New York City

The Staten Island Survival Guide

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Ziggy

Updated February 2024

No, you dont need new contacts. You have reached Eating With Me, and yes, I’m writing about the foodie desert Island of Staten. But how do I do it without offending 499,996 residents and the entire state of NJ. Almost impossible for someone who spends much of his eating time in Brooklyn and Manhattan. But I do need to eat in Staten Island on occasion, and some gems do exist. This will not be one of those marathon posts because a) I dont really have much time today, and b) Its Staten Island!

The best way to examine the cuisine of Staten Island is to look at the map. It is almost entirely attached to New Jersey, and a long bridge away (#16 longest in the world) from the rest of New York. It looks and feels like NJ in more ways than one. In fact I’m pretty sure the term “bridge and tunnel people”, a term now used in other parts of the US started in Staten Island. Staten Island is first and foremost a suburb with mostly suburb food.

When you ask 100 Staten Islanders what’s good on the island, you’ll hear 115 (including some opinionated extras who happened to be in the area) saying its pizza and “Eyetalian”. Zagat, Eater and other online publications tend to agree when you Google Best of Staten Island. Its essentially one giant Italian/pizza fest. They are not exactly wrong, but not quite correct either. Lets jump right in…

Pizza – Yes, it is very good overall. Joe & Pats is a local legend for good reason and one of our favorites. So is Giove on New Dorp. Staten Islanders swear by Lee’s Tavern and its bar pizza. In fact Lee’s Tavern created an entire category for pizza (bar pizza) but not a destination pizza by any means. Perhaps the most underrated pie in SI comes from Nonna’s in Great Kills. Plenty of solid options all over the Island, but today not quite in line with the brilliance of Manhattan and Brooklyn. These days you can even have a taste of SI in Manhattan through Rubirosa (Joe & Pats cousin), Denino’s in Greenwich Village, and Joe & Pat’s of Staten Island in East Village.

Italian – Pass. Its essentially one giant “Little Italy”, red sauce orgy. Nothing really wrong with that, as many of them are actually pretty good at what they do like Piccolino on Amboy and Brother’s as a casual takeout. But SI still doesnt really have any sort of regional Italian-Italian cooking. Enoteca Maria is probably the closest and the only ones I would consider.

Mexican – Taqueria el gallo azteca in St George is not only the best on the island, but some of the best tacos I’ve had in NYC. You can combine it with New Asha nearby for a mini best of SI food crawl. Other than that there’s not much really. We usually go to Sunset Park but if we opt to stay on the island, Sofia’s Taqueria on Amboy is good for what it is

Sri Lankan – This is where things start to get interesting, and perhaps the only reason to stay more than 5 minutes when you take that ferry. You got Lakruwana (like a Sri Lankan museum) doing their thing in the far north, though my favorite ferry area joint these days is New Asha as a quick lunch and Sagara Food City for takeout, mainly for their excellent Kottu Roti. My overall favorite Sri Lankan in Staten Island these days is Randiwa on Richmond ave. Chef/owner used to own San Rasa when it was at the old location. We go for the Mulligatawny soup, Lamb Curry with Hoppers, Lamprais, Deviled dishes, Chicken Biryani, and Kottu.

Asian – Huge improvement since 2018 when I wrote this originally. For Thai, Chang Noi Thai near the ferry is excellent. Family owned Phil-Am Kusina closer to the bridge is the best and possibly only Filipino. Good Sisig, and even better oxtail. Ohkami Ramen is the closest you’ll get to Manhattan Ramen. We go here almost monthly for the Spicy Paitan. Banhmigos on Hylan has the best Bahn mi, especially the sick Short Rib. No good Chinese still as we still go to Sunset Park Brooklyn every time we crave balder flavors, though East Pacific in the SI Mall is fine for NY Chinese. Ocean Sushi is our go to for acceptable cheap Sushi

American/New American – The Richmond is reliable for a Manhattan type meal if you dont want to leave the island. There are other places like it that come and go, but this is the only place I recommend

Turkish – Over the years this has become one of the strengths. The island is saturated with all sorts of great Turkish, and more keep opening. For us its Laila especially with groups and parties, and Sahara Mediterranean Grill for more casual events

Indian – Still lacking. Taste of India II is fine if you dont want to travel far. But best bet is still Edison Mejwaani, Chef’s Table), Brooklyn (Indian Table) or Manhattan for Indian

That’s all I got. Many others I’ve been are not worth mentioning. And its entirely possible I’m missing some gems here, so let me know if I do

Categories: New York City, Staten Island | Tags: Best Restaurants in Staten Island, food, Randiwa Staten Island, Staten Island, Taqueria el gallo azteca, Travel | 3 Comments

Italian Street Food in NYC

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Ziggy

Mr. Panzerotto

******* PLEASE DONT POST THIS ON TRIP ADVISOR 😉 ***************

You just came back from your first trip to Italy. You are antsy and eager to talk about all the wonderful stuff you did and ate with your colleagues and friends. You are taking more than your usual water cooler breaks in order to bump into as many people as you can. No one does any real work on their first day after vacation anyway. You talk about your trip, like people talk about their babies. You receive pleasure even when you realize they are not listening. Your wife and kids want to eat those rice ball thingies they had on a walking tour in Rome and you now find yourself on a mission again. Here’s a quick guide to help you out

Panzerotto at Mr. Panzerotto (West Village). This is the Calzone’s younger cousin from Puglia. It’s a small fried pocket usually filled with cheese, tomato and other ingredients. The dough is light and airy. While not quite like the one I had in Padua in December, this was surprisingly good and filling for a $5 snack. Blink and you’ll miss it (look up) on Mcdougal. Panzerotto

Suppli at Martina (East VIllage). The Roman answer to Arancini. Rice “balls” but closer to small fat mozzarella sticks. They are filled with rice, cheese and tomato, then dipped in egg and bread crumbs and fried. You go to Martina for the Roman pizzas but you can also have all sorts of interesting snacks like the great meatballs, beans and these Suppli. This is possibly the most satisfying snack of the bunch

Martina Suppli

Piada at Non Solo Piada (Hell’s Kitchen) – This is a flatbread folded like a taco. Dough is usually made with lard (rendered pig fat) or olive oil. A specialty of Emilia Romagna coastal area (Rimini, Ravenna… Owner from Rimini). Eataly Downtown made them when they opened but it’s now a Ravioli stand. This place is getting very popular and I recommend people try it but I wish they’d find a way to make the dough a little crispier and more fresh tasting.

Trapizzino at Trapizzino (Nolita) – A relatively new Roman invention, a triangle pizza pita pocket stuffed with various combinations and ragus like oxtail and chicken. It made a brief cameo appearance at Madison Square Eats 7 years ago from something appropriately called Broken English. They also sell Suppli and Italian Sodas like Chinotto (*like*). Spacious and inviting space in the increasingly touristy NoLita

Panelle at Ferdinando’s Focacceria (Brooklyn) – These are flat chickpea Fritters you can have as is or in a sandwich. You can find them in the famous street markets of Palermo, or Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Brooklyn. They can be a little greasy but still delicious when done right. Ferdinando’s making them since 1904 is like a mob movie movie set. This is as old school as it gets

Cecina at Santina (West Village) – Made from Chickpea flour Like Panelle but bigger like a pancake or pizza in some cases. A Tuscan coast specialty, but can be found all over the Liguarian coast. Also called Farinata. In Lucca they cook them in wood burning pizza ovens like pizza. At Santina its round, soft and spongy like the Ethiopian Injera, allowing you to make wraps with the items you order with it (Tuna, shrimp, Mushrooms, etc) or eat it anyway you want. Can be a nice (albeit expensive) snack after your High Line stroll. Santina Cecina

Calzone at Tramonti (East Village) – I dont eat Calzones very often these days but this was a standout and possibly the best I ever had in NYC. Dough is light and delicious with top notch imported ingredients inside including the spicy Soppressata. Tramonti is one of many underrated pizza gems in East Village. Owners from the village of Tramonti in Naples, the place that invented pizza. At least thats what they’ll have you believe if you stay long enough and have a few drinks. Just nod and smile

Arancini at Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana (Soho) – These are the famous Sicilian rice balls normally stuffed with ragu, cheese and peas. A more common way to find them is from the Arancini Bro’s in ballparks and festivals. But I recommend Piccola, probably the most Sicilian focused menu in the city. We are talking about the real Sicily here. Not Brooklyn. Arancini at Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana

Tramezzini at Tramezzini (Lower East Side) – Fat crustless sandwiches you can find in the north like Venice and Cremona. I never had Tramezzini here or any Tramezzini in NYC for that matter. But still listing it here for that water cooler dude from the top paragraph who just wont shut up about his trip to Venice

Categories: New York City | Tags: Ferdinando's Focacceria, food, Italian Street Food, Martina, Mr. Panzerotto, Non Solo Piada, Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana, Tramonti nyc, Trapizzino, Travel | 4 Comments

Lilia – Cacio e Perfect!

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Ziggy

Eating With Ziggy

February 23rd, 2018 Update:

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. Its been 643 days since my last meal at Lilia. Its just that it continues to be one of the toughest tables in Brooklyn. You either need to have friends in high places, or low places. Or just call at 10 am when they open 30 days out. Thats the biggest tip I can give you on this update. 10 am! Not 10:01, not 9:58. 10! Its imperative that you try the simple brilliance of Missy Robbins, and do it soon.

Add the Fettuccine to the list of classics. Robbins uses a thin but potent Tomato Passato with spicy lamb sausage and Fennel seeds. After the initial palate shock, it settles down into one heck of a “Red Sauce” dish. Another new hit for me is a starter of Roasted Trumpet Mushrooms, rocket, balsamic, and Sicilian almonds (the best almonds on the…

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East Village Street Art

Posted on February 17, 2018 by Ziggy

In my next life I want to live in the East Village. Preferably between the ages of 17-24, before I move back to my wealthy family home in Croatia, and eventually settling down in the outskirts of Hell’s Kitchen or Upper West Side as a commercial pilot that flies to Italy every other time. Its in the contract! I will retire early again, giving food tours in Puglia, and on occasion visit my three daughters, all living in the East Village. One of them is called Tamar (inside joke)

But until then, I will enjoy the area as a frequent visitor. The food drew me at first, way before I started exploring it as a registered tour guide. But I quickly realized there’s a lot more to it than food. There’s a level of quirkiness not seen anywhere. There’s a store on St Marks entirely devoted to Marshmallows! So last October it took me and my big boy camera three visits to take pictures of all the art I could find. These are just some of the results…

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: East Village, East Village Art, Food Tours, Street Art, Travel | 1 Comment

Traif – Hold the Gefilte

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Ziggy

Traif - Foie Gras In order to understand the name, one first needs to understand the location. One block over to the south is Hasidic Williamsburg, the most ultra-Jewish neighborhood in a borough loaded with Jewish neighborhoods (around 5). Once inside Hasidic Williamsburg you are not mistaken where you are. This is the one place in Brooklyn I’m not comfortable touring with visitors and I declined such requests in the past. Traif simply means “non-kosher”, a term not really used much even with Jews. Practically next door is sister restaurant Xixa, the Mexican version of small plate Traif. Xixa is pronounced Shiksa which means gentile girl, especially one that attracted a Jewish boy.

The Jewish husband cooks in Traif, while the Shiksa in Xixa. This type of Chuzpah would normally attract a visit from the local Rabi. Perhaps the logo of the pig with a heart in the middle on the Traif door legally prevents it from happening. And the Shiksa in the other place complicates things further. A third venture called Kish Mein Touchess would essentially entice a riot but thats just a rumor (which I’m starting here). Traif is a pork-centric establishment after-all. But you get the sense that even if you remove all the porkiness like the bacon around my drink rim Rude Little Pig (meh), this will still be a very good restaurant.

Traif

This is the type of place that expires on me over time. Its 8 years old, generating nothing but praise and a steady young local crowd. But at some point, due to the location you move on and forget all about it. Its easy to get lost in the shuffle in this town that produces at least 20 new good ones every month it seems. The menu reads Spanish tapas-like, but once you take a closer look, its tapas meets New American. And while there’s always a risk attached to a tasting menu as such, the $55 chefs tasting at Traif is build to impress.

We started with a glorious welcome, a cup of creamy chickpea soup. Then came perfectly seared scallops on a bed of mushroom risotto. The intense mushroom perfume especially elevated those scallops nicely. Its an odd one to start a tasting menu, but the heck with rules. Simpler but tasty combinations followed like King Salmon with avocado, and Squash with cheese toasts. Spicy tuna tartare over eggplant tempura was one of the more memorable early on. If you are not a fan of Sweetbread, the riff on General Tso’s here may convert you. Another hit was a gorgeously seared duck sporting a nice outer crisp. Traif - Scallops

Perhaps the most impressive dish of the night however was a seared foie gras with yukon potatoes, bacon, and sunny side up egg. A tangy sauce and proper spices tying everything together and its Siman Tov ve Mazel Tov in your mouth. Would love to come back to this.. alone. On the other hand, the worst dish was the orange ribs. Its tender! Thats the only thing I can say about it. Gnocchi with mushrooms and shaved black truffles – cant go wrong with that. Finishing, in your face style, with bacon donuts with coffee ice cream beating the weak Panna Cotta. All in all this is another GO folks!

Traif
229 S 4th (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Rating: 2.5 Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Tasting Menu

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: food, Traif, Traif Williamsburg, Travel | Leave a comment

The 100!

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Ziggy

Thank You!

Its been a fun ride to 100. I met so many cool people from all over the world. From the Maori family from New Zealand who decided to buy a Durian and eat it in a parking lot in Brooklyn’s Chinatown. To the Italian barber from England who keeps sending me clients. Needless to say first full year has been a story filled blast. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review me on Tripadvisor, and to the extensive Tripadvisor forum community. Your support means a lot and keeps me ~~from losing weight~~ going. Special thanks to the nation of Australia! Good luck in the next Eurovision thing

The Brooklyn, East Village, and Hell’s Kitchen tours took a life of their own. They are like my children and therefore very difficult for me to choose. There’s not a day that goes by without me thinking on how to improve them. And sometimes, on occasion I even do something about it ;). Like adding Green-Wood Cemetery to the Brooklyn tour, or the city’s best Almond Croissants to the East Village tour. Thanks to all the awesome vendors that make this possible.

Here’s to the next 900!

Cheers,

Ziggy

Categories: New York City | Tags: Eating With Ziggy Tours, food, Food Tours, Tours, Travel | 3 Comments

The Curious Case of Gino Sorbillo, Pizza Legend

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Ziggy

Sorbillo Margherita Anticipating a famous Pizzaiolo grand opening in NYC is like anticipating flu season. You hear about it in the media long before it arrives. You wonder if you should do something about it this time, because you kinda like this life thing. Then you end up forgetting all about it and doing nothing. I dont recall ever standing in line for pizza, and I dont recall ever taking a flu shot. Perhaps you can get the flu while standing in line in this brutal cold? Not really sure, and not about to take any chances in what seems like the worst flu season in recent memory. My family needs me. I think.

If I could fit a longer title it would have said something like this, “Gino Sorbillo – love at first bite, hate at last”. Ok, that sounded much longer in my head. But it was really a tale of two visits for me at this highly anticipating pizza opening. I should really do a third visit, but my wallet has other ideas in mind these days (Uncle Boons Sister, Madame Vo, Martina, etc etc). More about the wallet thing later. But we are talking about a pizza legend from Napoli opening his third location after Napoli and Milan. NYC is certainly the right place to flaunt this kind of skill. But we are talking about New York Pizza city after all.

If you read this blog longer than a few months or took my East Village tour, you know that New Yorkers live and breath pizza. We have Neapolitan, Roman, NY style pie and slice joints, Detroit, Chicago, Staten Island, State Island bar, grandma, grandpa, and baby pizza at our finger tips. Ok, I made the last one up but you get the idea. New Yorkers are surrounded by pizza, and many of them are really really good. That includes Neapolitans like Keste, Don Antonio, Eataly, and even some obscure places like Brunetti and Pasquale Jones dishing out well crafted awesomeness. Opening a pizza place in NYC, and especially East Village requires some major chaloopas, but we New Yorkers welcome any such thing with open mouths. Perhaps if the place was a little more unique like offer free flu shots with the pizza, New Yorkers would pay more attention

On both visits the place was almost empty. Granted it was on my after touring hour of 3pm, but I still expected bigger crowds considering the hype. The first thing I noticed is how large the pizzas are. At around 13-14 inch they seem to be an inch or two larger than your average city Neapolitan. That makes it even more of a challenge to fold these babies as the Neapolitans are naturally soggy in the middle. We should be lucky that these imports are even cutting them for us. Curious if they cut it for mayor De Blasio who visited both NY and Naples locations.

The first pizza I tried, Margherita with Buffalo mozzarella was outstanding. Ingredients really popping, with a soft, airy crust that was folded almost like a calzone due to the size of the slices. Even though the slices didnt hold their own, the flavors were there. By my second visit I was ready for the Nduja which is becoming one of the more popular pies here. The first few bites were promising but I got bored fairly quickly with this one. The spicy salami spread (Nduja) was alright, but couldnt save the rest of the pie that includes uneven crust with Roman-like crunchiness at times. This time each slice was totally falling apart when you lifted them to the point of (chills) fork and knife consideration. And at almost $30 after tip/tax the cost/flavor ratio really took off for my liking. A few blocks out at Martina, that ratio comes back to earth with individual pies costing a third of this, while still filling.

So while not a strong recommendation, I do encourage you to try this pizza legend and form your own opinion. At the very least, you may get a Ratatouille moment reminiscing about your time in Napoli where you wanted to try the famous Sorbillo pizza, but just couldnt cross the street!

Sorbillo Nduja

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: food, Gino Sorbillo, pizza, Sorbillo NYC, Travel | Leave a comment

Ssam Bar Earns 3 More

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Ziggy

Eating With Ziggy

Ssam Bar - Skate January 18th, 2018 Update:

Michelin season came and went, generating the usual fanfare and excitement, essential preventing most from noticing the more important stars being distributed. Around the same time, Momofuku Ssam Bar received 3 New Your Times Stars from Pete Wells, and only those in the restaurant industry got the memo. In fact I was told about it a few months ago by another chef when we talked about the all important subject of Skate (fish). The conversation led to Ssam Bar whose Skate helped earn the coveted stars.

The Skate is perhaps the biggest addition to the menu by Singapore born Max Ng who took over the helm last year. Its essentially a revolving door of Momofukus graduating from Ko to run the babies, Ssam, Nishi, Ma Peche, before moving on to other ventures around the world. You also get a sense of maturation these days, as the chief…

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The Pure Thai Cookhouse Survival Guide

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Ziggy

Pure Thai Ratchaburi

May 31, 2018 Update:

Does this happen to you? You look at the fridge, and see one portion of some of the best leftovers your fridge will ever see. You start to calculate and analyze who will be the lucky person to enjoy this, while the rest feast on canned sardines with couscous. The longer it stays there, the more precise the calculation needs to be in order to avoid the disastrous outcome: Trash. Such is the case with the crab fried rice and curry paste with pork in my fridge at the moment. Its now day 3 (T-Day) and its text time. I just have to be very careful with the wording. I dont feel like couscous!

But after many solo meals or with friends at Pure, this was only the third time I took my family there. And it was a feast for the ages. I will add a few dishes to the list below, but the one big takeaway is to pay special attention to the board and take advantage of the specials, especially the main course. This time it was Tiger Shrimp, glass noodles, mushrooms, bok choy, scallions dressed with a light sesame garlic soy. Most mains as such come with white rice covered completely by fried omelette. Worth going just for the specials.

Pure Thai Cookhouse - Fried Rice with Crab

January 15, 2018 Post

I started this blog in 2012, about 2 years after Pure Thai Shophouse opened on 9th ave. Yes, it was called Shophouse back then, until two lawyers from Chipotle walked inside demanding a name change. Little Pure Thai was apparently a threat to Chipotle’s brand spanking new Asian Kitchen Shophouse brand. And what do you know, the threat was apparently real. Long time readers of this blog know the story. The initial idea was to create a sense of a Thai street Shophouse-like environment inside. The place is after-all “if you sneeze you may miss it” tiny, cramped, slightly uncomfortable, and sometimes even smells a little. My type of place. But if not your type, this post may help.

It feels like Pure has been open a while longer considering how many times I’ve been there (somewhere between 50-100). I used to go there with co-workers whenever I felt like it, until it got so popular that we would need to leave the office at 11:45, 15 minutes before opening. We would sometimes even have practice drills and those who’d fail would be on a three month lunch probation. Over the years, I’ve seen it become a lot more popular with tourists. When I get emails from visitors (tour inquiries, hate mail, marriage proposals, etc), Pure is mentioned more than any other place. But not only I’m glad its successful, I couldnt keep it a secret if I wanted to. In the great sea of 9th ave Thai, there’s really nothing like it. And while establishments next door are adjusting to mass tourism with increased prices and smaller portions, Pure continues to do it the only way they know how

Pure Thai Pork

There’s a reason why Pure has been on the Hell’s Kitchen Survival Guide from day one. If you are simply after rainbow colored curries, and the basic Pad, Pure may not be the right place. But as I will mention again soon, if there’s a curry dish on that board in the back, it instantly becomes the best curry on 9th. Pure’s specialty is noodles, soups and old family, and regional recipes from all over Thailand. Here’s a little noob guide to help you take advantage of this little gem

When to come: As I mentioned this place has gotten very popular over the years. If I’m solo I come whenever I want. Two people can try as well with a solid backup option in mind (Danji). They will call you when your table is ready if theres a long wait (plenty of bars on 9th). But most convenient time is right when they open (noon), or 2:30 to 4:30 pm

What to expect: You can look at the pictures to get a sense of the type of space. Some of the friendliest people you will ever meet in NYC. The staff functions like a family, some of which have been there for a while. Sometimes they close for a few days for a retreat in a house they own upstate NY. While I never felt totally uncomfortable there, this is as far as it gets from Michelin comfort. You may sit on tiny stools, sharing a tiny table, staring at your partner or an old Thai action movie poster. And then there’s the 80’s Thai disco to complete the mood Pure Thai

What to order: The reason for this post….

Green Papaya Salad – This is a classic Thai dish that you can get everywhere including all over 9th ave. But Pure’s version is… well, pure, loaded with addictive heat and dried shrimp. If you never had a Papaya Salad before, you came to the right place.

Roasted Baby Back Ribs – These ribs wont win the coveted Crazy Roscoe BBQ championship any time soon (Ok, I totally made that up), but this is finger licking magic, loaded with bean paste, oyster sauce, sesame, sitting on top of the luckiest lettuce on the planet Pure Thai Ribs

Jungle Curry Fried Rice With Chicken – Some of the best simple looking fried rice dishes you’ll find in the city. Fragrant, and spicy (notice a trend? It ends soon). Serves as a great side dish or main.

Ratchaburi Crab & Pork Dry Noodles – This is the Oprah Winfrey of the Pure dishes. A dish liked by everyone. A specialty of Ratchaburi region, where one of the owners (wife) hails from. Its very mild and so a safe dish for the heat challenged, but satisfying enough for those seeking bolder flavors. Scoop up the broth to the top and mix this baby well.

Pure Thai Ratchaburi

Wok Curry Paste With Pork (second from top)- More delicious heat. Loaded with the best of Thai… string beans, Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, green peppercorn, basil, and kaffir lime curry sauce. One of my favorite Wok dishes here, along with the Chili Turmeric With Beef, and Roasted Chili With Shrimp

Sukhothai Pork Noodles Soup – One of my favorite soups in Hell’s Kitchen. It got the depth, the aroma and all kinds of pork action. Three different textures of pork in fact including craklings. Pure Thai Sukhothai

Fried Rice With Lump Crab Meat – This is an above average crab fried rice. If you are not after a spicy fried rice like the Jungle Curry, this is a solid alternative. Its quite crabby, and quite delicious

Grilled Spicy Beef Salad – What the seared beef lacks in texture it more than makes up for it in flavor. It has the tang of a spicy Larb salad and the thin strips of green apple add a nice crunch

Pure Thai Cookhouse - Beef Salad

Special – When you come in, treasure awaits on the board in the back. The mains are more exciting. Often beef or shrimp sauteed with some kind of spicy paste, market fresh veggies, Jasmine rice, and a fried egg. And as I mentioned before, if its curry, it instantly becomes the best curry on 9th.

Mango or Pumpkin Sticky Rice – Possibly the most important tip here since you can easily miss it. Its the lone dessert, always on the board as a special but sometimes they get too lazy and dont even list it. Sometimes its Mango, sometimes Pumpkin and sometimes both. Served on top of sticky rice, with sesame and coconut milk wrapped in banana leaf. Its warm, with just enough sweetness, and simply heavenly.

Thai Iced Tea – Goes without saying. This is a good one

Pure Thai Pumpkin

Pure Thai Cookhouse - Curry Special

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Thai in NYC, food, Hells kitchen, Pure Thai Cookhouse, Thai Food, Travel | 1 Comment

Best Ramen Dishes in Hell’s Kitchen

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Ziggy

Ivan Ramen - Chicken Paitan Yes, I know, I’m about 24 hours late on this. Its beginning to feel a lot like spring here compared to what we experienced the previous 4 days. Today I can finally wear just enough layers and headgear to be recognizable and to comfortably go to the bathroom during tours. And I dont need to inspect the mummies I’m with every 30 minutes to make sure these are the people I’m touring with

Although during this cold spell I’ve been craving mostly Thai and Vietnamese soups, Ramen is usually the more common medicine. So for the latest issue of W42st, that colorful magazine you see all over Hell’s Kitchen, I wrote about my favorite Ramen dishes in a neighborhood that is perhaps most Ramen heavy in NYC today. Remember the four pillars of Hell’s Kitchen: Ramen, Mexican, Thai and Gay bars. Come to think of it, Gay bars is the only one I didnt write about. I’m on it.

Chicken Paitan at Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop (top)- While the average folk go for the classic dishes that made Ivan famous, savvy W42st readers should opt for the latest and greatest. The richness and deliciousness of a Tonkotsu without the heaviness.

Yuzu-Kosho Ramen at Mentoku – Solid Ramen with no wait in Hell’s Kitchen is like finding a parking spot within 30 minutes. Love the way they cut that Chasu so thin, and that spicy, zesty Yuzu paste carries some serious depth.

Spicy Ramen at Totto (bottom)- Its that complex spicy sesame oil that transforms this thing into an umami of flavors. On a really cold day, it doesnt get much better than this. Ok, maybe Turks and Caicos.

Akamaru Modern at Ippudo – Its a good time to catch up with your virtual friends while waiting for your table. Two hours later you can return the favor by posting this sumptuousness.

Tonkatsu with Spicy Black Garlic Sauce at Hide-Chan Ramen – If you like it ultra rich and porky, it doesn’t get much richer than this. Get the fried chicken too while you’re at it.

totto-spicy-ramen

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Ramen in Hell's Kitchen, food, Hell's Kitchen NYC, Ramen, Travel | 2 Comments

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