I was saddened to hear of the passing of Juanito Bayén of Bar Pinotxo in La Boqueria market in Barcelona.

We did not know Juanito well, nor did he know us, but we visited him on every trip we made to Barcelona, usually on the first day, making it a point to wait and sit in front of him. His smile, warmth and kindness instantly put us at ease and raised our jetlagged spirits, making us feel at home in the city we came to love. And then there was his food, always incredible!

We're planning to visit Barcelona again soon, but now the market, and the city, will feel just a tad colder without Juanito there to welcome us.

Rest in peace.

As balut is one of the few foods in the world I cannot eat, Pizza Hut Philippines April Fool’s joke made me puke in my mouth a little.

I’m not a big whiskey drinker, and not a fan of Screwball, but this Xplorer peanut butter whiskey, introduced to me by the fine folks at Bona Fide Beer Co. in Pittsburgh, is excellent! Who knew Pennsylvania had such a booming local distilling scene?!

This exists.

I tried it so you don’t have to.

Best to avoid.

Turns out Herr’s now makes more than just my favorite potato chips!

Never thought I’d go to Kentucky and find the most amazing... smoked trout?!!

Purchased at Cultured Cheese & Charcuterie Bar in Louisville! Brought it back to enjoy with NYC bagels, cream cheese onions and capers...

And as Shuckman’s ships, we’ll be ordering more!

And don’t worry, plenty of local bourbon came back with us as well.

Direct from Canada!

When in the South…

Tempted by the banana pepper mustard…

Almost picked up the Horsey Sauce…

But Pop’s Double Dare Ya Hot Sauce was all that made it into our shopping cart from the condiment aisle yesterday.

Seriously addictive! Thanks, Jason & Hiro!!

Dan & John’s Wings, NYC

Didn’t feel like spending another year standing in front of a pot of hot oil, deep frying wings on Super Bowl Sunday, so I cheated and order a pre-freid platter from Dan & John’s Wings.

Made things easy and I got to enjoy the game and the commercials. Hardest part was waiting in the pick-up line for 45 minutes as so many people pre-ordered...

Tossed them with medium sauce and made my own blue cheese, as I always do. I’ll need to remember to post the recipe for that again soon!

http://danandjohns.com/

Chickie’s & Pete’s, Philadelphia

Crab Fries are another Philadelphia staple that I hadn’t discovered until recently, but now, I try to find a Chickie’s & Pete’s whenever I visit. What are crab fries you ask?

“A Philadelphia staple since 1977, Chickie’s & Pete’s world famous Crabfries® are crinkle-cut French fries sprinkled with a secret blend of crabby spices and served with its one-of-a-kind White Creamy Cheese Sauce for dipping.”

Just don’t call it Old Bay. But whatever the magic blend they sprinkle on their spuds, it’s deliciously addictive!

So while we were at Marvel Day with the Philadelphia Flyers last weekend, my buddy Steve and I made a beeline for Chickie’s & Pete’s as soon as we entered their amazing arena...

Shelled out for the portion you see above, but little did we know that they were going to send over a hefty platter to our suite a few hours later...

Not to be missed when you’re visiting the City of Brotherly Love!

Chickie’s & Pete’s has multiple locations around Philadelphia and New Jersey...

https://chickiesandpetes.com/

Federal Donuts, Philadelphia

Another happy discovery this weekend, there’s a Federal Donuts outpost in the Well Fargo Arena in Philadelphia!

Famous for their fried chicken, I got it as a sandwich for lunch...

Perfectly fried, tender and juicy with cheddar cheese and their special sauce... just what I needed.

And Gritty was dressed as Loki for Marvel Day!!

H&H Bagels, NYC

I was excited to find that they opened a new H&H Bagels inside Moynihan Terminal! Picked up an onion bagel with lox, cream cheese, onion and capers for breakfast on my way to Philly, which was good, but the hard bagel didn’t hold a candle to the soft and chewy originals we used to get on the Upper West Side, unfortunately. It was a nice way to inadvertently start National Bagel & Lox Day though!

H&H Bagels

Inside Moynihan Food Hall

421 8th Ave.

NY, NY 10001

https://moynihantrainhall.nyc/discover/directory/

Ray’s Candy Store, NYC

I’m posting about Ray’s Candy Store today as it’s been in the news this week, but for unfortunate reasons, as the owner, 90 year old Ray Alvarez, was beaten in his own shop. The local legend suffered bruising to his face in the attack, but thankfully, police quickly apprehended the offenders. Ray is now back at work to the delight of the neighborhood!

Ray’s is a fixture in the East Village, and as notorious eater of chili cheese dogs, we’ve frequented the place ever since we moved downtown.

As the name implies, Ray’s is known for its sweets and snacks, but savory noshes are available as well. His egg creams, soft serve and beignets are also rather famous...

Ray runs the counter by himself, preferring to sell classic New York boiled dogs made in a crockput...

The homemade chili is a meat and bean blend and the cheese is whiz...

For $2.50, it’s better than any hot dog you can find on the street!

When and if you go, do try and spend some time inside the cramped counter and look around, as Ray’s has been there since 1974 and is filled with eclectic pieces of New York history.

RAY’S CANDY STORE

113 Avenue A

NY, NY 10009

https://linktr.ee/RaysCandyStore

Had to try out “The Big Mamoooo” from Bill’s Burger Bar in Rockefeller Center today! It’s one of their delicious smashed burgers, topped with mac & cheese, BBQ brisket, bacon chunks, Vermont white cheddar, lettuce, raw onion and mayo. Easier to eat that it looks and really enjoyed it! Don’t miss their onion rings either.

BILL’S BURGER BAR

16 West 51st St.

NY, NY 10019

212-705-8510

https://www.billsbarandburger.com

Was happy to discover that the Diso’s Italian Sandwich Society truck was back in action in Midtown. Enjoyed a hearty and delicious Godfather yesterday!

https://disosnyc.com/