2024 was hectic. We bounced from Asia to NYC to a new job on a cruise ship back to NYC over to Europe back to NYC and then out on another cruise ship. The 365 day stretch felt more like 5 years. It’s no wonder my knees feel a bit more achy and 10pm feels preposterously late.
With all the running around, I had way more grab-and-go vs sit down meals. And let me say… some of them were pretty darn epic.
Here are my top quick bites of 2024.
The Best Slice of Pizza: Fig Jam and Bacon Slice from L’Industrie Pizza
L’Industrie Pizza has been THE pizza hot spot in NYC for a few years. They specializes in blending the flavors and techniques from Italy with those of New York to create elevated slices with the quality of the best pies in Naples but the grunge and heart of The Big Apple.
I’ve admittedly gone in the past, and left with a shrugged, “I mean it was perfectly fine…” But it’s because I didn’t order the best slice: Fig Jam and Bacon.
To my chagrin, each photo I have of this slice will have you running for the hills, not reaching for your wallet. So please watch the video below instead. And hey, maybe hit subscribe while you’re at it…
The crust is beautifully thin while still being up to the task of holding all the toppings. And it has a bready, yeasty chew that I dare the most avid “I don’t eat the crust….”ers to resist. But the toppings are what makes this my top slice of pizza in 2024. The combination of sweet fig jam with salty bacon is the type of flavor mash up my taste buds go gaga for. Basil adds flashes of freshness, and there’s just enough cheese to tie it all together.
This slice is pure perfection, and one of the best quick bites of 2024.
The Best BEC: Leon’s Bagels
“Nothing Fancy” is the motto of this no-frills bagel joint that has outposts in Williamsburg and Soho. They serve up, you guessed it, bagels. You can get them plain, with cream cheese, or as a sandwich. We got a bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel, and it gets my “Best BEC of 2024” award.
This baby was LOADED with super crispy bacon. The eggs were soft and creamy. And there was just enough cheese to enhance the eggs without totally overwhelming every bite. Plus, the bagel had a dense, chewy texture that sopped up the grease from the bacon perfectly.
The Best Tacos: Tacos El Gordo
Jeremy and I consumed an egregious amount of tacos during our 3 month trip through Mexico in 2021. Said trip ended in us both getting violently ill. We had parasites, plus Jeremy had a bacterial infection and I had salmonella. Since then, I haven’t had an appetite for tacos.
Until I starting working on a ship in Mexico that’s based out of San Diego….
My fervor for tacos has been re-ignited, and I’ve noshed on some epic handfulls of joy in each port. While Claro Fish Jr. in La Paz nearly took gold, I have to give my “Best Taco of 2024” award to the adobada tacos from Tacos el Gordo.
The adobada is what dreams are made of (unless you’re a vegan, of course). The edges are charred and crispy and the meat itself has a rich pork flavor with a hint of juicy sweetness from the pineapple. They add the perfect ratios of toppings with pico, cilantro, and some mystery salsa to create a sophisticated symphony of flavors that’ll keep you coming back for more.
Learn about the history of tacos HERE!
The Best Chinatown Eats: Chang Lai Fishballs Noodles
I always seem to end up in Chinatown, and I always seem to find something delicious. But the best bite I had in this frugal foodie neighborhood goes to the Chang Lai Fishballs Noodles.
The story of Chang Lai Fishballs Noodles starts with Lai Sheng Zhang, an immigrant from the Guangdong province. After a few years as a taxi driver, he decided to open up a street cart in Chinatown specializing in Hong Kong rice noodles (Cheung Fun) with fishballs. Food was the perfect way to share his culture with the community. Plus, it was a way to connect with people despite a language barrier.
Chang Lai Cheong Fun Cart was so popular that he and his wife were able to open up a brick and mortar store in 2023. And it’s where you can find my favorite steamed rice noodles of 2024….
We got the famous curry fish balls rice noodles “smothered in everything”. “Everything” being soy sauce, hoisin, sesame, peanut sauce, and sriracha. Some rice noodles are delicately thin, but these were thick and chewy, making for a nice mouth feel and satisfying bite. The fish balls were slightly spongey without tasting overwhelming fishy. What made each bite spectacular was the combination of sauces. The blend of savory peanut sauce with salty soy and a kick of sriracha was flavor bliss.
The Best Burger: Gotham Burger Social Club
Smash burgers are delicious. And that’s not my opinion…. it’s science! Here’s an excerpt from a blog post on said first smashed burger ever:
“When food reaches a certain temperature, the sugars start to react with amino acids in proteins. More and more molecules get involved, and start furiously mixing on the surface of the food. The chemical reactions spark new flavors, aromas, and that browning effect that’s so lusciously delicious. The Maillard reaction can be seen in toast, steak, coffee beans, and anything else that you roast, sear, char, or toast. (Click HERE and HERE for more details!)
In burgers, the Maillard reaction causes that heart-thumbing charred flavor and delightful outer crispiness. Smashing the patty increases the surface area the meat covers on the grill, which means more chemical reactions and more flavor. If you smash it just right, you won’t lose any of the juices.
An extra fun fact for fellow food nerds: As the amino acids and sugars react, they rearrange themselves into rings. The rings reflect light, which leads to that brown color.”
.-Katie Askegaard, 2022. (Hey I wrote it so nicely once… why write it again?)
The smash burger from Gotham Burger Social Club is exquisite. The patties have the perfect crispy edges while still being meaty and juicy. There is a sensible amount of cheese. Crunchy pickles, jalapeños, and a creamy house sauce tie it all together. It wasn’t the year of the burger over here at the frugal foodies (see my top 3 from last here HERE!) But this sucker from Gotham Burger Social Club wasn’t just one of the best burgers, but one of the best quick bites of 2024!
Cheers to my top quick bites of 2024!
Stay tuned for more yearly round ups to come….
