Lately I've been eating (food)

I've toned down on the expensive restaurant bingeing since my mom went back to Hong Kong. Lately, I've been eating:

More of the mackerel sandwich from Num Pang for lunch.

Visiting the stalls put up outside Madison Square Park. The crepe stall called Suzette is really good. Had a crepe with ham, swiss, and onions from an onion soup. I also love their fries, which are freshly mandolined so that they're really thin and immediately fried for a great crunch. Just a touch of kosher salt and nothing more is needed. The Cabrito/Fatty Crab kiosk is also amazing having occasionally roasted whole goat on a spit during the last month. Too bad it's all coming to an end after this weekend, this fall mark't was a great idea.

Stopped into the new 55th Street Katsuhama. Always been a fan of the food, but the original storefront was always shabby and kinda dirty. This place, where you walk up a flight of stairs to the dining area, is bright and clean. The menu has more non-katsu and appetizer options , and my favorites from those included the beef tongue that came with a lot of scallions and the jidori nanban, pieces of juicy free range chicken lightly fried on the outside.

Here's the kurobuta katsu set. Almost as good as the Japanese katsu place I frequent when I'm back in Hong Kong. I haven't decided whether I like the regular loin or the tenderloin more. I think the regular has more bite and feels more substantial. The unlimited rice, cabbage, and miso soup is also nice.

Bill's Bar and Burger has gotten a lot of buzz on the food blogs and I've already been twice. Well, I went there with a friend after it had been open for about 4 days, and then left my credit card there so had to go back again. The night we went Josh Ozersky was there too. It's really good and I don't want to get into the debate of who makes the better burger. I'm not that big on the details when it comes to burgers. Some would consider it not juicy enough because it's smashed, but others like the larger surface area for crust. In the end, a burger for me is about the thing as a whole, and they make a terrific one at Bill's. I had (both times) the Bobcat, which is a Bill's classic burger with jack cheese and New Mexico green chilies which give it a nice kick without being overwhelming. We also split the Fat Cat, which is a double with caramelized onions, american cheese, and served on a toasted english muffin. The veggie fries and shakes are also great.

Here's the Bobcat on the right, and the really yummy veggie fries on the left. Lightly battered and fried then sprinkled with some sea salt, you can see the real veggies in there, such as the carrots, broccoli, beans, etc.