The Hungry Bearcat would like to give a big shout-out and "thank you!" to one of our awesome Facebook fans - Christine D. Christine is a resident of the Baruch neighborhood and shared this with us:
"I'd like to recommend Blue Bell (3rd ave. btw 22nd and 23rd middle of block east side of street) for brunch, lunch and dinner. My favorite is there french toast, the best i've ever had! I also like Defontes (3rd ave. corner of 21st east side) the Best Italian heroes.
I also want to mention Defonte's heroes are really big so it's good for sharing or if you're really hungry it good for one:) It's a good value, not too expensive."
Defontes has an awesome website full of history and real NY sandwiches like the Frank Sinatra and The Jerry Lewis! http://www.defontesofbrooklyn.com/ . Here's the Jerry Lewis: mozzarella, fried eggpant and tomato -- all for $9.75, sounds like a great deal to us!
These are great options to have, especially Blue Bell if you're looking for a cool place to chill out after class with your friends (they serve beer and wine!). What a great alternative to hitting a regular bar like Vertigo. Thanks Christine - you rock The Hungry Bearcat's world! We'll definitely be checking out both Blue Bell and Defontes!! Reviews to come soon.
Quick and delicious! Chipotle is great when you're in the mood for Mexican food in a hurry. Lines could get long around lunch hours at their 23rd street location, so for quicker service, order your favorite Mexican dishes online and have it ready for you upon your arrival!
I love mexican food! I've had trouble finding good mex near Baruch until Chipotle opened up on Lexington & 23rdSt. It's for when you're in a hurry, but if your looking for more of a sit-down place, and have time, I suggest you take a walk up to Rio Grande on 38th Street and 3rd ave. They have the best table side quacamole, and killer margueritas! My favorites to order here are the stuffed jalapenos (stuffed with shrimp and breaded), the guacamole, and a strawberry marguerita.
Ok, so I’m a
huge pizza fan, and it’s my favorite thing to get when I need something
quick.Waldy’s pizza however has a
bit of a wait time, but is well worth it! Waldys is wood fired pizza, made
fresh while you wait.All orders
are personal pies, made on a slab of dough with no particular shape. It’s thin
crust will allow you to eat the whole pie without feeling guilty!Although they have an array of
toppings, my favorite slice there and anywhere will always be a cheese slice!
In the mood for
Falafels? Gyros?Hummus?Baklava?All your Mediterranean favorites can be found at Fava
Mediterranean Grill on 77 Lexington Ave, between 25th & 26th
St.Wait time is about 5 minutes,
and a meal w/ sides and a drink will run you about $10.Portions are HUGE so come hungry!
Where to get the best autumn treats around town? We suggest the hungry bearcats to make a trip to Dean & DeLuca SOHO store. Their bakery counter offers the best selection of gourmet items such as the famous sour cream walnut apple pie from Little Pie Company, cupcakes from Crumb's, cakes
from Cupcake Cafe, and many others!
Let's enjoy the Halloween weekend with sweet and savory treats!
Dean & DeLuca 560 Broadway (between Spring St & Prince St)
New York, NY10012
Neighborhood: SoHo Hours: Mon-Fri 7 am - 8 pm Sat-Sun 8 am - 8 pm
Last Friday, I ran through Grand Central on my way back to the office from a meeting and realized how hungry I was. Quickly walking past the concourse's many options, I settled on Eata Pita, a Middle-Eastern joint I had never heard of before. Back at the office, I couldn't believe how delicious my meal was! I got a full platter with chicken, hummus, three kinds of salads AND tabouleh (check out the photo in our picture gallery!). All for just under $10. Sure it's not the most inexpensive option, but the fact that it was semi-healthy, really filling and satisfying made it a better deal. Of course I had to run a search about the company and was stoked to find out that they have a branch right in the Bearcat neighborhood! Located at 441 Park Avenue South (between 29th and 30th Streets), it's just a quick walk away from the Vertical Campus. Definitely check it out instead of one of the falafel/street meat stands the next time you're craving some Middle Eastern food.
Kathi Rolls are India's version of the burrito! Get a veggie wrap, chicken, lamb, or choose from the many other flavorful varieties available at the Kabob Factory on Lexington & 28th Street. The wait time for these delicious wraps is about 10 minutes, but worth the wait as they are made to order!
If you're looking to slow down and have a cup of coffee, cappuccino, expresso, or more, one of the best places to go is Starbucks on 23rd Street. Conveniently located near the 23rd street stop on the 6 train, it's a good spot to pick up a cup on the go, or sit down and enjoy your favorite cup while you get some last minute cramming in for that exam!
The other day, I was watching my new favorite channel on TV - Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com). I like to think of it as a fancier Food Network as it clearly caters more to serious foodies than the basic home cook.
Anyway, one of their shows, called Unique Eats, highlights some incredible restaurants around New York City. This particular episode had a whole segment on Shake Shack. I was intrigued. Shake Shack's main location is Madison Square Park in our Baruch neighborhood. Like many busy students, running from one place to another, I've often passed by the park and witnessed the long, winding line of hungry New Yorkers patiently waiting for a taste of Shake Shack's incredible burgers and shakes. Shake Shack also has an outpost at the new Citifield. During a recent visit, I again noticed a long line of excited burger eaters. In fact, the seemed to be there more for the food than for the baseball game!
What is it about Shake Shack that makes people want to wait in line for up to an hour to consume a simple, all-American classic? Well, here's a video about what Unique Eats uncovered:
As for myself, my full-time work and part-time school schedule does not allow me the free hour to wait in line, but I'm sure some Hungry Bearcats have done it. So, what do you think? Is it worth the hype? Was that an hour well-spent or will you be sticking with McDonald's or Wendy's from now on? Let me know. Either way, I look forward to the day when I can have that blissful free hour to enjoy the weather in the park, the smell of burgers wafting through the air and making friends with fellow burger afficionados as we try to figure out just what it is about those darn burgers!
Nancy says: Here are my top pics for the best pizza places near Baruch: Frank's Pizza- 23rd Street, between Park & Lexington Avenue Little Italy Pizza- 33rd Street, between 5th & Madison
