Hudson Eats

Back when I went to high school down in Tribeca, one of our biggest complaints was how empty the neighborhood became at night. If we wanted to eat, shop and hang out, we had to hit up other parts of the city: Chinatown, Herald Square, etc. So it's amazing to see how this corner of Lower Manhattan has sprung back to life in recent years and with this week's opening of Hudson Eats inside Brookfield Place, there's certainly no shortage of good food anymore.

View fullsize

The all-star lineup includes Chop't, Num Pang and Dos Toros

Though you can find many of the 14 vendors — Mighty Quinn's, Black Seed Bagels, Sprinkles Cupcakes — elsewhere, the space is really worth a visit. I remember how confusing the area used to be — this odd maze of shops that nobody really recognized — and was truly floored by the transformation. Check out some shots of the space below, plus more interiors in my post for 6sqft and details on what to eat over at Zagat.

View fullsize

I got an early firat look at the space last week at a press preview with Elyse

View fullsize

Blue Ribbon Sushi's first takeout spot is set to open in July

View fullsize

This is where you'll find me

View fullsize

For dessert, there are cupcakes

View fullsize

It's a gorgeous space overall, especially by the windows with views of the marina

Hudson Eats, 200 Vesey St. between West St. and North End Ave (212-417-7000)

Weekend Reading + A Look at Leske's

View fullsize

Chocolate cake at Leske's Bakery

This week on Eater, Robert Sietsema shared his favorite eats in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. One of his picks was Leske's Bakery, a 51-year-old sweets shop doling out everything from jelly doughnuts to traditional Danish kringles (a flaky pastry filled with ground almonds and raisins) and that decadent chocolate cake you see above. I took these photos for the Daily News when Leske's opened a Park Slope outpost early last year. That location has since shuttered, but you can still find the pastries at their original shop — if you're a fan of old-school sweets (not to mention super affordable prices), you won't be disappointed.

A few more Friday links, the some extra snaps from Leske's:

NPR's Planet Money crunched a ton of numbers and came up with the price of pizza in 237 U.S. neighborhoods, including the ones in Manhattan.

Check out FIrst We Feast's second annual nacho battle which pits home cook DJ DIeselboy against four of NYC's top chefs. Which cheesy platter will reign supreme?

Potataffle... Rice Krispancake... BuzzFeed rounds up 23 comfort food mash-ups that were meant to be. I have my eye on those banana split eclairs.

Finally, the Wall Street Journal gives us a glimpse into the daily life of sushi maestro — and Jiro Dreams of Sushi apprentice — Daisuke Nakazawa.

Have a good one!

View fullsize

Kringle at Leske's Bakery

View fullsize

Doughnuts at Leske's Bakery

View fullsize

Cookie case at Leske's Bakery

Leske's Bakery, 7612 FIfth Ave. between 76th and 77th Sts., Brooklyn (718-680-2323)

Snapshots: Time Out New York

In true Food & Drink fashion, my short-lived stint at Time Out New York came to an end with a plate of Dominique Ansel pastries. It was a whirlwind eight months full of eating, drinking and writing that — while stressful at times — truly helped me grow as a reporter and editor. 

A look back at some of my favorite pieces:

It took two weeks to fact-check the entire Chinatown issue, but it gave me a chance to put all those years of Chinese classes to good use. I also discovered some phenomenal cheap eats along the way, like the roasted duck at Pho Hoang and soul-warming beef noodle soup at Lao Bei Fang.

One of my favorite desserts — the dreamy black sesame crème brûlée at  — made it on the cover of TONY's annual 100 Best feature. And I got to try a Cronut without waiting in line.

My very first assignment was a huge Japan package, which meant eating at some of the city's top sushi temples seven days straight. Later this summer, I did the same for BBQ and burgers and for Thanksgiving, organized a massive pie-tasting at TONY headquarters.

And finally, thanks to a lot of persistence and late nights, my fellow assistant editor Christina and I pulled together a Fall Preview that featured a whopping 123 restaurants, including big names like Toro, Golden Cadillac and one day, the full Ivan Ramen in the Lower East Side.