Being away from the city is no excuse to ignore what is going on there. Usually, when I return, I have a list of places I want to explore that I have read or heard about while away.
Here’s an early tip, part of which I gleaned from the NY Times: Donnell Rogers’ Smack Grill in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Take A or C train to Kingston Throops station in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, walk to 104 Albany Avenue - - - one block east, then three blocks south to the corner of Albany Avenue and Pacific Street.
There, on the northwest corner at street level is an apartment with a red awning behind a head-high, wrought-iron fence and behind that fence are two black barrel smokers. Easy to find.
Only on Saturday, a hand written cardboard sign strapped to the fence reads “Smack Grill; Slab — Pork Ribs, $7; 2 - Leg Quarter $5; Famous BBQ Sauce.”
From the NYTimes, “Influenced by the sauces and pork-based barbecue found in eastern North Carolina, Mr. Rogers’s Smack Grill sauce is a no-frills condiment that he describes as “mild, hot, vinegar and spice.”
“It’s the sauce and the pecan wood that makes it delicious,” said… a Smack Grill regular. The smoke, it really sticks to it. It’s awesome.”
“They’re juicy. Juicy, juicy…” said another.
We're at Donnell's mercy: cold, hot, windy, no guarantee he'll be there. I don't care, I just go, with a Plan B in my back pocket.
Consider walking west along Fulton Street afterward, for sightseeing.
Albany Avenue 104
Chicken legs:
US$
5
Explore cities like a local with Spotted by Locals - discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our New York guide.
L&B in Brooklyn, famed for its plain square slices since 1939, is a must-visit. Enjoy outdoor dining in Bensonhurst, a haven for Italian-American cuisine. Iconic!
By
"The Old Print Shop" in New York is my hands-down, hands-on museum/gallery of choice. I love mid-twentieth century 'industrial' or 'city' art...
By
"Sea & Sea " in NYC is a traditional-looking fish shop with wet, tiled floors, cool air, grated ice on every hand, busy with customers from near and far...
By
Come to "Pikine" in NYC to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with Senegalese people!
By
"Modern Bread and Bagel" in NYC has surfaced as exemplary, using criteria such as size and texture, seed and salt density. Here are some more top picks...
By
"Django" in NYC is proof that the city's jazz club world is recovering. I celler/cavern is intimate enough that after performances I walk over to engage...
By
"The Dublin House" in NYC has been around since Prohibition and it still is neighborhood-sized. By the end of the night, everyone speaks Irish here...
By
"Pain d' Epices" is a French bakery in NYC that makes croissants so flaky & buttery, the only way to avoid the crumbs is to 'put your back to the wind...'
By
"Pastrami Queen" in NYC has if not the best, among the very best pastrami sandwiches in the city. It's the kind of American excess you just can't miss...
By
I stumbled across a store about which I had read but never visited—the very inviting and colourful playground of Dawn Harris-Martine), retired teacher, now famous—named Grandma’s Place.
By
"Sisters Uptown Bookstore" in NYC is a hidden shop/cultural center w/ an eye-opening trove of books by African diaspora authors. A true neighborhood spot!
By
Color World sets up on the corner of 116th and 2nd Avenue, rain or shine. There they serve beef, pork, goat, oxtail, and chicken for $10 a plate.
By