I made plans to drag Paul to three places in Manhattan, and they all involved food. Good food.
First up, the 34th Annual Ukrainian Festival. We're still trying to sample as many different cuisines as we can, and Ukrainian hadn't yet been crossed off the list. I've liked the Eastern European food I've tried and figured this would be similar. And besides, where am I going sample Ukrainian food that's more authentic then at a church festival with booths manned by grandmas?
It lived up to expectations. I had two delicious dumplings (which I think were really peirogis), stuffed cabbage filled with rice and meat and some type of small pastry topped with powdered sugar. I also tried Paul's sauerkraut and sausage.
Dinner came with a show on the outdoor stage-- first some traditional dances followed by a Ukrainian pop singer. Only in New York would I ever see a Ukrainian pop singer. Well, New York and the Ukraine.
The street festival was only a couple of blocks from my favorite cupcakery, Butter Lane, so of course we couldn't leave the East Village without a sample. But that wasn't it for desserts. Next it was off to the Shake Shack.
The Shake Shack is an outdoor eatery in Madison Square Park (adjacent to the famous Flatiron Building) that specializes in burgers and custard. We saved the sandwiches for another time. I came for the flavor of the day: red velvet custard.
The pieces of cake were underwhelming, but the custard itself was creamy deliciousness and exceeded my expectations. What's more, the weather was beautiful and it was easy to find a table in the park despite the 30+ minute wait in line. We'll be returning.
whoa, a half hour in line?
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