Prequel to New York Roundup: Desperately Seeking Excellent and Unforgettable Food

How devastated was I having gone all the way to New York and left without a single spectacular meal? Consider this a prelude to the real deal report of my eating adventures in New York City starting in May. The only times I got to eat outside of catered food were Italian at Per Lei, BCD Tofu House (don't ask) and a smoke shack burger at JFK's Shake Shack outpost. The last one is clearly a sign of utter desperation as I opted for a soso burger more for its quintessential NY quality than anything else. BCD doesn't count because LA is the OG, after all. Per Lei was a convenient spot for our large party and service was good but my fettuccine noodles al ragu were a bit overcooked. Having said that, the meat sauce was good if not a tad bland, and after adding some flavor with freshly ground pepper and grated Parmesan, I finished it.

I'm just going to come out and say it. I've had Shake Shack twice now and like the first time, I do believe it's overrated. I consider it on par with an In-n-Out Burger -- maybe except the fact that the patty is a bit more substantial and the fries are a bit crispier. I tried the smoke shack burger because this was a new offering and I just found the bacon to be a distraction. I still enjoyed the burger because I love burgers and I felt somewhat deprived but in the grand scheme of burgers, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Not to beat the dead horse, but Houston's California burger still reigns supreme for me, even over these fancy Pat LaFrieda burgers in NYC I made a point to try on my last trip but hey, let's not start a burger war. I'm beyond excited to eat my way through NY. Suggestions are welcome. Red Rooster, Roberta's and Totto Ramen, here I come!