Did anyone notice that influencers stopped posting cheese boat pictures, and moved on to Birria? It feels like we are in the midst of a Georgian food inflection point. Much has changed since Tone Cafe introduced south Brooklynites to Georgian bread and Khachapuri a couple of decades ago. You can now find decent Georgian in Manhattan and Queens, but south Brooklyn is where they keep multiplying in an increased pace. Its not just Brighton Beach anymore, but Bensonhurst and now Bay Ridge joining the party.
Chveni Cafe at the north edge of Bensonhurst is probably the closest we’ll get to my old high school (FDR) on this blog. I almost felt the bullying, mainly the ones I initiated, while munching on Khachapuri Chveneburi, a new discovery for me. Its filled with that wonderful Georgian cheese and just enough green onions to satisfy both onion lovers (me), and haters (Mrs Z). Its the one house specialty you wont find anywhere else.
Chveni is primarily if not entirely female owned and operated. A multi talented babushka was running the kitchen during our lunch. And the owners are two best friends who decided to open their first restaurant in a curious but manageable location. Its an area where nothing interesting ever opens, and the only reason to go there until now was for one of those classic Italian pork stores.
Its a full menu in typical Georgian fashion, but you get a sense that the Chvenis can do no wrong. An outstanding rolled eggplant stuffed with a walnut spread. Kupati, huge, juicy, grainy sausages come sizzling, and accompanied with a sauce that compliments them beautifully. Another delicious sizzler is the Shkmeruli, a spatchcocked chicken in milky garlic sauce. Its so crispy and garlicky that you fully forgive the borderline too salty.
Another hit was a cornbread that tasted like a sick Arepa. There’s also a cornbread with cheese. The lone dessert, a huge, fluffy, airy, fresh Napoleon is the best I ever had. But it wasnt until we had the Kharcho soup we took home for next day’s dinner, when we heard the Georgian chant. Or is it Gregorian? It doesnt matter. What matters is that instead of the big chunks of beef we are accustomed to, we got smaller pieces of goodness in a well balanced broth.
Needless to say, this is the start of a beautiful relationship. I dont think I ever had a Georgian meal where everything clicked as such. The room is attractive. The owner (we met one of them) is reserved but friendly, and most importantly knows what Georgian food supposed to look and taste like. Trying the rest of the menu will be a tough task since we’ll be tempted to mimic the last experience. Its that good. Go!
I forget how much I like 5th Ave. The other one, in Park Slope. As soon as you enter it, no matter what area of the city you are coming from, you are transformed into an atmospheric, calm chaos of sorts. And yet very New York, due to the 50 shades of red brownstones (oxymoron?) lining the side streets, and the multi national array of dining options from Caribbean to Israeli, Greek, Indian, and of course French. In the past decade or so, due to the thousands of French immigrants flocking into that part of Brooklyn, new bistros and boulangerie are popping all over the place. French food to me is like Big Bang Theory. I never seek it, but enjoy it whenever I have it. I would love to finally try Le Succulent, among other notables on 5th and surroundings.
But this post is about yet another Korean, Haenyeo. Named after the famous female seafood divers of Jeju Island in South Korea, at the expense of being unpronounceable, and difficult to spell. That’s right. There’s a method behind the title madness. To remember how to spell the name without Googling requires a certain level of concentration akin to the mysterious ability to remember a person’s name after an introduction. What auto shop sells these filters?
This copy and paste gem is run by a husband and mega talented wife team. Sort of like my house. Jenny Kwak is a Korean food pioneer that no one heard about. She opened her first restaurant in 1992, Dok Suni in East Village when she was just 19, before opening a second one with the help of Quentin Tarantino. While the two places eventually closed, they were open long enough not only to garner celebrity fame, but open the door to a plethora of Korean establishments all over town. In fact Oiji and its addictive honey butter chips replaced the very same Dok Suni’s space.
Haenyeo is in the very solid two stars, “very good” category. It has its hits, few misses, and one particular hiccup that not only drives me crazy, but changed the way I order food in restaurants. Bringing the mains before we finish the appetizers is a little pet peeve that grows into a big one at spendy places as such. Its inexcusable really, and I cant even hide my displeasure when it happens. I understand that NYC rent is sky high, but at least let me enjoy something with my wife for a full 90 minutes. Anyway, here’s the food and drink rundown..
The Squid and the Whale cocktail – mizu lemongrass shochu + sesame oil + egg white. Love Sesame oil in cooking, but it was just too prevalent and too weird for me in a drink. I was intrigued due to the rave reviews. Maybe if it came with a side bowl of noodles?
School Girl cocktail – blanc de blanc + elderflower liqueur + lychee. Wife liked it and demands I now make it every Thursday (while pretending to be a school boy, which I dont mind but why does it have to be catholic).
Grilled oysters – seaweed butter, brioche toast. Nice and buttery escargot-like oysters. Not the heavy breaded ones you find in NOLA. Kwak’s husband is from New Orleans hence oysters and Beignets on the menu.
Crispy wings – yang yum. Sweet, sour and spicy. Typical high end Korean wings. Thats a good thing.
Dukboki – fundido saucy & spicy rice cake, chorizo, Oaxaca cheese. Probably our favorite dish of the night. Mexican, some may even say Staten Island inspired (bakes ziti, a SI staple) but unmistakable Korean flavors. Best part is the Oaxaca cheese soaked (eventually) in all that chili.
Sablefish filet – pan sauté simmered in soy garlic sauce. Very good. Like a nice and flaky miso glazed cod.
Kalbi jjim – beef short ribs, carrot, jalapeño. Supremely flavorful, tender short ribs in a thin broth. Served with plain dry white rice for some reason, but still an enjoyable dish.
Sugar dusted beignets – Not bad. Not nearly as fried, or good as the famous Cafe du Monde. More like sugar dusted Gnocco Fritto. Try not to make the mistake I usually make, exhale while biting.
Final cost for two $220, but we ordered an extra dish. Expect something more in the $180-200 range, although I would recommend sharing a main and ordering a bunch of apps instead of what I actually did in this case. Worth checking out.
Z-List staple Tia Pol is still the same ol’ Tia Pol. Maybe not quite entirely Basque, but a multi-region tapas/pintxo playhouse. The very full menu hasnt changed much since 2004, and to fully take advantage of it, its best to come with a group of 4 or so. Its not exactly a new and exciting place, so easy to reserve unlike so many places in the city today. Here’s the latest food rundown.
The Highlights:
Squid ink with rice – Sweet, savory, awesomeness. A must order every meal for us.
Chicken liver mousse – New menu discovery. Top notch mousse with lovely Sherry notes
Lamb meatballs – A special. Lamb meatballs at a tapas joint is an automatic order, and this is why
The Solids
Skirt steak – Expertly cooked, flavor packed special
Patatas Bravas – As good as it gets in NYC. Gernika peppers –…
Ok, you want the good news or bad news first? Lets start with the good. Rezdora pastas still rank with the best of them. The Gramigna Giallo e verde is a thing of multicolor beauty. The kind of “white” ragu that sends you back to Italy, specifically Tuscany for me. A lesson on how to get so much flavor from so little meat. Another triumph is a Mozzarella di Bufala appetizer with pickled beets. Every morsel of the oil, basil, and every other ingredient is profound. Rezdora remains our best Emilia Romagna representative. However…
This is not the same Rezdora since the Michelin star. I get that sometimes we pay a hefty price for quality, but I believe we also pay for the privilege to some degree. A Michelin tax if you will. If you get it, they will come. And by they I mean tourists. …
Opening a pizzeria in the heart of Manhattan these days requires some major Bombolone. From the West Village location of da Michele alone one can walk to a variety of pizzerias that are ranked with the best of them… Brunetti, Ribalta, Song’ E Napule, John’s of Bleecker Street, just to name a few. These few are mostly of the Neapolitan kind, the result of the new wave of Italian immigrants. Unlike their Sicilian and Neapolitan predecessors who worked with limited ingredients back in the day, the new wave has access to not only ingredients, but the proper pizza oven.
But all the ingredients in the world wont put you on the map if you are missing the main one, a capable Pizzaiolo. Thats always been the main difference between eating in NYC and Rome or Naples, for the most part. We are getting there, if not there already. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the brainchild of Francesco Zimone and Michele Rubini who are expending on the legacy of the original staple in Naples (since 1870). After two visits, needless to say, these two got pizza down to a science, mainly thanks to the all important Pizzaiolos they brought with them.
During my conversation with Michele after my first meal, I learned that these guys are no stranger to the ultra competitive NY pizza scene. More importantly perhaps they are well aware of what it takes to run a successful pizzerie in Naples, in accordance with Verace Pizza Napoletana Association which Michele Rubini is certified with. The Naples location is also famous for being featured in Julia Roberts’ Eat, Pray, Love. It has received so many accolades over the years, it has no more room on its door. Shame you wont see a “Ziggy Approved” sticker anytime soon.
Simply put, this is as good as pizza gets in NYC. The pies are larger than the typical Neapolitan found all over the city. I wrongly assumed they increase the size to please Americans, but Michele told me thats the size in Naples as well. The base is soft, light and perfectly charred. And the ingredients gel together beautifully. There’s a double cheese option for some reason, but not worth the risk of losing a perfectly balanced Fior Di Latte, Pecorino, tomato sauce combo.
Its important to keep it simple with the delicate Neapolitans, and always go with the Margherita, but I cant help but get the Diavola every time I see it. Here its superb, and the spicy salami is actually spicy. The Pesto is the only white one I tried, and its not too shabby either. Two pies can easily feed a hungry three, but not quite 4, unless you order other items. Its a fairly full menu for a pizza joint, and it will get fuller with burgers, fish and steak soon. The multi-room space is fairly spacious, with a long bar, and a third room downstairs that isnt quite ready. Its the most ambitious pizzeria that ever opened in NYC. So far so delicious.
2019 seems like centuries ago. Anything before Covid is now foggy, ancient memory. We often use “pre-pandemic” to describe certain trends and personal habits. For example before the pandemic I would only have Negronis in restaurants like Jeju Noodle Bar. Nowadays its just another Wednesday at Ziggy’s new and improved bar. We drink more at home, and spend more eating out. A full meal at a full service restaurant used to cost on average $150 for two not too long ago. These days its more like $180. Pre-Covid Jeju Noodle Bar was one of the best deals in town as I wrote in 2018. For $45 per person you got a 6 courser for the ages way back then. Then, a nasty virus struck. Michelin!
Michelin of course has its many pros. I just cant think of any at the moment ;). Oh ye, I reckon it’s a great achievement for the establishment, the ultimate accolade really. It often attracts more business, albeit a new, more demanding customer base. It definitely inspire those seeking stars, and keeps the starred chefs on guard. But the cons are too many to list here. One of which is that as a customer, you may pay dearly for the said inspiration and honor.
This is not so much a complaint, but a cool transformation story. As much as I would prefer the old Jeju, I’m genuinely happy for these guys. They reaped the rewards of smart and even brave moves early on, and created a formula that works for many. It was one of a kind back then, and even with the changes, one of a kind today. A Michelin starred semi fancy noodle joint. But its hard to ignore some of the changes, like the star dish Toro Ssam that was included in the original $45 tasting menu, is now a $55 caviar-ed triumph in itself. And the two piece fried chicken app that now includes caviar as well, comes with a $29 sticker shock.
These differences are mainly reflected in its smaller dishes. While its a “Noodle Bar” that specializes in Ramyun, Korean style Ramen, its smaller dishes are its strength and the main reason for the Michelin star. In fact it wouldnt be so wrong to only order appetizers at Jeju, and it would be a mistake to order a filling Ramyun for each person. And then you have the seemingly rotating two dry noodle dishes that are not shown on the main site menu. Last time there was an intense lobster pasta (Gajae-Myun) drenched with a fishy (in a good way) Sauce Americaine, and lobster emulsion. Its like a the pasta version of a sick lobster bisque.
The good news is that many of the small dishes are very shareable, even for four people. Take the half rack pork ribs. Plentiful, fall of the bone, and sauced to sweet and spicy perfection. But I wouldnt expect less for $30. I did expect less from the Gochujang Bokum with a comparably shocking tag of $13. But what I got was elevated comfort food in the form of beef ragu over rice topped with potato crisps, featuring flavors as explosive as the volcanos on Jeju island. The Amberjack, one of three raw fish dishes on the menu is probably the only skippable item we ever tasted here. The delicate Amberjack just got lost for me between all the sauces.
Articles, poems, and children books have been written about the Toro Ssam Bap over the years (eg “Ssam I am”, “Goodnight Toro Ssam”). I believe I even included it in one of my annual, not so anymore, Best Dishes of the year. I will probably resume it this year and pay more attention. The layers of rice, scrambled eggs, fatty tuna, and now Golden Osetra Caviar manufacture an umami filled spoonful. Or make it a freakishly good taco with the accompanied seaweed. Despite the price tag, its an absolute must signature, and such a great complement to the menu.
Its the only “Ramen” place where I would recommend to share one, or maybe even skip altogether. They are solid and worth trying, but just not as life changing as the smaller items. The often mentioned Wagyu Ramyun isnt as big of an upgrade as the price suggests ($45 vs mostly low $20’s). The high quality Wagyu brisket inside the delicious broth is good but not quite as outstanding as one would expect from Wagyu meat. The pork bone based Gochu, and the family Ramyun are well balanced, milky, and just rich enough. Sometimes Tonkotsu ramen can get too rich for my taste.
Wine list is fine. Beautiful decor, though less than ideal comfort levels if you get tables with benches instead of chairs. In the winter time, these benches dont work so well as there’s nowhere to put your coat or hang your man purse. Never sacrifice comfort for aesthetics, kids. Oddly no dessert, another change from the good ole days! Jeju is still a solid inclusion on the coveted Z-List, that some may argue more beneficial for consumers than Michelin stars. Go!
Jeju Noodle Bar 679 Greenwich St (West Village) Recommended Dishes: Ribs, Gochujang Bokum, Toro Ssam, Gajae-Myun, Gochu Ramyun
Unlike previous visits to CTX, we were not the only white people this time. Thats most likely because it was Christmas eve, the night when New York Jews indulge in Chinese food. Not terribly different than the monthly routine for many. The tradition started decades ago when places like CTX didnt exist much here. At least not as far as I know. Back then your main options were Cantonese American/Chinese palaces with big round tables spinning egg foo youngs and pepper steak, before the General Tso’s and chicken with broccolis took over. We still eat the latter stuff on occasion, though I secretly reheat them sometimes with chili oils and crisps to get some sort of resemblance to the flavors of a CTX.
Chuan Tian Xia is not only fun to say, but a lot of fun to experience. Its not your typical Chrismukkah Chinese establishment, but a fiery, numbing feast for all senses, especially the Jewish ones. Its located in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, home to arguably the most authentic and largest Chinatown in the US. CTX, along with Hot Space, another Sunset Park fave, stand out in a sea of Chinese establishments, perhaps since most Sunset Park immigrants came from Fujian which is known for milder fair. Even the dishes we experienced so far at Hot Space and CTX werent as fiery as Queens staples like Szechuan Mountain House and Legend of Taste.
Our last visit to CTX was more successful than prior. Maybe because this time I finally used the Szechuan magic word, “Medium”. Spice levels werent quite up to snuff before, but were more like it this time. We can handle more, but sometimes there’s that fine line between handle and joy. Mrs Z didnt even have one of her infamous coughing episodes. Usually at the beginning of a spicy BYOB (Bring your own Bounty) fest (eg Ugly Baby), she starts the meal with a prolonged cough attack where we both sort of expect it and ride it out while the staff looks in horror. After its over, its business as usual as she handles the heat like a champ.
I also love reviews that wildly rave about the spice levels, and at the same breath talk about how they couldnt finish the dish due to said spice levels. If its too spicy to eat, its too spicy to enjoy, even if you normally enjoy spicy food. I recently crossed that line at Rowdy Rooster in East Village where I opted for the next level on my fried chicken. What was wrong with the lower level I enjoyed previously? Absolutely nothing.
As soon as you sit down at CTX, delicious tea and dangerously addictive spicy peanuts arrive. Often its the little details that make a difference. The smart decor of murals of what looks like Lucha Libre masks is akin to something you find in Manhattan, not Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Service is usually friendly, efficient, and English is never an issue. In Sunset Park, particularly in the Dim Sum palaces, its often point and speak.
Cold appetizers, including cold Chengdu mung bean noodles are more popular here than hot appetizers like the Sichuan staple Dan Dan Noodles. Although there was nothing particularly wrong with the Dan Dan last time. The griddled simple veggies here are usually a must get for us. Over time we settled for the cauliflower and string beans. No matter how much I try to replicate them at home, it doesnt come close to these flavors. The string beans, unlike at other Sichuan places dont come topped with pork but quite flavor packed nonetheless. Its not on the menu but it should be.
One of my favorite Sichuan dishes is dry fried fish fillets, and the CTX version (“hot and spicy fish fillet” on the menu) didnt disappoint. The only miss last time was the Chongqing chicken, a classic I usually enjoy. The chicken was a bit overly diced, and so too small to balance the strong flavors, though the pineapple fried rice helped. The Kung Pao chicken was more like it, and a fitting dish for the occasion. Its like a nice bridge between American and Sichuan… sweet, sour, and just spicy enough to remind us where we are. Happy New Year!
Chuan Tian Xia 5502 7th Ave, Brooklyn Recommended Dishes: Pineapple fried rice String Beans, Cauliflower, Hot and spicy fish fillet, Kung Pao chicken
Well, hours really these days. In the winter, Brighton Beach and its Atlantic winds can feel like a Siberian beach resort. Especially on frozen tundra days that sneak up at you without warning. You know, the days when you open the door to leave the house and before you know it, you are sliding down the stairs on your bum, and the streets are flooded with people lying on their back. Dont bother calling 911 if the person is awake since that is the first question they ask. So a fun Brighton Beach day is cut to a couple of hours in the winter where we do some quick shopping and beg restaurants to turn on the heat and invest in vestibules. Yes, new word for me too.
Rain or shine, or Sharknedo, the “Russian” neighborhood of Brighton Beach, along with Sunset Park are probably my favorite Brooklyn neighborhoods to explore. The borough may not be as diverse as Queens, but it has a remarkable number of distinct neighborhoods, led by these two. I will write in more detail about Sunset Park in the future, but today I will focus on Brighton Beach. Though if you happen to be a long time follower (many thanks to both of you), there’s not a whole lot new here. Ok, maybe just enough.
A recent influx of Uzbek and Georgian immigrants helped put the quotes in “Russian”. Although Russian is still the common language, its no longer the dominant cuisine. Even the food store “Taste of Russia” changed its name but that’s another story. Its not your grandpa’s Brighton Beach, and not even your dad’s. My old favorite dollar slice, back when dollar slices was not a thing because that was the price, is now a Starbucks. Getting a Knish is pretty much impossible these days. I used to sell them at Volna on the Boardwalk which quite remarkably still exists, especially considering every other space on the Boardwalk is owned by Tatiana today.
Speaking of Tatiana, a long, lazy lunch on the Boardwalk is something we dont do enough. Or pick up an oversized Shawarma sandwich at Little Georgia around the corner on Brighton 6th, sit on the boardwalk and watch the world go by. Who knows, you may even get invited to join the Babushkas of Garden of Joy (adult daycare). Outside the winter months, we dont miss a chance to walk the boardwalk halfway to Coney Island and back. But as a tourist you may want to walk the length and end your day there (or vice versa). On many summer evenings and Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur, the boardwalk transforms into one heck of a Passeggiata.
Back to the Boulevard, just about every visit these days involves picking up frozen Pelmeni (Russian dumplings) at the Ukrainian long timer Ocean View Cafe. The pictures of Nicolas Cage on the walls are gone now, but long time patrons remember Lord of War. Over the years we switched from Siberian Pelmeni (veal, pork, beef) to chicken as the former started to taste too gamey for Mrs Z. You can obviously have them inside as well, along with a fine Borscht. Or at least as good as Borscht can get.
Ziggy’s Guide to cooking Pelmeni: The classic way: Boil for 8 minutes, add butter, a few splashes of red wine vinegar, black pepper. My way: Boil for 8 minutes, mix with a Chinese style dumpling sauce (I like this one along with Momofuku’s or better yet Fly By Jing Chili Crisp), top it with sauteed veggies like Cauliflower or Zucchini
Then its usually crossing the street for another long timer, Vintage Gourmet Specialty Food, or as we call it, “the chocolate store”. We pick up some Halvah, and chocolates that are either hard to find, or just cheaper than other gourmet markets. Back in the day the store was half the size today, although its not large by any means. My weakness is dark chocolate, preferably with pistachios, and the selection here is unmatched. But you also have a nice selection of Turkish delights (its Turkish owned after all), teas, spices, nuts, and much more.
The street crisscrossing here can be tiring as many drivers still confuse the boulevard for the French Connection chase location (It was actually filmed in Bensonhurst). That means its time for a snack. One of the things that hasnt changed much over the years is that you can still get street food off the street. The mini supermarket right next to Vintage, Gold Label sells meat and veggie filled Pirozhki from its window for as long as I remember. Its just a little tricky to time the freshness sometimes, as very few snacks are as satisfying (and cheap) as a fresh beef Pirazhok. For the similar but different Uzbek Cheburek, I would head to the corner on Brighton 5th, or better yet Kashkar Cafe on the “quiet side” of BB. More on this gem later. Golden Label is also the perfect size store to explore, especially the prepared items, and cakes. Say what you want about Russian food, they know how to make killer cakes.
From the old to the new, and a little detour. The Georgian bakeries and restaurants seem to be multiplying, not only in BB, but all over Brooklyn these days. 10 years ago, no one heard of Khatchapuri and Khinkali. These days you see these Khatchapuri love boats even in Manhattan. But the place that started it all is Tone Cofe on Neptune. Its one of the oldest if not the oldest Georgian restaurants in the city. And the first one to use a “Tone”, a Georgian oven where the dough is smacked inside by hand, and removed with a special stick. You can have a pleasant meal inside their adjacent restaurant, but these days we come to purchase their best in the hood Kharcho (Georgian beef soup), bread of course, and sometimes when we feel naughty, the regular pizza-like Khatchapuri, as opposed to Adjaruli Khatchapuri (cheese boat)
While less noticeable than Georgian and Uzbek, Brighton Beach also has a much bigger Turkish presence these days. If I have to name two things Russians love besides Russian food, its Sushi and Turkish. In some of the small supermarkets like Black Label you will often find a sushi chef doing his thing. And besides the delights of Vintage you also have the new Güllüoglu Baklava on Brighton 1st pl for more imported and homemade sweets. Vintage recently started importing artisanal Baklava from a top bakery in Turkey to intensify the BB Baklava wars. For kebabs or a more complete meal head to Beyti Turkish Kebab, one of the better lunch specials around.
Manhattan will soon get its first Tashkent Supermarket and the young professionals will soon learn about Plov, Samsa, Monti. and the consequences of going to an Uzbek super store hungry. In the original in Brighton Beach, I’ve had too many in and outs due to the crowds. On weekends they sometimes employ Japanese train pushers to move people by the Plov section. Hence I mostly shop at the less chaotic Ave Z location. They dont just have one kind of Plov (Pilaf), but a variety that covers every “Stan” kind. These days we lean toward the chicken plov, but the classic lamb and the rest are excellent.
Eater
Roughly half of my trips to Brighton involve a visit to Kashkar Cafe, one of my favorite restaurants in the entire city. Now that I no longer run food tours I can share all my secrets. One of which was a meal at Kashkar Cafe, the first Uyghur restaurant in NYC, maybe the US. Although its not much of a secret in NYC anymore, or even the world apparently. I ran into Fiona Shaw once on a tour here. Uyghur is essentially Uzbek on crack. In addition to Lagman soups (hand pulled noodles), expect a drier Geiro Lagman, and Juvova dumplings, the Uyghur answer to Pelmeni. Exceptionally fresh Cheburek (like a Pirazhok), Samsa, and really excellent kebabs. Homey, family operated places as such are increasingly hard to find in other parts of the city.
You are now in the “quiet side” of Brighton which has a much different feel since the subway is not hovering above, and businesses on only one side of the boulevard. But similar nut stores, buzzy bakeries like La Brioche, and gourmet supermarkets like Netcost are worth checking out. Or forget everything you read here, and just follow your nose and the crowds. You may bump into the same places, or maybe discover something I havent. At the end we’ll all agree that love it or not, there’s nothing like Brighton Beach in North America.
First post pandemic update, and a complete overhaul really. I reduced the number from 50 to 30, and now sorting by neighborhood. 30 is just easier for me to update and keep tabs on. Still sticking to Brooklyn and Manhattan as these are the two boroughs tourists and I mostly frequent. Only rule as usual is $10-100 per person. Meaning nothing should cost over $100 or under $10 per person. That eliminates cheap eats like pizza, and pretty much covers 99% of sit downs in NYC. An affordable list for the people, by the people (Ok, by one person, but you get the idea).
Additions: Dell’anima, Milu, Anton’s, Nish Nush
Removed: Too many to mention. Some closed, some lost their mojo, including sadly Momofuku Ssam. Yep, for the first time no Momofukus on the list. From three to zero.
I feel like sharing with you something very few know about me. You may want to sit down for this one. In 36 years of living in NYC I’ve never been to the Statue of Liberty. Tried once off the NJ side, saw the line and turned around. I figured since I live here I have all the time in the world to do it and she and I are not going anywhere. For the same reason it took me three years to try the Cronut. I was just passing by one day, saw no line, popped in and just bought one.
The FOMO thing just doesnt really work for me in NYC. Hype is often just that, a product of a marketing collaboration very few can afford. Maybe if I had lived in Bologna, I could see myself getting anxious to try a new Sichuan joint, and maybe miss an intimate Tortellini in Brodo filled evening. But NYC is the city of a million options, no matter the Borough. Yes dear friends, even on the island of Staten, I can now have decent Thai, Ramen, Filipino, best Sri Lankan, and maybe even the best Taquerias in NYC.
Pecking House, yet another product from an Eleven Madison Park alumni (see Milu) has spent three years as a pop-up in three boroughs before finding a permanent home in Park Slope. By that point the chili coated fried chicken already reached legendary status in NYC. A pop-up in this case doesnt mean the traditional kind. You had to add your name on a waiting list that meant waiting weeks sometimes. At some point there were close to 10,000 waiting for a crack at the bird. When your turn came you were assigned a day and time where you could pick up your order.
Pecking House
After one too many “Best Fried Chicken in NYC” calls, I’ll be lying if there wasnt any FOMO at all in this rare case. After a few years of hearing about it, I finally put my name on the list. But when my lovebird was ready I didnt make the effort to cancel all my plans for this. Over time FOMO evaporated and I forgot all about it. Even when the news of a permanent brick and mortar opening in Park Slope, I figured I’ll wait a few months and let the lines subside. But since Winter is Coming I couldnt wait too long.
It was almost disappointing when there was no line at all last Sunday, and I was able to easily snatch a table for two. Like at Milu you order up front, take a number and wait a few minutes that feel like hours for your order. The best way I can describe the chicken is this. They offer it naked (lightly seasoned, not spicy at all), Salted egg, and Chili flavor. The Chili was so satisfying, I may never try the other two, ever. It matches my taste like your old Nike shoes you still wear even though they have holes in them. Crispy without being too crispy, spicy without being too spicy, and just juicy enough.
Pecking House essentially perfected what the former colleagues at Milu do best. But that’s not all. Take the sides of a fast food place like Popeyes and see what Eleven Madison Park cooks can do with them. Most order the Dirty Fried Rice (dirty due to the rich chicken liver bits), and Mashed Potatoes with Duck Heart Gravy, rightfully so. But dont underestimate the Butter Bean Salad with an addictive sesame vinaigrette. The perfect order here for two is two two piece orders (one side each) and an extra side. Even the drinks here are elevated like the Elderflower Soda. If you enjoy putting Elderflower liquor on anything (good with bud light lime) you will enjoy this.
Pecking House 244 Flatbush Ave (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
February 9, 2023 Update:
January 31st, 2023 Update:
Eating With Ziggy 