When it opened its doorways in 2023, HAGS promised a brand new type of advantageous eating: queer-led, designed in a spirit of accessibility and post-pandemic earnestness. Since then, chef and co-owner Telly Justice, who final 12 months was named one in all Meals & Wine’s Finest New Cooks, has largely delivered on that promise, usually internet hosting no-reservation, “pay what you may” dinners, sourcing produce completely from queer farmers, and making a menu that — even nonetheless — doesn’t simply accommodate vegans however caters to them. Now, Justice and co-owner Camille Lindsley have their sights set on a brand new location for HAGS and till then are relishing within the metropolis’s endless churn of pop-ups. The nightmarish traces apart, “it brings such an pleasure and variety to the meals world,” says Justice, “and encourages very cool cross-pollination of concepts.”
Friday, January 9
I get up at 9 a.m. and roll round beneath my covers for some time. As of late, I attempt to delay discovering out how chilly it’s exterior, so the mattress will get more durable and more durable to depart. I chug the glass of water that’s sitting on my bedside desk and reply to a couple emails from my gigantic Android cellphone. I textual content my enterprise companion and finest buddy, Camille, to see if she wants something earlier than we meet up. She responds swiftly requesting a chilly brew.
My favourite espresso store on the Decrease East Facet, Davelle, is correct subsequent to my condo. Its chilly brew is unmatched, completely unbelievable. Some days when I’ve the time, I sit and order a bowl of the pork curry rice. However as we speak, I simply seize two chilly brews and head out.
I stroll as much as Bowery and Bond, the place we now have a website go to at a lately closed restaurant house. I maintain having to shift the iced drinks in my palms to maintain from freezing my fingers off. Exterior the restaurant house, our Realtors are already ready; we greet and briefly chat in regards to the New 12 months. Camille exhibits up and I gratefully unhand one of many coffees to her and suck mine down in three large gulps. I’ve been avoiding caffeine to this point this 12 months, and these items instantly hits me like a ton of bricks.
We take a look at the vacant house, wanting into each nook and cranny. If you’re looking for a brand new spot for a restaurant, it’s straightforward to get caught up within the romance. I think about a brand new seating format, a brand new kitchen setup. I image the playlist, the diners chatting over cocktails. My urge for food wakes up on this second, and shortly we’re leaving Bowery and saying goodbye to the Realtors.
Camille and I head to her condo, the place she shares a salt roll from Justin’s with me. I gobble it up like a monster, nonetheless standing with my coat on whereas her canine, Tootie, runs laps round us. As I’m leaving, I textual content Jules, the sous-chef at HAGS, to see if she wants something. “Rice noodles for household meal!” she says. I’m elated. This implies a visit to H Mart!
I seize the rice noodles and peruse the prepared-food part for a bit earlier than grabbing bulgogi inari for myself. Minutes later at HAGS, I’m barely by way of the door earlier than I’m inhaling the inari. It’s a busy day on the restaurant, so I get modified and begin on my prep duties.
At 4 p.m., the entire employees sits all the way down to eat collectively. As we speak, Jules and Lars, our chef de delicacies, ready rice noodles with peanut sauce, tofu, and braised brief ribs. Its actually fucking unbelievable, and I eat seconds.
The subsequent few hours of my life are devoted to dinner service. I fret over different individuals’s dinners and style a lot as I am going — a bit of sauce right here, a seasoned leaf there — that by the tip of the shift, I’m full with out having eaten a real chew of meals. I’ve a Narragansett with the workforce earlier than slinking off into the night time.
Saturday, January 10
I get up naturally at 8 a.m. feeling super-hungry, in all probability as a result of I didn’t eat dinner. I rush by way of my morning routine and head straight to the restaurant. Technically, I’m off, however we’re internet hosting touring cooks for a pop-up on Sunday and I need to be round to ensure they’re comfy. The duo, Mariela and Aaron, personal a implausible panadería down in Austin referred to as Comadre, and I like them and their pastries.
As soon as I understand Mariela and Aaron don’t want any help, I head as much as the service kitchen and pull down a cookbook from our tiny library behind the again bar — On Meat, by Jeremy Fox, which I solely simply bought however is already turning into a favourite. I leaf by way of and discover the dog-eared pages of recipes I need to mess around with. I discover his farinata recipe; it’s a conventional Italian chickpea-based tart sprinkled with contemporary rosemary, crispy on the skin, and custardy within the middle. It’s a dish we’ve made at HAGS many instances, so I actually need to see how his is likely to be totally different. I make the batter and pour it into one in all our heavy Lodge cast-iron pans. The batter sizzles and I begin to salivate. Twenty minutes later, the farinata is totally cooked, and I can barely wait to get it out of the pan to eat it.
Midday rolls round, and I run to Third Avenue to satisfy my buddy Amanda for lunch at Yellow Rose. I met Amanda 5 years in the past cooking within the kitchen at Wildair. We bonded early on over our love for Yellow Rose’s bean-and-cheese tacos and large crisp salads. We nonetheless make it a follow to satisfy there regularly. As we speak we order the cashew queso, a few tacos every, and a fried-chicken biscuit dripping with honey butter. Let me let you know, there are few indulgences on this planet extra satisfying than that hen biscuit. On the finish of the meal, the kitchen sends us out a chocolate doughnut as a present and I order a couple of extra tacos to go for Jules and Lars to share. I’m full to the purpose of feeling sick however so glad. I virtually float again to the restaurant.
Within the kitchen, I spend a bit extra time with Mariela and Aaron speaking in regards to the pop-up menu and dealing by way of the logistics of the following day. They want a espresso break, so we hit up La Cabra. I can’t drink espresso two days in a row, so I choose to share a cardamom bun with them, although I’m approach too full to correctly take pleasure in it. They end their work, and we make a plan to move to my condo to drink wine and take heed to information. Camille recommends a cool Riesling and a bottle from our wine-pairing checklist that I like: Tanuki Bob, made out of Manto Negro and Syrah.
We’re again at my place by 6 p.m., and we pop the bottles. Aaron combs by way of my information and pulls out Flamin’ Groovies whereas I pour the Riesling for us. We chat about The X-Information and Hellier and goblins and end the Riesling. I pick an Alice Coltrane document, and we get into the Tanuki Bob, however I can inform Mariela is beginning to get sleepy. She usually wakes up earlier than 5 a.m., so bedtime is early for her. By 9, we’ve depleted a lot of the wine, and I stroll the 2 of them all the way down to the Oven’s Slice for a fast couple of slices earlier than saying goodnight!
Sunday, January 11
Pop-up day! I get up at 7 a.m., which is uncomfortably early for me. I’m wobbly and foggy as I make my solution to HAGS. Mariela is already deep into prep once I arrive, and every part is wanting so nice. I begin to prep the common brunch-menu objects that will probably be served alongside the Comadre choices, whereas concurrently attempting my finest to drink all of the orange juice I can discover within the bar fridge. Jules exhibits up and brings my vitality up a notch. Issues which can be baking start to odor candy, their crusts turning golden brown. Mariela is so calm and nonchalant, however her pastries are turning out extremely good. We get the kitchen arrange and brace ourselves for the melee of a totally reserved brunch service.
By midday, my abdomen decides it wants extra than simply OJ if I’m going to proceed. I scarf down every type of the Comadre pastries, sharing with Jules and our line cook dinner, Leta. The concha was in all probability my favourite, however so was the nicuatole-stuffed dona. And now that I’m fascinated by it, possibly the masa galette with candy beans and pepita frangipane!
After brunch, we scrub all traces of the revelry from the kitchen. It’s already been a full day of sweaty labor; we’re ravenous once more and basking within the glow of a superbly profitable pop-up. Mariela wraps the remaining pastries, and the entire workforce heads over to Superiority Burger on Avenue A. I prefer to name Superiority Burger the East Village’s front room. It’s my favourite spot within the metropolis to deliver touring cooks.
We order basically every part on the menu and two orders of fries. I eat half of a collard-greens sandwich, which is about all I can ever end, and slide the remainder to Camille. I hog the beans with croutons for some time earlier than Amanda steals them away. All of us speak about how infuriatingly good the fries are. However the standout chew of the night time is the licorice gelato! I promise, it was completely scrumptious.
After dinner, nonetheless buzzing, we waddle over to Bar Snack on Second Avenue. I drink two Large Twea Energys, made with Twisted Tea and passionfruit, earlier than we acquire the invoice and say our good-byes. I stroll Mariela and Aaron to their resort, and we hug goodbye.
It’s 10 p.m. once I get dwelling. It’s early for me to be preparing for mattress, however I don’t actually know what else to do. So I placed on pajamas and sit on my sofa attempting to gauge my vitality degree. All of the sudden, my cellphone springs to life. Ana Castro, the chef-owner of Acamaya in New Orleans, is asking me. After all I reply.
“TELLY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? How shortly are you able to get to Superbueno??”
“Twenty minutes!” I say, and I throw off my PJs, hop right into a gown, and run to her. Ana is one in all my favourite individuals on this planet, and her restaurant is one in all my favorites. She can also be on the town to cook dinner a pop-up at Dame. I rush by way of the door at Superbueno and fall right into a hug along with her, nearly crushing her Prada loafers. Isabel Coss, the chef of Pascual in D.C., is along with her. All of us dance and slurp cocktails till I don’t know when, however late. I crawl dwelling smiling like a sap.
Monday, January 12
The restaurant is closed on Monday, and no one wants something from me. I sleep in late, until about 11 a.m. I’m hungover. My favourite hangover treatment can also be a favourite nostalgia meals for me: tomato pie, the type you’ll find at a nook deli or bakery in South Philly, the place I lived for some time. I stroll slowly as much as eleventh Avenue and First Avenue to Russo’s. This place is wonderful. They’ve been open for like 100 years. They’ve pretend hams hanging within the window. However one of the best half is that they have these superior spherical loaves of tomato pie that hit excellent. I peel off the plastic wrap and devour the entire wheel of focaccia slathered with tomato paste. I begin to really feel human once more.
The remainder of the day, I relax on consuming. I need to reserve my urge for food for Ana and Isabel’s pop-up later. They’re cooking a collaborative meal at Dame, and I do know I’ll need to eat every part on the menu.
I roughly hibernate for a couple of hours and reemerge as soon as the solar has gone down. Camille and I resolve to satisfy up at Milano’s Bar on Houston earlier than heading to dinner. I get there first and order a Excessive Life. Black Sabbath is enjoying loudly on the audio system. That is the type of dive bar I like — darkish and previous and bizarre. Camille exhibits up and joins me with a beer, and we focus on whether or not the bizarre factor on the wall is a real-deal Keith Haring piece. Most likely not, however … possibly?? We do a shot of whiskey with the bartender and head over to Dame.
My buddy Scott is ready for us exterior. Scott can also be a chef, previously of Oxalis, now working privately. He’s super-tall and possibly the best-dressed individual I’ve ever met. We stroll in collectively. Ana and Isabel come out of the kitchen, and we share hugs throughout and fast small speak earlier than we situate ourselves in a nook sales space, laying our coats and scarves and baggage round us like we’re constructing a fort. Scott, Camille, and I order every part on the menu and proceed to get into a really severe dialog about Heated Rivalry and craving. The meals begins rolling out like a parade. Oysters so plump and superbly roasted I need to cry. Tuna sliced wafer skinny, served over a mole madre that tasted impossibly advanced. Fish-and-chip tacos! It’s all so considerate, enjoyable, and divine. Halfway by way of the meal, a mariachi band takes over the eating room and Ana and Isabel emerge to bounce and sing.
We pay the invoice and slip again into our outside put on. Camille and Scott bounce into separate automobiles going to reverse elements of town, and I stroll dwelling alongside Houston, again to the Decrease East Facet, smoking a handful of Parliament Lights. It’s a horrible behavior, I do know. However this can be a week of indulgence.
Tuesday, January 13
I roll off the bed. I don’t know what time it’s. I attempt to keep away from wanting on the clock or my cellphone; it feels so peaceable. I slide my Yeti skillet over the great burner on my stovetop, set it to medium-low, and toss in a knob of butter. Doc Noe despatched me this skillet as a present once I gained Finest New Chef. I cherish it.
I crack three eggs into a bit of glass bowl and whisk them round with a fork until they’re runny. I pull a couple of shiitakes from my fridge, rip their soiled stems off and slice the caps skinny. I throw them within the pan because the butter begins to foam. The mushrooms soften, then start to tackle a little bit of caramel shade, and I pour within the egg. I combine and fold and pull the eggs for a couple of seconds, then take them off the warmth and fold them into a beautiful yellow omelet. Omelets are my favourite factor to make for myself when I’ve time within the morning. I sprinkle a couple of flakes of crunchy Maldon salt over prime and eat it slowly, considering completely zero ideas.
Tuesdays are large assembly days for me. I’ve a jam-packed schedule as we speak, principally chatting with literary brokers. Perhaps there’s a HAGS cookbook on the horizon, possibly not. We’ll see! Between my 1 p.m. assembly and my 3 p.m. assembly, I run over to H Mart and seize a kimchee onigiri and an iced inexperienced tea. If I don’t go to H Mart not less than 3 times per week, it’s a nasty week.
Exterior, I rip the plastic off the onigiri, tearing the nori solely a bit of bit, and take an enormous chew — so good. Amanda calls and my gigantic Android cellphone is simply too large to carry whereas I’m additionally consuming an onigiri. I drop each issues on the tenth Avenue sidewalk. I choose up the cellphone whereas a canine walker lets a bit of scruffy canine eat my dirty snack.
I plunge into the remaining conferences and shut up HAGS. I used to be the one one within the restaurant all day, which is a magical feeling. Simply across the nook, my buddy Jaya Saxena is ready for me at Veselka. We deliberate to seize dinner at 6:30 so I may gab in regards to the literary brokers and the cookbook. Jaya is an outstanding author, so I choose her mind about books she likes and the way she prepares for writing a e book. We change chef gossip, journalist gossip. I order a matzoh-ball soup, 4 potato pierogi, and 4 mushroom-and-sauerkraut pierogi — all boiled. Jaya drinks some wine, and I’ve a pilsner. Jaya shares a chew of her hen paprikash, and I really feel only a little bit of order envy.
EAT LIKE THE EXPERTS.
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