Lower East Side

What to Eat in NYC – The Ethnic Plays

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Ziggy

Continuing the What to Eat in NYC miniseries. Part 1 is here. Ethnic food is a big part of our daily diet hence it requires its own page. What should you target in NYC of course depends on where you are coming from, but these are generally the areas of excellence in NYC…

Eat Thai – NYC has a thriving Thai food scene, and for reasons unknown to me the area known as Hell’s Kitchen is leading the Pad pack. New Thai restaurants keep opening and existing ones keep multiplying right next to each other. Yum Yum 1,2,3 all on the same block, and Wondee Siam with its three locations is another example. But my favorites are Pure Thai Cookhouse with its vibrant menu, and fun vibe, and Larb Ubol specializing in Isan (North Thailand) cooking. Lately however I’ve been cheating on those two with an old timer, Pam Real Thai. Outside of HK, you got the great Somtum Der in East Village, and the popular Uncle Boons not too far. Zabb Elee is another excellent Isan, and if you can somehow make it to Pok Pok in Brooklyn, you are in for a treat. While not exactly Thai, the Laos inspired Khe-Yo is quite unique in itself and deserves a mention

Pure Thai Ratchaburi

Eat Indian – We eat a lot of Indian food, and the scene overall is fairly competitive. Between Curry Hill and Curry Row in the East Village alone you have a slew of very good options. In the East Village, guidebooks and TV shows may direct you to the Gimmicky Bricklane Curry House, but I suggest heading to Malai Marke around the corner. In Curry Hill you have Chote Nawab, the vegetarian Vatan, and the southern flavors of Kokum and Anjappar. Moving uptown, Moti Mahal Delux is part of a worldwide chain known for their butter chicken, and newcomer Awadh across in the west. But if you are mesmerized by the Times Square lights and cant leave, Basara on 9th may do the trick

Moti Mahal Cauliflower

Eat Middle Eastern -Middle Eastern plays a big part in our Mediterranean diet. You got a few mini empires fighting for the top rights. Einat Admony with Balaboosta, Bar Bolonat and Taim is perhaps the biggest Israeli name at the moment. While Taboon continues to be a strong option in midtown, especially now with its original chef coming back. Baby sister Taboonette dishes out unique healthy[ier] street food in Union Square. Modern Lebanese hot spot Ilili has been around for some time now. Gazala showcases her Druze specialties in two location, Gazala’s and Gazala’s Place. And Zizi Limona in Williamsburg is a product of three veterans who know how to treat the classics well. Speaking of which…

Bar Bolonat – Creme Brulee

Eat Falafel – While visitors seek that perfect New York Cheesecake, keep in mind that we New Yorkers argue more on who has the best Falafel. Is it Taim in the village? Is it Azuri in midtown where watching Ezra make it is like watching Picasso paint. Or is it the nostalgically cheap Mamoun’s. None of the above. Top marks go to Nish Nush which is yet to be discovered by many locals, and those who did will certainty not appreciate me touting it. But the others, especially Taim’s marvelous platter, and Azuri’s sandwich and Shawarma will do you just fine.

Eat Ramen – We are in the midst of a ramen revolution in NYC, and I dont hear anyone complaining. Except for Mrs Z perhaps who wants to go to Ippudo now on a regular basis including Jewish holidays. In Hell’s Kitchen alone you can feel that craze. Even former none ramen establishments are joining the fun. The delicious Akamaru Modern at Ippudo is leading the pack, while the Spicy Ramen at Totto is not far behind. Ivan Ramen in Gotham West is another option, though I would be tempted to get the Smoked Salmon Donburi, formerly known as Smoked Whitefish Donburi instead. But to get a fuller taste of the Ivan without sounding too dirty, one must go to the downtown location. One option that gets overlooked by many is Bassanova in Chinatown with its fiery and unusual Green Curry Ramen. And while you ate it, give the lemon and pepper Ramen a shot as well.

Ippudo – Akamaru Modern

Eat Chinese – Some folks familiar with the Chinese scene here, may be asking themselves at this point, how is this guy going to cover our entire Chinese arsenal in one paragraph. I cant, and I wont, but I’ll offer a small glimpse just like with the rest. Some of the best Chinese Food is offered outside of our many Chinatowns, like the Szechuan Gourmet empire (I frequent the one on 56th st). A recent discovery for me is Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns and their addictive Shanghai style soup dumplings. Talking of which, Prosperity Dumplings is perhaps the biggest value in town, and that’s saying a lot. Mission Chinese Food is the hottest Chinese play in the city right now, and may even be when you read this a year from now. Han Dynasty, a Philly chain is doing a lot of things right seems like. And do check out at least one of our Chinatowns. Dim Sum in Golden Unicorn, or if you feel adventurous, East Harbor Seafood Palace in Brooklyn’s Chinatown, followed by cruising along tourist free zone 8th ave.

Gourmet Szechuan 56 – Shredded beef

Eat Mexican – Lower your eyebrows and listen up. The notion that there’s no decent Mexican in NYC is sooooo 2013. In the last few years a slew of exciting young chefs like Alex Stupak has given us some very cool options. Stupak perhaps is leading the rat pack with the Empellon empire… Empellon Cocina is the flagship, Empellon Taqueria is the high end Taqueria, while the new Empellon Al Pastor is the more basic Taqueria highlighting the namesake Al Pastor. Other options include Tehuitzingo, the fine taqueria in Hell’s Kitchen and its bigger neighbor Tulcingo Del Valle. Visitors flock to the more polished and Toloache practically in Times Square, and while I don’t have any quarrels with it (I recommended it myself), I tend to feel more at home in the previous two. Los Tacos #1 at the Chelsea Market is another great option if you can brave the crowds, though I would opt for something more along the lines of Otto’s Tacos which is in the process of opening a branch in Hell’s Kitchen. Another one to consider is Mission Cantina, home to the best Burrito in NYC, not surprisingly coming from the Mission neighborhood in SF

Mission Cantina Tacos

Eat Eastern European – Perhaps this is more for the Coney Island bound tourists who should keep in mind that there’s much more to downtown Brooklyn than a Hot Dog. The area adjacent known as Brighton Beach is loaded with all sorts of great Uzbek, Russian, Georgian and even Uzbek/Korean delights. Consider Cafe Glechik on Coney Island Ave, sort of a Russian institution in the area. Or perhaps Tone Cafe, aka Georgian Bread for the great Adjaruli Khatchapuri. Uzbek/Uyghur specialty Kashkar Cafe is an absolute gem, and one of my favorite restaurants in whole of Brooklyn. For a livelier Uzbek filled with Russians on a daily basis there’s Cafe Nargis a few blocks north on Coney Island ave. Cant leave Manhattan but still want a small taste? Veselka, Oda House, and Uncle Vanya in midtown should be able to take good care of you. Unless you are a vegeterian

Kashkar Cafe – Geiro Lagman

Eat Tapas – Basque, other Spanish, Mediterranean tapas galore all over. In Chelsea alone you can Patata Brava to your heart’s delight, starting with tiny Tia Pol and ending with Toro near the Chelsea Market. In the East Village you have the fun Cata, and lately I’ve been itching to go back to her sister Alta. Tertulia has its fans in the West Village, while I’ve been enjoying its sister El Colmado in Gotham West Market lately. Many locals are in love with Casa Mono, but I need a bit more convincing. And watch out for newly opened Espoleta, some big names behind this project

Casa Mono Razor Clams

Eat Miscellaneous – Do you honestly need more ideas? I didnt think so. But all of this is just scratching the surface of what the greatest food city in the world has to offer. In Staten Island for example, you can take advantage of the large Sri Lankan community by trying the museum-like Lakruwana, San Rasa or New Asha. Vietnamese food, while still lagging behind other cities, is getting better. Try Co Ba and Co Ba 53. How about some Korean like Danji, Jungsik, HIT Korean Deli or Food Gallery 32. Filipino inspired? We got plenty of that too.. Lumpia Snack Shack, and Maharlika are just some

Overwhelmed? Join the club. I only live here.

Jungsik Steak

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, NYC food, resaturants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 12 Comments

What to Eat in New York City

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Ziggy

Best Pizza

Oh no you didn’t… Oh, yes I did! A post on.. well.. everything. I’m not writing about pizza or Indian food, or where to get the best Cheesecake, this is a post on everything. A one time stop for the confused visitor that knows only what he reads in his guide book, and Trip Advisor ranking. In other words, just a tad smarter than Klauss. I have news for you Mr visitor. We New Yorkers don’t eat Cheesecakes, Knishes, and Manhattan Clam Chowders. Well, the last one on occasion, but having the word “Manhattan” in it should not automatically qualify it for the guidebooks.

A month ago at our company we had visitors from Minnesota. When we ordered food for lunch, there was a moment that shook me a little. One member of the Minnesota gang pointed to something and said “What’s that”. To which I replied “this my friend, is a Falafel”. Locals eat more falafels than Cheesecakes, Knishes, and Manhattan Clam Chowders combined in NYC, but you would never guess by just reading the guidebook. Let me help set you straight

I will try my best to make it as comprehensive as possible, and update as often as I can. Something to chew on before I leave for yet another trip to Turks (lobsta calling my name). But there’s a chance I may forget a few things, so I would appreciate some help via comments if that indeed happens. Its essentially a guide to help you understand what you should be targeting in NYC. Here we go…

Eat Pizza – Yes, we eat a lot of pizza. Every block where I live has these 3 essentials. Pizza, Bagels, and a pharmacy to help you cope with all that pizza and bagels. There’s great pizza everywhere in NYC and I’m not going to even attempt to name all the best spots, but here are a few

Merilu

Slice – You have the usual suspects like Joe’s on Carmines and Di Fara in Brooklyn, but the truth is that there are plenty of solid slices out there and the 50th best slice is not really that far behind the 2nd best slice taste wise. Consider Sacco in Hell’s Kitchen, Prince Street Pizza, “Best Pizza” in Williamsburg might very well be best with their wood burning oven slice, and for something a bit different and not very New Yorky consider the thin squares at Merilu. BTW, for those Di Fara bound, the pilgrimage may cost you half a day of travel and waiting for quite a while for your slice. Not worth it if yo ask me, but if you must…

Pies – While the guide books will guide you across the bridge and make you stand for 30-90 bone chilling minutes on a long line (and fail to tell you that the real Grimaldi is actually next door dishing them out at Juliana’s), you can get similar or better quality all over the city. Consider Capizzi in midtown, where you will not find any long waits whatsoever. Or how about the thin vodka pies at Rubirosa, an offshoot of the great Joe and Pat’s in Staten Island. For your fancy Neapolitan pies there are a lot of great options and I strongly suggest to try at least one. Consider Motorino, Don Antonio, Keste, Paulie Gees, and Roberta’s at a food festival near you (if you cant Bushwick it). You can even get a decent pie in Eataly. Also consider the Neapolitan archenemy, the mighty Roman pie at Marta. Well, its not very mighty with its matzoh like thickness, but its quite delicious, not to mention everything else Marta offers. You can have a great meal here without even touching the pies

Marta Patate alla Carbonara

Eat Burgers – As with pizza this is a very difficult topic to cover as there are so many choices, and so many kinds. You are not only dealing with a plethora of Burger joints but you also have them on just about every French/Italian/American, you name it menu and everyone trying to outdo each other. For your fast food smallish burger, yes, I suppose Shake Shack will do, and the pain that comes with it (long lines, fighting an old lady for a seat). But head to Gotham West Market, and you can find another solid burger at Genuine Roadside where you’ll find no lines, and no old ladies to fight. Try the terrific Chicken Sandwich too while you at it. For the middle of the road, regular burger try Corner Bistro, Island Burger and Shakes and the rest of my Hell’s Kitchen picks I outline here

Dutch – Burger

For the fancier stuff, Minetta Tavern’s Black Label is still the king, as one of a few burgers out there where the meat is so good, you can get it practically naked. Meaning the burger! Also consider Minetta’s sister Cherche Midi’s much hyped burger these days. Bowery Meat Company uses the same supplier for its excellent patty (though I wish the fries would have been better). Other solid players include the Breslin’s terrific Lamb Burger, Bar Sardine’s popular Fedora burger, The Gender’s burger with beef aioli, and the Spotted Pig with its addictive fries. But if you’d point a gun at my head and make me choose one, I would ask you to please put the gun down, then proceed to kick your ass and call the cops. Once you are out, I would direct you to the NoMad Bar where you’ll find the best combination of quality burger, fries, and ease of getting a table (No reservations tho)

Spotted Pig Burger

Eat Bagels, Lux – No shortage of great bagels all over town. With Absolute Bagel, Pick-a-Bagel in midtown, Ess-a-Bagel, and Murrays you pretty much have all the corners covered. And while Russ & Daughters doesn’t bake their own, their Brooklyn Supplier is as old school and solid as they come. R&D is an icon, and so very touristy for good reason. But once you experience it, consider something like Shelsky’s in Brooklyn, or Nordic Preserves in Essex Market, for much of the quality and none of the pain.

Russ and Daughters lox

Eat Italian – In NYC, one should take advantage of our Italian dining. Even Italians coming from Italy do so, and appreciate the wide array that NYC has to offer. From the amazing seafood of Marea, to simple neighborhood spots like Da Andrea. Consider Mercato and its southern Italian fare (real southern, not Brooklyn southern), or perhaps Bat Pitti in the village. How about All’onda, and Piora for some Asian influence. Or a taste of Emilia Romagna in Osteria Morini or Salumeria Rossi. Marta can certainly enter the discussion, and its sister Maialino is perhaps my favorite of all. If you need to choose one, thats the one. Or consider Scarpetta whose menu includes many popular staples. Babbo is possibly entering icon territory, Del Posto may be already there among the high ends, while the inventive Lincoln remains under everyone’s radar. In NYC we also have the classic New York Italian, aka red sauce American Italian cuisine that one may try. The Guide Books will direct you to the Theater District and Little Italy, but for proper tasting consider something like Rubirosa or Carbone

Lincoln Strozzapreti

Eat American – This is another big topic. The one place that always comes to mind where you can get that old quintessential NY feel is Minetta Tavern. Eleven Madison Park light, The NoMad is another solid choice with its celebrated Chicken for two. In Midtown consider Betony, runner up for James Beard’s Best New Restaurant award last year. Louro is a dependable neighborhood joint with rotating menus, and theme dinners on Mondays. Consider the Dutch and its terrific fried chicken and more, which brings us to Root and Bone where the bird reigns over a solid southern inspired menu. The veggies reign supreme at Narcissa, and the Marshal is not only extremely veg friendly, but covers all the classics well. For something different consider the winter game festival at Henry’s End.

You also have a slew of Asian inspired American like the inspiring Annisa, and the David Chang’s empire, especially Momofuku Ssam Bar, and Ma Peche. Consider a visit to newcomer Tuome, featuring a young chef with an attitude.

NoMad Chicken

Dicksons pastrami

Eat Pastrami – Yes, yes go to Katz’s. That’s not a tourist trap, but the real deal. In Midtown, Carnegie Deli keeps chugging along, while Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop in Flatironhas been raising New York’s cholesterol since 1929. Try perhaps the Montreal Jewish style pastrami at Mile End. Or for something completely different, consider the pastrami sandwich at Dickson’s the great meat purveyor in Chelsea Market where the pastrami is more marbled and comes with a smear of apricot chutney or however they do it that day. Yummo!

Eat Steak – Visitors come to NYC looking to eat steak in something called a “Steakhouse”. It’s one of the most common questions on Trip Advisor… what is the Best Steakhouse. Well, you do have the icons like Keen’s, and Peter Luger that folks will no doubt pick over Wolfgang’s which started by an employee that worked for Luger for 40 years and offers a similar Porterhouse. But the beauty of NYC steaks is that just like burgers, you can get great steak anywhere pretty much including in modern “I cant believe this is not a steakhouse” steakhouse. Consider the Bowery Steak at Bowery Meat Company, which consists of the Ribeye cap (the best part of the ribeye). The Minetta Tavern Cote de Boeuf is perhaps the most celebrated cut in Manhattan. Though for us, that honor would go to the Costata Tomahawk Ribeye which like the Cote de Boeauf, can feed a small Armenian village.

Costata Ribeye

Eat French – Classic french, new and old are still plentiful in the city. You got the usual haute suspects with Per Se, Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges, Bouley, Daniel (who am I missing. I dont want to upset anyone and get hate mail). Then you have the bistro fair like Balthazar, and yes even Minetta Tavern which I’m adding to just about every category here (they even have a take on the Italian Carbonara, called Pasta Za Za). Consider Benoit in Midtown, and Chez Napoleon may be as old school as it gets. For something different however, consider Le Philosophe for a fresh take on old classic

Le Philosophe – tournedos rossini

Eat BBQ – A few years ago, the proper recommendation would be to skip BBQ in NYC. But time, they are a changing. In midtown if you must, head west to Daisy May’s BBQ USA, in case you forget what country you are in. In Brooklyn you have Fette Sau and BrisketTown which also sells its sick brisket on the High Line in the warmer months. But the mightiest of all might very well be Mighty Quinn’s which you can enjoy in both West and East village, among other more remote locations. For the “I cant believe this is not BBQ” experience that almost no one talks about, consider Georgia’s Eastside BBQ in the Lower East Side.

Eat Ethnic – Need to take a break. More to come after these words from our sponsors… Are your menopause changes causing bleeding, irritation, pain during sexual intercourse? Try Premarin, a Virginal Cream you can count on.

Ok, I have a confession. This was not a real commercial! But, I do need to take a break, as my arm is tired and I already used all the adjectives known to me on one page

The ethnic plays will have their own page when the time comes. Stay tuned…

Mighty Quinn’s Brisket

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, TriBeCa, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, NYC food, resaturants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 6 Comments

Houston Street, We Have a Problem!

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Ziggy

A Note from the Editor:

In the summer, during my much anticipated staycation, there was a moment on the High Line that is etched in my mind. We found ourselves almost paralyzed, stuck in rush hour Sunday afternoon traffic behind a family of 4, a rooster, and a pair of parakeets. It was like a zoo! We’ve seen our share of tourists at the High Line before but not to this degree, and with characters no less. We needed to get out of there and we had to do it fast, after a bite of the Delaney Brisket of course. A trip to the storied High Line coupled with braving the crowds of the Chelsea Market is now firmly on the tourists path. Great for NYC, and all those Chelsea eateries that must be thriving just about now, right? Not exactly.

A few weeks ago someone asked me if my knowledge of Hell’s Kitchen extends to Real Estate, for the purpose of finding a new home for La Lunchonette, a long time Chelsea institution. In what seems like a daily occurrence of businesses closing its doors, La Lunchonette is just another one to bite the dust of rising rents. Culprit in this case: The High Line. The park, along with new zoning permits attracting Real Estate developers who now see a lot of green in West Chelsea, and I’m not talking about the plants along the High Line that no one looks at anyway. Current building owners succumb to offers they can’t refuse, essentially forced to evict their tenants in many cases. According to Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, the High Line is the cause of La Lunchonette’s demise, and presumably, many more will follow.

I guess we are done with gentrifying the island and now focusing on hyper gentrification? I’m not pretending to know anything about economics or real estate. I’m just a poor software developer who wants to have a f*** bagel or matzoh whenever I choose to, or whenever Jewish holiday dictates. Excuse my Yiddish there. Oh did I mention Streit’s Matzo Factory is closing soon and so is the original Ess-a-Bagel to make room for Bank of America and you guessed it.. a bagel shop. How can anyone afford to run a business or live in NYC anymore.

The Union Square Area alone is one giant “For Rent” sign, led by Union Square Cafe which is forced to move after its lease is up. Restaurants are getting squeezed left and right from 57th street to Houston Street. In Hell’s Kitchen the action is slowly shifting to the West. A Mexican restaurant owner recently told me he couldn’t afford being on 8th ave anymore and had to move all the way to 10th. Meanwhile downtown, Brigadeiro Bakery finally found affordable space in Soho after selling their Brazilian Truffles from a Basement nearby for years. Do you have a Bodega (Mexican deli) near you nowadays? Bodegas are closing all over or forced to transform and unbodega themselves.

So whats in store for 2015 and beyond. Brace yourself for more Bank of America, 7-Eleven, Chipotle, and Eataly which plans to open two more stores in NYC in the future. While I love Eataly as much as the next guy (I spent 3 hours there last Sunday), I need more Eatalys like I need a pimple on my ass. This expression never made much sense to me, until recently when I finally got one. Those things can be truly annoying. Anyway, I cant help but wonder how many more small mom and pops will close as a result of two more Eatalys. Places like Di Palo’s, where you get a much more personal service, need to cherished like we cherish our kids.

But is it time to panic? Yes! I suppose 2014 also saw many new restaurants open, and I believe I even saw “Record Year” being proclaimed somewhere out there. But with that I also noticed that my spending has increased, so no doubt I’m paying for the rent hikes as well. How many of the new openings are truly affordable, with entrees below $20. For every Lumpia Shack there seemed to be 10 Batards opening last year. In Hell’s Kitchen new business owners used to find refuge on 9th ave, but now they find it on side streets where foot traffic is much lighter, or 10th ave where traffic is even worse. Whenever I walk to Inti, a Peruvian gem on 10th where the Rotisserie chicken rivals anyone’s, I always wonder how they are still in business. My co-worker believes they have a healthy delivery business

I still believe NYC is the greatest food city in the world, don’t get me wrong. And the options I have in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, ~~Staten Island~~, and Queens are limitless. But I’m a little worried about the direction. Perhaps the worry is for nothing and I should stick to writing about food. Time will tell. Meanwhile, avoid the High Line

Ziggy

Editor in Chief

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, Queens, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, Trucks, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: food, High Line, Manhttan Rent Hikes, restaurants, Travel | 3 Comments

NYC – Top 10 Dishes of 2014

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Ziggy

Bowery Steak at Bowery Meat Company. Normally in the food blogging universe, when a steak is compared to a Hockey puck, its usually in order to describe a poorly cooked piece of meat. But in this case, its the odd looking Hockey puck shaped perfection sitting on top of creamy whipped potato puree, and topped with a little bit of Chimichurri. One little touch of that thing with your fork or a prolong stare breaks the spiral roll of ribeye cap, aka the more flavorful part of the ribeye. A most noble cut, generated by none other than the legendary Pat LaFrieda of course. Don’t believe me? Ask fellow meat lover Justin Bieber who was spotted there a day after yours truly and his family. “Way to go dad, always picking the wrong days”

Oxtail Soup at Pam Real Thai – I’m starting to believe this soup has special healing powers. Whether you are suffering from Flu like symptoms, Depression, Frontal Baldness, Cholera, try the soup and see a doctor. Best to have the soup solo, as it will clear up both your nostrils and allow free grazing of the two giant oxtail bones in a way that should leave no witnesses. Its spicy, complex, addictive and just about my favorite soup in NYC at the moment. Which really means America!

Patate Alla Carbonara at Marta – The White pizza section to me is like the pet isle in the supermarket. I only get there by accident or under some form of influence. My wife found me there once and though I was having an affair. These days the only way for me to cheat on the reds is with this Bianca, featuring Guanciale, Pecorino and egg “juice” poured ever so slowly all over the pie. It took a few initial incarnations (started as “Gricia” with an egg in the middle) until this thing was perfected by Nick Anderer who perfected so many things at Maialino. Its Roman style pizza which means Matsoh like cracker thin (especially at the edges), but it holds its own nicely throughout so knife needed.

Lobster Roll at The Grand Banks. This place rocked! Literally! In fact we almost left upon entering this Schooner (a ship for the German readers) parked on Pier 25 in the warmer months. But the food obsessed that we are, we braved it out and stayed for the main event. A Maine style Lobster Roll (cold) using the meatiest and clawiest parts of the lobster, with tarragon mayonnaise and cucumbers which isnt very “Mainely” I know, but serve as barriers between meat and bun. Very often lobster rolls lose its luster due to a soggy bun, but here the cucumbers keep it fresh and dont deter from the taste. The roll which comes with well seasoned potato chips (no frier on board) is not exactly a value play at $25, but you gotta pay up for the good stuff mon. Especially on the island I call Manhattan

BBQ Squid at Annisa – Stunner! Actually the first word that comes to mind is “gorgeous” but its hard even for the feminine inner Ziggy to say the G word these days. When was the last time you heard a straight man say something is gorgeous. And adding the F word just makes it sound awkward. But this dish is not only attractive to look at, but got the flavors to match. Marinaded, perfectly grilled Squid with fried tentacles, mint, and fresh peanuts boiled to match the texture of the tender Edameme. Add Hoisin sauce for some sweetness and tanginess and the formula is complete. I hope it never leaves the menu. Anita Lo are you reading?

Carrot Wellington at Narcissa – A rarity. A meal where the veggie dishes outperform the meats and fish. Even the beet dish here made me question everything I knew about beets and seek Borscht the next day. I never seek Borscht. The carrots are cured, roasted and simply shine in those puff pastries. They are tender and rich enough that you wont miss the meat. And the accompanied veggies especially the earthy Bluefoot mushrooms complimented nicely. Along with Piora’s carrots, perhaps the carrot dish to beat. If you are having commitment issues, you can always share it as a middle course.

Strozzapreti Con Aragosta at Lincoln (Top). Orange is the new crack! Possibly the most ingenious pasta dish I ever had. First of all its looks ~~gorgeous~~ sensational, and you smell the sea as soon as it arrives. Smell it! Its an important aspect of any meal. The Strozzapreti (invented I suppose when someone envisioned a pasta shape while witnessing a priest being slowly strangled) is made with lobster coral, the female egg sac, to bring that bright sexy orange prison look. Sweet lobster chunks are added to the mix along with Tarragon and a delicate citrusy sauce. But the best part and what puts this thing over the top was the shockingly flavorful lobster and scallop “sausage” bits which had the texture of chicken skin nut tasted nothing like it. As of this writing the dish is not on the menu, so write to your local congressman

Scrambled Eggs at Gato. I’m quite the sucker for nicely executed egg dishes, and this one topped a year filled with good ones (Casa Mono comes to mind). Almond Romesco (spanish red pepper sauce), Boucheron cheese, and fluffiness levels that I’ve yet to produce no matter how hard I try. I Google the heck out of how to make my scrambled eggs this fluffy, and it looks like Boucheron may be the answer. Bobby Flay got something nice going there, but dont tell him that, or mention this pick. We dont want success to get to his head.

Zabzi Tagine at Bar Bolonat – I attacked this mini Tagine on more than one occasion in 2014. But I confess that the first time, closer to the Bar Bolonat debut was the best rendition. Homemade couscous, aromatic fresh herbs, and short rib or beef cheek (it changes from time to time) so tender and flavor packed, even the Goyim foodies can appreciate this modern Israeli delight. Get this, the kibbeh, Creme Brulee, and any of the other “Best of 2014” dishes circulating the web. Einat Admony got herself another winner.

Fried Chicken at Root and Bone – Last year it was the Ma Peche Habanero, this year its R&B singing the chicken song. Choon! The bird is brined in sweet tea, onions and garlic for 24 hours, and finished with a dusting of dehydrated lemon powder to add that nice zesty tone. Perfectly crisped skin, and juiciness levels I havent seen since college. Great dish and a great menu that features all sorts of goodies like Sticky Toffee Pudding with whiskey sauce and beer flavored ice cream.

Special Mentions:

Burger at the NoMad Bar
Marinated Pork at Somtum Der
Falafel plate at Zizi Limona
Agnolotti at All’onda
Chicken Burrito at Missions Cantina
Beer Braised Pork Tongue Tacos at Empellon Taqueria
Octopus at Marea
Kimchi Fried Rice at Louro
Tofu at Dunji
Samsa at Nargis Cafe
Elk Chops at Henry’s End
Carrots at Piora
Green Curry Ramen at Bassanova
Dirty rice at Ivan Ramen
Cha Ca La Vong at Pok Pok Brooklyn
Oxtail and Bone Marrow Fried Rice at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill

Categories: East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: Annisa, Bar Bolonat, Best NYC Dishes of 2014, Bowery Meat Company, food, Gato, Grand Banks, Lincoln Ristorante, Marta, Narcissa, Pam Real Thai, restaurants, Root and Bone, Travel | 3 Comments

Best Tacos in Manhattan

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Ziggy

A common misconception in NYC: “There’s no good Mexican food here”. “Skip tacos, concentrate on Pizza, bagels and hala”. “For Mexican you got to go south then west”. “Even the Mexican Soap Operas here suck”. Somehow 350,000 tortilla challenged Mexicans opted for the Northeast, while the rest went to Texas or California. Well, there’s no mistaken where the best Mexican food in the US is located, but that doesnt mean there are no decent options in NYC. As with any cuisine you just need to a little bit of homework, thats all. And in the past few years there appears to be a Mexican renaissance of sorts in NYC. And if you think the soap operas are bad, think again. Just like some of the taco joints I will highlight below, they are intense, colorful and will bring you to tears. Here’s one example that will no doubt change your mind. Now, lets get down to some of the best tacos the city has to offer…

Tehuitzingo – I’ve already written plenty about this gem in Hell’s Kitchen. For a while it was like one of those terrible soap operas (the other ones). Did they close? Oh no. Oh wait, they not only reopened, but they multiplied. Welcome baby Tehuitzingo on 9th and 41st. 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Thats how much Lengua they sell every hour. The original on 10th isnt the same bodega (deli) as it used to be, but the tacos are still the same no frills, no nonsense old tacos. Its all about the great tasting meats with just the right amount of condiments. Try the Al Pastor, beef tongue (Lengua), just beef, carnitas, or anything else you fancy. I havent had a bad one yet

Otto’s Tacos – One of the new kids on the block, this LA expat is gathering a lot of attention lately. Their Horchata makes every other Horchata I’ve had taste like 1% milk. I tried all the tacos here except the chicken, and shrimp (top) is my clear favorite. Coated with serrano cream sauce, with onions and cilantro, the Shrimp is perfectly seasoned and cooked just right. The rest of the lineup is not too shabby either and that includes a mushroom tacos that ~~both~~ my vegetarian readers can appreciate

Empellon Taqueria and Empellon Al Pastor – The natural progression from the labs of Alinea and WD50 is obviously tacos. Alex Stupak is perhaps the biggest player in this tacos revolution we are experiencing at the moment, with Emplellon Cucina, Empellon Taqueria, and now Empellon Al Pastor. The latter is the cheap simpler tacos with the namesake Al Pastor, shaved off the spit Shawarma style, leading the pack. Taqueria on the other hand is the fancy, polished taco option. And if I would be drafting Tacos as part of a Fantasy Taco League, the beer braised pork tongue would most be my #1 pick

Mission Cantina – The Mission District in San Francisco has some of the best Mexican food in the country. Some in fact claim that this is where the Burrito was born. So not surprisingly, James Beard winner Danny Bowien of the famed Mission Chinese Food in Mission can make a nasty Burrito, although its take-out only these days. The wings here are great as well, and all these goodies will make you wonder about the low Yelp score. Crafty shmancy tacos rule the right side of the menu, with Veggie tacos firmly in charge. But one has to try the popular masa fish taco and the lamb belly while its still around.

Los Tacos #1 – Where I come from, when you see a line, you stand on it, then you ask questions. Same rule applies to Chelsea Market where three friends from Mexico and California are trying to introduce New Yorkers and tourists to Mexican street food. Many claim that these are the best tacos in NYC, and who am I to argue. Try any of them, doesnt matter. As long as you try the Adobada. Say it with me, A-D-O-B-A-D-A three times. Good, you ready. Now get out there and stand on line for those abodabas

Tacos Morelos – Another fairly new mom/pop/cousin joint in the suddenly taco heavy East Village. The store and restaurant is on 9th and Avenue A where the slow roasted porky Cochinita Pibil reigns supreme. But its the cart on 2nd and A, where the EV rockers get their fix after gigs at 2 am, and where my friend swears by the Al Pastor. Almost 24 hours (they take a break around 4 am) is 24 hours to me.

Categories: Chelsea, East Village, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Best tacos in NYC, Empellon Taqueria, food, Los Tacos #1, Mission Cantina, Otto's tacos, restaurants, Tacos, Tacos Morelos, Tehuitzingo, Travel | 6 Comments

Ivan the Formidable

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Ziggy

September 22nd, 2017 Update:

I dont usually update a place this soon, but this is kinda important after yet another fine meal at Ivan Ramen LES. Weather is getting chillier (or seemed to be a few weeks ago at least), and I cant think of a better way to start Ramen season. The Chicken Paitan at Ivan is not the Ramen dish that made Ivan famous, but to me it’s right up there with NYC’s best at the moment. As I described 6 months ago when it came out, “the richness and deliciousness of a Tonkotsu without the heaviness”.

A corn on a cob dish always gets my attention, and this one proved to be a wowzer. Its Miso roasted with bonito flakes and some sort of Japanese magic dust sprinkled. The fried chicken, brined perhaps, is another exceptional one. The Coney Island Tofu with that miso mushroom chili has made it’s triumphant return to the menu. Magnifique as always. As is the Triple pork, triple garlic Mazemen (brothless ramen) which has been on the menu since day 1 but somehow eluded me all this time. Being featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table hasnt made it easy, but reservations are doable. Go!

March 5th, 2017 Update:

All sorts of major developments with the Ivan. The Ramen Junkie keeps reinventing himself, and has even given us some bedtime entertainment. Yes, Ivan Orkin is featured in the latest season of Netflix’s highly acclaimed Chef’s Table which I highly recommend. Its refreshing to see someone on the show who you actually know and talk to from time to time. Naturally the show helped revive his Lower East Side flagship in a big way. And so if you havent been in a while, or never, prepare for a possible 2 hour shock on some evenings. Yesterday I heard quotes ranging from 1 to 3 hours, albeit on a Saturday night.

Coincidentally, or not, the menus in both NYC spots have gotten a facelift as of late. At the Slurp Shop however, at the moment looks more like a botched botox job. The great Donburis (rice dishes including top) are long gone, and the sick Breakfast Ramen, changed to Breakfast All Day Ramen after they figured why not, is now gone too. It cameod for a while last month only to see the same results. Why is no one eating the good stuff. Lack of appreciation, or people simply want the goods that made the man famous. I say its the name of the dish. Give it a cute Japanese name like Mocu Mocu and people will drive in forces. Oh wait, they tried it already. With that said, knowing these guys, another homerun is probably on its way. ivan-ramen-trumpet

But at the flagship, things are looking mighty fine these days. I cant get on Instagram without seeing Ivan tease a new dish that looks infinitely better than what I’m eating (I’m looking at you quinoa). Something like the brilliant briny Trumpet Mushrooms sliced like noodles, and served cold that I enjoyed last night. This was a tip I got an hour earlier by the sous chef at Slurp Shop during yesterday’s Hell’s Kitchen tour (there he goes again with the shameless plugs). Another new potential hit is the Dan Dan Noodles smothered with chili infused ground lamb. It is probably the spiciest Dan Dan and one of the spiciest noodle dishes I ever had. By the end I was waving a white flag which turned red by then. It is purposefully dry and while delicious, I was longing for something wet to counter the heat. But the most interesting newcomer is probably the dish I had on a previous night. A bright and gorgeous Chicken Paitan with minced chicken and egg yolk. It has all the richness and deliciousness of a Tonkotsu without the heaviness. Its just like your moms chicken soup! If mom went to culinary school for 10 years, moved to Japan and married the most famous Ramen maker in Tokyo that is.

August 24, 2014 Post:

We all heard the story before hundreds of times. A Jew from Long Island moves to Japan to teach English, moves back to the states, attends The Culinary Institute of America, leaves his heart in Japan so comes back to Tokyo, gets bored out of his mind and learns how to cook Ramen (just about the last thing that crosses my mind when I’m bored). So he opens the first restaurant in Tokyo, finds success and opens another… moves back to NYC to open the Slurp Shop at Gotham West market and the flagship Ivan Ramen in East Village. 10 months later, over a dozen visits to the Slurp Shop and over a dozen whitefish Donburis, two visits to the new joint in East Village, and needless to say… Ziggy is a fan of the Ivan.

The Slurp Shop

I’ve already written extensively about Hell’s Kitchen’s main attraction these days, Gotham West Market, the home of the first Ivan outpost. The Slurp Shop is normally the last stop of my monthly food crawls. Problem is by the time we get here more often than not, tummy is already full. The menu settled down over the year and features some unique staples like…

Slow-Cooked Pork Donburi – Another fun rice concoction with super tender pork shoulder, scallion, salted plum wasabi, and chunky roasted tomatoes proving nice balance and much needed acidity.

Roasted Garlic Mazemen – I must admit the Mazemen here is more exciting to me than the traditional Ramen. Mazemen is almost brothless ramen, but packs in more flavor and intensity. This one comes with Nori, dashi, chicken broth, pork belly chashu, and the same rye noodle as the traditional ramen. Garlic lovers especially may find this dish quite formidable. Yes, I’m officially adding formidable to my vocabulary.

Ramen – I cant find any pictures of any of the Ramen I tried here. Most likely due to the way I attack them once I see them. I believe I tried all of them except the vegetarian one and all are quite good in their own way. The Tokyo classics Shio and Shoyu are cleaner and purer than most of the modern Ramens out there.

Whitefish Donburi – Perhaps my favorite dish in GWM but admittedly not for everyone (what is really). White rice mixed with sweet soy dashi and topped with cucumber, scallion, salmon roe, and beautiful smoked whitefish. Jewish heritage meets Japanese school girl. Or something like that

Ivan Ramen

Lower East Side is the new East Village. I can spend a year here and eat something delicious and different every day. The new Ivan Ramen flagship complicates things even further for those locals that cant decide whether they are in the mood for Burritos, Ribs, Ramen or Israeli Scotch Eggs. This is more of a sit down than the Slurp Shop, which basically means slurping isnt as encouraged here. And the menu is quite different and fuller…

Pickled Daikon – shaved daikon (the radish white milder shy cousine), dried shrimp, scallop chili oil. I expected fishier flavors from the shrimp but it was more reminiscent texture wise of the most freakish tasting bread crumbs ever. Get this!

Chinese Broccoli & Garlic – Another cold winner. You taste the Broccoli with that sweet garlic soy sauce and go “well this is nice..”, but then you taste the pickled garlic and the world suddenly beginning to makes sense again

Pork Meatballs – Its texturally impossible to come up with more tender balls. Garnished with bonito flakes, buttermilk dressing, and Japans official unofficial sauce, Bulldog brown sauce. Marvelous dish! And no, I’m not adding “texturally” to my vocabulary because its not a real word

Tofu Coney Island – A playful and enjoyable take on the Nathan Hotdog. Fried tofu topped with miso mushroom chili, mustard, and scallion. Enjoyed this one

Roast Pork Musubi – The snack size version of the Pork Donburi at Slurp. Not the most shareable dish but a nice tasty snack

Salmon Donburi – Pictured on top. Another must, available for lunch only. Essentially the Whitefish Donburi but with, you guessed it, Salmon

Red-Hot Cold Mazemen – Basically what the name suggests. Hot Cold Mazemen, with 2 gorgeous looking prawns, rye noodles, spicy sesame and hot chili sauce used liberally in true Ivan Ramen fashion. Lunch only

Cheese Mazemen – The Japanese Carbonara, or if you are from the 21st region of Italy, Brooklyn, the Japanese Alfredo. Parmesan, asiago, Pecorino, and cream cheese and your Ramen essentials of dashi, pickled bean sprout, pork chashu with whole wheat noodles. This dinner only dish is Ramen on Viagra. Sorry for the iPhone pic

Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazemen – Also dinner only. I havent actualy tried it yet but this is perhaps the most popular dish here.

Ankimo Dirty Rice – One of my favorite dishes in Ramen World. Ankino is essentially monkfish liver, which brings a nice richness and oomph to the toasty “Socarrat-full” fried rice. It may be my favorite fried rice dish in NYC at the moment. Sorry for the iPhone pic

Ivan Ramen Slurp shop
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600 11th AveIvan Ramen
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25 Clinton St

Categories: Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Ramen in NYC, food, Ivan Ramen, Ivan Ramen Gotham West, Ivan Ramen NYC, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Tourist in My Own Town – Day 3

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Ziggy

Not really needed on one of the best eating days of the year but to ensure proper drool action, lets start the weekend with my Friday lunch with the boys at work. It’s becoming a company tradition where I take my coworkers to lunch like on a school field trip (single file, no holding hands). We call it Eating With Ziggy. This time it was a special occasion so I took them to Danji, a sort of favorite go to spot lately. I got the usual suspects to share… the addictive tofu, KFC wings, Bulgogi sliders (rule number one of fight club – order the sliders) and both bibimbaps. Cant recommend this highly enough. Well, I can, but choose not too. Slightly different menu for dinner where all those dishes are available and more.

This time we left the house at 8 am much to more confusion from the neighbors (where are their kids, why are they stuffing a suitcase in the car again, are the kids in the suitcase). We don’t talk to the neighbors on the left who’s main mission in life is to see all their neighbors suffer. But I digress. Very light breakfast at home was necessary in order to save room for what turned out to be one of the best eating days of the year. Hmm, I believe I already said that.

The entire morning centered around the brilliant Summer Streets. It’s like the biggest baddest block party imaginable. Ok, perhaps not the baddest. For three Saturdays in August the entire park avenue and connecting streets from Brooklyn bridge to around 70th st or so is closed to traffic the entire morning, or from 7 to 1 to be exact. Bikers, walkers, babies, joggers take advantage with the help of volunteers from New York Cares that control traffic, and even try to entertain sometimes while controlling traffic. Some seem happier to do it than others but I give big kudos points to all of them. In addition, you have all sorts of pit stops along the way… Zip Lining, Yoga, Whole Foods giving away free food, concerts, free walking tours, wall climbing, bicycle riding lessons, and much more. A great way to spend the morning with other New Yorkers. We parked near our hotel of choice (more on that soon), and rode the bikes to around 30th st in order to walk inside the Park ave Tunnel to the sound of water and waves. If you ever wondered how Cast Away middle of the ocean feels like, you wont get that feeling here. They choose a different artist every year to for the sounds.

The end of the tunnel you pretty much at Grand Central Station, so like true tourists we took the opportunity to visit it. Their was a wedding couple taking pictures while posing way too proper for the purpose. We tried to take an audio guide tour but couldn’t quite wait the extra few minutes for the audio guide person to come back from her break. It said “will be back in 15” and I swear we waited over 7! Ok, we are not the most patient people. I’m waiting for someone to bring me a Cronut directly so I could finally try it. Right before entering the station we found ourselves at the Grand Hyatt, which felt just (slot machine sounds) shy of a Vegas hotel

We then proceeded to the Public Library Main branch and proceeded to do what every normal parents normally do in town without their kids.. go to a children book exhibit. The ABCs of It exhibit was more interesting than I expected. History of famous children books and their importance. Stories like that of a couple who fled Paris right before a Nazi invasion carrying the drawings of a monkey named Fifi. “Curious Fifi” would have been a better name than Curious George if you ask me. A fun corner depicting the history of Goodnight Moon. Nothing about goodnight Ipad, and my favorite classic Goodnight Schnitzel, but whatever. Goodnight Moon was my favorite book because it was easy to read, short and sweet and I was able to go back to watching the hockey game in no time. And upon exiting the library there was that wedding couple again following us with the same exact pose.

Back to Summer Streets, we walked Park ave a bit to the Whole Foods pit stop where we enjoyed..nothing! due to the lines. Picked up bikes and rode to the lower end of the “festival” where things got a bit more chaotic (in a good way). But just before we picked up the bikes we did what every tourist to NYC must do, eat a hot dog. I havent eaten in like 3 hours and I was starving

Our lunch was at Ivan Ramen flagship in the Lower East Side, with our young friend Victoria who recently moved to the East Village. This is my second visit to this location, but I’ve been to the Slurp Shop in Gotham West many times. They don’t share the same menu. I will try to write a separate review if I have a chance but meanwhile here’s what I recommend to try at the LES flagship

Pickled Daikon – With dried shrimp that taste closer to breadcrumbs than shrimp but quite yummo!

Chinese Broccoli & Garlic – The pickled garlic is what did it for me

Ankimo Dirty Rice (dinner only) – Ankimo is essentially monkfish liver but dont be scared. An absolute must

Pork Meatballs – Perfection. Cant get any more tender this

Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazemen (dinner) – Didn’t have it yet but perhaps the most popular dish here

Four Cheese Mazemen (dinner) – Rich and flavor packed

Salmon Donburi (lunch) – Like the whitefish Donburi at Gotham West but with Salmon instead. Fantastic dish

Not much dessert here but no worries. One of my new favorite “I cant believe its not gelato” ice cream spots is not too far at the underrated Essex Market, Luca and Bosco. Named after the owners dogs. Two girls, one of whom picked up some valuable trade secrets in the gelato capital of the world, Florence Italy. The Drunk and Salty Caramel with Bourbon is my pick again but I urge you to try the rest

We then walked around East Village with Victoria and made our way to the hotel. I don’t know if it was the beer or lack of sleep but exhaustion hit, and I was craving a hotel bed badly. And yes, we went back to the Hyatt Union Square and THIS time I got the view I wanted, of the brick wall. I suppose a view of the city would make more sense to the average tourist but I rather face peace and quiet. Our room was away from the elevator this time as well, and while the design was a bit different, still the same great king size bed and pillows, decent size, nice shower, and here’s the kicker… “Great Location” is something you see in just about every hotel review, whether the location is UWS, Times Square, no matter. Its a cliché. But, I honestly cant think of a better location than this. You could come up with some other nearby hotels that may be slightly better situated than the corner of 4th and 13th st, but, this is as center as it gets to great dining, great neighborhoods, and everything else pretty much. You can walk just about everywhere from here including Times Square. We walked to Battery Park the next day. Highly recommend this baby Hyatt. From baby Hyatt to baby NoMad…

After some relaxing at the Hyatt we met up with friends and walked toward the most highly anticipated meal of the “trip”, the new NoMad Bar. It was even better than anticipated. Fantastic bay scallop, and carrot “tartar” starters, first rate duck sausage, and as expected a burger that can rival anything in NYC right now. But that’s not all folks. The NoMad famous truffled/foie grased chicken can be had in the form of the most luxurious and delicious Chicken Pot Pie ($36). They bring you the pie with the Foie on the side, and mix it in table side. Needless to say the most extrodinary Chicken Pot Pie you will ever have. But that’s not all. The infamous $110 Cocktail Explosion we shared was a big hit with everyone. One of the most memorable meals of the year.

We then made a tourist mistake. We took a cab to Washington Square Park just to cross it again to reach the next destination. This time they had what looked like a Shakespeare in the Park session which I’ve never witnessed before. Our destination was Comedy Cellar which was sold out of all shows, hence the mistake. Oh well. We briefly considered the Argentinian aerial acrobatics Fuerza Bruta but then settled for plan A, The Hundred-Foot Journey movie which dictated our next day dinner destination (second only to one of the best lobster rolls I ever had)

Day 1

Day 2

Day 4

Categories: Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City | Tags: danji, food, Ivan Ramen, restaurants, Summer Streets, The NoMad Bar, Travel | 4 Comments

Riding With Ziggy – Battle of the Bridges Part III

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Ziggy

Twice a year the Hummus Whisperer and I are freed by our spouses to ride with the winds between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan while enjoying culinary freedom. This time our tour included a neighborhood in Brooklyn, a romantic deserted island, a burrito, and a whole lot of butt texting. All photos and texting courtesy of an Iphone 5 fresh off a broken lock button, which meant butt calling and but texting galore before I realized that the top button no longer does it job. I would call people while talking to them.. “Excuse me… oh its you”.. “What?”

We parked near the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge as always, and this time we opted to stay relatively close for a breakfast snack and explore the area of Boerum Hill. Walking on Smith st reminded me how much I miss that area. I dont know if it was a hangover symptom but you can actually hear birds singing in some of the relatively quiet and tree lined side streets. Smith st. has some of the best concentration of fine dining/bars/food stores in Brooklyn. It was slightly truer before Michelin Starred Saul moved to the Brooklyn Museum.

Our first food stop was Shelsky’s, a mini Russ and Daughter’s with an attitude if you will. The plain bagel with cream cheese and a silky smooth Gaspe Nova was just what we ordered! Great loxy flavor without the R&D pain (I’m talking about both Russ & Daughters and the lox our R&D dep’t consumes).

After our little picnic in Brooklyn Borough Hall, we picked up a bike and crossed Brooklyn Bridge which was relatively quiet at 10 am. Plenty of bike lane wary tourists still but not wall to wall zoo as before.

On the Manhattan side not too far from the bridge I noticed a large Asian group practicing Falun Dafa (or Falun Gong) meditation. This practice which disciplines Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, got so popular in china in the 90’s that it was quickly banned by the government as it was seen as a threat. I was told by a Chinese woman that a million Chinese followers have either died or imprisoned over the years and the rest of the world cant do much about it. Seeing this group was a sharp reminder that we take our freedom for granted.

Riding in Chinatown is not the most pleasant ride, but always interesting. There arent too many neighborhoods out there where you get a sense of community like here. At some point on Hester street we saw people dancing in a park. Where else do you see that at 10 am? HW and I debated whether to show them a few moves of our own but we had an appointment with dumplings, Prosperity Dumplings. Four meaty, greasy (in a good way) pork and chive dumplings for a buck. You cant get a better deal than this in NYC – its not economically feasible. Last week I tried the recently opened Mimi Cheng’s dumplings in East Village which is getting some press and lines out the door. While they were good, for $8 per 6, I would take Prosperity any day.

We continued to ride to the East Village for a desperately needed thirst quencher and its pretty clear where we are headed since we get this drink on every one of those rides. The Grasshopper at Liquiteria, a popular neighborhood fresh juice joint. They used to make it fresh on the spot but now you can find it in the fridge on the left. Try it with some Gray Goose for a much smoother Citibike ride

We now head North to the romantic portion of the trip to 60th, riding entirely on 1st ave which has a great bike lane btw. Both of us making it to Roosevelt Island for the very first time. I always thought I would make it with Mrs Ziggy one day, never with the romantically challenged Hummus Whisperer. It took us about 30 minutes of aimless walking and some bus shuttle hopping to nowhere to realize that god invented Google for a reason. Apparently we need to head to one of the ends, the closest one. So we head south and now I see what the hoopla is all about. Nice park along the water, another park, NYC’s only monument ruin (an old smallpox hospital), and right on the tip, FDR Four Freedoms Park. This is got to be one of New Yorks most stunning parks, and what a setting. FDR’s huge bust overlooking the island brought me back to my old FDR high school in Brooklyn where I learned how to write properly (you guessed it, the school is now closed!)

We headed back to the mothership island, and straight to a game I call Amazing Citibike Race. Its where we realize that the area around us is suddenly short on bikes and we have to scramble. For 15 minutes we had to scramble and run around while constantly checking the bike app. We split, we texted (both real and butt) and at some point some running was even involved, until we got the bikes.

We cruised 2nd ave all the way back downtown. I must say the east side (2nd and 1st) is much friendlier for bikers than the west side (8th,9th). Our best eating is still to come. Well, we haven’t eaten much as you can see and I’m approaching the elusive 1000 word mark (what the hell did I write about). We nixed the two Ivan Ramens and opted for an infamous burrito, and one particular place in Brooklyn that I feel embarrassed for visiting for the first time.

The chicken Burrito at Missions Cantina was a burrito revelation. I’ve had some crafty burritos over the years but this one may have topped them all. The main difference.. no rice. The lack of rice meant less heaviness (a welcome plus in the summer) letting the rest of the ingredients shine. And the toasty flour tortilla is crispy, thin but holds its own for pleasant mess-free eating. I want to come back for the wings and tacos.

You know that the burrito was good when the ride across Manhattan bridge becomes a little more difficult. I felt like telling everyone passing me “dude, I had a burrito.. without rice, more beans”. Manhattan Bridge is a solid alternative to Brooklyn if you don’t want to share the lane with pedestrians taking selfies of themselves getting hit by bikes.

Pok Pok, the Hummus Whisperer’s favorite restaurant in NYC was our last stop. Although I’ve been a big fan of Andy Ricker, I somehow never made it before. The new location in Red Hook looks like a simple diner, but the food is anything but. We only had room for 2 dishes and one of them had to be the wings I kept hearing about. Very solid meaty delicious wings that were plenty sweet and plenty of spice. I liked the Cha Ca La Vong even more (below). Catfish marinated and fried to flaky perfection with all sorts of herb action, rice vermicelli and tangy pineapple-y sauce. Now I really cant wait to come back for more. Great finish to a wonderful day

The End

Categories: Brooklyn, Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side, New York City | Tags: best food in NYC, food, Liquiteria, Mission Cantina, Pok Pok Brooklyn, Prosperity Dumplings, restaurants, Shelsky's, Travel | 2 Comments

Lower East Side for Meshugenahs

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Ziggy

****** Taking a much needed break in TCI beginning tomorrow which means no posts for a little while *******

To continue our Meshugenah series we move over to the Lower East Side, a neighborhood rich with Jewish history. When we parked our car we couldnt help but notice this beautiful red church right in front of us on Norfolk street. However, by the time we came back to the car for the all important shoe change (women schwomen you know what I’m saying?), the church transformed into a synagogue, after overhearing a tour guide stationed with a group right by our car. Evidently German Jews built all sorts of modern looking synagogues in “Little Germany” as it was once nicknamed, and some of those synagogues have been designated as historic landmarks by the city

In fact the entire Lower East Side neighborhood has been added to America’s Most Endangered List by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who is suspect #1 in the case of Mission Chinese closings by the way. Is it too late for Lucca style Kebab Laws? Most likely. But something tells me the Jewish identity will remain in the area for a while. That something is the guidebooks and tour groups flocking the area. You cant walk a block in there without a “And this place here is home to New York’s best Knish, but their Gefilte Fish sucks”. Our food focus on our annual father’s day (delayed by a few weeks this time) neighborhood crawl wasn’t particularly on Jewish food, but it did start out that way…

Russ and Daughters. Our only iconic stop of the afternoon was at this 100 year old legend. I’ve enjoyed those sandwiches before, but not my family. The new R&D café had a 90 minute wait so we settled for taking a number at the original which turned out to be a 45 minute or so wait. Silky smooth, rich Scottish Salmon with cream cheese is as good as it gets. Unless you get the same Salmon rubbed with Pastrami seasoning with onions. Great stop at this old timer appetizer (an old NYC originated term for such Jewish places) that involves a little bit of pain. But if you have a low pain threshold, consider the following lox stop, with less of the hoopla, and much of the flavor

Nordic Preserves Fish & Wildlife Company at Essex Market – One of the most talked about sandwiches on the forums is the Nordic… Nova Scotia lox, black lumpfish caviar, some onions, dill, tomatoes, capers on a Ciabata from Pain D’Avignon, a high quality French bakery also in Essex Market (some of the best baguettes in town). An outrageously delicious, high quality sandwich cheaper than the R&D sandwiches. Nordic Preserves is unlike anything you will find in NYC, selling all sorts of imported Scandinavian items from candy to jams, caviar, game meat and more. As hidden gem as it gets in NYC

Schapiro’s – We then needed a rest after all that eating and stumbled upon this nifty looking bar. One quick glance at the menu and.. Jewish theme is still very much intact (will be broken very soon though). An Israeli Gastropub? Hebrewpub? Very interesting menu filled with all sorts of inviting goodies. Couldnt quite pass on the not so traditional, but still quite tasty Shakshuka (the Israeli version of Huevos Rancheros). And to make the little one happy, her favorite dish in the world, Mac and Cheese – A slam dunk as far as crafty mac and cheese in the city goes. Schapiro’s is an homage to another neighborhood icon, Schapiro’s wine company which ruled the neighborhood for 100 years (1899-2000) right next door. A very nifty, inviting space

That was a failed eating break by the way. I just wanted to go somewhere for a drink while catching some of the Russia-Belgium world cup snooze-fest. We then walked down to the east river for some nice waterfront views under Williamsburg Bridge and New York’s most hidden attraction…. the East River Sea Lion Park, a bunch of Sea Lions sculptures I discovered while Citibiking with a friend a few weeks ago. Kids, summer, water, sea lions, what else can you ask for. Tacos! But that’s later (well that was the plan at least)

Eastwood – Its been over 45 minutes since the last Hebrewpub visit and my left hand started to shake. What happens when you put a falafel and an egg in one room to the tunes of Michael Bolton with Brokeback Mountain showing the background? Israeli Scotch Egg (top picture). A hard boiled egg wrapped in a falafel, served with a side of Tehina.. a crafty and tasty little snack which I had before but wanted to show Mrs Z. And surprisingly solid Fish and Chips (the things I do for the Brits here, and for what?) can be found in this fun, as local as it gets Hebrewpub. I first learned of Eastwood at last year’s Grub Street Festival where I met its energetic and fun owner.

Way before the term “Hebrewpub” was even invented (10 minutes ago), there was the Eldridge Street Synagogue, on you guessed it, Eldridge Street. Arguably, the most important establishment in the LES with the richest history. While its really inside Chinatown these days, the synagogue is as much part of LES as anything else. Opened in 1887, it was the first Synagogue built by Eastern European Jews in the USA. Late 19th, early 20th centuary saw roughly 1.5 million Jews moving to the Lower East Side, while less than that moved elsewhere in the country. The hour long tour (included in your admission) on the hour can help you imagine the daily activities and what this place meant to the community. Although we actually did not take the tour (kids started to get tired, and I started to get hungry) we briefly spoke to the young girl running the tours, and also saw her in action while inside. This is a striking looking structure by the way that will surprise even the European church lovers inside with its craftsmanship

Prosperity Dumplings, Vanessa Dumplings – Jewish theme continues. It is after all what we eat on Christmas. These dumpling places are on every Cheap Food list, and for good reason. Four delicious dumplings for a buck just doesn’t get any more value than this. Verdict: Prosperity (left). Bigger, fuller, more flavorful Pork and Chive dumplings than Vanessa’s. Also, there’s something about irregular shape ~~anything~~ food that I find more attractive. Like pizza for example.

Melt Bakery – This first rate ice cream sandwich shop was more of a secret 5 minutes ago, before they opened their 4th location. Delicious ice cream, and even better cookie dough (choc chip walnut, hello!). I also love that they have mini sizes so you could try more, or just have a smaller one. I’m finding many of the artisanal ice cream sandwiches out there too big and too expensive these days. This is New York’s first Ice Cream Sandwich Shop, and they now also have a stand on the Highline

This was the end of our little LES adventure but… I came back for more after a few days…

Di Palo’s – While not technically in LES, close enough and worth mentioning to those that are not aware of this neighborhood institution. This is as old school as it gets. For over 100 years selling imported cured meats, cheeses, and other Italian specialties (pastas, truffle sauces, fresh red sauce, etc). But what is so special about this store to me is that even when quite busy with people waiting with numbers in their hands, you still get what I call a “Salumi Concierge” that will guide you and let you try anything you want with zero hassle. You can be with your concierge for 30 minutes and no one will mind, because the people waiting want the exact same experience. Try the Prosciutto, Finocchiona (salami with fennel), Cotto (Cooked ham) including truffled, and top notch Mortadella. And don’t leave without trying some of their Truffled Pecorino – yes, more than one kind. A rarity in this town.

Georgia’s Eastside BBQ – While killing time waiting for Mission Cantina to open, I stumbled upon this tiny BBQ joint. I did hear about this place before, but had no intentions of eating here on this particular day, as my mission was clearly on Mission and their highly regarded riceless Burritos which we didnt get to a few days prior. Mission failed again. Half a rack of baby back ribs ($11) was simplify glorious. Meaty, good quality, fall off the bone, perfectly seasoned dry rub with a side of homemade BBQ. Plan was to leave room for the burrito, but I couldn’t help it and attacked this thing with full force. Just solid! The menu features all sorts of southern goodies like catfish and fried chicken. Cant wait to bring the family here next.

Luca & Bosco – The most famous dogs in the neighborhood will soon become the most famous dogs in the city, Luca and Bosco. Their proud owners opened this Ice Cream stand inside Essex Market about 7 months ago, and folks, it just doesnt get much better than this. Drunk and Salty Caramel with candied pecans was heavenly. Light, fresh and very gelato like. They are currently making the ice cream at an incubator in East Harlem, but soon moving to a new place with a bigger kitchen. One of the partners studied in Florence, the gelato capital of the world, where she mastered a few techniques. Anyone who ever visits Florence knows how standards get elevated. Highly recommend this one.

End of my eating adventures in the LES. Other notable spots in the area: Cata, The new Ivan Ramen, Mission Cantina ;), Gaia, il laboratorio del gelato, and Katz’s of course

Follow my latest TCI eating adventure on twitter @Ziggy601

Stay hungry my friends.

Categories: Lower East Side, New York City | Tags: Best food in Lower East Side, Di Palo's, Eastwood NYC, Eldridge Street Synagogue, food, Georgia's Eastside BBQ, Luca & Bosco, Melt Bakery, Nordic Preserves Fish & Wildlife, Prosperity Dumplings, restaurants, Schapiro’s, Travel | Leave a comment

Dude, You Are Researching NYC Food All Wrong

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Ziggy

Dear Tourist,

So you’ve decided finally to go on a “Holiday” to New York City. Mazal Tov! You probably read by now in your guide books that NYC is the greatest food city in the world. And you are probably waking up every morning thanking god for the gift that keeps on giving, the TripAdvisor Rankings. Between the rankings, the guidebooks, and all the great recommendations by your neighbor’s house sitter Betty (you must go to bubba gump you must) who eloped to NYC last year with 75 of her closest friends, you are all set. Right? Not exactly. Lets take a moment and examine what is wrong with the above plan, and come up with a new one.

Whats wrong with the TA rankings: Everything, and nothing. Its just totally meaningless, especially in NYC. TA is a great traveling tool, but ~~pretty much~~ totally useless in NYC as far as restaurants are concerned. The main reason for its uselessness is that there are much better research tools in NYC. (more on that later). But lets discuss the rankings for a second shall we. They are so flawed and so out of tune with reality that’s not even funny. The top 50 at the moment is a bizarre mishmash of classics and places I never even heard of. First of all the TA algorithm puts some major weight on the number of reviews. So older establishments may be higher than better reviewed younger ones. And then there are those that have 27 remarkably high reviews that made it all the way to the top 20. And not to mention that 25 of them may be coming from all their employees and families. I always recall this one particular place in Milan where the owner single-handedly put his place #1 with a bunch of obvious fake reviews. At some point he mistakenly gave himself one star, and that followed with 4 quick glorious reviews with a similar language. And once real reviews started coming in, he found himself arguing with every reviewer

But fake reviews don’t have much of a bearing on the busy NYC listings. Tourists do. TripAdvisor is predominately used by tourists, and its especially true in NYC. While you may see locals contribute in other towns and countries where there’s not much of a choice other than TA, in NYC locals use other sites like Yelp. Now, couple the tourist factor with the high volume factor I mentioned above and you can see why something like Basso56 will be near the top as its heavily reviewed by tourists thanks to its location near Times Square. Besides Basso, at the top of the Italian chain on TA at the moment you can find other Italian behemoths like Rafele, Piccola Cucina, Via Della Pace – places I never even heard of. But if you need more convincing than “Ziggy never heard of”, why not just go to Chowhound where all the NY foodies hang out and pull threads that discuss the best Italian in town. You will not find any of those places mentioned. What you will see mentioned are places like Maialino (#95), Babbo (#602), Marea (#194), Lincoln (#882), or even Ziggy fave Costata (#2605). TA numbers are all over the place as you can see, well outside of the top range for the unsuspecting tourist. So while you are eating a Carbonara with cream and bacon at a high ranked theater district place near you, locals out there enjoy the real thing with Guanciale and egg at Maialino.

Same applies to using the rankings everywhere else in the world. My favorite restaurant in our adapted home of Turks and Caicos is Caicos Cafe, rated #20 at the moment, pretty low in T&C standards.

Now, its time to ditch the guide book. Ok, wait.. pick it up.. its actually quite useful for many things. But not so much for food. Yes, you will get some good tips on some NY icons like Katz’s and Russ and Daughters that I recommend. But then you have something like pizza (namely Grimaldi’s) and bagels that NYC is so famous for. While you will not easily find better pastrami than Katz’s, you will easily find better pizza than Grimaldi’s. Actually, all you need to do while standing on line at Grimaldi’s with the rest of the tourists is look to you left at Juliana’s window to see where the real Grimaldi is doing his thing nowadays. But you dont even have to leave your neighborhood in Manhattan to get great pizza that is arguably better than Grimaldi’s.

Besides pizza, your guide book will mislead you in other areas. E.g. Hell’s Kitchen is not a safe area, the place for Italian is Little Italy, and Times Square is a foodie paradise. Your guide book may be up to date as far as facts are concerned (MoMA hours) but not concepts. Little Italy is now a block inside Chinatown riding one of those concepts. There are no Italians living there. Another thing to keep in mind is that the food contributors to the guides may not be necessarily “foodies”. Rick Steves for example does not strike me a foodie, and to follow his advice in Italy or anywhere else is Europe in this day and age is pretty silly. Eating at guidebook recommended establishments and high ranked TA spots also means eating with other tourists who are doing exactly the same thing. Some may find comfort with that, but if you are reading this blog chances are you want to eat where the locals eat.

And as for your neighbor Betty recommendations go, treat them like meeting your dentist at the supermarket. Smile, and move on. Unless Betty, is an avid Eating With Ziggy reader and/or does any of the following…

Read Chowhound – as I mentioned, this is where many of the NYC foodies hang out, and where I get many ideas. Chowhound is probably my wallet’s single worst offender.

Read Yelp Reviews instead of TA reviews. I already touched on this, and its fairly simple. Locals use Yelp, tourists use TA.

Read or Subscribe to Grub Street – You can get all sorts of interesting ideas there, especially from the power rankings. Same idea applies to Eater, or Serious Eats.

Hang out in the TripAdvisor NYC Forum. You dont even have to participate. Its amazing how much knowledge you can get just by reading the forum for a month or two. There are plenty of locals who contribute on a daily basis, and you can also find many discussions on dining by using the search feature

And the most important tip…

Read EatingWithZiggy. Whats so funny. Where do you think I derive my ideas from.

Happy eating, and happy planning!

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, restaurants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 6 Comments

Lower East Side

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