Lunch @ Momofuku Ssam Bar

Momofuku Ssäm Bar

207 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003 USA
(corner of 13th street and 2nd avenue)

http://momofuku.com/new-york/ssam-bar/

The Review

Of the Momofuku family, Ssam Bar is the best.  Pork and duck team up to create the ultimate meat.  Ssäm does the most amazing pork buns and rotisserie duck, and pretty good sweetbreads too.

The Meal

oysters with kombu mignonette

Pork Buns

Fried Duck Dumplings with sriracha mayo

Sweetbreads with Watermelon

Rotisserie Duck over rice – duck scallion, ssam sauce, crispy shallot with chive pancake

Lunch @ Shake Shack

Shake Shack

691 8th Avenue (8th Ave and 44th St)
New York City, NY, USA

Overview

Burgers! Cheese Fries! Concretes!  Even food for dogs ?!

This ever reliable chain provides a grease fix, perfect for getting over jet lag.

The Meal

SmokeShack

Shack Burger

Cheese Fries

Concrete (Frozen Custard)

Lunch @ Potbelly Sandwich Works – Chicago, USA

Potbelly Sandwich Works

190 North State Street
Chicago, USA

Overview

This quirky chain of sandwich shops, has not only great sandwiches but stocks the amazing IBC Root Beer.  The perfect place for a healthy lunch.

The Meal

Breakfast @ Doughnut Vault – Chicago, USA

Doughnut Vault

401 1/2 N. Franklin Street
Chicago IL 60654

http://thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com

The Review

Unfortunately I did not heed the reviews and showed up at the Doughnut Vault an hour after the opening time. I should have arrived half an hour before they opened! This place cooks their donuts before opening and once they are gone, they are gone. 

Of course, this meant that by the time I arrived I was given the last item available, the Gingerbread Stack. Accordingly I was not able to properly review the full range of donuts available. While the Gingerbread Stack was pleasant enough, it lacked the freshness and flavour punch of the donuts I had on previous visits to Do-Rite Donuts (This might be because my order had been sitting on the counter for too long, as opposed to Do-Rite Donuts’ offerings which are freshly baked every hour or so). Nonetheless, I would certainly given it a try should I end up in Chicago again, although next time I will definately arrive earlier.

The Meal

Gingerbread Stack

Lunch @ Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria – Chicago, USA

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

439 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654

http://www.loumalnatis.com

The Review

A very nice, pizza with a buttery crust and ample cheese and tomato sauce. However, it did not adequately represent the Chicago Deep Dish I was seeking. I would have no problems ordering it again if I was in town and looking for an easy pizza fix but I would not go out of my way for it.

The Meal

The Malnati Chicago Classic
Deep Dish Pizza with lean sausage, some extra cheese and vine-ripened tomato on Buttercrust.

Breakfast (again!) @ Do-Rite Donuts – Chicago, USA

Do-Rite Donuts

50 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601

http://www.doritedonuts.com

The Review

Once again…Best…Donuts…Ever.

Nuff’ said.

The Meal

Carrot Cake

Buttermilk Old Fashioned

Breakfast @ Do-Rite Donuts – Chicago, USA

Do-Rite Donuts

50 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601

http://www.doritedonuts.com

The Review

Best. Donuts. Ever.

Or at least in my experience. Every donut was fresh, fluffy and perfect. The Cinnamon Crunch donut may have been the plainest of the three options but it still packed a punch when it comes to flavour. The bacon on the Candied Maple Bacon donut was perfectly crisp and full of enough flavour to provide an amazing contrast to the dough to which it was affixed. The star of the show, however, was the Banoffee Pie, featuring a donut filled with delicious banana and toffee filling. 

So good I might travel to Chicago again just to visit this place.

The Meal

Cinnamon Crunch

Banoffee Pie

Candied Maple Bacon