Okay so I have been getting headaches and my eyes burn from staring into my little netbook and playing hours of Call of Duty on a 46inch Sony LCD.  So I hear about these glasses called Gunnars and I was like whatever 50 cent endorses them.  Boy was I wrong about judging them like that.  So I went to the website and read testimonials and checked out a few different videos even peeped some styles of frames etc.  I wanted to try them but for 80 to 130 bucks I was still not running out to buy these things.

After an intense late night session playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 at my little brothers crib I was asking him if he had heard about them because my eyes started to noticeably burn.  Like the burn you get when your eyes are super dried out or when your friend leaves their disposable contacts in for 3 months.  I never wore regular glasses and wanted to keep it that way plus these things had a goofy yellow tint so I knew I would look like a super dork no matter what if I got them.  So I just said let me go ask somebody who has them and thats what I did.  I first went to youtube and found this video review.

This guy seemed like he wasn’t getting a check and he convinced me to at least go see them in the store.  I drove to the Microcenter in Paterson NJ only a few minutes from my home and they had a display case with about 10 pairs left all in these crazy looking rubber boxes.  I tried on every pair and this guy was assisting me letting me know he had heard they were very good for what you wanted to do.(sit in front of an LCD for extended periods of time)  So I picked a pair up thinking what the hell if these things protect my eyes from the LCD burn then it will be worth it.  I figure i would be wearing them in the dark and who would make fun of me in these very military looking things.  They only had a few different styles available unlike the website but I was torn between the cheap ones which said MLG (Major Leauge Gaming on the side) or these ones that looked like real glasses.  I chose the ones for $99 because I felt like they fit me best.  They came in a gun metal and didn’t actually look all that bad so maybe it was an impulse purchase but I felt like I did my homework and in the hope of killing my headaches and eye burn it was worth it.  Redeye is the worst and I wasn’t going to deal with it from doing what I love and my work so I made the play.

I unbox these things 2 boxes and I go setup for an intense FPS session of a game that was an eye burner.  (Battlefield 1943) After about 30 minutes I forgot I was wearing anything, they were so light on my face it was kinda weird.  Also no eye burn and no headache and I kept playing round after round just to see how far I could go without having any of my usual LCD backlash.  Keep in mind I was sitting about 5 feet away from a 46 inch Sony bravia and this is one fucking bright tv.  I am now thinking maybe these things are protecting me and I was very happy with them even though I looked like a space nerd a bit.  So I stayed up all night till 5am on my 10.2 inch netbook surfing the web making some changes to some websites I have and even took them on a pron run.  Well they did not fail me all night.  Went to sleep with clear eyes and a clear head, kinda rare to find a product that actually does what it says and does it well.  Congrats to Gunnar for this extremely smart achievement in eye protection.  I would recommend these to anyone who has a lot of screen time, techies, producers, and especially gamers.

www.gunnars.com

Lunch: Yes

Reservations: No

Price: Fair

When my buddy told me he was managing a new food store in Hoboken specializing in “Comfort Food” I had to scope it out personally.  So I took a drive out to HOB where this comfort spot sits on Park ave and 6th street being a elegant corner spot with the feel of European Cafe.

As I walked into the store I was greeted with smiling faces popping up behind the counter asking to help me get some of their delicious food surrounding me in every direction into my belly.  Meats and cheeses lined every corner of this extremely clean and new high class deli.  The huge chalk board menu was filled to the brim with insane concoctions that not only made my mouth water but my head spin.  Stomach grumbling to fill it’s lunch needs I decided to chat up the chef who had just finished a fresh batch of mozzarella.  He cut me a piece stuck a fork in it and said “you gotta try this” the almost smoked warm cheese liquefied into mouth bliss.  I am not new to fresh mozzarella, a regular at many of the best delis in NYC, New Jersey just got a place the Sopranos would hang outside of just to get a taste.

I noticed on the chalk board outside a special that caught my eye.  It is called The Bat Out Of Hell, a meatloaf sandwich with fresh mozzarella and thick and juicy gravy on 12 inch roll from the local bakery.

The second I was handed my sandwich I made a b line to the lovely outside seating, and parked under an umbrella, ripped the wrapper off only for the smell hit me like a ton of bricks.  I quickly took 2 huge bites into one half of this gravy monster only to realize I had not taken a photograph of the glory just yet.  I had to go inside to get more napkins just to use my camera.  Here is what I got mid meat gorge. This is about 47% of what was left before I took a breath.

I think I will become a regular at this gem now opening another location in Jersey City within a year of opening.  If that isn’t a testament of this place not sure what is.  My next visit will be either to tackle their marquee sandwich the Park & Sixth which is Brisket mozz and gravy or a philly Cheese steak.  I would  drink that gravy as a beverage if my heart let me.  Cold cuts be calling me in the worst way fresh peppers screaming my name after one look at the prep and love that goes into each sandwich.

This place gets an extra star for making me pass out after lunch 6 out of 5 for Park and Sixth.  I will be back and I will be fat, comfort to all and to all a great lunch.

http://www.parkandsixth.com/

Not only is this place the lunch spot of lunch spots in HOB they are moving in on all the corporate big wigs of Jersey City, when this place gets to NYC it could be a wrap for delis everywhere.  Also check out their gourmet catering and horderves…look out for a future post on their philly cheesesteak spring rolls!

SO MEATY THERE’S NO ROOM FOR THE BUN! This meat sandwich is something we might have imagined in heart attack heaven.   I know mine could be something similar to KFC’s Double Down.  So my first impression came as a shock as it came in a box, not as big as I thought and a small box to say the least.  I opened it up and before I could snap a photo grease some how got onto my camera from a back spray of pure oil and yellow sludge.  Besides the need for a massive napkin situation it was surprisingly small with a punch of a chickeny grease ball.

So what it lacked in size it made up in unhealthy juice projectile.  I would eat this again but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they put it on tasty biscuit of some sort.  I was actually still hungry after eating this, feeling mildly sleepy but still could eat hungry.  I would have made it bigger personally and added other tasty things.  Grease or not it was a unique testament to the obese chicken eaters of the world on a massive marketing scale.  Honestly it is rare for a fast food item is a topic of conversation.  I had heard about this thing on reddit and word of mouth of the fatties has spread to my ears from unlikely sources but about 5 people I know told me about this thing before I had seen anything on TV or seen anywhere.  Kudos to KFC for trying something new and disgustingly exciting, more so in theory but they are on the right track with new and daring.

32 Saint Marks Place, New York, NY‎ -(212) 777-0600‎

601 Avenue of the Americas # 1, New York, NY‎ -(212) 206-8656‎

Lunch: Yes

Reservations: No

Price: Pocket Change

2BrosPizza is the best bang for your buck on the entire island of Manhattan for $2.75 you can get 2 slices of pizza and a can of soda.  And you don’t have to pay for a semester at NYU to get this deal.  All you need is to know where to go and bring a few extra bucks because the pizza is like eating air.  You will be inhaling this stuff like it was going out of style.  The best is watching patrons just do a double take at the glorious sign outside that says 1 dollar slices.

They just opened a new location in midtown on the west side but this place was first in the east village.  Doing the impossible wasn’t hard the ingredients to make a real slice of pizza is less than 40 cents and you can tell this is a dollar slice.  We applaud Papa Johns for trying to get into this game and tell Dominos to take some notes.  Instead of making your pizza more expensive and taste like a garlic knot, get back to the basics.  8 bucks for a pie is kinda a fantasy of mine too.

2BrosPizza is a future NY staple that will replace all the Rays at the rate this economy is going for sure.  Specialty pizza will always be tounge and cheek but location and prices will rule out the 4 dollar slice eventually.  I thought going to the shore was the only place you would find this kind of cheap lunch.  But now they are everywhere in the most expensive city in the country.  Not everybody has extra dough for extra dough and tomatoes.

Lunch: Yes

Reservations: No

Price: Fair

Okay so I am sure you have not walked by this place and peeped in since it is a hidden treasure tucked away inside Le Parker Meridian Hotel. Like tucan sam you follow your nose to the corner of the lobby down a dark hallway only lit by a neon burger sign. Behind a sometimes curtain covered tiny room is this hole in the wall gem known to many informed foodies as The Burger Joint.

Adorning every wall is cheesy movie posters and signatures of people who left their mark…some celebs and the first lucky few who were asked to draw all over the walls. A luxury no longer afforded to current and new patrons. If you hit the spot at peak hour lunch or dinner expect to wait in line and for seating. There is maybe six booths and seven or so tables with stools and chairs. Here is a tip for securing a table, have a buddy or your girl wait on line while you hunt a table or vice versa. The menu or warning was written with a sharpie on the side of a cardboard box ripped and plastered to the wall.  It is all apart of the charm of this extremely charming establishment.

A hugely important tip is to be ready with your order when you step up, although they are not soup nazis I have seen them tell people to step to the side or they are holding everybody up so you have been warned.  Read their steps so you know what to say.  They have fountain cola and Beer on tap you can even get a pitcher but onto the important stuff the food.

These burgers are greasy and they are best served with the works, if you are one of those people who like no onions or something I suggest you eat elsewhere because you will lose the whole experience of this grease fire waiting to happen in your mouth. The fries are so greasy the paper bags they serve them in usually break open and the disappointing thing is the single patty cheeseburger with the works is a tease for a real burger lover. My suggestions is double up get two cheeseburgers with the works.

The only beer they have is Sam Adams but it complements the burgers and fries very well so no complaints on that. They have decent milkshakes and brownies but if you have room for that extra shit your either a huge fat ass, mad stoned, or you didn’t finish your burger like a woman. This place is a grease factory and I love it.

There is nothing like dragging an unknowing friend to grab some grub only to lead them to 57th street into a random hotel lobby to find a mans meal worthy of a noble name such as The Burger Joint. The smell of the lobby is something that leaves with you it’s kinda like magic grease.  Burgers for 8 bucks in the city is pretty fair but I wouldn’t consider this to be a cheap lunch, it just makes a place like GoodBurger look like they are really trying too hard when all us meat eaters want is the engulfment of pure flavor.  A must for any New Yorker and any burger lover who has the pleasure of a visit.

Check this place out with your stomach

More after the jump:

http://bit.ly/9QrxXZ

Lunch-Yes

Dinner-Yes

Late Night-Yes

Full Review-Yes

Okay when most people say KFC they might have colonel sanders jump into their mind or red and white stripes in general.  But when Mad For Chicken is in play KFC is no longer fast food but a secret Korean Fried Chicken recipe that is just soy garlic combo tasty.  A friend brought me to this late night bar spot and said you have to try this chicken man it’s the real KFC.  I was game the decor is trendy and Asian and that is just the inside.  To find the sign you might need to be across the street since they are a second floor spot common for little Korea town.  So you walk into this less than classy office building only to be glanced over by a security guard only to be asked chicken?

He pointed behind him to what I thought was the elevator to my surprise it was the shady looking walk up some old rickecty stairs into this lavish hot spot.  I was told to order the soy garlic combo and the waiter assured me I had made the right choice.  He was even so gracious to offer us a leeche soiju to get our party more excited.  They first brought out the Soju which is Korean sake.  They have many flavors but the leeche is the best by far so don’t think outside the box unless you have at least tried it.  We were given a round of free to make sure we were convinced since my brother wanted the peach.  I was pleased with the unanimous decision the leeche was the best.

The buddy who brought us there was going on and on about this beer dispenser they had that keeps the beer cold and has a tap on it.  I have been to quite a few places in Europe that have the big tubes of beer but this had lights and a cooling system, it was like a hardcore gaming nerds PC with beer in it.  It was late to get a bunch of people to drink that much booze but I will return for the challenge no questions asked.

So the place is nice they had fancy drinks but what about the chicken right?  Well……all I can say is you must simply try it yourself.  It stands out as unique in flavor and crunch.  The skin and the meat become one and the sweetness is so sweet you would lick the outside of a drumstick like a loli pop.  I do apologize for that questionable visual but this is not a place to just order wings.  This is something new and it has it’s own magic you must much on with friends over some drinks.

This place is on 32nd and 5th ave look for the 2nd floor sign in the window.  It is open till 4am daily with chicken being served only after 12am.  It takes 30 minutes to prepare a batch but trust me have a few drinks and chill because it is so worth the wait.  Fresh and crunchy….These Koreans have me Mad For Chicken.

Tried out a new burger joint down by my office after doing a walk in and out months before. I was very happy that I found my way back into the Wall Street Burger Shoppe to enjoy some delicious beef. I got the real deal which was two shoppe burgers and an order of fries and onion rings with a coke for 12 bucks; but seeing the special burgers on the menu I had to try a kahuna burger which cost an extra 4 bucks and was well worth it. The kahuna is a bacon shoppe burger with avocado and special sauce. I have to admit for a 4oz burger eating two was completely overkill. As good as they looked they tasted even better. Big props to the Wall Street Burger Shoppe for cooking an awesome burger. This place is on Water Street right off Broad and it’s well worth the trip for a tasty treat.

So usual prices run almost 6 to 10 dollars for one piece of toro Tokubei charges 5 for every exotic piece, even oysters. So for a regular piece of fish yellowtail or a tuna it’s only 2.50. This is a really cheap and amazingly high quality sushi bar. They are open late and have great selection; only no amberjack. But they have the best oysters and so extremely talented chef’s. One of the chefs is an older Japanese man who I call the master, the other is a much younger guy who I am unsure if he is Japanese but he is so creative and inventive with a nice bonus of speaking English well. I tell him the fish I would like and tell him to mix it up. He serves nothing but art dressed up and ready to make the most avid sushi lover drool. He does not disappoint when it comes to surprising my pallete. Another great place to try this is a little place called Tenzan which has multiple locations throughout the city. I was served a sea salt salmon that blew my socks off; and the strange thing is I don’t even like salmon. But I took some photos of what I didn’t inhale within seconds of seeing at Tokubei. I will make an extra effort to take photos of the fish I couldn’t help toss into my mouth faster than the chef could cut the fish. I took a picture of some eel, a couple of hamma hamma oysters, a roll of yellowtail, and a cooked tofu square plate that my friend ordered but tasted great. I will go back soon but I implore you to try my method of picking your favorite fish and telling the chef to mix it up. I view menus at sushi bar’s for people who don’t know what they want and get nothing but what a boring combination will bring…mediocrity.

This is second plate of tasty perfection the master served

From left to right we have yellowtail with seasalt and onion fireblasted, sweet shrimp expertly rolled into balls of love, and a big clam with some sort of seasoning I could not identify with all of my 5 senses.

This was a big eye tuna roll wrapped in the outside of a cucumber with some skin left on and some removed; this was spicy and had a texture of pure fish butter with a nice cold outter crunch.

If you look closely you can see more than just spicy tuna inside but I cannot make it out.

This is the sea urchin covered in mystery spices and seaweed flakes

This was quite magical in my mouth and the taste haunts me

A flame blasted salmon coverd in sea salt, onion, and black pepper

The color on this salmon was quite becoming at this angle

This is a piece of Spanish Mackerel was very fishy and wonderfully textured

This is the same piece of Spanish Mackerel from the opposite side; this shows the skin still on the fish letting that really fishy taste compliment the ginger and chive topping.

This is the rest of the prepared big eye tuna from the cucumber roll made into two nice sushi pieces with a nice cold and crunchy salad topping.

Up close this stuff looked like tuna pudding
Nom Nom

As a grand finale round two of the yellow tail belly flame blasted; this was by far the best thing to be chewed in my mouth all night; nothing beats the taste of yellowtail belly.

On some level it makes me want to cry and another makes me hungry and crave the entire ocean to be my dinner. This sushi chef truly knows the meaning of love…of fish..amazing unreal fish.

Tonight I ventured back to Tokubei for an unforgettable sushi experience and was again floored by the mastery and skill of a true samurai of fish. I demonstrated self control and took photos of all the fish I was lucky enough to devour for your viewing pleasure. I hope your taste buds are as good as mine because fish brings out the most subtle and intense flavors you could ever imagine. Remember to click on the photo for a huge higher resolution view.