Choice Eats

Last week, Matt and I went to the Village Voice's annual event, Choice Eats, where we were able to try dishes from 70+ restaurants, imbibe ourselves with lots of beer, and enjoy some sweet treats too. It was so much fun and we stuffed ourselves silly!

By far, the best dish we tried that night was the beef brisket at Mable's Smokehouse in Williamsburg. The meat was so juicy, tender and full of flavor. I absolutely want to go there now that I know how great they are at smoking meat. 

Some of my other favorite dishes were:

• Black pork curry at Banana Leaf - great flavor from the spices and a nice kick of heat
• Mackerel crudo at Littleneck - refreshing bite of fish, complemented with the herb oil and sesame seeds
• S'mores ice cream at OddFellows Ice Cream Co. - chunks of chocolate and graham cracker mixed throughout, bringing me back to my Girl Scout days by the campfire

I found a great beer, Five Hop ESB, by MOA Brewing Company based in New Zealand. The beer was so smooth, bordering on a bit creamy, and had a subtle honey flavor. I must have gone back at least half a dozen times to get a refill. Luckily, I can find the beer at Whole Foods so I'll be heading there soon!

After having experienced this all-you-can-eat glutton fest, I can't wait for their next event, Choice Streets. Choice Streets is a gathering of food trucks on the Intrepid - how does it get any better than that?! I really hope I'll be able to make it as I have a work trip right around the same time. I highly recommend that you all go and enjoy yourselves because it's bound to be a really fun time!