It has become our Sunday morning tradition to head into Brooklyn Bridge Park for an early lunch with friends at Smorgasburg. Our first time there this summer was a bit dangerous as it was my first time experiencing the sights and smells of Smorgasburg while pregnant. I knew I had to control myself, but I wanted to sample something from every vendor we passed – a dumpling here, a ramen burger there, a bite of my husband’s bbq sandwich. I was in heaven! I quickly learned, though, that not only were my eyes bigger than my stomach, but my wallet couldn’t handle the demands I put on it. It was time to remind myself that this amazing market was in my neighborhood and that I could come back every Sunday for lunch so there was no need to try to taste everything in one visit. We’ve made it a point to try something new each Sunday we visit.
This past Sunday we ventured back into the park to meet some friends for lunch. As we walked in the north entrance of the market we noticed a new feature – the Smorgasbar. It was great to see additional seating since finding an open table can be tough, but was disappointed to learn that the area was closed off to us pregnant non-drinkers. I guess I have that to look forward to for next year.
Having skipped the bar, I went straight to the Vermont Maple Lemonade stand where I always start my Smorgasburg lunch with the most refreshing maple syrup lemonade. I then struggled for a bit in deciding what to eat since it was so hot and humid out. I don’t like eating hot food when I’m hot, especially while I’m pregnant, so was left with limited options. I opted for cold peanut noodles from Noodle Lane, which were fantastic. They offer three different spice level options, so to avoid getting serious heartburn or putting myself into pre-term labor, I went with mild. Thank goodness I did because it was still extremely spicy! Although I was completely full from the noodles and lemonade (and samples of my husband’s Takumi Tacos), I could not resist an ice cream sandwich from the good batch. I absolutely love their goodwich sandwich. It has just the right balance of salty and sweet. As I came down from my sugar high, we headed back to the apartment for an afternoon nap and to begin planning our Smorgasburg strategy for next weekend.
Smorgasburg is open every Sunday at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 5 from 11 AM to 6 PM. For a full list of vendors, visit Smorgasburg.com/vendors. If you’re pregnant at Smorgasburg, make sure you ask for your meat cooked well and double check that all the cheese is pasteurized.
(Post by HK Stern, DumboNYC contributor)
