Warm and buttery, spread on bread that’s toasted or fresh, bone marrow is an unctuous treat.

Meat jelly. Meat butter. Quasi-solid meat oil. Bone marrow as a condiment. The new butter. The new lardo, even. Go back a few years and it was rare to find it anywhere but in the middle of an Ossobuco, the part that your grandfather loved, but no one else explored. In the last few years it has exploded as an ingredient of choice. There is no doubt that Blue Ribbon was the first to the party when they paired it with Oxtail Marmalade, and created a drunken chef’s best friend, but now it is everywhere, running rampant at great restaurants across the country.

When it comes to marrow, there is marrow as an ingredient, as in the Fusilli and Bone Marrow Pasta at Marea, or the Marrow Poppers at Employees Only, and then there is marrow in its pure sense— served as the main event. It’s the latter that we’re talking about— the bone of the fore shank (though the bone from the hind shank can be used too) veal or beef, that is, typically, sawed in half, seasoned, roasted, and served with toast, and an accoutrement that is most often a variation on a lemony parsley salad.

Obviously, the bread and the accoutrements play a role, but what makes one roasted marrow bone better than another? The sourcing (the inherent animal quality), the cooking (if cooked too long, the marrow dries up, and even the thought of undercooked marrow is disgusting), and of course, the seasoning. There are many factors the play into a great roasted marrow bone, which is why it has become a dish that not only has a loyal following, but a place of honor in the pantheon of Top 5’s.

Click here to find out Always Hungry’s Top 5 Bone Marrow.

Have an idea for a Top 5? We’d love to hear from you. Go to the bottom of a Top 5 page and enter your suggestion into the “Suggest a Top 5” field along with your rankings and your email address.

Clockwise from top: Seared Scottish Salmon Sashimi Salad, Chawan Mushi with Uni, Yellowtail Scallion Handroll, Bara Chirashi ‘Sushi Zen Style.’

On a red page in the Sushi Zen menu is a poem:

Tell me your long story,
Your journey may continue endlessly,
But today you have stopped at my place.
Welcome my friends, welcome.
Let us toast the wonderful evening.

The poem is slightly corny, but it’s also inviting. And when you sit down to a meal at one of the City’s best sushi bars it’s nice to feel welcome. We certainly did during a recent meal with the GutterGourmet.

Seared Scottish Salmon Sashimi Salad.

The salmon is exquisite. Delicate. Almost imperceptibly seared, sliced, garnished with pickles, and served with mustard, onion, and olive oil dressing. Meltingly smooth.

Japanese-style Stewed Duck with Taro Potato, Carrot, Spinach, Fried Tofu & Wasabi Sauce.

The accompanying gently-cooked vegetables maintain integrity and give. The duck is pink with a wide band of fat. And the meat is moist with the mild wasabi sauce it wades in.

Nameko Mushroom Miso Soup (dark).

You have the option of dark or light. Go dark. The musky Nameko Mushroom Miso Soup is thick with flavor, the tiny mushroom caps peeking out short-stem, and cap-up, gentle, earthy spoonfuls.

Chawan Mushi is served in special decorative pots. Left, Chawan Mushi with Uni. Right, Chawan Mushi with Foie Gras.

There’s something regal about Chawan Mushi (literally, “tea cup steam,” or “steamed in a tea bowl”). That gorgeous grooved clay pot with frayed straw pull-handles, and inside: treasure. Smooth, clean, sweet. It’s one of those savory dishes that would definitely work for dessert. Japanese egg custard served with shrimp, ginkgo nuts, white fish, mitsuba leaf, and your choice of uni or foie gras. Get one of each.

Five Kinds of Mushrooms.

Every so often, you have a dish that reminds you how delicious simple things can be when they’re done well. Five kinds of grilled Japanese mushrooms are served in foil, seasoned with red pepper, garlic chips, and a citrus spritz. The juices mingle— a wonderful mushroom broth.

Bara Chirashi ‘Sushi Zen Style.’

Sushi Zen is one of GutterGourmet’s top ten New York sushi bars. Their Bara Chirashi is one of his favorite dishes there. Easy to see why. In a large bowl is some of the finest sushi rice you’ll taste. On top, beautiful cuts of quality seafood: Fatty Blue Fin Tuna, Giant Clam, Salmon, Octopus, Silver Shad, Salmon Roe, Tuna, Squid, Tamago, Shrimp, pickled vegetables, with Uni placed delicately in the center.

Sushi Omakase.

Ohh-makase. What is there to say? If this fish tasted any fresher, you’d be swimming with it. This selection included, in order: Amaebi, Abalone and Liver, Fluke, Blowfish, Uni, Baby Sardine, Hamachi, Salmon, and Toro. Shamefully good.

Salmon Avocado Roll.

Clockwise from top: Ikura Salmon Roe (Alaska), Spicy Tuna Roll, Seared Salmon Sushi.

Tuna Avocado Handroll.

Yellowtail Scallion Handroll.

Yes, you’d be insane to go to Sushi Zen solely for the purpose of having a Spicy Tuna Roll or a Yellowtail Scallion Handroll, but they’re just as good as you’d hope.

Tamago.

A sampling of Tamago, savory and sweet. Besides another order of Chawan Mushi, there would be no better way to end a meal at Sushi Zen.

Pocha 32’s Watermelon Soju.

Cocktails might be the last thing on your mind after yesterday’s St. Paddy’s Day revelry, but a little hair of the dog never hurt. Here’s a good recommendation: Watermelon Soju at Pocha 32 in K-Town.

We know what you’re thinking. What’s so special about watermelon soju at a Korean restaurant? The answer here, is presentation. The drink is actually served inside a hollowed-out, halved watermelon. You’re given a ladle, and chilled camping-style tins for self-service. It’s an ideal drink to split among friends, and a pretty good deal at $24— you can easily get upwards of six liberal pours.

The drink is refreshing, and not too sweet (an accomplishment for a fruit cocktail), and the flavor is a dead ringer for watermelon Bubbalicious gum. It evokes summer and backyard barbecues. The bonus, of course, is scraping out spoonfuls of the saturated fruit once all the soju has been downed. Just be forewarned: this stuff is more potent than the taste would suggest. Of course, if you do wind up with a hangover, we’ve got you covered.

ENGOV is an over-the-counter hangover cure that you may have wanted to get ahead of time.

Is it normal that your head is still spinning when you close your eyes? Probably not. If after last night’s revelry, you actually feel like eating today, there are solutions for getting over your St. Paddy’s Day hangover. The first one you might have needed to plan out a bit, it involves an over-the-counter hangover pill that’s really popular in Brazil, but that can be snagged in at least one spot in Queens.

Nobody here is a doctor, but ENGOV has been known to clear the cobwebs if not quite get you from 0 to 60. In Brazil, when people know they’re going to get ripped, they stop into a local farmácia to buy packets of these pills whose ingredients (aluminum hydroxide, caffeine, acetylsalicylic, and pyrilamine maleate) can be found in antacids, aspirin, and antihistamines. You’re meant to take one before your first drink and another after the last. But, you can also just take two the next day.

It may just be a placebo, but for future reference, you can find ENGOV at Rio Bonito in Astoria (32-15 36th Ave), the Brazilian Market that was the site of New York’s first pizza cone sightings before K! Pizzacone came to town. If you’re not into pill-popping, there are some food cures…

BACON SCIENTIFICALLY CURES HANGOVERS

As previously noted, researchers found that while food in general helps cure hangovers by speeding up the metabolism, bacon is particularly efficient. “Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of aminos which tops these up, giving you a clearer head.” Read more

UMEBOSHI

Umeboshi are pickled ume fruits. They’re picked before they’re ripe, then soaked in brine. Because of perceived health benefits, umeboshi are a Japanese folk remedy for colds, flus, and…hangovers. They can be found in Asian markets, and are served at Sakagura, and Soba-ya, where Pickled Sour Plum is an appetizer. Read more

DISHES WITH ‘HANGOVER’ IN THEIR NAMES

In honor of Fergus Henderson’s hangover brunch at The Breslin back in October, Maryse set out to get hungover to test Resto’s Belgian Hangover Pasta, and the Hangover Cure at Bar Blanc Bistro. You know, to see if they could actually deliver as cures. Did they work? Read more

Mister Softee is back.

It happened last night, 2010’s first Mister Softee jingle. It makes sense if you consider Mister Softee’s history. In 1956, the Conway brothers took their first truck out on St. Paddy’s Day, and gave out green-colored ice cream. March 17th was the anniversary of Mister Softee’s first outing.

The jingle signifies that warm weather is near, but it’s also the crack of the starter’s pistol—the beginning of a run of articles, and local TV news spots that detail how the jingle drives city-dwellers crazy. People have been hiding from the cold so long they forget they can actually leave their homes. They take three months of cabin fever out on poor Mister Softee, and his happy little song.

Last year’s dire warnings included a report at the end of March in The Daily News about Inwood residents claiming to be driven mad by the constant jingle. The New York Post chimed in two months later, this time in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, with residents complaining about the trucks that circle McCarren Park. NPR in 2007 when New York City implemented a new noise code. You get the idea. The over/under on the 2010’s first news report about people being driven mad with rage about the jingle? By next Friday, Monday the 29th at the latest.

Two things. It’s beautiful outside, get out of the house. Go buy an a ice cream. Also, did you know the jingle has lyrics? The cream-i-est dream-i-e-est Softee words were copyrighted in 1960:

Here comes Mis-ter Sof-tee The soft ice cream man.
The cream-i-est dream-i-est soft ice cream you get from Mis-ter Softee
For a re-freshing de-light su-preme Look for Mis-ter Sof-tee.
My milk shakes and my sun-daes and my cones are such a treat
Lis-ten for my store on wheels ding-a-ling down the street.
The cream-i-est dream-i-est soft ice cream you get from Mis-ter Sof-tee
For a re-fresh-ing de-light su-preme Look for Mis-ter Sof-tee
S-O-F-T Dub-ble-E Mis-ter Sof-tee!

Check out this classic Mister Softee commercial for a vintage rendition (it’s kind of incredible how much advertising has evolved). If you’re still angry, here’s something to melt the heart of the most ardent cynic—a video of a Mister Softee driver singing the song while playing it on a little Yamaha keyboard.

Now, can we leave poor Mister Softee alone? He chimes the sound of summer, relax. April may be the cruelest month, but winter’s over. Rejoice.

Mint Jelly to accompany the Lamb Chop from Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse on 5th Avenue.

Most days, it ain’t easy being green. But on St. Patrick’s Day green is where it’s at. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled photographs of some favorite green-hued eats and drinks.

Think about it, there’s a lot of green food out there. Spinach, lettuce, avocados, peas— with pasta, on pizza, in sushi, and on sandwiches. The list goes on. Of course, if you’re looking to down pints til you’re green in the face, Midtown Lunch has a great round-up of places to bar crawl in the heavily pub-dominated neighborhood.

Behold, the epic green foods photo extravaganza you’ve been waiting for. Happy St. Paddy’s Day.

Pizza

Clockwise from top: Artichoke Slice at Artichoke Basille’s, Popeye Pizza at Co., Brussels Sprouts Pizza at Motorino, Rustica Pizza at Manducatis Rustica.

Salad

Clockwise from top: Spicy & Tingly Lamb Face Salad at Xi’an Famous Foods, Caesar Salad at Da Umberto, Celery Salad at Prime Meats, Little Owl’s Dandelion Greens Salad with Blood Orange.

Sandwich

Clockwise from top: Green Chile Cheeseburger at Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen, Spinach Pie at Taverna Kyclades, Spinach Pie at Faicco’s.

Creamed Spinach

Clockwise from top: Black Truffle Creamed Spinach at Strip House, Creamed Spinach at Wildwood Barbecue, Creamed Spinach at The Palm, Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse’s Creamed Spinach.

Pasta

Clockwise from top: Capricci with Pesto, Potatoes & Green Beans at ‘intoteca & Liquori Bar, Pesto Shark with Rigatoni at Sunburnt Cow, Penne with Kale and Pine Nuts at Franny’s in Park Slope.

Peas

Clockwise from top: Whipped Sweet Peas from Park Avenue Spring, Sping Pea Purée at Felidia, Sautéed Peas with House-Cured Guanciale at Franny’s.

Avocado

Clockwise from top: Hawaiian Prawn Roulade with Avocado at Eleven Madison Park, Guacamole and Chips at Sueños, House Special Roll with Tuna & Avocado at Soto, Móle’s Guacamole.

Miscellaneous From the Garden

Clockwise from top: Pickles at Second Avenue Deli, Grilled Cactus with Rajas con Crema at Mesa Coyoacan, Stuffed Artichoke at Bacaro, The Standard Grill’s Haricots Verts Salad.

Greens

Clockwise from top: Collard Greens at Pies ‘n’ Thighs, Crispy Chinese Watercress Salad at SriPraPhai, Braised Greens with Lemon, Garlic & Chile at Little Owl.

Miscellaneous

Clockwise from top: Hara Bhara Kabab at Tamarind, Thai Mussels with Curry Coconut Broth at Flex Mussels, Green Prawns at Mr. Chow Tribeca, Matsugen’s Green Tea Crème brûlée.

Brussels Sprouts

Clockwise from top: Roasted Brussels Sprouts from 10 Downing, Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino at Lupa, Craft’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Cocktails

Clockwise from top: Martini with Olives at Ben & Jack’s, Margarita at Bondi Road, Frozen Mojito at Café Habana, Shiso Cucumber Martini at Matsugen.

Litre Pints at Radegast Beer Hall & Garden.

Sure, drinking beer on St. Patrick’s Day is practically a rule, but let’s not overlook the many great foods that are actually made using beer. To celebrate, we’ve created our own menu using dishes that feature beer as a key ingredient.

Start with Bondi Road’s Mussels with Coopers Beer, a nice alternative to more traditional preparations with white wine or cream sauce. The use of beer in the broth adds a subtle bitter finish that complements the fresh seafood. Visit for the Monday night special to continue celebrating long after St. Patrick’s Day: all you can eat and drink for two hours at $20.00/per person.

The barbecue at Hill Country, as if you didn’t know, is some of New York’s best. And yes, the beef ribs, moist brisket, and pork chop are all excellent. But to fully get into the spirit of this holiday, shake things up a little bit, and opt for the equally good Beer Can Game Hen (image courtesy of pigtrip.net).

Needless to say, the main attraction at Bohemian Beer Hall & Garden are the brews. It may not be Irish, but it is still a great place to throw back a few on this holiday, especially with this kind of gorgeous weather. From Country Kolbasa that is hot off the grill to specialties like Halusky, and Beef Goulash, there’s a lot of great food to be had, but when you’re drinking, nothing satisfies like some Beer-Battered Onion Rings.

We can’t say enough good things about the food at Vinegar Hill House. And of course, that includes the crave-worthy Guinness Chocolate Cake served for dessert. It’s dense, fudgy, and wonderfully chocolaty. The taste almost mimics the effect of an Oreo cookie, coating the mouth with that nostalgic combination of chocolate and cream.

Hit up MARK Burger for their fantastic sliders, but linger with the Guinness Milkshake, chef Erik Rubin’s reincarnation of a classic Irish Car Bomb. It uses Ciao Bella’s Tahitian Vanilla Gelato mixed with a sweet caramel syrup made from a Guinness reduction, and a touch of sugar. Those who normally eschew Guinness because it’s too bitter will love this rich, creamy interpretation.

Clockwise from top: McDonald’s elusive Shamrock Shake, Fat Witch Bakery’s Whiskey Witch, and Baked by Melissa’s St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes (image courtesy of Baked by Melissa).

Greensanity continues. This time with green sweets. As reported, the Union Square McDonald’s is serving the Shamrock Shake, a tasty minty green confection not normally found in New York. It’s good, get it while you can (though maybe not between stops on your bar crawl!).

If you’re in the Union Square neighborhood with a sweet tooth, make a pit stop at Baked by Melissa for their festive green cupcakes. Or if you’re by Chelsea Market, Fat Witch Bakery is offering some St. Patrick’s Day-themed brownies, like the Whiskey Witch: “a wee bit of whiskey in a Fat Witch.” It’s a sly, guilt-free way to booze at your desk if you can’t be out amongst all the drunken tomfoolery.

Pit Master Scott Smith.

Burgers, burgers, burgers. Burgers topped with butter, stuffed with cheese, sandwiched with chicken, spread with peanut butter, and topped with fried egg. The Monday night burger special cooked up by pit master, Scott Smith at RUB BBQ, has been a big success. Always Hungry featured two of them, the Butter, and Goober burgers, and A Hamburger Today has gotten into the habit of sending out a weekly alert detailing the night’s featured burger (Scott decides them day-of).

This Monday’s burger eschewed a regional style for the burger that Scott wanted to make— just so he could eat it. What was it? Read the Q&A.

AHNY: What’s the special burger for tonight [Monday]?
Scott Smith: A Bacon and Roaring Forties Blue Cheese Burger served with a horseradish aioli. This one’s for me.

RUB’s Bacon and Roaring Forties Blue Cheese Burger.

AHNY: What’s so special about this burger?
Smith: Well, I make the bacon, so I’m pretty excited about that, and I love Roaring Forties Blue Cheese. I’ve been wanting to do this one for a while.

AHNY: So are you kind of out of regional styles to do? What are you going to do now?
Smith: Well, we’ll repeat them, there were people who didn’t get to try them all the first time. And we’ll come up with some other ones. I like this because it’s a playful thing I get to do. It’s not the same BBQ that we do every day. Obviously, we’re not doing it super seriously. I mean, when we do it we do it well, but it’s kind of also just meant to be to do something different, to generate business on Mondays, which is a slow night.

AHNY: So has it affected business?
Smith: It has. It’s been fantastic. It’s really exciting. We’ve tossed around the idea of doing a restaurant that’s more burger-oriented in the past, so we’ll see what happens.

AHNY: Which of the regional burgers that you have done is your favorite?
Smith: I really liked the Jersey slider that we did last week. It’s a great combination of flavors and textures. There’s great oniony flavor. It’s kind of like White Manna, but with more salt [laughs]. It’s the only thing I think that they’re really missing there.

AHNY: Any others?
Smith: The Nut Burger was interesting. It had chopped peanuts and Miracle Whip, and I roasted the nuts myself. It’s funny, I hate Miracle Whip. When I was growing up, my dad put it on everything. But when you try it with everything, and you have that super fresh peanut flavor combined with the tangy, sweet Miracle Whip, and the burger, it was like, “Now I get it!” I like the West Coast Burger too. It was basically an In-N Out Burger, but we changed the name so we wouldn’t get sued. That was pretty tasty. I don’t know. It’s tough to decide between them. They’re like your children. I like them all.

AHNY: Which one was the most popular?
Smith: The most popular was the onion burger. It’s an interesting concept. The onions are almost burned, but not quite. The combination of flavors and textures is really nice. Not a lot of people are going to be able to go to Oklahoma anytime soon to try the original, so this gives them a chance to.

The RUB Burger.

So how was the burger? Really good. The blue was strong. It was a deep, raunchy funk that Smith said came from a Gorgonzola strain of bacteria used to make the cheese. It was mellowed by the saltiness of the thick cuts of housemade bacon. A funny thing happened though. With all this talk about the special burgers at RUB, the actual RUB Burger (Mondays only, $7.50) should not be overlooked. It’s a pretty damn tasty burger— smooth and savory. There’s a moist flattened patty topped with Velveeta, chipotle aioli, chopped caramelized onions, and pickles.

Salt and Pepper Sausage on a Roll.

Those in the environs of Chelsea Market during lunch certainly don’t want for good dining options, the new offerings at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats included among them. The butcher shop, which has been serving lunch for three or four weeks, offers about five sandwiches that change daily (check their site).

A representative noted that every day they try to have two sandwiches and two sausages on the offer (the Beef Chili is a staple). The star of today’s menu? It was a deceptively simple-sounding Salt and Pepper Sausage on a Roll ($9.00). The loose, juicy sausage has a snappy casing, and comes drenched in richly-flavored, sweetish, baked beans with burnt ends. The chewy baguette holds up nicely, and the runny whole grain mustard under the sausage adds a spicy kick. Say hello to the new gourmet chili dog. Toss that tie over your shoulder, hunch over the tray, and get ready to chow down. This is going to get messy.

Roast Beef Sandwich.

The cold Roast Beef sandwich was another hit. The meat is perfectly rare, the bread nice and squishy, spread with mayo-horseradish sauce, and a layer of thinly-sliced red onions that introduce a little tang. This sandwich ($8.00) is a solid version to recommend even to Defonte’s most ardent loyalists.

Beef and Lamb Meatball Sandwich.

A Beef and Lamb Meatball sandwich ($10.00) was also strong, though not on the same level. The meatballs were good— soft— but the sauce could have used a touch more punch. Another meatball might have evened the to-bread ratio.

Shop: Dickson Farmstand Meats
Location: Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue (b/n 15th & 16th)
Hours: Shop, Mon-Fri, 11:00am-9pm; Weekends, 11:00am-7:00pm. Lunch, 12:00pm-2:30pm only.
Contact: (212) 242-2630

Valrhona Chocolate Dulce de Leche Skillet Torte.

The desserts at Village Tart inspired some high hopes. Afterall, the newish bakery-brasserie sports a pedigree that includes Permanent Bruncher Lesly Bernard and consulting pastry chef Pichet Ong. The dessert menu seduces with words like “Valrhona chocolate,” “butterscotch,” and “dulce de leche.” And early word on their baked goods set inspired more confidence. Sadly, the love affair ends there.

How does a Valrhona Chocolate Dulce de Leche Skillet Torte go wrong? With a thin, dry cake like a deflated version of a store-bought brownie from a box— only, even those are often more chocolaty and more moist. It’s the kind of fail that makes you long for the perfection of a simple, well-executed molten chocolate cake.

Grapefruit Butterscotch Budino with Rum Whipped Cream.

The Grapefruit Butterscotch Budino shared a similar fate. The butterscotch flavor was pleasant—assertive and sweet like a Werther’s Original—but the texture of the pudding was regrettably grainy. And while there’s definitely something to unexpected, unconventional pairings, the tart sourness of the grapefruit supremes on top did not help the curdled effect of the already coarse custard.

Sausage Egg Breakfast Pizza.

Funny how things work. Frank Pepe’s opened its first New York location in Yonkers last November. Last week, Eddie’s of New Hyde Park announced it would soon make its first inroads into Manhattan since they opened in 1941. Now both styles of pizza have met on Bowery and Houston in Pulino’s Bar and Pizzeria, Keith McNally and Nate Appleman’s much-awaited pizzeria. The kicker? As Eater has well-documented with its first looks at the decor, the place looks like it has been there on the corner forever.

Of course, Neapolitan-style was a New York staple long before Frank Pepe’s left the confines of New Haven. But Pulino’s combines the crust texture and taste of Pepe’s with an even thinner pie, one that’s just about 2½ times the thickness of what you’d expect from Eddie’s. Not to say it’s cracker-like, it’s not at all. But it is not a doughy pie. Do not think Kesté, Co., or Motorino. Nor are pizzas as charred as the ones pictured by Zagat. What we have here folks, as was the intention – is an idiosyncratic style of pizza. A standardized amoeba shape, a thin crust, and square cuts.

Clockwise from top: Margherita Pizza slice, whole pie, and upskirt.

At breakfast, pies are divided into three categories: “Pizze,” “Pizze + Uova,” and “Pizza Dolce.” Pies are available in large and small sizes. Under ‘Pizze,’ the menu features three pies: the Bianca (extra virgin olive oil and sea salt), the Bianca Tradizionale (mozzarella, pecorino, black pepper, and pork strutto), and the Margherita. The Margherita featured a tart, sweet, unchunky sauce, dressed lightly with cheese— about a 1½:1 ratio, sauce to cheese. It avoids the problems plaguing many generic slices these days: undersaucing. It is a very good pie.

Even so, the category beneath it, “Pizze + Uova,” declares with understatement what may be the best pizza to arrive in New York in the last year. The Salsiccia consists of eggs, sausage, bacon, mozzarella, and white cheddar. It seems slightly thicker at first, but that may really only be because of the toppings. Bacon tastes like the best breakfast bacon, small nubs of sausage (as when you split the casings and sizzle break the stuff up in the pan), and very runny eggs. They keep the albumen runny, and even those not normally keen on their eggs this way should shut up and eat— it creates a sauce that combines for delicious flavor. The proportion of egg:pizza:perfect. Two eggs to the large pie. Enough to amply coat the whole thing. Of course, the selfish thing to do is to grab that center crustless piece, and make off like a bandit.

A nice added touch? The problems of getting the red chili flakes out of the shaker (just unscrew), and chili flavor distribution, have been fixed by the bottle of chili oil you can drizzle as liberally as you like.

Blueberry Bacon Pizza.

As for Pizza Dolce, the Frutta was the server’s recommendation, but the Ottima, a pizza with ricotta, wild blueberry jam, and bacon, is the compelling sweet pie to order. The jam is delightfully thin— it would go great with venison— and it contrasts nicely with the salty bacon, whose grease bubbles are still fresh from the oven.

But sweet pizza wouldn’t be the reorder on subsequent visits. No, no. Dessert room here should be saved for more savory items. Too many good things to try. Good luck getting in.

Grilled Sardines with Caramelized Cauliflower, Eggplant, Pine nuts, and Curried Date Dressing, and Affogato with an Intelligentsia Organic Espresso Shot at Five Leaves in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

There was a time not long ago, when those walking from the Bedford L toward McGuinness had already filled their bellies, or well knew the contents of their fridge. It was a hike past the Turkey’s Nest, the concrete baseball field, and the benches near the Automotive High School, to their vinyl-sided homes. Unless they planned to eat Polish, Thai, or at Wasabi, passing N 12th without having eaten was a no-no. But change comes fast in Williamsburg, and this energy has spread to Greenpoint. So it is that Five Leaves, a neighborhood joint, provides this hipster trail of tears a place to feast on the way.

There’s a nautical theme. A bistro feel. Metal folding chairs, cramped tables, and little space for servers to pirouette through. No matter. There’s a banquette, a bar for locals, many windows, and charm. What was this before? Video rental? A Polish cloth store? Who can remember. After little more than a year it already seems like this restaurant, a collaboration between the late actor, Heath Ledger, and his friends Scott Campbell and Jud Mongell, has always been a neighborhood fixture.

Organic, local when it can be. American? Californian? French? Are those beets on the burger? Ah, Australian. From the tiny kitchen a range of food comes fresh and apt. Oysters fresh or flash-fried. House-made Ricotta with figs, fresh thyme, honeycomb, Maldon sea salt and Fruit Bread. Mussels, or Devils on Horseback. How many places pull off good sardines? These are grilled and served with caramelized cauliflower, eggplant, pine nuts with a curried date dressing. Gentle, delicate, not fishy.

For entrées: Beetroot Ravioli, Brook Trout, Hanger Steak, Pork Shank, or Lamb Shepherd’s Pie. Roasted Icelandic Cod with Sherry and Cockles served over Chickpeas, Broccoli Rabe and Romesco, fresh, moist— a winning presentation. For those who never order chicken, a reason, Roasted Amish Chicken with Creamy Mitakes, Black Kale, and Savory Bread Pudding. It’s the neighborhood’s best rendition since Sweetwater’s made begrudging locals accept the loss of their favorite dive bar.

Then the burger. An airy, grill-marked bun. Besides the beets, there’s a fried pineapple ring, and a fried egg. The meat is black-charred, but red and juicy inside. There are thin office girls who have made their way out here and eat salads, there for the vibe. They’re missing out.

A glass of wine with visiting parents. Boylan’s, Bud, or Oban at day’s end with a deep breath while waiting for your ‘other’ to meet for dinner. Five Leaves is the spot. The name is from the Swan cigarette papers that tell you when there are just five left. From here you can find a place that sells more. No need to pause for a break on that picnic bench any longer. You’re almost home.

The sign above this market entrance in Budapest, “Isamu Vásárcsarnok,” means Isamu Market Hall.

Market: Nagycsarnok, Great Market Hall
Address: 1056 Budapest, V. kerület, Fővám tér 1, Hungary
Highlights: Paprika, Strudel, Tokaji, Unicum, Pálinka
Hours: Mon 6am-5pm, Tue-Fri 6am-5pm, Sat 6am-2pm, Sun closed.

Nagycsarnok, also known as the Great Market Hall, is Budapest’s largest indoor market. It supposedly came about at the turn of the 19tth century, after the unification of Pest and Óbuda, when outdoor markets were unable to supply the growing city with fresh produce. Leaders decided to build a covered market hall similar to those elsewhere in Europe at the time. Nagycsarnok was designed by Samu Pecz, and completed in 1894, but caught fire and had to be repaired before it could reopen in 1897. The market was reconstructed between 1991 and 1994.

There are three floors, but the ground-level area is the most impressive. Stands are filled with vegetables, fruit, salamis, sausages, hams, wines, and cheese. The most visually iconic items are the strings of red paprika and garlic hanging at each stall, but it’s also a good place to buy saffron, and alcohol, like tokaji (sweet wine), Unicum (an herbal digestif made with forty herbs) and pálinka, a traditional Hungarian fruit brandy often made from plums, pears, or apricots.

The pastry stall downstairs has one of Budapest’s most fantastic strudels. You’re likely to find the stand surrounded by a throng of eager pastry-fiends trying to get their hands on these warm, confectioners’ sugar-covered delights. Each bite of the light pastry melts away quickly— just be careful not to inhale the sugar as you devour it. Upstairs, the food court is filled with stuffed cabbage rolls, goulash and local delicacies. Monday mornings are the best time to visit to avoid sharp elbows, but if you want to see the locals shop, Saturday morning is said to be the best bet.

Click the thumbnails below for a slideshow tour through the Great Market Hall.

Always Hungry’s Calendar keeps you informed about food events taking place around the city and the country. Here’s a list of some of this week’s significant events:

• 3/15 Tour the City’s best BBQ joints on this ribs and brisket eat-athon.

• 3/17 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Eat, drink, and be green.

• 3/18 You and your child can learn the art of making Challah at a 92nd Street Y’s baking class.

• 3/20 Experience the food of a Mediterranean Passover at the Astor Center’s cooking class and wine pairing.

• 3/21 Taste the best of Little Italy and what used to be Little Ireland on this neighborhood walking tour.

• 3/21 Five chefs compete in a whole roast pig-off at Cochon 555.

Click here to view Always Hungry’s full calendar.