Day 26: Cruisin, cruisin, cruisin, cruisin, Cruisin’ Kitchen, I wanna be Satiated!
Chef and Owner Keith Album of Marky Ramone’s Cruisin’ Kitchen is a 15 year veteran of NYC’s top restaurants after graduating from the French Culinary Institute. Keith brings his passion and expertise to the streets in the form of meatballs – a dish both humble and comforting. I asked Carrie at the window for my usual (you decide!) and received the NY Pastrami stuffed with Jarlsberg. An order contains 3 huge balls – bright with red color with a well-browned exterior. The creamy dill mustard poured atop was smooth and tasted as delicious as it looked. The accompanying kraut was tender and flavorful and the pickles brought a nice contrasting sour to the party. I decided to make a pastrami sammy by second ball so I stuffed it (with kraut) between two slices of rye and immediately kicked myself for not having done so sooner.
Don’t get me wrong, these balls are good on their own – peppery, smoky, and sweet, but that rye was JUST so soft and so fresh-tasting that I wouldn’t be surprised if Keith picked them up minutes before opening up shop. The sammy was good, and tasted like biting into a traditional pastrami sandwich, soft earthy rye, with tender pastrami graced with that delicious dill mustard. The meat was well ground (not so much that it caused moisture to escape), and had chunks both lean and fatty. The only thing different was the Jarlsberg. While traditionally mild, here, it had a sharper flavor, while retaining the same buttery smooth texture. I’m a big fan of meatballs – they’re simple and basic, yet have the ability to embody and showcase the myriad of flavors that exist across the globe. I was hoping to have gotten the buffalo chicken meatballs, but these were a welcome surprise. Thanks Keith, Carrie and Serge and Cruisin’ Kitchen!
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