The Jamaican Dutchy

Where? 51st and 7th street cart

My first job was in a kitchen with a crew of Jamaicans. It was also my first experience with Jerk Chicken. Though every Jamaican's marinade is different, some of the main (there are many) ingredients are olive oil, soy sauce, thyme, cayenne, all spice, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. It all adds up to some of the more flavorful and spicy chicken around.

I had to give the Dutchy a chance and for the most part it delivered. The chicken was definitely the highlight; the rice and veggies were quite bland. I got the large and had it for two lunches. Not bad for $9. Luckily, I seem to have caught it early enough that there was not a huge line.

Definitely will go back, but won't wait in line for 30 minutes (even if there is a flat screen TV to entertain).

Looking for good food? Try Chow.com

Chowhound started as a small message board where people discussed food. It was purchased by CNet about a year ago and relaunched as Chow.com. The website has been glossed up a bit, but thankfully the best feature (the message boards) has remained intact.

There is lively discussion about everything from chain restaurants in Arizona to street food in Southwestern China. The message board participants are an educated bunch and I found the site to be useful during my recent Round the World Trip. In fact, a couple of my more memorable dining experiences were a result of the Chowhound.

Enjoy, and please let me know if you find anything good on there.

Kwik Meal on 45th

Checked out Rahman's Kwik Meal street cart on 45th street, just west of 6th avenue. Rahman is a Bangladeshi who learned to cook in Toronto and was formerly the chef at the Russian Tea Room. Quite the international character as you can gather.

I had the lamb which was excellent although I was a little disappointed in the size. I was still a bit hungry after lunch. Perhaps I'm used to some of the other vendors that serve lesser quality meat, but the portions seemed a little small, particularly when you consider Rahman's lamb is $2.50 more than other vendors. I will say the quality was far superior to the ubiquitous Halal vendors in Midtown.

Been here? What do you think? What is the best street food in Midtown, in Manhattan?

Stock up on groceries

Amazon has some pretty good deals on non-perishable items these days. They have been promoting it pretty heavily and offer free shipping for orders over $25. Think of it as going to Costco's or BJ's without actually having to go there. There are some pretty good values on things like Clif bars and razors.

Another cool feature Amazon has added is subscribe and save. Here you can sign up to receive items you'll need on a recurring basis and Amazon will send them to you every couple of months (you specify the time period). Better yet, you get a 15% discount.

Voza Restaurant

949 Columbus Ave
(between 106th St & 107th St)
New York, NY 10025 (212) 666-8602

My girlfriend and I went here last Saturday night around 7 and there wasn't a soul in the place. Normally I would head the other way, but the interior was nice and the place is about half a block from my apartment. It is bring your own alcohol so we picked up a bottle of wine.

The food was excellent. I would recommend the pork chop, and the salad we had was simple, but made with quality ingredients. The interior is nice, as was the woman from Albania who runs the place. There are only about 5 tables and you can see the chef cooking from your table. He wanted to be sure we enjoyed ourselves, and we did. We had poached pear with Valhrona chocolate and ice cream for dessert, which was delicious.

In case you were wondering about the name Voza, it means wine barrel in Albanian.

A great neighborhood restaurant where you can have a nice meal for 2 for about $60 (wine included).

Grom Gelateria

Checked out Grom Gelateria on 76th and Broadway and I must say I was impressed. One should be impressed for $4.75 for a small cup. There was a longish line of about 10 people.

I had the Fior di latte (a mint flavor) and the flavor of the month, pesca ciocolatto (peach and chocolate). A lot of care is taken into finding the right ingredients. Ecuadorian chocolate, sfusato lemon from Amalfi, Guatemalan coffee, Sicilian pistachios, etc. Grom is a member of the slow food movement, something worth checking out if you have a few minutes.

Grom seems to be doing things right. I spoke with someone working there who was from Turin and she seemed genuinely excited about the product. Another plus, their pistachio gelato isn't green--a sure way to separate quality ice cream and gelato from the inferior stuff.

Interested in trying your own hand at gelato making? If I had the money, I would consider the Lello Gelato Pro 4090. If you do have the money, let me know what you think of it!