By Elizabeth Smith
Sitting inside on a beautiful summer day? Hungry yet bored of the same turkey sandwich that has been stuffed in your brown paper bag day after day? Stay stuck in your rut no longer, for I know what will curb your appetite for both food and fun. Located on the Williamsburg waterfront at East River State Park and open exclusively on Saturdays from 11AM-6PM, Smorgasburg offers a variety of food vendors, including Bite Size Kitchen, Ramen Burger, Dough, Home Frite, The Good Batch, and many more. With so many options to choose from, even the pickiest eater can find a meal to love.
The best way to approach all of your options without becoming overwhelmed is to walk around and take a glimpse at each vendor before deciding which place to order from. However, if you think you will become overwhelmed by examining all of your choices, I will provide you with a guide to Smorgasburg with my three favorite vendors: Ramen Burger, Home Frite, and Dough. They will satisfy all taste buds and leave you coming back for more.
If you are looking for a meal that will fill you up, the Ramen Burger is a must-have. While their staple dish is the Original “OG” Ramen Burger, they have many other options as well. If you come earlier in the day, you could try the Breakfast Ramen Burger, featuring breakfast classics such as bacon and eggs. If you don’t eat meat, you can participate in the action, too, with the Mushroom “Veggie” Ramen Burger. However, if you’re not a vegetarian and it’s your first time trying a Ramen Burger, I would opt for the classic Original “OG” Ramen Burger, which contains arugula, secret shoyu sauce, and scallions, all between two scrumptious ramen noodle patties. The shoyu sauce and meat mixed with the cooked ramen noodle patties offer the perfect balance of softness and crunch, making your mouth water at first bite.
If you’re in need of something to go along with your Ramen Burger or came to Smorgasburg just for a snack, you should go to Home Frite. At this vendor, you have a choice of three different types of fries along with as many extra sauces as you would like. You can get original fries with ketchup, truffle fries with lemon garlic aioli, Dutch fries with chipotle ranch, or just about any other combination you can think of. No matter what you’re eating, you can always find a type of french fry to tie your meal together at Home Frite. While classic french fries are always safe, my personal favorite is the Truffle Fries: crispy fries in black truffle oil with parmesan cheese and herbs.. The crisp of the fries paired with the melting cheese provides your taste buds with the perfect blast of salt and flavor.
And of course, any quality meal must end with dessert. Therefore, before you leave Smorgasburg for the day, be sure to stop by Dough. The doughnuts here are much more original and delicious than Dunkin Donuts will ever be. You can indulge in a warm cinnamon sugar doughnut, which immediately brings back memories of pumpkin picking in the fall. You could also try a caramel, chocolate, or lemon-meringue doughnut, just to name a few. Not in the mood for a whole doughnut? Don’t worry, you can opt for doughnut holes, the much better version of a munchkin. No matter what you’re in the mood for, Dough definitely has a sweet treat for you to finish your day off right.
The next time you’re feeling hungry and in need of something new, try Smorgasburg. You can follow my guide first, and the next time you’re back (because I know you will be), you can try what the other vendors are selling. If you go every Saturday for the entire summer, I bet you will never have to eat the same thing twice.
