I had dinner a few days ago with a fellow food and travel writer who I was introduced to through his brother, who I know from my other job. The writer, Brian, writes for a major travel publication you have all heard of, but he asked that I not name it.
What I think you will like is Brian’s personal blog, Fried Neck Bones…and some home fries. It’s not about Southern or soul food. It’s about a group of 6 guys who have gotten together every 4-6 weeks since 2001 for “out of the way, unusual, usually ethnic, usually cheap eats throughout New York.”
Brian said he needed to review a restaurant for the publication, so we met at Masak, a Singaporean restaurant at 432 East 13th St, bet. 1st Ave & Ave A. The food at Masak was excellent, if a bit out of my normal price range (or the price range of places featured in Fried Neck Bones…and some home fries).
We shared quih pie tee, assorted appetizers that came in little edible baskets. Brian had the fish head curry, and I had shrimp and grits with quail eggs. As food writers do, we shared some of each dish, and everything was delicious.
If you’re looking for a high-end Singaporean restaurant with interesting, tasty food, Masak is a good choice.
As for Fried Neck Bones…and some home fries, the blog is named after a Willie Bobo song, which was also covered by Santana on his Soul Sacrifice album.
The group of six guys who meet every 4-6 weeks only have a few rules – one of the members picks the destination, you have to be open to any type of food, meat, fish, spicy, raw, whatever, there was a $20 food limit per person, excluding beverages, and they steer clear of restaurants that have already been “discovered”.
Earlier this month, Brian posted Eating Like An Afghan Family in an Afghani Restaurant in Astoria, which is typical of the articles. Just today, he posted Morgan The Egyptian about a Middle Eastern fish restaurant in Jersey City.
Brian posts anywhere from 1-3 times a week, so a good way to find good, out of the way, inexpensive, usually ethnic restaurants in the 5 boros is to subscribe to his blog. You’ll get a few emails a week, and I think you’ll find most of them very interesting.
