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Dining Out and About (New York City): At Home with the Mets at Citi Field
By Ann | May 5, 2009
Greetings, mes amis! I’m back! Apologies for the sudden absence. Perhaps you thought I was just being a lazy blogger, but I was actually away in New York and Washington DC. (I didn’t mention my trip to you because of paranoia that someone would somehow discover my address, break into my apartment, and steal my 1990s-era television and VCR. Call me crazy, but these are the things I worry about. Also, if I ever disappear again suddenly and without a note of explanation, that does not necessarily mean I am traveling. And even if I was, be advised that I have two ferocious German shepherd guard dogs who are trained to attack, no questions asked. I’m talking to you, Mr. Cat Burgler!)
Anyway, let’s move on to the burning question: What did I eat while I was away? Welllll… as the wife of a devoted Mets fan, no visit to New York is complete without a trip to cheer on the old orange and blue, even if our cheers generally fall on deaf ears. And with the advent of the Mets’ new home, Citi Field — not to mention the rabid media coverage of the stadium’s Danny Meyer food options (more info here and here) — even I was excited to clap a baseball cap on my head and take the 7 train out to Queens.
Citi Field is quite lovely, if you like ball parks (and I recognize that some of you do). And sure, I was happy to see the Jackie Robinson rotunda and the new pop-up apple. But as we strolled through the inner bowels of the stadium, I had only one thought running through my mind: How could I get my grubby paws on a Shake Shack burger?!
The Shake Shack single is almost legendary in New York, and after one salty-meaty-cheesy-saucy-squishy bite I, too, fell in love. They have the ideal ratio of patty-to-bun — not too much meat — and a tangy, mayonnaise-y sauce. At $5.75, they are a reasonable option — cheaper than Citi Field’s $6.50 hot dog, and gourmet to boot.
I also enjoyed the chicken tacos ($7.25) from El Verano Taqueria, another Danny Meyer brainchild, which featured softly braised meat in a brightly spicy green salsa, wrapped in a corn tortilla and sprinkled with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
I have a feeling I wouldn’t have enjoyed waiting among the hungry crowds at “Taste of the City,” the Citi Field corner that houses Shake Shack, El Verano, as well as the rest of Danny Meyer’s ventures. Luckily for me, we were being pampered by a V.I.M. (Very Important Met), who was kind enough to order food into his air-conditioned box. But we’ve heard reports that the Shake Shack line can be long — at least twenty deep.
Too bad Citi Field’s good food can’t guarantee a home team win. While enjoying our love-at-first-bite hamburgers, we watched the Mets crumple, losing to the Nationals 8-1. Note to self: All-beef patty does not alleviate sadness of ardent Mets fan.
Topics: Dining Out and About |
2 Responses to “Dining Out and About (New York City): At Home with the Mets at Citi Field”
Comments
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May 5th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Ha! I have the same paranoia! Welcome back!
May 7th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Let’s Go Mets! CTB and I also snuck in a Nathan’s hot dog during the fifth inning. I loved the burgers and the tacos, but nothing compares to a mustardy ballpark dog.