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NYC Food Guy

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In NYC, the stomach rules. Day or night, you can find culinary delights from every corner of the world and in every price range. Thankfully, there’s the NYC Food Guy to help you savor every bite. Lawrence Weibman is a native New Yorker who believes, “food is the simplest pleasure in life next to love and laughter.” His goal is to let people know where to find delicious and affordable food throughout the city. His reviews can be brutal, but are always honest, and his adventures are documented with mouth-watering photos. From BBQ to burgers, or diners to delis, don’t waste another bite.

What brought you to New York?
I’m a native New Yorker, born in Queens where I lived for 10 years before moving to Long Island. I went to college upstate and always knew I wanted to experience real city life for the adventure and excitement only New York could provide.

What do you love about living in New York?
New York is unlike any other city in the world. The concentration of opportunities to seize the day are so abundant that you barely even have a chance to think about it before the next experience comes your way. That and there’s no better variety of quality places to eat than in this city.

What do you think makes a New Yorker?
Unfortunately the outsider’s perception of what makes a New Yorker is the prevalent concept: Outspoken and volatile in a DeNiro-Taxi Driver kind of way, trustworthy at first glance but subtly duplicitous due to whatever it is that’s in New York water. It makes me smile because I know it’s partially true. In actuality I think a true New Yorker embodies the characteristics of Dean Moriarty in Kerouac’s “On the Road”, simple yet wide-eyed and curious with a voracious appetite for new experiences and an appreciation for being a tiny cog in the wheel of a big city.

What surprises you about New York or New Yorkers?
What surprises me most about New Yorkers is their willingness to lend a helping hand, offer directions, a word of advice, or some spare change. We’re not as intimidating as the general consensus makes us out to be.

When you leave New York, what do you miss the most?
Leaving New York I feel prepared for whatever might come my way, my awareness is heightened as is my appreciation for new surroundings. The thing I miss most however is the familiarity of my surroundings after dark and the knowledge of where to go to find a taco below 14th Street at 4:30 in the morning.

Do you know any tricks or insider info?
Tricks or insider info, eh? In regard to what exactly? Here’s the only way to get a drink at a crowded bar: Get as close to the bar as possible, have your money in hand, and wait patiently with a smile on your face until you make eye contact with the bartender. They will come over to take your order.

Are you a guy waiting at the front of the line to a crowded club and not getting in? Well first off, if it’s past 10pm and you don’t have women with you, chances are you won’t get in, especially if it’s a female door woman. If it’s a guy though, just be patient and friendly, make small talk if the opportunity arises, but never force yourself on them and do not try to trick them into letting you in, it’ll never happen. Let other people make idiots of themselves, roll your eyes at the fools, it’ll only make you look better. Maybe you won’t get in but all this will certainly help your chances.

If you want the best treatment possible at a restaurant i.e. a quick table, a little taste of something special, or a warm and hearty hello, then upon first visit you should introduce yourself the bartenders, the host, and your waiter. Don’t do it right away though because you first have to establish your knowledge of their craft and cuisine and show your appreciation upon completion of a meal. Don’t kiss up, that’s obvious, just make friends and don’t expect anything except making an acquaintance. Take note of people’s names and a little fact about each one of them and then return with your new knowledge. After a few visits you’ll have everyone asking you why you haven’t come back sooner and odds are you may get some freebies or at the very least a much appreciated tip: “Don’t eat the fish tacos today.”

Tell us about your blog… what is the premise, what are your main coverage areas, how did you get started?
I am the NYC Food Guy. My blog has the same name. Food is the simplest pleasure in life next to love and laughter, that’s my philosophy. My goal is to make people aware of delicious and affordable food throughout the city and its neighboring boroughs. I like to provide a little history or information about each place I review and brutal honesty is at the forefront of every entry. I got my start pretty innocently: I was always the person in my group of friends who was depended upon for the next place to go out to and where we could eat thereafter. I enjoyed this responsibility and decided to spread the love through my blog.

Best corny tourist attraction that you secretly love?
I love Times Square at night but only from a distance. Standing at 51st Street and Broadway while looking into the heart of Times Square illuminating the night sky, the hoards of crane-necked tourists milling about hopefully in my city, the place they’ve daydreamed about for years, the place I get to see everyday. I also love skyscrapers, there’s something trippy about looking straight up to their apex and losing yourself in the vertiginous nature of the experience.

Best neighborhood bar?
Best neighborhood bar…. Upper West Side: George Keely on Amsterdam b/t 83rd and 84th, great beer, best Pub burger on the UWS (review on NYC Food Guy), darts, and a great staff of friendly and helpful bartenders. The crowd is ever-changing but a core group of fun regulars keeps the good times rolling. Downtown: Bleecker Street Bar on Bleecker St. between Broadway and Lafayette. Great bar staff, great beer, three dartboards, three pool tables, a photo booth, and always fun times.

Best late night joint?
Late night joint for food: Ziggiz on 25th Street and 3rd Avenue. Best fries in the city. Thin, crisp, and double fried. San Loco with three locations below 14th street and one in Brooklyn serves quality tacos in a laid back setting until 5am on Fridays and Saturdays. Big Nick’s on 77th and Broadway is a 24 hour diner that has everything you can imagine including pizzas. Their menu is 50 pages and the ambiance is quintessential grease pit, a place that brings bouncers and clubbers together for solid grub late night. I recommend a small pizza and some spicy waffle fries.

Last cultural thing that you did (movie, museum, theatre, etc…)?
Last cultural thing I did was go to Katz’s Deli for lunch for the first time. It’s a New York landmark and the last of a dying breed.

Best fancy schmancy restaurant?
Define fancy? If fancy means hard to get a reservation or ultra expensive along the lines of Per Se, then I have no interest. I’m into a no frills dining experience that’s all about the food. My favorite restaurant in Manhattan is called El Faro and it’s an old fashioned authentic Spanish place with awesome red sangria with subtle brandy-induced kick, fresh flavorful seafood served in worn metal pots, and delicious homemade potato chips. It’s small and the Flamenco Dancer wallpaper hasn’t changed for 50 years but the authenticity of the experience cannot be beat.

Best place to meet members of the opposite sex?
I’m reminded of a Walt Whitman poem called “To You” that I humbly admit I saw on the subway: “STRANGER! if you, passing, meet me, and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?” Now despite the fact that Whitman would have bed any woman with a heartbeat, that philosophy somewhat rings true.

The beauty of meeting someone in New York is that it can happen anywhere, anytime, you just have to keep your eyes peeled for the magical connection a smile between strangers provides.

Best moviehouse?
I haven’t been to many but Symphony Space on the UWS is intimate. Besides their popcorn, which apparently is pretty weak, I’ve heard good things about the Angelika. The theatre on 30th St. and 2nd Ave has stadium seating and a lot of movies and you can cause some trouble with a lasciviously-minded friend after the show ends if you play your cards right.

www.nycfoodguy.com

2 Comments

  • By food for thought – 01-29-08 at 10:37 pm

    I check out NYC Food Guy and follow his recommendations. The photos,and the comments are to the point. He takes his blog seriously and often I agree with his opinions. It was fun to know what he’s really thinking. Thanks Cool in Your Code and thanks NYC Food Guy.

  • By Mel – 03-22-08 at 11:32 pm

    Damn, what a good website, I have some ideas, let’s talk soon,
    M

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