Usually, when people first think of Forest Hills Stadium, they think of the US Open, Serena Williams, Roger Federer or the brutally hot August days spent watching tennis. However, on October 6th, 2018, Infatuation completely reinvented the image of Forest Hills Stadium swapping tennis balls for hamburgers and rackets for ice cream cones to create a foodie paradise.
After having tremendous success at EEEEEATSCON Los Angeles, Infatuation decided to bring the festivities to the Big Apple to create one of New York City's largest food festivals. With renowned vendors hailing from all over the continental United States, live performances from talented artists, inspiring panels from food enthusiasts pioneering their fields and entertainment from name brands, such as La Croix and SHOWTIME, EEEEEATSCON New York brought the community together for a truly unforgettable experience.
Here are some of the highlights.
Disclaimer: I am not responsible if you gain five pounds reading this article.
1. Emily x Shake Shack
What happens when two of New York's most prolific burger hot spots have a baby? Absolute insanity... and a two-hour line. Renowned burger chain Shake Shack and New York restaurant Emily partnered to create one of the best and most anticipated bites of the weekend: the Shake Shack x Emily burger.
Any burger fiend's wet dream, the collaboration included a double Shake Shack patty, American cheese and caramelized onions smothered with Emily's signature sauce and served inside of a hot bun. I know, epic. The sauce provided the perfect moisture to compliment the burger, and all of the flavors tied together so beautifully. The sweetness of the caramelized onions was the perfect conduit in making this sweet and savory sensation.
Emily and Shake Shack, I don't know which one of you is taking one for the team, but this burger is 100% worthy of a permanent spot on the menu.
2. Jon and Vinny's
Hailing from Los Angeles, Jon and Vinny's makes a kick-ass spicy fusilli which will have you looking into the LA housing market immediately. Luckily, Jon and Vinny's spared us the expensive plane ticket, and flew all of their ingredients fresh from Los Angeles to New York to retain the authenticity and high-quality flavor profile associated with their namesake spicy fusilli.
Personally, I am still mind blown as to how amazing this dish was. Unlike most heavy and processed vodka sauces, Jon and Vinny's vodka sauce, highlighted the wholesome flavor of each individual ingredient (specifically the fresh cheese) while still maintaining a balance of rich, creamy and smooth.
All I have to say is Jon and Vinny's, please come to New York-- the people are begging.
3. Broad Street Doughnut Company
After two savory dishes, I found myself craving something a little more sweet, and frankly, I don't think you can get much sweeter than a Salted Caramel Cookie Monster doughnut. This indulgent red velvet cake doughnut topped with rich chocolate icing, edible cookie dough, and a drizzle of salted caramel was the perfect cheat-day treat and certainly exceeded my expectations.
If you want to conquer this monster, set out for an adventure to Oakhurst, New Jersey and check out Broad Street Doughnut Company.
4. Rubirosa
As if a double patty burger, bowl of pasta and monstrous doughnut was not enough to fill me, I set out to Rubirosa, a New York favorite neighborhood Italian spot, to try their infamous tie-dye pizza.
Each of their hand-tossed tie-dye pizzas starts with a well-seasoned thin crust, is spread with house made vodka sauce, sprinkled with fresh mozzarella and topped with a pesto swirl. Genius.
This pizza took Instagram by storm, and I can certainly see why. Not only does it look perfect, but is also tastes damn near perfect. Rubirosa crushed the sauce to cheese ratio, cultivating a bite which was jam-packed with flavor and finished off with the satisfying crunch from the crust. The pesto-vodka sauce duo was certainly the star of this show.
Definitely check out this tie-dye pie and some of Rubirosa's other modern innovations at their main restaurant in SoHo!
#SpoonTip: Treat yourself and get mozzarella sticks, they're worth it, I promise.
5. Ample Hills Creamery
The Ooey Gooey Butter Cake ice-cream from Ample Hills Creamery is everything you've ever wanted from cake batter ice cream but never got: creamy consistency, flavor reminiscent of licking cake batter straight out of the bowl, and, most importantly, chunks of REAL CAKE.
Ample Hills laces their creamy vanilla ice cream with rich cream cheese and loads it with chunks of house-made St. Louis Ooey Gooey cake to create a magical sensation of flavor which puts all store bought cake batter ice creams to shame.
Score Recap:
Ample Hills: 1 Generic Store: 0
Remi's Diet: 0 EEEEEATSCON: 5
6. Saltie Girl
EEEEATSCON was able to defy all rules of physics to bring me from Los Angeles to the Jersey Shore in under an hour so what more was Boston? Luckily, Saltie Girl was right around the corner illuminated by the light of golden hour. **Alexa, play Hallelujah.**
Saltie Girl truly knocked this lobster roll out of the park and here's why: rich lobster and a grilled buttery brioche roll. Unlike many lobster rolls, Saltie Girl's brioche bun offers a perfect crunch and texture to soak up the rich buttery flavor of the lobster.
Since I am going to college in Boston next year (Go Huskies!), I can certainly say I will be back to Saltie Girl for more!
7. L' Artusi
I could not picture a more perfect way to wrap up my day at EEEEEATSCON than with this bowl of Orecchiette Bolognese Bianco from L' Artusi. The culmination of flavor from the bolognese, freshly shredded parmesan cheese, spicy pork and al dente pasta brought me the warm, joyous feeling that an Italian home cooked meal intends.
Renowned for its olive oil cake, freshly made pasta and unparalleled wine list, this Greenwich Village Italian spot is the perfect location for a date, night out with friends or occasional fancy dinner.
Honorable Mentions:
You know what time it is. Like any prestigious award ranking, I have some honorable mentions! I did not try everything at EEEEEATSCON, since the festival was six hours long and I value my mobility, but there are certainly places I wish I hit.
Dumpling Galaxy
Known for its innovative spin on dumplings, this neighborhood hidden-gem killed the game at EEEEEATSCON selling out within a few hours! This utopia for dumpling-lovers cranks out over one hundred different flavors from their location in Flushing, NY each day and is definitely high on my list!
Maketto
Nestled in a bustling food and fashion marketplace on H street, Maketto can be found serving epic hybrids of Cambodian and Taiwanese food. Maketto showed up with big game and prepared their infamous fried chicken burgers and iconic ramen fries (Yes, they are a thing. I'm shocked too).
Odd Fellows Ice Cream Co.
Odd Fellows Ice cream Co. teamed up with Bailey's Irish Cream to create one of EEEEEATSCON's biggest headliners: the Oddfellow's coffee x Bailey soft-serve swirl and sundae. While I myself am underage, others raved about this hit dessert.
Overall, EEEEEATSCON was an incredible day filled with everything I love: great food, music, friends, and vibes. I can not recommend this event more and am looking forward to packing the stadium for NY EEEEEATSCON 2019!