The Mother of All Food Crawls

I was going to write about dinner at Uva with a high school friend visiting with her husband from California, but then I remembered that back in 2005, pre-engagement, the two of them visited and embarked upon the Mother of All Food Crawls.

We're talking fourteen food stops in 48 hours.

View The Mother of All Food Crawls in a larger map

Some were planned, some spontaneous. Myself and two high school friends (G and K) living in New York took around S and A from the Bay Area for a whirlwhind eating tour. I stole these pictures from my friend, and here we go

Day 1, ~10:30 p.m. Sushi Samba, planned
A complimentary appetizer of flash-fried Japanese river crabs because we had to wait a really long time for our table despite making 9:45 p.m. reservations.

Not pictured: edamame, blistered Shishito peppers, fried calamari.

Neo Tokyo Roll (yellowfin tuna, tempura flakes, and aji panca); Green Envy Roll (wasabi pea crust, tuna, salmon, asparagus, and aji); Pacific Roll (king crab, avocado, Asian pear, soy paper, and wasabi-avocado cream).

Two orders of Kampachi (Japanese yellowtail) Sashimi Tiradito with yuzu, black truffle oil, and sea salt.

Yellowtail Ceviche with ginger, garlic and soy.

Miso-marinated Chilean Sea Bass.

Day 1: ~12:00 a.m., Flute Bar, unplanned

Foie gras platter, smoked salmon platter, and bubbly obviously.

Day 1: ~1:00 a.m., L'Express, unplanned

Somehow we decided we needed Dinner #2.

Steak tartare with mesclun greens, moules frites, chocolate mousse cake, tarte tatin.

Day 2: 8:00 a.m., Norma's, planned

We ate family style modified for individual orders, while sitting around a circular table. Five people, five dishes, eat one-fifth, pass to left.

Seared rock lobster and asparagus omelette with home fries.

Crab cakes spice with Habanero peppers with dill yogurt mustard sauce.

Mandarin Orange French Toast.

Artichoke Benedict

Day 2, ~10:00 a.m., nap

Four friends passed out on my bed.

Day 2, ~12:30 p.m., Rice to Riches, unplanned

Marscapone rice pudding.

Pear rice pudding.

Day 2: ~1:30 p.m., Cafe Habana, planned

Mexican grilled corn with this delicious mayonnaise slathered all over; chicken diablo sandwich with fries; avocado and white cheese sandwich with fries; Cuban sandwich with fries, chicken dish with beans.

Someone couldn't wait for the food-paparazzi picture.

Day 2: ~3:30 p.m., il laboratorio del gelato, planned

Twelve flavors available, five people, 2 flavors per small serving, the solution seemed obvious.

Which two flavors did we not want to try?

Chocolate gelato, rum raisin gelato, vanilla rum gelato, peanut butter gelato, papaya sorbet, tangerine sorbet, coffee gelato, green tea gelato, raspberry gelato, lemon sorbet.

Day 2: ~6:30 p.m., Joe Shanghai, planned

Three orders of crab and pork soup dumplings, one order of pork soup dumplings, one order of string beans with pickles.

Day 2, ~9:00 p.m., A Salt & Battery, planned

It's so sad, the Second Avenue location has closed. You'll have to go to the west side for your fish 'n chips fix now.

One large order of cod bites, one small order of chips.

Gone in no time. End of a long day, but we've still got it!

Day 3: ~8:00 a.m., Le Pain Quotidien, planned

I like the 19th street location best because they bake the bread there.

One Tuscan Platter of Parmesan, ham, tapenade, the some amazing ricotta, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, olives and greens.

Mesclun greens salad.

Two orders of baguette with jam and praline spread.

Day 3: ~10:30 a.m., Artisanal, unplanned

Large basket of gougeres.

Sinful Experience Flight: Humboldt Fog (goat, California, airy yet rich, tangy finish); Brillat Savarin (cow, French, velvety, neutral to pronounced; Robiolo Due Latte (cow, Italy: yielding, lactic subtle).

Sampled of cheese condiments and some Langres to the left (cow, France, salty but not too aggressive, smoky)

Great Iberian Peninsula Flight: Serra de Estrella (sheep, Portugal, rich, intense, subtle toffee finish); Pau (goat, Spain, creamy, slightly sweet and nutty); Cabrales (3-milk, Spain, complex, buttery, numbingly intense)

Day 3: ~1:30 p.m. Alice's Tea Cup, planned

We went to the UWS location, but they've got the east side covered now too.

Scones: pumpkin, orange walnut, strawberry chocolate, banana butterscotch.

Clotted cream and jam.

Carrot-Cumin Sandwich.

Alice's tea and Rooibus Bourbon tea.

Day 3: ~6:00 p.m., Ota-Ya, planned

Sadly, this place has closed down. They had the best tempura. Now the next best option in the neighborhood is Tenzan for fantastic rolls.

Shrimp tempura.

Black Draft Roll, Crispy Salmon Roll, Mexican Roll, Volcano Roll, three orders of "white tuna" sashimi.

Day 3: ~8:30 p.m., Chola Eclectic, planned

Uttapam (rice and lentil vegetable pancake)

Chicken chutneywalla (curried mango chicken, mint, coriander, fresh ginger); Goa fish curry (spiced Chilean Sea Bass, fresh coconut, tamarind, chili-tomato sauce); Murli's chingri malai (spiced shrimp, raisins, ginger, fennel infused, tomatoes-coconut sauce); Bhindi masala (sauteed okra, onions, bell peppers, ginger, fresh tomatoes.)