results. Crinkle cuts must be properly cooked but when they are — ?, you’re ? are ?!

One restaurant that gets it is Smacks Burgers in Sarasota, FL. If you’re anywhere in or near the area, you need to eat them.

BONUS: Get the “Mac Attack” Burger topped with pulled pork and Mac and cheese.

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Why Didnt We Think of Adding Au Jus to Short Rib Sandwiches Before?

Put this sandwich on your “to eat” list now! It’s the Short Rib Au Jus from Taphaus Hoboken.

This masterpiece of awesomeness is made of Braised Short Ribs, Sharp Provolone, Pickled Onions on a Brioche Bun.

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The Pasta Primavera You’ll Ever Have Is On the Upper East Side

This was the best pasta primavera I’ve ever had in my life. You know how many times in my life I’ve ever been truly excited by pasta primavera?

Once and it was San Matteo Pizzeria e Cucina.

You. Need. To. Eat. This.

Ingredients are simple: pasta, vegetables, a little oil and burrata cheese. The entire dish is cooked in a tinfoil bag and is opened table side right before you eat. The pasta will be the most perfectly cooked au dents noodles you’ll ever eat. Despite any real seasoning, the dish is packed with flavor. I’m telling you, you’ve never had anything like this.

Look at the unveiling!

I’m going back and ordering bags and bags and bags of it.

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