New York City

Tourist in My Own Town – Day 4

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Ziggy

Partially thanks to the new view, I slept like a baby. I woke up every 3 hours needed to be fed and changed. I’m attaching a picture of the “Courtyard View” which I requested over the street view we got last week. We checked out after playing a game we invented called “I spy a courtyard” (I won!) and off we went to Everyman Espresso for another fantastic latte.

We are walkers, especially in the morning, and on this morning we decided to walk all the way to Battery Park passing approx 17 neighborhoods on the way give or take. East Village, West Village, South Village, Greenwich Village, Nolita, South East Village, Chinatown, Soho, you get the picture. Free tip for men: The best time to walk through Soho is Sunday morning where its nice and quiet, and all the stores are closed!

We reach the Irish Hunger Memorial, dedicated to the million Irish killed in the great potato famine around 1850. The great hunger led to millions fleeing to NYC, New Orleans, Australia and the relocation greatly shaped many NYC neighborhoods especially Hell’s Kitchen. Its a memorial, not a museum, so there’s not a whole lot to see, but its fairly unique. Large stones were brought in from the different Irish counties to represent them, and other stones were brought in to replicate a typical 1850 Irish cottage.

The transformation from the hustle and bustle of the city to Battery Park is akin to travelling from Milan to a small unassuming Italian Village with fewer cars, tourists, and more families. We walked by the water toward our main destination of the day passing unique playgrounds, nice looking lawns with stunning settings, beach volleyball, and skateboard courts. Kids here have it all. When I was a kid, all I had was a tiny toy soldier, and a pack of cigarettes (I started smoking at 5, quit when 6, true story). The Times They Are a-Changin’.

It may sound strange to new readers, but perfectly fine to the rest, that I built the entire day around a Lobster Roll. Well, not just a Lobster Roll. The Grand Banks is a Schooner (a ship for the German readers) that is parked off Pier 25 and offers one of the best lobster rolls in town until November when they go south. The roll is done Maine style which means cold, and I’m not the biggest fan of Maine style rolls unless they are done right using the meatiest parts of the lobster. This one features plenty of Maine claw meat with tarragon mayonnaise, cucumbers and worth every penny of the $25. Fries would have been nice but the potato chips are spiced so very nicely. “Is Very Nice!” Borat would have said. The boat rocks by the way. I mean literally. At some point after a few beers, the thought of pirates came creeping in. The Somali type!

We then picked up CitiBikes and rode Hudson River Park a bit toward Chelsea and the Highline. By this point Mrs Z is like a pro, utilizing all her fingers and command of the language. I’m very lucky to have her. The Highline on a Sunday afternoon is Meshugenah! Crazy busy. At some point we were stuck behind a family of 4, a rooster, and a pair of parakeets. It was a zoo!

Real tourists, you are standing on the wrong line. Instead of tacos, you need to stand for the greatest Brisket in the tri-state area, Delaney’s Brisket. It was comical to see no line to this while a long line for the tacos. A trip to Briskettown the flagship in Williamsburg may also be necessary if you are a brisket fan. I once drove for takeout with the Hummus Whisperer to bring back to Staten Island. Also right next to Delaney is great gelato from L’Arte del Gelato and not too far, north is a La Newyorkina stand offering artisanal ice pops. Don’t discount those stands, as this is great stuff folks.

We shared the brisket sandwich, with the 2 great sides, and off we went to the subway to catch the L to cross East to 1st Ave. We then picked up the bikes again and rode them all the way to 60th, and I must say once again, if Mrs Z can do this, so can anyone. And besides, 1st and 2nd avenues are great for bikers and very Obamacare friendly since all the hospitals are right there.

We took the Roosevelt tram to Roosevelt Island. I was there a few weeks ago for the first time and this time came back with Mrs Z for her first time. Again, I went the south route to the new FDR memorial park via the only ruins in the city of New York (Smallpox hospital). FDR has a special meaning for us since we met in FDR high school in Brooklyn (awwwwe!). Cant say enough about New York parks these days

I picked dinner close to the tram and for me it was a no brainer especially after the movie the day before, Moti Mahal Delux. Locals and most visitors may not realize that this is actually part of a world wide empire chain, originating in India. While menu wise it didn’t feel as sexy as a Kokum, Chote Nawab, and some other we’ve visited over the years, this was a solid North Indian fare.

Evening time, we realize we have kids, they are coming tomorrow, and fridge is empty. Back to Union Square and Whole Foods. But right before, we found ourselves singing and dancing with Israel supporters at Union Square Park, which over time became a center for political rallies.

After Whole Foods we loaded the car next to Liquiteria, a new location right in front of the Hyatt which I only noticed on Day 3. Got my favorite juice the Grasshopper, and back home to Staten Island.

And thats all she wrote folks. Now if someone volunteers to take my kids to Aruba (or Turks and Caicos) next year again, I would write another NYC Trip Report. But, until then…Ciao baby!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Categories: East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown East, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, TriBeCa | Tags: Delaney's Brisket, food, Irish Hunger Memorial, Moti Mahal Delux, restaurants, Roosevelt Island, The Grand Banks, Travel | 5 Comments

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

Coming up…

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Ziggy

We just finished our great Stay-cation. For those checking in looking for the rest of the reports…

Day 3 – Tuesday

Day 4 – Thursday

Incredible time, and more incredible food on those 2 days…

Categories: New York City | 3 Comments

Tourist in My Own Town – Day 2

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Ziggy

******* YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OLD TO READ THIS *********

WordPress issues last night published this thing prematurely

Day 1 can be found here. Day 2 was interesting to say the least.

There’s something about spending the evening in NYC while knowing you don’t have to drive home soon. Although my favorite part is waking up in the big city. There’s this level of serenity, like the great calm after the storm. Beautiful young drunk boys and girls are coming home after their one night stands, one reminder after another that you went to sleep way too early last night, and you are just old. People talking to themselves without ear pieces, is another early morning phenomenon.

The best advice I can give a real tourist (as oppose to the fakes like me) is to skip the hotel breakfast option. Come out, explore, follow your nose to the nearest bakery, coffee shop, etc. A Frenchman walks into a bar with a toad on his head. The bartender asks “where the hell did you get this”, the toad replies “In France, they got a million of those” So is coffee shops in NYC these days, and bagels everywhere you turn. Squirrel seekers can even find a plethora of flat whites all over town these days. Instead of sharing a hotel dining room with sandal and socks wearing tourists, come out and eat where the locals eat, and meet some of them. Like Everyman Espresso around the corner from the Hyatt Union Square. Voted by the Daily Meal as one of the best coffee in America, where we enjoyed some fine latte and flavored muffins. A light little breakfast, to save room for a great lunch and dinner, is the way to go in NYC

We then checked out of the hotel and started walking toward our next destination, the one that crashed Trip Advisor. A trip without walking through Madison Square Park is a like a trip without sunshine. Its not only the squirrel capital of the world and the place to see unique art installations, but this is also the place where magic happens… Shake Shack. Well, the original one at least. Shake shack employees and a few squirrels joined together for a pre-opening meeting this fine morning. It occurred to me how large this SS operation really is.

Whenever we look for parking in that area with the kids, somehow, for some bizarre Freudian reason we find a spot right by the Museum of Sex. The kids are too shy and embarrassed to ask any questions about this, and we are too embarrassed and lazy to explain. Since wifey and I are now kidless we decided to pop in. Would you believe it if I told you that this was not only fun and unique, but educational? You got an interesting exhibit dedicated to Linda Lovelace. Funland, a playground for adults that features a new spin on Kentucky Derby horse racing, Grope Mountain climbing!, and a bouncy house where you are surrounded by inflatable fake breasts, some of which were more wrinkly than others I noticed! And who witnessed a German tourist breast suddenly pop out while bouncing? This guy! The educational part: Animals and sex. Very interesting facts and tales like about ducks raping other ducks after chasing and killing them. Another floor offers extremely interesting displays that I can not possiby describe here, and the first floor is a store offering among other things, new pasta shapes I havent seen yet. A new meaning to Al Dente (firm… get it?)

We proceeded to walk toward our first culinary highlight of the day, but first we pass Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop and it occurred to me.. I havent been here in 13 years since I worked at Forbes.com around the corner. That brought back memories. “Just browsing” I told the clerk, as I had brunch plans. This is not the place for browsing. You attack this thing with full force.

Add the burger at The Gander to the list of NYC growing must eat burgers. This beauty is priced well at $16, available for lunch/brunch only. 28 day dry-aged beef, cheddar – adding anything else to it except for the bone marrow mayo that comes on the side would be criminal. Juiciness level I haven’t experienced since college! Confit Duck Hash, Poached Duck Egg, Port Béarnaise, Duck Chicharrónes was very good, while could have used some acidity in the form of roasted tomatoes or something, but enjoyable nonetheless. Good drinks, great service, nice looking rooms (got filled up a few minutes after the picture was taken). Will be back for more at this 2 month old for sure

We then took a walk along 6th ave toward midtown to witness one of our great holiday celebrations… The Dominican Day Parade (special thanks to TER and ZTAKS from Trip Advisor for this suffering ;)) It was actually quite fun though a tad too crowded. We overheard one visitor ask a police officer if this was the American Independence Day parade.

A mistake on my part. Plan at this point was to walk all the way west to 12th ave, Hudson River. The 20 minute walk turned to be challenging due to the heat. And on top of that, the Citibikes in that station (12th and 40th) had problems with credit cards and 24 hour passes. I have an annual pass but Mrs Z doesn’t.

We managed to get bikes a block away and Mrs Z managed quite fine for her first bike ride in the city without any incidents. I chose the Hudson River Park as its flat, carless, and quite Obama-care friendly. We then parked the bikes in West Village and took advantage of the green space on that end of Hudson River Park, one of my favorite parks in the city overlooking the Hudson and Jersey City. Manhattan has pretty cool parks these days, something I wasnt able to say 10 years ago. We then walked all over West Village all the way to the hotel crossing the always vibrant Washington Square Park yet again

Although we already checked out of the hotel, we were able to use the facilities to make ourselves pretty, or make Mrs Z pretty for our dinner at Ma Peche with friends from Brooklyn. Cant say enough about this place, their new cart service, the fried chicken, and those addictively sick rice cakes (Korean gnocchi on crack) I constantly dream about. Highly recommend Ma Peche. Try the Seven Spice Sour cocktail if you go

We capped off the night at one of my favorite bars in town, the rooftop at Ink48. Glorious moon, glorious views, and another glorious day in the city I call home!

Day 1

Day 3

Day 4

Categories: East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Everyman Espresso, food, Hudson River Park, Ma Peche, Museum of Sex, restaurants, The Gander, Travel, travel+photography | 7 Comments

Tourist in My Own Town – Day 1

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Ziggy

There’s very little doubt as to what is my 12 year old’s favorite store in the entire world. M&M’s World. Whenever we enter the store, her eyes bulge, and she’s not sure what area to hit first. She’s like a kid in a candy store! In a way, I felt similar symptoms when I found myself kidless for 9 days for the first time in 14 years. There’s only one thing I love more than exploring NYC with my beautiful daughters.. exploring without them. Although I normally feel free to eat wherever I want, this is a brand new level of culinary freedom, with endless wants and possibilities. Instead of skipping town, Mrs Z and I decided to stay put and play tourists. We wanted the real Australian tourist experience which includes staying in a trendy hotel, complaining about hotel A/C noise, and taking pictures of squirrels. Day 1 out of 4…

*****Mostly iPhone pictures on day 1 as I wasn’t planning to do this post. I don’t want you to think that I’m a terrible photographer. I am, but I don’t want YOU to think that.

My weakened eating adventure started the day before where I enjoyed a Don Antonio Diavolo pie and a shared this pizza Fritta, a giant fried calzone stuffed with mozzarella, tomatoes and salami. Don Antonio to me is the closest to eating pizza in Italy due to the style, ingredient quality, and female employees speaking with Italian accents

We started our day 1 around noon in Hell’s Kitchen, where we met Mr Hummus Whisperer and wifey for pre-matinee lunch at Ippudo. My goal for this weekend was to impress mrs Z with good food and get her dunk. Good start so far. The Akamaru Modern on point as usual. Pork Buns so fine that will make you slap your mama. Chicken wings, fried chicken (fried chicken won by a chicken skin hair), and some gelato and sorbet from Il Laboratorio del Gelato where the black sesame winning top marks.

Book of Mormon. The show that upon purchase, made me tell my kids that they need to start being nice to their grandparents as they will need to rely on them for continued education from now on. I believe its the most expensive broadway show in history. And with all those inflated expectations, we still managed to enjoy it tremendously. Like a bizarre, super clever Mel Brooks, Howard Stern collaboration that makes you want to “Baptize” someone in the next few days

I work in Hell’s Kitchen, and ‘Disiac lounge off 54th and 9th is the place my coworkers frequent the most. I’ve seen the bar much more livelier than on this Saturday afternoon, but we did discover something important about us. We don’t like CAIPIRINNA, the Brazilian national drink. Getting mrs Z drunk – Failed! We did enjoy however in this Israeli owned bar, a falafel platter, with hummus, babaganoush, grilled pitas, and fine red Yemeni S’chug. My favorite Hummus in the area is still at Gazala’s however.

My hotel of choice was the Hyatt Union Square, a stylish boutique with ultra modern rooms (the ones where you can see yourself shower), comfy bed and pillows, a magazine rack in the bathroom with magazine! (for those not willing to spend extra for wifi!), valet parking (if it costs $65 is that still considered an amenity), and perhaps my favorite amenity in any hotel.. A Flat Screen TV! If there’s a flat screen TV in every single hotel in the world, is it still considered an amenity? Why not list “Bed” as well? But in all seriousness, this was a fine stay that would have been finer if they hadn’t put us next to the elevator.

We’ve been to Washington Square Park before many times, but never experienced it quite like this time. A giant Star Wars flash mob cock fight. It was quite a scene. We didnt stay late enough but at some point we were told that they got divided into groups to fight each other to the death. Or until their little Jedi swords broke, whichever came sooner. There were also the usual park musicians and art like sand displays, and a fake birds eating fake pizza showing.

We capped off the night at Casa Mono, one of the premier tapas joints in town. All 6 dishes including one dessert were quite good. I especially liked the duck egg with potatoes, Mojama and some ultra perfumy summer black truffles. The calamari like Razor clams were slightly overdone though still quite enjoyable. Nice skirt steak with Romesco, reminiscent of the Gato scrambled egg. Goat confit was expertly prepared with avocado purée. I can’t get enough goat lately. Perhaps my favorite dish however was the Fideo with chorizo and clams. I don’t understand why I so rarely see fideo on menus. The one big issue I had was the frequency of the dishes coming out. Started with two right away, and the next 3 came in at the same time pretty much. In a place like this where sharing is key you would think they would get it by now

A nice walk back to the hotel included a visit to Union Square Park where I saw the the youngest street performer I’ve ever seen (5 maybe?) among a group of many other dancers. Day 2 coming up! Any comments? Question? threats?

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Categories: East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Book of Mormon, Casa Mono, food, Hyatt Union Square, Ippudo westside, restaurants, Travel, Washington Square Park | 34 Comments

RIP Robin

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Ziggy

I know some readers are checking in looking for our NYC stay-cation trip report, and I will try to write something in the coming days. I’m just not in the mood to do any sort of blogging at the moment after learning about the passing of Robin Williams. I thought it was a hoax at first due to the magnitude of the news. I once booked a trip to Vegas just to see him perform, and I cant think of anyone else who would make me do something like that. Simply put, a natural funny man genius. Depression is a real thing. And its ironic that someone who brought so much joy to so many people was battling depression for a long time. He will be greatly missed.

Categories: New York City | 2 Comments

Lumpia Shack – Here Lies Love!

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Ziggy

I’m risking a lot with this one, and I’m already feeling it. Wait, till mrs Ziggy reads this, she’ll never forgive me. It took us 13 days and 17 hours to finally erase from our head the theme song from Here Lies Love, the quirky off off Broadway musical about the life of first lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos. I’m singing it as I’m typing, with the same hand gestures and all as before.

Lumpia (LOOM-pee-ah) is a Filipino snack, like spring rolls. Lumpia Shack is a stand in both Brooklyn Smorgasburgs created by a Manila born husband and wife. Lumpia Shack Snackbar is the 3 month old brick and mortar simple hole in the wall shack in the West Village. The place is almost as tiny as the Smorgasburg stand, but the creativity and offerings more than quadrupled. In fact I would even venture to say that.. wait for it…Here Lies a lot of Love (oh boy)

Lumpia the snack, slipped overnight, from being the bread and butter to just about the least exciting thing on the menu. A testament to the rest of the items. Even the garlic chips, made from tapioca starch and infused with garlic and tamarind powder reminiscent of the sickest BBQ rice puffs you will ever encounter is more thrilling for my palate. They even have a Ramen Burger which the Hummus Whisperer proclaims better than the original. The burger utilizes the same Keizo Shimamoto noodles but instead of beef you got a Soyfull, soulful Adobo Pork Belly. This has the power to transform Pork Belly haters to lovers. The mushroom Lumpia still rocks, but I’ve had these before a few times. The rice bowls offer more excitement with a mix and match protein and sauce combinations. My chicken with the coconuty Bicol Express could have used more oomph and juiciness but satisfying nonetheless. I’m looking forward to coming back this weekend to say you had me at “Halo-Halo”

Categories: New York City, West Village | Tags: Best Cheap food NYC, Filipino Food NYC, food, Lumpia Shack Snackbar, restaurants, Travel, west village | 5 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

Hearth – The Booze Megillah

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Ziggy

February 20, 2017 Update:

This is not your ex’s Hearth. The 13 year old East Village staple got a makeover, Marco Canora seems happier and healthier, and the menu essentially turned upside down. Some of the remains like the terrific Gnocchi, the Spatchcock chicken, and the light but pungent Rigatoni with pork ragu are now the classics, but much of the menu has changed. The emphasis continues to be on highest quality raw material. In fact you can even say some of this stuff, like the bone broth is life changing. Although I’m almost ashamed to say I only had it once, from the Brodo window. While it was great, its hard for this non-resident to go for bone broth in arguably the best food neighborhood on the east coast.

But I’m more convinced now that this may be New York’s best Gnocchi dish. The texture of these melty pillows cant get much better. This time a little more peppery which means more brownie points. And when you get a pasta dish like the Rigatoni that is not smothered in saucy ragu, but tastes just as rich, its a home run. The Rigatoni itself had a nice bite and was cooked to a perfecto al dente. This night we also discovered a wonderful tender rabbit with polenta (below). Although the mushroom app didnt wow as the hen of the woods last time, I would still order mushroom here. And the Cecina sent us back to the old town of Lucca.

But the main reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 is the value. I rarely complain about dish sizes here. I think I complain more about dishes being too large if anything. There’s no doubting the quality of the four pieces of Hanger, but when you share with your family of four steak loving freaks, you are left with a few bites and a tease. This steak is about 50% smaller than similar steaks. Same idea goes for the $22 Roasted Octopus. Its an app priced like a main. And the time when you got some nice slices of Sullivan Street Bakery bread for free are over I suppose. But this is high rent New York City. And chefs that can survive this long in this ultra competitive city know a thing or two. We complained a little to ourselves, but at the end of the day, we left full and satisfied. Hearth is still a Go!

hearth-rabbit hearth-steak

July 21, 2014 Post (Shivers, I wrote this?)

I’m on page 18 of the Wine List at Hearth, and I still haven’t seen any mention of wine. I am about to get brainwashed into ordering a Riesling by the 10 pages of why I should be drinking more Riesling, followed by an essay about the glory and history of Riesling, followed by a solid argument that Riesling is more fun than babies. This is like letting one of those Jehovah witness pairs inside your house (Why do they always come with a kid?). Readers, this thing is freakin 75 freakin pages. It provokes you, it challenges you, and it makes you order Riesling

I called it the mothership because Hearth and its Megillah spawned a whole bunch of Terroir wine bars all over town. I think their goal is to have one for every page. We passed one just between the parking spot and the restaurant. Inside its a little bit dark (for the camera), a little bit loud, and I’m a little bit hungry. “Put yourself in our hands” the top of the menu reads. NEVER! Havent you done enough? I’m sitting here writing this, drinking a freshly purchased cheap Riesling straight from the bottle. Anyway, no tasting menus tonight as we are with the kids this time. Here’s what we ordered

Ricotta Sformato – A nice ode to the dysfunctional Broccoli family. Roasted Broccoli, Pine Nuts, Cauliflower, Spigarello and ricotta. Enjoyed this one

Grilled Quail – Expertly cooked quail with rosemary, but what stole the show was the accompanying salad of Faro, Cucumber, Onions, Quail Egg, and very nice tomato preserve that tied everything together. I would order just the salad

Rigatoni with pork ragu – Outstanding! Not your typical heavy ragu. More like a light summary version. In the picture you can barely see any pork, but there was just enough porky goodness. Ther was peas, ricotta and more rosemary, as if fellow Tuscan Cesare Casella of Salumeria Rosi came to visit. Note: Only two pastas at this Tuscan inspired joint, an attribute I actually find refreshing. The smaller the amount the better

Gnocchi side – This led to an uncomfortable conversation with the waitress as I remember reading years ago about the legendary gnocchi of Hearth as one of the best gnocchi dishes in NYC. I asked the waitress if there was perhaps another more substantial gnocchi dish on the menu before (answer is no) and I had to repeat a few times “don’t get me wrong, this is great”. This was excellent but basic cheesy buttery pillowy gnocchi side dish. I do recommend getting this

Spatchcock Spring Chicken – Good, moist, but after a few bites tasted like ordinary chicken. Not as flavorful or imaginative as all the great chickens we’ve enjoyed over the years in the city (NoMad, Annisa, Louro, Scarpetta), but still a solid shareable option for the picky eaters. If not for our Grouper fest last week in Turks and Caicos I would have ordered the fish here.

Veal and Ricotta Meatballs – Absolutely delicious meatballs. But once you take out the Swiss Chard Cannelloni that comes along you are left with $10/meatball. Perhaps the priciest in NYC?

Hen of the Woods side – Even though I’m the only one in my family that likes mushrooms I had to have this thing. Its such a distinct earthy taste, and so so ugly looking (I cant even show you the picture or the selfie I took with it)

Panna Cotta – Good but could have used a little more berry compote. Venice Panna Cottas spoiled us forever. I also noticed they have an Affogato which made me wonder if Affogato can be without any sort of liquor (just ice cream and espresso) and lo and behold it can. I learned something new today

Overall we enjoyed this one and can comfortably recommend Hearth especially to the pickier eaters out there

Hearth
403 E 12th St
$$$$
Recommended Dishes: Quail, Rigatoni, Gnocchi, Meatballs, Rabbit, Mushrooms, Cecina

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best restaurants in East Village, East Village dining, food, Hearth, Hearth NYC, restaurants, Travel | 5 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

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