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Natural Blend - Prospect Heights, Brooklyn I think the universe is trying to make me vegan. Let me count the ways… I am accidentally reading “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer. How does one accidentally read a book, you ask? Well, I had read Foer’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” was touched by it, and sort of fell in love with his narrative style. When I saw “Eating Animals” at a used book store, I didn’t think twice about picking it up, and knew next to nothing about it. So it wasn’t so much an accident as it was unknowingly subjecting myself to a bombardment of information on the animal agriculture industry - mostly bad stuff. I am only a quarter of the way through it and I know so much more than I even thought there was to know on the topic. This is by no means a bad thing. In fact, I think everyone should be more educated about where their food comes from. While the book doesn’t promote Veganism per se, it makes a pretty good case for eating less animals, or at least being mindful of the animals that you do eat. (And one might argue that just eliminating animal products entirely from the diet is the “easier” solution.) I saw an episode of Oprah recently where she challenged Harpo employees to assume a vegan lifestyle for one week. A large number of them chose to participate, and the results were staggering. Sure lots of people quit, and several gained weight (possibly due an increased intake of processed foods) but most people lost weight and reported just feeling better in general. The episode also had: Michael Pollan, the expert on the sort of thing Foer discusses in his book, who talked about more of the same; an adventure into a slaughterhouse (“one of the better ones”) with Lisa Ling; skinny, blonde Kathy Freston, author of “Veganist” - a Harpo employee put it best when she said to her “if I can look like you, I’ll eat anything.” The whole thing was very informative, if not completely convincing that Veganism is the way to go. Even O herself said she wasn’t ready to make the full commitment, but she’d be willing to go “vegan-ish.” BUT. I was at work the other day, with lunch on the mind, and one take out menu had strayed from the pack, and was obscurely sitting on a shelf it shouldn’t have been, begging for my attention. It was for Natural Blends. “We speicalize (sic) in nutritious energizing smoothies, juices, and VEGETARIAN patties, soups, salads, organic products.” So a couple months ago, the word “vegan” to me was interchangeable with “crazy.” I like my meat. And did not see myself being satisfied with a meatless meal. You may as well have tried to feed me a bowl of hay. But lately, with all this information coming my way, it felt like some sort of divine intervention trying to get me to see things more clearly. And just like the Oprah episode depicted, I saw this as perhaps an opportunity to realize just how much meat goes into my diet, NOT to give up meat for all eternity. So I ordered from Natural Blends. I got the yelp-recommended citrus “spare ribs” and pepper “steak.” It came with rice and cabbage. I’ve had imitation meats before and just as expected, it wasn’t as if it could trick me into thinking it came from an animal. However, it was surprisingly flavorful and, most importantly, filling. I was completely satisfied with a small portion. With the tropical shake I ordered with it, I was in fact TOO full. I didn’t think this would be possible, so I had also ordered the tofu jerk patty and a dessert of vegan pumpkin bread. I ended up having to save both for later. The tofu patty was strange, but tasty. The pumpkin bread was just exquisite; I am convinced that we as a human race can happily live off of eggless baked goods. It’s important to note that I have no clue as to the caloric and/or nutritional value to any of these foods, so whether or not it was a healthy meal is debatable. With all the boldness of flavor, I wouldnt be surprised if there was a lot of sugar and/or sodium in the food. No wonder you often hear of people gainig weight when they switch. But it’s at least good to know that it’s possible to have a satisfying, hearty meal without any animal products. As far as answering the universe’s call to come over to the veg-side, I am going to say “no” to “forever,” but am more than open to trying it for a week: for a learning experience if nothing else. (And it won’t start until I use up all the meat that’s in my freezer, which is kind of a lot, so…next month-ish maybe.) Stay tuned for my one week vegan challenge!

Natural Blend - Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

I think the universe is trying to make me vegan. Let me count the ways…

  1. I am accidentally reading “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer. How does one accidentally read a book, you ask? Well, I had read Foer’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” was touched by it, and sort of fell in love with his narrative style. When I saw “Eating Animals” at a used book store, I didn’t think twice about picking it up, and knew next to nothing about it. So it wasn’t so much an accident as it was unknowingly subjecting myself to a bombardment of information on the animal agriculture industry - mostly bad stuff. I am only a quarter of the way through it and I know so much more than I even thought there was to know on the topic. This is by no means a bad thing. In fact, I think everyone should be more educated about where their food comes from. While the book doesn’t promote Veganism per se, it makes a pretty good case for eating less animals, or at least being mindful of the animals that you do eat. (And one might argue that just eliminating animal products entirely from the diet is the “easier” solution.)

  2. I saw an episode of Oprah recently where she challenged Harpo employees to assume a vegan lifestyle for one week. A large number of them chose to participate, and the results were staggering. Sure lots of people quit, and several gained weight (possibly due an increased intake of processed foods) but most people lost weight and reported just feeling better in general. The episode also had: Michael Pollan, the expert on the sort of thing Foer discusses in his book, who talked about more of the same; an adventure into a slaughterhouse (“one of the better ones”) with Lisa Ling; skinny, blonde Kathy Freston, author of “Veganist” - a Harpo employee put it best when she said to her “if I can look like you, I’ll eat anything.” The whole thing was very informative, if not completely convincing that Veganism is the way to go. Even O herself said she wasn’t ready to make the full commitment, but she’d be willing to go “vegan-ish.”

BUT.

  1. I was at work the other day, with lunch on the mind, and one take out menu had strayed from the pack, and was obscurely sitting on a shelf it shouldn’t have been, begging for my attention. It was for Natural Blends. “We speicalize (sic) in nutritious energizing smoothies, juices, and VEGETARIAN patties, soups, salads, organic products.”

So a couple months ago, the word “vegan” to me was interchangeable with “crazy.” I like my meat. And did not see myself being satisfied with a meatless meal. You may as well have tried to feed me a bowl of hay. But lately, with all this information coming my way, it felt like some sort of divine intervention trying to get me to see things more clearly. And just like the Oprah episode depicted, I saw this as perhaps an opportunity to realize just how much meat goes into my diet, NOT to give up meat for all eternity.

So I ordered from Natural Blends. I got the yelp-recommended citrus “spare ribs” and pepper “steak.” It came with rice and cabbage. I’ve had imitation meats before and just as expected, it wasn’t as if it could trick me into thinking it came from an animal. However, it was surprisingly flavorful and, most importantly, filling. I was completely satisfied with a small portion. With the tropical shake I ordered with it, I was in fact TOO full.

I didn’t think this would be possible, so I had also ordered the tofu jerk patty and a dessert of vegan pumpkin bread. I ended up having to save both for later. The tofu patty was strange, but tasty. The pumpkin bread was just exquisite; I am convinced that we as a human race can happily live off of eggless baked goods.

It’s important to note that I have no clue as to the caloric and/or nutritional value to any of these foods, so whether or not it was a healthy meal is debatable. With all the boldness of flavor, I wouldnt be surprised if there was a lot of sugar and/or sodium in the food. No wonder you often hear of people gainig weight when they switch. But it’s at least good to know that it’s possible to have a satisfying, hearty meal without any animal products. As far as answering the universe’s call to come over to the veg-side, I am going to say “no” to “forever,” but am more than open to trying it for a week: for a learning experience if nothing else.

(And it won’t start until I use up all the meat that’s in my freezer, which is kind of a lot, so…next month-ish maybe.)

Stay tuned for my one week vegan challenge!

Umami Burger, Los Feliz, Hollywood Have you ever had a special person in your life that you haven’t seen in a long time, so you don’t remember their face or what they look like exactly, but somehow you remember how they made you feel? I haven’t. But I have had a burger like this. It was the day after Christmas. It had been a couple years since my very first taste of an Umami Burger. A total case of absence making the heart grow fonder. It had been long enough for me to forget the sensation, the flavors and textures…but the rush of pure bliss still lingered in my memory. I asked my cousin Ryan, who has been about 25 times, what’s good. “Everything,” he says. “Some better than others, but nothing is not good.” When asked what his favorite burger is, he offers an unnarrow-downable list of seven burgers out of the only 10-or-so that are on the menu. He orders sides for the table. One of each: thick cut fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and off-the-menu cheesy potato poppers. They each come with a fancy condiment: truffle aioli, truffle ketchup, jalapeño ranch. We also ordered a pitcher of pale ale for the table. Beer, burger, sides, and family. You don’t need anything else. I order the truffle burger because … when has a truffle ever let me down? Medium rare, because the juicier and bloodier, the better. It arrived. Small. Neat. On a white, rectangular plate. Simple. The picture does it no justice. I am almost embarrassed by how and dark and lonely the photo depicts the burger, because it really is a glorious little thing. I took a first bite, and my facial muscles began to contort uncontrollably. I wondered “What is happening to my face?” I soon realized I was smiling. Ear to ear. I couldn’t help it. It might be the best burger I’ve had in my life.

Umami Burger, Los Feliz, Hollywood

Have you ever had a special person in your life that you haven’t seen in a long time, so you don’t remember their face or what they look like exactly, but somehow you remember how they made you feel? I haven’t. But I have had a burger like this.

It was the day after Christmas. It had been a couple years since my very first taste of an Umami Burger. A total case of absence making the heart grow fonder. It had been long enough for me to forget the sensation, the flavors and textures…but the rush of pure bliss still lingered in my memory.

I asked my cousin Ryan, who has been about 25 times, what’s good. “Everything,” he says. “Some better than others, but nothing is not good.” When asked what his favorite burger is, he offers an unnarrow-downable list of seven burgers out of the only 10-or-so that are on the menu. He orders sides for the table. One of each: thick cut fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and off-the-menu cheesy potato poppers. They each come with a fancy condiment: truffle aioli, truffle ketchup, jalapeño ranch. We also ordered a pitcher of pale ale for the table. Beer, burger, sides, and family. You don’t need anything else.

I order the truffle burger because … when has a truffle ever let me down? Medium rare, because the juicier and bloodier, the better.

It arrived. Small. Neat. On a white, rectangular plate. Simple. The picture does it no justice. I am almost embarrassed by how and dark and lonely the photo depicts the burger, because it really is a glorious little thing.

I took a first bite, and my facial muscles began to contort uncontrollably. I wondered “What is happening to my face?” I soon realized I was smiling. Ear to ear. I couldn’t help it. It might be the best burger I’ve had in my life.

Basta Pasta, Flatiron

The concept was inspired by Iron Chef, not the American imitation, but the original Japanese show. As soon as you walk in, it is apparent why, as you are passing through what is very reminiscent of kitchen stadium, just less hectic, and full of Japanese chefs. I was so distracted that I actually knocked over the stack of business cards at the front with my purse (true story.)

Though the place is nice, and people are dressed to be seen, it isn’t very romantic, as the lighting was pretty bright, and between the commotion of the open kitchen and people talking, you can barely hear other members at your table without raising your voice. Thus not the ideal date spot, but fine for eating and wine-ing with friends, who you’re going to be loud with anyway.

I don’t think I’m supposed to call it fusion. But what it is is Japanese people cooking Italian food - and doing it well. It would also be remiss to call it “Japanese-inspired” because it isn’t always, but on some occasions, like in the spaghetti with tobiko and shiso that I ordered, elements of Japanese cuisine do make appearances. The dish I had was very good - very simply seasoned, yet still surprising as I had never had fish roe with pasta before. But the uni pasta that Christine ordered was just outstanding. It has a rich, creamy pink sauce that is to die for.

I have also heard good things about the spaghetti with prosciutto and parmesan that they serve in a half wheel of cheese. Probably a gimmick, but how could you not love a large half wheel of cheese? I most definitely can not…not love…a large half wheel of cheese. (Double negatives. That got confusing. To sum up: large half wheel of cheese = love.)

The gnocchi we had as a starter, which is made of purple yam, was exquisite. It probably isn’t a standard practice of Italian cuisine, but since I call gnocchi little pillows of heaven (when it’s good), I rate my gnocchi on a scale of pillowy-ness. And I must say, this one was pillow-tastic.

To round off our meal, we had a crepe dessert that was adorned with fun little jellies (tea-flavored, I believe) and one between five clearly was not enough. Though a little on the pricey side, Basta Pasta was one of the more enjoyable dining experiences I’ve had in the city. Uniqueness goes a long way in my book.

Woorijip, K-Town This is my favorite lunch break spot when working in Midtown and looking for something quick, cheap, and delicious. The kimbap is only 5 or 6 bucks, and filling enough. They also have a pretty enticing buffet, offering all you’d expect from a Korean restaurant: bibimbap, bulgogi, kimchi, various vegetables, meats and sides. The pay-by-the-pound has gotten me in trouble though. Not only at this place, but at every establishment that charges by weight, I tend to overload my plate with more than I can eat or care to pay for. Noodle stand also looks good, though I haven’t tried it. The cafeteria style ambiance is appropriate if you want to get in and out quickly. Or, when it’s not too crowded, you would be just as comfortable hanging out there getting some work done. Also a plus, the place mats teach you choice Korean phrases. Noticeably absent: “oon dong hae ya dae” (pardon the spelling) which means “I need to exercise.”

Woorijip, K-Town

This is my favorite lunch break spot when working in Midtown and looking for something quick, cheap, and delicious. The kimbap is only 5 or 6 bucks, and filling enough. They also have a pretty enticing buffet, offering all you’d expect from a Korean restaurant: bibimbap, bulgogi, kimchi, various vegetables, meats and sides. The pay-by-the-pound has gotten me in trouble though. Not only at this place, but at every establishment that charges by weight, I tend to overload my plate with more than I can eat or care to pay for.

Noodle stand also looks good, though I haven’t tried it. The cafeteria style ambiance is appropriate if you want to get in and out quickly. Or, when it’s not too crowded, you would be just as comfortable hanging out there getting some work done.

Also a plus, the place mats teach you choice Korean phrases. Noticeably absent: “oon dong hae ya dae” (pardon the spelling) which means “I need to exercise.”

Robongi, Hoboken I’ve seen posters on the PATH train advertising what each stop has to offer. They say “you haven’t had a burger and a beer until you’ve been to Hoboken.” While that may be so, the only thing I’ve ever eaten on my two visits to ‘boken have been sushi. And at the same place. When the weather’s warmer, Robongi has outdoor seating, which is nice for people-watching on Washington Street. The interior decor is…interesting. It’s like a ship threw up in there. (Or I suppose “wrecked” would be a more appropriate verb for a ship.) Not a space on the wall is empty, complete with a sign that says “Irish Bar” (interesting since the place is neither Irish nor bar) among ship wheels and fishnets. The bust of a very large and hungry-looking great white stared me dead in the face as I ate. Awkward. It was also very dimly lit and I strained my eyes to read the menu. The sushi is fresh and affordable, which is all I can really ask for. Some fun appetizers and special rolls too. Noteworthy are the red dragon roll - tuna on the outside; salmon, yellowtail, and asparagus on the inside - and the maine lobster roll, which has spicy tuna on the outside. Bottom line, it’s a great little spot if you want some decent sush away from the city.

Robongi, Hoboken

I’ve seen posters on the PATH train advertising what each stop has to offer. They say “you haven’t had a burger and a beer until you’ve been to Hoboken.” While that may be so, the only thing I’ve ever eaten on my two visits to ‘boken have been sushi. And at the same place.

When the weather’s warmer, Robongi has outdoor seating, which is nice for people-watching on Washington Street. The interior decor is…interesting. It’s like a ship threw up in there. (Or I suppose “wrecked” would be a more appropriate verb for a ship.) Not a space on the wall is empty, complete with a sign that says “Irish Bar” (interesting since the place is neither Irish nor bar) among ship wheels and fishnets. The bust of a very large and hungry-looking great white stared me dead in the face as I ate. Awkward. It was also very dimly lit and I strained my eyes to read the menu.

The sushi is fresh and affordable, which is all I can really ask for. Some fun appetizers and special rolls too. Noteworthy are the red dragon roll - tuna on the outside; salmon, yellowtail, and asparagus on the inside - and the maine lobster roll, which has spicy tuna on the outside. Bottom line, it’s a great little spot if you want some decent sush away from the city.

Happy Thanksgiving! This year I am lucky enough to be a guest at a friend’s thanksgiving table. Last year, I had the honor and horror of hosting, and brought the burden upon myself to prepare a turkey from scratch for my friends and cousins. Everyone offered that we just order a ready-made turkey. They were as scared as I about the prospect of me tackling a full-on bird, what with little experience I have in the kitchen. But I was determined. With my loved ones on my mind, and not wanting to disappoint their expectation of a delicious, or at least edible turkey on thanksgiving, I promised to buy a back-up in case I screwed up. But I was going to give it a shot. I watched Alton Brown on the Food Network prepare a turkey. He seems like a guy I can trust, and every step of the process is described and explained very logically. I figured if I did exactly as he said, everything would be fine. I re-watched the episode several times. And studied the recipe online. Alton Brown’s Turkey The odds were against me. And it didn’t happen without a lot of stress. Among my obstacles were finding a large enough bucket to brine the bird in. (I eventually found a cooler in which fit just so.) It also didn’t happen without an army of people helping me. But it happened and it was more than edible: it was juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and absolutely delicious. A better success than I could have imagined for my first ever thanksgiving turkey. I didn’t end up having time to purchase a “back-up” but luckily, it just so happened that I didn’t need it.

Happy Thanksgiving! This year I am lucky enough to be a guest at a friend’s thanksgiving table. Last year, I had the honor and horror of hosting, and brought the burden upon myself to prepare a turkey from scratch for my friends and cousins. Everyone offered that we just order a ready-made turkey. They were as scared as I about the prospect of me tackling a full-on bird, what with little experience I have in the kitchen. But I was determined. With my loved ones on my mind, and not wanting to disappoint their expectation of a delicious, or at least edible turkey on thanksgiving, I promised to buy a back-up in case I screwed up. But I was going to give it a shot.

I watched Alton Brown on the Food Network prepare a turkey. He seems like a guy I can trust, and every step of the process is described and explained very logically. I figured if I did exactly as he said, everything would be fine. I re-watched the episode several times. And studied the recipe online.

Alton Brown’s Turkey

The odds were against me. And it didn’t happen without a lot of stress. Among my obstacles were finding a large enough bucket to brine the bird in. (I eventually found a cooler in which fit just so.) It also didn’t happen without an army of people helping me. But it happened and it was more than edible: it was juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and absolutely delicious. A better success than I could have imagined for my first ever thanksgiving turkey. I didn’t end up having time to purchase a “back-up” but luckily, it just so happened that I didn’t need it.

Jamie Oliver’s English Onion Soup With Sage And Cheddar I don’t usually blog about cooking at home, but lately I’ve been trying to eat better and spend less, and also this recipe and Mr. Oliver himself are worth talking about. Watching “Jamie at Home” on the Cooking Channel is great fun, even when you have no intention of making the dish he’s demonstrating. He’s always using his hands, making a huge mess and thoroughly enjoying himself. He also says the funniest things - “give it a wazz” being a personal favorite - which might just be funny to me because I’m not English, but he really is colorful with his language, and I feel like I learn a couple of new phrases every episode. On this onion episode I was watching, while he was cooking balsamic-baked onions and potatoes with roast pork, he tossed onions and garlic into a pan, emphasizing the need to mix them well, followed by the phrase “how’s ya fatha?” … and then proceeded to explain the rest of the recipe. I was floored! This was the most obscurely placed phrase from him yet. I was so amused that I had to rewind my DVR to make sure I had heard him properly. I assumed that it referred to the garlic and onion mingling with each other, perhaps one asking the other how its father was doing. But I googled it just to make sure. To my surprise and delight, the definition is actually a step beyond that. According to effingpot.com: This is a very old term for sex which plays on our apparent British sensitivity. Rather than saying the actual “sex” word you could refer to having a bit of How’s your Father, instead - nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Urban Dictionary: Origin in World War II, English soldiers in France expected that an old French lady with grey hair, whom their father had bonked during the First World War might come up to them and ask this. Took her round the bike shed for a bit of how’s-your-father Of course I immediately told all my girlfriends about my new favorite phrase, and we have been making a conscious effort to integrate it into daily conversation ever since.  Real mature, right? I love Jamie for many reasons: for being an advocate for fresh, wholesome ingredients and healthy eating, for being unabashedly passionate about cooking, and now for suggesting that my onions and garlic make love to each other in my pan. This onion soup is just the most perfect thing for this cold New York autumn. The smell of sage cooking in butter is now one of my favorite things in the world. I skipped the last step of putting it in the oven with the cheese and bread on top. I know, it’s probably a really important thing to skip, especially when it comes to presentation, and you don’t get that lovely cheesy, bready top layer. But I simply did not have the patience or the oven-safe dish ware to do it, and that’s why I have the pretty picture from the website and not one of my own ;). For now, I opted instead to just sprinkle cheddar into my hot bowl of soup, and serve it with a side of toast, and it suited me just fine. It’s a very hearty soup that stands quite well on its own as a meal.

Jamie Oliver’s English Onion Soup With Sage And Cheddar

I don’t usually blog about cooking at home, but lately I’ve been trying to eat better and spend less, and also this recipe and Mr. Oliver himself are worth talking about.

Watching “Jamie at Home” on the Cooking Channel is great fun, even when you have no intention of making the dish he’s demonstrating. He’s always using his hands, making a huge mess and thoroughly enjoying himself. He also says the funniest things - “give it a wazz” being a personal favorite - which might just be funny to me because I’m not English, but he really is colorful with his language, and I feel like I learn a couple of new phrases every episode.

On this onion episode I was watching, while he was cooking balsamic-baked onions and potatoes with roast pork, he tossed onions and garlic into a pan, emphasizing the need to mix them well, followed by the phrase “how’s ya fatha?” … and then proceeded to explain the rest of the recipe. I was floored! This was the most obscurely placed phrase from him yet. I was so amused that I had to rewind my DVR to make sure I had heard him properly. I assumed that it referred to the garlic and onion mingling with each other, perhaps one asking the other how its father was doing. But I googled it just to make sure.

To my surprise and delight, the definition is actually a step beyond that. According to effingpot.com:

This is a very old term for sex which plays on our apparent British sensitivity. Rather than saying the actual “sex” word you could refer to having a bit of How’s your Father, instead - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Urban Dictionary:

Origin in World War II, English soldiers in France expected that an old French lady with grey hair, whom their father had bonked during the First World War might come up to them and ask this.

Took her round the bike shed for a bit of how’s-your-father

Of course I immediately told all my girlfriends about my new favorite phrase, and we have been making a conscious effort to integrate it into daily conversation ever since.  Real mature, right?

I love Jamie for many reasons: for being an advocate for fresh, wholesome ingredients and healthy eating, for being unabashedly passionate about cooking, and now for suggesting that my onions and garlic make love to each other in my pan.

This onion soup is just the most perfect thing for this cold New York autumn. The smell of sage cooking in butter is now one of my favorite things in the world. I skipped the last step of putting it in the oven with the cheese and bread on top. I know, it’s probably a really important thing to skip, especially when it comes to presentation, and you don’t get that lovely cheesy, bready top layer. But I simply did not have the patience or the oven-safe dish ware to do it, and that’s why I have the pretty picture from the website and not one of my own ;). For now, I opted instead to just sprinkle cheddar into my hot bowl of soup, and serve it with a side of toast, and it suited me just fine. It’s a very hearty soup that stands quite well on its own as a meal.

“I’m gonna make a beautiful English onion soup. None of this French onion soup malarkey.”

- Jamie Oliver

Shake Shack, all over the place Before I go into specifics about The Shack, let me address the elephant in the room: the In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack controversy. Shake Shack is supposedly a “west coast style” burger with a New York twist, so the comparison is inevitable. The In-N-Out aficionados of the west (such as myself) famously rant and rave about their beloved burger. The always competitive east think they finally have their hands on something that will make the westies eat their words. And yadda yadda… The two are not comparable. They belong in two separate genres of food experience. Sure they’re both burgers, but a chihuahua and a pitbull are both dogs, and you wouldn’t put them in the same ring because that would be just plain cruel. (Not that I would find dog fighting of any sort to not be cruel). For one, The Shack burger is more than double the price of an In-N-Out cheeseburger ($4.75 for Shack, $2-something for In-N-Out). In-N-Out burger patties are much thinner than Shake Shack burgers, which to me is not a downside, but merely a difference, much like how Chicago deep-dish differs from New York thin crust. In-N-Out is a fast food joint. Shake Shack is a casual restaurant - complete with buzzers and everything (at In-N-Out they just holler when your food is ready). In-N-Out deserves to be compared to McD’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and other fast food chains that are price-comparable and provide a similar experience. In that arena, In-N-Out reigns supreme with its exceptional freshness and quality of ingredients. This is why it’s a Southern California institution, and why it just tastes so damn good. I think a fairer comparison for Shake Shack would be a burger of a similar price range and girth, like Five Guys, or Washington DC’s Good Stuff Eatery - though Good Stuff burgers are fancier and double the price of Shake Shack, so it might be more appropriate to compare those to more upscale, gourmet burgers. (Frankly, it’s been too long since I’ve had Five Guys to fairly comment on how it stacks up against Shake Shack.) The beauty of it is I never have to pick between Shake Shack or In-N-Out. Since there will never be both within a reachable vicinity, I will never have the immediate dilemma of deciding between the two. They never have to compete with each other. Unless I decide to base where I live on which one I want to be near…but that’s just crazy talk. (Right?) Though the Angeleno in me always will have a special place in my heart for In-N-Out, I think it’s safe to say that I love Shake Shack. I can have a burger love on each coast. They don’t have to know about each other. For this reason and all the aforementioned, I say this burger battle is invalid, and I would love to put it to rest, allowing both to exist happily in their vastly different worlds. Now that that’s out of the way, I can talk about how delicious the Shack Burger was. The patty was thick and juicy, though a little more cooked than I would have liked, and the bread was soft. The fries were not spectacular (they lack the obvious freshness of In-N-Out’s fries, which taste like they were a whole potato just a moment ago) but I appreciated their presence as a burger companion. I haven’t had a shake from there yet, which seems blasphemous, but the burger always has been my priority. It has yet to disappoint me. So far, the long lines have been worth it. But I am one to argue that wait time improves your impression of a food, because doesn’t it just make you hungrier?

Shake Shack, all over the place

Before I go into specifics about The Shack, let me address the elephant in the room: the In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack controversy. Shake Shack is supposedly a “west coast style” burger with a New York twist, so the comparison is inevitable. The In-N-Out aficionados of the west (such as myself) famously rant and rave about their beloved burger. The always competitive east think they finally have their hands on something that will make the westies eat their words. And yadda yadda…

The two are not comparable. They belong in two separate genres of food experience. Sure they’re both burgers, but a chihuahua and a pitbull are both dogs, and you wouldn’t put them in the same ring because that would be just plain cruel. (Not that I would find dog fighting of any sort to not be cruel).

For one, The Shack burger is more than double the price of an In-N-Out cheeseburger ($4.75 for Shack, $2-something for In-N-Out). In-N-Out burger patties are much thinner than Shake Shack burgers, which to me is not a downside, but merely a difference, much like how Chicago deep-dish differs from New York thin crust. In-N-Out is a fast food joint. Shake Shack is a casual restaurant - complete with buzzers and everything (at In-N-Out they just holler when your food is ready). In-N-Out deserves to be compared to McD’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and other fast food chains that are price-comparable and provide a similar experience. In that arena, In-N-Out reigns supreme with its exceptional freshness and quality of ingredients. This is why it’s a Southern California institution, and why it just tastes so damn good. I think a fairer comparison for Shake Shack would be a burger of a similar price range and girth, like Five Guys, or Washington DC’s Good Stuff Eatery - though Good Stuff burgers are fancier and double the price of Shake Shack, so it might be more appropriate to compare those to more upscale, gourmet burgers. (Frankly, it’s been too long since I’ve had Five Guys to fairly comment on how it stacks up against Shake Shack.)

The beauty of it is I never have to pick between Shake Shack or In-N-Out. Since there will never be both within a reachable vicinity, I will never have the immediate dilemma of deciding between the two. They never have to compete with each other. Unless I decide to base where I live on which one I want to be near…but that’s just crazy talk. (Right?) Though the Angeleno in me always will have a special place in my heart for In-N-Out, I think it’s safe to say that I love Shake Shack. I can have a burger love on each coast. They don’t have to know about each other. For this reason and all the aforementioned, I say this burger battle is invalid, and I would love to put it to rest, allowing both to exist happily in their vastly different worlds.

Now that that’s out of the way, I can talk about how delicious the Shack Burger was. The patty was thick and juicy, though a little more cooked than I would have liked, and the bread was soft. The fries were not spectacular (they lack the obvious freshness of In-N-Out’s fries, which taste like they were a whole potato just a moment ago) but I appreciated their presence as a burger companion. I haven’t had a shake from there yet, which seems blasphemous, but the burger always has been my priority. It has yet to disappoint me. So far, the long lines have been worth it. But I am one to argue that wait time improves your impression of a food, because doesn’t it just make you hungrier?

Sophie’s, Tribeca I love Cuban food because it’s hearty and meaty and sort of feeds your soul as well as your stomach. I hungrily stumbled into Sophie’s on a Thursday afternoon. The place was busy with Wall Street types on their lunch break, and I pretty much sat elbow to elbow to the fellow at the next table. But the quick service made me forget how uncomfortable I was. The plate arrived with lovely, saucy shredded beef and rice and beans that seemed to go on for days. It was a lot of food. But not for long. Cuban food isn’t typically spicy, but Sophie’s has this green sauce that easily qualifies as liquid crack and adds a bit of a kick. I’ve since been back three other times. The ropa vieja, oxtail stew (pictured), and goat stew are all delicious. But so far the pernil is the big winner, hands down.

Sophie’s, Tribeca

I love Cuban food because it’s hearty and meaty and sort of feeds your soul as well as your stomach.

I hungrily stumbled into Sophie’s on a Thursday afternoon. The place was busy with Wall Street types on their lunch break, and I pretty much sat elbow to elbow to the fellow at the next table. But the quick service made me forget how uncomfortable I was.

The plate arrived with lovely, saucy shredded beef and rice and beans that seemed to go on for days. It was a lot of food. But not for long.

Cuban food isn’t typically spicy, but Sophie’s has this green sauce that easily qualifies as liquid crack and adds a bit of a kick.

I’ve since been back three other times. The ropa vieja, oxtail stew (pictured), and goat stew are all delicious. But so far the pernil is the big winner, hands down.

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