New York City

Chelsea {Market} Lately – 2016

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Ziggy

6 visits in three months to Dizengoff, and needless to say I cant get enough of that hummus, and the eggplant, and the pita, and the homemade s’chug, and the…

Eating With Ziggy

Time to update the old what to eat at Chelsea Market post. But instead of simply updating it, I will just make a fresh one. As fresh as the Hummus at Dizengoff, the latest sensation to hit the market. You can say what you want about the market. Its increasingly busy, packed with tourists, and theres a decent chance a large polish gentleman will step on your feet. But largely due to that foot traffic, the market also attracts vendors like no other market or food court in NYC. For every Amy’s Bread, and Num Pang that you can find all over town, there are 10 vendors and purveyors that are unique to the market. And besides, the traffic doesnt hamper my movement much. I come, I eat, I go, juts like anywhere else. Since I’ve been to the market around 20 times this year alone, I will only post…

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Avlee – My Big Fat Greek Dinner

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Ziggy

Greek food has become all Greek to me over the years. I used to frequent the Greek kitchens of Hell’s Kitchen like Uncle Nick’s and the aptly named The Greek Kitchen for many years. But a combination of newer, more exciting neighborhood offerings, along with their inability to cook meats to the proper temperature consistently, contributed to an abrupt stop. Then there was Elia in Bay Ridge, a family favorite for years, that generally delivered, albeit with a heftier cost and a bigger Mediterranean emphasis. And since we go to Europe more often than Astoria, there’s a better chance for us to eat octopus in Santorini than Queens. Avlee Greek Kitchen, a little dinette in Carroll Gardens felt like a taste of Astoria in Brooklyn

It starts and ends with the boss. As with any household I suppose. I just finished all my chores for today, and I’m given the green light to watch first week of Football and write to you fine folks about Avlee. Multi-tasking. Well I still have to take out the garbage and take out the dishes from the dishwasher but its too soon for that. Thankfully I havent quite graduated from putting the dishes inside the dishwasher. Apparently I’m doing it all wrong

Andrew Poulos who runs the show at Avlee was practically born with a spatula inside a Greek kitchen. Andrew grew up in Bay Ridge where the closest thing to Greek food in the 70’s, and 80’s was the Greek Diner. I know because I was there as well for much of that, visiting the same Greek diners. Nowadays we just call them diners. Andrew spent much of his youth in Brooklyn Heights in his father’s restaurant. One thing that separates people like Andrew from the more famous chefs out there who went to culinary schools and worked in the trendiest kitchens, is a lifetime of experience in how to connect to the customer. You can tell much from talking to him, and you can tell even more from talking to his relaxed and happy staff.

The comfortable room is small and simply decorated, with the open kitchen spreading on one side. The menu reads like a typical Greek eatery with all the usual suspects. Except that in this case everything is prepared with special care and the absolute best ingredients they can get. Avlee after all, means “Garden”, and much of the ingredients come from Andrew’s own garden. Avlee doesnt have a freezer.

We started with the classic spreads. A trio of Tzatziki, Hummus, and Tirokafteri (feta, bell peppers, jalapeno, cayenne) which stole the show with its wonderful front-end heat. The Greek chunky hummus made me momentarily forget that I belong to creamy camp (sounds like a summer camp for fat kids). We liked the Tiropita, like mini flaky “bourekases” filled with feta and eggs. One of my favorite Mediterranean staples is stuff (figs, olives, dates) wrapped with cured meats, and here the figs stuffed with feta and wrapped with prosciutto delivered an enticing sweet and savory combination. The prosciutto gave it a nice oomph.

The octopus should tell you everything you need to know about this place. Instead of dressing it with heavy dose of romesco, chorizo, greens and/or potatoes as so many do, what you got here is the bare bones in its purest form. A gorgeously thick tentacle, perfectly tenderized and charred with a light dressing of olive oil, capers, and mustard seeds. Fresh as if hours before it was swimming near the coast of Portugal minding its own business. One of the better Octopuses as of late (bested more popular spots like Aurora a few days prior). Click on the picture for the full affect.

No complaints about the main course either. A whole grilled Branzini I couldnt cook better myself (I try and try). It was accompanied by two sides not pictured. A Kale and Chickpeas salad which I liked more than Mrs Z. And Gigande, those tender large beans baked with onion and tomato, tasted like a distant dry cousin of the sickest borscht on the planet. Finished off with a a fine Baklava. I’m not Baklava’s biggest fan even though I love everything nuts and honey but this one was satisfying.

In full disclosure, the circumstances of this review are different than my regular posts. I was invited to Avlee by Andrew for a comped meal in exchange for a review. As I mentioned back via email, a review would follow only if the meal is good and worthwhile to write about, as I seldom write negative reviews. Thankfully, any unpleasantness was easily avoided after a very enjoyable meal. Everything I wrote is true, including my chores.

Avlee Greek Kitchen
349 Smith St (2nd/Carroll), Brooklyn

Flavor of the Month – Gelato Giusto

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Ziggy

This is a new monthly feature on EWZ that simply features a NYC establishment that I like right now. Not a full blown post as I will spare you the unnecessary details and jokes and simply say GO, and why. And yes, I’m changing the meaning of the conventional usage of “Flavor of the Month” and making it my own.

I will pre-phase this one by saying that I dont know any other place like it. EWZ historians must be scratching their heads wondering if I’ve ever written about an ice cream place before. But ever since I first set foot here, I’m attracted to this place like Anthony Weiner to selfies. You wont find Instagrammers lining up around the block. And you wont find crazy flavors like Bacon infused mocha beet swirl, with vegemite. But what you will find is simplicity at its absolute finest form, by someone who not only knows the craft well, but matches it perfectly with the neighborhood

I hate sounding overly cliche sometimes but there’s no other way to say this. Lorenzo Franchetti is a walking and talking example of someone who followed his dream. An insurance broker in Milan, turned master gelato maker. Lorenzo inspiration came from a gelato shop in Milan where he learned the craft under the supervision of galato and chocolate wizzard Vittoria Bortolazzo. And with this relationship with Vittoria, the mild mannered Loreznzo opened a second outpost of Gelato Giusto in January, 2015. We all can use a Vittoria at one point in our lives

Gelato Giusto is not just about gelato. Various confectioneries, sandwiches, great coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice are offered as well. Lorenzo’s goal is to mimic a typical Milanese quick stop but also adjust to the neighborhood. If this place was in the middle of Times Square it would have been very different most likely, but smack in the middle of Chelsea, an emphasis on the healthier side of things is necessary. Which is why half of his small offerings are sorbets which are given the same exact attention as the gelato. In fact when you taste his hazelnut (from Piedmont) sorbet, the first thing that comes to mind is “is this a mistake, this tastes like gelato”. With the same kind of richness he narrows the gap. As with the super refreshing concord grape sorbet, and the sick Sicilian pistachio gelato, the ingredients talk loud and clear.

This place is slowly turning me, a glato lover, into a sorbet junky, but the gelato cant be overlooked. What is also hard to overlook is how inviting the place is. Is it chic, modern, comfortable, and very appealing to the eye. A place that makes you feel good as soon as you walk in on a hot day, where everyone knows your name the second time around. A place that every neighborhood needs, but sadly the vast majority dont have. In fat I cant think of any other gelato shop like it.

Categories: Chelsea, New York City | Tags: Best Gelato in NYC, food, Gelato, Gelato Giusto, Gelato Giusto NYC, Ice Cream, Travel | Leave a comment

Top NYC Pastas

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Ziggy

A much needed update…

Eating With Ziggy

Just a quick note that some of these pastas are seasonal and arent on the menu the entire year, but worth mentioning anyway

Trenette Al Pesto Trapanese at Mercato.

From the port of Genoa sailors brought Trenette al Pesto to Trapani, Sicily where the dish was perfected even further with the addition of almonds. Homemade chewy dried Trenette cooked to al dente perfection, with almonds, garlic, tomato and basil. Its fresh, simple, and quite tasty. I havent seen this dish anywhere else, and at $12, I feel like I negotiated something at the shuk with a simple stare

Fusilli with Octopus and Bone Marrow at Marea

One of two NYC classics on the list, and perhaps the most celebrated pasta in ~~NYC~~ America. Articles, blog posts, children books (Goodnight Fusilli with Octopus!) have been written about this clasic. The twisted homemade Fusilli is tossed with the most addictive fresh red sauce you will ever taste, with Sangiovese braised…

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Hell’s Kitchen – Summer Update

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Ziggy

New Ramen, Mexican, Sushi, and Indian Lunch Buffet. Thats right, Indian Lunch Buffet

https://eatingwithziggy.com/2013/06/27/the-hells-kitchen-survival-guide/

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: food, Hells kitchen, NYC, Travel | 2 Comments

Meet the New Mexican Sheriff of Hell’s Kitchen – Tacuba

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Ziggy

Tacuba

November 20, 2016 Update: Three months later, Tacuba of Hell’s Kitchen is clicking on all Chimichangas! A big birthday bash for a close friend last night started with a sound concern, but ended with another fun meal. If you go however, try to avoid Friday and Saturday nights if you can. The word is apparently out (ahem!). There were quite a few large groups there besides the usual turnout, and they can get busy. Tacuba has all the red flags of places I usually avoid. Younger crowd, loud, overzealous vibe sometimes. But the touch of Julian Medina (who I finally met last night) of Toloache fame, gives it this nice balance of food and energy you cant get out of Mexican in Hell’s Kitchen. Nothing new to report food wise. Stick to the Carnitas, Pulpo and the rest of the appetizers. And the drinks here are quite good.

August 7, 2016 Post: To open a Mexican restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen these days requires some major Chalupas. I need to double check with the EWZ stats department but its entirely possible that Mexican is more represented in the Kitchen of Hell than Thai these days. The last couple of years saw Taquerias, Tex-Mex, and all sorts of various sit-downs flood the area. All while old fashioned Mexican bodegas forced to close or transform themselves. So forgive me when I say this, but when I saw yet another Mexican being developed on 9th between 54/53, I said the same thing when they replaced Little Chef with Choza at Gotham West Market. We need another Mexican here like I needed Shingles

Then I find out this is another place from Julian Medina, of Toloache fame. That intrigued me enough to stop wishing for shingles, but not quite enough to make it a priority (sorry Medina). But I needed to try it for myself eventually. Oh and by the way did I mention that spot is cursed? It saw a bunch of places come and go, whose names no one can recall. The only memorable thing about this location saw one of my co-workers get slapped by a former CEO when it was an Italian joint. It was a playful slap, but a slap to the face nonetheless.

But the reason that intrigued me wasnt Medina (sorry again Julian, I owe you a drink), but the fact that with all the Mexican we have in Hell’s Kitchen, I was never truly comfortable recommending any of them to visitors looking for a “Mexican restaurant”. They are all either too authentic, too taqueria, too hole in the wallish, too tex-mex, too chilish, or just simply too suck. I couldnt think of one spot, but I think that’s about to change. There’s this new place opening soon on 10th promising to make Mission style… just kidding Medina (make it a pitcher). I think Tacuba may very well be it.

Talking about Mission, the dish that is simply called Carnitas at Tacuba has that Mission District slow roasted nastiness. It comes with Chicharron (Cracklings), four little tortillas for you to master your taco skills, but thats not all… A beautiful, tangy tamarind habanero salsa that will make you want to dip you car keys into. You may also want to add some sides to go along like the rice and beans, and the unique Avocado Fries. But dont overlook the terrific Sweet Plantains.

The one thing I love about Tacuba is its short, to the point menu. Other than the good looking Ceviche section, they only have about 5 appetizers, which they seem to master. The Guacamole is thick and proper, with chile serrano giving it a little kick. The Zucchini Flower Quesadilla with Burrata, Manchego and kale pesto tastes much better than it sounds. Good luck finding this in your neighborhood Cantina. But the one must eat here for both lunch and dinner is Octopus. For lunch you got a Torta featuring Chorizo, Octopus, and Chipotle Butter. And for dinner (and lunch) Octopus comes on a toasty Tostada with chipotle butter and mezcal. Carnitas Burrito at lunch time is well done as well, other than the accompanying fries that can use some work – I suggested rosemary and garlic chips or something to oomph them up. No Complaints on the desserts and drinks side either. Go!

Tacuba
802 9th Ave (53/54)

Tacuba

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Mexican in Hell's Kitchen, food, Julian Medina, Mexican, Tacuba, Tacuba Hell's Kitchen, Travel | 2 Comments

Flavor of the Month – Gazala’s Place

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Ziggy

I will have more about Sicily soon, but meanwhile…

There aren’t that many places more deserving to kick this thing off than Gazala’s. I’ve been going to Gazala’s in Hell’s Kitchen for many years, and only met Gazala a handful of times. Thats partly because for a while Gazala was cooking at the bigger Gazala near the Natural History Museum until she was forced to close it. As a result she spends more time in Hell’s Kitchen these days, especially during lunch time making dinner preparations. Middle Eastern is the proper way of categorizing Gazala’s, but its more than that

At the moment Gazala is in Israel, visiting her family at the Druze village of Daliat el-Carmel, in the north near Haifa. The village where years ago as a young girl she had to make a decision that would shape the rest of her life. The decision to whether follow the religious path or not, as every Druze boy and girl requires to decide. Sacrifices surround each decision, and luckily for us New Yorkers she chose the non-religious path (as most do). This essentially allowed her to travel, and bring us a taste of that druze culture. This may be the only Druze restaurant in the country

Gazala’s Place is not a particularly sexy place. For that go to Room Service across the street where you can swing by their many chandeliers. But if you want some of the best and freshest Hummus in NYC, a Bourekas (like Bourek, flaky pastry stuffed with cheese and other goodies) popular with food tours, and fantastic falafel the size of a small monkey head, come to Gazala’s Place. Her $10 lunch specials alone like the Kafta kebab with outragously delicious chicken, hummus, salad, rice, and Baba ghanoush is the best deal in Hell’s Kitchen. Like the gift that keeps on giving

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Middle Eastern in NYC, food, Gazala's, Gazala's Place, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

The Joy Suck Club does Blue Ribbon Sushi Columbus

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Ziggy

Someone out there in Denver owes me an American dollar. And I know where she lives! The bet was that taking my immediate extended family (The Joy Suck Club) to something like Blue Ribbon Sushi will be a big flop. Last time I attempted this, we wind up in Rosa Mexicano due to the reluctance of the Denverphile who should pay me another dollar for enduring another meal at Rosa Mexicano. The belief of the Denverite is that Blue Ribbon Sushi is all about that.. Sushi, and blue ribbons and stuff. And that this is simply a disastrous match to the members of some of the pickiest eaters on the planet.

Introducing the Joy Suck Club….

One is so picky that anything remotely slimy will make her puke in her mouth a little. Forget Oysters. I’m talking about mushrooms! She had her first mushroom at the age of 65, and said it was “ok”

One requires everything well well well done. Forget steak! I’m talking about pasta and eggs.

One likes generally everything, but will immediately tell you where you can get this better somewhere else even though he doesnt get out much. “I understand this is prime meat, aged 60 days and perfectly cooked. But there’s this place near where I live who does it better”

One can not handle anything with… whats the word I’m looking for… Flavor. The dish requires zero flavor whatsoever. No sauce, no seasoning. I will take the Spaghetti alle Vongole, without the Vongole please.

And then there’s the one who needs proper lighting to enjoy his meal. And by proper I mean nothing short but stadium power, blinding kind. “This is good, but I cant see anything. I would like to see what I’m eating please”

In other words, everything sucks!

To them we are freaks of nature. “You are eating uncooked meat. Should I call an ambulance now, or you’ll do it later in the middle of the night”. And so with us in the mix I’m constantly looking for that balance. Italian normally works, but gets a little challenging in the theater district (if nowhere near Mercato). At Blue Ribbon I have a secret weapon that the Denverite may not know about. Chicken! And Salmon! Not to mention steak, the sickest fried rice dish in town, and a very full menu. But what I like about Blue Ribbon and large groups more is that I can reserve at any time, and have a family style meal. I’ve done it with co-workers, and now it even passed the Joy Suck Club. The biggest test there is

Blue Ribbon Sushi has been a staple in the Hell’s Kitchen Survival Guide, even though depending on how full the moon is, and who you ask, may or may not be in Hell’s Kitchen. But deliciousness has no borders. And Blue Ribbon needs to be in a neighborhood like HK. Blue Ribbon is a chain, but one should not hold it against them. While you can find their sensational oxtail fried rice with bone marrow and omelette downtown as well, they do some things unique to this location. Like the Ika Shoga, simply sauteed squid with ginger and garlic. Why no one else does this is a mystery to me. Its not only a dish I enjoyed many times, but I do get some pleasure from watching people react when they try it for the first time. Mrs Ziggy, kids, and yes, even some members of the club, raved about this one.

For me, family style meals are not about going to Carmine’s and eating 2 oversized dishes shared by 6 people. There’s just so much you can order and share, and the quality of large dishes is almost always poor. Instead, go to any place and simply order as many dishes as necessary of the same thing. Blue Ribbon is great for this because some of their signature dishes like the fried rice, and the squid are very shareable. I once sent a group there (I wasnt invited, just consulted) and pretty much wrote the entire order for them based on how many people were in the party. You want variety, especially with picky eaters. And Blue Ribbon chefs know how to cook

The rest of the meal was a big success with the Suck Club. My secret weapon fried chicken, and the salmon with a light teriyaki glaze worked like magic. The only concern was that the salmon would not be cooked enough for the club, but hey, they ate, and raved about it. I especially loved the smoky bean sprouts and rabe that accompanied the fish. While I’m not the biggest fan of the fried chicken, its almost always a smart order, and I’m slowly warming up to the honey sauce that comes with it. The fried rice is a smash hit as usual, and I’ve essentially already written essays and articles about it. Nightly specials included a fine Nobu-esque rock shrimp tempura, and finer spare ribs. There was plenty of sushi as well, shockingly gobbled up by some JSC members who may not have been aware that they were eating raw fish. And to complete the experience, I was reunited with my favorite Japanese light beer, Hitachino Nest. This did not suck.

Someone in Denver awes me a buck.

Blue Ribbon
6 Columbus, 308 W 58th St (8/9)

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Blue Ribbon Sushi, Blue Ribbon Sushi Columbus, food, Hell's Kitchen Sushi, restaurants, Travel | 3 Comments

Pssss… I Have a New Favorite Ramen Spot

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Ziggy

Mentoku

I hope I find you readers well, and I hope this stays just between us. As much as I like my places to stay the same, my mama always taught me that “Sharing is Caring”. I shared my only toy, a plastic green soldier with my friends, including the friend who introduced me to cigarettes at the coming of age 5 (I quit when I turned 6, and swore off cigarettes forever. True story). Up until three months ago or so my go-to Ramen spot has been the Totto branch on 51st/10th, right across ~~the Falafel Nazi~~ Azuri Cafe. After over a dozen visits to Totto, with the occasional cheating with the great Ippudo Akamaru and Ivan, I’ve gone exploring yet again for that great Ramen bowl in the Kitchen of Hell. Enter little Mentoku on 9th ave.

Mentoku is not your prototypical Hell’s Kitchen Ramen that is buzzy, with the occasional painful waits, less than comfortable seating, and quick eat. You can actually spend more than 5 minutes here while enjoying soft Jazz. There’s one cook, and there’s usually one or two waitresses running the “front”. And more importantly, I have never seen the place too full to enjoy. Whether by myself at the counter, or with co-workers, every visit has been comfortable and relaxing, a rarity in NYC Ramen world. “Akanoren” is proudly displayed on the sign outside, and according to this blogger, its a Ramen chain in Japan.

The specialty here is Hakata style Tokotsu Ramen, where the pork is slowly cooked at high temperatures. This means the meat and the fat dissolves into the soup more, creating a rich, but smooth base. Meaning its rich, but not one of those super rich, guilt-filled bowls that makes you want to start smoking again as you declare this day the beginning of the end of your life. You coming out of there feeling good, which to me is what Ramen is all about.

I started my relationship with Mentoku with the mild and pleasant Tinkichi, but its the Yuzu-Kosho that does it for me now. The hot Yuzu paste delivers an initial punch but settles down nicely into a very pleasant bowl. The Nori surrounding the bowl adds a nice fishy element as you smell it with each morsel, and the thin cut chashu is the way to go as far the pork belly goes. I feel that some of the other guys slice them a little too thick. Another big hit at Mentoku is their simple but incredibly juicy and flavorful fried chicken.

Mentoku will be added to the Survival Guide, while we say goodbye to short-lived Mocu Mocu. Oh how I hoped the sisters succeed, but was always afraid that Hell’s Kitchen, and in particular that corner of 10th Ave, is simply not ready for this kind of Japanese.

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best Ramen in NYC, food, Mentoku, Mentoku Ramen, Ramen, Travel | Leave a comment

Timna – Chutzpah Nation

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Ziggy

March 26, 2017 Update:

At Tompkins Square Park, just east of Timna, there’s a Temperance fountain, constructed in late 19th century to help locals with their alcohol self restrain. Drink water, avoid booze. Sounds easy enough. A primarily German neighborhood did all it could to maintain the legacy, up until the prohibition. Today the park is surrounded by bars!

No such temperance, self restrain luck with Timna’s new spring menu however. Dish after dish of dazzling combinations between the newcomers and the old heavyweights like the Kubaneh and Octopus, testing my self control and wallet. Like a fat kid in a candy story, I want to eat all you got, now!

Perhaps if fat kids would eat cauliflower like this, the world would be a healthier place. At Israeli establishments we are attracted to Cauliflower like Trump to Twitter. But it was the cured tuna Sashimi that stole the show yet again early on with all its visuals, textures and flavors. There was melt in your fork short rib with even better mushroom, and cheesy gnocchi done Roman style (Semolina).

The mains sealed the rare triple Z rating. Legendary octopus whisperer Nir Mesika dishes out killa Octopus which I already discussed in great length here and below. But on this night a new dish stole the show. Two hefty fillets of marvelously cooked Striped Bass with Israeli couscous (aka Pearl Couscous invented for the digestive challenged David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister). I’ve been to places where one such fillet made the entire dish for the same price. Mesika feeds his diners like his children.

Chutzpah Nation is clicking on all cylinders. A full house of the young and the restless meant we belong alright, albeit texting was required sometimes to communicate. My dish descriptions dont describe very well in this case. There’s an art form to the way Mesika assembles each plate, with the goal to accommodate all senses. We havent run into many chefs with this style. From such a small kitchen come this ingredient heavy plating. Not every bite is the same, and in some cases you even scavenge hunt. Oooh, a raisin, I found a raisin! Lets look for another one. Mrs Z and I make our own fun!

June 22, 2016 Post:

I will make this one nice and simple for you. Pressing for time as of late, with only a week or so before I leave you yet again on another eating assignment (Sicily). This one will be the biggest and baddest assignment ever, with a lot of interesting surprises in store. Though I may be suffering from my first ever FRFS (food research fatigue syndrome). I’m now seeing Busiate in my sleep and sometimes even when awake, like while watching the Euro 2016 (Football/Soccer). As much as I’m enjoying the Euro’s, its best served as a rather harmless sleeping pill. A much needed one since I’m not getting enough sleep as of late due to the mating season in my bedroom. No, not what you think. Birds! male birds, doing the entire Hava Nagila rendition at 4:30 in the morning in order to attract their female counterparts.

East Village in June, as I was showing to my Aussie friends, feels like mating season as well. Its the east coast capital of pretty people. Friends that live there give 2nd Ave nicknames I can not repeat here. And on buzzy St Mark’s, in the middle of all that, you find little Timna, a modern Israeli joint with Nir Mesika (Zizi Limona, Milan, knows his hummus geography) at the helm. When I visited young Mesika in the kitchen, I was announced by the manager Downton Abbey style. The guy has all the talent and knowledge in the world, but has the look of someone in the early stages of a soccer career, rather than a world class chef.

Other than a slight discomfort at the rounded table at the back, with some A/C issues, this was a very enjoyable evening. Started with the infamous freshly baked Kubaneh that comes with some yogurt, a tomatoee salsa and “Jalapeno Salsa” which is essentially green Yemeni S’chug. If you have a Challah fetish, you will wet yourself over the taste and texture of this thing, and its a must get for groups especially (I wouldnt order it solo). But as with most bread courses out there, its a bit overrated, and serves as a sharp reminder that the free bread course days are just about over. Give me The Marshal french loaf with homemade butter any day of the week. The obligatory Cauliflower that you will find in every Israeli corner, did not disappoint. Here Mesika elevates it with curried yogurt, dried grapes among other deliciousness. A veg-ful burrata is more proof that a sprinkle of Za’atar (oil in this case) makes everything better.

Mesika assembled a playful menu with influences from all over the world (Chinatown salad!) especially in regards to the raw stuff. A Ceviche salad featuring mahi on this particular night was the weakest of the ones we tried. A fine tzatziki tartar with minced lamb delighted Mrs Ziggy especially. And the Mediterranean Sashimi featuring cured tuna, green Tabouli salad with quinoa, and crispy beat “leather” did the trick, including in the looks department A somewhat deconstructed lasagna featuring slow cooked tender spareribs, and Jerusalem artichoke chips is another example of Mesika’s playful brilliance.

But the most interesting dish of the night sounded the most boring, Bedouin Octopus. Mesika tenderizes, sous vide style, the heck out of this thing (I’m guessing by the size, it was enjoying the coast of the Portugal a few days prior). A bit softer than I like my octopuses. Then he finished it on an open flame like the Bedouin 200 kilometers south of Mesika’s home in Israel. This is by far the smokiest Octopus I’ve ever had, and one of the better, even while lacking the proper texture. We skipped dessert.

Brunch in Timna is another delicious event. And one of the better brunch values out there. For $25 you get a selection of small salads (salatim) to share, any of the entrees, coffee (very good), and the obligatory Mimosa. We sampled an average Hummus Masabacha which I’m not a big fan to begin with. A nice Sabich Croissant, though I still prefer my Sabichs in a pita. One of the better Shakshukas out there. And a very solid burger with fried egg.

Timna
109 St Marks Pl (1st/A)
Rating: Three Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that.
Recommended Dishes: Kubaneh, Cauliflower, Mediterranean Sashimi, Octopus, Fish, Shakshuka (brunch), Burger (brunch)