Balaboosta, the Mulberry Street Israeli restaurant from the owner of West Village falafel joint Taim, gets the Times treatment today. It's a one star rave. "[Chef/owner Einat] Admony smiles sometimes," writes Sam Sifton. "She can definitely cook.There is that semi-completed hummus to start, whole chickpeas rising out of a tahini bath in a marble mortar, crushed chickpeas beneath them, ready to be finished with an accompanying pestle. Dip warm, herb-laden pita into the mixture, sparkly with lemon juice, fragrant with roasted garlic. Consumed, it provides a taste of an Israeli idyll, the feeling of a warm breeze off the Mediterranean to ruffle your hair. (If you have hair.)" more ›

Num Pang: Though it just opened Friday, this unpretentious Cambodian sandwich joint is already packing 'em in, as evinced by lines ten-deep stretching out the door. (It seems the place is closed today as the owners figure out how to keep up.) We popped in last week before the rush and were immediately won over by their hearty-but-not-too-filling coconut tiger shrimp sandwich with toasted coconut flakes ($7.50). We also hear the peppercorn catfish sandwich ($7.25) and the grilled duroc honey glazed pork ($6.75) sandwiches are worth the wait. more ›

Earlier today at Gallagher’s Steakhouse on West 52nd Street, some of the top Major League Eaters gathered around an obscene amount of corned beef sandwiches to see who could eat the most. Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti (sporting the mohawk) took the $10,000 prize home after a ingesting an impressive 8 lbs of meat (16 3/4 sandwiches), beating out Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, the reigning Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Champ, who "only" ate 15 1/2 sandwiches. The numbers alone are enough to induce meat sweats! Anyone up for Katz's? more ›

Heads up to everyone losing their shirts in the New Depression: There are free sandwiches being handed out right now at the new location of Scandanavian-style AQ Kafe, located on Broadway between 58th and 59th Streets. And you've got choices, too, not just a gimmicky little sample of one menu item. Until 1 p.m. they're giving out turkey sandwiches with jarlsberg, lingonberry jam, and lettuce on wheat; tomato sandwiches with cucumber, cheese, and sprouts on wheat; and tuna salad sandwiches with tomato, pickled onions, and celery on wheat. Sure, it's a long schlep from the Stock Exchange, but there's no point wasting your entire Black Friday watching all the money burn. [Via Midtown Lunch.] more ›

Picnics always look so appealing in the movies, like that scene in O Brother, Where Art Thou? where John Goodman breaks off the tree branch and starts swinging. But here in the real world, picnics take a lot of work and schlepping, and if you don’t have one of those deluxe picnic baskets an unspoken feeling of inadequacy can quickly turn that potato salad to sawdust in your mouth. Thankfully, there are a number of places where you can spend your way to the picnic of your dreams. And one of them even delivers. more ›

We've got some damn tasty sandwiches in this city, no doubt about it. So today the Times gives New Yorkers a collective pat on the back, surveying seven high points in our spectacular sandwich landscape, including Taim's green falafel, the Knish Press (a sandwich composed in a split knish) from Press 195, and – in a surprise nod to nearby Montclair – the Benny Mac (a heart-attack-inducing chicken cutlet sub topped with mac-and-cheese, barbecue sauce and bacon). more ›

First there was the Spitzer Spritzer at Teddy's and now, Sandwich #9: Hot Tongue on Rye. Eisenberg's owner Josh Konecky explains to Gobble the creative process behind today's special:

So, who came up with the sandwich? Spitzer came up with it. [pause]. No, I came up with it. Did you already order? more ›

Just last week, the Crosby Connection opened in its new location, continuing its tradition of serving delicious, reasonably priced sandwiches. If you were fortunate to get to Crosby early enough last week, owner Joey Cramarossa was giving away samples of a pizza that he planned on selling from his new location. When we previously talked to Cramarossa, he said that there was nothing like this pizza in the area, something that is painfully obvious to us everyday. more ›

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On Crosby Street between Bleecker and Houston, there's a literally hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop called The Crosby Connection. Joey Cramarossa, an ex-cop from New Jersey, works out a tiny space to serve up unbelievably fresh, delicious, filling and reasonably priced sandwiches and salads at $5-6 each. more ›

SHOP: Still looking for that perfect gift? The Brooklyn Historical Society is holding the 4th Annual NY Creates Craft Fair, and they may have just what you're looking for. Check it out today and tomorrow, and it will be back the 22nd and 23rd for the real last-minute shoppers. more ›

An opening for the new 2nd Avenue Deli is in sight! This week, they've been putting the final touches on the new Murray Hill location, but today Gothamist stopped by for a quick preview of the legendary deli. During the friends and family only preview, they don't have a their full 5-page menu ready yet, but they did have the classic items including matzah ball soup, pastrami and tuna sandwiches. One new item is the "chocolate shot" that will be served to diners at the end of the meal. The original 2nd Avenue Deli closed in March, 2006. more ›

Urban Rustic, the new Brooklyn grocery store whose shelves are almost exclusively stocked with food from within a 100-mile radius, opens tomorrow. Located on North 12th Street across from McCarren Park, the grocery is the brainchild of Aaron Woolf, a partner in the nearby faux-alpine Lodge restaurant/bar/general store. Woolf is also one of the producers of the indie documentary King Corn, which followed the misadventures of two neophyte corn farmers and their harrowing journey... more ›

Good news for old-school New Yorkers: the new 2nd Ave Delicatessen is expected to open sometime next week in its new Murray Hill Location on 33rd Street, near Third Avenue. Lovers of the deli’s famous matzo ball soup and pastrami sandwiches were devastated last year when, after a half-century in business, the 2nd Ave and 10th Street legend was snuffed out. The closure came in the wake of a bitter rent dispute between deli owner Jack Lebewohl and the landlord over rent increases; the soul was promptly siphoned from the site and turned into a Chase bank (though the Yiddish theater “Walk of Fame” on the sidewalk remains). more ›

Finding the best Cuban sandwich in NY is nothing short of grail-like quest: ingredient details are debated, locations are either revealed or remain secret, and the search continues anyway in the end. Just a stone’s throw from Cotton Club in Harlem is El Floridita, a workhorse diner that might skirt year end best-of lists. But remains a great destination for simple Cubano sandwiches. El Floridita is the last outpost of 3 original Floriditas; its owner... more ›

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a pediatric arrest on 5th Ave. near 117th St. in Manhattan, a person fatally struck by a train at 39th Ave. and 111th St. in Queens, and a submerged barge at the south end of the train tressel for the A line in Queens. Mayor Bloomberg doesn't just take the subway to work; he likes the Subway sandwich chain. "I love Subway sandwiches. I think they're a great deal,... more ›

Williamsburg has its Thai food, and now it seems that Alphabet City has its Cuban. Bodeguita Cubana, a Serbian-run Cuban joint that opened in May on 10th Street (between 1st & Avenue A), is the third in a trifecta of ropa vieja-offering restaurants that's enveloped the neighborhood east of 1st Avenue (the other two are Cafecito & Cafe Cortadito). Arguably the most appealing of them all (though we do love Cafecito), the French doors on the facade of Bodeguita Cubana swing open, inviting a cool breeze on these warm fall nights, and the narrow space feels bigger than its 20-seat capacity. Lighting is dim, coming from the street or a few hanging straw lanterns, creating an air of coziness and welcome. Servings are consistent and generous, especially for a menu entirely under the the $10 price range. Pressed sandwiches, notably the pulled pork with homemade bbq, are scrumptious and big enough to share (depending on your hunger level), and come with either roasted potatoes or a salad with fresh steamed fava beans. more ›

With the notable exception of Brooklyn, the Outer Boroughs are a veritable wasteland when it comes, to bánh mí, or Vietnamese sandwiches. Despite repeated forays, we've yet to find any decent versions in Queens. Those that do exist are served in restaurants, and every bánh mí fiend worth his Sriracha knows that restaurants never serve a good Vietnamese sandwich; it's simply not in their best interests to sell $3.00 entrees. As with many sandwiches, the best bánh mí are found in mom and pop delis. We like to think that these refreshing sandwiches are at their best at delis because those joints specialize in bánh mí and little else. more ›

Billyburgers and lovers of giant sandwiches rejoice. Papa Lima is the newest meat-and-cheese stacking sandwich shop in the neighborhood (Bedford & S. 4th) that offers pre-named sandwich combinations of a free-spirited sensibility ("The Pablo Honey," The Dodger," "The Hunter & The Hunted"), and myriad ingredients for create-your-own combos that stops no short of black truffle butter. All of Papa Lima's produce comes from the local greenmarkets, fresh breads from Tom Cat Bakery, pickles from Guss', and the meats selection goes far beyond your standard turkey-pastrami-and-ham to include jambon de bayone, mortadella, sweet/hot sopressatta, smoked duck, and scottish smoked ham. Even as the real estate offices have moved in along Bedford, we weren't expecting sandwich prices to rise too (these range from $5.95 - $12.95), but no fear, you get what you pay for. The 12-inch sandwiches (the pricier ones) are easily two meals and piled pretty high; you can down the $5.95 secret egg salad in a single sitting, though we recommend adding smoked salmon for $2. Papa Lima has ample seating--and better yet, b.y.o.b. and free wifi, so while you're noshing on some ham & cheese, logon to their website: www.papalimasandwich.com, and submit your favorite sandwich in their "Sandwich of the Week" contest. more ›

On tap for this year’s 33rd Annual Atlantic Antic festival, taking this Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM (rain or shine, buddy) is the usual bonanza of pony rides, live music, and balloon animals. This year’s Antic has an added emphasis on food, which should hopefully make it a remedy to all the street fair food fatigue that’s been going around recently. more ›

There's an interesting tale of how a ticket turned into a 44-hour stay on this Park Slope message board. Seems a girl filed a complaint against her ex-boyfriend and even though it was deemed ridiculous he still had to face it, which resulted in nearly two days at central booking. Turns out he had a warrant out for an old ticket given to him for riding his bike on the sidewalk. more ›

Last Monday was one of those sweltering August days, which is why Gothamist was quite glad to kick off the evening at Kyotofu with the house cocktail, a refreshing combination of sesame shochu and raspberry. Refreshing as the cocktails were, we must admit that's not what drew us to Kyotofu that night. We were there to drink (and talk) sake. more ›

Bruni goes to Franny’s in Brooklyn, rates it a top pick, awards it two stars, and calls himself a newly converted “besotted Franny’s believer.” Says Franny’s simplicity—they serve crostini, cured meats, pasta and pizza (along with a few other items)—“is deceptive. The restaurant finds transcendence in dishes and genres that wouldn’t seem to yield so readily to invention or open the door to so much pleasure.” more ›

Generally, when one thinks of baseball game food, the usual suspects come to mind -- hot dogs, sausage and pepper sandwiches, Cracker Jacks, maybe some nachos, complete with day-glo cheez -- but tucked away in a corner of Shea stadium lies something that puts them all to shame. Mama's of Corona is squirreled away on the third base side on the Field Level of the stadium, and those of us with the cheap seats have to follow a winding path to get there (look for signs for the "Hot Corner"). But upon arrival, deliciousness awaits. In addition to antipasti plates, Mama's offers three varieties of Italian sub, all featuring fresh mozzarella from Leo's Latticini, which shares the same ownership. Our pick for the night was the "Mama's Special," pepper ham, genoa salami, and fresh mozzarella on an Italian roll, with small side containers of roasted peppers and marinated mushrooms. We added a splash of oil and vinegar for good measure. more ›