TriBeCa

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

Overwhelmed? Join the club. I only live here.

Jungsik Steak

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, NYC food, resaturants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 12 Comments

What to Eat in New York City

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Ziggy

Best Pizza

Oh no you didn’t… Oh, yes I did! A post on.. well.. everything. I’m not writing about pizza or Indian food, or where to get the best Cheesecake, this is a post on everything. A one time stop for the confused visitor that knows only what he reads in his guide book, and Trip Advisor ranking. In other words, just a tad smarter than Klauss. I have news for you Mr visitor. We New Yorkers don’t eat Cheesecakes, Knishes, and Manhattan Clam Chowders. Well, the last one on occasion, but having the word “Manhattan” in it should not automatically qualify it for the guidebooks.

A month ago at our company we had visitors from Minnesota. When we ordered food for lunch, there was a moment that shook me a little. One member of the Minnesota gang pointed to something and said “What’s that”. To which I replied “this my friend, is a Falafel”. Locals eat more falafels than Cheesecakes, Knishes, and Manhattan Clam Chowders combined in NYC, but you would never guess by just reading the guidebook. Let me help set you straight

I will try my best to make it as comprehensive as possible, and update as often as I can. Something to chew on before I leave for yet another trip to Turks (lobsta calling my name). But there’s a chance I may forget a few things, so I would appreciate some help via comments if that indeed happens. Its essentially a guide to help you understand what you should be targeting in NYC. Here we go…

Eat Pizza – Yes, we eat a lot of pizza. Every block where I live has these 3 essentials. Pizza, Bagels, and a pharmacy to help you cope with all that pizza and bagels. There’s great pizza everywhere in NYC and I’m not going to even attempt to name all the best spots, but here are a few

Merilu

Slice – You have the usual suspects like Joe’s on Carmines and Di Fara in Brooklyn, but the truth is that there are plenty of solid slices out there and the 50th best slice is not really that far behind the 2nd best slice taste wise. Consider Sacco in Hell’s Kitchen, Prince Street Pizza, “Best Pizza” in Williamsburg might very well be best with their wood burning oven slice, and for something a bit different and not very New Yorky consider the thin squares at Merilu. BTW, for those Di Fara bound, the pilgrimage may cost you half a day of travel and waiting for quite a while for your slice. Not worth it if yo ask me, but if you must…

Pies – While the guide books will guide you across the bridge and make you stand for 30-90 bone chilling minutes on a long line (and fail to tell you that the real Grimaldi is actually next door dishing them out at Juliana’s), you can get similar or better quality all over the city. Consider Capizzi in midtown, where you will not find any long waits whatsoever. Or how about the thin vodka pies at Rubirosa, an offshoot of the great Joe and Pat’s in Staten Island. For your fancy Neapolitan pies there are a lot of great options and I strongly suggest to try at least one. Consider Motorino, Don Antonio, Keste, Paulie Gees, and Roberta’s at a food festival near you (if you cant Bushwick it). You can even get a decent pie in Eataly. Also consider the Neapolitan archenemy, the mighty Roman pie at Marta. Well, its not very mighty with its matzoh like thickness, but its quite delicious, not to mention everything else Marta offers. You can have a great meal here without even touching the pies

Marta Patate alla Carbonara

Eat Burgers – As with pizza this is a very difficult topic to cover as there are so many choices, and so many kinds. You are not only dealing with a plethora of Burger joints but you also have them on just about every French/Italian/American, you name it menu and everyone trying to outdo each other. For your fast food smallish burger, yes, I suppose Shake Shack will do, and the pain that comes with it (long lines, fighting an old lady for a seat). But head to Gotham West Market, and you can find another solid burger at Genuine Roadside where you’ll find no lines, and no old ladies to fight. Try the terrific Chicken Sandwich too while you at it. For the middle of the road, regular burger try Corner Bistro, Island Burger and Shakes and the rest of my Hell’s Kitchen picks I outline here

Dutch – Burger

For the fancier stuff, Minetta Tavern’s Black Label is still the king, as one of a few burgers out there where the meat is so good, you can get it practically naked. Meaning the burger! Also consider Minetta’s sister Cherche Midi’s much hyped burger these days. Bowery Meat Company uses the same supplier for its excellent patty (though I wish the fries would have been better). Other solid players include the Breslin’s terrific Lamb Burger, Bar Sardine’s popular Fedora burger, The Gender’s burger with beef aioli, and the Spotted Pig with its addictive fries. But if you’d point a gun at my head and make me choose one, I would ask you to please put the gun down, then proceed to kick your ass and call the cops. Once you are out, I would direct you to the NoMad Bar where you’ll find the best combination of quality burger, fries, and ease of getting a table (No reservations tho)

Spotted Pig Burger

Eat Bagels, Lux – No shortage of great bagels all over town. With Absolute Bagel, Pick-a-Bagel in midtown, Ess-a-Bagel, and Murrays you pretty much have all the corners covered. And while Russ & Daughters doesn’t bake their own, their Brooklyn Supplier is as old school and solid as they come. R&D is an icon, and so very touristy for good reason. But once you experience it, consider something like Shelsky’s in Brooklyn, or Nordic Preserves in Essex Market, for much of the quality and none of the pain.

Russ and Daughters lox

Eat Italian – In NYC, one should take advantage of our Italian dining. Even Italians coming from Italy do so, and appreciate the wide array that NYC has to offer. From the amazing seafood of Marea, to simple neighborhood spots like Da Andrea. Consider Mercato and its southern Italian fare (real southern, not Brooklyn southern), or perhaps Bat Pitti in the village. How about All’onda, and Piora for some Asian influence. Or a taste of Emilia Romagna in Osteria Morini or Salumeria Rossi. Marta can certainly enter the discussion, and its sister Maialino is perhaps my favorite of all. If you need to choose one, thats the one. Or consider Scarpetta whose menu includes many popular staples. Babbo is possibly entering icon territory, Del Posto may be already there among the high ends, while the inventive Lincoln remains under everyone’s radar. In NYC we also have the classic New York Italian, aka red sauce American Italian cuisine that one may try. The Guide Books will direct you to the Theater District and Little Italy, but for proper tasting consider something like Rubirosa or Carbone

Lincoln Strozzapreti

Eat American – This is another big topic. The one place that always comes to mind where you can get that old quintessential NY feel is Minetta Tavern. Eleven Madison Park light, The NoMad is another solid choice with its celebrated Chicken for two. In Midtown consider Betony, runner up for James Beard’s Best New Restaurant award last year. Louro is a dependable neighborhood joint with rotating menus, and theme dinners on Mondays. Consider the Dutch and its terrific fried chicken and more, which brings us to Root and Bone where the bird reigns over a solid southern inspired menu. The veggies reign supreme at Narcissa, and the Marshal is not only extremely veg friendly, but covers all the classics well. For something different consider the winter game festival at Henry’s End.

You also have a slew of Asian inspired American like the inspiring Annisa, and the David Chang’s empire, especially Momofuku Ssam Bar, and Ma Peche. Consider a visit to newcomer Tuome, featuring a young chef with an attitude.

NoMad Chicken

Dicksons pastrami

Eat Pastrami – Yes, yes go to Katz’s. That’s not a tourist trap, but the real deal. In Midtown, Carnegie Deli keeps chugging along, while Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop in Flatironhas been raising New York’s cholesterol since 1929. Try perhaps the Montreal Jewish style pastrami at Mile End. Or for something completely different, consider the pastrami sandwich at Dickson’s the great meat purveyor in Chelsea Market where the pastrami is more marbled and comes with a smear of apricot chutney or however they do it that day. Yummo!

Eat Steak – Visitors come to NYC looking to eat steak in something called a “Steakhouse”. It’s one of the most common questions on Trip Advisor… what is the Best Steakhouse. Well, you do have the icons like Keen’s, and Peter Luger that folks will no doubt pick over Wolfgang’s which started by an employee that worked for Luger for 40 years and offers a similar Porterhouse. But the beauty of NYC steaks is that just like burgers, you can get great steak anywhere pretty much including in modern “I cant believe this is not a steakhouse” steakhouse. Consider the Bowery Steak at Bowery Meat Company, which consists of the Ribeye cap (the best part of the ribeye). The Minetta Tavern Cote de Boeuf is perhaps the most celebrated cut in Manhattan. Though for us, that honor would go to the Costata Tomahawk Ribeye which like the Cote de Boeauf, can feed a small Armenian village.

Costata Ribeye

Eat French – Classic french, new and old are still plentiful in the city. You got the usual haute suspects with Per Se, Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges, Bouley, Daniel (who am I missing. I dont want to upset anyone and get hate mail). Then you have the bistro fair like Balthazar, and yes even Minetta Tavern which I’m adding to just about every category here (they even have a take on the Italian Carbonara, called Pasta Za Za). Consider Benoit in Midtown, and Chez Napoleon may be as old school as it gets. For something different however, consider Le Philosophe for a fresh take on old classic

Le Philosophe – tournedos rossini

Eat BBQ – A few years ago, the proper recommendation would be to skip BBQ in NYC. But time, they are a changing. In midtown if you must, head west to Daisy May’s BBQ USA, in case you forget what country you are in. In Brooklyn you have Fette Sau and BrisketTown which also sells its sick brisket on the High Line in the warmer months. But the mightiest of all might very well be Mighty Quinn’s which you can enjoy in both West and East village, among other more remote locations. For the “I cant believe this is not BBQ” experience that almost no one talks about, consider Georgia’s Eastside BBQ in the Lower East Side.

Eat Ethnic – Need to take a break. More to come after these words from our sponsors… Are your menopause changes causing bleeding, irritation, pain during sexual intercourse? Try Premarin, a Virginal Cream you can count on.

Ok, I have a confession. This was not a real commercial! But, I do need to take a break, as my arm is tired and I already used all the adjectives known to me on one page

The ethnic plays will have their own page when the time comes. Stay tuned…

Mighty Quinn’s Brisket

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, TriBeCa, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, NYC food, resaturants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 6 Comments

Houston Street, We Have a Problem!

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Ziggy

A Note from the Editor:

In the summer, during my much anticipated staycation, there was a moment on the High Line that is etched in my mind. We found ourselves almost paralyzed, stuck in rush hour Sunday afternoon traffic behind a family of 4, a rooster, and a pair of parakeets. It was like a zoo! We’ve seen our share of tourists at the High Line before but not to this degree, and with characters no less. We needed to get out of there and we had to do it fast, after a bite of the Delaney Brisket of course. A trip to the storied High Line coupled with braving the crowds of the Chelsea Market is now firmly on the tourists path. Great for NYC, and all those Chelsea eateries that must be thriving just about now, right? Not exactly.

A few weeks ago someone asked me if my knowledge of Hell’s Kitchen extends to Real Estate, for the purpose of finding a new home for La Lunchonette, a long time Chelsea institution. In what seems like a daily occurrence of businesses closing its doors, La Lunchonette is just another one to bite the dust of rising rents. Culprit in this case: The High Line. The park, along with new zoning permits attracting Real Estate developers who now see a lot of green in West Chelsea, and I’m not talking about the plants along the High Line that no one looks at anyway. Current building owners succumb to offers they can’t refuse, essentially forced to evict their tenants in many cases. According to Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, the High Line is the cause of La Lunchonette’s demise, and presumably, many more will follow.

I guess we are done with gentrifying the island and now focusing on hyper gentrification? I’m not pretending to know anything about economics or real estate. I’m just a poor software developer who wants to have a f*** bagel or matzoh whenever I choose to, or whenever Jewish holiday dictates. Excuse my Yiddish there. Oh did I mention Streit’s Matzo Factory is closing soon and so is the original Ess-a-Bagel to make room for Bank of America and you guessed it.. a bagel shop. How can anyone afford to run a business or live in NYC anymore.

The Union Square Area alone is one giant “For Rent” sign, led by Union Square Cafe which is forced to move after its lease is up. Restaurants are getting squeezed left and right from 57th street to Houston Street. In Hell’s Kitchen the action is slowly shifting to the West. A Mexican restaurant owner recently told me he couldn’t afford being on 8th ave anymore and had to move all the way to 10th. Meanwhile downtown, Brigadeiro Bakery finally found affordable space in Soho after selling their Brazilian Truffles from a Basement nearby for years. Do you have a Bodega (Mexican deli) near you nowadays? Bodegas are closing all over or forced to transform and unbodega themselves.

So whats in store for 2015 and beyond. Brace yourself for more Bank of America, 7-Eleven, Chipotle, and Eataly which plans to open two more stores in NYC in the future. While I love Eataly as much as the next guy (I spent 3 hours there last Sunday), I need more Eatalys like I need a pimple on my ass. This expression never made much sense to me, until recently when I finally got one. Those things can be truly annoying. Anyway, I cant help but wonder how many more small mom and pops will close as a result of two more Eatalys. Places like Di Palo’s, where you get a much more personal service, need to cherished like we cherish our kids.

But is it time to panic? Yes! I suppose 2014 also saw many new restaurants open, and I believe I even saw “Record Year” being proclaimed somewhere out there. But with that I also noticed that my spending has increased, so no doubt I’m paying for the rent hikes as well. How many of the new openings are truly affordable, with entrees below $20. For every Lumpia Shack there seemed to be 10 Batards opening last year. In Hell’s Kitchen new business owners used to find refuge on 9th ave, but now they find it on side streets where foot traffic is much lighter, or 10th ave where traffic is even worse. Whenever I walk to Inti, a Peruvian gem on 10th where the Rotisserie chicken rivals anyone’s, I always wonder how they are still in business. My co-worker believes they have a healthy delivery business

I still believe NYC is the greatest food city in the world, don’t get me wrong. And the options I have in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, ~~Staten Island~~, and Queens are limitless. But I’m a little worried about the direction. Perhaps the worry is for nothing and I should stick to writing about food. Time will tell. Meanwhile, avoid the High Line

Ziggy

Editor in Chief

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, Queens, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, Trucks, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: food, High Line, Manhttan Rent Hikes, restaurants, Travel | 3 Comments

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

Dude, You Are Researching NYC Food All Wrong

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Ziggy

Dear Tourist,

So you’ve decided finally to go on a “Holiday” to New York City. Mazal Tov! You probably read by now in your guide books that NYC is the greatest food city in the world. And you are probably waking up every morning thanking god for the gift that keeps on giving, the TripAdvisor Rankings. Between the rankings, the guidebooks, and all the great recommendations by your neighbor’s house sitter Betty (you must go to bubba gump you must) who eloped to NYC last year with 75 of her closest friends, you are all set. Right? Not exactly. Lets take a moment and examine what is wrong with the above plan, and come up with a new one.

Whats wrong with the TA rankings: Everything, and nothing. Its just totally meaningless, especially in NYC. TA is a great traveling tool, but ~~pretty much~~ totally useless in NYC as far as restaurants are concerned. The main reason for its uselessness is that there are much better research tools in NYC. (more on that later). But lets discuss the rankings for a second shall we. They are so flawed and so out of tune with reality that’s not even funny. The top 50 at the moment is a bizarre mishmash of classics and places I never even heard of. First of all the TA algorithm puts some major weight on the number of reviews. So older establishments may be higher than better reviewed younger ones. And then there are those that have 27 remarkably high reviews that made it all the way to the top 20. And not to mention that 25 of them may be coming from all their employees and families. I always recall this one particular place in Milan where the owner single-handedly put his place #1 with a bunch of obvious fake reviews. At some point he mistakenly gave himself one star, and that followed with 4 quick glorious reviews with a similar language. And once real reviews started coming in, he found himself arguing with every reviewer

But fake reviews don’t have much of a bearing on the busy NYC listings. Tourists do. TripAdvisor is predominately used by tourists, and its especially true in NYC. While you may see locals contribute in other towns and countries where there’s not much of a choice other than TA, in NYC locals use other sites like Yelp. Now, couple the tourist factor with the high volume factor I mentioned above and you can see why something like Basso56 will be near the top as its heavily reviewed by tourists thanks to its location near Times Square. Besides Basso, at the top of the Italian chain on TA at the moment you can find other Italian behemoths like Rafele, Piccola Cucina, Via Della Pace – places I never even heard of. But if you need more convincing than “Ziggy never heard of”, why not just go to Chowhound where all the NY foodies hang out and pull threads that discuss the best Italian in town. You will not find any of those places mentioned. What you will see mentioned are places like Maialino (#95), Babbo (#602), Marea (#194), Lincoln (#882), or even Ziggy fave Costata (#2605). TA numbers are all over the place as you can see, well outside of the top range for the unsuspecting tourist. So while you are eating a Carbonara with cream and bacon at a high ranked theater district place near you, locals out there enjoy the real thing with Guanciale and egg at Maialino.

Same applies to using the rankings everywhere else in the world. My favorite restaurant in our adapted home of Turks and Caicos is Caicos Cafe, rated #20 at the moment, pretty low in T&C standards.

Now, its time to ditch the guide book. Ok, wait.. pick it up.. its actually quite useful for many things. But not so much for food. Yes, you will get some good tips on some NY icons like Katz’s and Russ and Daughters that I recommend. But then you have something like pizza (namely Grimaldi’s) and bagels that NYC is so famous for. While you will not easily find better pastrami than Katz’s, you will easily find better pizza than Grimaldi’s. Actually, all you need to do while standing on line at Grimaldi’s with the rest of the tourists is look to you left at Juliana’s window to see where the real Grimaldi is doing his thing nowadays. But you dont even have to leave your neighborhood in Manhattan to get great pizza that is arguably better than Grimaldi’s.

Besides pizza, your guide book will mislead you in other areas. E.g. Hell’s Kitchen is not a safe area, the place for Italian is Little Italy, and Times Square is a foodie paradise. Your guide book may be up to date as far as facts are concerned (MoMA hours) but not concepts. Little Italy is now a block inside Chinatown riding one of those concepts. There are no Italians living there. Another thing to keep in mind is that the food contributors to the guides may not be necessarily “foodies”. Rick Steves for example does not strike me a foodie, and to follow his advice in Italy or anywhere else is Europe in this day and age is pretty silly. Eating at guidebook recommended establishments and high ranked TA spots also means eating with other tourists who are doing exactly the same thing. Some may find comfort with that, but if you are reading this blog chances are you want to eat where the locals eat.

And as for your neighbor Betty recommendations go, treat them like meeting your dentist at the supermarket. Smile, and move on. Unless Betty, is an avid Eating With Ziggy reader and/or does any of the following…

Read Chowhound – as I mentioned, this is where many of the NYC foodies hang out, and where I get many ideas. Chowhound is probably my wallet’s single worst offender.

Read Yelp Reviews instead of TA reviews. I already touched on this, and its fairly simple. Locals use Yelp, tourists use TA.

Read or Subscribe to Grub Street – You can get all sorts of interesting ideas there, especially from the power rankings. Same idea applies to Eater, or Serious Eats.

Hang out in the TripAdvisor NYC Forum. You dont even have to participate. Its amazing how much knowledge you can get just by reading the forum for a month or two. There are plenty of locals who contribute on a daily basis, and you can also find many discussions on dining by using the search feature

And the most important tip…

Read EatingWithZiggy. Whats so funny. Where do you think I derive my ideas from.

Happy eating, and happy planning!

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Staten Island, TriBeCa, West Village | Tags: best food in NYC, food, restaurants, Travel, Where to eat in NYC | 6 Comments

NYC – Top 10 dishes of 2013

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Ziggy

Another year, another amazing eating year in the city of New York. Keeping up with all the new and excitement here is like keeping up with the Kardashians. But 2013 proved to be one heck of a year, probably the best ever. And if there’s ever a post on EWZ that could be helpful to visitors or locals seeking great chow in NYC, this is IT!

Ma Peche – Fried Chicken (with a side of the Brussels Sprouts). I’ll start with the last great dish. Haute Fried Chicken doesnt get any better than this. Habanero, coriander, black pepper and other spices used to create this fried pieces of awesomeness. Its a large shareable whole chicken at $48, but for lunch you can get half for $24 which can still feed an Armanian village, or 2 Americans. And the amazing Brussels Sprouts dish are worthy of their own spot here.

Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop– Smoked Whitefish Donburi. With salmon roe, sweet soy dashi, cucumber, scallion over rice. Need I say more? I probably should. Tell me if you heard this story before. A Jewish man from Long Island opens a Ramen shop in Tokyo which becomes critically acclaimed, then comes back to NYC to open a Ramen shop in the New Gotham West Market in Hell’s Kitchen. Sounds familiar? The Donburi is a nice clash of the 2 cultures (Japan meets Jew)

Momofuku Ssam Bar – Spicy Sausages & Rice Cakes. Second Momofuku mention already (Ma Peche is the first) This dish is insane. Plenty of heat and plenty of joy. Its a beautiful medley of ground sausage, Chinese broccoli, Sichuan peppercorn, and the awesome rice cakes which were essentially Korean Gnocchi made from rice flour. Puts the Mssion Chinese rice cakes to shame. Photo courtesy of Never Too Sweet

Betony – Short Ribs. A revelation! Tender, full of flavor goodness. It takes 3 days to make them we were told. We told the waitress that we cant stay that long, but we quickly understood the meaning.

Maialino – Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. Its so simple, it shouldnt be here. But along with the carbonara perhaps my favorite dish at one of my favorite Italian spots in the city. Perfectly creamy, peppery, and addictive. Having it sit there among the other pastas on the table is like visiting the bunny ranch after trying out all the bunnies, and constantly picking your favorite.

The NoMad – The Chicken. This is a no brainer, and a top dish nominee even before it reached our table. Once you get over the facts that a) is costs $78 (for 2) and b) its freakin chicken, you will enjoy this one no doubt. Perfectly crispy skin, moist juicy white meat, along with some foie gras and black truffles (all cooked) nicely tucked beneath the skin. Each bite of that combination together was a Tour de Force. But that’s not all. Add a glorious plate of the dark meat with garlic espuma (foamy light garlic goodness) in the middle to share.

Ippudo – Akamaru Modern (with egg). “Welcom”, “Goodbye”, “Aim Well”? I have no idea what they are screaming in Japanese at Ippudo every time someone arrives or goes to the bathroom. All I know is that this is my favorite dish here. Rich, complex pork broth, along with hefty pieces of pork belly. Add the egg and spicy miso paste for even richer flavors

Costata – The Costata. Perhaps the dish of the year. A mammoth 44oz $120 very shareable Tomahawk Ribeye cooked to perfection. Basted ever so beautifully with a rosemary brush, this beast was a feast for all senses. Add some Black truffle butter, fries and asparagus, but good luck remembering the sides in between bites of perhaps the best steak in town

Nish Nush – Falafel. I know Falafel. I grew up with falafel. My car runs on falafel (its the trade-in period while waiting for the new car so dont want to use the real thing). This is good falafel. Fresh pita from the oven, and free (great) hummus can only help

Kashkar Cafe – Geiro Lagman. Little Asia in little Odessa (Brighton Beach) and perhaps the only Uyghur spot in town. I’ve had this dish 3 times in the last 8 months. Nice and chewy hand pulled noodles with lamb, veggies, cumin, garlic, other spices and herbs make up this highly palatable dish.

Special mentions:

Malai Marke – Chicken Xacuti (and Bindi Sasuralwali)
Sakagura – Maguro Tartar
Pure Thai – Wok Curry Paste with Pork
Mercato – Trenette
Jungsik – The rice dish that comes for free for b-day boy 😉
Louro – Octopus Bolognese (tie with monkfish)
Mission Chinese – Kung Pao Pastrami

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, TriBeCa, West Village | Tags: Best restaurants in NYC, food, NYC, NYC eats, NYC food, restaurants, Top NYC dishes, Travel | Leave a comment

Back to Khe-Yo for the Khe-Yosk

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Ziggy

Get it? Khe.. Yosk. Its a play on… oh never mind. Its Khe-Yo week on Eating With Ziggy. Sort of like fashion Week but with less fashion and more eating. By the way last week I came out of my office and noticed an unusual looking crowd walking on 54th, most likely coming out of pier 94. And I realized right away that its Fashion Week. Thank god I was wearing my fashionable 10 year old red Calvin Klein shirt that day. It has a few small holes here and there but they are not that evident.

Anyway, a few days ago I told you about Khe-Yo and today I met Hummus Whisperer for lunch in the brand new Khe-Yosk offering delicious Banh Mi sandwiches for lunch only. Banh Mi is the Vietnamese version of the Po’boy. Essentially an airy baguette with some sort of meat and veggies. Here you got 2 kinds. Beer Lao Braised Berkshire Pork Belly with pickled carrots and other veggies was a delicious combination. Although I was wishing for a bit more pork belly (duh!) this one had plenty of flavor. The Jurgielewicz Duck salad in Khe-Yo is quickly becoming their best dish for dinner. For lunch same duck is featured as a Confit with baby arugula, red and yellow peppers and something called bang bang sauce. I didnt know the Vietnamese were big Tarantino fans. The meat was more evident here and all the ingredients worked beautifully together. The baguettes here are top notch and the counter guy didnt want to disclose the source. He probably didnt know. Both sandwiches had pleasant, mild lingering, heat.

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: Khe-Yo, Khe-Yo NYC, Khe-Yosk, New York City, NYC dining, NYC restaurants, restaurants, Tribeca restaurants, TriBeCa | Tags: food | 1 Comment

Khe-Yo – Your Laotian Fix

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Ziggy

Dear Readers, it is official. Tribeca is now a culinary hotspot. A few Years ago I wouldnt touch the area with a 10 foot pole (mainly because of the difficulties involved) but now I found the area refreshing. I can now have a great Falafel in Nish Nush, amazing Korean in Jungsik, and now Khe-Yo. Just like Jungsik, the first modern Korean to hit NYC, Khe-Yo is the first place purely devoted to Lao cuisine. But Lao cooking has been around here for a while now. In my best Troy McClure voice…

“Hi, I’m Troy McClure! You may remember this Laos dish from movies such as Yum Yum, An Officer and a Thai Dish, Yum Yum 3, Eat Drink Man Woman Tranny”

What I’m trying to say is Lao dishes like Larb and the spicy papaya salad can be found in many Thai restaurants all over town. But in Marc Forgione’s Khe-Yo things get a bit more inventive. I visited Khe-Yo about a month a ago, 2 days after it opened and since then Khe-Yo has gained a lot of media attention. Marc now has places in both Duane and Reade streets! Ok, it sounded much more meaningful in my head. Executive chef is Laos born Soulayphet Schwader (AKA better call Saul!)who will occasionally come out to serve the main course himself

They start you off with a bang here. Sticky rice comes with 2 fantastic condiments and a prolonged explanation on how to best enjoy the sticky rice. Eating with your fingers. Dip it in the Heirloom puree or the addictively sick spicy Jeow made with 4 different Thai chili, cilantro, fish sauce and garlic. I was dipping everything in that thing including car keys

I love small menus. This one only has 5 apps, 5 entrees, and a few salads. Crunchy coconut rice with spicy kafﬁr lime Sausage was good and original. I just wished there was a bit more sausage. Jurgielewicz Duck salad was even better. Nicely done, freshly butchered (24 hour) duck along with lightly fried crunchy duck tongue, lemongrass, nice palm sugar vinegar, and jalapeno skins to balance things out. Nice start

Berkshire Spare Ribs were just ok. A bit fatty for my taste and on the salty side. But I liked the accompanied cold long beans salad. Pork Jowl Red Curry was more like it. Like a super delicious mild pork stew with tasty grilled shiitake mushrooms and baby eggplant on the side.

Dessert menu consists of coconut rice pudding with sliced peach and cashew bits which was fine, and a pricey but promising native cocktail ($13). A fine meal overall. I would love to come back and explore the rest of the menu, like the whole black bass and the chicken. Marc Forgione told me since they opened 2 days ago 15 Lao natives told him how thrilled they were with this place. They also recently opened “Khe-Yosk” for lunch. Get it? Khe..yosk. Its a Banh Mi Sandwich takeout place, and I hope to to try it next week

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

Citibike Confessions 2 – Battle of the Bridges

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Ziggy

“We are going shopping”, the most beautiful words for a man to hear since “I do”. “We” – as in just us, without You”. Here’s how I took advantage. A Labor Dy trip report if you will…

Picked up Mr Hummus Whisperer and parked the car by the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. Picked up a Citibike and rode the Bridge over to the other side. Unlike the day before where we walked the bridge after (and before) visiting the Smorgasburg in Dumbo (will try to write a separate post) the bridge in the morning was fairly quiet.

“Cruised” Lafayette and dropped the bikes by Houston. Wanted to try La Colombe Coffee after watching the guy on the travel channel exploring the world for coffee beans but it was closed. I was surprised to learn how many places are closed on Mondays in NYC. Like being in Milan in August. Too hot for coffee anyway. We made our way to Russ and Daughters, picked our bagels and went to a nearby park where an elderly Asian couple were doing an exercise I haven’t seen before: Bouncing a basketball. Buttery Lox, cream cheese, tomato, onions, on a fresh crispy bagel never tasted this good. R&D, one of many Lower East Side institutions is touristy for good reason. We were without the wits of our women which means without napkins but we somehow managed with minimum stain action.

We proceeded to pick up the Citibikes nearby again and rode to Delancey and Williamsburg bridge. We crossed over to Brooklyn and just biked around Kent Ave without a plan whatsoever. None of this was planned BTW. Feeling hungry again we decided to park and just walk to Egg for another round of breakfast. But the line was too big so we just went to Verb Café nearby on Bedford and had ice coffee with our takeout Bialys from R&D. Ok, the R&D mention again reminds me that I need to go back to work.. Ok I’m back.. where was I… Oh ye. Verb Café – Ive been there before. If you ever need a reminder that you are in Williamsburg you head to this café and the mini mall attached to it

We picked up the bikes again and rode the Williamsburg bridge back. An unfortunate incident occurred where a bra-less woman riding a bike was accidentally flashing more than the laws allowed. Unfortunate for her. Anyway, we had a good laugh and continued riding by the East River toward midtown. Nice views of the manhattan skyline open up at some point with the river a few feet away. This is a nice section to bike on. We U-turned on 30th and turned on 20th toward the flatiron area. Just rode around aimlessly until it was time for you know..eat.

We dropped the bikes in the East Village. A trip like this is incomplete without eating something in the East Village. Opted to go to Maharlika but we got distracted by a little piggy and shared a Porchetta sandwich in Porchetta. In here they do it differently than in Italy. They get whole loins with the skin and all, season, roll it, and roast it for 7 hours. The result is one fatty, garlicky, porky goodness. Fantastic sandwich. Highly recommend Porchetta.

Time for a cleanser. Liquiteria is thee place in town according to my juice obsessed friend. I’ve been there before and ordered the same thing again, the Grasshopper – a great blend of apple, pear, pineapple, wheatgrass, mint, old cellphones, or god knows what else they put in there. All freshly squeezed, naturally sweet and very refreshing. A little pricey but you pay for quality

Too full for Maharlika we pick up the bikes yet again and head to Tribeca. Dropped the bikes by Whole Foods and spent some quality R&R time (Relieve and Read) in Barnes and Nobles. This branch has my favorite travel section. We are in Tribeca which means we have to go to Nish Nush. Shared a Masabacha which is essentially hummus with Tahini, some other sauce, chickpeas and boiled egg. Added some Falafel balls as well to this party. Since I introduced HW to this place a month ago he’s been here 6 times. He was so excited he stained himself again right next to the R&D stain. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is the best falafel in the city.

Time to pick up the bikes again and cross the Brooklyn Bridge back to the car. Now its raining which means I finally look cool on those bikes. I tried the one hand move before and nope.. need it to rain. The bridge is much busier now even with the rain and those darn pedestrians are all over the bike lanes. Of course I was also all over the bike lanes when I was a pedestrian the day before

We dropped the bikes for the last time and started to head home. But hey, we are already here, next to a place I wanted to visit for a while now, so whats the rush. The only one who has the balls to open a pizza joint next to Grimaldi’s is.. well.. Grimaldi. The place is called Juliana’s and the Margherita pie was absolute perfection. I’m not gonna go into the details of the story and controversy here but the gist of it was that Grimaldi’s sold the Grimaldi name rights years ago and now he’s back.. right next door. So when you come to Brooklyn to stand on the hour long line to Grimaldi’s just keep in mind that the place next door with no lines has probably better pizza – I think it does. And for the sake of the neighborhood locals who finally got their pizza back this is the last time I will mention this.

And that’s how I spent my Labor Day.

Categories: Brooklyn, East Village, Lower East Side, New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: food, Juliana's Brooklyn, Nish Nush NYC, NYC dining, NYC restaurants, Porchetta NYC, restaurants, Russ and Daughters NYC, Travel | 1 Comment

TriBeCa

The places