The (cheese) wheels on the belt go ’round and ’round
It’s time to do my favorite thing: Address your niche dining requests and, hopefully, deliver you an airtight solution. This month really had me feeling like a caricature of myself. “What am I up to? Oh, I think I’ll swing by the Midtown cheese conveyor belt, maybe call around to see if any place in town can make me an elusive cocktail. And at some point this week I have to eat a ton of raw beef. Let me just check my schedule …” Want your question to appear next? Send me those queries over email to wheretoeat@nytimes.com or as submissions through this form.
Cheese conveyor belt. Sure, why not?Who is doing amazing cheese plates? Great cheese and equally great pairings? — Bee Fun piece of Hughes family lore incoming: My parents got engaged at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, which I’m told was very chic at the time. A recent visit to the new London import Pick and Cheese was my first conveyor belt experience, however, and I was surprised by how completely charmed I was by the experience. It’s inside Shaver Hall, which recently took over the Lord & Taylor building on Fifth Avenue. (Blessedly right next to the entrance, so you can avoid the cortisol-boosting experience of navigating the whole food hall.) Each glass-cloched plate that passes by you costs $5.95 to $8.95, carries a sizable chunk of American-made cheese and an offbeat pairing. Standouts include nutty Vermont Shepherd Verano next to a dollop of tangerine-hued romesco, a triangular wedge of crumbly Whaledale from Mystic Cheese served with a swipe of lemon curd, and a blue cheese from Jasper Hill Farm served with a cube of rich chocolate brownie. Silly? Maybe. Wonderful? Absolutely. 424 Fifth Avenue (West 38th Street), Midtown, Manhattan
The search for a notoriously laborious cocktailI am looking to find a proper Ramos gin fizz. I have searched across the city, and have tried gin fizz-adjacent cocktails, but nothing has really come close. I know it is a painstaking drink to make, but the heart wants what the heart wants! — Paige C. I have to admit, when I first read your prompt, I thought … “Can a classic New Orleans cocktail really be that hard to find?” The answer is yes. After some internet prowling and phone calls, I ordered one in the sprawling and underrated backyard of Tooker Alley in Prospect Heights and was met with strong resistance. After a little coquettish groveling, they made me a fantastic one. But here’s what I learned about the process, and why it’s so hard to find: To make a Ramos gin fizz, you combine heavy cream, a few dashes of orange blossom water, an egg white, simple syrup, lime juice and gin. Then you shake it with ice until the ice completely dissolves, about five to 10 minutes. That fluffy mixture gets poured over a splash of soda, then frozen until it settles a bit. Then, you make a divot in the voluminous top of the drink and pour the rest of the drink, or in some cases, another splash of club soda into the glass through that opening. So, to be clear, this Ramos gin fizz recommendation is for Paige C. and Paige C. only. For everyone else, do your bartender a favor and order a gin and tonic. 793 Washington Avenue (Lincoln Place), Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
A steak tartare lover is bornI recently tried steak tartare for the first time at a friend’s wedding. WOW! Where should I go in New York City for tartare? – Clara G Clara, I couldn’t be happier for you. I’m a girl who orders steak tartare essentially any time I see it on a menu, so I’ve tried just about every souped-up version you can think of. Flavored with roasted rice powder and served with crab crackers at the Tyger, mixed with crunchy sunchokes and pickled elderberries at Estela and flecked with Asian pear at Cote. Given your recent entry into the lifestyle, I’m going to prescribe the most classic version possible, at an iconic Upper West Side institution, Cafe Luxembourg. This warmly-lit bistro makes you want to eat steak tartare. And the tartare itself, which you can order in both an appetizer and entree form, is the dish in its most classic form: Thoroughly ground meat mixed with Dijon mustard, finely minced cornichons and capers, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce, served, appropriately, with both toast and fries. 200 West 70th Street (Amsterdam Avenue), Upper West Side, Manhattan
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