I don’t know if you have, but I certainly have missed the old Taco Bell at 125th. In fact, there’s always been a noticeable dearth in the fast food options near Columbia University. But, for those that have had a hankering beyond KFC and McDonald’s, there’s a new Burger King at 3451 Broadway (around 139th St.). Yea, it’s far, but that’s the price we pay for going to Columbia. The good news is that this BK has quite a robust value menu so making the trip shouldn’t put too much of a pinch on your wallet.

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It seems that the popular New York dessert restaurant, Serendipity 3, has been closed. No more frozen hot chocolate and over priced novelties. How sad. Seems the restaurant failed two health inspections in one month. Inspectors found rodent and fly infestation as well as conditions conducive to  pest infestation. Oh, did I mention that there were also 100 live cockroaches spotted? Hmm… maybe we’re just not giving Serendipity a chance. Haven’t we learned anything from Ratatouille? I bet those cockroaches were in the kitchen whipping up the best desserts in Manhattan. Don’t be such a food snob.

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The Hostess with the Mostess blog posted a really creative idea for making drink tags for your next party. Check it out - Thanksgiving Drink Charms.

Okay, this isn’t a recipe per se. But, it is a nice little way to kick up your stemware the next time you’re having a little party. Haha… like college kids use stemware.

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Fall break is fast approaching and, with a long weekend in store, those of you guys staying in Manhattan should think about getting out of Morningside Heights! When time permits, I love going on “eating tours” of various neighborhoods in the city. Here’s one for the West Village that leads you to some iconic Manhattan eats. Big points if you can hit all these stops in one go. Our tip would be to do this in groups of two or three and make sure to share some of the plates rather than try to hork down full meals on your own.

A West Village Eating Tour
Take the 1 down to 14th St. And, let your taste buds lead the way.

Dirty Bird to Go
204 W. 14th St.

A little joint with almost no seating, but some of the best fried chicken you’ll ever have. Don’t worry about anything else on the menu. Even if this weren’t an eating tour, the other options kind of leave a bit to be desired.

A Salt and Battery
112 Greenwich Ave.

Oft-cited as the most authentic fish and chips this side of the “Pond.” Make sure to be liberal with your malt vinegar. To be honest, the chips aren’t anything to write home about. Order up two large haddocks and you’re golden. We’ll direct you to some of the best fresh cut fries in the city next!

On a side note, A Salt & Battery has teamed up with Tea & Sympathy just next door (actually they even went as far as to close their original East village location). Take a little break on your tour to go into the Tea & Sympathy shop and look for some fun British goodies. Also, make sure to get a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk (it’s still an eating tour right?). British chocolate is different… the better kind of different.

Taim
222 Waverly Place

Hands down the best falafels in the city. It’s an unassuming store with seating for 6 so you could find yourself standing. If you haven’t given in and boughten a drink yet, its time to splurge here. The Lemon and Mint or the Strawberry and Date juices are to die for. Also, here’s the place you want to pick up some fries. Fresh cut shoe string fries with saffron aioli that will make you wonder why you ever ate fries with ketchup. The falafels are big and filling. If you’re too stuffed by this point, try sharing a falafel sampler platter.

Cones
272 Bleeker St.

Cones serves up some of the best ice cream/sorbet/gelato in the city. Part of the Manhattan Holy Trinity of gelaterias - Cones, Il Lab, and Grom. You know you can’t say no. There’s always room for dessert.

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There you have it! An eating tour that is sure to stuff you to the rafters. You think you can get through it? After finishing this tour, you’ll be in prime bar country. So, get out there and enjoy a night of festivities! If you do end up staying out and find yourself hungry again, head over to Joe’s Pizza on 7 Carmine St. It puts John’s Pizzeria to shame and also lets you order by the slice. The impossibly thin crust and sweet and tangy sauce always hits the spot for those late-night, drunk munchies.

Let us know if you make it through the tour. If you’d like to join the Hungry Lion for future tours. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled in the forums. Some ideas we have include a Chinatown eating tour as well as a Harlem eating tour. Got any neighborhoods you’d like to share?

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Well, the brunch mavens from Clinton St. Baking Co. have finally opened up shop and, while they aren’t serving dinner yet, they are serving up one hell of a brunch. And, as with any good brunch, the liquor license is being put to use. Community Food and Juice features organic and locally grown ingredients in everything including organic vodkas and gins. So, make sure to wash down your cage free eggs with some delicious fresh squeezed greyhounds or screwdrivers. Even your liver might thank you.

When we ambled in Sunday morning, the wait was just a bit over 45 minutes, but that pales in comparison to the 2+ hour lines that can build up downtown at Clinton St. Baking Co. Community Food and Juice serves up a little more of a “health conscious” menu than their downtown counterpart, but the fluffy as a cloud pancakes and maple butter have made their way uptown and Columbia students should be rejoicing. What’s more, if you’re lucky, you might snag free samples while waiting.

The interior of the restaurant features few, if any, holdovers from its incarnation as the oft-derided Nacho’s and is now bright, open and airy. Positively delightful for Sunday brunch. Eating at the bar is surprisingly comfortable so don’t rule it out.

Community Food and Juice is truly a gem and Kitchenette may finally have some competition in the Morningside Heights brunch arena. Pricewise, the two are comparable, which means that for most college students this isn’t a every weekend kind of place especially if you’re going to be downing $10 screwdrivers while you’re at it. But, try this place once, and we’re sure you’ll find yourself going over and over again.

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Several weeks ago, we reported the arrival of Sammy’s Halal, a chicken and rice cart from 73rd and Broadway in Queens, here in Morningside Heights. In a truly bizarre coincidence, the cart disappeared the day we reported its arrival. Several visits to the original Sammy’s Halal and a few phone calls to one of the partners involved in Sammy’s expansion plans later, we are sad to inform the Columbia community that the partners at Sammy’s are vacillating on the decision to return to Morningside Heights. They expressed concerns over the traffic they could get serving up their award winning Chicken & Rice around our campus.

As a result, we here at The Hungry Lion would like to attempt to mobilize the Columbia community to convince Sammy and his partners to bring back the delicious! Please read the following open letter and, if you feel as we do, leave your name and a comment. We’ll continue to stay in touch with Sammy and, hopefully, send along this letter with hundreds of signatures.

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Location: 3431 Broadway (btw. 139th and 140th)
Hours: 11am - 2am, Everyday

Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the food. I got my tacos dorados and horked them down so fast I didn’t even realize I was up in Harlem on assignment for the Lion’s Den. What was the assignment? Find the best tacos within a reasonable distance of Columbia.

Well, I found them and they’re just two subway stops away. Yea, it will cost you $4 to get there and back (unless you want to walk, it’s only 20 blocks). But, this place still won’t leave your wallet feeling empty. Tacos are but $2 and ,while some entrees can go in the $8-$12 range,  they all come in serious portions. The burritos gigantes are…. quite gigante. And, the tortas are nearly big enough for two meals (at least a meal and a snack).

The rice and beans here are tasty, if a little bit bland. And, of the entrees that I have tried, they are all made quite well. The tacos, however, are the true standout. The al pastor has little chunks of pineapple.  Carnitas are rich and delicious. And, heck, even the chicken isn’t bad - just the right amount of chew while still being tender. They heap it on here and you’ll be glad each taco comes with the traditional two rounds of tortilla.

I should note that the proprietors of this little taco hole don’t speak much English. Ordering is probably done best by pointing, but the place has great pictures all over the place so you’ll never be at a loss for something to order.

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