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Welcome to The Lunch Belle

Aside from NYCentric restaurant reviews and recipes, I also tailor food-focused NYC itineraries - advise and counsel on small/large scale events - assist you with restaurant recommendations and reservations - do restaurant, menu, and catered office meals consulting - guide Mexican food-centric walking/tasting tours - and manage the NY Mexican Food Lovers Meetup Group and Mexican Supper Club.

Consider me your one-stop-shop.  Oh, and your virtual Big Apple "fairy godmother."

~

At your service,

The Lunch Belle

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Entries in Shiteously hysterical (32)

Wednesday
Feb162011

"Do I make you hungry baby, yeah, do I?"

...from NY Magazine's weekly Grub Street piece which follows a celebrity/model/celebu-chef/porn magnate around for about a week, acting as a pseudo food diary.  Without further ado, folks, Ron Jeremy!

NY Magazine"I've been very careless in the past. I've eaten way too much bread and toast, so I'm trying to be a good boy," says Ron Jeremy, who recently dropped fifteen pounds. Having appeared in thousands of adult films, Jeremy is easily one of the country's most recognizable porn actors, but these days he's acting more like a famous food celebrity: He's already starred in the first food-truck porn and released his own rum. He also kept his clothes on for an appearance on No Reservations, has a hot sauce named after him, and insists there's a swinger's club in Portland, Oregon, named Ron Jeremy's Club Sesso where "a lot of people go just to eat and dance." This love of food isn't new for Jeremy, though. ("One look at my stomach and you go, 'Yeah that's Ron.'") He tells us his family is really food royalty: "My great-uncle actually started Barney Greengrass. My grandmother's name was Rose Greengrass. Every once in a while I have to go by the place and remind them of that." Check out everything he ate over the past week in this edition of the L.A. Diet.

Wednesday, February 9
I only eat a couple of meals a day, with an orange thrown in. So that morning, I had oatmeal with raisins and blueberries, a little milk and a little butter, which of course I shouldn't do, and coffee and orange juice. I take my coffee with cream, no sugar. And I don't care if it's Starbucks or not, I don't need designer coffee. I'm happy with normal coffee.

No lunch. Every day I have the same thing: an orange, and then a banana later on.

That night was the Palm restaurant. They have the greatest surf and turf, so I had a little lobster tail — actually when you're getting lobster tail in surf and turf, a lot of people don't know this, but you're actually getting crayfish. Let me educate you. It's almost the same thing and just as delicious, they're the same family of animal, but even at a fancy restaurant, you're theoretically getting crayfish. It looks different, too. So I had a little filet, the smallest one they had, and I had the lobster tail. And I had water; I do a lot of water. A lot of restaurants use filtered water, which is what I like. I don't think you have to get the bottles. It's a rip-off, just so you know. Penn and Teller did a great thing called Bullshit on Showtime and they exposed how a lot of these bottled waters, just what a joke they are. From France, yeah my ass.

I was taken out by my friend Gary, who owns a company in San Luis Obispo called Slobabes.com. [Editor's note: That link is completely NSFW. Unless you work in the porn industry.] Being that I'm Jewish, I discovered a long time ago that food tastes so much better when somebody else is paying for it. I'm very lucky that way. I get all those breaks.

Thursday, February 10
I actually had scrambled eggs and, even though I'm a Jewish boy, I had bacon. And that was it, with just coffee and orange juice. Then I had the usual orange and banana in the afternoon.

Nighttime, I went to the Rainbow Bar & Grill and had their amazing shrimp-and-avocado salad. I'm a big fan of the Rainbow, I go there all the time. Again I got taken out for dinner. A lot of different people and different companies want to pick my brain, so they buy me dinner. And it's funny. Like I said, the food tastes better. I had the Rainbow avocado-and-shrimp salad with an iced tea on the side, unsweetened.

There is actually a Ron Jeremy hot sauce out there. It's delicious — it's like Tabasco, but tastier and not quite as spicy. It's in stores and restaurants around America, and the Rainbow tried carrying it, but they said people kept taking it off the tables and walking out with it, 'cause it's a goof to have it. They even tried a beef jerky with my name on it, but that didn't work out so well.

Friday, February 11
I had Nova Scotia lox and herring. It was a fish day for me. I was actually at the Grand Lux Café, where they have an actual buffet. I'm really big on fish. I had shrimp, salmon, sturgeon, and lox, smoked salmon. I ate a little bit of cream cheese, a little lettuce and capers, and that was pretty much it. I was really a good boy. Plus I had coffee and orange juice.

This time for lunch, I had no orange but yogurt.

For dinner, I was actually with my friends at someone's house and had chicken breast, peas, and carrots. I ate the skin and I put gravy on it, so I thought, I'm not eating like I'm supposed to. And oh, my favorite thing on the side, coleslaw. I love coleslaw. I had green iced tea or peppermint tea, but note that hot tea is better for you. I don't drink very much, every once in a while I'll have alcohol, but not very much. I barely drink. My autobiography thanks my parents for raising three children. We never touched drugs, never smoked a cigarette, barely drink, and all went through six-year master's programs. Me and Suzy went to Queens College; my other sister went to Brooklyn and to Harvard.

Saturday, February 12
Saturday morning was farina, which is kind of like grits. It goes great with a little butter, a little pepper. And I had a glass of milk.

Lunch time, banana and orange.

Dinner time, Mel's Drive-In — great place, good for late night. I know I should not have eaten late at night, but I did. And I had their marvelous coleslaw, which is out of this world, and I had a hot dog. They make really good hot dogs and I had mine with mustard and no bun, with vegetables, string beans. And I did share a banana milkshake with somebody, 'cause they have terrific milkshakes. They make 'em great at Mel's. Yeah, I was a bad boy.

Sunday February, 13
Sunday, I had an amazing brunch at the Beverly Hilton on the corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire. And that day, I really did go nuts. I was careless, but it was so fucking good. I had a little tiny taste of steak and a little tiny taste of chicken. Of course I love my fish and had six types of fish. And my ex-girlfriend tells me to stop doing this, that those brunches kill me, but they're too good, so ... I was a little bad boy. And that's it. No dessert and just water.

For lunch, I had a banana and orange. And dinner, I had a hamburger at Wendy's … no, no In-N-Out, right on Sunset Boulevard.

Monday, February 14
For breakfast, I had Wheatena, another kind of cereal, with just a little bit of butter and a glass of milk. Lunchtime, I had the banana and orange.

Dinner, I had Hungarian goulash, which was beef and noodles. And I tried to ease up on the noodles. I've had a lot of noodles, so I tried to eat more beef. I had it made for me. But I do make a mean omelette. I know how to sauté the peppers and the onions first, then I bring on the eggs, then I flip it. I'm a great flipper — never lands on the floor, ever. Then I put cheese right in the middle and roll it up like a giant blintz or like a burrito. There's a cute little website called Imcooked.com, and they show me making an omelette. They have a bunch of celebrities on the show, like Christopher Walken. It's great.

Wednesday
Dec012010

Happy Hanukkah!

...click here to see which of your favorite celebs spin the dreidel.  I was definitely surprised by numbers 5, 7, & 9!

~

Photo: www.someecards.com

Read it & eat...and may "Hanukkah Harry" be good to you this year,

The Lunch Belle

Sunday
Sep262010

Because you're up early - and bored: Get Oprah-fied!

I've just been Oprahfied! Now it's your turn. Help The Oprah Winfrey Show celebrate its 25th and final season.  Go to http://www.oprah.com/oprahfy to get started!

Looks good on me, don't ya think?

Thursday
Jul292010

L-A-M-E !

What a clown!  Todd English Won't Serve Ranch Dressing Because 'Everyone Does It'

Very few restaurants 'do it' in New York, which makes us Texas ex-pats long for the days when ranch dressing ran as wild as the Guadalupe River.  I hope no one else jumps on this ridiculous band-wagon.  Damn you, English! 

Tuesday
Jul202010

A TEARFUL UPDATE: dinner at Gus & Gabriel Gastropub

*UPDATE* Just when I thought that my day was looking up, I came across this gut-wrenching article.  Grab a box of Kleenex and click *here* to read it and weep for yourself.  Damn you, Psilakis!
  • Cuisine: American, (quality) bar food
  • Atmosphere:  casual, rustic 
  • Attire:  casual 
  • Ideal for: informal gathering, 1x1, small groups, hangovers, quality greasy eats, bar scene
  • Must try: Mexi Mac & Cheese
  • Price: All food items under $24
  • Phone: (212) 362-7470
  • Location: 222 W. 79th St., (btw Amsterdam & Broadway)
  • FYI: cash only
*All photos from this meal can be viewed on Flickr
What’s the space like?
Dark, railroad-style (long and narrow), casual, pre-war space with hardwood floors - crown molding adorning the ceilings and base boards, small tables situated very awkwardly close together
How was the service?
Not memorable: neither outstanding nor horrendous.  Our server was a total know-it-all whipster (wannabe hipster)      
What did you drink?
I enjoyed a frosty mug filled with Virgil’s Root Beer, sans ice.
How was the food?
Gus & Gabriel Gastropub (let’s just simplify things and call it “G&G” for short, OK?) can best be summed up with three key words: Greasy. Shit. Show.  Now stop with your gasping and/or pretending that you don’t cuss, because when I refer to a “greasy shit show,” I am saying that with the highest regard and praise possible.  You can deep-fry just about anything and I'll eat it; but for those of you with healthier diets than mine, I'm here to tell you that this Upper Westside greasy spoon is seriously legit and worth every last finger licking calorie.  Bottom line, folks: if you’re avidly psychotically watching your waistline, avoid this place like the swine flu.
*Note: Upon our visit, Emily and I decided to split all three of the plates we ordered in half.
 


  • Hot Potato Chips (with sour cream, caramelized onion, garlic & chive dip): It was actually Em’s choice to order these and I went along with it.  Not being much of a potato chip fan, I will say that my feelings do slightly change when the “chip” in question is house-made.  A pile, slightly bigger than a handful, of warm, freshly-fried spuds were sprinkled with sea salt and topped with crumbles of flash-fried parsley.  A gravy boat filled with a rather bland, under-seasoned sour cream-based dip accompanied the chips.  I doubt that I would be compelled to order this appetizer again, unless the kitchen gave me free reign of the salt and pepper shaker, garlic powder and perhaps some minced jalapeno.  Or, they could make their lives easier and please more diners (or just me) by serving the chips with a side of Hidden Valley Ranch.     
  • Mexi Mac & Cheese: An ample-sized bowl arrived that was filled with giant macaroni noodles.  While some of the pasta was visible, other pieces looked as though they were drowning, literally pleading for life beneath an ocean of blended dairy products: sour cream, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and jalapeno béchamel.  A dollop of homemade guacamole, tortilla chip croutons and crumbs, a spoonful of pico de gallo and some salty cotija cheese topped this exquisitely simple, yet brilliantly executed dish.    
  • Fried egg, bacon, onion rings & gruyere burger:  No, you’re not drunk/cross-eyed/hallucinating: each one of the items listed did indeed accompany the fresh hamburger bun (with the consistency and coloring of a baguette) and 1-inch-thick beef patty.  “Ew, I don’t want a fried egg on my burger.  That’s weird,” Emily squealed.  Well, I sure as hell wanted one on mine!  Luckily, the kitchen agreed to serve the egg on a separate plate just for me!  Now I could savor the entirety of the creamy, yolky goodness all to myself!  Oh, and the "onion rings" that read as an accompaniment were literally just that: slices of crunchy white onions that tasted as if they'd been pickled in something; not the deep-fried rings that I was hoping for.  Golden and salty house-made fries, a dill pickle wedge and small dish of creamy cole slaw kept our burger company.       
What’s pricing like?
Here’s a snapshot of our bill:
  • Hot Potato Chips: $2.95
  • Mexi Mac & Cheese: $7.50
  • Burger: $13.95
Will you return to Gus & Gabriel Gastropub?
I don't think that I can say "yes" fast enough.  G&G's serves "American bar food" made with the highest quality ingredients, skill and nostalgia.  The prices are more-than legit, which is such a rarity in Manhattan.  I look forward to many return visits and cured hangovers!
Tuesday
Jun152010

Signs of the times

Enjoy this pictoral collage of random street signs, tags, and crazies that I've collected over the past couple of years.  And don't you worry, there are plenty more to come! 

California

"NO HEELS!!!" Found near the Santa Monica Pier, CA"Surfer Crossing" street sign - San Diego, CAThe West Coast's "Wall Street" - La Jolla, CA~

France

Just in case things get a little "fresh" below street level, protection is sold in Paris subway stations.This poor dude lost a bet to his friends and ended up having to wearing a ding-dong costume on the streets of Paris.~

Hawaii

Outside of Buzz's Steakhouse - Kailua, HIBeware of the jelly-fish! Honolulu, HI~

New York

One of many "You Go Girl" tags that I've come across in Manhattan.Another "You Go Girl" sighting, 10.2010Really? I mean, that's cute and all, but it certainly takes the edge off of graffiti.An oldie, but a goodie - spotted on 26th Street in NYCQuite the piece of "art" on display in a Soho storefront - NYSnapped in TribecaSnapped in TribecaSnapped in TribecaHow pissed off would you be if this is how your "portrait" turned out? Harlem, 2010~

Peru

Cusco, PeruCusco, Peru~

Texas

Cooper's BBQ - Llano, TX