Smorgasburg: Brooklyn Flea Food Market

27 N 6th St.  Brooklyn, NY
http://www.brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/

Never have I had an entire day that revolved solely around food. And never have I been so full in my LIFE after visiting the Smorgasburg Brooklyn Flea Market. My mom, dad, and I originally planned to spend the day in Brooklyn going to each of the different flea markets, but we ended up actually spending the majority of our time there at Smorgasburg. This was definitely my favorite Flea Market of all time…how can you NOT love walking through and tasting tons and tons of food from a variety of different unique vendors?
The amount of things that we tried at the flea market was absurd. But keep in mind, portions were small and we were sharing!!!! ;)  Warning: this post may cause severe hunger.

Here are the booths we tried:

DOUGH
Dough Doughnuts are based out of Brooklyn, New York, and offers a very diverse selection of doughnut flavors, from traditional to more uncommon and creative flavors.

Between the 3 of us, we tried the Dulce de Leche doughnut. It was topped with almonds adding a small crunch factor.  It was super light and soft, and did not disappoint. 

 LUMPIA SHACK
 Filipino lumpia (loom-pee-ah), or fried spring rolls, are featured at Lumpia shack. They are one of the culture's most popular snacks.

Since we were being adventurous, we decided to try our first ever lumpia. We ordered the Peking Duck lumpia, with ginger scallions, hoisin and siracha sauce. I enjoyed these spring rolls. They were really crispy and full of flavor. They also served a nice portion size.

 BITE ME CHEESECAKES
Their motto: "Making Cheese, and Smashing Cakes," Bite Me Cheesecakes offers adorable bite-sized cheesecakes to easily satisfy a sweet tooth. The co-founders are Michigan natives, so obviously we had to offer our support!

My dad tried the Limoncello Meringue. It's topped with a Limoncello curd, encased in toasted meringue. They describe this flavor as the closet thing to crack, and I would agree! It definitely would be addictive. Their signature crust is sweet and buttery and plain awesome. The lemon curd was tangy and made this mini-cheesecake perfectly bittersweet. Definitely one of the day's favorites.

 PARANTHA ALLEY
My parents being huge fans of Indian food, the food at Parantha Alley definitely was intriguing. Paranthas are pan fried Indian flatbreads, and at this booth, they offered different fillings for the paranthas.

We decided to try 2 of them:the Keema, which was filled with chicken and spices, and the weekly special, filled with yummy figs and goat cheese. From just looking, one might think they are nothing but plain flatbread. But they would be wrong. The flatbreads were actually bursting with flavor. The special of the week was my favorite of the two--it was both sweet and savory, and really delicious. They were served alongside three sauces for dipping: a yogurt sauce, chutney, and mango pickle. This was one of my parents' favorite stops of the day.

NEW YORK NATURALS: RAW VEGAN KALE CHIPS

I LOVE Kale chips. I think they are a great alternative to potato chips or any unhealthy snack food for that matter. New York Naturals offers raw vegan kale chips made with all natural ingredients. These chips are even as healthy as eating a kale salad, but add lots of fun and yummy flavors.

I tasted both the salt and vinegar and vegan "cheese" flavors and they were both so good! In fact, they were so good that my mom bought 2 packs to bring back home to Michigan. The salt and vinegar was tangy and added a nice salty touch, and obviously I'm always on board for anything cheesy-tasting. I definitely recommend trying these out, as they are hand-made, super healthy, and extremely addictive! 

ANARCHY IN A JAR

Anarchy in a Jar specializes in making homemade jams, and has over 14 varieties of jams, jellies, chutneys and marmalades. Everything is cooked by hand, and everything is all natural. 

HOW can you resist homemade pop tarts?!?

I'm trying this one next time...

We all shared the 3 Berry Pop Tart, which was filled with a sweet berry jam filling. Well, I'm sure your not surprised to hear that these knock regular pop tarts FAR out of the park. The outer crust was buttery and flaky, and was awesome with the jam. Such a great pastry splurge.

My parents loved the first pop tart so much that they went back to try one more. Or two. They tried one of each of the mini pop tart flavors: Spicy Pear and Hot Pepper and Goat Cheese. They thought they were both absolutely delicious, but being a bigger fan of sweeter pastries, the Spicy Pear took the cake.

KELVIN NATURAL SLUSH CO.

Kelvin Natural Slushies was the one food vendor that had a long line waiting to be served. Why might you ask? Being that it was extremely hot and humid and felt like it was 200 degrees, anyone in their right mind would go for a delicious refreshing slushy. What better of a place than Kelvin, serving all-natural intricate flavors for a cold, refreshing slush.

We got the Arnold Palmer slush, with a raspberry mix in. This was the ultimate refresher. It was ice cold and had excellent flavor. The raspberry added additional sweetness and really complimented the lemonade and iced tea. We downed this one fast.

ROB & ANNA'S

It's just bananas! Genius!!!! My family and I are huge banana lovers, and so the soft serve bananas at Rob & Anna's were calling our names. This nutritional dessert alternative is just bananas. That's it. No sugar added and no preservatives. It looks and tastes just like ice cream, without all the mysterious and unhealthy ingredients.

We got the Banana Soft Serve (duh) and topped it off with a little hot fudge so it would resemble a chocolate covered banana. And it tasted just like one. The banana soft serve was unbelievably soft and smooth, and honestly, I think I may like it better than traditional ice cream or froyo. The flavor is so simple and delicious, and the texture cannot be beat. I would come back just for a LAARGE helping of this.

YUJI RAMEN

Yuji Ramen serves a certain style of Ramen which is served without broth. Huh?! Don't worry…it's still full of flavor with its sauces and toppings. The noodles are also served chilled, which was nice under the blazing NYC heat.

The array of vegetable toppings, spices, and sauces.

Our Ramen Noodle Bowl, with freshly grilled zucchini and squash, chili flakes, a seasoning mixture, and spicy tuna. It was actually surprisingly good to eat chilled, and I liked all the seasoning flavors on top.

BITE SIZE KITCHEN
After having tried my first steamed bun on our vacation to California this past winter, I am now a huge fan. At Smorgasburg the vender Bite Size Kitchen served steamed  buns with a variety of different fillings.

We tried the Red Curry Coconut Chicken bun with toasted crushed peanuts, cilantro, and lime. This was sooo good! The bun was warm and soft and I liked the subtle coconut essence to the chicken. The sauce was bright and flavorful and the whole thing was great.

SCHNITZE

We came to a general consensus that Schnitze might have been one of our favorite vendors of the day. They offer different chicken Schnitzel sandwiches on pretzel rolls. Not sure how it can be any better than that.

OUR SCHNITZEL!!!!! We got the Bamburg Schnitze, which had parsley and panko bread crumbs, caramelized onion, pickled cucumbers, daikon, ginger, shallots, and mustard with basil and cumin. That DEFINITELY has to be the most sophisticated schnitzel I have ever eaten. It was sOoOo good. There were so many different flavors packed into that pretzel roll that made it truly the ultimate sandwich.

HANDSOME HANK'S FISH HUT
One of the booths had I had been eying since the beginning was Handome Hank's. They serve different fried seafood varieties that have a zesty twist. The different options on their menu seemed perfectly appealing while we were already on a roll with our eating.

My mom and I decided on the soft-shell crab, that was served alongside a generous portion of creamy cole slaw. Although we don't tend to have fried food very often, this was definitely an exception. The crab was so crispy and perfectly seasoned. This was actually my first time eating soft-shell crab, and I really enjoyed it. The coleslaw was perfect to compliment the richer flavor of the crab.

SALUD
After all the different foods we had been eating throughout the day, a refreshing and HEALTHY smoothie was extremely necessary.

After skimming the options with cute and clever names, we decided on "You Are Berry Nice," made with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, and oatmeal. Seriously after all the junk we had been eating all day, something semi-nutritious was spot-on. The smoothie was really good and wasn't too strong in flavor. It was cold yummy and refreshing.

THE GOOD BATCH

One very last thing before we left: a cookie ice cream sandwich from The Good Batch. At this point I wasn't even hungry, but we still decided to get one, for good luck of course. 

We went straight for the Goodwich: an oat chocolate chip cookie with sea salt, drizzled fudge, and filled with vanilla ice cream. The cookie was so good because of the sweet and salty contrast. Then adding a little bit more sweet with the ice cream, the whole ice cream sandwich was perfection.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Aside from what we got this time around, there were still plenty of other booths and vendors that we didn't get a chance to try (this time, at least). Here is a taste of some of the other foods that Smorgasburg had to offer:

_________________________________________________________________________________

So basically, our day at the Smorgasburg flea market was quite a success. Such a success that we went straight to the gym afterwards. It's hard to believe, looking back, how many different types of food we got to try, and really how much we ate. I got a taste of so many fun places in New York that I never would've known about otherwise. I am planning on heading back soon because I don't think I can leave this city without trying some of the food from the other vendors, and of course trying some of the same things a second time. Since Brooklyn tends to be a hotspot for flea markets, Smorgasburg should definitely be a priority for those who go.

XOXO,
Danielle

Norma's

119 W. 56th St.  New York, NY
www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

Price: $$$--but literally worth every penny
Favorite dish (from this particular meal): Oatmeal brûlée

One of my all time favorite brunch restaurants in New York City has to be Norma's. Every time my family and I have traveled here in the past, it seems as though we always make time to eat at Norma's. It's actually that good. Norma's is a restaurant that is located within the Le Parker Meridien hotel in Midtown West. The restaurant is always full of people, and for good reason. The look is very upscale and trendy, and is definitely a brunch hotspot. (why else would Nate and Serena eat here on an episode of Gossip Girl?) The menu is overflowing with delectable brunch options, almost to the point where there are far too many to choose from. One of my favorite parts about eating at Norma's is that they serve you a free shot of their daily smoothie at the start of your meal, which is always super fruity and delicious.
My mom and I went to Norma's for brunch this past Friday. Being that it was still a workday, I figured we would not have a problem getting in. (We forgot to make a reservation. Whoops). Obviously I was wrong…and we ended up having to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. But seriously I didn't care the food we were about to get would be so worth it.

Here's what we got:

My smoothie shot!!!!! The smoothie of the day was kiwi strawberry banana mango. OOOMMMGGG. It was SO good. I don't know what they do to make their smoothies so good, but as far as I can remember, I have never been disappointed. I drank it down so fast that I forgot to take a picture. A perfect excuse to ask for another one!

My smoothie and my iced coffee go well together, dontcha think?

My mom ordered Normalita's Juevos Rancheros, highlighted as one of Norma's favorites on the menu.  The dish had cheese quesadillas slices, topped with a tortilla with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and a fried egg. Holy guacamole this was so good. The egg was cooked to perfection with a nice and runny yolk, and paired with the guac, some salsa, and a bite of quesadilla, you're in heaven.

I decided to try McCann's Irish Oatmeal Brûlée, topped with sautéed green apples and red pears. The oatmeal was AWESOME. I am a huge lover of oatmeal, and adding the sugary brûlée topping added such a nice delicate crunch that couldn't be beat. The oatmeal was creamy and thick and sweet and smooth and filling…etc. It was beyond. No other oatmeal from here on out can compare.

 The amount of selections at Norma's is reason enough to go. There is something there to satisfy everyone's palates. However, don't expect to come to Norma'a and eat light. Oh no…honestly I would suggest ordering one of the more unhealthy and decadent sounding meals because that's the way to go here. THIS is the place to splurge!!!



 XOXO,
Danielle

Otto

1 5th Ave.  New York, NY
www.ottopizzeria.com

Price: $$
Favorite dish: Cacio E Pepe

Reunited (again) and it feels sOoOoOo good. This past weekend, my parents flew into New York to visit and spend some time with me while I am still in here. How sweet!!!!! On Friday night, Nicole and her parents came to meet my parents and me in the city for dinner for some family bonding time of course! We decided to take Arleigh along for the ride because why not? The Jablon's decided on celebrity chef Mario Batalli's restaurant Otto Pizzeria. The restaurant had a vivacious atmosphere, and it was completely packed, and therefore was very noisy. Despite making a reservation, we still had to wait almost 25 minutes for a table. The restaurant was modeled to resemble an Italian train station, so when your assigned "train" goes up on the board, you know your table is ready. We were actually seated at a corner table completely smushed together. Good thing we like each other, right?


Here is what we ordered:

Nicole and her parents got the chopped salad with salami and chickpeas. 

My dad and Arleigh both got the baby spinach salad with ricotta salata and truffle honey.  This salad was really good…basically anything with truffle is good to me!

My mom got the watermelon salad, served with cucumbers and feta cheese. I am not the biggest fan of watermelon or cucumber, but I actually loved this salad. It was sweet and delicious…I almost couldn't tell there was watermelon in there. Loved it.

For the main course, we ordered some different pizzas and pastas so we could all try each others' meals.

The first pizza we got was the fennel & bottarga, with tomato, pecorino, and mozzarella.

My dad got the Cacio E Pepe pizza, which had mozzarella, cacio (an Italian cheese), pecorino, parmigiano, and black pepper. This was my favorite of the pizzas, and probably my favorite dish of the whole meal. There was so much flavor packed into this one pizza. All of the cheeses combined together were just too good on a great thin crust. YUUUM.

Nicole got the classic margherita pizza, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. 

Ong more pizza for the table: the vongole, with garlic, mozzarella, and clams.

We got the Pasta Alla Norma, which was penne pasta with tomato, roasted eggplant, basil, and ricotta. I thought the pasta was good and I really liked the roasted eggplant. The pasta was a little bit undercooked but the tomato sauce was really fresh and yummy.

Do you think we ordered enough food?!?!?

I really enjoyed my time at Otto with my friends and family. The food was pretty good and everything was extremely reasonably priced in contrast to the prices I typically see throughout the city. There were a few issues, being that the wait staff was a bit slow, and we were served bread, but with no butter or olive oil or anything. But….. overall the food was good, the mood was fun, and we had a great time together.

To finish off the evening, we walked toward Greenwich Village and got cupcakes at Molly's Cupcakes. How perfect! (to view my recent post on Molly's cupcakes, click here).

An awful and blurry pic of Nicole, Arleigh, and me at Otto. But still….FRIENDS! <3 <3

 XOXO,
Danielle

The Smith

956 2nd Ave.  New York, NY
www.thesmithnyc.com

Price: $$$
Favorite dish: Whole Wheat Penne (no decisions there!)

This past friday night, I got to hang out with a few of my besties from Michigan: Jamie, Mel, and Dani. We ended up going to dinner in Midtown extremely late (try 10:00 pm), so we wanted to go somewhere that we could get in quickly and be served promptly, but that would still be good. Mel suggested The Smith, and I had heard good things about this restaurant before. Being that we were within walking distance, it seemed like a perfect place to go for a satisfying meal waaaay past normal meal time.
The Smith is a casual, American restaurant, with a fun, inviting, "New York" atmosphere. To get seated right away, we were put at the end of a communal table, which was actually kind of fun (great people watching!) 

Our communal table!!!

We didn't really have a lot of diversity in what we ordered. We all ordered a different variation of the same meal… classic. We got the Whole Wheat Penne, with arugula, wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese. 

                   Mel and Jamie's whole wheat penne, plus chicken. (Obvi Mel got hers without cheese)

My whole wheat penne, with grilled shrimp to add protein. The shrimp was actually so good, and added a really good touch of flavor to the pasta. I really liked the oil&garlic sauce that was over the pasta…it was super flavorful and wasn't overwhelmingly garlicky. 

Jnuss takes her noodles to go for a late night snack!

There were actually a ton of good-looking things on the menu and I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to try more than one thing from the menu--all the more reason to go back! From what I did taste though, I do think that The Smith has some really good things to offer. Besides the food, I was just happy to be hanging out and spending time with my friends! (was that cheesy?)

XOXO,

Danielle