Photo: roboppy 

How did a boy from Kansas become one of New York City's best-known food obsessives? By eating, mapping and meticulously describing the city's best junk food. Adam Kuban founded Slice, "America's favorite pizza weblog", and later branched out into buns with A Hamburger Today. Each of these food blogs takes its single-minded pursuit very seriously. It's no wonder, then, that they were taken under wing by Serious Eats, a fantastic food site where Kuban now serves as Managing Editor. With a resume like this, Kuban is exactly who you want managing your cheap eats itinerary. Lucky for Momondo, he's opened up to share a few favorites.This is his New York.

You've reviewed and mapped hundreds of pizzarias, but is there any one place that you keep going back to?

I keep going back to Di Fara Pizza and Una Pizza Napoletana, which are probably my two favorites in New York City. Di Fara makes an old-school pizza the way they used to make pizza in Brooklyn 40 years ago. It's a family operation, but the proprietor, Dom DeMarco, is such a perfectionist that he's the only one who makes the pizza. He's been making it for decades and hasn't even taught his kids how to duplicate his pizzas. At Una Pizza Napoletana, you'll get some of the best Naples-style pizza in New York. Again, this is a place where the owner-pizzamaker, Anthony Mangieri, is the only one who ever touches the pizza. Both these men are obsessive about their food, and they're involved with every step of its production, so you get a superior pizza.

Photo of Di Fara pizza: Adam Kuban

Some of your favorite pizzerias are way outside of Manhattan. Is there anywhere that a center-bound tourist can go to get a great slice?

Pizza Box and Joe's Pizza, both in Greenwich Village. Sal and Carmine's, on the Upper West Side. New York Pizza Suprema, across from Madison Square Garden. Those are all great slices. There are also places that sell pizza on a "whole pies only" basis, meaning you have to buy an entire pizza. These are usually sit-down, eat-in places. John's of Bleecker is one of my favorites. Arturo's Coal-Oven Pizza is also a great place for a whole-pie-only experience.

Photo of Joe's Pizza: Adam Kuban

Around the world "American food" equals hamburgers. Where would you send a visitor for a bite of this heritage?

Someone visiting New York City has to go to the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. It's a little building nestled among the trees and bushes, and it makes the most amazing burgers. When it's nice outside, you can't get a table with a better view—parkland to one side, the landmark Flatiron Building to another. The burgers here are also a manageable size, so you can have your "American food" while avoiding the worst excesses of "American portions."

Photo of Shake Shack: Adam Kuban

Europeans are beginning to hear a lot about Brooklyn. What would you recommend for someone who's ready to go beyond Manhattan?

I'd recommend Williamsburg to anyone from Europe who wants to venture outside Manhattan. It's where the hip kids live, and there are good restaurants, lots of live music options, and small and interesting shops and boutiques. It's unlike any other neighborhood you'd find in Brooklyn—and it's a very short subway ride away from Union Square in Manhattan.

 
Photo of Times Square: mynameispaul

And finally - is there any particular place that feels incredibly, over-the-top New York to you?

As cliché as this is, Times Square is the most incredibly over-the-top part of New York to me. I still can't get over the light show there and the crush of people visiting. And if it all gets to be too much, I can hop into Jimmy's Corner for a drink. (140 West 44th Street, just off Broadway) Jimmy's is a throwback to a New York of a different era—its owner, Jimmy Glenn, is a boxing cornerman who has worked with the likes of Muhammad Ali!

Go further:

Local view: Catherine Sanderson's Paris

Local view: Melissa Maldonado's Berlin

Local view: Jerome Weatherald's London

Local view: Lauren Elkin's Paris

Local view: Sebastian Horsley's London

Local view: Gilles Valentine's Istanbul

Before they were covered over in the 1870s, canals used to dominate the Ste-Catherine neighborhood. An old harbor and its accompanying fish market brought nautical color to the area, along with scores of fish restaurants. The harbor has long since disappeared, but Ste-Catherine remains a destination for seafood lovers. The marché aux poissons is still running (albeit only weekly) and the fish restaurants have happily stayed put.

Many of these (Bij den Boer, Jacques, le Pré Salé) are old-school joints with low ceilings and traditional recipes. But a relative newcomer has been making waves with its trendy style and tweaked approach to cooking. I had heard of Vismet before, but finally raced over to reserve when Jordan Greenwood - the man behind the famous Linkebeek cheese shop - told me it was one of his favorites.

We were seated on the terrace with a good view of the waiter gently turning away a procession of un-reserved hopefuls. Happy to have snagged a spot, we tucked into the two croquettes that arrived as an amuse - upscale versions of the Brussels bar staple. My starter came from the regular menu, salade de pinces de crabe fraîche, avocat et agrumes, and my friend chose mussels from the list of nightly specials. 

As tasty as my crab salad was (fresh claw meat, homemade mayo on the side, perfect grapefruit), I couldn't keep my hands off those mussels. I'm normally not a fan, but these were moules de bouchot, raised on elevated platforms in Normandy to be small in size, sweet and nutty, without any trace of sand. They were sautéed simply with garlic and some smoky mild peppers. Our house white was chilling in a wine bucket cleverly stuck to the side of the table, leaving us plenty of table surface to jostle for the last shell.

After polishing off the last of our starters, I wandered inside to check out the main dining room. As lovely as the terrace is in summer, Vismet's interior looks right for a cold Belgian night. Warm wood, expensive lighting and an open kitchen create a theatrical setting for the performance of Tom Decroos. The jovial chef earned his stripes at the renowned Sea Grill, but unlike that two-star training ground, Vismet is moderately priced and draws a relaxed and trendy crowd.

When I returned to the table, my friend was still brooding over the loss of so many mussels. He brightened when the main dishes arrived - my grilled swordfish with sauce salmoriglio (lemon, garlic, olive oil and herbs) and his filet de merlu à la palermitaine.

I found myself again making sneak attacks across the table. My plate was perfectly fine, but the Palermo-style hake was simply outstanding - crispy and and flavorful skin atop melting interior flesh. With an eggplant gratin and a side of fries, it was enough to feed four.

After so much food, we passed on dessert but said yes to complimentary bubbly. My crab salad had been a mistake (I'd ordered something else) but I didn't fuss because the error looked (and was) very delicious. The champagne "sorry" was a nevertheless a nice touch and a perfect finish.

The damage: 87€ for two, with wine

Vismet; 23 place Ste-Catherine, 1000 Brussels (Ste-Catherine)

Call us cheesy, but momondo has gone crazy for coagulated milk. We've given our writers the mission of uncovering 'le meilleur fromage' in Paris, 'il migliore formaggio' in Rome, the stinkiest cheeses in New York and the hands-down best cheeses in London, Madrid and Brussels. So grab yourself some bread and wine and join us on this tour of the best cheese shops in Europe.

Brussels 

After four years of living in Paris, I probably qualify as something of a cheese snob. But because French fromagers rarely stock foreign cheese, I'm also pretty ignorant to the traditions of other countries. During a recent jaunt to Brussels, I asked a food-obsessed local friend where I could learn more about Belgian cheese. He told me there was only one game in town: the Crèmerie de Linkebeek.

The Crèmerie de Linkebeek has been operating since 1902, making it the oldest cheese shop in Brussels. The epitome of old-school, the name Linkebeek comes from the nearby village where the original owners kept their cows. Today, after more than 100 years in business, the shop still has a very retro feel. Its future, however, lies in the hands of a young upstart couple.

Jordan and Laurence Greenwood took the reins four years ago, revitalizing the shop and turning it into a foodie destination. "We're trying to honor the shop's history while also putting our own personal stamp on the place," Jordan told me. You can buy raw milk in glass bottles here, just like in the old days, but you can now also pick up a bottle of wine and some fig balsamic condiment. 

As for their core business, Jordan and Laurence have sought out hard-to-find cheeses from small producers and have built the most impressive collection of Belgian cheeses to be found anywhere. Jordan explained that the main difference between the two traditions is that the French wash their rinds with with wine during the maturing process, and the Belgians use beer. That's because cheese production has traditionally taken place in monasteries – the same Abbeys that have been producing famed Belgian brew for centuries. In modern times, some beer companies like Chimay even make their own branded cheese. Jordan was explaining this all while illustrating with sample after sampe. I was in heaven.

Next up, I tasted some of the best-selling cheeses at Linkebeek - the Vieux Bruges, a hard cheese that seems the perfect partner for beer, and the Hervlon “extra piquant” double crème, a super stinky cheese that’s widely exported. Jordan said that the shop also carries a few cheeses that are on the verge of disappearing. Fromage de Bruxelles - a more pungent and salty version of fromage blanc - was devoured for breakfast by past generations of city-dwellers. Producers are dying off, so the older residents of Ste-Catherine flock to Linkebeek to get their fix while they still can. 

In helping his customers to choose the perfect cheese, Jordan switches seamlessly between French, Dutch and English. The English bears a slight Brooklyn accent because a portion of his childhood was spent in New York. The mixed heritage gives him a linguistic edge and, more importantly, his grandma Shirley's recipe for New York style cheesecake.

Some of his personal favorites at Linkebeek are the Fleuron de Bruges and the Lebailli - a nutty cow’s milk cheese that’s washed in wine. He also loves (and I agree) the Testun al Barolo. An Italian sheep's milk cheese that’s been rolled in the marc of Barolo wine – it was smooth and delicious, almost dessert-like. He's also a big fan of the herbed ham and other charcuterie that's available for takeaway.

For those (like hotel-bound travel writers) who can't do takeaway, the Crèmerie de Linkebeek operates a lunch table on the adjascent terrace. Without worrying about where to store the leftovers, the cheese-curious can order up a sample plate or a light tartine of fromage blanc, spring onion, and radish. I kept company on the sun-dappled terrace with a towering slice of of that New York style cheesecake. Made by Laurence using grandma Shirley's recipe, it was the best that I've ever had.

Crèmerie Linkebeek; rue du vieux marche aux grains, 1000 Brussels (Ste-Catherine)

When the tourists stagger out bleary-eyed from the Gare du Nord, coming from CDG airport or the Eurostar, they're often both hungry and exhausted. How else to explain the fact that the brasseries en face are nearly always full?

I walked past this restaurant row last night on my way to a new place. The barkers out front were in full swing, trying to seduce anyone with a suitcase or a square jaw. "My Miss - croque monsieur - we have!!!"

Declining this rare delicacy, I continued along my planned route to L'Ardoise Gourmande. Around the corner and less than five minutes from the train station, this is the better refuge. Open only three weeks, this place was already humming smoothly and has won my bargain-hunting heart.

The setting: a softly-lit dining room with slate walls and black velvet banquettes. Proper linens on the tables and a pair of chandeliers overhead.

All photos by Mu Foo

The service: perhaps the best I've ever had outside of a starred restaurant. Warm, knowledgable, and (maybe too) discreet - we almost wished they had rushed us when we realized it was 1:00 in the morning. This is most definitely the sort of place you want to bring someone for a lose-track-of-time tête à tête.

What I've told you so far isn't so out of the ordinary, certainly not in the posher parts of town. What makes this place special is that the sexy setting, kind service, and transport-friendly location are accompanied by a jaw-dropping €22 menu. Two courses (even at dinner) including wine. And we're not talking croque monsieur, either.

My friend and I both stuck to the menu (there are pricier options à la carte) and were very pleasantly surprised. Steve's entrée du jour was a pile of coppa (cured beef) with aged parm and balsamic drizzle.

The freakishly cold weather led me toward a camembert rôti sur mesclun. Not anything new, of course, but they were well-done and devoured.

Next up: an osso buco (the plat du jour) for me, and porc échinée à la sauge for Steve. Both came with fresh tagliatelli and shared the same glistening demi-glace, amped on Steve's plate by fresh sage. A half-bottle (1/4 per person) of very drinkable house red accompanied all this on the €22 menu.

While quite full from the generous portioning, we succumbed to the supplementary dessert carte. Always suckers for a cute name, we shared the pain perdu 'After Eight'. French toast and choco-mint ice cream were both tasty on their own without entirely working together. At these prices, one can be forgiving.

Sticking to the menu, a pair can escape here for an unheard-of €44. Throwing in a pair of Petit Chablis starters, a second half-bottle of wine, dessert and two coffees, our bill was in the seventies. Even so, that's still a deal and I will certainly be back. Hopefully before everybody else finds out about it...

L'Ardoise Gourmande, 12 rue de Belzunce, 75010

As an American, I am periodically subject to intense cheeseburger cravings. While I thoroughly appreciate the local cuisine, my soul sometimes just needs the food of my youth. In the past, whenever this happened, I ran to my old standby Joe Allen. I didn't like the corporate ambiance or the fact that it was filled with tourists, but I survived by ignoring everything but the bacon cheeseburger between my hands.

Those blinders are no longer necessary. I am happy (and also a bit baffled) to report that Paris has been gripped by Burger Mania. My national sandwich has ventured out from the sports bars and can now be found at some of the city's trendiest spots.

It's not surprising that French chefs are adding their own personal (and often posh) touches to distinguish their burgers from the rest. Black Calvados, where my concierge friend Adrian sends his upscale clientele, serves a wagyu burger with black soy sauce. Dorie Greenspan raves about the version at Café Salle Pleyel, which mixes porcini mushrooms in the meat and serves homemade pickles on the side. Louise tells me that the "Love Burger" at Café Etienne Marcel is shaped like a fashionable little heart. And the New York Times just published an article highlighting Le Burger at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - "two burgers topped with slabs of foie gras of almost equal size."


Photo of Le Burger by Biskuit

My burger of preference in this brave new world is decidedly less luxe. I suppose I'm a traditionalist in this matter. Either that, or I can't afford to spend 40€ on a burger. In any case, I've decided that Express Bar is where I want to get my fix. Gary Willimont, a British chef, runs this modest little joint near Voltaire. As someone who has worked alongside celebrities Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver, he seems reluctant to be typecast as the Burger Guy. "Wouldn't you really rather try the fish?" he suggests, pointing out a fresh rascasse with julienned vegetables. But I have come here for one reason, and for one reason alone.

L'Express Burger, the object of my desire, is served on fluffy pillows of ciabatta that Gary has baked himself. The cheese topping might be an oozy mozzerella or a thick slice of Cantal. The fries are perfect - crisp and golden on the outside with an airy interior, and served with a side (no begging!) of ketchup.

 
Photo of L'Express Burger by Le Blagueur

For the moment, then, my meat-loving heart belongs to Gary at Express Bar. But with competitors popping up all over town, it will be hard to remain completely loyal. I can only hope that the famous French tolerence of infidelity applies to burger love as well.

Express Bar, 31 rue Saint Maur, 75011
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, 5 rue Montalembert, 75007
Café Etienne Marcel, 52 rue Etienne-Marcel, 75002
Café Salle Pleyel, 252 rue Fbg St Honoré, 75008
Black Calvados, 40 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75008
Joe Allen, 30 rue Pierre Lescot, 75001

Go further: Fancy burgers? Read about Elini's favourite Burger Joint hidden away in New York.