Terminal 2 at JFK Airport is home to Due Amici, a fast Italian "restaurant." I seated myself, ordered at the tablet and waited for my meal to be delivered. I actually love this process because the airport is already people overload for me, so it was nice to decompress a bit.
It's a pretty casual and open dining area. The menu has a good variety no matter what time of day you're traveling. I instantly gravitated toward the pastas, which included a mushroom ravioli. Pasta is always a comfort food for me, and the earthy, umami flavors in this dish were enjoyable. I wouldn't mind my pasta being a little bit more al dente, but considering the location, it was adequate.
Grade: B
Keens Steakhouse is one of the oldest steakhouses in New York City. It is known for its collection of 50,000 clay smoking pipes, which patrons could store here to avoid breaking them during transportation - making it one of the largest collections in the world. The restaurant is also famous for their renowned mutton chops.
The restaurant was founded in 1885 by Albert Keen in Herald Square, what was then the Theater District and is the only surviving establishment of that district.
The old-school steakhouse has old English decor and dimly lit dining areas. Complimentary bread and butter is served to begin the meal, which helped whet the appetite.
The menu features USDA Prime steaks that are then dry-aged on site. USDA Prime is the highest grade of beef that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can give to meat. It's known for being juicy, flavorful, and tender with good marbling, and is often served in restaurants rather than stores. The USDA has eight grades of beef, but the first three are: prime, choice, and select. USDA Choice is the second-highest grade, with less marbling than Prime but still flavorful and tender cuts. USDA Select is leaner than Choice and more uniform in quality.
I ordered the prime filet, which is undoubtedly one of the most tender cuts of meat you can get. Some may say less flavor, but I prefer the subtlety and texture. It was served with boiled baby potatoes, which were fine. I miss the classic rich steakhouse sides, but the simplicity fit with my dish. Tasty and classic.
Grade: A
Southern Table is located just north of New York City, but the premise of the restaurant is their take on southern food.
"At Southern Table, we sought to create a unique dining experience in Westchester, New York by introducing an inventive take on Southern cuisine. Our commitment to using only farm-fresh ingredients in our Southern-inspired dishes is what sets us apart. We take great pride in delivering classic Southern cooking and true Southern hospitality to our valued guests," reads the website.
My group of coworkers at the time and I ordered a few different dishes here a while at a conference nearby. We mixed and matched and split a few different things.
We enjoyed some eggrolls, biscuits, sliders and pretzels.
The brie stuffed pretzel was probably my favorite of the bunch; it was served with fig jam. So you got the salty and the sweet and the creamy all in one.
The pulled pork sliders didn't have much in the way of toppings, which I think could have taken them up to the next level.
The Mexican spring rolls had corn, black beans, etc. These were nice and crisp, but I have had tastier versions of this dish elsewhere.
The biscuits were fine; there's a very fine line between good and slightly dry. I like mine moist and full of cheese.
We also ordered a few desserts.
I went for a s'mores themed one, which featured a bittersweet chocolate but perfectly toasted marshmallow.
I was told the layered carrot cake was excellent.
Grade: B
Sam's Hot Dog Stand has over 45 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia. The basics of every Sam's location includes beef hotdogs, steamed buns, and their chili – mild or spicy. Some locations will add specialties like pork barbecue sandwiches, fries or other sides.
On my quest to visit every West Virginia location, I stopped at the Ripley one and ordered my standard hotdog on steamed bun with chili slaw, mustard, and onions. The assembly of this hotdog was ultimately its downfall; the chili on the bottom subbed through the bun and left it falling apart in my hand. I also wish the mustard was below the slaw to help keep it all together. Flavor, though, was pretty standard minus the mustard playing a starring role because it was right on top.
Grade: B
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