NEW YORK — It’s that time again. So prepare your taste buds and your wallets accordingly.
As the dog days of summer wind down, the temperature heats back up at the end of August every year as the final tennis Grand Slam comes to New York to showcase the best players in the world – and to showcase foods that you usually can't get Uber Eats or Grubhub to deliver to your house.
While the tennis should get most of the attention, it’s other things – namely the food and drink – that take center stage.
"We all know that beyond the action on the courts, our fans’ number one attraction is the culinary experience, and this year is no exception," USTA COO Daniel Zausner said last week.
Zausner isn’t lying. Every few feet, fans who enter the Billie Jean King
Tennis Center have myriad options to fill their bellies and quench their thirst.
It’s no secret about the well-documented price of food and admission at the US Open, but fans don't seem to care. Last year's viral hit, CQDQ's Golden Nuggets, is back for another run.
You can’t go wrong with the nuggets topped with Petrossian caviar and crème fraiche; it will still cost you $100, but the standout at CQDQ is the "Gangnam Style" chicken sandwich, with savory soy-garlic sauce, layered with Kewpie mayonnaise and coleslaw on a buttered brioche bun, which is a worthy alternative.
Those savory chicken dishes will no doubt need a dessert, and Steph's cookie is a behemoth sugary delight with brown butter, chocolate and toffee that will certainly satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.
If something off the beaten path is your thing, step a few feet away from the food village to KIMBOP, a new creation from restaurateur Simon Kim, inspired by his mother's recipe for gimbap, a Korean rice-and-seaweed roll often compared to sushi.
"I think the most important thing is I put myself in customer's shoes. The US Open is once a year, it's something that you wait for the entire year. Every year, I want to bring something new," Kim said to USA TODAY Sports. "I want to bring something personal that can be turned into something global."
With fresh gimbaps on the menu, KIMBOP debuts a Prime Beef Bulgogi and The Original Vegetable – alongside the new Jambon Beurre, Steph's and a non-alcoholic beverage program featuring "Finesse," an energy drink and "Dropshot," a mixture of matcha, pineapple and ginger with L-theanine and ginseng.
Kim says the inspiration for anything new he creates comes from his homeland, South Korea, and that every single childhood memory he had revolved around food.
Of course, for those who don't like change, there is the old reliable, aka the Honey Deuce, made with Grey Goose vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, topped with three honeydew melon balls designed to resemble tennis balls.
By far the tournament’s most popular drink is back at its regularly scheduled price of $23. During last year’s tournament, nearly 740,000 Honey Deuces were sold, keeping fans at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center plenty liquored up -- under the watchful eye of law enforcement, of course,
Over at the Dobel Tequila Club, patrons can sample a new drink called the Organic Cucumber Slice, made with Dobel Tequila's newest innovative expression, Dobel Tahona Tequila Blanco, cucumber juice, Supasawa, simple syrup, and elderflower liqueur.
And if you want to be high and mighty, there is the Moët Serve, made with Ice Imperial Brut and garnished with three fresh lime slices, served in a reimagined tennis ball canister, of all things.
Best of the rest
pastaRAMEN – This isn’t your run-of-the-mill Top Ramen, and this tasty spot, which also has a location in Montclair, New Jersey, has some delightful new options, including teriyaki- and piccata-inspired chicken katsu ramen and crispy rice. The chicken teriyaki ramen and the shrimp scampi ramen will fill you up, and go ahead and get the nori honey curly fries as an extra side.
Pat LaFrieda Meat Co. – Bring all the napkins for the outstanding steak sandwich au jus, made with Black Angus beef, caramelized onions, and Monterey Jack cheese.
Salt Hank's – Three words for you: French Dip Sandwich. It will set you back $38; this bad boy, with dry-aged prime rib, provolone, caramelized onions, horseradish aioli, and a baguette, will fill you up. If it doesn’t, there is something wrong with you.
Champions by Benjamin Steakhouse – Before you get your Porterhouse grub on and sample everything else a premium steakhouse has to offer, go ahead and make a reservation, or you will be finding yourself somewhere else to eat.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Open food guide: $100 caviar nuggets, Honey Deuce and more
