Diner's Dispatch: Week #2
The best things I ate and drank in the city this week.
How’s the first official week of summer treating y’all? Have you caught up on Season 2 of “The Bear?” Have you grilled something, anything?
Let’s get into this week’s best eats.
Yankee Stadium: I went to a Yankee’s game on Saturday and watched baseball from seats my roommates and I paid $5 for and I still, with the information wholly available to me with just one Google search, couldn’t tell you who won. That’s not the point of going. The point is to drink a beer and eat a hot dog and maybe buy an overpriced helmet of salty fries and stand up every so often to do the wave with your fellow fans. Because we need that. All of us. There is something so Lana Del Rey vinyl about going to a baseball game and eating a hot dog and drinking a tall boy Bud Light. She would so write a song about it—“Did you know that there’s a Nathan’s Famous in Yankee Stadium?” I can see it now. You could do this, some argue, at many other places, yes. But you could also worship God outside of a church. There is a beer-drinking and hot dog-eating sanctity in the stadium.
Names: Four words: sake in a juicebox. Another four words: fried shrimp steamed buns. Though I’m not an expert on steamed buns, nor have I tried many in my time on this blue orb, these house-made ones from Prospect Lefferts Gardens ramen joint Names were by far the best and plushest I’ve eaten. The perfect post-5k reward.
Patti Ann’s: I can’t deny a restaurant writing a love letter to Midwest cuisine in any place outside of the Midwest. That’s one reason I checked out Patti Ann’s in Prospect Heights this weekend. The other reason was because the restaurant, helmed by chef Greg Baxtrom of Olmsted, Five Acres, and Petite Patate, offers a $15 savory sando and coffee combo that I had been meaning to try out. While I came for the bakery’s gravlax bagel, I decided on a bar spot in the restaurant where I ate a BEC and a crispy-creamy hashbrown and sipped on a cold brew. This place, located on a vibrant street only a few blocks away from Prospect Park, would be a lovely first date spot—especially if you’re taking a Midwest transplant out to dinner (Hello, there’s a bloomin onion AND tavern-style pizza!!). I want to return for so many things, namely: the soft serve machine that churns out matcha swirl and their cruellers.
NYT Cooking Recipe: If you’ve read more than one of these newsletters you probably are aware of my allegiance to Eric Kim. The allegiance continues with this stellar tteokbokki recipe I ate for dinner. So easy, and even more delicious sauteed in a skillet the morning after, when the chewy rice cakes develop a crispy exterior after sizzling in butter for a few minutes.
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"Diner's Dispatch: Week #2" captures the essence of the city's culinary scene with lively descriptions of the best eats and drinks. From the nostalgic joy of ballpark fare at Yankee Stadium to the culinary delights found at local spots like Names and Patti Ann's, each experience is celebrated with passion and enthusiasm. Whether it's enjoying unique treats like sake in a juice box or savoring classic comfort food, each culinary adventure is a memorable journey worth sharing. Read more at sonic-happy-hour.us.