Tremendous

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Food, NYC Area

The Meatball of the Gods at Pasta by Hudson

February 23, 2023 tremendousblog 2 Comments

The steaming pastas arrived, creatively nestled in Chinese takeout containers. I thanked my personal God as I dove into the best meatball in New York.

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Pasta by Hudson is an outstanding little Italian restaurant in Chelsea.

Inside, there are just two tables. It’s always the holes in the wall that have the best food!

Pasta by Hudson does everything themselves. They even make their own dry pasta, which I have never seen anywhere else.

You can taste the difference. In my classic bucatini with meatball and tomato sauce, I could practically see the garden where the tomatoes and basil were grown.

The meatball was rich, juicy, and deeply flavorful.

And putting cheese inside? Genius.

My friend tucked into her shrimp scampi. Naturally, I had to beg for a bite.

The pasta was spicy, oily, delicious. The shrimp were still tender — a rarity in restaurants.

And by the way, the portions are huge. When she couldn’t finish hers, I selflessly offered the lady my assistance.

I love Italian food, but I hate most Italian restaurants. They’re long on ambience and short on actual food quality.

Some have degenerated so far that they simply reheat premade food! This is an insult to our ancestors.

At Pasta by Hudson, they really care. That’s where I want to be.

And it doesn’t hurt that the owner, Brandon Fay, has a big smile and a hearty welcome for everyone who comes through the door. This man is doing what he was born to do.

Pasta by Hudson offers a wide variety of pastas from carbonara to bolognese. I particularly love the salmon and tomato pastas.

And if you’re low carb, I don’t know a better salad in New York! Sauteed mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, balsamic — chef’s kiss.

It’s telling that the same level of care goes into a humble salad as the most complex dish on the menu.

Pasta by Hudson even has pizza! I can never resist the macaroni, but I really must try the pies some day.

If you want to eat some of the best Italian food in New York City at an incredible price, Pasta by Hudson is for you. Bring your appetite!

What’s your favorite Italian in New York? Leave a comment and let me know!

More on food:

Korean Noodle Heaven at Food Gallery 32

Whole Fish and Banku, Ghanaian Style

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I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

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Food, NYC Area

Puerto Rico’s Finest at La Casa

January 11, 2023 tremendousblog 1 Comment

We filed into the dim, narrow space full of expectation. I didn’t even know what Puerto Rican food was — but I was about to find out.

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La Casa in Hoboken offers Puerto Rican classics in a cozy atmosphere. Each dish is deeply flavorful and cooked just right.

For starters, we ordered a papa relleno. It’s essentially mashed potatoes stuffed with meat and deep fried.

Just what the doctor ordered! And as delicious as it sounds.

Next, I ordered the camarones al ajillo — garlic shrimp — with yellow rice and black beans. I’ve had gambas al ajillo in Spain, but Puerto Rico’s take is richer and more mild.

Spain’s heavily fragrant, oily sauce is replaced by a creamy one with a more subtle flavor. Even after I finished the shrimp, I lapped up the sauce like a hungry dog!

Unlike many restaurants, the shrimp are properly cooked. No tough little stones at La Casa!

The fluffy rice perfectly complemented the black beans with their deep cumin flavor.

I normally don’t like chicken breast — too dry. But my friend John urged me to try his, and it was moist and juicy.

Overcooked food is a common problem at restaurants. But at La Casa, they do things right.

On our way out, I swung by the kitchen to thank the cooks. They smiled broadly and one gave me a fist-bump.

When people take pride in what they do like the cooks at La Casa, the results are worth writing home about.

La Casa is open every day and in addition to the fine dinner we had, I’m told they serve a delicious breakfast!

There can be a wait on weekend nights. Given the small number of tables, they don’t take reservations.

On weekends, your best shot at getting a table right away is to arrive at 8:30pm or later.

What’s your favorite Latin dish? Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!

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Korean Noodle Heaven at Food Gallery 32

NJ’s Best Apple Cider Donut

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Misfits Market

I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Business, Technology

The Last Fast Food Worker in California

September 7, 2022 tremendousblog 3 Comments

Who will be the last fast food worker in California?

Yesterday, California passed a new law dramatically raising fast food wages.

It sounds like a victory for the working class. But it’s likely to put them out of a job.

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From Bloomberg:

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the fast food recovery act into law, giving restaurant-chain employees more input over wages and working conditions even after strong protests from the industry.

A study by Harvard Kennedy School and UC San Francisco showed that wages for California’s fast-food workers hover around $16.21 an hour, or 85 cents on the dollar compared with other service sector workers in the state. AB 257 could raise wages as high as $22 an hour next year for chains with 100 or more locations across the US. It’s the first US law of its kind, leading the way for other states.

Let’s see how this will play out at a restaurant. And where better than the oldest McDonald’s in America, in Downey, California?

In business since 1953, the Downey McDonald’s is one of the area’s biggest tourist attractions. And it still serves Big Macs and fries, 7 days a week.

The Downey McDonald’s is open from 6am to 10pm every day. That’s 112 hours a week.

McDonald’s employees in Downey actually do a little better than that $15 minimum wage. They average $16.41 per hour.

Increasing that to $22 means every employee-hour costs $5.59 more. Staffing the restaurant for those 112 hours now costs $128,000 per person per year, instead of $96,000.

Instead of paying that, restaurant owners may hire Flippy.

Flippy is a robot from Miso Robotics that runs an entire fry station. It can make french fries, onion rings, and even chicken tenders.

It costs about $36,000 a year. And unlike humans, it never comes in late, gets sick, or tries to unionize.

Flippy can’t do all the jobs in a McDonald’s — yet. But in combination with order kiosks and automated drive through lanes, there may soon be few fast food jobs left.

Is all this fair? I don’t know.

But it’s going to happen. And blunt instruments like this law only bring our robot future closer.

Instead, politicians like Gavin Newsom should focus on helping working class people get more skills. This is a durable path to better wages and a better life.

I hope for a future where humans do stimulating, meaningful work. Let Flippy handle the rest.

What do you think of the California law? Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!

More on Fundrise in this post.

If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

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I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Business, Food, Technology

Robot Pizzas and the Future of Fast Food

April 12, 2022 tremendousblog 7 Comments

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Inside a gleaming metal structure the size of a shipping container, robotic arms pull out a disk of dough. They carefully apply tomato sauce, then the cheese.

Pepperoni, anyone?

This store was created by Hyper Robotics, an intriguing startup from Israel that makes automated pizzerias. Its technology is in use today at a Pizza Hut in Israel.

The robot can even cook the pizza, cut it, and put it in a box! But for now, there’s still one employee there to hand the box to the customer.

Hyper Robotics isn’t the first company to attempt robotic pizza. California-based Zume made pizzas autonomously and even baked the pizza en route to you.

But Zume burned cash at a rate of over $10 million a day. Despite a $375 million investment from Softbank in 2018 the company exited the pizza business in early 2020.

The most interesting implications of robotic restaurants may be for the labor force. Over 5 million people work in fast food restaurants in America today.

In a weaker labor market, robotic restaurants could pose a real threat to the livings of working class people. But in today’s world of rock bottom unemployment, the robots may simply be taking a job no one wants.

Many restaurants are cutting hours or reducing service due to a lack of employees. Perhaps if people want to eat pizza but no one wants to make it, robots can help.

Since the pandemic, many former fast food workers have found higher paying jobs at e-commerce fulfillment centers, shipping companies, and the like. For a group of workers that so often struggled, I count this move up the value chain as something to celebrate.

Would you try a robot pizza? And what impact do you think robotics will have on restaurants and the labor market?

Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!

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My wife and I have gotten organic produce shipped to our house by Misfits for over a year. It’s never once disappointed me.

Every fruit and vegetable is super fresh and packed with flavor.

I thought radishes were cold, tasteless little lumps at salad bars until I tried theirs! They’re peppery, colorful and crunchy!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Food, NYC Area

Manhattan’s Burger Baron

March 14, 2022 tremendousblog 2 Comments

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I’ve been going to this restaurant so often, I might have to move in and save the bus fare.

Schnipper’s in New York City is American food done right. Done with respect.

On Thursday, my wife and I rushed in for the third time in two weeks. From a mouthwatering burger to artistic salads, everything they make uses the best ingredients and technique.

I had a massive, juicy bacon cheeseburger. The meat is incredibly fresh.

It’s telling that even the lettuce isn’t some sad, wilted vegetable. Instead, they use crisp bib lettuce that snaps as you bite into it.

You might even be able to convince yourself the burger is health food.

My wife had a beautiful fried chicken salad. It was topped with beets, sweet corn, and housemade sourdough croutons.

A triumph!

I also heartily recommend the tuna melt. I made sourdough for years and alas, the bread in that sandwich is better than anything I ever produced. 🥲

Schnipper’s also makes an outstanding milkshake. I had sip after sip of the one my wife ordered.

For research purposes.

You’ll notice that the food takes a little longer to come than most fast food places. It’s worth it; they’re actually making your meal from scratch!

For years, I walked past Schnipper’s and smelled ambrosial odors wafting forth. Why I never stopped in until now is beyond me.

Schnipper’s has two locations in midtown Manhattan, both east and west. If you’re in the city, stop in for a reliably outstanding meal.

More on food:

Alphabet City’s Best Pizza

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Every fruit and vegetable is super fresh and packed with flavor.

I thought radishes were cold, tasteless little lumps at salad bars until I tried theirs! They’re peppery, colorful and crunchy!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Food, NYC Area

Alphabet City’s Best Pizza

February 25, 2022 tremendousblog 2 Comments

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Last week, my wife and I found ourselves in New York’s Alphabet City for reasons obscure. It was dinner time, and we were peckish.

As we crossed 14th street, an inviting sign came into view. It spelled out the two most beautiful words in the English language: Burrata Pizza.

We raced across the street heedlessly, moths to the neon flame.

You know we had to order the signature burrata slice. I accompanied it with a Hawaiian (no Twitter mentions, please).

The missus added a chicken slice. Nontraditional, but intriguing.

We sat outside the restaurant on a bench like true New Yorkers.

As I dug into my slice, the balls of soft burrata burst in my mouth like little water balloons of flavor. The crust was crisped to perfection.

On to the Hawaiian. The slight char on the Canadian bacon really made this pie.

Bravissimo!

One of the things I liked best about Burrata Pizza was the service. The owners are very cordial and make sure your slice comes out piping hot.

This is a joy after receiving far too many lukewarm slices at lesser pizzerias.

If you’re in lower Manhattan with a jones for a pie, I strongly recommend Burrata Pizza!

What are your favorite pizza spots? Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!

There will be no blog on Monday. I’ll be filming an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!

Have an awesome weekend and see you Tuesday! 🙂

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More on food:

A Frozen Valentine in New York

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This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 and returns have been great so far.

More on Fundrise in this post.

If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get your management fees waived for 90 days.

Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $10 on your first order.

My wife and I have gotten organic produce shipped to our house by Misfits for over a year. It’s never once disappointed me.

Every fruit and vegetable is super fresh and packed with flavor.

I thought radishes were cold, tasteless little lumps at salad bars until I tried theirs! They’re peppery, colorful and crunchy!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Food, Life, NYC Area

A Frozen Valentine in New York

February 15, 2022 tremendousblog 1 Comment

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Considerate husbands begin planning Valentine’s Day months in advance.

Flowers are ordered. Reservations made. Wine chilled.

Yeah, I didn’t do any of that. 🙂

So I was left scrambling to find a dinner reservation in New York City on what is probably the busiest night of the year!

The wife and I wound up eating outside in temperatures of 23 degrees. Winter wasn’t going to keep us from the meal of our dreams!

Fortunately, the food at Bar Boulud made the cold an afterthought. I thought I’d share this amazing experience with you guys so you know where to go next year!

The appetizers:

Ora king salmon tarte with avocado, crème fraîche, and caviar. My wife being willing to give me a bite is the definition of true love.

The caviar was the best I’ve ever tasted, with an earthy quality a little like truffles.

Lobster Bisque. Unctuous, delicious. The little bits of lobster swimming in the soup were a nice touch.

The entrees:

Halibut with farro. When I sampled this, I marveled at the perfect, soft flakiness of the fish.

I had never had farro, but with this champagne beurre blanc sauce, I shoveled it in eagerly!

Beef duo. Braised short rib and tenderloin.

The short rib stole the show. It fell apart in my mouth, full of moist, fatty, umami flavor.

Dessert:

An assortment of ice creams for the missus: brown sugar, vanilla, and a pear sorbet.

Every Boulud restaurant has ridiculously good ice cream, made in house. The depth of cream and vanilla bean flavor made the vanilla my favorite.

A dark chocolate entremet for me. Don’t ask me what an entremet is.

All I know is this yummy chocolate mousse, along with hazelnut ice cream and some kind of little chocolate crumbly things, was amazing.

I’ve never seen hazelnut ice cream anywhere else. This needs to be in stores!

If you like Nutella, you’ll love this.

In all, outdoor dining, even in frigid temperatures, was pretty comfortable. A well-built shelter to block the wind plus patio heaters go a long way.

After a tough two years for our little blue planet, I was grateful just to sit down with someone near and dear and enjoy a good meal, both of us healthy. I hope that once this crisis recedes, I can maintain that gratitude.

How was your Valentine’s Day? Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!

P.S. This place also has the best burger in NYC.

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More on food:

New Jersey’s Jelly Donut Heaven

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Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $10 on your first order.

My wife and I have gotten organic produce shipped to our house by Misfits for over a year. It’s never once disappointed me.

Every fruit and vegetable is super fresh and packed with flavor.

I thought radishes were cold, tasteless little lumps at salad bars until I tried theirs! They’re peppery, colorful and crunchy!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Food, NYC Area

New Jersey’s Jelly Donut Heaven

September 10, 2021 tremendousblog 3 Comments

I just had a jelly donut. And it changed everything.

You guys are going to start thinking I work for them. I don’t. But I could be persuaded for enough free donuts.

Francesca’s Bakery has locations in Clifton and Pequannock and also pops up at farmer’s markets across New York City. It was at a farmer’s market in midtown that I first encountered their scrumptious baked goods.

As you bite into their jelly donut, your mouth enters a cloud of cinnamon sugar. The outside is crisp and sweet. The inside: pillowy, soft and moist.

When you reach the jelly, you’ll find an intense flavor of fresh strawberries. And don’t worry, they don’t skimp on the jelly.

With Hanukkah coming up, I can’t think of a better place to get the traditional jelly donut. I may be a gentile, but something tells me I’ll be scarfing a few anyway.

Have a great weekend everyone!

More on food:

NJ’s Best Apple Cider Donut

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This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 and returns have been good so far. More on Fundrise in this post.

If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get your management fees waived for 90 days. With their 1% management fee, this could save you $250 on a $100,000 account.

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My wife and I have gotten organic produce shipped to our house by Misfits for over a year. It’s never once disappointed me. Every fruit and vegetable is super fresh and packed with flavor. I thought radishes were cold, tasteless little lumps at salad bars until I tried theirs! They’re peppery, colorful and crunchy! I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Food, NYC Area

NYC’s Best Chinese Noodles

September 2, 2021 tremendousblog Leave a comment

A wiry young man takes a small baton of dough from a tub. He flattens it and gives it a little stretch. Then, he quickly yanks it out to a length of several feet and dramatically slaps it back down. Whack, whack!

This is Very Fresh Noodles in New York City. Found inside the cavernous Chelsea Market, it’s served chewy, hand pulled noodles to drooling patrons since 2016.

I visited last Friday with my wife. I pretended to pore over the menu, but I knew what my stomach really needed: La Mei Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup.

The bowl was soon in front of me, steaming and filled to the brim. Just picking up the noodles with your chopsticks will whet your appetite. They’re thick, luscious, and glistening from the broth.

I greedily shoveled them into my mouth. The texture and flavor were perfect. The soup was aromatic and spicy, tasting of star anise. The beef is rich, incredibly tender, and falls apart in your mouth. At first I looked for extra chili oil, but soon realized I didn’t need it. These spices have a delayed reaction!

Very Fresh Noodles also has a scorching Dan Dan Mian and numerous vegetarian dishes, including the toothsome mock duck my wife ordered. There is counter seating inside and lots more comfortable seats along the sidewalk, some covered.

I’ve never had better Chinese noodles. If you’re in the area, give it a try!

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

More on food:

NJ’s Best Apple Cider Donut

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If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get your management fees waived for 90 days. With their 1% management fee, this could save you $250 on a $100,000 account.

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