NYC 2012: Casual eats and revisits - sandwiches, falafels, pies and pretzels

We just got back to Hong Kong from our US trip, and I have a mountain of photos to sort and process. We had such a great time in California. For now, I will continue the New York series with a photolog of miscellaneous food items I picked up during our two weeks in NYC.

Whole Foods (Columbus Circle)

I don't care what people say about Whole Foods, I love this supermarket brand and really enjoy browsing through any of the Whole Foods' shops. It's pricey, but generally you get what you pay for. I love the range of organic produce available, and the prepared foods section is a feast for the eyes (and stomach)! The boy and I were in Central Park one morning, and we popped into Whole Foods at the Time Warner Center for a quick lunch.

This is only a part of the vast dining area provided for customers who wish to eat their purchased items at the store, complete with a smoothie bar and a corner with sink and soap:

My son and I shared a delicious Tandoori Chicken Naan sandwich. I only thought to take a shot after I'd already taken a bite:

Sam's Falafels

I paid a revisit to Sam's Falafels at Zuccotti Park (formerly known as Liberty Plaza) for lunch one day. The cart was where it was five years ago, but it didn't seem as popular as back then. The combo platter had increased a dollar to US$6, which is perfectly reasonable over a five-year period. It was a delicious lunch that had me quite stuffed with some left over.

Sam's Falafel combo platter included about 10 falafels, salad, dolmades, hummus and a drizzle of tahini to have with a pita round:

Shandaken Bake (Fulton Stall Market)

On our first encounter with the FSM, hubby had his eyes on the blueberry and peach pie at the Shandaken Bake stall. However there was a long queue in front, and I convinced hubby to come back for it after we'd had some lunch. Unfortunately, the pies had completely sold out by the time we went back a couple of hours later, and hubby was so disappointed that I felt quite bad. The following Saturday morning, I went to the Shandaken Bake stall again, barely after it opened, and bought a blueberry and peach pie. Hubby enjoyed it thoroughly (he said it tasted as good as he'd expected) and I felt redeemed.

The Shandaken Bake stall at the Fulton Stall Market:

Blueberry and Peach Pies lined up for sale:

The one that didn't get away:

At a friend's house in New Jersey for a grill

We were invited to one of hubby's colleagues' house for a Sunday grill. This guy is really good at the grill! It was our first time outside of New York in the US (even though this was our third visit to US), and it was really lovely to see some suburban landscape and beautiful houses. We are grateful to our friends' hospitality and kindness, and hope to return the favour one day.

The beef tenderloin, all prepped for the grill hours before our arrival (photo courtesy of our friends):

Moist and flavourful - this tenderloin was one of the best I've ever eaten:

Auntie Anne's Pretzel

On one of our final days in NYC, my son and I went over to the South Street Seaport to have a taste of a soft pretzel from the same stall where I had my first taste of a soft pretzel. Apparently Auntie Anne's pretzels are pretty popular because we saw it advertised in San Francisco. It's pretty pricey (~US$3.50), but it's pretty good as far as soft pretzels go.

There was the choice of salted, unsalted or sweet, and I got the unsalted savoury pretzel. Delicious without salt and only a touch of sweet:

I have many, many more photos to share, so stay tuned!