Eating With Ziggy

5 Underrated Italian

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Ziggy

In NYC of course. This is not a Puglia blog yet as the last three posts suggest, although much more on Puglia coming soon. I’ve been living in NYC for 36 years now, and I dont remember a more exciting time for Italian dining. Even though The prices are moving in the opposite direction. A full meal at a mid price, full service restaurant now averages $175 for two (source: EWZ Stats), up from $150 not too long ago. But the competitive environment has never seen levels like these before. A glut of new Italian immigrants has turned the Italian scene upside down where Italian/Italian is the new American/Italian especially in Manhattan and north Brooklyn. Cacio e Pepe is the new Chicken Alfredo, and Neapolitan pizza joints are opening at faster pace than NY style it seems. Its a pizza revolution of sorts, although a complete pizza transition wont happen in my lifetime.

The title of this post is oxymoronic in a way since there are literally 100’s of underrated Italian in NYC today. But I’ll focus on five places that are much easier to reserve (unlike Don Angie, Lilia, Ci Siamo, Rezdora, and so many), and may bring you similar levels of joy.

Dell’anima (Hell’s Kitchen) – The easiest pick of the bunch. Best Italian in Hell’s Kitchen historically has been a mystery, just like the glut of Thai restaurants in HK. Mercato held that claim for some time IMO, but ever since Dell’anima moved to Gotham West Market (conquered really as there’s not much left there these days. Even Ivan Ramen is no more) it established itself as the one to beat. While tourists continue to flock to places like Becco for the quantity, locals line up chef Andrew’s counter for the quality. I dont recall ever having a less than stellar dish here. You cant go wrong with menu staples like Tajarin Alla Carbonara, and Pollo al Diavolo, but I wouldnt hesitate ordering new additions and specials. The location, and being inside a food hall of course has something to do with the underrated tag.

Ulivo (NoMad) – Talking about Mercato, long time readers should not be surprised to see it’s little sister here. With that said, somehow Ulivo managed to outgrow it’s sister, and establish itself as a solid choice in an extremely competitive area. That’s partly due to the talents of Sardinian born Emanuel Concas who figured out the right formula after years at Mercato and six years now at Ulivo. What you get is top notch ingredients, solid pizza, and a plethora of fresh pasta dishes, their bread and butter. You’ll find some hard to find Sardinian and Sicilian autocorrect specialties like Malloreddus with sausage ragu, and the simple but outstanding Busiate with almonds, fresh tomato, basil and garlic. No Secondis here. Instead, order another drink from the award winning bartender.

Faro (Bushwick) – This is another no brainer. A Michelin star recipient (yay Michelin!) only to lose it a few years later (oh who cares about Michelin!). Faro is being too modest when it bills itself as a simple neighborhood Italian. Neighborhood Italian dont do Cappelletti stuffed with sweet corn purée, topped with a slow cooked short rib ragu. I could have just ended the previous sentence after Cappelletti. This is one example of a rotating, masterfully executed seasonal pastas. I believe only the Bucatini with confit chicken has been on the menu longer than a year. And they ought to bring the sick Gnocchi Alla Romana back. Its more of a destination Italian. The problem with Faro is the most likely reason its on this list. Its kind of Faro, as in deep in the heart of Bushwick. But Bushwick, thanks to the growing list of mega clubs like Avant Gardner is slowly becoming a nightlife mecca.

Popina (Columbia Street Waterfront District) – It was fun seeing Popina grow over the years, and somehow remain true to itself. On my first visit. I expected the short menu to change and expand at some point to accommodate the masses, but thankfully it never did. Chris Mcdade’s stints with places like Maialino and Marta, his southern roots, and unconditional love for anchovies help create a fun, concentrated menu. Items rotate frequently but if they ever remove the signature spicy Chicken Milanese, expect local strikes. On a recent visit one particular Monkfish dish really showcased the tiny kitchen’s range. The team is opening Gus’s Chop House in nearby Carroll Gardens, sort of a gastropub.

Song’E Napule (Greenwich Village) – You can skim through 120 best pizza in NYC lists and you wont find anyone singing the praises of Song’E Napule. You will need to look at an Italian publication like Gambero Rosso which we probably should be doing anyway when it comes to pizza. The name has nothing to do with singing. It just means “from Napoli” in Neapolitan dialect. But if you are a fan of the Neapolitan style you’ll be belting out romantic tunes to your neighbor, Napoli great Diego Maradona on the wall. Legit oven, proper ingredients, and a capable pizzaiolo results in light and airy awesomeness. As genuine as it gets in NYC.

Categories: Brooklyn, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Dell'anima, Faro, food, NYC restaurants, Popina, restaurants, SongE Napule, Travel, Ulivo | 3 Comments

This is Otranto (and Coast)

Posted on September 10, 2022 by Ziggy

Variety, the most important attribute in picking destinations for this author (Still me, Ziggy). Something I gathered from experience, and TikTok. I would like to see and experience not only “different”, but all kinds of different. Different foods, nature, monuments, and anything unique that’s hard to classify (mechanical elephants anyone?). This explains why I like spending time in supermarkets in foreign cities, sometimes until closing or they call the cops, whatever comes sooner. On vacation I consume sodas, junk food and other things I dont usually eat at home. Old and new habits, like no longer eating something sweet in the morning, are out the window when I’m in Italy or elsewhere. All for the purpose of trying something different.

I had forgotten how easily I digress and start writing about food even when I dont plan to. The sad reality is I think about food even in inappropriate moments, like funerals, and sex (sorry honey, family), so this is not much of a stretch. But the point I’m trying to make here is that Italy has the type of variety we cant find anywhere else (Spain, Portugal come close). And Otranto, sitting on the heel of the boot, along with that entire Salento Adriatic coast stretch is an excellent example of that. While not exactly known for it’s cuisine (here we go again), its incredibly rich in man-made and natural beauty. You want to see pretty things, and take selfies near pretty things, you are in the right place.

This is why our day in/near Otranto was one the most memorable days of the trip. It had a little bit of everything. Jaw dropping scenery, beaches, great architecture, good food, and sunshine. What else do you need? Maybe rainbows and puppies (for the remaining TCI readers). Its a popular destination in the summer, but also an easy day trip from Lecce. Here’s a nice and easy day itinerary:

Cava di Bauxite – A beautiful quarry lake. Not a must as you can find similar quarries all over the world, but its quite picturesque and so close to Otranto, so might as well.

Otrano – Italy’s easternmost town is another white stunner. Its a popular beach destination for Europeans, but it wasnt overly busy when we were there. Otranto features an imposing castle, port, beach, a striking church, and a charming and clean old town. The problem with planning a day with multiple sites is that you dont get to fully enjoy the ones you want to stay longer. Otranto is exactly the type that makes you want to stay longer and explore.

SoFish in Otranto – One of the joys for me is finding exceptional food in places not known for it. Easier to do in Italy. For some reason Otranto, as with much of Solento (the greater bottom “heel”) is not really known for great food. Yet, we somehow managed to have some of the best meals of the trip on this leg. SoFish as the name implies is a hip, “Fast Casual” joint specializing in quick seafood. It appears that this is a relatively new fast spreading concept, started by the great success of Pescaria in Polignano a Mare.

The menu features a nice selection of seafood sandwiches, salads and particularly craft beer (Reminder: Italian craft beer is most underrated in the world). While everything we tried was good, the lobster roll is worth a dedicated blog post. Its one of the most outrageous Lobster Rolls I ever had. Pricy (for Puglia) but once you get it you see why. More like a well crafted lobster salad with huge chunks of meaty lobster and the rest of the lobster resting on top.

Baia dei Turchi – We opted to skip this beautiful secluded beach in favor of another one. But worth mentioning

Torre Sant’Andrea – Perhaps the jewel of the Adriatic coast in Puglia. Stunning white rock formations off beautiful, crystal clear water where you can swim. You want to spend some time here, and view the rocks from different angles.

Torre dell’Orso – While the best beaches in Puglia are on the opposite side of the heel, closer to Gallipoli, like Punta Prosciutto (make it stop!), you can find some gems here, with Torre dell’Orso perhaps the most famous one. We drove all over the coast from Bari to Otranto, and this was by far the most Caribbean-like sand and water we’ve seen. We ended up at Baia D’oriente to be precise with fairly easy street parking nearby.

Cave of Poetry – An enchanting natural pool where you can bring out your inner diver. After one dive however, I decided to retire my inner diver once and for all.

Categories: Italy, Puglia | Tags: Italy, Otranto, Puglia, SoFish, SoFish Otranto, Torre dell'Orso, Torre Sant'Andrea, Travel, travel+photography | Leave a comment

Cibus – Slow Food City

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Ziggy

I’m one of those who doesnt subscribe to the idea of asking locals for food recommendations. This is popular advice that works for many people, and in some places like small villages. But if you ask my neighbor in NYC for food recommendations, she would send you to the nearest Olive Garden branch. Personally I prefer to get acquainted with the local a little to make sure their tastes align with mine to some degree. Our host in Lecce gave us fantastic sounding seafood recommendation, until I learned the next day she doesn’t really eat seafood, her favorite exotic foreign food is hamburger, and she likes her steak well well done (chills). While this distrust can be a blessing and a curse, a serial food researcher like myself usually arrives at the destinations with not only an arsenal of possibilities but the knowledge of what to order in each one. Good or bad, that’s how I roll.

With that said, it didnt take long to learn that Pierluigi, our host at the splendid Masseria Spetterrata is the sort of food and wine enthusiast I can trust. When he talked to us about cities we should visit, I started finishing his sentences. “… and if you into food you should go to Ceglie Messapica and…”, me: “Cibus!”, “Oh… you know Cibus? You are the first guest that knows Cibus”. A surprising comment considering the legendary status of the place. But the way his eyes started to bulge, I figured the dude got more fine picks up his sleeves, or he has some sort of a thyroid issue. Later on I gladly accepted his more local recommendations, with Ristorante Mezzofanti in Cisternino being the most successful of the bunch.

Cibus was just shy of flawless, but had all the triumphant qualities you’d expect from a Slow Food legend. Cibus was in fact the first Puglia establishment to receive the Snail designation in the 90’s. But the first thing you should know about Cibus is that its located in Ceglie Messapica, the proud food capital of Puglia. A sleepy gem almost as striking as the much more touristy white towns of Ostuni, Locorotondo, and Cisternino. In fact when we strolled around the old city, we were practically alone in some corners. It is believed that its impossible to eat badly here. Yet, many establishments that struggled mightily during the pandemic, had to shut their doors.

As with most restaurants we visited in Puglia, the menu usually starts with one item, perhaps the most important one, Entrata di piccoli antipasti del territorio, a selection of small local appetizers. This is not your typical selection in a restaurant in Italy. Compared to the rest of the country, in Puglia, its often an eye popping tour de force selection of local cold cuts like Martina Franca Capocollo, cheeses, cooked or raw seasonal veggies, fried goodies, various salads often featuring more local cheeses, and pretty much anything and everything you can fit on a tapas size plate. Before you know it, you are showered with small plates covering the entire table and you start questioning “what have I done”.

You essentially have an environment where every place tries to outdo its neighbors in quality and quantity (number of plates). The “Antipasti for two” you’ll see in most menus is really for two to four depending on the place. This created an ordering challenge for much of the trip as we would often get full even by the Primi course. In Puglia, sharing is caring and key, and skipping the antipasti course could lead to hot flashes and sleepless nights.

In Cibus, the said antipasti course is a feast to all senses. A shockingly earthy baked eggplant that tasted almost like a mushroom. A stringy Stracciatella with black truffles. Zucchini flowers with ricotta and toasted almonds. Giuncata, a soft, ricotta like cheese made from various milks topped with jam. Wheat salad, and more. Just when you think they stopped and its safe to take a photo, here comes more.

The oohs and ahhs did not stop there. Orecchiette with Stracciatella, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto and Cegliesi almonds was a pleasant reminder that you are in Puglia, in the summer. Lasagnariccia, a perfectly deconstructed Lasagna offshoot with eggplant is the best eggplant parmigiana you will ever eat. And just when you thought you’ve seen every pasta shape, comes Sagnapenta, a chewy, slightly thicker than Bucatini, with aged ricotta cheese and fried breadcrumbs. This was enjoyable but the strong cheese a bit overpowering for some of our palates.

Since we somehow managed to miss Bombette (stuffed meat rolls) in the Bombette capital of Cisternino even though we were there on two evenings, I had to order the mixed meat platter with veal Bombette and sausages. While the Bombette were solid, I kept reaching for the splendid sausages. The ultra tender donkey stew you can cut with a hard stare was another winner. Its cooked for 10 hours, but tastes like 20. Scrumptious desserts sealed the deal, leaving you in a food euphoria for the rest of the day. Just what the doctor ordered for our anniversary. That and some antibiotics after a mouth surgery.

This is why we travel.

Categories: Italy, Puglia | Tags: Ceglie Messapica, Cibus, food, Puglia, Pugliafood, restaurants, Travel | 2 Comments

10 Tips for Matera

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Ziggy

Guess who is back? Its me Waldo! After MUCH deliberation, I decided to start blogging again, for now. I have no idea when I’ll get bored again. After hearing one too many times from people that miss my posts (such as wife, kids, etc who probably want me busy doing something else for a change), I decided to give this thing another go. Much has happened to me during the last few years, but instead of boring you with all of that, I’m going to bore you to death with some Matera tips and the amateur photos you so badly missed and didnt even know it. Note: Not writing for a few years has probably left me with the writing skills of a 10 year old. The site tagline, “Dining Well, Spelling Pourly” therefore remains.

Matera, simply put, is one of the most fascinating places we’ve ever seen. A movie set city, a la Dubrovnik. As you walk the streets and its cave dwelling areas (Sassi), it almost feels like you need to watch out for James Bond speeding by a side alley. They really need to start ticketing the dude before he kills someone. One thing you dont have to watch out for is poop. The city is incredibly atmospheric, and surprisingly remarkably clean for one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Not surprising, Matera has been UNESCO’d since 1993. But being designated as the European capital of culture in 2019 really put it on the map, even though its been on the map for 9000 years. While its located in the region of Basilicata, for the purpose of this blog, I’m putting Matera in Puglia since thats where most visitors pair Matera with.

I therefore present Ziggy’s 10 bathroom friendly, obvious and not so obvious, but mostly obvious tips for Matera.

Stay a little longer. So many just do day trips from Puglia, or an overnighter, but I highly recommend staying for at least two nights. Three nights is ideal. Not only you’ll experience the city in all its glory in the morning and night multiple times, but you’ll also have time to hike the fantastic Murgia Materana park. A longer stay will enable a visit to the Crypt of the Original Sin (need to reserve), and/or a full day visit to the spectacular Castelmezzano.

Take a tour. Some places require tours more than others. The complex long history, and geopolitical situation, makes Matera a strong candidate as a city best served by a tour. Might as well make it with a fun local like Alessio Leardi (alessio26@gmail.com).

Reserve your secured parking spot. Probably not necessary for most, as your host will be able to assist you with the parking situation. But in our case this was an unexpected necessity, as PARCHEGGIO NICOLETTI MICHELE was booked solid after we reserved our two spots. You cant park in much of the Sassi areas, and Matera is getting more and more popular, especially after the latest Bond. Just watch the first 20 minutes, and skip the rest of the dullest Bond ever.

Stay at Dimora Santa Barbara. Nicely situated Apartments/Hotel near the Duomo area. Spectacular views from the shared terrace. Some rooms are nicer than others (I think we liked ours the best, at the end of the terrace, I believe its room 1). There are many other interesting places to choose from. Many bloggers will suggest sleeping in a cave hotel. We found most of them much more expensive, and while it may be a fun and fitting experience, it just wasnt for us.

Hike the Murgia. Goes hand with hand with the first bullet, but it seems most people overlook this. The hikes can be as strenuous as you want them to be, but at the very least simply cross the valley and the rope bridge, and hike up on the other side to see some very cool caves and Matera from a different perspective. This is where you’ll get a chance to take that classic shot.

Try the Pane. If you love bread, you are at the right place. Just don’t mention Altamura to anyone as the locals are very sensitive and protective of their bread too turns out. There are quite a few Matera specialties but if I have to pick a must try food here it’s the often oversized, misshaped bread you’ll see proudly displayed in front of restaurants and bakeries. The appropriately named Crapiata and other local specialties were good but to me not as special or unique as the bread. Very hard exterior will almost feel like they sold you yesterdays loaf, but once you start ripping you’ll understand.

Eat at Soul Kitchen. Maybe the 5th time in my life I hugged the chef. One of those meals, that will be featured here at some point in detail. Just get the Podolica Ribeye, and call me in the morning.

Dont ignore rain warnings. If the forecast suggests possible rain, but you want to make a quick harmless Focaccia run, dont leave without an umbrella. When it rains, it pours here, and before you know it, a flash flood will make you look for an arch wide enough to keep you dry. I’m one of those that dont like to walk with umbrellas, and got punished for it here.

Visit the Cathedral. It was easy for us as we stayed right near it, but it could be a schlep depending on where you come from. But its totally worth seeing the 13th century Duomo partly due to its position overlooking the spectacular Sasso Barisano.

Prepare to get physical, physical. When I asked my family during dinner if they have any tips for Matera (tbh, I didnt really have 10 tips on the top of my head ;)) they said two things. Watch the rope on the Murgia bridge (as you climb to it, your instincts will make you extend your head, and your forehead will get hit by an unexpected hard rope. Even some of us who expected this, got hit. Ok, it was me). The other thing they said was to prepare for a workout that wont be very kind to your knees and feet. The numerous layers of the cave dwellings may mean a record breaking number of blister breaks.

Categories: Italy, Puglia | Tags: Italy, Matera, Travel, travel+photography | 12 Comments

Wayan – By Cedric the Entertainer

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Ziggy

Reblogging one of my faves from last year after my visit today. Yes Wayan is open for business (outdoor dining for now). Adding the cauliflower to the growing must list.

Eating With Ziggy

One can live a lifetime eating the world in NYC, and still will not know a thing about Indonesian food. The vast majority of those that do, got their knowledge from a trip to Amsterdam where as we speak, thousands are celebrating their fresh Eurovision win with a Rijsttafel (Indonesian rice table consist of many side dishes). Australia, so close! Yet so far away (literally. A little Eurovision humor).

Indonesian food and Rijsttafels are generally not a thing here. The lone Indonesian in Hell’s Kitchen Bali Nusa Indah was open for may years, and closed before yours truly had a chance to try it. The constant barrage of negative Yelpers didnt exactly push me at the time. I remember coming back from Amsterdam myself one year, hunting for Indonesian joints after my lower lip was fully deflated (that was some seriously spicy stuff), and wasnt able to find anything to…

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Categories: New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita | 2 Comments

Hello World!

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Ziggy

Capizzi

Howdy everybody! Figured its time for a post to those anxiously waiting. Both of you. First things first tho. We are fine. Thank you to those asking via email and social media. I’ve been pretty much holed up in my house in Staten Island with my family for over 6 weeks. But with the spouse being a health worker its been quite the hectic ride. To reduce risk we severely limited our interaction with the outside world even before the stay at home order was issued. I dont get scared easily, but this has become a strange probabilities game we couldnt afford losing.

As for food, your answer whether I’ve been eating well lies in the previous paragraph. Not only its been tough to get ingredients, but Staten Island is a food desert compared to the rest of the city. In fact I’m considering changing the site tagline to “Spelling Well, Eating Pourly”. Yes, pourly is misspelled on purpose here, as is “Tho” in the previous paragraph. I just dont care much for the rest of the letters. When everyone knows what you mean, whats the point of spelling the rest. Like que vs queue.

Last Saturday we finally ordered food after about 6 weeks. While I never cared for the newer Joe and Pats in East Village, the original in Staten Island is still possibly the best thing you can eat on the island. Normally getting pizza delivered or picked up in NYC is as routine as doing your laundry. But bringing this pie home this time was like bringing your first born home from the hospital (sorry second born). I cried a little, ran two red lights, and reduced our deer population in the process. SI has a deer a problem and its massive vasectomy effort didnt do much as the deer simply started cheating with New Jersey deer. Since we dont have sports anymore, at the very least let New Yorkers go out there and hunt for deer. Win win!

I do have an idea though (oops) that I thought about this morning. You know who can use a slice of pizza right about now? The elderly. While the young(er) are in a position to move around freely, or get pizza delivered to us, many elderly simply cant or dont do this for many reasons. In the case of my in-laws for example, the better pizzerias dont deliver to them, nor would they even know where to get the good stuff. I dont know if its going to work or not as I dont have the kind of reach as some of the other influencers but how about this #PiesForSeniors plan:

This Monday, bring your favorite pizza to your favorite elder. Even if your elder is perfectly capable of ordering pizza him/herself, this should bring a smile #PiesForSeniors

Pass it around.

Categories: New York City | Tags: food, PieToElderlyMonday, Quarantine, Travel | 4 Comments

Quarantining With Ziggy

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Ziggy

Reason Dear readers, both of you, or whoever is left. Not many according to my stat team. I hope this blog post finds you well wherever you are in this crazy world. Much has changed since my last post two weeks ago. Its fitting that it was about Green-Wood Cemetery in more ways than you may think. In NYC at the moment Green-Wood is the safest place to be outside of your residence. Imagine Central Park without the crowds (I was there last Friday). Its a world that even days ago none of us could imagine. Something as simple as a quick milk run to the deli requires careful planning.

I also want to take this opportunity to inform you that Food Tour guides, and restaurant bloggers turns out considered non-essential personnel in NYC. While some professions like barbers and sex workers are in sort of a gray area right now, my occupation is in what the city calls “Oh, God No” group. I even got a certificate that I must carry with me at all times while outside and it just has a giant red cross on it. It basically means that I can get heavily fined, and anyone with a proper certificate (without a red cross) is allowed to use physical violence on me and confiscate all my toilet paper and baby wipes. There’s a list of what they can take in the back.

In other words, no food tours for a while. I’ve been home on and off pretty much for two weeks now. No symptoms for any of us, but this has been quite an adjustment for my family (as for pretty much any family). The whole experience feels like a super long flight. You are just sitting there, waiting for the next meh meal, while looking aimlessly at the screen in front of you. And the people next to you are starting to get annoying. You are forced to do things you never do like watch CNBC, look at old shutterfly albums, and have conversations with your spouse.

Anywho, unless you’ve been on an isolated, disconnected retreat for the past two weeks with Jared Leto, you probably know that our NYC restaurant universe is in shambles at the moment. Restaurants essentially turned into charities overnight, and some are doing things they’ve never done before, like deliveries. Hard to imagine Rezdora, a tough table a month ago turn into a glorified Domino’s. Its a weird time to ask for help. So many people are hurting right now, and there’s so much uncertainty at the moment that restaurants and their employees are on the back-burner for most Americans. We are all trying to survive right now.

But restaurants, not airlines, are the backbone of our economy. Some New Yorkers are hurting more than others. While most still have jobs and many even can work from home, restaurant workers in NYC are scrambling. The way it often works in the food business is this. Food workers meet other food workers. They make babies. And now both parents are unemployed. Food workers often work paycheck to paycheck and dont save much. Ever met a wealthy waiter, or even a restaurant owner. Its a tough business to begin with.

Anyway, these are just a few ways you can help right now besides the obvious (deliveries, ask the gov’t for help, etc). But feel free to list more.

Buy a gift card. Its a win-win for everyone. Some, like Pig and Khao are offering gift cards at a discount. ie $100 for $75. I purchased one yesterday
Donate to an employee relief fund like Momofuku who employ(ed) hundreds of workers.
Buy online from distributors and stores like Despana. While we focus on our stressful supermarket and Costco visits, there’s a lot of goodies out there available.

Thanks for reading. I’ll have more soon. Stay in, stay safe, stay strong.

Picnic Supplies

Categories: New York City | Tags: Quarantine | 6 Comments

This is Green-Wood

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Ziggy

Charlotte Canda was a young high society debutante in the 1840’s. On February 3rd, 1845 while coming back from her 17th birthday bash, she was flipped from the horse carriage and died. Her death, and its circumstances shook New York. Charlotte herself designed some of the features of her own tomb in Green-Wood. Her father, who served under Napoleon, utilized some of Charlotte’s elements from the memorial of her aunt which Charlotte helped design a year earlier. Her grave is 17 feet high, 17 feet long, and her statue wearing 17 rose petals circling her head. Her fiance (I know, 17) Charles Albert Jarrett de la Marie killed himself a year later, and buried a few feet away. Not as close as he’d like because it was a suicide.

It’s one of the many stories that visitors came to see at Green-Wood around that time. I hesitate to write “cemetery” because this doesn’t feel like one. But the more I learn about this place the more I understand why it was once NYC’s number one attraction for over 100 years. Before NYC was a tourist friendly city, people came to see destinations like Niagara Falls, and Green-Wood. It was our first major park that inspired the creation of Central and Prospect Park.

Yep, its now officially the strangest food blog in the world. And my Brooklyn tour where we spend about 45 minutes in the cemetery is the oddest food tour out of 206 in NYC (rank #7 but who’s counting). NOLA did this! If you’ve been with me since the beginning, you’d understand my obsession with cemeteries. Important cemeteries around the world like Zagreb, Genoa, Arlington, and even tiny ones like in Getaria, Spain are a good way to connect to local culture, and history. Just like food in a way.

Out of all the famous cemeteries I’ve seen, Green-Wood is still the most striking, and approachable. While its hilly, and massive, it doesnt require a great effort especially if you have a vehicle. But yet, many New Yorkers still havent been or dont even know about it. When I was a kid living in Brooklyn, no one took me there or told me about it. Today its lost in the shuffle of the many attractions NYC has to offer. Considering the lack of crowds, its arguably NYC greatest hidden gem, and the best free museum.

Some of the notable sights at Green-Wood:

Battle Hill – Highest natural point in Brooklyn with striking views, Leonard Bernstein’s grave, and Minerva the roman goddess waving to her cousin Libertas (Statue of Liberty)

Inventors like Steinway, Peter Cooper, Elias Howe (Sewing Machine), Samuel Morse (Telegraph, Morse code), and perhaps the most important inventor of them all, Charles Feltman (Hot Dog)

Controversial statues like Civic Virtue, and James Marion Sims (currently in storage) – gynecology pioneer who experimented on slaves. Green-Wood is where unwelcomed statues go to die.

Henry Chadwick – “Father of Baseball”. Grave adorned with a baseball theme

Statue of 12 yo Drummer Boy – first Brooklyn casualty in the Civil War

Artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Louis Comfort Tiffany. I toured with Tiffany’s relatives once.

Bill the Butcher and William Tweed (Gangs of New York)

Notable pets like the infamous Rex and Fannie Howe. Read about them before visiting.

The grand Nicholas Cage-like Van Ness-Parsons Pyramid. Nick Cage has a similar tomb in Saint Louis Cemetery in New Orleans. As of this writing, he’s still alive.

The odd looking bear sitting on top William Beard who painted the famous Bulls and Bears in The Market.

DeWitt Clinton grave and statue that once served as the main advertisement for Green-Wood when it stood in front of City Hall.

Four lakes including the mesmerizing Sylvan that make you forget you are in a cemetery.

The church and dramatic main entrance. The nest on top of the gate is home to Argentinian Monk Parrots. One of many bird species residing in Green-Wood.

Charlotte Canda

Click anywhere below to see the images

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: Green-Wood, Green-Wood Cemetery, Travel, travel+photography | 1 Comment

Wayla – The Good, The Bad, and the Branzino

Posted on March 4, 2020 by Ziggy

Wayla lobster pad thai Wayla, Wayan, Wayo. Confusing times for Google these days. Most confusing since Ilili, Leyla, Lilia, and Laila. I’m not making any of this up. These are all names of restaurants in NYC that sound and spell alike, and some of them opened around the same time. Naming your restaurant is as important as naming your child. I remember spending countless of ~~bathroom~~ hours looking at baby names before finally finding the one that clicked. Its such a great feeling! Until she says no and puts you in your place. “Ugly Baby” should be a lesson to all future owners as that perfect name that is both meaningful, and easy to remember.

Restaurant owners should get into the habit of Googling the names before settling. Wayla opened close to a year ago, yet when I Google it I still get “did you mean Wayan”. Maybe Google simply figured me out, and tried to warn me. Its not far fetched AI to build an algorithm that will match you with the correct restaurants. But there’s not much AI can do to stop them from over-frying the noodles. For now.

Wayla, considered by some one of the best Thai in the city, still feels super buzzy today. Hence difficult to reserve, even though their website hints the opposite. “We accept a limited amount of reservations each evening and welcome walk-ins”. What that really means is.. “you see those two at the uncomfortable bar that looked like they havnt seen each other in decades and have much to talk about? As soon as they are done, we’ll text you. Meanwhile, go to REI and buy something you dont need”. I was surprised to learn that all tables are reserved, not just a select amount. Wayla Moo Sarong

Much as been said and written about the Moo Sarong, fried noodle-wrapped meatballs that requires a unique set of skills possessed by only one person in the city. His name is Liam John Neeson. Its essentially one noodle wrapped around a pork meatball and if the noodle breaks in the process, you need to start all over. In Thailand this forgotten dish got a life boost after it was featured on a soap opera, but only the wealthy can afford to have this labor intensive dish. And here we are, eating it in a Lower East Side basement for 9 bucks. Spoiler alert: Its not good.

Its tough to criticize an appetizer that costs $9, but I’ll do my best. The balls are fried to such a crisp that none of the ingredients shine. It doesnt taste like anything really. After the meal, I looked at Insta to see if the colors matched my darker than expected, and saw 50 shades of brown. I can only guess ours spent an extra 30 seconds in the fryer. Its $1.50 a pop (you get 6 balls). For $1.50 you can get a nice plate of dumplings in every corner nearby. The Chicken Satay ($15) special however was more like it. Bulky, meaty skewers with an abundant, nicely balanced peanut sauce. Wayla Branzino

The crab fried rice ($24) is one of the better ones I’ve had. Heaps of chunky crab, albeit as expected for the price of a main course. The problem with this dish is that there are other attractive noodle/rice dishes on the menu forcing a carb fest. But I’ll make it easier for you. Skip the other signature, Lobster Pad Thai ($36) . The sweet, peanuty flavor of the noodles just doesnt play well with the other dishes and its just an ok use of expensive lobster. Its a far cry from Wayan’s terrific lobster noodles a couple of blocks away. Should have listened to Google I suppose.

The saving grace was a fried Branzino ($31). Normally I wouldnt order fried Branzino in any restaurant but the preparation here was intriguing. The fish is deboned, flash fried, and cut into cubes. While I found it much more aromatic than Mrs Z (meaning the fish, not her. She smelled like Orchids and white Alba truffles). The fresh herbs and spices was more like the best of Thai on a plate. The Mango Mousse Sticky Rice was good but could have used some cowbell. By that I mean something like coconut milk to give it another layer.

Wayla
100 Forsyth St (Basement, Grand/Broome), Lower East Side
Rating: One Z (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Branzino, Chicken Satay

Categories: Lower East Side, New York City | Tags: food, Lower East Side Thai, Travel, Wayla, Wayla NYC | 1 Comment

Tito Rad’s Grill- Filipino Power Chow

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Ziggy

Tito Rad's Grill Sisig I’m starting to get the hang of this. Rediscovering the borough of Queens. My friend Howard moving to Jackson Heights was just the excuse I didnt know I needed. It really feels like a different world out there. Or 160 different worlds to be exact. From the price, warm hospitality, to dishes I’ve never heard of. Its a foodie wonderland. Highlights so far include a standout crab Ramen at the new Japan Corner, a grocery store in Woodside hosting rotating chefs from Japan. And Thai Cook at iCook, or “iCook Thai Cook” according to Google, sort of a restaurant within a restaurant. I’ve been plotting a return trip to that one ever since.

Last week I met a group of Chowhounds at Tito Rad’s, a Filipino grill I’ve wanted to try for a long time. Filipino food seems to have grown exponentially over the last 20 years in NYC. I must have had 20 different variations of Sisig during that time (with about half coming from the excellent Mama Fina in East Village). But in the underground foodie community it seems pretty clear that as far as old school Filipino comfort food goes, Tito Rad’s Grill is the Mothership. Or the Grandmaship if you will according to their site.

Since 2006 TRG has been serving the community from a seemingly strange looking location, at least when you approach it. In that corner of Queens Blvd, you might expect to find a place that can renew your license before finding some of the best Filipino food in the city. Its right next to a Calvary cemetery that has more graves (3 million) than the entire population of Queens. I dare you to find a food blog that also gives you up to the minute cemetery stats. Go ahead, I’m waiting.

Considering I eat mostly in Manhattan, I’m all inspired to include prices here, like other ~~not nearly as lazy~~ successful bloggers. The Sizzling Sisig ($12) oddly listed as an appetizer here is outstanding. Its chunkier, not as crispy, and milder than most Sisigs I’ve had, but still perfect in a way. Another winner early on was the Tokwa’t Baboy ($9), deep fried bean curds (Tofu) with braised pork ears. It worked better for me than the one-note fresh (not fried) Lumpia.

I though I was back in Prague when we got the Crispy Pata ($14), pork knuckles deep fried to extreme but manageable crispiness. I found myself reaching for this more than one of their signatures, Inihaw na Panga, grilled tuna jaw. Good flavor, but slightly off-putting funky aroma prevented me from fully enjoying this. It comes in s,m,l sizes, but for us, and for me especially, small was plenty. We were pleasantly surprised however by the Pancit Bam-I ($9), sautéed egg and rice noodles with vegetables, pork, shrimp and Chinese sausage. Delightfully salty and pungent.

Its a relatively small sample compared to the rest of the meat heavy menu. And while not totally hooked, I’m looking forward to returning and chowing through the rest of the menu.

Tito Rad’s Grill
49-10 Queens Blvd, Woodside (Queens)
Rating: 2 Zs (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Sisig, Tokwa’t Baboy, Crispy Pata, Pancit Bam-I