The verdict is in I think. Tinder?  Not that creepy. I didn’t say it wasn’t creepy at all, or even that it wasn’t creepy, period. I’m just saying it’s not that creepy.

I know the people on match.com are reading this on their high horse thinking that because Tinder is just images, it is shallow and superficial. Well, they aren’t wrong. But if you’ve ever been on a dating website there is a process to filtering out your future Mr. or Mrs. The first thing you do is look at the other persons pictures and if you like what you see, then you move on and read whether or not they want to have kids and what their height preference is. Online dating is superficial, get over it. It’s also a way of life right now. There is no longer a stigma that online dating is for freaks. At least in New York, it’s for most. It really comes down to the basics. If you’re not meeting someone online, where are you meeting them? A lot of people meet at bars and as “romantic” as that sounds, you really have no idea who you are meeting. At least with Tinder, it exposes the easiest way of communication; texting. This app really couldn’t make meeting people any easier. You may not be getting all of the good eggs through this app, but at least you can create dialogue with all of the eggs and try to make your own assessment if you decide they are worth meeting.

Tinder made it’s way into my life when one of my friends sent me a screenshot from the app from a guy asking if she gives blow jobs on the first date. As I read that I thought two things; this is hilarious and there has to be more of where this came from. The answer was Tinder. Here’s the breakdown, you log into the app and are able to see which prospects (who also have the app) are around you. You are shown one profile at a time and given two options, you can either hit the “x” to dismiss this person or a heart symbol to show you’re potentially interested. You will never know if you’ve been “x”ed. You’ll only know if the other person “liked” you. If you both like each other, you may text within the app. Texting within the app is genius. You don’t have to give out your number and the person can only see your first name. With all the positives, Tinder is definitely not without it’s “dark corners”, so just like anything you might do on the internet don’t be surprised when you get an extremely forth right offer that’s unsurprisingly lacking politeness. I shared a few of those moments I found below.  But if you want my advice, don’t let a few bad apples spoil your Tinder fun.  Life’s short, go ahead and Tinder.

These Tinder snapshots are courteous of The Tinder Diaries.  You can find them and much more at thetinderdiaries.com.  

The post Tinder: Worth It? appeared first on Rookerville.

This past Friday, I went to The Sports Authority in a local mall by work to look at running shoes, and before I could walk past the checkout aisles, I saw a massive display for Breast Cancer Awareness month, sponsored by the NFL and the American Cancer Society.  Initially, I didn’t think much of it, because I’m used to seeing pink-colored NFL apparel.  For the last five or so years, the NFL has partnered with ACS in October to raise awareness for Breast Cancer.  The players usually have pink accents added onto their uniforms and parts of the field change color to pink as well.  Again I didn’t think much of the display intially, but the more I thought about it, I started wondering if the Breast Cancer Awareness month for the NFL is really just “Football for Women Awareness Month.”

Now I know that the NFL doing quite a bit to raise awareness for a cause anyone would agree is completely altruistic is great on paper, but I’ve seen enough movies with huge corporations as villains to know that good things usually exist because profit is involved.  For the last few years, the NFL has been trying to market itself to women.  They don’t care about men anymore.  Why? Because they’ve reached the saturation point.  All men like football.  Even if they don’t, they’ll like it once their office does a fantasy football pool.  That said, there’s no real way to get more men on board.  The NFL has set up the reverse-Romney campaign to get women.  Because they know they already have 47% of the population (men), they aren’t going to try anything else to keep them.  They’ll just start trying to get those other 53%.  Some might say, had Romney just tried to get the people not like him and focused less on his base, he would have won, but this is not the time or place for that.

So the NFL has set up a full-fledged marketing assault on women.  Have you seen the most recent NFL ad targeted at women?:

That ad is 30 seconds of Jim Harbaugh (49er’s coach) pandering to women.  He tells women, they are tough, they are just as good, they have hearts of lions, etc etc.  The images in that ad are basically the most beautiful women on tv telling us normies that “women are people too!  now go put on this ladies jersey with some man’s name on the back while you take care of your baby.”  This ad started airing in September, and has led us to where we are now: PINK MONTH!  All those girlfriends and wives who’ve been unwittingly forced to watch a game with their significant other have a whole month where the NFL showers marketing ploys at them, which is, at it’s core what I think Breast Cancer Awareness month is for the NFL.

I think the NFL thinks that the mere attempt to toss some pink stuff onto uniforms, fields and apparel will make women think, “OMG, I like love the NFL now. I want a pink jersey!”  They literally think that is it.  I can’t say for certain there aren’t some women out there who would be down for the cause for that reason alone, but I like to think that as a society we are smarter than that.  The NFL doesn’t do anything unless it adds to their coffers.  They have their players union by the balls, and wont even pay for better equipment that is safer because it is more expensive.  I find it impossible to think they would shell out millions of dollars in advertising between them and the ACS without making serious profits.  The NFL makes billions of dollars in apparel sales and a portion of their proceeds for their pink apparel will go to Breast Cancer Awareness.  I highly doubt the NFL cares very much about any of the real world benefits associated with donating money to a great health cause.

Last night I watched Monday Night Football with my girlfriend and I asked her her thoughts on the NFL going pink for October. I told her it was to raise awareness for breast cancer, but little else.  She loved it.  I am sure that’s what the NFL is going for.  They want people with little interest in football to care in someway, as a way to hook them.  It’s smart, it’s shrewd, but I don’t think it’s coming from any place that is remotely altruistic.  If the NFL wasn’t generating serious profits from the pink apparel, I’m certain it wouldn’t be happening.  I don’t know if that should really be the mindset for philanthropy.  The NFL has partnered with ACS for Breast Cancer Awareness Month because it is good for their brand.  If it was not good for their brand, they would have nothing to do with it, and that percentage of money being raised for awareness, would go elsewhere.

This all brings me back to the thoughts I had last week as I stood staring at the NFL Breast Cancer display.  Shouldn’t altruism exist without any intrinsic personal gain?  Or should we look to do good in ways that benefit us?  Or does it matter at all and I’m just a negative nancy?  I don’t really know where I fall completely when it comes to the NFL and Breast Cancer Awareness, but I do know I’m watching closely.

I’ve got my eye on you NFL…

The post The NFL and Breast Cancer: Good, Bad, or Both? appeared first on Rookerville.

For the last three years, I have set my watch to Timmy’s Party at Call Box Lounge.  Why? Because I like knowing exactly what I am going to get when I go out.  I’m getting older.  I’m almost 30 and at this point in my life, I don’t have the energy to try the coolest, newest bar or dj night.  There’s nothing wrong with doing that, but I love an “old reliable.” Timmy’s Party is that in the best way.

DJ Timmy (baller name right?) basically spins every song you used to rage or grind to from the early 90′s, but also plays the newest Miley, Ke$ha, or Ace Hood tracks on the radio/internet.  In between all of that, he’ll play crowd favorites, reggae, and whatever Beyonce song is #1 on the charts.  His library is as expansive as your imagination.  So the Dj gets a thumbs up.

The venue itself is nothing you would ever expect to enjoy from aesthetic perspective.  The picture at the top of this article is a fairly recent photo of the bar’s exterior.  Nothing fancy.  The inside doesn’t look much different.  If you ever went to a 10th birthday party in a bowling alley, you’ve been to Call Box.  It’s the most un-fancy bar in Brooklyn, and that is part of it’s charm.  Outside of Timmy’s parties, Call Box serves the Brooklyn natives – the people who were here before Brooklyn became the 20-something Mecca it is now.  It’s divey without trying to be and the drinks are very cheap.  I wouldn’t come here for their cocktail selection, but you can do much worse than a bucket of 6 domestic bottles for $20.

The only flaw with Timmy’s Party at Call Box Lounge is that it’s hard to anticipate when the next dance party will be held.  I drunkenly got his number one night, just so that I could be better kept in the loop of when the next party will be.  The safe guess tho is to expect a party every 3-4 weeks on a Friday or Saturday night.  This Saturday (Oct. 5th), Timmy will be at Call Box doing what he does so well and I highly suggest you make it out.   He usually begins DJ-ing around 10pm, but if you are new to his parties or Call Box, do not show up before 11:30pm.  You will ask yourself why you decided to come there.  It’s not crowded.  No one else is there, and the music isn’t really on fire yet.  If you want to assure yourself a great time, come at 11:30-Midnight and you’ll see the turn.  Stick around for a few hours and you’ll understand why I love these nights.  The last thing I’ll say about Timmy’s Party is that if you get drunk hungry, which I am often wont to do, go to the McDonalds across the street.  THEY LET YOU WALK THROUGH THE DRIVE-THROUGH.

I hope to see some new faces at Call Box Lounge this Saturday night.  It’s guaranteed to be a good time.

The post Call Box Lounge. Timmy’s Party. Always Fun. appeared first on Rookerville.

Tsinghua University Hospital v. the International SOS Hospital

I shouldn’t have had the water.

They brought me to a room that was small. It had maybe a dozen seats, and setups for IVs. It wasn’t a bad room, but it was unfamiliar. I didn’t know what my expectations were, but what I noticed was that it looked somewhat dirty; the paint on the walls was faded, and the equipment looked old and worn. Wear and tear from past patients.

Over the last 18 hours I’d lost 9 lbs. because I drank the water and it made me sick. Now I was at the Tsinghua University hospital waiting to hear them tell me so.

I couldn’t understand what they were saying, whether they thought I was going to be just fine, or not. But I never really got the chance to think about it.

The nurse came to give me the IV in my hand. I held my breath as she poked me, biting down for the brief second she pushed hard but couldn’t break the skin. It hurt for a second, and then everything went black and there was a loud buzzing sound. I came to, could hear and feel footsteps, and several echoes of voices, two of which were speaking in Mandarin. They sounded aggressive. The floor cooled my face. It was an oddly nice sensation.

The doctor, and my friend grabbed me and sat me back in the chair. They panicked, seeing how pale, and cold I was. Or maybe it was seeing my head bounce like a basketball. I don’t know if that happened though. This is what it’s like when I get a shot, or have my blood drawn, but I forgot to tell everyone, hoping maybe this time it’ll be different.

The doctor and nurse got louder, and one of my friends started to laugh. “They’re blaming each other.”

They decided they couldn’t treat me. The SOS hospital wasn’t far. The doctors there spoke English, beds had mattresses, rooms had a private bathroom with shower, and you could stay the night.

I signed in, eager for the IV. I knew I needed the drugs

They gave them to me and I started to feel better within the hour. After the antibiotics they gave me glucose and I got my strength back. I felt incredible. I thought of Michael Jordan when he came down with the flu during the playoffs.

In the middle of the night I could actually walk myself to the bathroom dragging the cart with the IV. I was part mechanical now. Poked and prodded, wheeling the new part of me around, hunched over and supporting my weight with it. By the next morning, I could drink water, cold, continuous and uninterrupted gulps. It felt like the first time in my life I’d had water.  The gulps were so big I hurt my throat with a few of them.

When I signed out I regretted not getting treatment at the University clinic. There was lots of paperwork.

I knew when I looked at it, I’d made a big mistake. There were too many columns of text. The university clinic would’ve been enough to get me on the road to recovery. Their plans were the same essentially, antibiotics and glucose. It was the bells and whistles that I focused on that distracted me from telling the staff my little idiosyncrasy, “I am going to pass out, I should be on the floor.” I had expected fresh linens, reclining beds, and a private bathroom.

I focused on all the wrong details.

The difference? The university’s treatment would’ve cost me about 300 kuai, or somewhere under $50.00. The international SOS? $1,800.00. All of it going to comfort. No significant difference in treatment. Though I did like the bed and that I got to spend the night there.

Food for thought.

When I told a Chinese friend of mine from the University about my story, he had a description of my fear I’ll never forget, or truly understand, though on its face I’d have to say it’s accurate. He called it a “shadow spirit.”

NOTE: you might see me on NBC’s Revolution for the next five or six episodes. Check it out Wednesday, 8PM EST!

The post I Lost 9 Pounds In One Day After Drinking Tap Water appeared first on Rookerville.

We wanted to give this topic its due and be able to be honest, so the writers have been kept anonymous.  Enjoy.

A Female Perspective:

Known as one of the oldest double standards in the book, my “number”, has been haunting me since the age of 16. Men are praised if they fuck a girl the first night they meet them.  In most cases, it is expected behavior. But if a woman is sleeping around she’s a slut, whore, easy, desperate, and my personal favorite, hussy (when it’s 1920).
The numbers game consumes me. If my number is too high, I’m not appealing but if my number is too low I’m inexperienced. Does it matter? Who is keeping track? What is the ideal number?
And this is where the truth comes out. The answers; no, nobody, and it doesn’t matter. If you’re dating someone and they ask your number, you don’t have to tell them the truth. The only person that knows the amount of people you’ve slept with is you. If you want to be innocent that day and throw out a modest 5, go for it. Nobody can prove where your vagina has been. I’ve been single for a good amount of time now and I’m constantly concerned about hiking my number up. I literally avoid sleeping with a guy just so I don’t have to add another to the list. I even have a reserves list of men I’ve already slept with that I still hook up with. It was a win-win situation, I’ve already been with them, I know how they perform, and my number does not increase. This is all a great idea until you end up sleeping with your ex-boyfriend and wondering how you somehow are choosing to sleep with him now after all of that horrible sex. Because in my head, if I’ve slept with a lot of men, I’m a whore because that is what society tells me. It doesn’t matter if I’m educated, well mannered, and well maintained. If I had slept with 45 men and somebody knew, I’m considered a slut. All positive attributes fade away into the “hell” that is my vagina. Am I saying to go hop on the first dick you see? No. But I’m saying don’t be scared to if you want to, let it happen. If you like a guy and you’re ready to take it there, fucking go for it. As long as you’re being safe, who are you hurting?

As I thought about it more and more, I’ve realized that the only people really judging my number are other women and me. Men really aren’t in the equation because most of them truly don’t care who you’ve been with. To most women, sex is a big deal. To most men, sex is equivalent to a really good meatball sub. I’ve made the decision that moving forward only one person will know my true number and that is me. So fuck you to the girls that will ask me because I am going to bold face lie right to you with no remorse because my vagina is my business and YOU DON’T OWN ME. Fuck the numbers game

A Male Perspective:

I might be (I definitely am) in the minority here.  For me the numbers aren’t as important as how one might get to that number.  I’ve been there when a girl gets on her high horse about not having a high number in front of other girls, but what they don’t divulge is that they’ve been in a relationship since they were sixteen. Oh, not with the same guy mind you, but they’ve had less single days than holidays since high school. I think numbers are looked at all wrong.  It should be more of ratio to months single and months dating.  I don’t know what a good grade would be based on that, and I’d rather not set some pseudo ceiling, but my point is that, to me, it’s more about selective-ness.  Look I’d be lying if I said I’m not curious about the number for any girl I meet.  But in the end it’s not that important and it’s not cause I want to know it’s less than my number, or not above some random limit.  No, I’m curious because it tells about your selective-ness and I’m a natural observer of people so stats intrigue me for sociological purposes that have nothing to do with the actual girl.  But as I said it’s not about high or low.  If I met a girl who’s number was below average but she hadn’t been single longer than a month at any given time since high school, and has had 3 long term boyfriends, I’d question her independence and her neediness for acceptance by guys.  It’s for a selfish reason, but I want to know that she’s into me for adult reasons.  Not just cause I’m the next leaning post to walk by.  But I must be honest about what the average guy is (most likely) thinking.  A small number don’t care at all.  But a lot will definitely hold their female counterpart to some higher standard than they would ever hold themselves (I have a friend who wanted to marry a virgin or close–”Men can handle it better” was his reasoning). It’s just the reality of it.  Yet, and this is a point I go back to all too often when debating the worst characteristics of my fellow male species, there are women dating these guys.  Any time I meet a douche bag or some sexist asshole, I tend to wonder how did he gets there.  If no one dated him he would eventually change his ways.  But I digress.  That’s a conversation for a whole other topic.

The concern of numbers isn’t completely a non-concern for men.  There’s a double edge sword that you have to try avoiding.  See I’d like to believe I have a below average number because I’m a great guy, but as a self-reflective person I realize I might simply be a product of circumstance.  It’s that idea that when you meet a guy in his twenties and he’s still a virgin, he’ll tell you it’s cause he’s waiting for someone special, but what you’ll hear is he just can’t get any.  I was one of these guys, and frankly I can’t tell which is more right. I want believe the former but I can’t deny that the latter is somewhat true too.  Men have their own societal pressures; there’s a reason guys with large number continue to have larger numbers and why guys with low numbers seem to stay that way.  You women have a case of collective unconscious judgment. One could be lead to believe that one needs to conquer enough women for other women to want him.  I hope I’m wrong, but the thought still lingers. And yet, admittedly, it’s not the same level of pressure a female has to deal with.  Look there’s no doubt the world is sexist and it sucks.  I wish I could argue on the part of every girl that has to deal with being judged.  But I can only offer one bit of advice.  You can always reinvent yourself.  If people talk about you in high school, guess what, you can be whatever you want in college.  And if it happens in college, guess what you can graduate and yet again establish who you want to be.  And in the real world, you can just cut people off who are quick to judge.  And for men, I’ll say this, just cause it’s just another notch on your belt, doesn’t mean it’s the same for the other party.  Try to think about how you want the world to be when you have a daughter.

The post The Numbers Game appeared first on Rookerville.

Can I Share a story and a photograph about my first time traveling abroad?

Leading up to my trip to Beijing in 2009 I’d seen tons of headlines that talked about how Beijing was quarantining travelers who had a temperature right at the airport. I couldn’t help but wonder, would I be quarantined? Did that mean being confined to an international hospital? A hotel? A local hospital? Would they speak English?

It was easy to focus on all the negatives…

I was nervous on the flight, something that wasn’t helped by the passenger next to me who told me he designed the landing gear and we’d be the last to die if something went “wrong”.

Really, guy? We’re flying over the arctic circle…

Every time I thought about the word “quarantine” I pictured 28 Weeks Later. You get quarantined to keep from infecting others, right? But in the movies the people who get quarantined usually have some life-threatening infection.

There were a handful, maybe 3, other people on the plane who were coughing constantly throughout the 14 hour flight. Surely being confined to a plane with other sick people put us all at risk of creating something more sinister than Swine Flu. Maybe Swine Flu Version 4.0.

When we got there it hadn’t really hit me that I was on the other side of the world yet. I was still worried about being “cleared” to enter the country. I handed my passport to a woman with neatly bunned up hair wearing a surgical mask. Then I walked through the temperature gauge just like everyone else. No trouble.

The next thing I saw took my breath away.

It was the airport. I immediately felt awe struck at how beautifully laid out it was, how symmetrical, shiny, open and majestic it felt walking through.

Here’s a picture:

I was on my first trip outside of the United States, save for Canada, at the mercy of a foreign country, its people, their customs, their food, and their government. I couldn’t just go back.

This view was exactly what I needed to ground me. How could you not want to write a story about this place?

Just wanted to share because, while Shitty Beijing Bike is fiction, it was inspired by the majestic beauty of the real China I spent 4 months in!

Will Ruff is currently working on completing his book Shitty Beijing Bike. Which if you’re interested you can be apart of the focus testing he’s putting on right now by visiting the following the link: http://shittybeijingbike.launchrock.com and subscribing. 

The post I Was Afraid to Cough At Beijing International Airport appeared first on Rookerville.

“This time, you’ve gone too far.  This time, you’ve gone too far.   This time, you’ve gone too far… And I told you, I told you, I told you…”

This is Peter Grabiel’s rant in his song Digging in the Dirt.  I’m not exactly sure what got him so up in arms back in 1992 (I’ve researched it before and there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer), but whatever it was he wanted to be pretty clear; “don’t talk back, just grab the wheel.”  Either way it perfectly embodies my sentiment to the place I call home.  Brooklyn, seriously I love you, but you’ve gone too far.  Brooklyn is ironic. I get it, and irony is one of those things that’s funny,  quirky, a tad cute, that is until you take your own irony too far.   And maybe ironic isn’t the most accurate choice of words, but I think everyone gets what I’m saying.  Almost everything in Brooklyn walks that line of being a punchline to a joke and being sincerely ingenious.  ”Portlandia”, the sketch  comedy show on IFC, is built around this whole premise, and let’s be honest Portland is pretty much Brooklyn-West.  But I’m beginning to wonder if Brooklyn is starting to lose its bearings on its own joke.  Two days ago I came across the image above and I just have to ask; seriously Brooklyn?

I’ve only lived in Brooklyn for about 4 years, so I’m not going to begin getting on a high horse about what Brooklyn is or isn’t.  I generally am not bothered by the hipsters, and admittedly have taken on some hipster tendencies of my own.  It’s kind of unavoidable.  But here’s the thing–the growth of people who are not really artistically inclined and don’t wish to admit it, and so decide to pick up DJing by playing their iTunes on random, has reached critical mass.  I go out in Brooklyn all the time and enjoy these sorts of DJs all the same.  One guy I know throws this awesome once a month dance party in this run down bar (so Brooklyn), but he’s also trying to start his own craft beer.  See its his other endeavor that lets me enjoy his DJing more, cause I know he’s not taking it all that seriously, and we both know he’s really just, picking a good playlist.  The art of scatching or altering a song in any fashion to make it unique is a lost one.  So really there’s not much of a creative bone in DJing anymore. But this isn’t to discount them by any means, all I’m saying is do we need to create more?  Probably not. Are we really in need of a kid who’s been DJing since he was 3 to be the next big thing.  DJing is supposed to be a fall back gig.  You’re supposed to get into music and then find out you have knack for know just what song everyone wants to hear next.  I cringe at the idea of someone only knowing play-listing.  I take solace (possibly false solace) in the fact these guys at least dabbled in music, via a band or singing or even just had a passion for it at some point that was somewhere beyond being a human Pandora.  It seems almost backwards.  But I guess that’s how things go.  Much like the comedic movement of “alternative” comedy.  Things like UCB have now become almost too premeditated, but that’s what happens when people take things too far.  That’s what happens when a medium to hone your skills and have some fun, gets taken too seriously.  Look this isn’t to ridicule guys like Skrillex, those guys are closer to producers than DJs.  This is simply wondering why you feel the need to kill your  baby’s ear drums, all the while spawning a new generation of kids that only build playlists.  And honestly I’m pseudo waiting for Jimmy Fallon to come out and admit this is all a big joke.  I mean it has to be right.

The post Brooklyn, Meet The Shark You’ll Be Jumping Soon appeared first on Rookerville.

1. Gyu-Kaku (Multiple Locations)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.gyu-kaku.com/

It is a Japanese barbecue restaurant. I have tried a few Korean barbeque places, Gyu-Kaku is the best Asian barbecue. For anyone not familiar with the concept, you sit at a table with a grill in the middle. The servers will bring raw meat to your table and you cook your meat on the grill. If you have a large party, the Meat Lover combo for 6 people at $220 is the best deal. The meats at Gyu-Kaku are perfectly marinated. I also recommend the chicken garlic noodle as a side and the mochi ice cream for dessert.

2. Carmine’s (Multiple Locations)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.carminesnyc.com/

Carmine’s is a family style Italian restaurant. I have only been to the one in Times Square. Dinner can be a long wait as it is a popular dining spot for the Broadway theater crowd. However, you can definitely beat the crowd if you get there early around 5 PM for dinner or go for lunch. My favorite appetizer is the stuffed mushrooms with Italian sausage and hot pepper filling. Carmine’s definitely has the best stuffed mushrooms I have tasted anywhere. For entrees, I love the penne ala vodka and chicken scaloppine with lemon and butter.

3. Ichi Umi (6 East 32nd ST, New York, NY)

Yelp Rating: 3 ½ Stars

Website: http://www.ichiumi.com/

When I have a sushi craving, I hit up Ichi Umi as they have over 20 types of sushi. Besides the sushi, it also has a ramen and udon noodle bar, dumplings, a grill, and hot food. For dinner, it also has a crepes station and ice cream that includes green tea, mango, and red bean. I went to dinner early the last time I went and it had half lobsters included for dinner. It is also reasonably price at $24.95 for lunch and $34.95 for dinner.

4. Pio Pio (Multiple Locations)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.piopio.com/

I have been to the Pio Pio locations in Murray Hill, Manhattan and Jackson Heights, Queens. The Matador combo is the best deal at $36. It includes s rotisserie chicken served with rice, beans, tostones, salchipapa & avocado salad. The chicken is the best entrée at Pio Pio. The avocado salad is excellent and salchipapa is French fries and hot dogs. The portions are large and they more than fed my two friends and me. Pio Pio has an amazing green sauce. I love the green sauce at Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine but Pio Pio’s sauce is better.

5. Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant (787 9th Ave New York, NY 10019)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.ariananyc.com/

Ariana has the best chicken and rice dish and it is not even close in my opinion. I have yet to try another entrée here. If it is not broke, do not fix it. Make sure you have a bottle of its delicious white sauce before you start eating.

6. Momofuku Ssam Bar (207 2nd Ave New York, NY 10003)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://momofuku.com/new-york/ssam-bar/

I tried this restaurant as part of a team dinner at work. Everything was very good. The Momofuku Bo Ssam Lacquered Pork in Lettuce Leaves dish is something I still drool over when I think about it. The pork is so tender that you do not need a knife to cut it. You just take tongs and pull pieces of it off to put in lettuce leaves. They have multiple sauces you can put on it. The ginger sauce is amazing and my favorite.

7. L&B Spumoni Gardens (2725 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.spumonigardens.com/

I have almost lived in Brooklyn for two years now. L&B is my favorite restaurant in the borough. It is broken up into 4 areas: the main restaurant, takeout window with seating outside, spumoni and Italian ices, and pizza. The penne alla vodka, chicken entrees, and sandwiches are excellent. However, the best part of L&B is the spumonis and Italian ices. They are the best I have tried anywhere. It is a great place to bring your family.

8. Spice Market (West Village, Meatpacking District)

Yelp Rating: 3 ½ Stars

Website: http://spicemarketnewyork.com/

It is an Asian Fusion/ Thai restaurant. I tried this restaurant during Restaurant Week. I loved it so much that I went back three days later. Its pork dishes are out of this world good. The pork belly steamed buns appetizer and pork vindaloo are dishes you dream about in your sleep. I tried the skate wing entrée my second time at Spice Market. While it was good, I was thinking about the pork I could have been eating.

9. Café Mogador (101 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: www.cafemogador.com/‎

This café is great for Moroccan and Mediterranean food. I brought a group of my friends here and everyone enjoyed their food. For appetizers, the hummus and falafel are great. My lamb entrée was excellent. You can choose different sauces for the entree and the apricot sauce I chose was great.

10. Katz’s Delicatessen (205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002)

Yelp: 3 ½ Stars

Website: katzsdelicatessen.com/‎

It is the best spot in New York for pastrami. The corned beef hash is also very good. You get a ticket on the way in, get stamps on the ticket for food you order, and present your ticket to the cashier on the way out to pay. However, it is cash only. Moreover, it is a popular deli so you may run into a large crowd or a tourist group.

11. Hill Country Barbecue Market (30 W 26th St New York, NY 10010)

Yelp: 3 ½ Stars

Website: http://www.hillcountryny.com/

Hill Country is an excellent barbecue restaurant in New York. It is not a standard restaurant. Similar to Katz’s Deli, you get a card when you enter and pay on your way out. There are stations with different food and you will get stamps on your card for the food you get from each station. The moist brisket is the featured item and it is definitely amazing. I have only been disappointed by the brisket once and I attribute it to a bad night. The Kreuz sausage is also exceptional. In addition, the sides are very good. My favorite side is the green bean casserole with durkee onions. As for dessert, the pecan pie is out of this world so make sure to save room for it at the end.

12. Bon Chon (Multiple Locations)

Yelp Rating: 3 ½ Stars

Website: http://www.bonchon.com/

Bon Chon features Korean fried chicken. The wings are among the best I have ever had. I get the Soy Garlic sauce on them. The other sauce is hot.

13. Empanada Mama (763 9th Ave, Manhattan, NY 10019)

Yelp Rating: 4 Stars

Website: http://www.empmamanyc.com/

It has a lot of different empanadas and all the ones I have tried are great. I really enjoy all of their breakfast empanadas with eggs. The shredded beef and other meat empanadas are also very good. If you like your empanadas fried, get the corn flour ones. You can also finish your meal with dessert empanadas.

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