ABC Kitchen

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While a dinner reservation here is pretty challenging, you absolutely need to make it a point to visit ABC Kitchen in The Flatiron District at some dining point, where it’s lunch, brunch or dinner. 

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This Jean-Georges restaurant is everything you’d expect it to be from him, nothing shy of amazing. I’m pretty obsessed with the aesthetic here too, it’s rustic, meets French countryside, meets woodland nymph. Food wise, everything here is locally sourced, organic, and, well, delicious. 

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To start, as a snack for the table, we ordered their House Cut Fries. These are so amazing. They’re perfectly seasoned, crisp herbs and rosemary really add a nice dimension to the already tasty, crisp fries. 

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Then, I went for their prix fixe lunch menu and, for my first course I had the Line Caught Tuna Sashimi (marinated with ginger and mint). Amazing. The dish has a little bit of spice to it with a nice hint of the ginger. The tuna itself is perfect and seems to almost melt in your mouth.

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Next, for my entree I had their Veggie Burger (minted yogurt and housemade whole wheat pita). I loved this. First off, the burger and pita are super substantial and hearty. The veggie burger is housemade, of course, and lightly dipped in an egg bater and quickly fried, giving it a nice crisp exterior. The minted yogurt was especially nice with this too, adding a nice creaminess to the meatiness of the burger. I really loved the carrot slaw here too, they had the nicest balance in texture between being tender and crisp, and lightly dressed in an olive oil. 

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Then, for dessert, I had the Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sundae (candied peanuts & popcorn, whipped cream, chocolate sauce). Holy $&*!. This was so incredible, it’s basically heaven in a bowl. The salted caramel ice cream is rich, and silky, and almost has a burnt sugar appeal. On top is a housemade whipped cream, light and airy and not even all that sweet, balancing well with the rest of the sweet dish. The chocolate sauce on the bottom is warm, and rich and chocolaty and almost fudge like. Then, you basically have a homemade crackerjack box confecting the sundae. It’s all ridiculous and insanely delicious. 

The Shorts:
Name: ABC Kitchen
Location: 35 East 18th Street, NYC
The Long and Short: Would I go back? Uh, DUH! Faster than you can say ABC. 
Would I recommend it? In a heartbeat. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding and friendly, and the Sundae. Can we talk about that again? In love. 

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Num Pang Sandwich Shop

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Had a Cambodian inspired sandwich recently? No? No problem, you can just go to Num Pang Sandwich Shop at one of their five NYC stores. I stopped by their Grand Central location.

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It’s a quick-serve environment, mainly take-out, but a couple of the locations have seating. One thing that themes all of the locations is the fun, vibrant graffiti-clad walls and the hip-hop music that you’ll hear. Since it’s not Burger King, they request that you don’t ask to modify their sandwiches and enjoy them as they’ve been designed. Which, is no problem since there’s really something for everyone, including great salads and sides. 

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I ordered Roasted Cauliflower (Cucumber, Pickled Carrots, Cilantro, Chili Mayo, Chinese and Thai Eggplant Spread, Chili Soy). This sandwich was awesome. First off, this thing is meant best for the likes of Mick Jagger or a snake with an unhinged jaw…it’s huge. Once you get past the fact that you probably won’t be a clean-eater, you’re able to enjoy it’s awesomeness. The bread is toasted, crisp on the outside, warm and pillowy on the inside. Then you have the creamy chili mayo on top of the fresh, crunchy cucumbers and pickled shredded carrots. The roasted cauliflower has a great crunch to it, but still a little bit tender on the inside. One of the most special things about this sandwich is actually the Chinese and Thai eggplant spread. I’d like to order a jar of that, please. It’s savory, a little bit sweet, and has a great heat behind it. 

The Shorts:
Name: Num Pang Sandwich Shop
Location: 140 East 41st Street, NYC
The Long and Short: Would I go back? That eggplant spread alone got me hooked.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Super legit sandwiches, with a great variety.