What comes to mind when you think of New York City? Tall buildings, Broadway musicals and slices of pizza the size of a small child? Well for me I have never been impressed by the idea of New York City or the Northeast in general. I’m not sure when I formed this opinion but it has been a hard one to shake for years now. To me New York brought to mind images of sewer rats, pretentious and often eccentric residents, and an overall cloud of filth covering the whole city. So when I was given the opportunity to fly out for a conference in March of 2016, I’ll admit I was a little hesitant. But I decided that I would keep an open mind and try to choke down my pre-conceived notions.
I quelled the shouts of the Hunger Monster with Gardettos and scotch on the three-hour flight. The approach path took us directly over Manhattan and gave me my first glimpse of the bustling city. While the view was pretty, I wasn’t yet impressed. Sure, there was the Empire State Building and One World Trade poking out above the surrounding buildings, but the city as a whole just looked like a brown mass of concrete and steel.
I took a cab from the airport to my hotel in Times Square, dropped my bags and immediately set out on my quest for the only thing I was actually looking forward to in NYC: Momofuku Noodle Bar. There are many rotating seasonal items on the menu but the Momofuku Ramen was all I cared about. I was presented with a massive bowl of noodles, pork belly, pork shoulder and sliced green onions. The broth had an exceptionally smoky flavor from the katsuobushi used as its base and the pork belly was cooked to perfection with a crunchy outer skin and a melt-in-your-mouth layer of fat underneath. Within minutes I found my bowl completely empty and a mental argument raging about whether to order another bowl. I decided not to be a total glutton and instead caught the next subway train back to my hotel.
Momofuku ramen at Momofuku Noodle Bar. iPhone 6+
When dinner rolled around the next day, the Hunger Monster was in full control of my anger levels and I knew just the thing to get him to shut up for a few more hours. After a failed attempt to grab lunch at the Madison Square Park Shake Shack, I decided to try the Times Square location for dinner. I ordered the double SmokeShack and fries and walked a few blocks to Times Square with a to-go bag emanating heavenly smells.
I think I can safely say that this was the best burger I have ever eaten. The patties were cooked to a perfect medium and the thick-cut bacon was smoky and crisp to perfection. The only sub-par part of the meal was the crinkle-cut fries and the limited selection of dipping sauces. Maybe it’s the Midwest personality in me, but I need ranch with my fries, and none was to be found.
Meat and carbs, the Hunger Monster's kryptonite. iPhone 6+
With a food baby in my stomach, I wandered Times Square for a while, fully engulfed by the immense amount of technology shoved into only a few city blocks. Though it’s one of the more touristy things to see in New York it’s definitely worth an hour or so of your time. The resolution and brightness of the video walls is mind-boggling, casting a blinding glow even in the middle of the day.
As with many things in New York, there is a huge problem with Times Square. On this night I saw at least 2-dozen NYPD officers with fully automatic weapons and full body armor. Nothing says, “Welcome to New York” better than AR-15s and bomb sniffing dogs. I get it, but it seems a bit overkill.
The next day, after a tour of Google’s satellite office in the Meat Packing District, I made the short subway ride to the World Trade Center site. Amidst the construction barricades and beeping forklifts I found myself underneath a true behemoth of a building. Though the architecture is not terribly impressive, the energy of the site transcends the structure. The reflecting pools are beautifully designed and a worthy tribute to those who lost their lives on that tragic day.
One World Trade Center in the rain. iPhone 6+
Sadly, I did not have enough time to tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum. The wind and rain gusting through the streets chilled me to my core and forced my retreat back to the hotel.
With one meal remaining before my flight home, I ventured to the Lower East Side to Crif Dogs, home of deep-fried and often bacon wrapped hot dogs. I had originally heard of this place through one of Anthony Bourdain’s many travel shows, but this was one of the only disappointing meals I ate in New York. The hot dogs where dry, the buns seemed slightly stale and everything tasted like it had been dipped in a vat of salt. I didn’t think you could go wrong with any type of hot dog with a fried egg and cheese on it, but overall it wasn’t that great. However, the cheese covered tater tots redeemed an otherwise disappointing meal.
Jon-Jon Deragon and the Morning Jersey dog at Crif Dog. iPhone 6+
Overall, New York didn’t really do much for me for varying reasons. There was construction everywhere, trash all over the streets, and lead-footed taxi drivers that made me fear for my life every time I stepped into a cab. But luckily the city redeemed itself with a plethora of food options that kept my belly full and the Hunger Monster silenced for most of the trip. Maybe I’ll come back in a few years and give New York another chance as long as I can eat my way through the city again. Besides, it’s easy to ignore the downsides of any trip through the haze of a food coma.