new york in january
belated consumption report for bicoastal birth month
After I moved back to California last summer, I missed New York. A lot. All I wanted was to hop on the train and notice the books being read and outfits being worn, calmed by the noise and chaos as I zipped across boroughs to the next adventure. (I say “adventure” even though all I really did was eat, walk, thrift, and watch movies.) I missed the energy at McCarren as winter turned to spring, the awe with which I looked out my window to snow, the overwhelming number of cafes and bars and cafe-bars with cute community events, the exciting moments where you see something or someone and think “only in New York.” Sometimes even having a terrible day in NY felt ok to me. Lugging my groceries with frigid hands felt ok to me. Very HBO Girls, if you will!
Although I found a sense of community in NY last year, it doesn’t quite compare to what I have now. There were people I missed in NY, but I also just missed NY itself and the girl I was when I lived there. When I went in January, I had a new set of responsibilities and no apartment to return to at the end of the day. Catching up with friends was lovely but so different from the consistent rhythm we used to have.
I went just before my birthday and started writing this in January, so some of the details are fuzzy as I wrap it up now, but that’s the cool thing about great food! It’s memorable. I’d like to think I made the most of my 5 days. I didn’t go north of 14th street at all (and so what!!), so that’s my goal for my next trip.
Wed, 1/15/25: Bed-Stuy
I stayed with my friend in Greenpoint and walked onto her perfect little street of brownstones, layered up and so excited to be alive that I channeled all my courage to take one of those fit check videos on the sidewalk. My only aim for the day was to spend some time in my old neighborhood, revisiting places I love. It started with getting my eyebrows done on Broadway, where the familiar rattle of the J running above the ground comforted me.
My first meal had to be Trinidadian food in Bed-Stuy, the one cuisine that I hadn’t tried before living in NY and the one I still haven’t come by in other cities. (Side note: I went to Bridgetown Roti in LA last week and it’s not quite as authentic as Brooklyn’s offerings but still phenomenal!) When I order anything anywhere, I usually don’t fully decide on what I’m getting until I must declare it. Just to keep things spontaneous. Add an element of mystery. Sometimes I find that what I blurt out due to pressure to make a decision fast is the truest response possible.
At A&A, I got a roti with okra, cabbage, and all the chutneys possible. It felt correct. I tacked on an order of pholourie, a soft, fluffy fried snack made of split pea flour, slowly seeping in the flavors of the tamarind chutney they sit in. The roti and pholourie cost a grand total of $10, and I ended up eating the rest of my roti for dinner another day. This is how we ball on a budget.
I made my way down Tompkins Ave, thinking of all the times I ran down this street. I strolled through Herbert Von King, my favorite little Bed-Stuy park only to find I was the only person there because it was FRIGID and nobody should be at the park. So I cozied up at Passionfruit, my neighborhood coffee shop with ample natural light and the most perfect blueberry cardamom cappuccino, made with a housemade syrup that is uniquely theirs. I used to sit at Passionfruit for hours, writing this very newsletter, brainstorming pop up recipes, and reading books – activities that I now replaced with flashcards. But you know what? Even slogging through my never ending deck felt nice at Passionfruit.
For dinner, I caught up with a friend at Tofubox in Williamsburg, a casual vegan spot with the coolest plant-based alternatives. I don’t remember everything I’ve had at Tofubox because it has an expansive menu and every time, we just ask the waitress what to order. So this time we got the pumpkin “beef” pot with beef made of mushrooms, the salted “fish” rice paper rolls, and the braised tofu. Always with purple rice (which does actually taste different to me)! Always leave feeling happy and content!
Thurs, 1/16/25: East Village
I walked around East Village for at least 30 minutes struggling to find a spot at one of the usual suspects that people rave about (La Cabra, Librae, etc.) so I stumbled into Elsewhere Espresso and enjoyed my capp and flashcards very much!
Then I met my coworkers from last year at Superiority Burger, where there is indeed a correct answer for what to order and it is the collard greens focaccia sandwich. I really love that they use collard greens in this instead of another leafy green because it does have a unique flavor and a heartier texture than kale. That being said, I will continue to make a tuscan kale sandwich inspired by this every time.
After lunch, we popped into a bunch of vintage stores which made me briefly fantasize about being a chic stylish East Village 60-year-old willing to pay a couple hundred for nice gloves or something. (I bought an orange turtleneck at L Train for $15.)
I had some time to spare and studying to do before dinner so I went to Hidden Grounds, a cafe known for their chai!
A trip to NYC is incomplete without visiting MáLà Project for Sichuan dry pot, fun to share and full of everything I love: enoki mushrooms, Chinese cauliflower, konjac noodles, tofu, more mushrooms, etc. We picked the medium spice level based on how abnormally spicy the Greenpoint location makes it, but at the East Village location, I felt like we could take it up a notch.
Fri, 1/17/25: Bushwick, Chinatown, Greenpoint!
I woke up in pursuit of a bagel. I love the area around Maria Hernandez and went to Knickerbocker Bagel. I got a sundried tomato bagel (!!!) with jalapeño tofu cream cheese, cucumber, and tomatoes. Many do not agree with this take, but I think that really great bagels are best enjoyed with as simple a filling as possible. Being vegan limits my options either way so maybe I’m just oblivious to the possibilities, but even though Knickerbocker had an exciting option with mushrooms, I chose simplicity.
Then I walked over to Nook to enjoy the other half of my bagel with a rosemary latte. It’s a cafe-turned-bar-and-community-space near the park that is my favorite place to work (when I can get a spot). The rosemary latte was lovely because rosemary in coffee is always lovely but it got cold fast since I sat outside. I stopped by Other People’s Clothes next door, where I got the royal blue Le Bon Shoppe socks that are always sold out online.
I spent the afternoon in Chinatown, where I started at Fong On, the oldest family run tofu shop in New York. It’s been around since 1933! In addition to sweet and savory tofu puddings, they have rice cakes, herbal teas, homemade tofu, and fresh soy milk. I got the savory tofu pudding for $10: silky tofu sits in a light broth with pickled radish, fried shallots, scallions, sesame oil, and chili sauce. I sincerely regret not coming here many times last year. The tofu melted in my mouth, the broth warmed me up, it was PERFECT – as a snack or even lunch, depending on how hungry you are.
I followed that up with a mixed sauce rice roll at West Rice Roll King, where I paid $4 in cash for the most comforting plate of handmade rice noodles bathing in PEANUT BUTTER (capitalized to convey enthusiasm).
I gathered a few friends who didn’t know each other (always a blast) to go OUT out in Greenpoint that night, so before that, one of my friends and I ate at Christina’s. Greenpoint is known for it’s Polish food due to the large Polish immigrant community. Unfortunately, I did not realize the pierogis here weren’t vegan so I ate some mushroom barley bowl that was pretty much 90% barley, but I did love my cup of borscht! Ended the night at The Good Room.
Sat, 1/18/25: Williamsburg
It was a rainy day and as a woman fully prepared with a cashmere coat and no umbrella, that was a sign to just bop around Williamsburg. Starting with Kijitora, where I finally tried their iced strawberry matcha, which despite being $9, is quite enjoyable. The black sesame latte was also lovely, I heard.
Lunch was plant-based Carribean food at HAAM. I’d tried their food at Smorgasburg Prospect Park in fall of 2023, and they mentioned that they would be opening a brick-and-mortar soon. The buss-up-shut roti was not nearly as great as the rotis in Bed-Stuy (my loyalty is unwavering), but the vegetables they served it with were so incredible! I also had mangu for the first time, topped with jerk mushrooms.
Then we tried to go to the Bad Bunny pop up but the line was insane despite the rain so I went back to Greenpoint to yap with my friend’s hilarious roommates (married lesbian couple) and follow some recipes (tofu stew and kale salad) from The Korean Vegan for cookbook club the next day.
Sun, 1/19/25: Cookbook Club & SNOW!
Started with a walk around Greenpoint and Kettl for matcha. They just opened a Los Feliz location that I’m itching to check out.
My friend
started hosting cookbook clubs around this time last year, and I still remember the first one at her apartment. I’d fainted on the train back from Jersey that morning (tough night of food poisoning), woke up from a needed nap once cookbook club had already started, quickly whipped together my dish, and arrived 45 minutes late, only to realize that eating was the last thing I wanted to do. Ever since that chaotic start, I successfully made it to several cookbook clubs. This one was special because it was a vegan cookbook (The Korean Vegan) in honor of veganuary, hosted by my friend in East Village! The photos speak for themselves.
And then I saw Nosferatu at the Alamo in Downtown Brooklyn but I don’t remember much besides the fact that I loved Lily’s dresses and it snowed as we walked on the sidewalk and I just wanted to be outside in the snow forever!!!!!!!!
And then I cried on the 8 am Monday flight back because it was that weird in-between where I was sleep-deprived, the thought of returning to 80 degree weather made me sick, and I was smushed in the middle seat and had to do my flashcards, yet again. So basically everything sucked until I got home and realized that my regular life is good too. It’s not in New York, but it is wonderful.
beautiful, fond, dizzying, delicious. and never any shame not going north of union sq.
This is my sign to live and eat more like I’m just visiting