From chicken sandwiches to cheesecake in milkshakes: Yankees showcase newest ballpark food options

A week and a half after the Mets wined and dined the press by letting them try out the new food at Citi Field, the Yankees had their turn.

The Yankees’ version of the event featured much less pomp and considerably less circumstance, but the food is still likely to leave fans very full and very satisfied when they leave the ballpark.

With celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson on hand to introduce his new additions to the stadium — his restaurant Streetbird is now in Section 112, featuring chicken sandwiches and a Blue, White & Gold milkshake that comes with cheesecake chunks and fresh blueberries — there was an excitement permeating through the stadium’s suite level on Tuesday morning.

“It’s such an honor,” Samuelsson said of having his cooking available at Yankee Stadium. “This is the most iconic stadium in the world. For our chicken to be available here is such a privilege. It’s really emotional for me. I’m part of New York now.”

Streetbird’s Hot Bird Sandwich, a boneless chicken thigh with house made pickles and slaw, was an instant hit. The Streetbird station also offers a new chicken and waffle sandwich served on a cornbread waffle with hot honey.

“It’s delicious,” Samuelsson beamed. “We cook that bird in a very special way. Our chicken and waffle is world famous. It’s just fun to have something here.”

Samuelsson, who is the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem and host/executive producer of “No Passport Required” on PBS, likened his approach to stadium cooking to a starting pitcher taking the mound for a big game.

“You’re going to make a lot of mistakes,” Samuelsson said. “You’ll throw a lot of bad pitches, but you’ll also have some good ones. It’s the same thing with food. How you cook for (a stadium) is very different than how you would for a traditional restaurant. It’s a different flow, but we have a great team here. We look forward to this season. Let’s hit a home run.”

Unlike the Mets’ extravaganza from a few weeks ago, the Yankees had the added benefit of hosting their event after games had already started, letting them get some feedback on the new options. Matt Gibson, the Yankees’ senior executive chef, spouted nothing but positivity about what he’s seen during the team’s opening games in 2022.

“This year has been great,” Gibson said. “We have some great new partnerships: Marcus Samuelsson, Bobby’s Burgers, Halal Guys. There’s some new stands and some reinvigorated stands. Please eat, don’t leave hungry.”

In addition to Samuelsson’s specialties, the Bobby’s Burgers stand (Section 132) has two new options that can be enjoyed by both carnivores and vegetarians. The Bacon Crunchburger is a classic bacon burger with American cheese, with its titular crunch coming from a layer of potato chips between the patty and top bun. Bobby’s Veggie Burger is made from a chickpea and quinoa patty and topped with mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and Bobby’s Sauce.

A Manhattan staple since 1990, Halal Guys are now expanding their brand to the baseball cathedral in the Bronx. Located in Section 321 and at portable carts in the Great Hall, the Halal Guys stand has beef and chicken gyros, platters with rice, lettuce and tomatoes, and of course the Halal Guys’ signature white sauce and hot sauce.

Other new arrivals to the stadium’s concourse include a very flavorful hot dog from Sumo Dog. Based in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood, chef Jeffrey Lunak’s restaurant created a hot dog with wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, wasabi furikake and more that can be found in the bleachers at Section 201.

The King’s Hawaiian station in Section 115 is, for a limited time, selling a Korean slider with Bulgogi beef and kimchi that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Same goes for the Burrata Burger from City Winery (Section 105). A more sophisticated take on the classic ballpark burger, the Burrata Burger combines burrata, pesto, arugula and a cabernet sauvignon and balsamic reduction to create one of the more memorable items on the stadium’s revamped menu.

For as long as there is baseball, there will be ballpark food. While there’s always room for peanuts, Cracker Jack, and soft serve in a plastic helmet, the 2022 version also means non-dairy ice cream, tater tots covered in chili and jalapeno peppers and French fries that come with shaved strip loin.

Paired with Blue Point Brewing’s Pinstripe Pils, the Yankees have no shortage of culinary distractions this year in case things on the field don’t go as planned.

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from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/8h3Xyck