TriBeCa

Au Cheval – Anatomy of a Burger

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Ziggy

When your spouse goes, “I feel like a Burger”, in NYC you might as well take your Ibuprofen 600 right at that moment. Not in 20 minutes, not in an hour, no sense of waiting any longer. Take it, and call in sick the next day. In most cities in the US its a fairly simple request. But here, before you know it, your mind goes berserk with a circus of possibilities. What kind, what kind of place, where? Do you want shake shack, other fast-food, fast-casual, diner, any of the 798 restaurants we know, steakhouse? All offer 50 shades of burger. You can also sub burger with pizza and get the same results.

With that said, this time wasnt as bad as before, and Au Cheval came to mind fairly quickly. A place that opened to much fanfare three years ago. You see, I’m one of those weird food bloggers that can wait years to eat at a popular place. I’m fairly low on the FOMO scale. I have one or two names in my head that stick around for a while until I forget about them or replace them. At the moment the name is Foul Witch. Cant reserve it for the life of me.

Au Cheval in Chicago, IL. Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki/PLATE

Au Cheval is a Chicago import that’s billed as a diner. I dont know about Chicago, but calling this a diner in NYC is like calling an old school steakhouse, a shoe store. They both sell stuff. To find the place, you may need to play restaurant hide and seek. Even when you find the tiny alley, you still need to look for it. Once you enter, it feels like a hidden speakeasy.

There’s nothing extraordinary about the burger. “Then why are you dedicating an entire post to it, Ziggy?” Another good question Timmy. The answer is, as per above, NYC is blessed with a number of fancy burgers. And this is just a really solid burger. Its more of a sum of its parts situation, as opposed to a particularly noteworthy patty.

Its a regular burger on steroids, especially once you add the suggested fried egg and bacon. The bun is a perfectly soft brioche. Just the kind of softness and sturdiness you want from the supporting role. You get three thick cut, peppery and salty bacon strips that add just enough crispiness and flavor. The egg I usually find is more for aesthetics, but that’s not a negative. You get much of the juiciness from the American Cheese, and the “dijonaise”. All this results in a very satisfying bite for burger lovers, and most likely haters. Hence the long waits early on.

Its not a cheap burger if you opt to include the bacon and egg. Its $22 without, and just north of $30 with. Add the fries which I recommend sharing, and its way past your normal burger with fries price. But thats Manhattan for you these days. As for the rest of the menu, its actually quite interesting. I heard. I havent even glanced at it, but the many reports sound promising. Some, like Eater even claim, the burger is one of the least interesting items. But judging by how many burgers we’ve seen parading the room, good luck trying to order anything else.

Au Cheval
33 Cortlandt Alley (Tribeca)

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: Au Cheval, Au Cheval NYC, Best Burger in NYC, Burgers, food, NYC restaurants, restaurants | Leave a comment

Frenchette Swings and Misses

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Ziggy

Frenchette Lobster Just like my 0-7 Fantasy Baseball team. Thats 0 as in zero, and 7 loses during the first 7 weeks of the season. In a league that I created and won the most championships, this is very unfamiliar territory to me. Injuries, luck has something to do with it, and maybe just maybe thats what happened at super hot Frenchette the other day. A minor Citibike accident on the way to work by one of the cooks, and/or bad choices on my part. Who really knows.

But what I do know is that Frecnhette did not live up to the hype it is receiving at the moment. Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson (Balthazar, Minetta Tavern) first solo project is the hottest and most anticipated opening of the year. I learned a long time ago that expectations need to be in check when you go to such places. But being a fan of Minetta Tavern and everything I’ve read prior promised a slam dunk birthday meal.

Frenchette Rabbit

Hard to judge a place after just one meal. Especially a place that is less than two months old. Professional critics will take their time and make multiple visits, while others like TimeOut seem perfectly content with 3 dishes. I had plenty of thrilling meals (Bombay Bread Bar, Faro), and less than thrilling meals (Legacy Records) as of late, but more data is needed before I write about the others. Although after a recent Adam Pratt review of Legacy I wont be rushing back either

The place looks like a classic Brasserie. The service was friendly but showing its very young age. It took some time to get plates on a few occasions, and getting that welcome bread at the end of the meal led to some comic relief. No harm done of course, but I did wish for that wonderful Arcade Bakery bread to come warm

Frenchette Chicken

The Guinea Hen Terrine shined early on. The Razor Clams not so much. They were fully cooked and served with crunchy fried crumbs of something that totally overpowered the clams. I’ve seen this combination work as a cold crudo wiith less crumbs but this is not Italian. Brouillade, scrambled eggs with escargot was one of the most interesting dishes. It takes 20 minutes of mostly nonstop stirring the butter and egg to the consistency of soupy polenta (grits). Its delicate and delicious alright, but the egg lover in me was wishing for it to resemble what it promises, scrambled eggs.

The lobster was your average lobster according the lobster critic at the table (I concurred). The roast chicken for two was very good but just not different or special enough. The chicken was well cooked and the accompanied Jus helped. But when the best part of the dish is the potato puree with Maitake side you wonder if you paid fair price ($64). However the Stewed Rabbit was probably the biggest dud. Served with morels (best part) and Pappardelle like pasta with light cream sauce. The meat was mostly dry and tasteless and we just couldnt get passed the Alfredoish look and feel. I was intrigued by the $88 Turbot, but we are off to Turbot country soon (Getaria, Spain) so I passed. We did like both of the desserts on the menu.

Frenchette
241 W Broadway, TriBeCa
Rating: One Z (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Terrine, Brouillade, Chicken, Desserts

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: food, Frenchette, Frenchette NYC, Travel | 4 Comments

Khe-Yo – For the Bloggers Who Lunch

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Ziggy

Dinner menu envy – Its a real thing. A first world problem. So often we salivate over the dinner menu when all we can do is lunch sometimes. Unlike in other countries (like Italy), lunch plays second fiddle here. While there are many ethnic plays that offer the same menu all day long, most of the places out there offer lunch menus that aren’t nearly as interesting as dinner. It all boils down to our busy lifestyle. Our daily routine means we need something good and quick during the week. And when finally the weekend comes and we have more time, these guys transform into French Toast factories.

Khe-Yo isn’t really an exception to the rule. Its an elevated Laotian (the only one in NYC as far as I know), and I wouldnt expect them to offer an all day menu. But what they do is offer exactly the type of menu you would want from a place like this. This gang puts a lot of thought into what goes on each dish and just pulls it off. When they first started offering lunch, your options were Banh-Mi A or Banh-Mi B, to go. Nothing wrong with it, but 4 years later this is a different Khe-Yo.

Its the same kind of small concentrated menu they offer for dinner. The lone appetizer, excellent chicken wings got that perfect messy balance of sweet, sour and spicy notes. Its been a while since I had Bahn Mi here but I have full confidence in any of the three options. The Coconut crusted shrimp sounds appealing even though I’m not the biggest fan of coconut shrimp. The Pho here, Nong-Khai Style (city in Thailand on the border with Laos) is as top notch as any Pho I’ve had in a NYC. And last but not least, the Creekstone Farms Skirt Steak is a lesson in skirt perfection. Marinated with sugar and Hoisin, top quality tender awesomeness that just melts in your fork. Possibly my favorite overall restaurant in Tribecca, and a solid Z-Lister

Previously on Khe-Yo

Khe-Yo
157 Duane St (Hudson/W Broadway), Tribeca
Rating: Two Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes (lunch): Skirt Steak, Wings, Pho

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: Best Restaurants in Tribeca, food, Khe-Yo, Khe-Yo NYC, Laotian NYC, Travel | 1 Comment

American Cut Burger Bar – NYC’s Best Kept Lunch Secret?

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Ziggy

Bloggers who lunch. Doesnt quite have the same ring to it, but holds much truth. Bloggers love to eat, and unlike many others respect and value each lunch like their life dependent on it. There’s nothing more disappointing than a lunch fail, or checking the hours of a hot tip only to discover they open at 6 pm. Well, I guess I can think of a few things more disappointing (current Walking Dead season feels like the writers got replaced with real zombies) but you understand what I mean. Talking to some restaurant owners lately, like Bruno Pizza, you get a sense that they would really love to open for lunch but just dont have the talent to do so. Not to mention the slower lunch demand in residential neighborhoods like East Village and Hell’s Kitchen.

Even Yelp is confused on how to handle the current hours of Z-List noob American Cut, as its listing the restaurant, not the bar. But the “Burger Bar” is open in Tribeca and it might be NYC’s biggest lunch secret. You see for a while fellow Anguilla lover Marc Forgione and American Cut offered limited burgers at the bar. They would send a tweet each day at 4:20 to announce how many burgers were available. As a result, people started missing parole interviews and would forget to pick up their kids from daycare, in order to get a crack at the burger. After day care owners complained, and local senior citizens petitioned that they cant get there fast enough, American Cut decided to convert its bar into a Burger Bar with its own dedicated menu a la a less fancy NoMad Bar.

And as you can imagine, burgers dominate much of the menu. There’s a burger of the day, a “competition” shake shack like sounding burger (perhaps thats why its called competition), and a full 8 oz American Cut Burger. Gotta start this new relationship with the namesake, which is a proper steakhouse burger. A perfectly cooked medium rare patty of brisket, short rib and dry aged rib eye, with bourbon onions and beer cheese. Beer cheese! A common thing if you are from Wisconsin, but not so much in NYC. Some will scold at the idea, but if the option is there to add egg, I do it even on premium beef. This burger ranks high up there with the best of them.

And then there’s the MFC, Marc Forgione’s Chicken which I had on another day. Possibly the most outrageous fried chicken sandwich in a city suddenly filled with outrageous fried chickens. Buttermilk/Tobasco marinaded, sprinkled with a special spice blend from the spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, and coated with Chili peppercorn honey which you get more on the side. The chicken lies between two house made everything Biscuits lightly smothered with their own ranch, and pickles. It all somehow works nicely, with the juicy tender crispy chicken leading the way. Only caveat is that the sandwich is a little large and to eat it can be a little laborious. But the way I see it, to fully enjoy a Marc Forgione’s Chicken, you need to work it my friend! Ok ok, sounded funnier in my head

Another little issue with both the chicken and the burger is that the slaw you get on the side is a little too oniony (and i love oniony). And the fries the second time around were overcooked, otherwise they can be solid. Go!

American Cut Burger Bar
363 Greenwich St (Franklin/Harrison), Tribeca
Rating: Two Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: American Cut, American Cut Burger Bar, Best Burgers in Tribeca, Burgers, food, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

The Grand Banks – Shaken, Not Stirred

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Ziggy

A rare post about a meal that frankly wasn’t great. I dont normally write those, and I’m not necessarily starting now. On the contrary in fact, this is a recommendation. On occasion, even foodies have to swallow their pride, and eat overpriced potato chips with a hint of sea sickness, and a view that turns those potato chips into very good potato chips. Just dont be me and forget your big boy camera at home. Even take a photography lesson if needed for this one. To have any sort of view in the city, you either need to be up somewhere, or swim somewhere else. This is the latter.

Someone asked me recently to recommend something for a couple in their 30’s on a first date. 30 minutes and 20 questions later, I recommended The NoMad Bar, Santina, and The Grand Banks, a schooner (boat) docked on the tip of pier 25 in Tribeca between May and October. Albeit, this was before my recent meal there, though my confidence in the place wasnt exactly shattered. The Grand Banks is the kind of place you want to take everyone. Friends, neighbors, co-workers, work neighbors. In My office floor, there are two companies, and you can easily distinguish the two when you visit the man’s bathroom (maybe the female too, who knows). While we go in and out and do our business as quickly and ~~clean~~ quiet as possible while playing Doodle Jump, the other office members like to chat to each other, and wheel and deal while sitting in their stalls. Yes, those guys especially would enjoy the Grand Banks. But I cant picture them enjoying the stalls there nearly as much

There’s a good chance upon sitting down, that your first urge will be to get up and leave (wonder how many do). The boat will shake. Its just a matter of how much shaking you are willing to take. But unless you easily get seasick, you should be golden. It’s sort of a hot spot at peak times, so plan accordingly. They take reservations on OpenTable which I find a little bizarre, yet convenient.

Something tells me the food is better than this. I’ve been to the Grand Banks before for the coveted lobster roll, but this time we came back with another couple for lunch. The menu consists of seafood driven small plates ranging between $15 – $28. The more expensive items like the pictured three piece Tilefish is still considered a small plate by all measures. The fish was cooked well, but did not offer any distinct flavor. The Ceviche this day (it changes based on market availability) featured slices of scallops that lacked any sort of oomph, and were rather limp. The asparagus was perhaps the surprising highlight after the roll.

The lobster roll was still as good as before based on my three bites (I shared it this time with my significant other). And as with pretty much any lobster roll in town, it will not win any value awards. But for this price ($26?), I wish they’d pull a Cull & Pistol and offer it with their terrific fries instead of potato chips. The roll is served Maine style cold, with cucumbers that would probably make roll traditionalists vomit at the sight. But I dont mind it as it helps keep the bread texture intact, and never gets soggy (I’m looking at you Red Hook Pound) without interfering with the meat flavor.

So whether you are a young couple looking for something different to do, an older gentlemen who likes young couples, someone who likes to chat in the bathroom, or sing in the shower, check out this little love boat.

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: food, Seafood in NYC, The Grand Banks, The Grand Banks NYC, Travel | 2 Comments

American Cut – An American Review

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Ziggy

I had a strong hunch about American Cut. Aided by clues I gathered here and there, there was enough to believe that it is one of the strongest, unsung heroes of the NYC steak scene. When our fine Hungarian Damian Lewis waiter asked us if we’ve been here before, I suppose I should have said yes, to save the usual 5 minute spiel about the menu and its content. I already had your signature steak, and even the chili lobster, even though I’ve never actually set foot at American Cut. But now I’m finally here, and I dont know what took me so long.

Remember when I said “now I’m finally here, and I dont know what took me so long”? Well, I lied! I do know. Living in NYC, and its ever evolving food scene can make you forget about good ole’ boring steakhouses rather quickly. Especially those classic, old fashioned ones, where the waiters are over 60 and the clientele is even older. The same fine dry aged cuts can nowadays be found in [name any Italian, American French, Portuguese, your uncle Bob, you name it restaurant]. Not to mention the many modern steakhouses like the fine, Z-List winner Bowery Meat Company in the East Village. But American Cut feels like a steakhouse like no other. Perhaps the perfect kind for those looking for that classic American steakhouse experience.

At the great risk of sounding like a Yelp review… From the moment we entered until the moment we left, with Hungarian Damian Lewis taking good care of the four of us during, its was pretty flawless. Long time EWZ historians will tell you that its a tough feat, as I always, I mean always find a flaw, or four. It was just about the opposite of our recent experience at the meat experts at Quality Italian in Midtown where the flaws just kept coming and coming like erectile dysfunction commercials. Perhaps a testament to eating in the heart of Midtown vs residential Tribeca. American Cut felt unique. Like old and new New York rolled into one. Comfortable, elegant, fun, theatrical, attentive, unfussy, with a great menu that delivers. Flawless!

Biscuits – I’ve had worst bread that I paid for than this complimentary beauties. Everything Seasoned, extra large biscuits with room temperature (key) buttery veggie cream Cheese. Its the Scarpetta affect (owned by same group) where you in danger of losing yourself and your appetite during the bread course. Save some for the salad

Caesar Salad – Excellent. Prepared table side, old fashioned by your waiter, with eggs and croutons. A fine rendition. And if there was ever a time and place to order the Caesar, it’s here

Octopus – Expertly cooked octopus, with marcona almonds, nutty romesco sauce, and celery for some reason. Solid starter nonetheless

Latkes – This was a side that we elected to have a starter. A very respectable version that would make any Jewish mother proud. That’s perhaps the best compliment I can give to latkes. A “bissel” heavy so be careful

The New York City Cut – The somewhat confusingly named signature dish. Its not a NY Strip, but a 20 oz bone-in rib eye, 30 day dry aged, rubbed with Pastrami spices. The spices aren’t as overwhelming as one might expect. Nor the layer of mustard seeds sitting underneath that just gives it a little more tang. Its a nicely marbled, high quality cut that couldn’t be cooked any more perfect. As I mentioned we already had this at half sister Khe-Yo nearby as a special. It was slightly different (without the mustard seeds) but with similar results. We ordered two of those babies.

Sides – This is where I feel American Cut separates itself from the rest. In addition to the Latkes, you got some very impressive sides here that makes ordering a little difficult. That’s one reason you should order the latkes or something else a starter. Unless we just hit the jackpot with the creamy, bacony “Dry Aged” thin sliced Potatoes, and the banging Brussel Sprouts infused with that spicy Khe-Yo Bang Bang sauce.

Dessert – The Crackerjack ice cream with popcorn ice cream is the undeniable crowd favorite here, but what stole the show for us was the AC Carbomb, chocolate bread pudding with boozy Jameson Butterscotch, bananas, and Guinness Ice Cream. As I said, flawless

American Cut Steakhouse Tribeca
363 Greenwich St
$$$$
Recommended Dishes: All of the above

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: American Cut, American Cut TriBeca, Best Steakhouse in NYC, food, restaurants, Steakhouse, Travel | 2 Comments

Khe-Yo – Steak of the Year and More

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Ziggy

Courtesy of Zagat

Feels weird writing about steak after the horrific events in Paris. But life goes on.

Steak to me is like Family Guy. I enjoy it tremendously, but rarely seek it. I grill it at home, I order it when I feel like it, but rarely crave and go out of my way for it. Steakhouses in general are not part of my regular diet, and the vast majority of my steak intakes come from non-traditional steakhouses and elsewhere (Italian, French, American). But then, about once a year, I get to taste something like this, which makes me question my diet and our overall existence. I’m well overdue with this post since this particular piece of meat has been on my radar for a few years now. And for the same reason I dont record new Family Guy episodes, I’ve never actually made it to American Cut to have it. But I thought this was a post about Khe-Yo Ziggy. Liar!

American Cut is Marc Forgione’s steakhouse in Tribeca. Khe-Yo is its exotic, wild half sister. She sleeps naked, whistles at construction workers, and doesn’t come to company meetings on time. Khe-Yo is a collaboration of Forgione, another dude, and Laos born Soulayphet Schwader offering Laos inspired dishes (Essentially Thai on Crack). I’ve been to Khe-Yo before including four days after it opened in 2013, but this time I figured I’ll bring Mrs Ziggy for her first Khe-Yo experiences. However, things didn’t quite go as planned. They were better.

Before the waitress had a chance to tell us about today’s specials, I already knew that we were having the steak special. That’s because my sharp steak radar was able to pick up these words from the table nearby “Pastrami, rubbed, rib eye, hmmmm, yes, so good”. It sounded like what you normally hear at the other end of a sex line (I was told). The Ribe eye, rubbed with pastrami seasoning is after all, the Amarican Cut classic I keep hearing about. And it was as magnificent as I imagined. Expertly cooked, good size steak, that’s easily shareable between two ($56). The meat cant get much more tender for a rib eye, with perfectly rendered fat. The peppery pastrami crust is nicely charred and buttery. Its the perfect steak!

If you want a great steak you should probably go to American Cut. If you wan to experience the bold flavors of Laos, dont mind to get your hands dirty (or dont mind having your spouse feed you in public), and can handle some heat, than I highly recommend Khe-Yo. They start you off with a bang, the complimentary sticky rice with fiery “Bang Bang” sauce (lime, chili, fish sauce) that sets the tone for things to come. You eat that and much of the rest with your fingers. The smell for the next 10 hours is complimentary as well. Try the complex Jurgielewicz Duck Salad, the quail, and the crunchy coconut rice balls with sausages. I wish they would provide more sausages with that rice. And finish off with the apple crumb with pineapple and rum raisin ice cream. The whole meal is like Havah Nagila in your mouth!

Khe-Yo
157 Duane St
$$$
Recommended Dishes: Jurgielewicz Duck Salad, quail, coconut rice, Rib Eye (if you lucky)

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: food, Khe-Yo, Khe-Yo NYC, Laos NYC, restaurants, Travel | 1 Comment

Best Wings in NYC

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Ziggy

Updated 1/24/17

Ok, so we are all adults here. We all know perfectly well that these are NOT the best wings in the city. In the city that never sleeps, and never runs out of wings, there are hundreds of wings out there, not counting the simple bar wings you can find in every corner. But I’m just one Ziggy, with different taste sensitivities than many readers, and I cant taste them all. “Decent wings” or “favorite wings” doesnt sound as convincing, or Google friendly. With that said, there’s only one certainty: The competition is rather fierce. And any new joint offering wings has to be creative, and deliver something more than palatable.

Since the average wings researcher has shorter attention than other researchers (eg Ramen), I’m only listing my favorite five, with more solid options at the end

Ma Peche – Jerk Wings. (Upate 9/19/16: Havent seen them on the menu in a while due to rotating chefs. Shame, shame, shame!). If I have to pick one, this is probably it. The love affair started with the wings being part of the cart service. Whenever I would bring guests here, my attention span would drop to wings researcher levels until I’d finally spot the cart of dreams carrying them. These days the wings are part of the menu and they are better than ever. An explosion of complex jerky, zesty, habanero, brown sugary flavors fill your palate and stay for a few good minutes, or days sometimes if you don’t rush to wash those hands

Distilled – Distilled Wings. A former Momofuku alumni has been quietly dishing out great wings in Tribeca. Distilled may be better known for their mixologist team as of late, but those wings have been on the menu since day one. These are grade A quality hefty wings. They are double fried to crispy perfection, and coated with a thick and messy layer of Gochujang (that fermented Korean sauce you put on your Bibimbap). And they serve it with their own version of not too funky blue cheese dressing to cool things down. Truly excellent wings.

Danji – Spicy ‘k.f.c.’ Korean Fire Chicken Wings. Love at first sweat, around four years ago. I like to bring visitors here on occasion, though I don’t love when they witness me lick my own fingers which may be considered rude. What’s more rude me thinks is wiping off that awesomeness with wet napkins. Heat level has been steady all these years, so make sure to have the fantastic tofu before altering your palate. This is pure delicious heat, as opposed to senseless.

Biang! – Chicken Wings Skewers. This dish prompted me to bump up this post. In fact it was as soon as I finished my wing, and right before trying to convince my daughters that its way too spicy and there’s more food coming. It didnt work, as they gobbled those things in full force. One can easily overlook them because Biang! is known for just about everything else but wings, but dont make the mistake. Like Pok Pok below these are full high quality wings, and oh so nicely seasoned to absolute perfection. And while you at it, also try the Cauliflower skewers. Yes, not a typo. Cauliflower!

biang-wings

The Cannibal (Gotham West Market) – Chili and Garlic Wings. These wings dont carry the same spice punch as the others. They are milder, but far from lacking in flavor. The wings are marinated, slow roasted, and breaded before cooked in the Cannibal’s high powered oven. Kitchen space is limited in Gotham West so they need to be creative. The zesty aioli and the little oniony salad served on top compliment nicely. And the skin and the juicy meat are happily married. And dont forget about the sick Pig’s Head Cuban. This is quickly becoming my favorite Gotham West menu

Jun-Men Ramen – Chicken Wings. A must order for me on each visit since discovery. 4 plain looking wings, but far from plain tasting. They are double fried to give them a nice crisp, but retain plenty of juice and strong peppery notes from the secret Jun-Men sauce. Even without the wings this is one Chelsea favorite.

jun-men-wings

Pok Pok – Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. Unlike the other wings here, wing historians out there are probably already well too familiar with this legendary pick. Articles, cookbooks, essays, children books (Goodnight Pok Pok Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings!) written about these wings. Somewhat inaccessible to most people so you wont find any tourists ~~or Staten Islanders~~ here normally. You can have the wings at the Whisky Soda Lounge next door while you wait for your table. The wings are huge, spicy, garlicky, on the dry side, but flavor packed. Put this one on your bucket list. Before the Great Wall of China, after Story Time with Bill Cosby. Pok Pok Wings

Pondicheri – Masala Wings. These wings are as complex as the name. Is it Masala wings? Is it Madras? Doesnt matter, its all good. The wings are slow baked, liberally coated with Garam Masala, and Mango Powder seasoning and served with two chutneys including chili and tamarind. They are aromatic and delicious, with the proper texture in and out. And while you at it, try any of the Thalis for breakfast or lunch, followed by anything from the unique bakery like the ice cream sandwich

pondicheri-masala-wings

Bar Goto – Miso Wings. Black Sesame, Scallions, House Spicy Miso Sauce. These are some of the best bar wings you will find in NYC. But in this semi-classy tiny Japanese cocktail joint, they will test your high-toned manners. You may find yourself sitting at the bar, talking politics with the bartender, while in desperate need of extra napkins to wipe the Miso glaze around your lips and sponge your sweaty forehead (these are hot!). And while the bartender exclaims his views on Trump, all you can think about is “Is it Miso, or is it Buffalo”. And once you think you got your classiness under control, you cant help but lick your fingers. All of them. Slowly.

goto-wings

Han Dynasty – Dry Pepper Chicken Wings. For a white, spicy lover like myself, these are what the Mission Chinese Food wings should taste like. They are marinated in sherry, cayenne, garlic, white pepper, and ginger. And stir-fried with a hefty dose of chili paste, chili peppers, garlic and scallions. They are more subdued than Mission’s, but not without its share of nice pleasant heat. Some of the pepper action bunched together into something reminiscent of a Yemeni S’chug (hot pepper spread). The skin is as crispy and delicious as it comes, which made me wish for more flesh to balance. Wonderful stuff!

han-dynasty-wings

FOB – Spicy Chicken Langkawas. This one is all about the sauce. When the waiter takes the plate before you are totally done with that sauce, you stare at him like he’s a bully trying to take your food. The wings are grilled, so not so much of a skin crunch. But the flavor is there thanks to the wonderful, addictive thick salsa of chilies, lime, and coconut milk. I’m starting to think that finger-licking-good was invented in the Phillipines, with all that Adobo, and various sauces they make. The wings are one of many inspiring goodies coming out of this homey Filipino kitchen in Brooklyn

fob-chicken-wings

Other Notables: Mighty Quinn’s, Mission Cantina, Bonchon, Mission Chinese Food (not a fan personally but it has a huge following), International Wings Factory

Categories: Brooklyn, Midtown West, New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: Best Wings in NYC, danji, Distilled, Ma Peche, Pok Pok, The Cannibal, Travel, wings | 3 Comments

Battle of The Bridges: Seeking Best Pizza, Fuku, Wings

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Ziggy

Winter is coming! Time to file some Citibike miles under the belt. About twice a year the Hummus Whisperer and I take a day riding between the boroughs (Brooklyn and Manhattan) losing crazy amount of calories, while gaining back three times as much from munching in various places. We try to hit at least 5 random spots, some are planned, some not. This time HW couldn’t make it, but we did meet up at some point. Here’s how the ride went

In my constant pursuit of great chicken wings as of late (another middle age crisis symptom), I targeted two year old Distilled in Tribeca. Distilled originally opened as an interesting looking destination spot from a Momofuku Noodle veteran, and settled down into more of a popular neighborhood gastropub with a talented team of mixologists (partly judging by the exceptional Bloody this morning). But the one constant since the beginning seem to be the glorious wings. They are double fried to crispy perfection, and coated with a thick and messy layer of Gochujang (that fermented Korean sauce you put on your Bibimbap). They serve it with their own version of not too funky blue cheese sauce to cool things down. Really excellent hefty, top quality wings.

Back on the bike, sort of full after just 5 wings (I left one for good luck), where to go next? Cutting across east I decided to bike the selfie stick happy Brooklyn Bridge. With all the crowds and craziness, I still rather bike iconic Brooklyn Bridge than any other bridge. Then down to Sands street, Flushing, and Kent before crossing the Jewish side of Williamsburg and parking by old favorite Zizi Limona. The one big surprise here is the large Puerto Rican community in this part of the woods. The big parade was in Manhattan this day, but I felt the celebration here in Brooklyn. With Citibike, I feel like I’m rediscovering my own city

My next destination is a slice of Pizza. Yes, I biked all the way here from Tribeca for a slice. But lets go back for a sec. About a year ago, when I had one of those cherished free days, I decided to drive around Brooklyn for various iconic slices I haven’t had in a while and more. I had the great L&B Spumoni, the legendary Di Fara (after a 45 minute wait), and then drove to Williamsburg for Best Pizza which proved to be Best of the bunch especially while factoring in some of the pain involved getting some of the others. The funny part is that Roman based food writer Katie Parla did something similar a month later, and also proclaimed Best Pizza as the winner. Now, back for yet another NY style slice (need to save room for the next most highly anticipated stop) from the wood burning oven, with that signature basil leaf in the middle for added aroma. Great slice again with an unusually well balanced cheese/sauce proportions. Owner Frank has an extensive pizza resume, along with a stint at the Culinary Institute of America. The paper plate art alone including the “Jews love Best Pizza” plate is worthy of a schlep.

Back on the bike, and back to the “city” via the much quieter Williamsburg Bridge. The emptiness means more freedom to move around so you can fly like a bold eagle! Until you realize you are on a Citibike, and you are dangerously close to being passed by an 80 year old woman (that actually happens often to me in Italy). Its hard to look cool on those little blue bikes, especially in Central Park. The only chance you have is to ride in the rain (not drizzle, rain), or with just one hand. Until you face another blue frontal balding biker riding with one hand and you realize it doesn’t look as cool as you thought.

Anyway, sometimes the most anticipated items prove less than thrilling at the end (see Best vs Di Fara). Such is the case with Fuku, the hottest sandwich in town at the moment from David Chang’s Momofuku empire (As some of you know, I’m a fan). Perhaps I got Fukued. My 30 minute wait was about half outside, half in after paying for it. “Credit Only for now” is something I haven’t heard anywhere yet I don’t think. After paying, you get a number with a stick, and you can stand with your number just about anywhere looking like a dork, for the order girl to eventually find you. Sort of like one of those bachelorette games…”bachelor #23 if you were a kitchen appliance, what appliance would you be”… Eventually the “spicy fried chicken” arrives. Its a flat almost schnitzel like, thigh meat sandwiched by a tiny potato roll that is meant to serve as a handle. Not the sexiest looking thing. There are also sliced pickles in there somewhere that serve almost no purpose. The first few bites were interesting, featuring decent flavor, then the struggle took over. Stringy, uneven texture throughout, with crust and meat not so happily married. Not very spicy for a sandwich called Spicy Chicken. It wasn’t a total mess, but far from that hot, much anticipated item I was so looking forward to. Try for yourself!

A Battle of the Bridges is incomplete without my favorite thirst quencher which happens to be nearby, the Grasshopper from Liquiteria. Its not cheap at around $9, but so refreshing on a hot day. I proceeded then west, cruising 13th st, passing Da Andrea, All’Onda and eventually Santina on the way to meet Hummus Whisperer and baby Hummus Whisperer at the new Whitney Museum by the Highline. There I rediscovered the joys of quirky American art, and the joys of watching quirky American art while holding hands of a baby surrounded by the striking Manhattan upper class. Its a a scientific theory that’s proven time and time again; Babies, preferably cute ones, are babe magnets! The museum is actually very cool. You can couple it with the Highline, and dinner/lunch at Untitled (thats the name) inside the museum, or Santina a few steps away.

I said goodbye to HW and baby for hire and headed uptown via Hudson River Park, perhaps our most important and one of the most scenic bike paths. Between the rotating art in the 50’s and 60’s, various parks (another good place to bring your neighbor’s babies!), piers, people watching, and stops along the the way like Chelsea Market, Gotham West, I can easily spend a whole day here.

My last stop was at one of the newest Hell’s Kitchen bakeries, Bibble & Sip. Well technically just outside Hell’s Kitchen but got all the making of another unique Hell’s Kitchen bakery. Nice place to sit, relax and BS all you want! The Earl Grey Banana Bread is quickly gaining neighborhood fame. Add the Matcha Cream puffs, various scones, the occasional English Muffins sliders and all sorts of rotating goodies. I visited it three times before, and on this day the Earl Grey Panna Cotta proved to be the perfect finisher to a fun day.

Categories: Brooklyn, East Village, Midtown West, New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: Best Pizza, Bibble & Sip, Distilled NYC, food, fuku, Travel | Leave a comment

What to Eat in NYC – The Ethnic Plays

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Ziggy

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

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

Pure Thai Ratchaburi

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

Moti Mahal Cauliflower

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

Bar Bolonat – Creme Brulee

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

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

Ippudo – Akamaru Modern

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

Gourmet Szechuan 56 – Shredded beef

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

Mission Cantina Tacos

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

Kashkar Cafe – Geiro Lagman

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

Casa Mono Razor Clams

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