When in New York City: Take a bite of The Big Apple

A city that doesn’t sleep needs to eat.

That’s a fact. How else can one keep up with the fast-paced lifestyle of New York City?

In this spot in Uncle Sam’s country, everyone is in a rush. The citizens hurry by you like they’re perennially late for an appointment that will cost them their lives. Time is a premium in this state. You certainly will know who the tourists and the locals are by their walking speed.

I am a tourist. Along with the rest of the Dabawenyos, we strode the streets of the Big Apple leisurely, enjoying and savoring the details of the scenery at each single step. If our pace did get faster than the usual, it was because: 1. We were riding the crowd’s pace at rush hour; 2. We had to get out of the freezing cold and seek warm shelter. We experienced both conditions while walking along Fifth Avenue. The warmth (and goods) of the chic luxury boutiques was most comforting.

Although the new dream acquisition gave me the rush, the body will eventually ask for sustenance to energize and keep up with the Big Apple touring and shopping challenges. NYC is a foodie's haven. The cuisine is vast and varied that it poses a challenge to the hungry on what to try first. 

There is much more to bite on other than the recommended apple. New York is a societal melting pot, and with the rich multicultural environment comes a melange of sumptuous cuisine. From the no-frills to ritzy, authentic to fusion, for a couple of Washingtons or several Franklins or the ever-reliable plastic fantastic, where you want eat and at what budget can decide which restaurant you'll end up in. The choices? Name the country and cuisine, there will be something to sate the palate and the wallet.

The best thing about traveling with a certified foodie is you get to hop on the culinary tour bus. My good friend and host grew up in a family with a credo of “try everything” so as not to be oblivious of the must-try’s, much heard and always seen on TV (where chefs, masters and masters-to-be will work up your appetite). He made reservations at NYC’s dining hotspots long before we arrived in the city. On the list were renowned steakhouse Peter Luger in Brooklyn, Japanese resto, Nobu, and Master Chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill for nouvelle Southern cuisine, along with his favorites that we, NYC virgins, must experience in China and Korean towns, and the city’s popular sidewalk hot dog stands and pizzarias.

It's true that more than gratifying the sense of sight, the satisfaction of taste makes the traveling more memorable and worthwhile. A lot of firsts for me—the bites included—on this trip, and they were not even on my bucket list. The Universe is indeed generous. I am asking to be back soon and delight in more sensory experiences this vibrant metropolis has to offer.

More than donning that pasalubong t-shirt and having an understanding of how one really feels living or even just visiting this place, I can now profess my love to the city, I declaire I♥NY. I can truly say that I had the ultimate pleasure of taking more than one bite of the Big Apple.