New York Bites: Artichoke Pizza

Chicagoans worship their deep dish, New Yorkers boast about their foldable thin crust, and New Haveners....well I suppose their "apizza" may be something special; but nothing beats a pizza place that takes the ooey gooey, comforting goodness of cheese, crust, and sauce and turns that traditional, tasty combo into something atypical and absolutely delicious!

If you're in New York for a visit and looking for something different from the usual New York slice, Artichoke Pizza should be your first stop. With piping hot slices, fresh ingredients, and unique flavors, Artichoke Pizza transcends traditional New York pizza. The pizzeria's signature "Artichoke and Spinach" pie has people crawling back for piece after piece... provided you're able to handle the richness of a single slice.

I finally had my first slice of artichoke and spinach pizza from their location on 14th and 1st in New York's East Village. The service was quick and the pizzas were fresh. The flowing dinner crowd that marched in and out of the pickup spot indicated to tourists that they'd arrived to the correct location and signaled to regulars that they were going to have to wait a little longer for their heavenly slice. In true New York fashion, my slice of pizza was placed in the oven for a quick warm up and them graciously placed into an over-sized box.  The smell alone was enough to turn heads as I walked back to my apartment.

In regard to taste, this slice of artichoke and spinach definitely makes my top 5 for pizza, up in the ranks with Lou Malnatti's. The crust was crispy, with the proper amount of thickness, not overly oiled or salty, and paired well with the toppings. With a creamy sauce that blended with the freshly melted cheese, the richness of the pair melded well with the pieces of artichoke and spinach on the slice. The crust, sauce, and toppings resulted in a trio of rich, developed, and mouth-watering flavor.

While Artichoke's signature slice wears a $4.50/slice price tag, the large portion and tastiness of the piece more than overshadows the cost. Moreover, with a slice so full of flavor and brimming with rich ingredients, for most patrons one slice is more than sufficient.

Extra perk: They're open until 5am for all of your late night/early morning needs!


Artichoke Pizza
East Village Location
328 East 14th Street
New York, New York 10012
212-228-2004
10am-5am

keep calm and nom on,
 
gf

New York Bites: Xi'an Famous Foods

Hello there Nomsters,

Spicy Lamb Noodles

It's been a while since we last met, but I'm promising that from now on I won't wait two months+ to dish out the latest food porn, reviews and recipes. For many college students, summer is a time to relax, travel, or start that internship that we chased during the spring semester. Personally, I ended up in New York, which is the perfect place to be a foodie in my free time. So over the next few weeks I will be blogging about my fantastical foodie adventures in the boroughs! To kick the summer off I thought Xi'an Famous Foods would be a fun place to visit after a semester spent in Shanghai.

Spicy Lamb Burger

Xi'an Famous Foods was conceived in Flushing, NY, the place to be if you want authentic Chinese food. After gaining a firm following at their location in Flushing, the owner expanded to Manhattan, making it that much easier for those who sought out authentic Chinese food! The menu features mainly noodle dishes along with some "burger options." Xi'an Famous Foods keeps things simple by doing what they do best, noodles.





On my first visit, we went to their Chinatown location on Bayard street. The ambiance of the restaurant is really reminiscent of being in China. The limited seating, quick service, and menu board picturing each item all reminded me of the little hole in the wall food spots in Shanghai! One of the quirkiest aspects of the restaurant was the dumbwaiter in the middle of the room that sent up patrons' meals!


I ended up ordering the Spicy Lamb Noodles ($7.00), featured in the picture above, and we also ordered a lamb burger ($3.00) and a pork burger ($3.00). The noodles were delicious, very fresh and chewy as they would have been in China. There was a generous serving of tender cumin-spiced lamb meat atop my noodles with fresh herbs, but boy was it spicy! If you order any dish labeled "spicy" off the menu, be sure you can commit to it, because once you start, there's no going back. The burgers were also very tasty. Huge portions of both lamb and pork nestled between crispy pancake rolls, like the ones seen being sold in the streets of any Chinese city. The lamb in the burger was also super spicy, the pork on the other hand is a great option if you are not a fan of spice. The pork was tender in texture and had a sweet flavor that contrasted well with the savoriness of the bun.

Overall, Xi'an Famous Foods is a great option if you are looking for an authentic Chinese restaurant for some good take-out. Every one of Xi'an's locations is cash only, so make sure you're prepared. Additionally, psych yourself up for the spiciness!

Xi'an Famous Foods

67 Bayard Street
Manhattan, NY

(212) 608-4170

Keep Calm and Nom On,
GF