Even though good food at the US Open is certainly hard to come by, as over-eager tourists bum rush the Food Village, devouring sub-par food, there are a few things worth writing home about. If you’re at the Open this year, I highly encourage you check them out:
Morris Food Truck – Known for their grilled cheese sandwiches, the Morris Food truck comes to the Open by way of Brooklyn. I loved this cheery addition to the day’s festivities, and I must say that it’s run really well. There’s a separate area where you get a good view of the menu and actually place your order. After just a few short minutes your name gets called at the actual truck and you get your perfectly melted cheese beauty.
There’s four different grilled cheese sandwiches to choose from and they all sound great. Sure they’re expensive (you’re at the US Open after all), but comparatively speaking, the prices are okay.
After some consideration, I went for the Gouda sandwich with thick pieces of smoky bacon that were nestled inside. Overall, it was a total home run, as the cheese was perfectly gooey, tangy and just generally tasty. I appreciated the well done exterior on the bread, as I like my grilled cheese on the darker side too. It made for some attractive photos to boot!
You can find the Morris Food truck in front of Court 17 at the stadium or on the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn on most days.
Sandwiches by Parm at the Heineken House – At first, I can’t say I was totally enthused about checking out a branded environment in an already commercialized sporting event, but the Heineken house won me over. Located also right outside of Court 17 on the rooftop of a nearby building, the Heineken house offers a welcome respite for visitors, during this over-crowded event.
A nice, spacious bar welcomes you as you walk in, complete with a picnic table area, a mini pro shop with Heineken swag as well as some games and a cute photo booth. The Parm sandwich area was easy to spot, and similar to the food truck I just described, you first put in your order at the counter and wait a few short minutes for your food to come out.
It didn’t take me long to decide on the Godfather sandwich, which boasted a few generous hunks of fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato on pressed garlic bread. A bright green jalapeno found itself wedged in between the two halves of the sandwich, decorating it beautifully. Overall, the sandwich was delicious, fresh-tasting and made of good quality ingredients that’s a rarity at this event. Kudos Heineken!
I hope you get to visit these two eateries while the Open is still going on til this coming Monday, September 8th.
The U.S. Open, my all time favorite sports tournament is almost in town, and I can't wait. While I relish all the tennis action these exciting two weeks bring, I'm not always jazzed about the food options offered at the stadium. It's for this reason I'm providing you with a quick round-up of delicious eats you can grab prior to or after visiting the Open without fail. All of these suggestions are located close to the 7 train line, so they offer easy convenience.
Biang Noodles in Flushing - This popular noodle shop will satisfy your gametime hunger with more than a dozen different varieties of noodles, skewers, bread dishes such as sliders, dumplings and even authentic Chinese desserts. Make sure to bring cash, as Biang doesn't accept credit cards. 41-10 Main Street, Flushing. 718.888.7713
Venturo in Sunnyside - Loving Vesta's little outpost in Sunnyside, it's just a few short steps from the 7 train and couldn't make it easier to stop off and get some fresh, delicious food. In addition to dinner and wine, they serve lunch so you can hit them up during the U.S. Open day sessions. Recommended dishes include the homemade thin crust pizzas, the pasta free lasagna and of course their Baby Jesus cake for dessert. 44-07 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside. 718.406.9363
Jahn's in Jackson Heights - If you'd like to treat yourself to a celebratory old fashioned sundae, Jahn's is your pick. Boasting north of 14 different sundae varieties, you can get everything from a classic vanilla hot fudge sundae to something funky and unusual such as the Kitchen Sink Sundae which feeds up to 10 people at once. 81-04 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights. 718.651.0700
U.S. Open Tennis, my favorite sporting event is here, and the best part is that it takes place in Queens. I was happy to attend the Qualifying Tournament this past Friday, which gave me a nice preview of things to come. Excited to return to the Open next week, I've been scoping out some yummy things you can get your hands on in and outside of the tournament's grounds.
Hill Country BBQ - Excited to see this popular BBQ haven make its debut at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, you can now get your fix of brisket, turkey, sausage and other BBQ yummies. The best part for me was seeing their lovely miniature pies in pretty glass display cases, with flavors ranging from Double Cherry to Bourbon Pecan.
Tortilleria Nixtamal - Located just two stops away on the 7 train from Mets-Willets Point, Nixtamal is a great place to stop in for lunch or an early dinner before the matches. Not only is it absolutely delicious--the tamales being my favorite in Queens--the prices are wallet friendly as well, and overall it's a real steal compared to what you'll pay inside the stadium. 104-05 47th Avenue, Corona. 718.699.2434
Jahn's - If your'e in the mood for a little sweet something after a tennis win, I highly encourage you to stop in at Jahn's for a victory sundae. They have over 30 different varieties of old fashioned sundaes including fruit based sundaes, "large tummy ticklers" and even the master of all sundaes called the Kitchen Sink. Jahn's is pretty accessible to the 7 train, just 5 stops away from Mets-Willets Point. 81-04 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights. 718.651.0700
With the U.S. Open in full swing, lots of you may be checking out the action in person and taking advantage of this awesome event right in our neck of the woods. For those of you who are depending on the food court to get your grub on, stop right there and reconsider, as I've put together a quick where to eat guide for you that falls out of bounds of the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.
Tortilleria Nixtamal - The easiest stop over on your way to or from the tennis center, all you have to do is get off at the 103rd street stop on the 7 and bring your appetite. True that this place is on the intimate side, but you won't be sorry as you indulge in their homemade tortillas used in their famously delicious tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more. The tamales are also a big must, and I personally recommend the pork tamale verde. 104-05 47th Avenue, Corona. 718.699.2434
Tuk-Tuk - If you're coming to the Open from the city, stop at the Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue stop on the 7 and hit up this awesome Thai eatery. Not only is the atmosphere really mod and interesting, the food comes out fast and it's really tasty. If you'd like to properly sustain yourself before the games, I suggest you get the pineapple duck curry, featuring crispy duck, sweet chunks of pineapple, bathed in a slightly spicy curry broth. 49-06 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.472.5598
Czech-Slovak Varieties Store - Paying homage to my Slovak roots, I often stop in at this store to load up on snacks before going to Flushing Meadows. I stock up on my Slovak sweet treats such as chocolate wafer cookies called Tatranky, Fidorky, all the Kinder I can ever want, chrumky and other native snacks that last me through the games. If you're just curious to see what they have, don't be afraid to pop in and give them a customary "Dobry Den" greeting (means good day). 10-59 Jackson Avenue, LIC. 718.752.2093
Salt and Fat - Many may have heard of this place but haven't yet had the opportunity to go. Here's your chance, as it's again right off the 7 train on the 40th Avenue Lowery Street stop. Like its name suggests, this won't be a light meal, but it's also really memorable, featuring menu items such as Korean BBQ wraps, pork belly buns, a crispy pork trotter and even a foie gras with bacon brittle. See a pattern here?! That's right...bring on the pig! 41-16 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside. 718.433.3702
New World Mall Food Court - While in Flushing, I urge you to take advantage of all the culinary wonders that it provides, including the fabulous food courts at the big malls. One of these is the New World Mall food court, which is just enormous and super affordable. From sweet red bean sesame buns to savory pork ones, surf and turf stir fry made before your eyes, and desserts such as all the tangy bubble tea you can drink, this is a true gem and a culinary Mecca. 40-21 Main Street, Flushing. 718.353.0551
Hope you get to try some of these eats, and if you have other suggestions, I'm all ears. Enjoy the games!
With the official start of the U.S. Open tomorrow, everyone's excited and all the top tennis talent is in town. I'm of course all about it, and have started to observe the season early, with Thursday's awesome Taste of Tennis event at the W Hotel that I cover each year. I'm happy to report both an elevation in talent (Serena!) and the food really aced it. Let the games begin!
Before we get to all the tennis talent, let's talk about the food and the awesome star-studded chefs. Some of the names have been on the Taste of Tennis docket for a few years now, and they keep folks coming back, while some chefs like Barbuto's (and Top Chef Maters) Jonathan Waxman and culinary TV personality, Gail Simmons made their debuts this year. I hope they'll be back next year, along with some of these awesome veterans:
Marc Murphy of Landmarc
John Mooney of Bell, Book & Candle
Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto
Craig Wallen of Spasso
Kerry Heffernan (Top Chef Masters Season 4)
Roberto Deiaco of Armani Ristorante
Daniel Holzman of The Meatball Shop
Brian Ray of Buddakan
Frank Maldonado of Sazon & Sofrito
David Craine of BLT Bar & Grill
Emma Hearst of Sorella
Julian Medina of Yearba Buena
Marco Porceddu of Asselina
Fernando Navas of Sushi Samba
Adriano Ricco of STK Out
Marc Anthony Bynum of M Bynum Anthony
Chris Leahy of Lexington Brass
Angel Elon of Baking by Design
Peter Andino of Heartbeat
Jehangir Mehta of Graffiti
Romuald Jung of Bagatelle NYC
My Favorite Eats:
While everything at the event was delectable, there were a couple of stand-out dishes that kept event goers lined up and swooning over each bite. Here are my personal faves that have inspired me to try some of these restaurants in the future.
Sea Scallops with Potato Foam from Armani Ristorante - Surprised that this place actually exists, it was even more astounding to see a huge line of people waiting to try it. Once I got a look (and a whiff), I understood why. The giant sea scallops were impressive, and cooked to perfection, sporting a beautifully caramelized crust. But the most interesting part was the light-as-air potato foam that was served along the side, as well as the fragrant baby artichokes, kissed with a bit of truffle flavoring. It was wealth on a plate so to speak...very Armani.
Gnocchi a la Parisienne from Bagatelle - Being a total sucker for gnocchi, I really enjoyed this bite sized portion, placed in a wide serving spoon. Even though it was a small bite, a lot of thought went into it--the tiny gnocchi dressed with truffle pesto and additional truffle sauce. Since the flavors were pretty strong, I immediately comprehended the small portion - it was another luxurious dish worth trying at the actual restaurant.
Arroz Negro Paella from Yerba Buena - Originally I wasn't even going to go for this, but then the friendly Yerba representatives including Chef Medina talked me into it. Deliciously out of this world, the squid ink rice was perfectly cooked and contained deep seafood flavors from the white fish, calamari and scallops. I liked that it was pretty light despite a complexity of ingredients, dressed with a green pepper sofrito that gave it an earthy edge.
Roasted Stuffed Fig from Asselina - Another big highlight for me, this was presented beautifully on a rustic wooden board. Chef Porceddu proudly displayed the perfectly round figs, which were enveloped by a golden prosciutto blanket and stuffed with creamy goat cheese and fresh herbs. It reminded me a little bit of The Spotted Pig's Devils on a Horseback, which is a fabulous combination of sweet and savory.
Red Velvet "Love" from Baking by Design - Since I'm a huge dessert person, I couldn't wait to dig into these little beauties, which were presented in adorable little parfait cups. Layered with the red velvet cake, cream cheese mousse, raspberry jam and chocolate rice crispies, it was the most interesting rendition of a deconstructed red velvet. I loved digging down all the way to the bottom of the cup and mixing in the jam with the decadent cake - heavenly!
Heavy Hitter Tennis Talent:
Besides photographing all the awesome tennis stars on the "green carpet," I got to see them again at the event, a lot of them actually lending a helping hand to the chefs. It was so neat to see them pitching in, with their aprons on and serving customers, chatting them up and really interacting. It was a brand new element to this event, and I thought it was a great move. Here's who was present:
Serena Williams (2012 Wimbledon winner and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist - USA)
Bob and Mike Bryan (2012 Olympics Gold Medalists - USA)
Victoria Azarenka (BEL)
James Blake (USA)
Sam Stosur (AUS)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Janko Tipsarevic (SER)
Mardy Fish (USA)
Mirjana Lucic (CRO)
Tommy Haas (DEU)
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK - my home country!)
I hope you're all excited about the games, which start tomorrow. And look out for my upcoming U.S. Open guide to good eats!
%2Bcopy%2B5.JPG)
%2Bcopy%2B4.JPG)
