Author Archives: Ziggy

Ten Tips for Zion National Park

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Ziggy

Following a family event at the spectacular Garden of the Gods in Colorado, the Ziggy clan picked up a car in Vegas and went on a little adventure. Three days in Zion, two in Bryce, followed by two fun days in LV. After numerous attempts to see Zion in previous years (I’m looking at you Jules), we finally made it. Verdict: Some pain involved, but spectacular to say the least. Here are some tips:

See Valley of Fire State Park on the way – Coming from Las Vegas this is a worthy detour. Even in blistering heat where you’ll encounter “Heat Warning. You might die” signs, you should do it. There are a few short hikes, small stops and plenty to see from the road.

Stay in La Verkin – This might be a bit controversial. Obviously I cant compare to other destinations like Springdale which is at the foot of the entrance to the park. But even though we drove the 30 minutes to the park more than we planned, we were very happy staying in La Verkin. First of all, the drive itself to the park is stunning. Second, it’s much cheaper, especially if you need three rooms like I did. But most importantly, it’s close to other worthy attraction (more below) that are much more relaxing, requiring less effort than Zion. It also got the excellent River Rock Roasting Company, a fine Indian restaurant, and much more.

See Snow Canyon State Park – This is one of the biggest reasons to stay in La Verkin. 40 minutes away is one of the coolest state parks we’ve ever seen. And thanks to Zion, not that many even know about it. Jenny’s Canyon Trail is pretty neat, but will be fairly forgettable once you walk on the spectacular Petrified Sand Dunes. Have brunch/lunch at Black Bear Diner in St. George

Get to Zion Canyon Visitor Center by 8 am – Problem #1. The parking lot at the visitor center fills up early. We were there by 7:30 both days and there werent a whole lot of spots left. On one of the days I was told it was full by 8. By the time you’ll read this, this may change, so best to check with social media boards like TripAdvisor.

Yes, absolutely do The Narrows – Its too hard, its too wet, its too much preparation, its not worth it. Dont let the demons win this one. It will be one of the coolest (literally and figuratively) hikes you’ll ever do. For me, a top 3 hike, perhaps bested only by Caminito del Rey in Spain.

Yes, you have to rent the equipment for the Narrows – Even the stick. Might be obvious to many, but we were surprised to see so many people, including families stumbling and falling all over.

Dont end at Scout Lookout – Scout Lookout on the way to Angels Landing is more strenuous than advertised. It’s quite the climb. You will rest often, and you want to do this when you are well rested. Once you make it to the top, unless you continue to Angels Landing, continue up on the West Rim Trail for a much more serene and beautiful plateau. We were surprised to find ourselves all alone there, considering how crowded Scout Lookout was.

Rest prior to taking the shuttle back – After a long day or hike, taking the shuttle back might be challenging. You may not find a seat, and unlike in the morning, the shuttle will stop at every stop. I’ve had root canals more pleasant than the long rides back after the punishing hikes.

Visit Virgin – I didnt mean this post to sound like a La Verkin tourism ad, but this is another reason to stay west. It’s a tiny town with roughly 700 residents, but so much is happening here. You got tubing, Jeep tours, an excellent restaurant (Balcony One) and one of the coolest souvenir shop I’ve ever seen, Fort Zion. Great for families and adults alike. Its also the gateway to the stunning North Kolob Terrace road.

Come early or late for Pine Creek Canyon Overlook – Very limited parking here. Sunset or Sunrise here are great, though just prior to sunset, the lighting wasnt that great. You may also want to do this on the way out east to your next destination.

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LaRina Pastificio & Vino – Life in a Bowl

Posted on July 15, 2025 by Ziggy

Sometimes great discoveries come later in life. And I’m not talking about Labubu. In a city where Italian food is an embarrassment of riches, its easy to fall under the radar, especially when you are in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The last time I dined in Ft Greene was at least 5 years ago at Miss Ada by the Israeli-born Tomer Blechman who since opened Theodora, one of the toughest tables in NYC these days. I’m still trying.

Larina, approaching its 10th year, is much easier to reserve than Theodora. But you wouldnt know it while walking around a very packed house on a Thursday evening, and seeing the slew of people waiting for a table outside, all speaking Italian. Its owned by 3-5 people depending on who you ask. At the helm is “Top Chef” contestant Silvia Barban.

Silvia’s Italian inspirations is hard to pinpoint. She grew up in the north, spent summers in the south, and cooked with some of the best of them, like Giancarlo Perbellini in his two Michelin star in Verona. She was roasting potatoes by age 6 with her grandma, and cooking entire meals by age 10. When I was 6, I was smoking cigarettes and getting into all kinds of trouble, and by the time I turned 10 I was sneaking into country clubs. Not only I cant cook but its a miracle I’m still alive.

Silvia described her signature Smoked Spaghetti as her life in a bowl. Elements from the north, south, and even NYC (the smokiness). But pretty much all of us came out of the meal with a life in a bowl dish. For my butcher friend it was the steak. For another it was the Lasagna. My friend had a Ratatouille moment when she tasted the Intingolo. And for me it was, what else, pasta perfection from Piedmont. The dish rundown…

Prosciutto di Parma with Mozzarella di Bufala – Your typical high end Prosciutto, though I personally prefer San Daniele over Parma. Mozzarella in this case a little less successful.

Octopus – Not sure it can be cooked any better than this. Spot on flavor and texture, nice complimentary sauce made with uncooked tomatoes among other goodies.

Intingolo – Like a chunky Hummus made with green chickpeas, with shishitos and pumpkin seeds. Goes well with their excellent bread basket (first one free). This was the Ratatouille moment for my friend, reminiscing about her grandma making this dish as a child. She dropped her makeup kit when she tasted it.

Rapa Gialla – Yellow beets and peaches covered with smoked stringy Stracchino. Good though got boring after a few bites. More of a side dish.

Smoked spaghetti – Simple ingredients, sensational flavors. She smokes the spaghetti before cooking, and that smokiness comes through very well. The only thing, maybe related to the process, is that it gets cold quickly. So… mangia mangia.

Lasagna – Looks very messy but tastes like an above average Lasagna. Made with spinach pasta sheets.

Agnolotti del Plin – This is it. the creme de la creme. Better than anything we had in NYC (including at high end places like Claud) and even some places in Piedmont. Braised beef and chicken filling, sage, and butter mixed with the meat jus. In Piedmont many places, even the notable, add only butter, some a lot of it. But the jus adds some oomph, as we learned in Turin. I thought I found a good version in San Carlo in West Village a few weeks ago, but this blew it away.

Steak – Expertly cooked base on the small piece I had.

Tried just about all the desserts and they were all great. Usually I can pick a winner but not in this case. Proper Tiramisu, excellent Panna Cotta with Strawberry compote and almonds, and more. Go!

LaRina Pastificio & Vino
387 Myrtle Ave (Ft Greene, Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Octopus, Intingolo, Smoked spaghetti, Lasagna, Agnolotti del Plin

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Chalong – Smells Like Thai Spirit

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Ziggy

Hell’s Kitchen needs another Thai restaurant like I need a stone in my sandals. When that happens, do you try to kick it out for 20 minutes or are you normal? I can just remove my shoes, but I’m so close, and there’s no satisfaction whatsoever if you do it the easy way

But as far as Thai food in Hell’s Kitchen goes, its not really a matter of need. The more the merrier, to keep everyone on their toes. Its an embarrassment of Thai riches. While most visitors pair their Broadway show with the classic pre theatre options east of 9th, those in the know think Thai food on 9th or beyond.

Chalong opened about two years ago by three Thai food veterans. To open a spot so close to Pure Thai Cookhouse and LumLum requires a particular set of tools, Liam Nissan style. And Nate Limwong who worked at Fish Cheeks and Soothr might just have the right tools. She grew up in Surat Thani, somewhere between Bangkok and Malaysia in Southern Thailand, hence bringing a fresh take to the hood.

Thai cuisine in NYC can essentially be categorizes into North, Middle, South, with the middle being most familiar to Americans. Northern cuisine had a nice run about 5-10 years, and now catching up at a slower pace. But New Yorkers generally not too familiar with Southern Thai. Much of the land is close to the sea which is reflected on the menus, but you also got the Southern interpretations of classics like Pad Thai which I wouldnt skip here.

At Chalong, not only the food is outstanding, but the room is comfortable and a bit more chic than some of the usual suspects. My old rule of thumb, go to the uglier looking Thai places in Hell’s Kitchen, is becoming just that, old and stale. The rule might have died when LumLum replaced Pam Real Thai. But in case you miss that oxtail soup, Pam is now cooking in Las Vegas at Mama Pam Real Thai Food.

The food rundown…

Jeeb Pu – Crab, shrimp, and pork dumplings. Essentially Shumai on crack. Get this.

Peek Gai Tod – Fantastic sizzling hot Chicken wings. All small ‘mid’ wings which are the best kind. They can carry more flavor, and usually crispier, as was the case here.

Sator Goog – A fiery combination of ground pork, stinky beans that look like Fava Beans, shrimp and curry paste. Waiter warned that its Thai spicy but it was more like borderline. Needless to say, Mardi Gras in your mouth.

Crab Curry – As good and well balanced as they get. Includes a small crispy soft shell crab for good measure.

Tom Som Pla – Nice southern style Tom Yum soup with Chilean sea bass chunks and Enoki mushrooms of all sizes. I think I enjoyed the Enkoi more than the fish which wasnt bad at all. The rest of the group found it over lemongrassed, but I didn’t mind.

Mee Pum Riang – Southern style Pad Thai with shrimp. One of my friends cant tolerate too much spice so figured we’ll try it. It still had just enough heat, and was actually one of the better dishes. The coconut curry cream really transforms it, in the looks dept as well. Go!

Chalong
749 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen)
Recommended Dishes: All of the above

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Cotra Update

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Ziggy
Cotra – An Izakaya Sensation in Gowanus
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Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks – If You Build It, They Will Come

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Ziggy

When looking at my site stats, there’s always the usual outliers. Posts that get significantly more views than the rest on a daily basis for reasons not known to me. These days I’m seeing it with the Thai Diner Survival Guide, a Day in Brighton Beach, Four Gems in Alberobello, and my post on the Caminito del Rey. But in the last year or so, none garner more views than my post about Angelo’s Pizzeria in Philly. WordPress doesnt show me the search words. I can only see the sites where users come from, and on occasion I would see the rhyme and reason for the spikes, but not in this case.

If only NYC had one of the things Angelo’s Pizzeria is famous for. Well, the one that’s not pizza. The thing that people wait for sometimes hours, and eat it in the car because its strictly takeout. Well, we kinda have it now. The Danny part of the name is Danny DiGiampietro, one of the owners of Angelo’s Pizza. The Coop part is for some actor named Bradley Cooper who was making the one hit wonders during the first few days. Luckily he wasnt there to make mine the other day.

After going after such hype for decades in NYC, my expectations werent greatly inflated. I learned a long time ago that hype in NYC is often just that. It can be purchased, or generated by smart marketing. Besides, I read plenty of reviews that suggested the sandwiches lack seasoning, messy, and just not nearly as good as advertised.

But this was pretty darn good. I arrived 15 minutes before opening, and was racing to the car 30 minutes later. There was already a line of 6 or so when I arrived. The waits were well over an hour when they first opened. I rarely feel FOMO in one of the greatest food cities on earth, and can easily wait a year or more. I think I finally tried the Cronut 3 years later.

The first thing you notice is the size. It’s one of those difficult decisions a man in his 50’s must make. Share or suffer the consequences of eating the entire thing. Friday, June 20, Ziggy shares a sandwich with one of his daughters. A milestone. The exchange was so emotional, I forgot to give her her share of the hot peppers.

Whether you want hot or sweet peppers on the side is the only decision you have to make. I wasnt asked how to build the beast, and I cant tell you how much I admire that. If you build it, they will come. The no onion people (I’m talking to you Mrs Z), can just stay home. Though the onions are so translucent, I hardly felt them.

No seasoning issues whatsoever. The meat, fried onions, and Cooper Sharp Cheese (no relations, I think) blended together gorgeously. And the sesame seeded hoagie, baked in house was the perfect sturdy partner. The only issue, that may not be an issue at all, is that they load it pretty well, and half of the bread got a little soggy and couldnt quite hold it all together. But you can easily solve this by giving that half to the lucky person sharing this with you. Go!

Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks
151 Avenue A (East Village)

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Cafe Kestrel – Best Thing to Open in Red Hook Since Hometown

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Ziggy

Red Hook always felt like the type of place that got just the right amount of everything. Where a little more (subway, mall, etc) or a little less could be detrimental. From the top of my head, you got a chocolate factory, a lobster place, the city’s best BBQ (Hometown), solid Thai, one of the best burgers in town, breweries and bars galore, and pizza. Not to mention Ikea. It can use a good Italian though residents seem fairly happy with Bar Mario for some reason (one and done for us).

But Cafe Kestrel feels like the type of place no one knew Red Hook was missing. An intimate neighborhood joint offering… ok, if I cant call it by the default “New American”, its European, or South European to be as precise as I can, which really means… New American. While the menu seems all too familiar (Chicken, fish, salad, etc), the end result wont.

This was a rare double dessert situation. When you just had a very full meal, and decide to order two desserts instead of the usual one. Judging by how many people share desserts around us, I’m sure many of you can relate. During a meal that feels like nothing can go wrong, it feels criminal to stick to the usual game plan. Besides, who can pass on a Sundae and an Apricot tart.

Just about all the publications about Cafe Kestrel will tell you how tiny it is. It’s too tiny to have a host, and more than 6 tables. You quickly get to know the folks sitting next to you, with just a few inches of separation. All the women by the wall, and the men, apparently all with bladder issues facing them. It’s much easier to get to the bathroom from the aisle seat. It felt like eating with new friends, except that since its Red Hook, more like chaperoning new friend’s kids.

Eater

Cafe Kestrel is a good match for anyone that enjoys and appreciates good food. If you enjoy salads and fish especially, you may want to put them on top of the list. When it rains during the meal, you may hear “soup?” murmurs all around you as the chef/owner Dennis Spina also promises soup on rainy days. Judging by the kind of range we experienced, you may want to come here for soup as well.

From start to finish, it was a clever use of top notch ingredient. From the Hors D’Oeuvres section, the Baguette with seaweed butter was an indication of things to come. Save some bread for the salad. Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Stracciatella is normally enough for most places. But here Spina tops them with a nice mix of spices including aromatic fennel pollen. Just a few but very explosive bites.

“Cafe Salad” looks fairly pedestrian, but quite brilliant once you dig in. Good use of Yellow Beets, Red Rock Cheddar that looked like Butternut Squash, surprising everyone around us as well, Walnut Praline & a nice lemony dressing. Lamb sausage is another dish that tasted much better than it looks, especially once you combined all the ingredients.

The mains were even better. The chicken, served crispy thin, with an addictive dates puree, capers, carrots & Herbs De Provence. A forkful of pure bliss. Ordering the Cod with Fava Beans over the Steelhead Trout was a tough but seemingly correct decision, even though I cook Cod very often at home. Delicate, and immensely flavorful.

Excellent Apricot tart, and a Sundae to finish. The Sundae could have been easier to manage and appreciate from a bowl if I can be picky. The drinks were not nearly as memorable, but fine. Efficient, all female service, on this night at least. No miss or even a near miss. In fact I would gladly order the same exact dishes again next time. Go!

Cafe Kestrel
293 Van Brunt St (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Baguette, Zucchini Flowers, Cafe Salad, Chicken, Cod, Apricot Tart

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Werkstatt – The Nine Year Itch

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Ziggy

In the small chance you got here while searching for medical advice, this post is not about pruritus. It’s about another itch. One that grows over time to revisit a favorite place. You are good for months, if not days after each visit, before the itch kicks in again. With Werkstatt its pretty much a perpetual itch lasting close to 9 years.

I vividly remember the first visit which was special for everyone involved including the hosts. This is what I wrote back then.. “This was also an especially fun evening for Thomas Ferlesch and family (wife and daughter). Not only visited by a world famous blogger, but also by Mimi Sheraton, a former influential NYT critic who handed the then young Ferlesch 4 stars in 1981 when he worked for Vienna ’79 (UES).”

Coincidentally, that was pretty much the last time I saw Mr Ferlesch. On every subsequent visit, it was the same young chef at the helm. But not only the quality hasnt budged, the place seems busier than ever. The only thing that changed is less nightly specials. But with a tried and true menu as such, it just makes decisions that much easier.

Besides, quality German/Austrian food in NYC is an endangered species. I see places slowly closing, and nothing new is opening, as far as I know at least. It’s also the perfect place to bring elderly parents, after getting tired of Turkish. On our last visit, we were hardly the only ones to do so. You dont even need to order Salmon!

Their only complaint of the night was “this is not how we make Matzo Ball soup”, which meant it was probably excellent. Other than that, we had a selection of the usual suspects, plus one new dish, a serviceable Bucatini with Short Rib and Mushroom Ragu. One thing is certain. It may not be evident to some diners, but the young chef at the helm got some crazy range.

Out of the regulars, Calamari & Kielbasa, Chicken liver Mousse, and the Pretzel called Best Pretzel in NYC (for good reason) have been on the menu I believe from day one. Three dishes that not only dazzle your taste buds, but even compliment each other.

Beef Goulash with Spatzle is another winner that we get occasionally. You may not find a more tender beef in the entire city. Got to add a side of Spatzle with cheese because the other one comes without. In parties more than 2, you cant get enough Spatzle. And I’m not sure anyone ever walked out without having one of the Schnitzels. When the owner’s car plate says Schnzl, you know what to do. Make it a Wiener.

Choc/Hazelnut Crepes and apple strudel for the finish of course. There’s not only a strong beer menu, but the cocktails are consistently excellent. This is the place that got us hooked on Palomas and its many variations. A fine Paloma is the perfect cure for summertime sadness, and maybe even Pruritus.

Original post

Werkstatt
509 Coney Island Ave (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Pretzel, Calamari, Chicken Liver, Brussels Sprouts, Beef Goulash, Schnitzel

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This is Bryce Canyon

Posted on June 8, 2025 by Ziggy

Zion got the world famous hikes, Arches got arches, and Bryce got the Hoodoos. But that dosnt really describe Bryce very well. Bryce looks like ruins of a god made mammoth sand castle. Its an absolute stunner at any given time of the day. It will make you reach for the camera/phone even though you already took the same picture 10 times. This has to be one of the most unique National Parks in the world.

A nice intro to Bryce is the Red Canyon nearby. A morning hike combining Navajo Loop and Queens Garden via Wall Street was perfect for people pretending to be young and fit. Plenty of parking at the Lodge while everyone parks or looking for parking at Sunrise and Sunset points. In the afternoon we did the various points like Inspiration, and Natural Bridge. And just when you thought you’ve seen everything you need to see, comes Bryce Point, the mother of all viewpoints, maybe in the entire country.

One thing that struck was how cheap everything was at Bryce Canyon City. When was the last time you saw 60 cent water bottles?!? And Affogatos with giant scoops for $5. All at Old Bryce Town Ice Cream & Candy Shop. Overall the food wasnt particularly great in the Bryce area and Panguitch where we stayed as much as I tried to find decent eats.

The one good eats we found was breakfast at The Panguitch House Bed and Breakfast where we stayed for two nights. Panguitch the town was… interesting. For city slickers like us it was like a different country. But the B&B was a nice change of pace from the chains hotels.

The coolest thing we’ve done in the Bryce area was seeing the stars and learning about them with Dark Ranger Telescope Tours. Fun till you freeze close to midnight and need to escape like Cinderella. Careful when driving at night. We had a close call with a huge something. No one could tell what that was. My money was on Big Foot.

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Ci Siamo – The Good, the Great, and the Salty

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Ziggy

Finally made it to Ci Siamo, another ambitious gamble by Danny Meyer. The name means something along the lines of “Here we are” which is fitting because even with the address at hand, you have to spend a few minutes looking for it. Even my GPS went, “Ahhm, I’ll just drop you off in the vicinity. Good luck”. It is inside one of our newest swanky developments called Manhattan West, right opposite to Hudson Yards. Manhattan West is the official declaration that our real estate developments ran out of names.

While there’s no shortage of all kinds of Italian in the city, its lacking in the vicinity of CI Siamo. Just like Thai in Hell’s Kitchen, this part of Chelsea has a strange concentration of some of our best Spanish… Mercado Little Spain, Tía Pol, Txikito, Salinas, just to name a few. Perhaps the Basque Cheesecake on the menu at Ci Siamo is a community peace offering.

Ci Siamo is Italian for grown ups. For a refreshing change, we were in the middle of the pack age wise this time, as opposed to looking like chaperons. And we are only in our late 40’s (55 to be exact). You know you are in a mature place where they replace each plate, fork and knife after each course, and you dont feel bad about it. The service is efficient but not stuffy.

The three main courses are summarized pretty well by the title. This post is not so much to deter but help you plan accordingly as I do still recommend Ci Siamo. Starting with the good, the house signature Cast Iron Focaccia is light and delicious but one of the most expensive breads I’ve seen ($17). It comes with a velvety tomato sauce for dipping. Pair it with the top notch Prosciutto, most likely of the San Daniele variety.

Moving on to the great. The pastas at Ci Siamo rank with some of the best of them. The boozy, wide ribbon Stracci with slow cooked Rabbit is superb. The rest even better. The Roman classic Pasta alla Gricia isnt as widely available in NYC as its sisters Carbonara and Cacio e pepe, but it should be. Here you have a perfect blend of Rigatoni with Guanciale, cheese and Black Pepper, with each ingredient slow dancing in your mouth. But the show stopper is undoubtedly the Cavatelli Allo Scoglio, bean like Cavateili with crab and chili. For an Italian, they are not shy with the peppery stuff. But should be more shy with the salt…

Salt is usually used liberally with pastas in Italian cooking, but at Ci Siamo it was more prevalent with the Secondis. The first few bites of the Pork Milanese, and the braised mushrooms that came with the well cooked Rib eye were fine, but then the salt took over. A one time thing? According to Google reviews, “Salty” is mentioned over 30 times. I guess Ci Siamo management disagrees.

Back to the good, dont sleep on the vegetables and beans portion of the menu. The carrots are outstanding. Amazing how some dill brightens a dish. The braised beans we enjoyed with the mains is another winner. In a way this menu reminds me of Via Carota. The pricy salty mains put a small damper on the meal, but you can have a fine, full, and much cheaper meal without the mains.

If it didnt say it on the menu, I wouldnt know that the Cheesecake is Basque, as there was not much burnt flavor that I recall. Get it still, along with the dark chocolate based Torta Calabrese. And if you are not splurging on the wine, try the Daylight Savings drink – vodka, rabarbaro, blood orange, cocchi rosa. Like a Negroni/Paloma love child. After the meal, see the new foot on the High Line.

Ci Siamo
440 W 33rd St (Chelsea/Hudson Yards)
Recommended Dishes: Focaccia, Prosciutto, Stracci with Rabbit, Rigatoni alla Gricia, Cavatelli Allo Scoglio, carrots, braised beans, cheesecake, Torta Calabrese

Categories: Chelsea, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Nowon – Stick to the Classic(s)

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Ziggy

The singular and most important classic being the “Legendary Burger”. In fact, I’ll make it simple. If you dont like burgers, or not planning to order the burger, skip Nowon altogether. I’m Pretty sure the name stands for “Nowon to blame but yourself, if you dont order the burger”. That’s not to say Nowon has nothing decent to eat besides that. They do. I just cant come up with a solid argument to go there for the rest of the “classics” in one of the best food neighborhoods in the city.

But at the same time, its important to temper expectations. Much has been written about the burger including various “best of” publications, Reddit hype, and children books (“Goodnight Burger”) to reach the legendary status. But while its very well crafted, its still just a burger. And if you live here and had your share of decent burgers, it wont be earth shattering. So many reviewers expect a life altering, pee a little, moment only to be disappointed.

But you will be hard pressed to find a better burger that doesnt involve fancy meat. Its a simple, yet why almost no one does it, sum of all parts case. A perfectly cooked double patty, Kimchi sauce, American cheese, pickles, and perhaps most importantly, a soft Sesame bun hat holds everything together and not too heavy. Its Hava Nagila in your mouth. The wedding version.

Another must classic is the Chopped Cheese Rice Cakes. Not quite as good as Momofuku, the unofficial Rice Cake pioneer in NYC, but very nicely done. The rice cakes feature plenty of crisp and the spiced beef ragu completes it. The Black Sesame Garlic Caesar Salad, while not totally distinguishable from regular Caesar, is still pretty solid, and pairs well with the rest of the dishes. We’ve had some nifty salads here in the past that are no longer on the menu.

The big first ever miss at Nowon was the awesome sounding Mushrooms with noodles. Didnt trust my judgment of saying no to any dish that lists bell peppers as an ingredient. A shockingly flat concoction especially next to the bold flavors of the rest of the dishes. I also didnt care for the too sweet Tater Tots with Honey Butter, but that could be just a personal preference as its one of the most popular dishes here.

The Black Sesame Creme Brulee is a sound finisher. Though the Rice Pudding sounds pretty good as well. They offer set menu options called Mixtapes which gets you half a burger. Dont be the douche that complains about it, as its very rational, and a full burger is almost a full meal in itself. Not sure how they manage odd numbers.

Another location is now in Bushwick. Go!

Nowon
507 E 6th (East Village)
Recommended Dishes: Burger, Rice Cakes, Caesar Salad, Creme Brulee

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

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