Food in NYC Part 2

For lunch on our last day, Neeraj really wanted to go to Lombardi's - the country's first pizzeria. So, after walking several blocks to find a taxi (come on New York - what's up with that?) to Little Italy we headed. Though we'd been warned that long lines weren't uncommon at the city's famous eats, Lombardi's was the first place where we encountered a wait. And boy was it a wait - we literally spent about an hour just standing on the corner of Spring and Mott. After last night's Carnegie Deli experience, we were all saying this pizza better be pretty damn good. When we were in Chicago last summer, we waited about 45 minutes at this famous restaurant whose name fails me at the moment to get real deep dish Chicago pizza, and what we got left us underwhelmed.

But, I'm happy to say that this time, the food lived up to its reputation. We shared a house salad (Boy did it feel good to be eating real vegetables after yesterday's fat-fest) and a large original pizza topped with sweet Italian sausage and sauteed garlic spinach. Unlike the sausage crumbles that come on fast-food pizzas, this pizza had actual slices of sweet meaty goodness. The pizza was hot, the outer crust was salty and crispy and the inner crust melted with the cheese and sauce in my mouth. I quickly devoured my two slices too quickly, only to find myself saddened that the pizza pan on our table was already gleaming silver, empty of its famous pie. There's an hour wait (in 45 degree weather mind you) that was worth every minute.

For dessert we headed across the street to Rice to Riches. Normally, rice pudding isn't the first thing that comes to mind when craving dessert, but these guys have found a way to make it work, and work well. This isn't your mom's rice pudding, that's for sure. With flavors like Forbidden Apple, Hazelnut Chocolate Bear Hug and Sex Drugs and Rocky Road, it's got a signature New York edge. Unfortunately, their Spring Street location is the only one so far, though for 55 bucks, they'll ship you a 40 oz. tub (Imagine receiving a tub each of the latter two flavors - I think it'd be better than going to heaven itself).

Since we'd just gorged on pizza, Papa and I took the tiny 4 oz. to-go pack which only came in four flavors. We had chocolate chip flirt while Mom and Neeraj shared a bowl of eggnog rice pudding. In a city full of sights, it's nice to discover one on your own. Too bad the company isn't franchising yet. I'd highly recommend anyone traveling to the city to stop by both Lombardi's and Rice to Riches, and though they're across from the street from each other, both should be experienced on an empty stomach.

Our to-do list also included Serendipity 3 and the Magnolia Bakery (I promise Nancy, one day I will try their red velvet cupcake!), but you've got to leave something for next time, right? Plus, I think we already grossly overstepped our caloric boundaries for this visit.