China 1

China 1
50 Avenue B

After being shutout from China 1 on a busy Saturday night, I had always thought of China 1 as more of a party space than a dining establishment, but after hearing about their weekday drink specials and subsequently reviewing their menu, I reached out to the restaurant to find out more about their chef and cuisine. *Full disclosure: We received a small discount on our food tab but received the same drink specials.

$2 well drinks, sake and beers meant a lot of drinks. The catch was that each person had to buy $15 worth of food. I think of it as 2 drinks and $15 of food for $20. Not a bad deal. The food at China 1 is meant to be shared, and for the five of us we ordered just enough to hit the $15pp minimum.

After placing our order, we were offered a chicken lollipop amuse bouche which was covered in crispy noodles. Love when I get an amuse bouche, but wasn't too thrilled with the taste. The noodles had the "I just grabbed a bag of em off the shelf and through them on some chicken," though the rest of the group enjoyed them.

Chicken lollipop:


We started off with a couple of "dragon soup dumplings" filled with hot and sour soup ($2 each). While it was a pretty good soup dumpling, my expectations were probably unrealistic. Hot and sour soup sounded crazy awesome and it didn't hit that mark. The rest of the food, however, was on target.

Soup dumpling:


The Shanghai belly fried rice ($10) was served with pork belly and a fried quail egg. It was perfect for sharing, with lots of food, garlicky and not greasy. The pan roasted chicken breast with coconut curry ($14) felt clean and refreshing. Cantonese BBQ crispy duck ($22), probably the winner of the entire evening, holds its own with any other top notch peking duck spot. For me, the key is the skin and managing the amount of fat. China 1 got that right. Crispy skin with tender pieces of duck sat atop pancakes (a la Momofuku pork bun?) for sandwiches. If you only order one thing, it's this.

Shanghai fried rice:


Duck:


The only dishes that weren't really memorable were the yellow flower fish with noodles ($17). It's just difficult to share a noodle soup, and even if I was eating it myself, I would have liked some spicyness to add some punch. Sure, the fortune cookie sundae was good ($8). It's difficult for chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge and fortune cookie not to be good, but I was expecting something more.

Yellow flower fish soup:


Fortune cookie sundae:


The verdict? $2 drinks is obviously a good deal. If you go with one other person, each get 2 drinks, the duck and the Shanghai rice, that's $40 for 2. Pretty good deal if you ask me. Definitely will go check it out again. Been to China 1? Want to go with me next time? Post a comment!

Terroir

51. Terroir
413 E 12th Street

I made a quick stop at Terroir, fresh off its Time Out New York award for Best New Wine Bar, for my first taste of the back half of the TONY list. It’s fitting that I would want to make it there as soon as possible; the picture of the lamb sausages from the 100 best printout have been staring at me in the face for the last few months and now I can finally check them off the list.

With a happy hour that runs from 5-6pm and offers $6 glasses of wine or a free glass of ultra-dry sherry, I made sure to go for my free glass of sherry (nothing like a sharply dry beverage for an after-work escape). Drink I hand, I flipped through the extensive wine list while waiting for my order to be ready and chatted briefly with the staff about the award ceremony. The lamb sausage ($7) is wrapped in sage leaves and fried, creating a crispy shell. Fatty, salty, and crunchy, it makes for a great bar snack that is perfect for sharing. I think what could take this dish to the next level would be some kind of spicy dipping sauce like a mustard or a jalapeño mayo just to balance out the flavors…

Back Forty

Back Forty
190 Avenue B

I first read about Back Forty when I was searching online for new hamburger spots to try. A recipient of Time Out New York’s Best Eats award for 2008 (the award plate is prominently displayed near the entrance), Back Forty caters to the locavore diner, with ingredients from local farms and beer selections from Northeastern breweries.

Though we were unaware that the restaurant even offered a happy hour, we managed to go on a Sunday night, where all drinks at the bar are half price. With most beer options normally priced around $6-7 and cocktails at $10, we didn’t need much convincing to sit at the bar (they also have a garden out back when the weather improves that looks like a great summer spot).

We started off with an order of the recommended pork jowl nuggets ($4). Small cubes of what is mostly pork fat, crispy on the outside and fatty on the inside, are placed over a jalepeno marmalade that provides much of the flavor and heat (not recommended for those who do not like spicy foods). For three to an order, they certainly weren’t cheap, and even though they were good, I can’t justify the price tag.

Pork Jowl Nuggets:


A Captain Lawrence pale ale later, and we were ready for what we came for, the grass-fed burger ($11). I topped mine with heritage farms bacon ($2), she topped hers with cheddar ($2), and we split an order of rosemary fries ($2), which I would strongly recommend ordering. The restaurant doesn’t suggest ordering their burgers more than medium, as the grass-fed beef tends to be less fatty than the usual burger meat. Though the patty was juicy and plump, which made it a very good burger, my medium-rare order was cooked slightly on the rarer side (not a big foul), the bacon didn’t really add much to the dish, and I would still prefer one from shake shack anytime. We finished the meal with an order of their pecan brownie topped with vanilla ice cream ($7), which was pretty simple and for $7 I expected a dessert that is more than something I could easily make at home. That being said, I would be happy to come back with a locavore who is interested in trying some of their other offerings or anyone that enjoys grass-fed beef, as long as it is happy hour.

Burger:


Burger with Bacon closeup:


Brownie:


Know of another restaurant that offers food specials at the bar? Interested in going? Post a comment!

Royale

Royale
157 Avenue C

My roommate had told me about Royale when I lived in the West Village last year, and though I was reluctant to make the trip across town to Avenue C, Royale has solidified its spot on my list of top summer hangouts. Disguised as any other bar, the porch out back is one of my favorite places to go on a warm summer evening, since it feels like you’ve been transported to someone’s backyard deck. As if cans of porkslap and plenty of beers on tap weren’t enough, Royale offers a burger that challenges (perhaps successfully) the burger trifecta (shake shack, burger joint, corner bistro). The royale with bacon $8.00 is a perfectly charred, medium-rare patty, juicy and flavorful, manifesting images of the corner bistro burger (though Royale’s is slightly larger). Some fries and beer battered onion rings later ($3 each), I can only hope for another warm night to return soon.

Royale with Bacon:


Fries & Onion Rings:

Return to Nicky's

Gone for a few days but wanted to post a couple pictures from Nicky's since the original post was buried and I didn't have my camera yet. Enjoy!

Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches
150 E 2nd Street between A and B

I had read about this place on a number of cheap eats websites and had wanted to try it for quite some time. Nicky’s is a small space that sells Vietnamese sandwiches, all served on baguettes with pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and mayo. All of the sandwiches are $5.00-5.50 including sardine, chicken and pork chop sandwiches with their specialty being the classic Vietnamese which comes with pate, Vietnamese ham and roasted ground pork and can be ordered regular or spicy. Feeling particular brave I chose the spicy and sat down at one of 2 tables. As my friend noted, one sandwich is not enough to fill you up but two is too many. Ideally I would come here and split 3 sandwiches with someone else. The classic was well worth the wait with the pate and vegetables providing most of the flavor and the ham and ground pork adding consistency. The baguette was fresh and the ratio of veggies to meat was just about right. The only problem that I had was that I thought I could take down the spicy sandwich which was slightly out of my heat tolerance. Nicky’s sandwiches are a steal at $5.

Traditional Vietnamese Sandwich:


A close-up:


Portobello Mushroom Sandwich:

B&H Dairy

B&H Dairy
127 2nd Avenue

Since first hearing about B&H during my freshman year at NYU I have come back time and time again to experience one of my favorite breakfasts in the city. A long counter, a handful of tables, and an open grill is you're looking at when you enter this dining institution that has been around for decades. Granted, I'm pretty skeptical about any place that is vegetarian, but it only took one visit to land B&H on my breakfast staples list.

The signature offering is their homemade challah, served with almost all of orders, though certainly worth the extra buck as a side. The bread is fluffy with a crusted exterior and it has just a hint of sweetness. It's from this humble beginning that the french toast is made. Dipped in an egg wash and thrown on the grill, it's quintessential comfort food and with three large pieces for $5.00, it's one of the cheapest breakfasts out there. Cheddar omelets for $5.00 and served with potatoes and, of course, challah, make it a perfect compliment for a dining partner ordering the french toast (split 'em both and you're in for a filling and incredibly inexpensive breakfast). Other offerings include a fresh juice bar, soups that are always very popular and borscht, which my girlfriend has stopped by for on more than one occasion.

French Toast, Cheddar Omelet, Potatoes:


French Toast & Cheddar Omelet:


Perhaps the best way to describe the true atmosphere at B&H is to mention that for lunch one day during college with a couple of my friends, a Tums commercial was being filmed at the restaurant. After singing "Tum tum tum tum. Tum tum tum tum tuuuuuuums" we returned to our three orders of french toast. Sure, it looks like a dive and there's usually one guy who's taking care of your table, your order and grilling your food, but if you go just once, you'll make it a point of going back again. Classic neighborhood joint with comforting, inexpensive food. A winner in my book.

Irving Mill

37. Irving Mill
116 E 16th Street between Irving and Union Square West



I pass Irving Mill almost every morning on my way to work and have always been impressed by the menu. Chef Ryan Skeen, former chef at Resto, has certainly made a name for himself in New York, representing the city as a candidate for the James Beard rising star chef of the year award. Skeen shares his passion for all things pork by including menu items such as pork toast with egg salad and caviar, crispy pig’s ear salad and a selection of sausages and pates. Time Out New York’s item at Irving Mill is the burger ($15) which blends ground sirloin, flap-meat and a touch of pig fat. Recently introducing a recession special, I ventured in on Monday nights where $15 nets a burger, fries and one of two rotating draft beers.

On tap were two Sixpoint ales though I only remember that one was light and one was dark (sounds like McSorley’s). The lighter ale was still slightly too bitter for my liking but enjoyable nonetheless. I’m not gonna lie, I was at first disappointed with the size of the burger. It’s small. For $15 I expected something bigger than a $5.50 double shake shack burger and even after the fries I was still hungry. Though I can see why people are excited about the burger, slightly crusty on the outside, fatty and juicy on the inside, topped with melted cheddar, I would still prefer a burger from the trifecta (shake shack, burger joint, corner bistro). What Irving Mill offers that the others don’t, however, is options and atmosphere. Sure, the burger on its own isn’t better than the others, but you certainly can’t get a charcuterie plate from a bistro, a pistachio crusted snapper from a joint, or tortellini with sweetbreads from a shack. Your friend doesn’t want a burger and you do? Go to Irving Mill. On a Monday. $15 is still too much for the burger, but if I rationalize it that I’m spending $6 on a beer, then the burger becomes only $9 which is right in the ballpark. As long as the Monday night specials keep going, Irving Mill offers a solid burger for a reasonable price.

Ippudo

36. Ippudo
65 4th Ave between 9th and 10th



The East Village has become something of a ramen mecca, with at least five different noodle shops within a few blocks of each other. Ippudo opened their first location in NYC after having considerable success with a chain of ramen shops in Japan and after trying a number of times to get a table, I succumbed to the waiting list and put my name down to join the masses. An hour and a half later my table was ready.

We sat at the bar to get a close-up view of the food being prepared and if the food was going to be anything like the décor, we were in for a great experience. Large booths surround communal wooden tables with plenty of viewing areas into the kitchen. We each ordered the Akamaru ramen which the restaurant describes as “new recipe, ramen noodles, thicker pork broth, berkshire pork chashu, cabbage, scallions.” What they forgot to list was something that added a pasty, slightly gritty taste (MSG? Miso?) that rendered the broth mediocre at best. The noodles were soft and slightly chewy, and the pork was tender and flavorful, but I just couldn’t get over the broth. It doesn’t even come close to Momofuku Noodle Bar.

I think that of all the items on the TONY list so far, I was most disappointed with Ippudo. Maybe it was because the hour and a half wait built up unrealistic expectations or that my recollection of Momofuku Noodle Bar placed Ippudo unfairly up against an unbeatable comparison, but whatever the reason, I can’t see myself returning to pay $16 for inferior noodles even without a wait.

The Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow
137 Avenue C near 9th Street

My friends from out of town wanted something for dinner that they couldn’t get in D.C. Having already gone to Katz’s and with plans to hit up Artichoke and Ess-a bagel before they left, we decided to go to Sunburnt Cow, a bar / restaurant on Avenue C that I had read about in a number of articles, serving Australian food and $20 open bar specials. When we first entered, we were led into the bar area, dark and semi-uninviting for a dinner (it is a bar after all). But passing through a lounge area, we were led to a porch-like back room with a few tables surrounded by exposed wood paneling and covered in dark lighting. Not bad.

For $16, Sunburnt Cow offers a choice of any appetizer, entrée and dessert. Sold. I started off with an order of the fried calamari, served atop chopped kiwi and jalapeno. Sure, it was a decent appetizer but the execution was way off. The combination of kiwi and jalapeno works well, but how am I supposed to eat it? There was no way to get everything together in one bite. It would have been nice if they pureed the kiwi and jalapeno into a kind of dipping sauce for the calamari. That’s something I would order. My friend ordered the shrimp cocktail which coated baby shrimp in a mayo-based sauce. Also not a winner.

Fried Calamari with kiwi & jalapeno:


Shrimp Cocktail:


For my entrée, I split an order of Barramundi and an order of the Roo Bangers and Mash. The barramundi fillets were served in a Thai broth with veggies and noodles. More soup than entrée, the barramundi was pretty fishy, though the broth was pleasantly spicy and full of fish sauce which added a nice salty balance. I couldn’t help but pick up the bowl and drink the remaining broth. The ‘roo bangers are made from, you guessed it, kangaroo, served with mashed potatoes. I was looking for a more gamey flavor but it actually tastes pretty similar to rabbit (i.e. like chicken though the meat is more fibrous). In the end though, it doesn’t compare well to bangers and mash from London. My other friend ordered the skirt steak which I think was the real winner of the evening. The sauce complemented a tender medium-rare steak and for $16 with appetizer and dessert is probably the way to go.

Barramundi:


Roo Bangers & Mash:


Steak:


The dessert options included sponge cake cubes covered in chocolate and coconut, a pavlova which consists of meringue and cream mixed with fruit, and a date pudding. Opting for the date pudding, I was rewarded with a warm serving of sweet and flavorful pudding. The pavlova was light and serves those who like a more refreshing end to their meal.

Sticky date pudding:


Pavlova:


As our meal came to an end, we were surprised to find that from the empty dining room at 8pm had emerged a waiting list for tables, and while it could just be a function of the fact that the service was fairly slow, I was forgiving, one because there was only one waitress for a good number of tables and two because all employees had an Australian accent. In the end, I was pretty disappointed with the choices that I made, but if I came back and ordered a different appetizer, the steak and the date pudding, it’s probably worth the $16.

PDT

30-32. PDT
113 St. Marks Place between 1st and A



Crif Dogs is a small hot dog and burger shop that offers a unique assortment of deep-fried hot dogs topped with anything from bacon to guacamole to cream cheese. Though the food is enough of an appeal, what is offered inside of a telephone booth in the restaurant brings an entirely different clientele. Pushing open the telephone booth door there is a telephone receiver and a buzzer. After giving the buzzer a ring, the back wall of the telephone booth opens up, we are greeted by a hostess, and having made a reservation we were taken to our table. Welcome to PDT (Please Don’t Tell).

The name is a misnomer by now, as the sheer difficulty of obtaining a reservation is indication enough that people know about PDT. Reservations are taken on a same-day basis only starting at 3pm and after receiving a busy signal from 3:00-3:05 I finally got through only to be notified that I could get a table at 8:00pm (but not 8:30 or 9:00).

The four of us sat down at one of the four leather booths available. Reservations are taken for the tables, but walk-ins are welcome to sit at the bar with about 15 seats. If there are no seats, no one is allowed in, though the hostess will be happy to take down your cell phone and call you when a table opens up. The fact that everyone has a seat and there aren’t too many people means that it’s not noisy, private conversation is encouraged and one can just relax and have a couple drinks without being bumped into or yelling over music. We were presented with the cocktail and food menu which lists a number of specialty cocktails. The full order for four of us came to the Diamondback, a Dirty Martini, the LES Globetrotter, a Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold beer, a Wylie hot dog, a Chang hot dog and tater tots. First, the drinks.

The TONY list recommended the Diamondback (no longer listed as a special but the bartender had the necessary ingredients to make it) and a Dirty Martini. The Diamondback is made with whiskey, apple brandy and chartreuse. Though the alcohol certainly had a strong bite and it was certainly an enjoyable cocktail, it’s probably not something I would order again given the number of other cocktail choices available. PDT certainly makes a nice dirty vodka martini. There was still a vodka taste but it was smooth, went down easy, and the olive taste wasn’t overwhelming. The LES Globetrotter, recommended by our waitress and made with whiskey and orange peel may have been my favorite drink of the night. The drinks are strong, unique, and for $13, pretty comparable in price to cocktails at most other nice bars and lounges. There is an extensive list of specialty cocktails including one with bacon-infused vodka which I may have to come back to try. Captain Lawrence is a brewery in Westchester County, NY and the Liquid Gold pilsner is a safe bet. For $5, the beers are much less expensive than the cocktails, but the glass is only a ½ pint.

PDT is the only place on the TONY list to be blessed with three items. After the Diamondback and the martini, we moved on to the hot dogs ($5 each). The Wylie dog, designed by molecular gastronomist and chef/owner of WD-50 Wylie Dufresne, is made with a deep-fried hot dog, a stick of deep-fried mayonnaise, tomato molasses, and topped with shredded lettuce. I’m not a fan of mayonnaise and was fairly skeptical about this creation, but after the first bite I was hooked. The hot dog and tomato provide the flavor, the mayo gives it some creaminess and the lettuce adds the crunch. What’s not to like? After splitting the first one, we had to order another. The Chang dog, designed by David Chang, chef/owner of the Momofuku empire, is a deep-fried hot dog, wrapped with bacon and topped with kimchi. I’m not sure how well kimchi works on a hot dog, but the bacon-wrapped deep-fried hot dog part was evidence enough that I should return to Crif Dogs to order one with bacon more often. The tater tots for $4 were probably the biggest steal of the night and I would certainly recommend it to all groups at PDT who want something to snack on. The generous portion was crispy, hot and left us wondering if they were homemade.

Four drinks, three dogs, and one order of tots for $77 including tip doesn’t make PDT part of anyone’s cheap list, but to be able to have a table waiting, hang out with some friends (or a date) over a couple of specialty cocktails and try a new hotdog creation, it’s certainly worth calling at 3pm and trying to get a reservation.

Bespoke Chocolates

27. Bespoke Chocolates
6 Extra Place on 1st Street between Bowery and Second Ave

We had to circle the block for a bit before being able to find Bespoke, a small upscale chocolate store that, on the day we were there, was selling only five kinds of chocolates (see the picture below for more evidence as to how hidden this place is). Extra Place isn’t a road, but a sign-less alley that we couldn’t believe would have any commercial activity in it, let alone a chocolate shop. We walked in, ready to grab a couple samples of the pretzel-covered sea-salted caramels that are described by their website as, “a crisp chocolate shell encases silky, creamy, sea-salted caramel.” We approach the counter and order three of them. The customer in front of us was ordering somewhere around ten chocolates and as he was ordering them the chocolates were individually picked up and placed on a wooden board that looked like an artist palette. What kind of place is this? I guess when you’re charging $2.25 for a small piece of chocolate you have to look the part, and this store did just that. Pretentiousness aside, it was nice to see the open kitchen where Rachel Zoe, chocolatier and co-owner of Bespoke was preparing the small desserts, and just being in the store was worth the trip as the chocolate smell filled the room. I inhaled a few more times before leaving and tried the chocolate. I was expecting the caramel to be sticky but it was uncharacteristically smooth, as described, almost like one would expect from a chocolate-filled center. Salt and chocolate is a classic combination and the dessert delivered a very tasty two-bites. Though there’s no question that they are very good, I still have a problem paying $2.25 + tax for each of them. What might make it more successful, in my humble opinion, is if they were prepared for restaurants. If a restaurant was to offer 4 for $6.00-7.00 I would certainly order them. $2.25 each? I don’t think I’ll be running back.

Double Crown

26. Double Crown
316 Bowery at Bleecker

I was slightly turned off by the attitude I was given by the hostess when I arrived at around 5pm and was told that the kitchen wouldn’t be open until 6pm. Nevertheless, we returned to Double Crown, whose menu could be defined as British Imperial (Bangers & Mash, Singapore Laksa, Tandoori Foi Gras) and sat at the bar to order miso-glazed bone marrow ($13). The dish took what seemed like a long amount of time to arrive but was worth the wait. I appreciated that the bone marrow was topped with the miso-glaze and that the salty and savory miso taste didn’t mask the flavor of the fatty marrow. The marrow was paired with an orange-olive marmalade, salt and toasted brioche, which served as the perfect texture combination. Service aside, bone marrow fans would be advised to give it a try.

JoeDoe - Nicky's - Redhead

A Quick Note

I just wanted to note that I ordered a digital camera and desperately want to add photos of everything to the site. Also, I am working on creating a master map that will have locations of all of the restaurants that I write about. Back to the food:

6. JoeDoe
45 E 1st Street between 1st and 2nd Ave

Jew food is comfort food and chopped liver on challah ranks pretty high on my list of Jew food. In sharp contrast with this Jewish staple is bacon. For those that keep kosher, one could suggest that even mentioning these items in the same sentence is somewhat unsettling. What I know is that chopped liver is awesome and bacon is awesome. JoeDoe gave me the chance to try them together.

JoeDoe, a small 15-20 seat restaurant, opened in Fall of 2008 and with competition coming from Prune (which I have yet to go) across the street, was not particularly crowded on the Friday night at 7:30 that I continued on the TONY quest. I had planned on splitting the chicken-liver sandwich with bacon ($11) with a friend at the bar and heading on my way but we were also intrigued by the “Scottish Egg” ($9) which is a hard-boiled egg that is covered with sausage and deep fried, served with mustard. The bartender started us off with some fried chickpeas which are apparently also served at Prune. They were hot, oily, slightly crispy and a welcome snack while we waited for the appetizers. The Scottish Egg was well plated, the sausage and egg were very tasty and the mustard complemented the dish perfectly. The only problem I had with it is that it is still a $9 egg, it’s only one egg and it’s essentially breakfast.

The chopped-liver sandwich, however, made me even more determined to complete the list. If all of the items are going to be this good, I’m in for a spectacular ride. For $11 I was quite impressed with the amount of food that they serve. It’s definitely enough to have as a small meal in itself. The challah is lightly toasted, the chicken liver is creamy and not as livery-tasting as its beef counterpart and the bacon adds saltiness and texture to each bite. As if this wasn’t enough, the sandwich is served with a side of baked apple chutney. I couldn’t decide whether I enjoyed the sandwich more with some of the sauce on it and finished the sandwich while alternating bites with and without it.

Though the rest of the menu looks fairly pricey, I will definitely return for the sandwich and to try some of there desserts.

Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches
150 E 2nd Street between A and B

I had read about this place on a number of cheap eats websites and had wanted to try it for quite some time. Nicky’s is a small space that sells Vietnamese sandwiches, all served on baguettes with pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and mayo. All of the sandwiches are $5.00-5.50 including sardine, chicken and pork chop sandwiches with their specialty being the classic Vietnamese which comes with pate, Vietnamese ham and roasted ground pork and can be ordered regular or spicy. Feeling particular brave I chose the spicy and sat down at one of 2 tables. As my friend noted, one sandwich is not enough to fill you up but two is too many. Ideally I would come here and split 3 sandwiches with someone else. The classic was well worth the wait with the pate and vegetables providing most of the flavor and the ham and ground pork adding consistency. The baguette was fresh and the ratio of veggies to meat was just about right. The only problem that I had was that I thought I could take down the spicy sandwich which was slightly out of my heat tolerance. Nicky’s sandwiches are a steal at $5.


7. the Redhead
349 E 13th St. between 1st and 2nd Ave

Redhead is a small bar/restaurant that serves Southern-inspired cuisine until 1am. I had never heard of this place until it was mentioned on the TONY list. The place feels more like a bar with tables than a restaurant, but based on the reviews I’ve read about the service and quality of food from the full menu, I am ready to try the full experience (reservations are taken for parties of 5+ and only before 6:30pm and after 9pm; if it’s anything like when I went at 11pm, reservations are necessary as all of the tables were full and the bar was hopping). Items of note on the full menu include a homemade pretzel and Kreuz sausage which is flown in from Texas, and fried chicken. I was only there to get some of their bacon peanut brittle to go, which they sell in self-sealing jars for $7.50. It’s peanut-y, it’s sweet, spicy, salty and altogether befitting of the praise that it has received from food critics. There are small clumps of bacon that stick to many of the individual peanuts, combining the crunchiness of the nut with the softer texture of the bacon. I’m usually hesitant to spend $7.50 on a snack, but this is well worth it. The jar, while small in appearance, is probably enough for 3-4 tastings. For those not in the area, Redhead sells jars in 3-packs on their website for $20.