New Haven

I recommend (a)pizza at Modern.

More pizza.

The calorie party started on the way up, when we stopped at Burgers, Shakes and Fries in Greenwich for, well, burgers, shakes and fries. And insanely good sweet potato tots. They were out of onion rings, which were highly recommended by my pal Akira Akuto who suggested BS&F in the first place.

Crown Street has gotten a bit of a makeover since I left New Haven and next door to the fantastical Cask Republic is The Wine Thief, the city’s premier wine shop, which used to be over on Whitney.

A block away, 116 Crown serves fancy cocktails in a sleek and narrow modern space.

Some things on Crown Street are the same, however. Like Louis’ Lunch, an institution that I am sure serves the same burgers on toast (no ketchup!) with the same surly service as they always have. I went there for the first time during daylight hours and now I see Louis’ burgers for what they really are: drunk food. Stuff that tastes good exclusively under the influence because it is, in reality, made out of very vile things.

Fortunately I satiated my burger craving at Prime 16, a place I have been hearing about for years and paid a visit to with my friend Alex while our other classmates gorged themselves on the all you can eat international buffet under the reunion tent. The burger, which was topped with Canadian bacon, melted cheese, and a fried egg, was pretty damn good, if a bit overcooked.