Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

On Saturday, July 7th, I gave Smorgasburg a chance to redeem themselves due to the mediocre experience I previously had. You can read about my Smorgasburg Prospect Park experience here. In my earlier post, I concluded by saying that I would be giving Smorgasburg another chance by visiting the Saturday event held at East River State Park in Williamsburg. I'm glad I said that because the second chance was definitely worth it. The array of food and beverages was off the charts!

Here are a few vendors exclusive to the Williamsburg location that deserve recognition:

• Himalayan Horizon
• If you are looking to try a new street food, Himalayan Horizon has got you covered. They serve a Himalayan dish called Shabaley, which is similar to an empanada. Shabaley is a circular shaped pocket of dough that can be filled with either beef, buffalo meat, or potatoes. The sealed balls of dough are then fried until crispy, golden perfection.

• Bread & Monkey
• Started by a 15-year-old boy named Jack, Bread & Monkey serves strictly banana bread and banana chocolate chip bread. I was a fan of the banana chocolate chop bread. Jack says that his delicious breads always sell out before the end of the day. So make Bread & Monkey your first stop on the way in!

• PopdUp
• This tea vendor made its first debut on the East Coast for Smorgasburg's 2018 season. PopdUp sells cold brew teas, rather than typical cold brew coffee. The tea leaves come from a farm in Taiwan and are typically brewed for a full 24 to 48 hours before being served. 

Those three vendors are just a sampling of the 100 vendors Smorgasburg in Williamsburg has to offer. I highly recommend planning a day to explore the Saturday event because you won't be disappointed! If you are thinking of checking it out, be sure to take a look at my previous post here to read my tips on how to prepare for the event.

Smorgasburg: Hit or Miss?

With the weather finally starting to heat up, this past Sunday I decided to take a trip to Prospect Park in Brooklyn to experience the world of Smorgasburg. For those unfamiliar with Smorgasburg, it is exactly what it sounds like, a smorgasbord. Smorgasburg is an event hosted every weekend in Brooklyn, where different food and beverage vendors from all over set up shop and display their funkiest dishes. On Saturdays, Smorgasburg is hosted at East River State Park and on Sundays it is hosted at Prospect Park; both are held rain or shine.

From Ramen Noodle hamburgers to purple ice cream swirling out of a fish shaped cone, Smorgasburg had it all. I was impressed by the number of vendors at Smorgasburg, but sadly unimpressed by what they had to offer. My first stop was to John's Juice, a juicery that avoids using cups by serving its beverages in the fruit of your choice. After waiting on line for 30 minutes, I finally ordered a pineapple juice. By the time I put a straw in it, there was not much left. The pineapple that the juice was poured into had a gaping hole at the bottom of it. Big Mozz was another vendor I had checked out but ended up stepping away from because I felt that paying $15 for 4 mozzarella sticks was outrageous. Home Frite was one of the only merchants that I enjoyed because of my love for truffle fries. 

My overall rating of Smorgasburg was a five out of ten. Although I did not have a blast at the Smorgasburg hosted in Prospect Park, I am willing to give it another shot and check out the Saturday event hosted at East River State Park in Williamsburg. I’ve heard that the Smorgasburg in Williamsburg has received better reviews.

For those interested in going to Smorgasburg, here are a few tips to help you prepare:

1. Bring cash as very few vendors accept credit card.
2. Wear comfortable shoes and prepare to stand because the lines for the popular vendors can be quite long.
3. Bring a blanket, towel, or sheet to sit on as there is very limited picnic table seating.
4. To get there, take a taxi, Uber, or public transportation. Do not drive as parking is extremely limited. 

      My experience was not entirely negative. I did enjoy most of the day relaxing and trying out all of the different treats. If you do check out Smorgasburg, please comment and let me know your thoughts! I would love to hear others experiences to see how they compare to my own.