New York State of Mind: The Big Apple Part 1

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I went to New York City to visit my BFF Marcie and watch my pal Molly Ryan (http://mollyryan.com/) record songs for an upcoming album. It wouldn’t be a fun trip if I didn’t try the affordable Bourdain’s list spots (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/must-visit-restaurants) and other spots in between. Here are the food highlights from my trip in a 3 part post.

Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St
(between East Houston St & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10002
Marcie lives in East Village and one day when she was working I decided to wander the streets myself. I didn’t know I was going to stumble upon the place, I remembered Tiffany posting in the “Bucket List” so it was perfect timing!
Hmmm…. Where I have I seen this place before? Oh yeah, I saw Parker Posey feed Louis C.K. a sliver of smoked salmon on the show “Louie”. It’s cramped like a traditional NYC place. There is an overwhelming selection of smoked fish here. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out what I wanted. I finally asked the counter guy his favorite and I went with that.
I had the pleasure of eating my Norwegian Smoked Salmon on a Bialy with cream cheese and capers with a fantastic view….
Trash bags aside, the smoked salmon had a smokey and buttery taste that puts it on a whole other level of amazing. I want to go back and try the Pastrami cured salmon.
 Sylvia's 1

Sylvia’s Restaurant
328 Malcolm X Blvd
New York, NY 10027
Walking around Harlem was so much fun. I went to the Harlem market, grooved to an Ella Fitzgerald tribute band and saw the Apollo theatre.
  Slyvia's 2
I stopped into Sylvia’s, a popular Soul Food spot in Harlem. I was a little concerned when I sat down and noticed a hot sauce bottle with Sylvia’s face on it- did I accidentally stumble into a chain restaurant? No, her hot sauce is just that popular/amazing and has been sold to the masses. Phew!
I got the fried chicken with collard greens and mac ‘n cheese. The greens were a little soggier than I prefer and the chicken could’ve used more spice (Sandra Dee’s in Sacramento has the best spices for their fried chicken).I’ve eaten a lot of mac ‘n cheese in my lifetime and this was the creamiest, dreamiest kind I’ve ever had. Made the trip in there well worth it.

Julianne

Actress and Founder of Girls on Food: I was born and raised in the suburbs of Sacramento, California. I grew up a typical “McDonald’s kid”. I was very picky about what I ate and refused to try new foods. No fun, I know. My Mom started taking me on trips to Europe when I was a teenager and that’s when my palate for finer foods began to develop. Some of my most memorable favorite meals include Veal Bolognese in Rome, Gyros in Athens, Paella in Lisbon and Duck L’Orange in Paris. While this helped me grow out of a fast food phase, I still eat out quite a bit. I know I should be at home cooking, but I love dining out. I started working in restaurants in various front of the house positions at age 15. Since my start, I’ve worked in every casual restaurant setting you can think of: a teriyaki stand, brewery, sushi nightclub, trendy Mexican, family-style Italian, American diner, pizza parlor and even a BLT themed food truck. I can't help but notice that many of the LA food bloggers don't have any sort of background working in a restaurant. A lot of my perspective on food and dining out comes from my years of experience in the biz. Since starting this blog, I have shot appearances on a couple of cooking competition shows as a taster (including MasterChef Junior and another upcoming show). We have also started producing a Youtube Channel. IMDb page here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023647/ For this site I contribute content from all over Los Angeles (and the world) to showcase my favorite fine-dining spots, steakhouses, exclusive supper clubs, Hollywood nightlife and our very own #GOFx events, which I plan and coordinate.

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