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shmackwich team

Meet the 3 guys serving up the best Gourmet chopped cheese in NYC

Shmackwich is taking a New York City food classic and elevating it to new heights by upgrading its ingredients with their signature gourmet wagyu beef chopped cheese.

On the surface, the gourmet wagyu chopped cheese represents New York Cities’ rags to riches story, but beyond that, Shmackwich is the best quality in New York.

Photo Courtesy: @shmackwich

The low cost, essential ingredients, and quick deliverability make this an absolute go-to at every bodega. However, Schamckwich is thinking beyond the corner store with wagyu beef.

Shmackwich operates during the day at Solaro on 13th Carmine street in the West Village. This New York City food pop-up creates sandwiches that you can find on the streets and at a penthouse party. The gourmet wagyu chopped cheese is a representation of rags to riches.

“We touching some more money now and we want to upgrade how we live. You can’t put the finest designer on you and not the finest food in your body”

– Jordan DiNoia co-founder of Shmackwich

Cooking from the studio to the kitchen

Like many food ventures, Shmackwich started selling gourmet wagyu chopped cheese on Instagram. Midi, Jordan, and Sib are the minds behind Shmackwich. The trio came from different backgrounds but ultimately found a similar passion for food and culture.

From left to right: Chef Sib, Midi, Jordan DiNoia Photo Courtesy @img.mos

The name Shmackwich came from Jordan’s idea for a cannabis-infused sandwich that would leave diners “Shmacked.” Taking a page from the Pizza Pusha, Stoned Pizza playbook, Jordan wanted to deliver a bougie experience to everyday people. Although their everyday menu doesn’t include a cannabis-infused sandwich, your taste buds will be shmacked

“Food is my church. Its the last real untainted place for human interaction in the world, people can sit at a table and only focus on breaking bread for that moment”

– Jordan DiNoia co-founder of Shmackwich

In his travels and experience cooking, chef Sib was fascinated with Wagyu beef. Sib treats the kitchen like a music studio by composing recipes. Each ingredient built into a gourmet wagyu chopped cheese works together instead of combating each other. Making great food and connecting with people on a higher level is what drives him.

“Food is more than something you need to survive. Its something that creates community and breaks barriers”

– Chef Sib Co-Founder of Shmackwich

New, New York City food

Midi bridged all of this together in his studio in downtown Brooklyn. Midi was more than an average foodie. His passion for exploring food and culture was borderline religious.

The way he spoke about food was philosophical and enlighting. He and the Shmackwich mission to push the chopped cheese sandwich as something that can bring eaters together is what makes them an NYC food success.

“The chopped cheese is bigger than a deli sandwich. Its culture, its hip-hop, its late nights in the studio”

-Midi Co-Founder of Shmackwich
Photo Courtesy: @mrsaks5th

What makes a gourmet chopped cheese better than a regular chopped cheese? 

The ingredients for a chopped cheese sandwich are simple. Chopped up wagyu beef, cheese, and bread make a New Yorks’s classic sandwich. The Schmackwich gourmet Wagyu Chopped Cheese takes this concept to a whole new level.

Grilled Heritage Wagyu beef is chopped and topped with artisanal cheese. Their home blended spice packet and the secret sauce give the wagyu a distinct personality without taking away from the natural flavor. This is complemented by fresh vegetables in between fresh-baked bread. 

The gourmet wagyu chopped cheese solves all the problems the regular chopped cheese has. The traditional bodega chopped cheese sandwich is messy. The meat spills and the cheese is suspiciously watery.

The binding reaction of fresh, thick artisanal cheese with high-quality meat makes eating less hassle with a Schmakwich. The fresh ingredients make the gourmet wagyu chopped cheese-less oily leaving you feeling satisfied.

You can taste how each ingredient works with the other like a beautifully choreographed dance. 

“The reason why so many companies are successful is that they focus on their product. The whole thing at Shmackwich is the product, and we never do a wack product”

-Midi Co-Founder of Shmackwich

Collaboration made gourmet Chopped Cheese 

Photo Courtesy: @shmackwich

The Shmackwich gourmet wagyu chopped cheese is a first-class sandwich for those with a refined palate. Behind the scenes, however, they’re, in every sense of the word inclusive. Collaboration is the ingredient to success.

Shmackwich emphasis on using fresh ingredients is more than just marketing. The gourmet wagyu chopped cheese is, by all definition, New York City food. By keeping their ingredients locally sources, they can keep their carbon footprint low and keep track of where everything is produced.

Shmackwich collaborates with local businesses to provide ingredients for their gourmet wagyu chopped cheese. In doing so they created a metaphorical dinner table where the best New York food establishments build relationships and converse on a common level.

“How we were born was collaboration, therefore how we will live will be through collaboration as well, and how we will die will be lack of it”

– Jordan DiNoia co-founder of Shmackwich

More than just a sandwich

Photo Courtesy: @Shmackwich and Ivan Uskokvic

Food brings everyone together. The Shmackwich trio understood that the dinner table was a common space and that dining was a language that all New Yorkers spoke. The iconic New York City food classic that represents struggle is now a symbol of prosperity.

“This is healing, this love food is everything for us. It’s freedom now for us. Before it was sustenance, now it’s allowing us to be who we want to be and be our own bosses.”

-Jordan DiNoia co-founder of Shmackwich

Why Meal Delivery Is Popular Now (And Why You Should Try It)

In recent years, meal delivery services have become increasingly popular. You can either opt for pre-made delicious meals or meal kits that contain all the ingredients and instructions you need to create a tasty dinner. There are many benefits of using meal deliveries.

Here is a look at some of the key benefits that have made meal delivery services so popular. After reading about the advantages of meal deliveries, you are sure to realize that you should try the service yourself.

You Can Save Time with Meal Deliveries

The number one reason why meal delivery services have become so popular in recent years is that the pace of life is becoming increasingly fast for many.

If you are a busy professional with tight schedules, have demanding family schedules, have lots of social commitments, or do lots of leisure activities, it can be challenging to find the time to do a grocery shop, find new recipes to try out, and cook meals every week.

You can cut down the time needed to shop, research, and cook by going with a meal delivery service. Depending on how busy your schedule is, you could get a meal delivery once, twice, or even seven days a week.

Meal Deliveries Are Ideal for People Who Do Not Like Cooking

Even if you get a meal kit, you can save time, because you do not have to go to the grocery store or plan recipes, and the meals are simple and quick to make.

But you can save even more time by opting for pre-made meals. If you simply hate cooking, but love eating, using a meal delivery service is a great solution. Never again will you need to chop an onion or drain pasta. All you need to do is heat up the dish, and voila!

There Is Less Food Waste

It may seem like a small thing, but the small things matter. Food waste is a massive global problem. With a meal delivery service, the ingredients can be perfectly portioned for your needs to limit your food waste.

You Get to Eat Healthy

Meal delivery companies make sure that their meals have all the nutrients and other good stuff your body needs. It can be difficult to ensure you cook meals every night that contain the nutrients you need. But with a reputable delivery service that offers healthy meals, you can be sure you are eating healthily.

Sometimes, Meal Deliveries Can Save You Money

While meal deliveries may cost more than doing a weekly grocery shop, if you are someone who is busy, you will probably already be spending a lot of time getting takeaways or eating out at restaurants.

Meal deliveries are less expensive than those options, so you could actually save money by using a meal delivery service. Furthermore, most takeaway food is unhealthy.

It is OK to eat it every now and then, but if you want to maintain your healthiness, you should avoid eating takeaways too often. Instead, go with healthy meal deliveries.

You Can Discover New Foods and Dishes

Another reason why meal deliveries are so popular, and why you should try the service, is that they allow people to discover new dishes and ingredients.

With a meal delivery service, you can simply look at the menu and find a new ingredient or meal you would like to try. By exploring more obscure dishes or foods, you can expand your palette and your love of food.

Food in the arts? Why we need to consider the trend an artform

When we talk about Art, with capital A, we tend to prioritize senses of sight and sound. Things we can see like paintings or sculptures or hear like orchestra or operas.

Yet, when it comes to including taste or smell under the category of fine arts, western culture (at least) is often hesitant. 

Culinary art has in fact grown in popularity, consideration, and spectrum. Star chefs like Ferran Adria are now invited to art fairs and to host conceptual restaurants that focus more on the experience of food.

Chef’s Table, Master Chef, and other shows now use cooking as a different form of entertainment. Yet, how often do we think of the artistry of the food experience?

Food is perhaps the most intimate form of expression and communication. It is the only art we literally “digest.” So, whether it is used as material for visual art or as performance, there is a surge of people considering food a cultural performance and an artistic experience.


Allie Wist: Forgetting How To Eat

Allie Wist, the visual editor at Conde Nast’s Bon Appetit and Food in the Arts professor at NYU, explains how these mundane performances are, in fact, part of the cultural Arts (yes, with a capital A). 

Like many, Allie didn’t realize that the intersection between art and food until she came to New York. As an artist, she never really saw herself as a painter or sculpturist.

Though she always had a high interest in the different ways to experience and express an idea.

food in the arts
In Photo: Jacob Musselman | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

While studying Food Studies for her masters at NYU, she realized that there was an aesthetic experience of food that hasn’t been fully uncovered.

“When I got a master’s in food studies, all of the information about culinary logic, Americans feel disoriented in diet culture, food, and genres was fascinating. Yet, it was hard to make it compelling with words alone. It was not activating enough considering we are talking about something we engage in a high sensory way. Words were not as engaging.” 

Allie Wist, 2020

These new ideas of food needed to interact within a physical space or throughout a visual experience. Only this way, the public is able to uniquely “digest” (no pun intended) the diverse intricacies that food provides. 

food in the arts
In Photo: Jacob Musselman | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

The Food in the Arts professor’s first art project is “Forgetting How to Eat”. A photo essay that explores the role that generational amnesia plays in our knowledge about food.

forgetting how to eat
In Photo: Samantha Widder | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

She explained that this refers to the fact that what is considered “normal,” has shifted over time. Each generation just accepts the state they are in as “normal,” however disregarding all that is lost in each passing.


How has our food culture evolved?

We went from hunting and gathering to Michelin Star restaurants. Over the last decade, however, people’s relationship with food has grown further apart.

We no longer know the source of our foods mainly because killing a chicken or finding a broccoli plant is no longer our job.

The first American cookbook, American Cookery was published in 1796, by Amelia Simmons. The recipes were originally written without instructions because it was assumed that people knew where to get the ingredients from or the basic steps of preparation.

Now, Hello Fresh and other meal-kit companies, have taken over that responsibility.

It was at the beginning of the 20th century that food companies tried to introduce frozen and package foods. Still, people were resistant to the idea; they feared losing the connection with the meal.

Before the advent of supermarkets, people used to go to the nearest local grocery store. Back then, the local grocer was the mediator between the buyer and its food.

But, the real change happened with the advent of supermarkets in 1930, when food turned into a packaged product on a shelf. And, in the ’50s — the self-service era — turned idea of “convenience” into cultural value.

Our relationship with food has changed gradually over the years. And there has been little to no record as to how different civilizations perceive the significance or cultural value over a meal. And, in that void, is there some intimacy that we are missing?


Food in the arts… What are we missing?

It is hard to know who did what in a hunter-gathering society. We assumed that women did a lot of the gathering, but cooking was probably a collaborative effort.

Yet, for a long period of history, both men and women were farmers. And, it wasn’t until the 17th century, when capitalist ideas emerged, that gender role was significantly assigned.

The problem is that we assumed that cooking was a burden of a patriarchal society. But it was rather a cultural performance that many women embraced.

The information that we once lacked to acknowledge about food now reflects our contemporary views. Thus, for long, we have failed to recognize it as a form of communication and expression in its simplest forms.

Historically, it was a way of performing and preserving identities around different beliefs and sharing cultures. “We’ve heard it from immigrants that food is a very powerful way to share where you come from and reduce that sense of otherness,” explained Allie. 

For a long time, food has been a connection between people and cultures, both on a personal and superficial level.

It is either our way to push ourselves outside our comfort zone, yet also a way we find comfort in the unknown. Food has a direct biological and psychological impact on our interaction with the world, how we feel, and how we act.

If considered, going to a restaurant can be a parallel experience as to going to a museum. Both places not only host art but also hold information about the past, present, and future of different societies.


Have you considered how McDonald’s reflects the capitalist culture of the country it was born in?

Now consider, why did the Romans eat the way they did? Was there a specific order for cooking meat the way they did?

Undeniably, submerging ourselves into their culinary world would provide us a deeper understanding of their culture. And, perhaps, their behavior?

If we pay more attention to what we eat, how we eat, and where we eat, could we have a better understanding of the world in general? After all, art is about provoking emotions and that is something food certainly does.

Popeyes ain’t the only chicken sandwich: Here’s 7 more fire spots in NYC

Popeyes is reigning king when it comes to chicken sandwiches.

But thanks to Black Twitter’s demand for the $3.99 piece of heaven is skyrocketing and the supply is just not enough, even in NYC.

Don’t freak out though, until you can cop that Popeyes sandwich let us give you a list of lowkey fire alternatives in the mean-time.

Cheeky Sandwiches

35 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Pull up to Chinatown for a homemade buttermilk biscuit chicken sandwich. Yeah, you read right. BUTTER. MILK. BISCUIT. But that’s not even the best part of course. You’re showing up for the crispy chicken with all the saucy goodness.

Put some coleslaw on that bitch or even some gravy instead. It’s all about getting you to that warm and comfy Itis.


Thunder Bun

 

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This is how we do Friday!📷 @imma_eat_this

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1 New York Plz Concourse Level, New York, NY 10004

Elevate yourself just a lil’ (or a lot, just share) with the Chicken Schnipp. The chicken is full of flavor and crunchy af.

For just $6.50 the sandwich comes with some fresh basil and roasted tomatoes so you can feel a little fancy while you ugly eat. If Mama ain’t raise no bitch, cop the Sweet Heat for an extra hot jalapeño chicken DOUSED in the sauce.

Of course, hot doesn’t always mean flavorful but with the Sweet Heat, it really does. And yeah there’s some lettuce and a sweet bun to balance out some of the heat, but we know you can handle it.


Holy Cow

 

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The Holy Chicken™️ with beef bacon 🤤🔥

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15 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

Don’t let the name fool you, their beef burgers are fire BUT try their Holy Chicken sandwich for the one time and you’ll be blown away.

At $8.45 you’ll taste every dollar, with generous spicy Peri-Peri sauce and some well seasoned crispy chicken and a hand-rolled bun. They go in with their fries too, plenty to share and withy secret seasoning too.


Tortas Neza

 

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GAVE TODAY’S FOOD TOUR A LITTLE TASTE OF MEXICO!

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96-15 Roosevelt Avenue, Corona Queens.

You can’t get food like this anywhere and you certainly can’t get the chicken sandwich Tortas Aguilas anywhere but in Corona, Queens. The food truck is known for its huge sandwich sizes and to die for ingredients, Tortas Neza brings Oaxaca to your basic the chicken sandwich.

Tortas Aguilas has a pechuga de pollo torta or chicken breast cake on top of shaved ham and Oaxacan cheese. Add some avocado slices and refried beans and the behemoth is complete.


Black Tap

 

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DRIPPIN’🙌🏼 #friedchicken #koreanbbq #bbq #eeeeeats #foodie #foodporn #blacktapthat

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529 Broome St, New York, NY 10013

Pull up for the burgers and beer, but order the crispy chicken sandwich. Trust me. The chicken is Korean-style with BBQ sauce so you KNOW it slaps, plus some buttermilk coleslaw, cilantro? LIME? AND SPICY MAYO? Sign me the fuck up.


Harlem Shake

100 W 124th St, New York, NY 10027

Want a few more options? Harlem Shake will hook you up with 4 types of fried chicken sandwiches. One for you and three more also for you if that’s the type of time you’re on. You can get the classic fried chicken with pickles and creamy slaw, or Mama Fried Chicken Sandwich complete with fried green tomato and homemade ranch.

Or spice it up with the Hot Honey Chick Sandwich with dark meat, Mike’s hot honey,jalapeño pickles and mayo of course. And finally, order the Jerk Chick Sandwich with jerk fried breast and Caribbean slaw and jerk mayo.

Whatever you choose you’ll forget about that Popeyes for a good minute.


Chick-Fil-A

666 SMD Ave New York, NY 00000

Just kidding. Fuck Chick-Fil-A.

Madame Vo’s might be the most poppin’ Vietnamese restaurant in NYC

NYC has it all when it comes to food. The best pizza, fire Chinatown dim sum, culturally cunning food fusions, and pretty much any other food that you can imagine.

Still, for a while, it seemed like great Vietnamese food was the only thing missing. Madame Vo’s East Village Vietnamese Eats and homestyle cooking is here to fill the void.

This joint hits hard from the moment you walk in. Checking it out on a Friday night, it was easy to see that the spot was bumping.

The speakers were playing some fire tracks and the slick interior told me this place was no joke.  Still, what makes this place special definitely doesn’t stop with the atmosphere.

The menu featured traditional Vietnamese cuisine, slightly modified and updated to cater to trendy New York City diners.  Everything on the menu jumps off the page and keeps flavor-packed options open for anyone who peeks at it.

I couldn’t help but notice the table next to me enjoying bowls of what is surely some of the most banging pho on the East Coast.  And while nothing warms the soul on a chilly winter night like pho, I still felt like there was some other dish out there for me.

While surveying the menu, one plate in particular spoke to me more than any others. The bo luc lac – a seared ribeye w/ fried egg served w/ a side of rice.

Bruhhh….. to say my food was delicious would be a gross understatement.

My waiter (I’ll come back to this guy) was eager to break up the fried egg and mix it in with the beef.  Once I threw that on top of the rice, I was ready to dig the f*ck in.

The meal certainly did not disappoint. All of the apps were fire too.  The fried calamari with avocado dipping sauce was my personal favorite, but I encourage you to go and decide for yourself.

The food itself was enough for me to take a trip back. That combined with the atmosphere of this place will really pull anyone back.

A big draw of this place is how in touch with the kulture the restaurant seems to be. The music, the style, it all contributes to a feeling of this being a restaurant about more than just the food.

Waiters walk around wearing ‘anti noodle noodle club’ shirts and clean sneakers.  The staff is all extremely friendly and seem generally excited to be at work.

What owners Yen Vo and Chef Jimmy Ly understand about the dining experience is that it’s about more than just the food.

Good food will only get you so far. Creating a place where people can come enjoy that food, have some fun, and feel at home all at the same time will bring people back more than anything else.

Madame Vo’s certainly embodies that more than other restaurants I’ve eaten at recently.  And for that, they can certainly expect that I’ll be heading back there soon and bringing the homies.