LES food walk

Started the day at noon with Gwen. Mission - eat our way through the Lower East Side.

We met up at Russ & Daughters to grab somethings savoy - a bagel & lox shmear with scallion cream cheese and tomato on an onion bagel. Yes, the lox were good - they have about six varieties to choose from - but the bagel wasw horrible, like a day old lump. I'd recommend getting your fish there and skipping anything with a bagel - just go get fresh and H&H.

We head south to the pickle places near Delancey. Walking down Orchard or Ludlow, forgot swhcih, I realize I've found Seattle! Funky coffee shops, a hybrid organic food store and lunchy spot, hipsters with tatoos - it is all so familiar and nostalgic. I pick up a Chai which is pure delight, not too sweet or too spicy.

We approach pickle central - around Essex and Delancey. Crossing Delancey. I also notice about three other food group 'tours' but we have the smarter, independent plan - and I have super-foodie Gwen leading the way. The Pickle Guys are on Essex. Huge barrels of pickles everything. Gwen is not yet ready for the sour acid and neither am I but I ask for a sour, crisp pickle to go - in a plastic bag. I am now guaranteed to smell like pickles all day.

Just around the corner on Grand near Norfolk, we stop in at Doughnut Plant. I'm in HEAVEN! Yes, I've been to Pies-n-Thighs but these donuts are better, way better, plus Pies-n-Thighs is not longer (they are looking for new space - but it just won't be the same as eating in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge in a vacant lot turned into outdoor seating and a spit). They are all freshly made. they even make the jam and fillings going into them. Now I'm a very picky about donuts. Yes, I like Krispy-Kremes only when they are hot and still, they are a bit too gooey and sweet. Top Pot donuts in Seattle simply suck - cake kind are too dry and glaze are both dry and flavor deprived; I only think people go there because a) they've never had a good donut, 2) need something to dunk in their coffee, or 3) just like hangin' out in the cool retro environment (clicks to the store designer, right down to the cups and plates). Hands down, Doughnut Plant is now my favorite donut place in the world. We tried a cake one - almond and nut, good but.... two yeast ones that were perfection - a plum jelly filled and a coconut and creme one (top right square one in the picture). Ah, I still think about those flavors even now. They even had a feature article in the premier issue of edibleManhattan! Bought a Chai, too, but this one was too nutmeggy.

After donuts I decided to try the pickle. Ick. No crunch and the sour dill flavor dominated... no real cucmber-turned-pickle undertones or flavors. Threw it in the nearest trash can.

We them walk to Mecca - Economy Candy - the mother load of all candy stores EVER! What can I write? It simply is the best candy store on earth. It's not some Technicolor M&M World entertainment show floor not is it some fancy-shmancy Dylan Candy Bar for Upper East Side Richie Rich's. It is for EVERYONE and has EVERYTHING. Imported candy bars I only see in Europe, Smarties, candy cigarettes - yes, they still exist! I'm in sucrose overload so I just pick up some of those wax soda bottle things - again, nostalgia kicks in. Gwen gets the most delish halvah ever.


To walk off some of the calories, headed to SoHo - ran into the Italian street fair on Mulberry. Popped into Bloomingdales so Gwen could replenish her supply of coffee pods. I ended getting an eyebrow wax - ouch! I headed home via NYU up to Chelsea. Overall an exhausting and good day.