Gramercy, Flatiron

Best Restaurants in Manhattan

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Ziggy

Well, the people of Reddit have spoken, after putting together the Brooklyn picks. For Manhattan I grouped them instead of creating another map (Brooklyn is huge). And just like with Brooklyn, there are certain areas as you can see where I dont spend much time. UWS and UES are just too far, and not as interesting, while Midtown East and Times Square are hotel/tourist heavy, with minimal parking, and more suited for business lunches. Rarely anything interesting opens there.

I also think its time to retire the Z-List. I’ve been managing it for many years, and I’ve had many people commenting on how useful it is. But a list of 30 that covers a large area, no matter how often updated, can run its course. I know some rely on it, but I think its better to rely on its Brooklyn and Manhattan list replacements at this point. I will leave the Z-List up for a while to give people a chance to say goodbye 😉

I will update these lists often. This one is more or less from south to north, with the borders stretched on occasion to fit everyone…

Tribeca

Nish Nush – One of the best if not the best Falafels in the city for a few decades now.

Au Cheval – Go for the sick burger, stay for the Mac & Cheese.

LES / Chinatown

Ginger and Lemongrass – Pretty much for the spicy lemongrass soup.

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou – Hard to beat for a quick cheap dumplings and noodles.

Spicy Village – Slightly uncomfortable but exceptional Chinese. Try the dumplings and Big Tray of Chicken

Uncle Lou’s – Got a little too touristy lately but this is where I’d go for Cantonese right now

Katz’s Deli – The Pastrami Temple. Mega touristy for a reason

Corima – Affordable, superb creative Mexican

Nolita / Little Italy

Thai Diner – Super popular for a reason. Try to come at Off-peak hours

Wayan – Vongerichten Jr doing all kinds of Indonesian/French magic

19 Cleveland – Excellent all around Israeli

Tomiño Taberna Gallega – NYC’s best if not only pure Galician. Meaning get the Octopus

Figo il Gelato – Fig/Ricotta Gelato when fresh is hard to beat

Soho

Raoul’s – A celebrated old French Bistro.

San Carlo Osteria Piemonte – Almost does Italy’s top food region justice. Order from the Piemonte menu

Rivareno Gelato – I’m an ice cream junky and this is my favorite Gelato these days. Especially appreciate the northern flavors

Pinch Chinese – Outstanding elevated Chinese. A favorite since they opened pretty much

Greenwich Village

Anton’s – I follow certain chefs I admire, until they call the cops 😉 Nick Anderer (Mailino, Marta) did an amazing job curating a great menu at Anton’s. He’s now doing his magic at his second, Leon’s (great lunch so far). Love the brunches here too.

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele – While not exactly the same as the Napoli original, a fancy pizzeria with a full menu

Jeju Noodle Bar – I preferred this Korean before the Michelin star, but its still outstanding

Balaboosta – The flagship of one of the most celebrated Israeli chefs.

Song’ e Napule – If I have to pick just one pizzeria

Leitao – Superb Portuguese. One of my favorite discoveries in the last few years

Via Carota – Possibly the most well rounded Italian we have. Popular for a reason

Dell’anima – Italian in West Village is having a moment. Just moved back after many years deep in Hell’s Kitchen. Exceptional pastas and chicken.

East Village

Foxface Natural (Temporarily closed) – From a tiny Sandwich shop to creative Michelin style dining.

Hearth – A reliable old timer and the creator of Brodo.

Fiaschetteria “Pistoia” – The closest we have to eating in a Tuscan village

Carnitas Ramirez – Possibly best tacos in NYC today.

Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks – Yes, worth the hype.

Spice Brothers – When a spice master opens a fast food Middle Eastern. Worth checking out

Nowon – Our go-to for a simple burger, rice cakes and more.

Claude – Josh Pinsky is another chef I follow for a while, from the Momofuku days in this case.

Flatiron / Gramercy

L’Express – One of the most reliable Brasseries in the city, aging like a fine Bordeaux

Olle – No shortage of great Korean in the area, but you’ll be hard pressed to find better Galbi Jjim

Ulivo – Nice all around Italian, good pizza, and a plethora of fresh pastas by a talented Sardinian

Milu – Fast food Chinese like no other.

Rezdora – Pricy high caliber Italian, especially the pastas, inspired by Emilia Romagna

Chelsea

Jun-Men Ramen – Good ramen but even better non Ramen items like the Mazemen and wings.

Tia Pol / Txikito / Salinas – Three excellent Spanish all timers, near each other. All quite different. I frequent Tia Pol more only because its more accessible.

Hell’s Kitchen

Frena – Elevated middle eastern by a seasoned chef, now owner. Taboon 2.0 for those who remember.

Chalong Southern Thai – Probably best Thai in Hell’s Kitchen today, if not Manhattan.

Danji – Former Michelin Korean. Nice comeback story after a devastating fire

Chi – Solid, stylish Szechuan with a twist

Don Antonio – Legit Neapolitan pies. Just about as good as it gets.

Pure Thai Cookhouse – Legendary Thai in Thai heavy Hell’s Kitchen

UWS

Pig and Khao – Used to frequent the LES location. Same menu as far as I know.

Categories: Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

L’Express – The Restaurant that Never Sleeps

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Ziggy

Ok, maybe a few hours a day. Some visitors are surprised to learn that in the city that never sleeps, many, if not most places close at 10pm. That’s close to the time when people in some countries like Spain just start their evening activities. In Andalucia, we noticed most places only open at 8:30. In NYC, 8:30 is approaching the end of peak time (6-9). And in rural America, you may not even find a place open after 8pm.

So why is it called, the city that never sleeps? I think its because we simply cant sleep. Noise, rats, weather, tariffs. There’s always something to worry about. When I have those silent moments while driving with Mrs Z, I can just tell that she’s thinking about worrying about something… “I think you need a new suit”, “We probably need a new door”, “How come Costco milk expires so late. Are we being poisoned”. In the city that never sleeps, we call the police when neighbors dont sleep, and we constantly talk about ways to make us sleep. Warm milk and honey is my latest nightly routine.

L’Express used to be open 24 hours, but now they close for a few hours at night to reset. Is there a better way to gauge demand than the amount of hours an establishment is open during the week, along with its lifespan. Not many places outside of Times Square can beat 30 year old L’Express and their hours. On a recent random Tuesday night the place was packed.

Just like L’Express in Montreal, our L’Express on Park Ave in Gramercy is as classic French bistro as it gets. L’Express is owned by Chef Driven Hospitality Group, but more importantly its at the hands of Chef Amitzur Mor who worked at Gramercy Tavern, Bouley, and Payard among other places. The mission is to make forgotten dishes still relevant. The Katz’s Deli of French food if you will.

A good example of a forgotten dish revived at L’Express is the Duck Cassoulet. A few bites of that sent me straight to… Staten Island. Many years ago, when Ziggy was young, sporty, and without sleeping issues, he would frequent a place near the Staten Island ferry that offered a beautiful rich Cassoulet. At that time Cassoulet used to be my favorite French dish. These days, even in Paris its not so easy to find. I did manage to find a good one in the 5th Arr.

The rest of the items didnt disappoint. You need to ask for bread to mop up all the awesomeness from the Escargot leftover. The Steak Frites featured a decent size strip that was cooked to perfection. Add a small charge to make it Au Poivre and you get a much better value than Raoul’s, and most places. I took the shot under much duress. The Short Rib Bourguignon with potato puree is exactly what you expect from a French Bistro. And the Creme Brulee, absolutely on point.

On the flip side, The P.E.I Moules-Frites were average, and the olive puree didn’t quite compliment the crispy goat cheese well. But I’m just nitpicking here. Overall, I was impressed by the quality from a seemingly simple corner bistro that’s as accessible as a diner. L’Express is aging like a fine Bordeaux. Go!

L’Express
249 Park Ave S (20th)
Recommended Dishes: Duck Cassoulet, Escargot, Steak Frites, Short Rib Bourguignon, Creme Brulee

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Taboonia – From Usfiya With Love

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Ziggy

When you come across Taboonia off 6th ave just inside Nomad, it looks like just another random fast food joint, a pizzeria even. But its so much more than that. Not only it’s NYC’s second Druze restaurant (first fast casual), but it comes with a tragic underlying story. Raif Rashed, one of the owners was a survivor of the Nova Festival on Oct 7. While he lived in the US, he happened to be in Israel at the time, and agreed to help his brother operate a food stall called Taboonia at the festival. I will spare you the many tragic details except that they both survived.

Opening Taboonia, and introducing Americans to traditional Druze cooking is part of the healing process. When I used to run food tours, one of the stops on the Hell’s Kitchen tour was Gazala Place, our first Druze establishment. I enjoyed talking about the Druze, their believes and the famous Druze hospitality. The same hospitality we experienced in 2012 in Usfiya where Rashed is from. Gazala came from Daliyat El-Carmel, the sister Druze village right next to Usfiya, just outside of Haifa. The tray below is how we got treated at the Druze house.

Our Druze Plate in Usfiya

Taboonia has some things in common, but very different than Gazala which eventually opened a place at the Upper West Side, and closed the original in Hell’s Kitchen during the pandemic. I have vivid memories of walking on 9th ave, seeing Gazala through the window cook that paper thin bread on a Saj oven. I miss her Hummus the most, and that bread was perfect for that.

Taboonia is a lot more low key, but same big heart. You are immediately greeted with some of the best spiced Chai you’ll ever have. I just asked him for the “best of” and the result was glorious. Manakish, essentially Druze pizza with Za’atar, similar to what we had in Usfiya. “Pita Labneh” featuring that thin flat Druze Saj bread stuffed with Tabule, egg, Labneh, and Harissa finished on the Saj oven. I recommend cutting by two instead of three like we did. Outstanding! Even the Potato Bourekas was fresh and excellent.

It’s one of those places where it may not even occur to you that its all vegetarian. All freshly made and solid ingredients throughout. Even the olives were delicious to this olives hater. The location is fine, depending on who you ask. Its fairly central, but the immediate area is mainly of the wholesale variety, though the area is changing. Go!

Taboonia
832 6th Ave, (29th)
Recommended Dishes: Pita Labneh, Bourekas, Manakish

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Olle – Not Just Another Korean

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Ziggy

In LA a few weeks ago, a Korean called Hungry Crowd near our hotel in Burbank was just what the doctor ordered after a long drive from Napa. While munching on their Bibimbap I realized that it’s not only the first Bibimbap I’ve had in ages, but I havent even seen it on a menu in years. My last one may have been at Danji in Hell’s Kitchen (still temporarily closed), about a decade ago. I regretted telling this to the waiter, who was very puzzled by the news.

In NYC pioneers like David Chang, Jungsik Yim, and Junghyun Park (Atomix, Atoboy) converted Korean cuisine into something we cant define. ‘New Korean’ if you will as coined by Jungsik. Tremendous competition pushes newbies to reinvent and differentiate. We now have multiple Cajun/Korean and the haute joints keep multiplying and having babies. Just like you will rarely see new Italian showcasing Cacio e Pepe or Carbonara, you rarely see new Korean offering Bibimbap these days.

Outside of the big city, even in the burbs here, Korean simply means BBQ. In the expending Koreatown in Manhattan, there’s no shortage of BBQ, but new places like Olle on 30th, keep pushing the envelope. Olle is another Jeju inspired (Jeju Noodle Bar) establishment, with somewhat of a concept. Stylish Korean comfort food centered around one dish, the Galbi Jjim.

As with many concept places all over the city, ordering at Olle requires a bit of homework. But no worries. Good ole’ uncle Ziggy is here to help with the process, although I probably understand about 85% of it. All you need to do is order the Galbi Jjim, select the two sides for $10 more, and anything else from the menu. With that you get an excellent Banchan set of around 8 that includes Kimchi, Daikan, Onions, Scallion Pancakes, marinated egg, wood-ear mushrooms, and rice. There was not one dish that I didnt want to more.

But the star is the Galbi Jjim itself. Braised short ribs with oyster mushrooms and other goodies that continues to cook table side. Good luck finding short ribs with greater depth and consistency. The only thing that was missing was more of the excellent mushrooms, but this dish is billed for two people, not four. The price is a whopping $70 (there’s also a small option for $60), but once you add the other parts, its not a bad value. Especially if you successfully share for four.

Out of the two sides, I was surprised at how much I liked one over the other. Bibim Naengmyeon, cold noodles with spicy sauce wasnt quite up to par with my taste. People rave about it all over social media, but I found the sauce too tangy for the delicate noodles and quickly got bored with it. The fried rice dish on the other hand produced at the end of the meal with the leftover Galbi Jjim was stellar. Although it does come with some confusion among the staff on how long we were supposed to cook it in order to have a decent amount of Socarrat. When its done on your table, you are like a kid driving to the Luna park with your parents. Are we there yet?

We also tried the Skate with Soy-Garlic sauce which was another winner. Not exactly new flavors but the combination is unique and works beautifully. Pork bone soup with potatoes, perilla leaves & seeds features a phenomenal tasting broth, but even though it came as advertised, picking the meat from the bones was a frustrating exercise. There were moments where we felt like hamsters being experimented on. Pretty sure the staff were taking notes.

They handed us the bill before I even attempted to find out if there’s dessert. I guess the answer is no. Out of the four, Mrs Z was the only one who didnt care much for the experience, but I suspect it was because she wasnt drinking. That decision meant only $50 pp final bill. All considering, refreshing in this part of the city. Olle is a Go!

Olle
11 E 30th St (5th/Madison)
Recommended Dishes: Galbi Jjim, Fried Rice, Skate, Pork bone soup

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Pippali – The Curious Case of an Empty Room

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Ziggy
Pippalinyc.com

I heard the stories of this phenomena in Flatiron, but had to witness it for myself. A great restaurant in NYC with an almost empty room. I’ve been eating in NYC long enough to run across such places on occasion, usually of the ethnic variety. Gazala’s in Hell’s Kitchen comes to mind. Being the only Druze in NYC (and possibly US), featured on Guy Fieri’s DDD, and a staple on the world famous EWZ tours didnt save Gazala before it closed a few years ago. Although there’s still a Gazala in UWS.

For much of our meal at Pippali, the room was completely empty. Two other occupied tables when we arrived, and two new groups showed up before we left. Possible explanations:

  1. Its Indian in Curry Hill. With a plethora of such places in the area, supply and demand can vary and may not be in its favor for a good portion of the time.
  2. The room is on the dark side. Its not the darkest room Ive seen, not even close. But dark enough for this kind of space to be slightly uncomfortable. Every time I got a glimpse of the kitchen I was envious of the amount of light there. Our particularly dark corner didnt help.
  3. Consistency issues? TBD. So far every single dish has been rock solid, and trusted sources on HungryOnion reported similar experiences.

First order of business in any Indian is sample any of the kebabs. A HO tip has led me to the Lucknowi Seekh Kababs and boy were they glorious. Not the dark skinny Seekhs you get elsewhere. To borrow a Seinfeld quote, “These were real and they’re spectacular”. Bright, hefty, and perfectly spiced. Add the accompanied green sauce midway for a nice change of pace, but no flavor enhancement needed.

The curries were quite respectable as well. A fine Butter Chicken, on the tomatoee side, and not overly creamy. Ludhiana Curry was even better. A Punjabi specialty that I havent seen before in NYC. It has the consistency of a simple curry with the flavor profile of a complex, herby one, with ultra tender chicken to boot.

I couldnt find any faults with the Chicken Dum Biryani, though I should have probably tried the goat or lamb instead in that order. Didnt bother with a picture. They all look more or less the same. The garlic Nun is as good as it gets in NYC. Not the stale ones you sometimes get elsewhere.

Pippali has the potential to be my favorite new accessible Indian on the island. With Saar disappointing last time, and Chote Nawab not strong enough to come back on a regular basis, this might just be it for takeout and dine-in. I just need the word to spread just enough to keep them in business.

Pippali
129 E 27th St (Flatiron)
Recommended Dishes: Lucknowi Seekh Kababs, Ludhiana Curry, Butter Chicken, Biryani

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10 Reasons Why I Like Ulivo

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Ziggy

Ulivo, in the heart of NoMad isnt particularly known like a Lilia, Rezdora, or a Via Carota. It’s just one of a myriad of regional Italian in that part of the city, and unless you live nearby, it’s sometimes easy to forget it even exists. But there’s a reason it survived 8 years including a pandemic. 10 reasons in fact.

Fresh Pasta Galore – Gotta start with the bread and butter. On my first visit I was introduced to what I dubbed The Widow Maker. Lets just say its not exactly the pasta maker my kids bought me for Xmas. This is what you need in order to create a pasta centric menu, responsible for a dozen items in this case. Add a seasoned Sardinian chef and proper raw materials, and you get magic on a plate. Whether its Paccheri with braised tuna belly, Pici, Pappardelle or anything else that starts with P, you are in for a treat.

Underrated Pizza – While the focus initially was on fresh pasta, at some point they added another “Widow Maker”, an imported pizza oven producing Neapolitan pies within seconds. A capable pizzaiolo and top notch ingredients of course help. Even with this pasta lineup, I have a hard time not ordering at least one Diavola on every visit.

Seasoned Chef – He wont like me calling him seasoned (twice now), but Chef/owner/pasta wizard Emanuel Concas has been around, and can flat out cook. Since completing culinary school in Italy, he’s been cooking all over the world before settling in NYC. He started showcasing that talent in Hell’s Kitchen’s Mercato, his first restaurant, before opening Ulivo with his partner. When you meet him, you realize how passionate he is about food in general, including Asian and other cuisines.

The dependable starter – In a city that’s becoming fully a la carte including bread, olives and other used to be free items, its always refreshing to get a delectable free starter once in a while. Every meal in Mercato and Ulivo starts with fresh bread and a lentil dip plate that we lick to the point of no washing necessary.

The location – I may be fishing here, but the location in the heart of NoMad can not be any more central. No matter where I am in the city it seems, I’m fairly close to Ulivo.

Great Cocktails – Beverage director Antonello Iacca has been mixing them since he was a child. That explain some of the driving I’ve seen in Puglia. The simple but potent Gin-zilla is an award winner, but everything I’ve had here is nicely balanced.

The Olive Oil – As the name suggests, EVOO is an important aspect here, and in Italian cooking overall. To the rest of us its a concept, but for this Italian generation using the highest grade raw materials they can find is the only way they know.

Island Touch – Another thing that separates Ulivo is Sardinian and Sicilian specialties you wont find anywhere else, like Malloreddus alla Campidanese, Busiate, and the more common rigatoni alla norma.

Busiate con Pesto alla Trapanese – Worth its own entry. Its simple and unique at the same time. The consistency of the Busiate, along with the almonds, tomato, basil and plenty of garlic. The only dish I’ve ordered every single visit I think.

Easy to pop in – This is important to me. So many restaurants in NYC call themselves “corner neighborhood Italian”, yet require a month in advance to reserve. Some places are just more under the radar than others, and that doesnt necessarily make them subpar. I like that I can just be in the neighborhood with the family, and pop in unplanned. That to me is a neighborhood joint.

Ulivo
4 W 28th St (5th/Brdwy)
Recommended Dishes: Prosciutto San Daniele, Pizza, Paccheri, Busiate, Gnocchi, Tiramisu

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Milu – The New Age of NYC Fast Food

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Ziggy

One block away from Milu, in Madison Square Park, you will find the original Shake Shack. Twenty years ago, Shake Shack transitioned from a hot dog cart to a kiosk selling burgers and shakes. And before you knew it, FOMO and long lines started to disrupt the local squirrel population. Today Shake Shack has 360 locations worldwide, including one 5 minutes away from my house. The chicken sandwich ranks up there, and the Smoke Shack, featuring the signature quality beef with applewood-smoked bacon, cherry peppers, and Shack Sauce is perhaps the finest fast food burger we have today.

But while Shake Shack revolutionized America’s burger culture, the original shack neighbor Milu may be in the early innings of reinventing American fast food as we know it. Its a tough task considering our obsession with the familiar. But if anyone can do it, its probably fine dining veterans and students of taste, Milu’s co-founders. The trio has an extensive combined resume, including stints at another famous neighbor, Eleven Madison Park.

We essentially have an Eleven Madison Park and Shake Sack love child. I dont have the slightest idea if the co-founders have any ambitions beyond this, although by all indication ambition isnt exactly lacking here. To open a Chinese fast food operation that is far from traditional Chinese food, and far from traditional fast food in an ultra competitive environment requires some major chutzpah. Even if they dont open another location, I’m rooting for these guys as there’s nothing quite like Milu out there.

Thats not to say you should expect big flavors that are in line with finer dining, and you can cancel your ressies at nearby Upland. Thats to say for $10-15 you can get a well crafted bowl of expertly cooked protein, rice and greens, usually Watercrest salad, or cucumber salad. Some may balk at the amount of protein, and abundance of veggies, but thats part of the idea. Make it tasty, cheap, and healthy(er). Another big benefit is the space. Fast food often involves rubbing elbows, noise, long lines, and pretending that you are comfortable eating in the park while telling every other stranger that the Hoisin sauce was on your shirt before. At Milu its as comfortable as it gets. Although at peak lunch time you may experience a full house, and a line.

After trying about half of the bowls, I settled on the Chili Crisp Chicken. Its not terribly spicy, and it helps to be familiar with Sichuan sodium levels. The Sichuan Cauliflower with the Seaweed salad is outstanding as well, and so is the Brisket. They used to offer a Sichuan fried chicken on Saturdays that was plenty hot, and ultra, dentist approved crispy, but I’m not sure if that’s still the case. You also have access to free water, a big indication that they value comfort/needs over $$$.

On occasion you do get a taste of Milu’s growing pains. Last time, my Mandarin Duck’s crispy skin was far from it, and while the meat was tender alright, there wasnt much of it underneath the skin. The terrific marinated cucumbers, and duck fat rice however helped curb the disappointment. Even at well oiled machine Shake Shack, you can get a bad burger sometimes.

But there’s more. Milu also offer products that will upgrade your pantry in a meaningful way. Chili oils, Soy, Hoisin, their own seasoning, and dumpling sauces. I probably purchased around half of them and pour their seasoning on just about everything I cook. Although they make their own Chili Crisp, perhaps the most notable (and expensive) item they sell is the Fly By Jing Chili Crisp. The added Umami with this Chili Crisp will transform your eggs and pastas into something as complex as figuring out Bronski Beat lyrics. I’m still trying after all those years.

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Upland – Make American Great Again

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Ziggy

Notice the all important extra letter. This is not a political post. Quite the opposite actually. Its a celebration of our great uniter, American cuisine. Whatever that means. Since USA is relatively young compared to the rest of the world, its a bit complicated to define, even though you have enough examples of it (burgers, pastrami, bagels…). The label is often used more as a default when you cant call it anything else, except Italian in some cases. But we often categorize restaurants simply based on the origin of the owner/chef, as is the case with Upland.

Upland menu is as American or Italian as it gets in NYC, but it bills itself as Californian. Chef Justin Smillie who since left to Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria, named it after his hometown in California. Maybe its my software engineering background, as I like things to be orderly for search purposes among other reasons in this case, but is it really necessary to break down the American tag into states? I can only imagine the poor Google or Yelp engineers trying to figure out the impact of adding a new category or subcategory. Upland is the only restaurant in NYC currently labeled as such. Does the signature burger, a creative riff on In-N-Out has something to do with it? Is it the grilled peaches?

Perhaps its the seasonality. Though we do have a label for upmarket seasonal American: “New American”. An Italian visiting NYC for the first time, will feel more at home at the pizza and pasta dominated Upland than a Californian. Sometimes restaurateurs try to be cute, and differentiate themselves in a crowded field, but more often than not, its best to keep it simple. Be bold, but be proud. Its American. This is not a rant by the way, but an observation. Its a celebration, remember?

Upland is a bright star in the Philly based Starr group’s huge portfolio that includes names like Buddakan, Pastis, and of course, the shiniest of the stars, Jackass Burrito. Upland got everything going for it. A prime Flatiron location. A deep American and Italian greatest hits menu. A striking, high ceiling, trendy looking space. And unlike many of its peers, it survived the pandemic. Its the type of place you can bring a date, new coworker, or host a 70th birthday celebration. On a recent visit, we witnessed suits, and gym attire.

Whether you come for Brunch, lunch or dinner you will face a very full menu. Though for some reason the much hyped Burger is not available for dinner. The Pizza is exactly what you’d expect from a place like this, except in the case of Breakfast pizza at least you get double the listed ingredients. In addition to bacon, cheddar, egg you get Broccoli, Sausage, Onions and more. It worked just fine for us, but could be misleading for others.

The Shakshuka-like “Eggs in Hell” had a nice flavor but missing something like sausages, or potatoes. The reason that shakshuka works on its own is that you usually get a nice fluffy pita and the eggs are more prevalent. While a dining companion was not looking I borrowed one of her breakfast sausages that made a big difference. Desperate times, desperate measures. This is the only miss from the two recent visits.

In some ways Upland reminds me of Via Carota. A jack of all trades, master of all. Solid pizzas, solid pastas, solid everything else. I couldnt fault anything with the Pappardelle with spicy sausages. And the Bucatini Cacio e Pepe were the best I’ve had in NYC since, well, Via Carota. Maybe even better since not quite as salty.

There are very few starters as satisfying as a nice Stracciatella with honey and grilled peaches. The combination here works so well, making the added Shishito peppers (both turned out spicy) unnecessary. The Duck Wings is a trend setter. I started seeing them more and more since Upland opened. The skin is crispy, well seasoned, while the dark flesh easily falls apart. You know its good as soon as you start operating.

But the best dish on the menu might be surprisingly the cod, and that may not have anything to do with the cod. The flaky fish, while mildly discolored, is expertly cooked. But the mixture of Fregula (Californian for Israeli Couscous), calamari and bits of chorizo really elevate the dish.

Extra brownie points for serving delicious fluffy bread with butter without charge. Refreshing to see these days. Solid drinks, nice atmosphere. In super competitive Flatiron, Upland is still a solid choice for American (with subtle Idaho hints). Its a Go!

Upland
345 Park Ave S (26th), Flatiron
Recommended Dishes: Pappardelle, Bucatini Cacio e Pepe, Duck Wings, Stracciatella, Cod, Budino

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5 Underrated Italian

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Ziggy
Dell’anima Tajarin

In NYC of course. This is not a Puglia blog yet as the last three posts suggest, although much more on Puglia coming soon. I’ve been living in NYC for 36 years now, and I dont remember a more exciting time for Italian dining. Even though The prices are moving in the opposite direction. A full meal at a mid price, full service restaurant now averages $175 for two (source: EWZ Stats), up from $150 not too long ago. But the competitive environment has never seen levels like these before. A glut of new Italian immigrants has turned the Italian scene upside down where Italian/Italian is the new American/Italian especially in Manhattan and north Brooklyn. Cacio e Pepe is the new Chicken Alfredo, and Neapolitan pizza joints are opening at faster pace than NY style it seems. Its a pizza revolution of sorts, although a complete pizza transition wont happen in my lifetime.

The title of this post is oxymoronic in a way since there are literally 100’s of underrated Italian in NYC today. But I’ll focus on five places that are much easier to reserve (unlike Don Angie, Lilia, Ci Siamo, Rezdora, and so many), and may bring you similar levels of joy.

Dell’anima (Hell’s Kitchen) – The easiest pick of the bunch. Best Italian in Hell’s Kitchen historically has been a mystery, just like the glut of Thai restaurants in HK. Mercato held that claim for some time IMO, but ever since Dell’anima moved to Gotham West Market (conquered really as there’s not much left there these days. Even Ivan Ramen is no more) it established itself as the one to beat. While tourists continue to flock to places like Becco for the quantity, locals line up chef Andrew’s counter for the quality. I dont recall ever having a less than stellar dish here. You cant go wrong with menu staples like Tajarin Alla Carbonara, and Pollo al Diavolo, but I wouldnt hesitate ordering new additions and specials. The location, and being inside a food hall of course has something to do with the underrated tag.

Pollo al Diavolo

Ulivo (NoMad) – Talking about Mercato, long time readers should not be surprised to see it’s little sister here. With that said, somehow Ulivo managed to outgrow it’s sister, and establish itself as a solid choice in an extremely competitive area. That’s partly due to the talents of Sardinian born Emanuel Concas who figured out the right formula after years at Mercato and six years now at Ulivo. What you get is top notch ingredients, solid pizza, and a plethora of fresh pasta dishes, their bread and butter. You’ll find some hard to find Sardinian and Sicilian autocorrect specialties like Malloreddus with sausage ragu, and the simple but outstanding Busiate with almonds, fresh tomato, basil and garlic. No Secondis here. Instead, order another drink from the award winning bartender.

Busiate

Faro (Bushwick) – This is another no brainer. A Michelin star recipient (yay Michelin!) only to lose it a few years later (oh who cares about Michelin!). Faro is being too modest when it bills itself as a simple neighborhood Italian. Neighborhood Italian dont do Cappelletti stuffed with sweet corn purée, topped with a slow cooked short rib ragu. I could have just ended the previous sentence after Cappelletti. This is one example of a rotating, masterfully executed seasonal pastas. I believe only the Bucatini with confit chicken has been on the menu longer than a year. And they ought to bring the sick Gnocchi Alla Romana back. Its more of a destination Italian. The problem with Faro is the most likely reason its on this list. Its kind of Faro, as in deep in the heart of Bushwick. But Bushwick, thanks to the growing list of mega clubs like Avant Gardner is slowly becoming a nightlife mecca.

Cappelletti

Popina (Columbia Street Waterfront District) – It was fun seeing Popina grow over the years, and somehow remain true to itself. On my first visit. I expected the short menu to change and expand at some point to accommodate the masses, but thankfully it never did. Chris Mcdade’s stints with places like Maialino and Marta, his southern roots, and unconditional love for anchovies help create a fun, concentrated menu. Items rotate frequently but if they ever remove the signature spicy Chicken Milanese, expect local strikes. On a recent visit one particular Monkfish dish really showcased the tiny kitchen’s range. The team is opening Gus’s Chop House in nearby Carroll Gardens, sort of a gastropub.

Monkfish

Song’E Napule (Greenwich Village) – You can skim through 120 best pizza in NYC lists and you wont find anyone singing the praises of Song’E Napule. You will need to look at an Italian publication like Gambero Rosso which we probably should be doing anyway when it comes to pizza. The name has nothing to do with singing. It just means “from Napoli” in Neapolitan dialect. But if you are a fan of the Neapolitan style you’ll be belting out romantic tunes to your neighbor, Napoli great Diego Maradona on the wall. Legit oven, proper ingredients, and a capable pizzaiolo results in light and airy awesomeness. As genuine as it gets in NYC.

Categories: Brooklyn, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Lamalo – Here’s Why

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Ziggy

LamaloBefore I visit a new place I like to spend some time perusing their website.  It paints a picture, and often tells the story.  I love a good story, but they are getting increasingly rare in corporate NYC.  Lamalo site looks like that of a typical modern restaurant in New York, with colorful images of their food, menu, and press galore.  Its always interesting to see what makes the press cut.  In Lamalo’s case, it’s seemingly every possible mention, with the majority about the anticipation and announcement of its much hyped opening. Which really means “our marketing dollars went to good use y’all”.  Not one review.  The only person benefiting from this press barrage is Jeff Bezos.

Also missing is the story.  There’s an ‘About’ section with no mention of Gadi Peleg and his accomplishments with Breads Bakery.  Instead you see a generic “modern Middle Eastern gem nestled in the heart of NoMad”.  Not sure what makes it modern other than higher prices and being inside a hotel.  Or maybe its because there’s no sign.  The concept of Mezzes served as such may be new to NYC but its been around for 1000’s of years.

Lamalo means “why not” in Hebrew, but its often used, almost like slang.  As in “What if we offer a ridiculous amount of all you can eat spreads, dips, and bread for a set price, say $25 per person?  Lamalo?!?”.  Its essentially a glorified all you can eat buffet of tiny plates like hummus, babaganoush, button mushrooms, pickles, and more.  The most memorable was Skordalia, a potato spread infused with garlic and almonds to the point that it tastes more like beans than potato.  The plates surround a “smaller than I thought” laffa that comes fresh out of the oven but dries quickly, and surprisingly not particularly great.  I’d take the Dizengoff/Zahav pita any day of the week.  Except shabbos.

The spreads for the most part are cleverly executed, and diverse enough to keep things interesting.  There’s a certain pleasant flow here.  The problem is, in a way similar to my issue with Zahav, that the fun stops there.  Unlike Zahav, here you do have variety of large dishes to choose from, but the two we ordered left much to be desired.  A Cabbage “Shank” that was braised overnight with a sweet glaze was interesting at first, but quickly got too sweet and boring.  Its a play on Borscht that doesnt work.

Shabtai-Style Fish featured various kinds of unevenly cooked fried filets is essentially a good mother-in-law fried fish.  Its interesting that they call it Shabtai style considering there’s really no such thing, at least not globally that I’m aware.  As for the sides, the Mejadara worked a lot better than the odd tasting Ful (Fava beans) which I normally love.  But perhaps the best dish at Lamalo is the lone dessert.  A perfectly semi frozen Halva Parfait that really hit the spot.  Like a semifredo covered with shredded Halvah.

But there’s simply not enough here to make me want to come back.  Yes, its a playful concept that can be fun for groups, couples, and heck even accountants.  But tiny plates of mostly spreads and dips can only thrill so much.  You spend some time fishing for your favorites before declaring the winners, but still find yourself munching on the undesirable, because someone has to.  Like a polygamist, who got his favorites, but needs to take the others to the zoo sometimes.  But worse of all, he cant add anymore wives.

Lamalo
11 E 31st St (Madison/5th, Nomad)
Rating: 1 Z (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Mezzes (included), Halva ParfaitLamalo Halvah Parfait

Categories: Gramercy, Flatiron, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

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