Monday, September 21, 2009

Food Field Trip -- NYC Weekend Part 1: From Cupcakes to Tea

B and I spent a wonderful long weekend in NYC catching up with old friends and enjoying the city's wonderful culinary offerings. In this post and the next two, I will relive the experience, providing what I think are witty musings on the highlights and lowlights of our culinary adventure.

Odds and Ends -- From Cupcakes to Tea



Like usual, B & I made our first stop at the original Magnolia Bakery (http://www.magnoliacupcakes.com/) on Bleecker St. Their cupcakes are definitely good but not great; Baked and Wired in DC offers a far superior cupcake. So why do we always go? 1) The frosting is wonderful -- an old fashioned butter cream and lots of it. 2) The shop itself is adorable and the aromas inside are such a treat in and of themselves. The total for two cupcakes and a lemonade was 7.50, but the sugar rush was priceless, and the frosting did not disappoint. I highly recommend it if you are in NYC. Plus the window shopping on and around Bleecker is a good time.

Magnolia Bakery on Urbanspoon
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Finding a good martini in DC is no easy task. So when we head to NYC it is a must. This time we tried out the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Station. The atmosphere is something out of Mad Men with marble walls, a wooden roof, soaring ceilings, fringed lamp shades, and plush banquets. The service was a bit off as our waitress forgot our order and had to circle back to reconfirm, but it was worth the wait. The martinis were terrific and poured tableside. B enjoyed his usual -- gin martini up with olives, as did I - classic cosmopolitan (cliche, wholly unoriginal, and delicious!) Two martinis with tax and tip - $32.

Campbell Apartment on Urbanspoon
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B and I also found a new, hidden gem -- McNulty's (http://www.mcnultys.com/) Actually, it is not so new (been around since 1895) and is hidden in plain site in between the colorful shops on Christopher Street, but it was nonetheless a great find for us. I am not a coffee drinker, but I love tea and had been in search of a decaffeinated blend for weeknight evenings. Let me just say that it was a tough choice, but I settled on a chocolate mint blend which smells heavenly and should be a great end to any day that will feel indulgent but without the calories. I am looking forward to trying it this week. A quarter pound of tea (enough for 20 - 25 cups) was $5.25.

McNulty's Tea & Coffee Company on Urbanspoon

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