Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

Steve and Alex Cohen’s Mets don’t seem interested in winning the World Series this year, but there’s always the old Bread And Circuses trick.  For Circuses, we’ll retire 16 and 18, and as for bread…

NEW YORK METS ANNOUNCE TASTE OF QUEENS WINNERS

The Mets will introduce three Queens based small businesses to be featured at the Taste of Queens food portable during the 2024 season

FLUSHING, N.Y., January 25, 2024 – The New York Mets today announced the selection of three Queens based small businesses to be part of Citi Field’s all-star culinary lineup in 2024. Poprice, RyRy’s Kitchen and Benny’s Cuban Café are the three small businesses that will be featured at their community-focused portable ‘Taste of Queens’ on a rotating basis throughout the season.

The Mets, who were named the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Stadium Food, debuted the Taste of Queens portable last season in Taste of the City on the field level concourse. The goal of the Taste of Queens portable is to give back to the community by providing exposure for Queens based small businesses and helping them share their story with the fans at Citi Field.

“Poprice, RyRy’s Kitchen and Benny’s Cuban Café all have such unique stories and cuisines that will help us continue to elevate our dining options at Citi Field,” said Mets Vice President of Hospitality Taryn Donovan. “It means so much to the Mets organization to be able to highlight local small businesses through the Taste of Queens program, and we’re so excited to have these three incredible businesses join Citi Field’s 2024 culinary lineup.”

Poprice will be the first Taste of Queens restaurant featured at Citi Field from Thursday, March 28 – Tuesday, May 14. Shuai Zhang, Owner and Chef of Poprice, opened the small business in 2022, transforming the simple art of fried rice into a modern culinary spectacle. Every dish on Poprice’s menu is a fusion of tradition and innovation, blending classic and contemporary Asian American flavors.

 

Poprice’s menu at Citi Field will include:

Egg Fried Rice – Egg, Chinese Pickles, Poprice Special Seasoning, Scallions, Garlic & Soy Sauce

Egg Fried Rice with a Chicken Teriyaki Skewer – Halal Chicken Thighs, Poprice Secret Marinade

Egg Fried Rice with a BBQ Beef Skewer – USDA Prime Boneless Beef Short Ribs, Poprice Secret Marinade

RyRy’s Kitchen will be the second Taste of Queens restaurant featured at Citi Field from Friday, May 24 – Sunday, July 14. Chef Rayan Campbell was born in Jamaica and moved to New York City in 2016 where he later opened RyRy’s Kitchen in Queens. Chef Rayan has been dedicated to boldly enhancing classic tastes while innovating traditional and new recipes, bringing unforgettable Caribbean flavors to RyRy’s Kitchen. The menu for RyRy’s Kitchen at Citi Field will include:

Yardmon Burger – Jerk Patty, Coleslaw, Sweet Plantains, Mango Chutney, RyRy’s Jerk Sauce served on a Martin’s Potato Roll

Jerk Chicken Sandwich – Jerk Rubbed Boneless Chicken Thigh, Coleslaw, Jerk Aioli served on a Martin’s Potato Roll

Sides – Plantains and Cole Slaw

Benny’s Cuban Café will be the final Taste of Queens restaurant featured at Citi Field from Thursday, July 25 – Sunday, September 22. Owner and Chef Mike ‘Benny’ Lopez and Chef Felix Martinez have taken their expertise in traditional Cuban cuisine to make Benny’s Cuban Café the self-proclaimed “Home of NYC’s best Cubano Sandwich”. In addition to providing traditional Cuban cuisine, Benny’s Cuban Café has made an impact in the Queens community by preparing free meals to those in need. Benny’s Cuban Café menu at Citi Field will include:

Cubano – Roasted Pernil, Smoked Ham, Swiss Cheese, Mustard & Dill Pickles pressed on a Buttered Cuban Roll

Cuban Nachos – Crispy Plantain Chips, Roasted & Pulled Pernil, Benny’s Flamingo Sauce

In addition to featuring these three small businesses throughout the season, the Mets are giving fans the chance to vote on one of their favorite food vendors from the past to bring back to Citi Field for the 2024 season. Fans can decide between Keith’s Grill, Dan + John’s Wings and Stuf’d. To learn more and vote, visit Mets.com/FanVote.

Jeff McNeil of the 4th place Mets was off playing golf instead of working out and watching game films.  If Matt Harvey did that you guys would be mad at him.  Thanks to Maria for the tip!

INT. JERRY’S APARTMENT – DAY

Steve  bursts into Jerry’s apartment with an air of excitement.

STEVE: (excitedly) Jerry, guess what? The Yankees are copying my idea!

JERRY:  What, they didn’t call Ohtani either?

STEVE (annoyed).  No Jerry, the New York Yankees are  getting rid of the white on their road jerseys!

JERRY: (raising an eyebrow) No white?

STEVE: No White.

JERRY:  Why would the Yankees get rid of the white?

STEVE: (proudly) It’s trendsetting, Jerry. I’m a fashion pioneer in baseball.

JERRY: (teasing) What’s next, invisible pinstripes?

STEVE: (ignoring the sarcasm) This is serious. It’s like the Yankees are following in Uncle Steve’s footsteps.

JERRY: (sarcastically) Oh, I can see it now: ‘Uncle Steve,’ the trendsetter. What are you going to remove next? The numbers?

STEVE: (considering) You know, that’s not a bad idea…

JERRY: (laughing) Yeah, and players can just wear nametags. “Hi, I’m… what’s his name.”

INT.  STEVE’S OFFICE – CITI FIELD

Steve is at his desk when his marketing team, looking thrilled, enters his office.

MARKETING DIRECTOR: (excitedly) Steve, we have a huge opportunity. A major client wants to sponsor the new uniforms!

STEVE: (interested) Great! Bring them in.

A moment later, representatives from White Castle enter. They’re beaming with enthusiasm.

WHITE CASTLE REP: (eagerly) Steve, we’re thrilled about this. With the return of stolen bases, we want to promote our sliders. It’s the perfect baseball tie-in!

STEVE: (nodding) Sliders and stolen bases, I like it!

As the conversation progresses, Steve prepares to show them the new uniforms.

STEVE: (proudly) Before we go further, let me show you our new uniforms.

He reveals the all-black Mets uniforms, and the White Castle team’s smiles fade.

WHITE CASTLE REP: (confused) Where’s the white on the uniforms? Our branding is white and blue.

STEVE: (awkwardly) Well, about that… We recently decided to go with an all-black design. No white.

WHITE CASTLE REP:  No white?

STEVE (proudly):  No white.

The White Castle team exchanges worried glances.

WHITE CASTLE REP 2: (concerned) But our whole campaign is about ‘White Castle Sliders.’ We envisioned our logo in white on the uniforms…

STEVE: (realizing the problem) Oh, I see the issue here.

WHITE CASTLE REP: (disappointed) I’m afraid without the white, our branding just won’t pop.

WHITE CASTLE REP 2: Gotta have pop.

As we continue to encourage everyone to have HONOR AMONG BLOGGERS I will again refer you to Uni Watch who has a bit of information about the Citi Connect design.

There you will find the date of the debut, which I could just tell you, but I think the people who do the work deserve the credit, so just click.

As for my own independent sourcing, I believe the new cap design (without white) is related to the City Connect, which I also believe to be black.  Something about the white not working with it, and the cap change forcing the tweak to the Friday black jersey.

I am also confident the City Connect jersey will be awful, but time will tell.

Anyway, click on some Uni Watch, and also treat yourself to my latest Seinfeld riff on all this.  I will have another Seinfeld post tomorrow.