I always love a good challenge, particularly when it comes to food. Recently, I visited the open air food market in Williamsburg, Brooklyn–Smorgasburg–again. This time I challenged myself with the task of trying new new dishes, as it’s become much too easy to go straight to my favorite vendors, such as Mile End.
Chris and I asked our friend and food blogger Vittles Vamp to join us. She hosted a delicious New Orleans themed dinner the night before, so we wanted to take her on a culinary adventure of our own. While she and Chris ran off to sample Smoked Meat at Mile End and Anchovies at Bon Chovie, each reviewed during my previous adventure to Smorgasburg, I stuck to the task of finding new eats.
- Taste of Ethopia, Chicken Stew Taco: Wrapped in the traditional injera, this “taco” was an all-star. It was slightly challenging to eat without a fork, but the stew was very comforting and mildly spicy. Spinach added a nice crunch to the taco as well.
- Brooklyn Bangers, Smoked Pork Kielbasa with Mustard Seeds, Beer Onions on a Potato Roll: The kielbasa on its own was fantastic. I don’t know that the beer onions added much of a punch though. I would’ve preferred spicy mustard over mustard seeds as well.
- Brooklyn Bangers, All Beef Hot Dog with Mustard, Pickle Relish on a Potato Roll: Chris loves hot dogs, so he couldn’t resist the allure of this pup while I was waiting for my kielbasa. We agreed that it was good, but not our favorite ever.
- Lumpia Shack, Lechon Paksiw Fried Lumpia: Roasted Suckling Pig, Spring Onions, Shallots, & Rocambole Garlic. Served w/Hoisin Sauce and Calamansi Aioli, topped with Crispy Chicharron & Microgreens: These were a fantastic snack. Miniature spring rolls with multiple layers of textures and porky flavor. The three of us agreed that these were our favorite dish of the day.
I have a special treat for my readers today–desserts! My palate admittedly leans towards salty foods, so I don’t eat sweets very often. I saved room for a pair of sugary treats in the interest of trying new foods.
- Vendôme, Tahitian Vanilla and Peanut Butter, Banana and Hazelnut Macarons: I know, I know. Macarons are everywhere, but Chris was adamant that I try these specific macarons, as Vendôme gets rave reviews. I highly enjoyed the peanut butter, banana and hazelnut–tahitian vanilla was too sweet for me.
- Cutie Pies, Petite Handheld Irish Car Bomb Pie, Cherry Tart and Blueberry Pie: I was drawn in by the chalkboard description of the Irish car bomb pie–we ended up bringing these home for snacking later. The blueberry pie ended up being the clear cut winner, as it emulated a delicious pie mom would have made. I bet the former is great when it’s fresh, but the whipped cream had settled a bit by the time we tried it.
All in all, it was alot of fun to deviate from the norm at Smorgasburg. I was able to try a variety of delicious food items which I wouldn’t typically order. There are so many hidden gems out there, so I encourage everyone to venture out of their comfort zone! You never know when you might find your favorite new snack.
