In New York City, the stomach rules. Day or night, you can find culinary delights from every corner of the world and in every price range. Thankfully, the NYC Food Guy can help you savor every bite. Lawrence is a native New Yorker whose goal is to let people know where to find delicious and affordable food throughout the city. His Code Words column does just that with reviews, tips and tricks that will keep you sated.

Shorty’s Cheese Steaks: Creating Philly Perfection Even by Delivery

New Yorkers rejoice, Shorty’s has answered your cheese steak prayers. Midtown’s version of “wiz wit”, a cheese steak with cheese whiz and fried onions, is the truest version of the Philadelphia classic NYC Food Guy has encountered thus far. I’m yet to try 99 miles to philly or Wogie’s, but until then I’m ready to hand Shorty’s the crown for the best cheese steak and some of the crispiest fries I’ve had in this city.

I’m confident in that statement because I’ve never even eaten Shorty’s in-store, I’ve only had it delivered from their 9th Avenue and 42nd St. location to my office on 6th Avenue and 51st St.. With at least 30 separate orders to my office over the past few months, the three avenue, 9 block trek hasn’t yielded one unsatisfied eater. If that’s not a true barometer for success, what is? Read on to find out why Shorty’s is so delicious.

I’ve only had two Shorty’s sandwiches: The Classic Cheese Steak ($7.99), “wiz wit” style, and the Roast Pork Special ($9.50). The cheese steak (below) was awesome. An abundance of moist, thinly sliced sirloin mixed with sweet, flavorful fried onion, swimming in a perfectly portioned schmear of cheese whiz. The bread was the only weak point, slightly crisp, but nowhere near the point of cracking.

Shorty’s used to be a franchise of the Philly legend Tony Luke’s, but franchise fees are fruitless once you have a following, and that’s how Shorty’s was born. Unfortunately, this may have led to the death of their heralded Roast Pork Special (thinly sliced, seasoned pork in a spicy au jus, Broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone) which was a flavorless grease bomb. I strongly recommend you avoid it.

My co-workers have had everything from the Pizza Steak ($8.50) with pepperoni (+$1.50) to the Buffalo Chicken Steak ($7.99) and the Chicken Steak Club ($8.99, below).

Everyone’s been overly pleased with their order and a debt of that gratitude goes to the fries. Somehow these fries ($3.00) continuously survive the delivery and reach us crisp and piping hot. I’ve honestly never encountered such consistently amazing delivery fries. Forget the Italian fries ($4.00, below), mixed with Italian seasoning and Romano cheese and the Mozzarella triangles ($4.99, below), the latter of which are the only thing that failed the delivery.

Whether you’re a cheese steak lover or a novice, you can feel comfortable knowing that Shorty’s will provide you with the genuine article.

For more of NYC Food Guy’s delicious reviews click here.

Like this entry? Check out more from our Code Words contributors here.

Where do you go to get a taste of home? Post a comment below!

If you think you have to be part of a couple to get the most out of life, think again. Our Code Word contributor, Sherri Langburt, is full of expert advice on life beyond dating. Whether it’s travel ideas, beauty tips, financial guidance, or recipes for entertaining, the founder of lifestyle blog Single Edition has something to say. Log on to find new ways to enjoy your freedom and get the most out of single life!

The Single Diner’s Dilemma
What To To When It’s Time to Settle Up

Over chips and guacamole at a favorite Mexican restaurant in Manhattan earlier this week, my friend took a moment to rant when I inquired about her dinner out with some of our married friends.

“I cannot believe I paid $80 for a meal last night when all I ate was a $14 appetizer with two glasses of wine,” said the 32 year old single New Yorker.”

Whether watching one’s spending, alcohol intake or keeping a close count on calories, dining out en masse can push a single person to break their budget every time. Ever wonder why lightweights get penalized when pulling out their purses at the end of a good meal even if they abstained from drinking, dessert and so much more?

According to a study published two years ago in the Economic Journal, titled “The Inefficiency of Splitting the Bill,” the authoring economists observed what they called “the unscrupulous diner’s dilemma.” The research suggests that a person’s consumption will be smaller when the payment for the meal is calculated by each individual’s order and larger when they know in advance that the bill will be split evenly amongst the diners.

It’s upsetting when co-diners have no problem passing the buck to you, especially when those across the table are some of your very best companions. So do you speak up and risk insulting fellow diners? Or do you cough up the cash and leave with a bad aftertaste? Here are some tips we received from the singles we interviewed:

1. Recruit an Advocate: Enlist the help of a close friend before the meal who can speak up on your behalf, says Ken from NYC. Having someone else point out an inequitable distribution will make others sensitive to the situation without putting the burden on you.

2. Join in the After Party: “Agree to meet for after-dinner cocktails,” says Mike from Brooklyn. When you show up at the tail end of a dinner, it’s easy to pay the server on the spot with cash so you don’t get sucked for another buck!

3. Excuse Yourself: “I hand over my ‘portion’ in cash, then head straight to the bathroom. It works like a charm every time,” says Will from NYC.

4. Appoint a Secretary: When dining out with couples, my single friends make sure that one of us takes charge of divvying up the bill based on consumption so we are not charged unfairly.

5. Make Pre-arrangements: “Call the restaurant in advance or discreetly ask the server for individual bills upon arrival,” says Liz. Most places do not see this as a difficult request, just as long as everyone pays the proper gratuity.

For more of Sherri’s single insights click here.

Like this entry? Check out more from our Code Words contributors here.

Where do you go for cheap eats? Post a comment below and let us know.

If you think you have to be part of a couple to get the most out of life, think again. Our Code Word contributor, Sherri Langburt, is full of expert advice on life beyond dating. Whether it’s travel ideas, beauty tips, financial guidance, or recipes for entertaining, the founder of lifestyle blog Single Edition has something to say. Log on to find new ways to enjoy your freedom and get the most out of single life!

Cooking Gadgets for Solo Cooks

Must Have Tools to Minus the Mess and Save on Space

Whether you’re working late hours or don’t have the dream kitchen you deserve, chances are you are hankering for the occasional home-cooked meal. Just because you’re eating for one doesn’t mean you have to live off of prepared foods and take-out. The truth is, with the right equipment and recipes, going solo in the kitchen can be rewarding, budget friendly and a lot healthier for you.Not sure how to replicate your favorite Diner Dish or the fabulous Tuna Tartar you tasted on your last night out? All it takes is the right set of tools and some useful preparation techniques, and you’ll be on your way.

1. Mini Chopper: What’s cheaper, requires less clean-up time, and takes up a tenth of the space of a regular food processor? You guessed it! Mini choppers have just enough splicing power and make it easy to cook in small batches. Create perfect deli-style sandwiches with left-over chicken, canned tuna and salmon or even fake crab meat! Just add 4 ounces of lean protein, a teaspoon of light mayonnaise, some onions, celery or scallions into your mini-chopper, pulse, and presto! You can also whip up small batches of delicious homemade spreads and sauces, from hummus to pesto, in just seconds.

2. Muffin Tins: A trigger-happy relationship with the snooze button is no excuse for solos to skip breakfast. Homemade muffins are the perfect portable and affordable morning meal to suit the most hectic schedule. All you need is a muffin pan to whip up a healthy batch of your own. Recipes will yield 6-12 muffins but they can be individually wrapped and stored in the freezer for those days when you need a grab-and-go dish. If you are looking for portion-friendly desserts, then mini muffin trays are your perfect solution for bite-sized snacks. Just about any cake recipe can be prepared, divided, and baked in smaller servings just for one.

3. Immersion Blenders: Not only are these handheld whisking sticks easy to store, they are a neat freak’s best weapon! Regardless of the model, immersion blenders puree soups, sauces, dips and creams straight from the bowl or pot, so there’s no need to transfer foods to a blender or food processor. Instead of reaching for a high sodium packet of ramen noodles, you can now stir up your very own butternut squash soup!

4. Ice Cube Tray: It may be hard to imagine, but there is life beyond the Jell-O shot for these containers! They are ideal for storing soups, purees and sauces in portions that are easier to defrost. You can freeze the stocks in ice cube trays, then package the cubes in ziplock freezer bags for up to a year. Fresh herbs and other greens can also be chopped in the blender, covered with water and then frozen in ice cube trays! Break out the cubes, pack them in plastic bags and then pull out cubes as needed when you want to add seasoning to pastas, risottos, soups and other dishes.

5. Electronic Food Scales: Though there are a select number of cookbooks for singles, it’s a lot of fun experimenting by paring down family-sized dishes. The art to reducing recipes begins with precisely recalculating the ingredients list. Electronic scales provide a more accurate read than measuring cups so you will not be way off when estimating new quantities.

6. Peelers & Slicers: When time is of the essence, an egg-slicer will neatly divide kiwis, strawberries and mushrooms, and a vegetable peeler can do more than shave carrots: it works on hard to peel produce like mangoes and avocados. Want guilt-free linguine? Make vegetable noodles with long ribbons of zucchini and carrots, then top with a spicy arabiata sauce!

www.singleedition.com

What’s your favorite dinner-For-One recipe?

Post a comment below and share those tasty dishes!

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