Conveyor Belt Cheese at Pick & Cheese in Shaver Hall, NYC

Pick & Cheese in Shaver Hall, NYC

There is something exciting when you eat at a conveyor belt restaurant, as if the dish passing in front of you is the last one of its kind: you have to have it. And then the next one, and the next. It’s like a game, and then you realize that you ate more than what you would normally in a regular restaurant. At least, that is what I think. So, I was intrigued when I heard that a new food court called Shaver Hall would open midtown, with one of the places being a cheese conveyor belt restaurant called Pick & Cheese (a play on “Pick and choose”). Cheese? Yes, fromage. Being French, I ate my way through cheese and I am always surprised to discover, during each visit to my family, new cheeses. But Pick & Cheese is not serving cheese from all over the world: they serve only American cheese, proving that Uncle Sam produces more than just deli slices, that can compete with the best (remember few years ago, when the best in the world was a cheese from Vermont). So, we had to go to Pick & Cheese. We sat alongside the conveyor belt, looking at cheese passing around, identified by a number that was described on a menu, with a bit of information and explains what it is paired with (there is always something different, sweet or savory, accompanying it), so you could decide if you would pick it or not. Each plate has a color that defines the price (cream - $5.95, sage -$6.95, teal - $7.95 and honey - $8.95), but let’s be honest, as you go, you forget about the color and the price and focus more on the cheese. Natural pairing would be with wine, like the glass of Swick “bring it” Willamette 2022 from Oregon ($18), described as “electric mouthfeel with crisp acidity, layering blackberry, red currant, mushroom and leathery herbaciousness”. I was thinking that getting a bold wine would be perfect to balance the full spectrum of cheese I would get. And before I talk about the cheese, I should mention that they give you crackers that they will refill, but we really wanted to try some bread ($3.50), that was delicious with butter…and cheese. Here is what we tried, with their number for easy reference:

Menu, courtesy of Pick & Cheese

glass of Swick “bring it” Willamette 2022 from Oregon

Bread and Butter

at Pick & Cheese in Shaver Hall, NYC

4 - PORK SAUCISSON, Larchmont Charcuterie, New York,

Paired with: Cornichons

9 - Pickles

at Pick & Cheese in Shaver Hall, NYC

12 - Reverie, Parish Hill Creamery, Vermont, Westminster. Paired with: Roasted garlic cloves

14 - Street Ched, Urban Stead, Ohio, Cincinnati

Paired with: Apple Butter Crumble

18 - Oma, Von Trapp Farmstead, Vermont, Waitsfield

Paired with: Spiced Peanut

22 - Cayuga blue, Lively Run Goat Dairy, New York, Interlaken

Paired with: Brandied Cherries

24 - Truffled Peggy, Churchtown Dairy, New York, Hudson

Paired with: Potato Crisps

27 - Whipped goat cheese donut, Vermont Creamery, Vermont, Websterville

2 - Camembrie, Blue Ledge Farm, Vermont, Salisbury

Paired with: Caramelized Onion

6 - Coperthwaite, Churchtown Dairy, New York Hudson

Paired with: Pickled Fennel and Taralli

10 - Bayley Hazen Blue, Jasper Hill Farm, Vermont, Greensboro.

Paired with: Chocolate Brownie.

13 - Humboldt Fog, Cypress Grove, California, Arcata. Paired with: seed brittle

16 - Lady Edison Country Ham,

North Carolina, Chapel Hill

19 - St. Stephen, Four Fat Fowl, New York, Stephentown.

Paired with: Raspberry & Rose Conserve

23 - Pipe Dreams Buche, Pipe Dreams Fromage, Pennsylvania

Paired with: Shortbread and Rosemary Honey

26 - BIJOU, Vermont Creamery, Vermont, Websterville

Paired with: Turkish Delight

Blue cheese and port affogato

We did not get all this at once, but in fact went two Saturdays in a row, and I would not be surprised that we will go very soon again. Pick & Cheese is like heaven for cheese lovers (besides having to pay at the end), so, if you are one of them, this is THE place to go!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Pick & Cheese in Shaver Hall - 424 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018