Sam Murphy
A cold brew every time even in the depths of winter
Taste Maker is a food guide from creatives, artists and professional eaters. Follow → Instagram → Previous Guests
Sam Murphy is a Pop critic and content creator who you might know as PopSamCam.
Where do you live most of the year?
Between Sydney and New York
What do you look for in a restaurant when you walk in?
I am a big stalker of restaurants on Google Maps and I need it to hit a few aesthetic spots for me to star it and go. I love a ‘70s aesthetic or something that feels really purposeful and unique to the restaurant. As soon as I walk in I want to feel a vibe. You can almost immediately tell by the people in there what it’s going to be like. If it feels too snobby or polished I’m usually turned off.
What is your final meal?
I think about this more often than I should and my answer usually ends up being I don’t know. Right now, if I had to pick, I’d probably start with tuna ceviche. A really thin one, maybe on a tostada with some avocado and lime. Then I want a steak frites, medium rare and I want a martini with it because that is the perfect pairing. Then a New York cheesecake with an espresso.
3 guests for dinner, dead or alive?
I want Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder and Bowie. They’re my top 3. I think that they’ve reached brought something so unique to music and this Roundtable would be so riveting. I also feel like they would all have very different taste in terms of what they like to eat which would add some tension. I’m into that.
Sam’s Taste Maker Guide
Breakfast: Abraço, NYC
Order: Abraço in the East Village in New York. It’s the best coffee in town, the vibe is supremely eclectic and the baked goods are great. I’m ordering an Olive Oil Cake and a Cold Brew.
Coffee: Villager, Crown Heights, NYC
Order: This is my local. A cold brew every time even in the depths of winter.
Lunch: Kiki’s, NYC
Order: I’m going to drink the house white wine and order a huge selection of Greek food. I love the Melitzanosalata dip. I’m also ordering the saganaki, zucchini chips and marousalata salad. Main we’ll go for either a Moussaka or lamb chops.
Special dinner: Oxonoco, NYC
Mexico City-inspired Mexican. It’s a beautiful, open space with lots of greenery. The frozen Margs are huge and look instantly impressive. That’s a must to start with but the food is amazing too. The tuna ceviche is next level. The Punta Verde Caesar is their twist on a Caesar salad and it hits. Artichoke tacos are also really good. Probably the best “fancy” Mexican in the city.
Casual dinner: The Fly, Brooklyn, NYC
Order: This is just down the road from me and I go all the time. They basically just do roast chicken with a bunch of sides (beans, fries, salad) and then really good drinks. We get chicken, sides and a dry gin martini with a twist - it’s the best. I don’t even like roast chicken and I think this.
Special shoutouts
Little Frankie’s, NYC: This is a bit of an East Village Institution. It’s a cash only Italian spot that is open until around 2am so we’ve been here after a gig or even drinks for a pizza. It’s always good people watching.
Leroy’s, NYC: I used to live near this Greenpoint spot and it was a regular for me. The burger is my favourite in the city and the fries are perfect and thin. They also make a good martini.
Eel Bar, NYC: I went here recently. It’s a new spot in the Lower East Side doing Basque food. The scallops with white asparagus were life-changing.
Le Stuzzicherie Del Porto, Italy : For the last couple years I’ve holidayed in Castro, Italy. There’s this Italian beach club and across the road there’s a panini shop run by an Italian family and they take the sandwiches so seriously which I absolutely love. They discuss them with us like we’re taking out a mortgage. It gets heated but the results are always amazing. My last one was mortadella, broccoli rabe and provolone. Incredible.
Grappa, Leichhardt, Sydney: I married into a big Italian family and spent much of my 20s in Leichhardt in Sydney. Grappa is my favourite spot there. Go and get the Tuna ceviche which I think they do with soy sauce. It melts in your mouth. I could have 3 orders by myself.