I spent two years in New Haven while I went to Yale and was most
impressed by the food. Amazing, amazing places to eat. New Haven's
famous, actually, for its pizza. There are two rival restaurants
that are adjacent to each other. They're equally great. There's
Pepe's and Sally's, and I guess I frequented Pepe's more. But no
disrespect to Sally's. Apparently, the oven is responsible for
producing this amazing flavor. The crust is thin, and it's really
worth a trip. There is always a line. I've waited for over an hour
to get a table, and I've never regretted it.
My other favorite restaurant is Louis' Lunch. It's tiny, but it's
been there for a long time. I think they claim that they invented
the burger. That's outrageous, totally absurd, but really
ambitious. They refuse to let anyone use ketchup on their burgers,
which concerned me greatly when I first went there, because ketchup
is not just a condiment but a food group for me. Again, it's the
way the burger is made, just like it's the oven with the pizza.
It's how the burger is grilled. I don't know exactly, but it's the
juiciest thing I've ever tasted. It's just toasted with white
bread. They put tomato on there, and onions and cheese
What happens if you get caught?
Smuggling ketchup? I wouldn't try it - the place is tiny. They've
got wooden tables that everybody's engraved their initials into
over the years, and it just feels really cozy and tough at once.
They're so adamant about how burgers should be eaten, so it's a
funny contradiction. There is also an Ethiopian restaurant called
Caffé Adulis. I never really knew much about Ethiopian food until I
started going to school. I would treat myself when I had finished a
really hard paper or an exam by going to Caffé Adulis and indulging
in a huge meal.