Sushi Lounge

Admittedly, I am a bit of a sushi snob. But it's not my fault that I practically grew up at a sushi bar. In fact some of my fondest memories of childhood involve sitting at the sushi bar with my dad (as early as my 5th birthday when I was only eating cucumber rolls), talking with Kojima - our favorite sushi chef. We even had a song about him. I spoke Japanese (the most basic) with the staff. Nowadays my dad takes me to Hatsuhana for toro and whatever's fresh from Japan. Unfortunately, my low-paying job does not provide me with enough cash flow for high end sushi. Fortunately for me, I discovered Sushi Lounge. Located on St. Mark's and Avenue A, Sushi Lounge is a fresh, delicious, and cheap alternative for sushi snobs who can't afford the most premium prices. Best of all, if you order more than $20 worth of sushi, they give it to you for 50% off. I swear, people are crazy in the East Village. But that means more sushi for me! On a recent visit (pictured above), my friend and I split five delicious sushi rolls and paid $13 apiece. The spicy tuna is a little heavy on chives, they use a lot of crab stick (unless you request otherwise) and the atmosphere isn't exactly 5 star. But if I have the sushi craving (which is often), and my dad's not footing the bill, Sushi Lounge hits the spot.

Sushi Lounge is located at 132 St. Mark's Place at Avenue A
212-598-1188

Shake Shack

Danny Meyer's Shake Shack is quite possibly my favorite burger in the city. Despite the atrocious lines. Despite the fact that it's seasonal. So imagine my joy when after our rainy Saturday, Sunday turned out to be a beautiful and crisp October day. And since I was up relatively early, I knew it would be a good day for Shake Shack. Justin and I arrived just before noon, and there were two people in line ahead of us. Score! We ordered 2 Shack Burgers and an order of fries. Justin had never experienced a Shack Burger before, so it was quite the monumental experience. He proclaimed them "a relative of In-And-Out." My response? "Exactly." Fries were okay. Every time I go, I forget that I am continually disappointed by their fries. They were slightly crispier and had a bit of spice on them, that helped. But oh the burger! Delicious, juicy, fabulous, perfectly cooked and never disappointing.

Shake Shack is located at Madison Square Park, near 23rd Street
212-889-6600

Dinner at Essex

Tonight I braved the rain to meet my good friend (and fellow foodie) Jenna at Essex, on the Lower East Side. Me being me, I got there a little early and took a seat at the end of the bar. From there I overheard one of the waitstaff mention that they were out of mussels (which they're known for), calamari and steak tartare (from their tartare trio). At 7:30 pm on a rainy Wednesday night with a half full restaurant? I should have known to take it from there.
It's not that the food was bad....but it was disappointing. I hate being excited about food and being let down when I eat it.
But on to the food. After being asked 3 times if we wanted drinks (isn't it okay to have a sober night anymore?), we decided to forgo main courses, ordering 2 appetizers apiece, and 1 to share.
I ordered the tomato soup. It was the soup of the day, so there was no description. It was good, in a thick and bready way. The cream was a little overpowering though, and I should have just scooped it off.
My other dish was the seared diver scallops, served over roasted peaches, watermelon, croutons, and basil. There was also some balsamic vinegar, which had primarily soaked into the croutons. I loved the way the texture of the watermelon mixed with the smoothness of the scallops and the soggier croutons were nice. But the roasted peaches didn't fit. They were cloyingly sweet, better suited for a dessert.

Jenna ordered the (somewhat blurry) salad with pumpkin and sheep's milk cheese. I didn't try it, although pumpkin is always a good choice, in my opinion.

She also ordered the best dish of the evening - braised short ribs with hush puppies. Though the hush puppies were mediocre, the short ribs were tender and delicious. "Tastes like brisket," Jenna exclaimed. However, when one considers that it is meant as an appetizer, I think the size is a bit overwhelming.
Then we have the biggest disappointment of the night - a tuna sushi spring roll. Simply a big hunk of tuna, wrapped in cilantro and crispy paper. Not only was the cilantro not mentioned on the menu (a major flaw, as the taste of cilantro is extremely repellent to me), but the roll was boring. The sauces (wasabi and ginger) were flat, and did nothing to help.
While the company was great, the food left something to be desired. Let's just say, we didn't stay for dessert.

Essex is located at 120 Essex Street
212-533-9616

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Hello, my name is Bex, and I'm a foodie. (Hi Bex)


As a New Yorker, I'm exposed to some of the greatest food in the world. Restaurants are always opening (and closing), year-round greenmarkets titillate the senses, and there's a gourmet cheese shop around every corner. I've created "Food in the City" as a place for me to share my eating adventures, culinary cravings, and other such foodie nonsense, without being judged for my foodienss.

Welcome!