Like an alcoholic in a distillery. That’s how I felt when I got off the train in this car free Swiss mountain village, and started walking. The main road is like a red carpet leading to your hotel. It took over 3 hours to get there from Lucerne, but it felt more like a year since thats how long I anticipated this. It’s a bucket list item I never knew I had.
Wengen isnt as posh and famous as Interlaken, Lucerne and the rest of them. It has one 5 star hotel (Belvedere) that recently opened, and sticks out like a sore thumb among all the wooden chalets. It will be a shame if more opened. Says the food blogger that had dinner at the Belvedere one night. It was in the name of research of course. For the children.
Not only you can easily spend 4 nights in Wengen, but make that your minimum. Take the cable car to Männlichen and hike to Kleine Scheidegg and Fallbodensee. On another day, see the other side of the valley (Mürren, Schilthorn, Gimmelwald). Save the rainy day to Thun and the mesmerizing Lake Thun. In destinations as such you need to have some cushion in case of bad weather.
Listen to uncle Ziggy (instead of say my main competitor Travel + leisure that recommends the Belvedere). Stay in Alpenruhe. The hospitality and attention to detail by the young couple running the place is tough to match. The views from the third floor, and the top notch breakfasts are reasons enough.
And might as well have all your meals at Alpenkräuter Restaurant Bären. We haven’t tried many, but this one is quite popular with the locals and the only one that felt like a well functioning, real restaurant, as opposed to a tourist trap or a hotel restaurant. Even though it is in fact inside a hotel.
Well, the people of Reddit have spoken, after putting together the Brooklyn picks. For Manhattan I grouped them instead of creating another map (Brooklyn is huge). And just like with Brooklyn, there are certain areas as you can see where I dont spend much time. UWS and UES are just too far, and not as interesting, while Midtown East and Times Square are hotel/tourist heavy, with minimal parking, and more suited for business lunches. Rarely anything interesting opens there.
I also think its time to retire the Z-List. I’ve been managing it for many years, and I’ve had many people commenting on how useful it is. But a list of 30 that covers a large area, no matter how often updated, can run its course. I know some rely on it, but I think its better to rely on its Brooklyn and Manhattan list replacements at this point. I will leave the Z-List up for a while to give people a chance to say goodbye 😉
I will update these lists often. This one is more or less from south to north, with the borders stretched on occasion to fit everyone…
Tribeca
Nish Nush – One of the best if not the best Falafels in the city for a few decades now.
Au Cheval – Go for the sick burger, stay for the Mac & Cheese.
LES / Chinatown
Ginger and Lemongrass – Pretty much for the spicy lemongrass soup.
Shu Jiao Fu Zhou – Hard to beat for a quick cheap dumplings and noodles.
Spicy Village – Slightly uncomfortable but exceptional Chinese. Try the dumplings and Big Tray of Chicken
Uncle Lou’s – Got a little too touristy lately but this is where I’d go for Cantonese right now
Katz’s Deli – The Pastrami Temple. Mega touristy for a reason
Corima – Affordable, superb creative Mexican
Nolita / Little Italy
Thai Diner – Super popular for a reason. Try to come at Off-peak hours
Wayan – Vongerichten Jr doing all kinds of Indonesian/French magic
19 Cleveland – Excellent all around Israeli
Tomiño Taberna Gallega – NYC’s best if not only pure Galician. Meaning get the Octopus
Figo il Gelato – Fig/Ricotta Gelato when fresh is hard to beat
Soho
Raoul’s – A celebrated old French Bistro.
San Carlo Osteria Piemonte – Almost does Italy’s top food region justice. Order from the Piemonte menu
Rivareno Gelato – I’m an ice cream junky and this is my favorite Gelato these days. Especially appreciate the northern flavors
Pinch Chinese – Outstanding elevated Chinese. A favorite since they opened pretty much
Greenwich Village
Anton’s – I follow certain chefs I admire, until they call the cops 😉 Nick Anderer (Mailino, Marta) did an amazing job curating a great menu at Anton’s. He’s now doing his magic at his second, Leon’s (great lunch so far). Love the brunches here too.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele – While not exactly the same as the Napoli original, a fancy pizzeria with a full menu
Jeju Noodle Bar – I preferred this Korean before the Michelin star, but its still outstanding
Balaboosta – The flagship of one of the most celebrated Israeli chefs.
Song’ e Napule – If I have to pick just one pizzeria
Leitao – Superb Portuguese. One of my favorite discoveries in the last few years
Via Carota – Possibly the most well rounded Italian we have. Popular for a reason
Dell’anima – Italian in West Village is having a moment. Just moved back after many years deep in Hell’s Kitchen. Exceptional pastas and chicken.
East Village
Foxface Natural (Temporarily closed) – From a tiny Sandwich shop to creative Michelin style dining.
Hearth – A reliable old timer and the creator of Brodo.
Fiaschetteria “Pistoia” – The closest we have to eating in a Tuscan village
Carnitas Ramirez – Possibly best tacos in NYC today.
Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks – Yes, worth the hype.
Spice Brothers – When a spice master opens a fast food Middle Eastern. Worth checking out
Nowon – Our go-to for a simple burger, rice cakes and more.
Claude – Josh Pinsky is another chef I follow for a while, from the Momofuku days in this case.
Flatiron / Gramercy
L’Express – One of the most reliable Brasseries in the city, aging like a fine Bordeaux
Olle – No shortage of great Korean in the area, but you’ll be hard pressed to find better Galbi Jjim
Ulivo – Nice all around Italian, good pizza, and a plethora of fresh pastas by a talented Sardinian
Milu – Fast food Chinese like no other.
Rezdora – Pricy high caliber Italian, especially the pastas, inspired by Emilia Romagna
Chelsea
Jun-Men Ramen – Good ramen but even better non Ramen items like the Mazemen and wings.
Tia Pol / Txikito / Salinas – Three excellent Spanish all timers, near each other. All quite different. I frequent Tia Pol more only because its more accessible.
Hell’s Kitchen
Frena – Elevated middle eastern by a seasoned chef, now owner. Taboon 2.0 for those who remember.
Chalong Southern Thai – Probably best Thai in Hell’s Kitchen today, if not Manhattan.
Danji – Former Michelin Korean. Nice comeback story after a devastating fire
Chi – Solid, stylish Szechuan with a twist
Don Antonio – Legit Neapolitan pies. Just about as good as it gets.
Pure Thai Cookhouse – Legendary Thai in Thai heavy Hell’s Kitchen
UWS
Pig and Khao – Used to frequent the LES location. Same menu as far as I know.
A longish list of my favorites in Brooklyn, the borough I spend the most time eating. Its a huge Borough, fourth-largest city in the United States by population, if it was a city. Hence plenty of great dining that I miss in neighborhoods I dont frequent much, mainly due to where I live. Bushwick is one example. But there are plenty of juicy nuggets in there. The list includes some bakeries, and fast-casual places as well. Happy eating!
Berikoni Georgian Bakery – My go-to for Guruli, a type of khachapuri that’s shaped like a calzone, stuffed with egg and cheese. The cooked kebabs are quite good as well. 125 Brighton Beach Ave
German Doner Kebab – Excellent Doner kebab. Newish as of this writing, and not well know yet. 224 Brighton Beach Ave
Kashkar Cafe – The legend, the OG for Uyghur food. 1141 Brighton Beach Ave
Ocean View Cafe – A Brighton classic for Russian/Ukrainian. Best Pelmeni in the city. 290 Brighton Beach Ave.
Burchak Pide – Delicious Turkish Pizza by a friendly stuff. 1614 Sheepshead Bay Rd
Lucia Pizza Of Avenue X – My slice go-to in South Brooklyn. 2201 Avenue X
Mtskheta Cafe – My favorite Georgian restaurant these days. We are normally the only none-Georgian there. 2568 86th St
Falafel Tanami – A Celebrated Falafel joint, especially since the NYT discovered it and lines doubled. Note: they are moving to east 19th I believe very soon. 1305 E 17th St
Werkstatt – A versatile Austrian/German like no other in the entire city. 509 Coney Island Ave
Taste of Akko – A newish Israeli hole in the wall dishing out a taste of one of the best food cities in the middle east. 1724 Coney Island Ave
Coszcal De Allende – One of the only authentic Mexicans in South Brooklyn. Or at least unlike the rest of the bunch. Great drinks as well. 7506 3rd Ave.
Xin Fa Bakery – Best egg tarts on the planet. Ok, in Brooklyn. 5617 8th Ave
Kai Feng Fu Dumpling House – Great pocket change dumplings. 4801 8th Ave
Hainan Chicken House – Fantastic Malaysian. 4807 8th Ave
Chuan Tian Xia – Our favorite all around Chinese in Brooklyn’s Chinatown. 5502 7th Ave
La Brasa Peruana – Peruvian Chicken fast food. Part of a monthly takeout routine. 4618 5th Ave.
Tacos El Bronco – Sensational food truck tacos. I prefer over their restaurant on 4th. 860 5th Ave
Red Hook Tavern – One of the best burgers in Brooklyn, if not the entire city. 329 Van Brunt St.
Hometown Bar-B-Que – NYC’s Texas style BBQ Mecca. 454 Van Brunt St
Hoek Pizza – Exceptional Roman style thin pies. 117 Ferris St
Cafe Kestrel – Small elevated New American. Best thing to open in Red Hook since Hometown BBQ. 293 Van Brunt St
Popina – Tiny Italian with a big heart by an experienced chef. 127 Columbia St
Haenyeo – Superb Korean in Park Slope. 239 5th Ave
Bar Bête – French inspired fair by a very capable chef. 263 Smith St
F&F Pizzeria – My favorite slice in North Brooklyn. 459 Court St
Following a family event at the spectacular Garden of the Gods in Colorado, the Ziggy clan picked up a car in Vegas and went on a little adventure. Three days in Zion, two in Bryce, followed by two fun days in LV. After numerous attempts to see Zion in previous years (I’m looking at you Jules), we finally made it. Verdict: Some pain involved, but spectacular to say the least. Here are some tips:
See Valley of Fire State Park on the way – Coming from Las Vegas this is a worthy detour. Even in blistering heat where you’ll encounter “Heat Warning. You might die” signs, you should do it. There are a few short hikes, small stops and plenty to see from the road.
Stay in La Verkin – This might be a bit controversial. Obviously I cant compare to other destinations like Springdale which is at the foot of the entrance to the park. But even though we drove the 30 minutes to the park more than we planned, we were very happy staying in La Verkin. First of all, the drive itself to the park is stunning. Second, it’s much cheaper, especially if you need three rooms like I did. But most importantly, it’s close to other worthy attraction (more below) that are much more relaxing, requiring less effort than Zion. It also got the excellent River Rock Roasting Company, a fine Indian restaurant, and much more.
See Snow Canyon State Park – This is one of the biggest reasons to stay in La Verkin. 40 minutes away is one of the coolest state parks we’ve ever seen. And thanks to Zion, not that many even know about it. Jenny’s Canyon Trail is pretty neat, but will be fairly forgettable once you walk on the spectacular Petrified Sand Dunes. Have brunch/lunch at Black Bear Diner in St. George
Get to Zion Canyon Visitor Center by 8 am – Problem #1. The parking lot at the visitor center fills up early. We were there by 7:30 both days and there werent a whole lot of spots left. On one of the days I was told it was full by 8. By the time you’ll read this, this may change, so best to check with social media boards like TripAdvisor.
Yes, absolutely do The Narrows – Its too hard, its too wet, its too much preparation, its not worth it. Dont let the demons win this one. It will be one of the coolest (literally and figuratively) hikes you’ll ever do. For me, a top 3 hike, perhaps bested only by Caminito del Rey in Spain.
Yes, you have to rent the equipment for the Narrows – Even the stick. Might be obvious to many, but we were surprised to see so many people, including families stumbling and falling all over.
Dont end at Scout Lookout – Scout Lookout on the way to Angels Landing is more strenuous than advertised. It’s quite the climb. You will rest often, and you want to do this when you are well rested. Once you make it to the top, unless you continue to Angels Landing, continue up on the West Rim Trail for a much more serene and beautiful plateau. We were surprised to find ourselves all alone there, considering how crowded Scout Lookout was.
Rest prior to taking the shuttle back – After a long day or hike, taking the shuttle back might be challenging. You may not find a seat, and unlike in the morning, the shuttle will stop at every stop. I’ve had root canals more pleasant than the long rides back after the punishing hikes.
Visit Virgin – I didnt mean this post to sound like a La Verkin tourism ad, but this is another reason to stay west. It’s a tiny town with roughly 700 residents, but so much is happening here. You got tubing, Jeep tours, an excellent restaurant (Balcony One) and one of the coolest souvenir shop I’ve ever seen, Fort Zion. Great for families and adults alike. Its also the gateway to the stunning North Kolob Terrace road.
Come early or late for Pine Creek Canyon Overlook – Very limited parking here. Sunset or Sunrise here are great, though just prior to sunset, the lighting wasnt that great. You may also want to do this on the way out east to your next destination.
Sometimes great discoveries come later in life. And I’m not talking about Labubu. In a city where Italian food is an embarrassment of riches, its easy to fall under the radar, especially when you are in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The last time I dined in Ft Greene was at least 5 years ago at Miss Ada by the Israeli-born Tomer Blechman who since opened Theodora, one of the toughest tables in NYC these days. I’m still trying.
Larina, approaching its 10th year, is much easier to reserve than Theodora. But you wouldnt know it while walking around a very packed house on a Thursday evening, and seeing the slew of people waiting for a table outside, all speaking Italian. Its owned by 3-5 people depending on who you ask. At the helm is “Top Chef” contestant Silvia Barban.
Silvia’s Italian inspirations is hard to pinpoint. She grew up in the north, spent summers in the south, and cooked with some of the best of them, like Giancarlo Perbellini in his two Michelin star in Verona. She was roasting potatoes by age 6 with her grandma, and cooking entire meals by age 10. When I was 6, I was smoking cigarettes and getting into all kinds of trouble, and by the time I turned 10 I was sneaking into country clubs. Not only I cant cook but its a miracle I’m still alive.
Silvia described her signature Smoked Spaghetti as her life in a bowl. Elements from the north, south, and even NYC (the smokiness). But pretty much all of us came out of the meal with a life in a bowl dish. For my butcher friend it was the steak. For another it was the Lasagna. My friend had a Ratatouille moment when she tasted the Intingolo. And for me it was, what else, pasta perfection from Piedmont. The dish rundown…
Prosciutto di Parma with Mozzarella di Bufala – Your typical high end Prosciutto, though I personally prefer San Daniele over Parma. Mozzarella in this case a little less successful.
Octopus – Not sure it can be cooked any better than this. Spot on flavor and texture, nice complimentary sauce made with uncooked tomatoes among other goodies.
Intingolo – Like a chunky Hummus made with green chickpeas, with shishitos and pumpkin seeds. Goes well with their excellent bread basket (first one free). This was the Ratatouille moment for my friend, reminiscing about her grandma making this dish as a child. She dropped her makeup kit when she tasted it.
Rapa Gialla – Yellow beets and peaches covered with smoked stringy Stracchino. Good though got boring after a few bites. More of a side dish.
Smoked spaghetti – Simple ingredients, sensational flavors. She smokes the spaghetti before cooking, and that smokiness comes through very well. The only thing, maybe related to the process, is that it gets cold quickly. So… mangia mangia.
Lasagna – Looks very messy but tastes like an above average Lasagna. Made with spinach pasta sheets.
Agnolotti del Plin – This is it. the creme de la creme. Better than anything we had in NYC (including at high end places like Claud) and even some places in Piedmont. Braised beef and chicken filling, sage, and butter mixed with the meat jus. In Piedmont many places, even the notable, add only butter, some a lot of it. But the jus adds some oomph, as we learned in Turin. I thought I found a good version in San Carlo in West Village a few weeks ago, but this blew it away.
Steak – Expertly cooked base on the small piece I had.
Tried just about all the desserts and they were all great. Usually I can pick a winner but not in this case. Proper Tiramisu, excellent Panna Cotta with Strawberry compote and almonds, and more. Go!
Hell’s Kitchen needs another Thai restaurant like I need a stone in my sandals. When that happens, do you try to kick it out for 20 minutes or are you normal? I can just remove my shoes, but I’m so close, and there’s no satisfaction whatsoever if you do it the easy way
But as far as Thai food in Hell’s Kitchen goes, its not really a matter of need. The more the merrier, to keep everyone on their toes. Its an embarrassment of Thai riches. While most visitors pair their Broadway show with the classic pre theatre options east of 9th, those in the know think Thai food on 9th or beyond.
Chalong opened about two years ago by three Thai food veterans. To open a spot so close to Pure Thai Cookhouse and LumLum requires a particular set of tools, Liam Nissan style. And Nate Limwong who worked at Fish Cheeks and Soothr might just have the right tools. She grew up in Surat Thani, somewhere between Bangkok and Malaysia in Southern Thailand, hence bringing a fresh take to the hood.
Thai cuisine in NYC can essentially be categorizes into North, Middle, South, with the middle being most familiar to Americans. Northern cuisine had a nice run about 5-10 years, and now catching up at a slower pace. But New Yorkers generally not too familiar with Southern Thai. Much of the land is close to the sea which is reflected on the menus, but you also got the Southern interpretations of classics like Pad Thai which I wouldnt skip here.
At Chalong, not only the food is outstanding, but the room is comfortable and a bit more chic than some of the usual suspects. My old rule of thumb, go to the uglier looking Thai places in Hell’s Kitchen, is becoming just that, old and stale. The rule might have died when LumLum replaced Pam Real Thai. But in case you miss that oxtail soup, Pam is now cooking in Las Vegas at Mama Pam Real Thai Food.
The food rundown…
Jeeb Pu – Crab, shrimp, and pork dumplings. Essentially Shumai on crack. Get this.
Peek Gai Tod – Fantastic sizzling hot Chicken wings. All small ‘mid’ wings which are the best kind. They can carry more flavor, and usually crispier, as was the case here.
Sator Goog – A fiery combination of ground pork, stinky beans that look like Fava Beans, shrimp and curry paste. Waiter warned that its Thai spicy but it was more like borderline. Needless to say, Mardi Gras in your mouth.
Crab Curry – As good and well balanced as they get. Includes a small crispy soft shell crab for good measure.
Tom Som Pla – Nice southern style Tom Yum soup with Chilean sea bass chunks and Enoki mushrooms of all sizes. I think I enjoyed the Enkoi more than the fish which wasnt bad at all. The rest of the group found it over lemongrassed, but I didn’t mind.
Mee Pum Riang – Southern style Pad Thai with shrimp. One of my friends cant tolerate too much spice so figured we’ll try it. It still had just enough heat, and was actually one of the better dishes. The coconut curry cream really transforms it, in the looks dept as well. Go!
Chalong 749 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen) Recommended Dishes: All of the above
When looking at my site stats, there’s always the usual outliers. Posts that get significantly more views than the rest on a daily basis for reasons not known to me. These days I’m seeing it with the Thai Diner Survival Guide, a Day in Brighton Beach, Four Gems in Alberobello, and my post on the Caminito del Rey. But in the last year or so, none garner more views than my post about Angelo’s Pizzeria in Philly. WordPress doesnt show me the search words. I can only see the sites where users come from, and on occasion I would see the rhyme and reason for the spikes, but not in this case.
If only NYC had one of the things Angelo’s Pizzeria is famous for. Well, the one that’s not pizza. The thing that people wait for sometimes hours, and eat it in the car because its strictly takeout. Well, we kinda have it now. The Danny part of the name is Danny DiGiampietro, one of the owners of Angelo’s Pizza. The Coop part is for some actor named Bradley Cooper who was making the one hit wonders during the first few days. Luckily he wasnt there to make mine the other day.
After going after such hype for decades in NYC, my expectations werent greatly inflated. I learned a long time ago that hype in NYC is often just that. It can be purchased, or generated by smart marketing. Besides, I read plenty of reviews that suggested the sandwiches lack seasoning, messy, and just not nearly as good as advertised.
But this was pretty darn good. I arrived 15 minutes before opening, and was racing to the car 30 minutes later. There was already a line of 6 or so when I arrived. The waits were well over an hour when they first opened. I rarely feel FOMO in one of the greatest food cities on earth, and can easily wait a year or more. I think I finally tried the Cronut 3 years later.
The first thing you notice is the size. It’s one of those difficult decisions a man in his 50’s must make. Share or suffer the consequences of eating the entire thing. Friday, June 20, Ziggy shares a sandwich with one of his daughters. A milestone. The exchange was so emotional, I forgot to give her her share of the hot peppers.
Whether you want hot or sweet peppers on the side is the only decision you have to make. I wasnt asked how to build the beast, and I cant tell you how much I admire that. If you build it, they will come. The no onion people (I’m talking to you Mrs Z), can just stay home. Though the onions are so translucent, I hardly felt them.
No seasoning issues whatsoever. The meat, fried onions, and Cooper Sharp Cheese (no relations, I think) blended together gorgeously. And the sesame seeded hoagie, baked in house was the perfect sturdy partner. The only issue, that may not be an issue at all, is that they load it pretty well, and half of the bread got a little soggy and couldnt quite hold it all together. But you can easily solve this by giving that half to the lucky person sharing this with you. Go!
Red Hook always felt like the type of place that got just the right amount of everything. Where a little more (subway, mall, etc) or a little less could be detrimental. From the top of my head, you got a chocolate factory, a lobster place, the city’s best BBQ (Hometown), solid Thai, one of the best burgers in town, breweries and bars galore, and pizza. Not to mention Ikea. It can use a good Italian though residents seem fairly happy with Bar Mario for some reason (one and done for us).
But Cafe Kestrel feels like the type of place no one knew Red Hook was missing. An intimate neighborhood joint offering… ok, if I cant call it by the default “New American”, its European, or South European to be as precise as I can, which really means… New American. While the menu seems all too familiar (Chicken, fish, salad, etc), the end result wont.
This was a rare double dessert situation. When you just had a very full meal, and decide to order two desserts instead of the usual one. Judging by how many people share desserts around us, I’m sure many of you can relate. During a meal that feels like nothing can go wrong, it feels criminal to stick to the usual game plan. Besides, who can pass on a Sundae and an Apricot tart.
Just about all the publications about Cafe Kestrel will tell you how tiny it is. It’s too tiny to have a host, and more than 6 tables. You quickly get to know the folks sitting next to you, with just a few inches of separation. All the women by the wall, and the men, apparently all with bladder issues facing them. It’s much easier to get to the bathroom from the aisle seat. It felt like eating with new friends, except that since its Red Hook, more like chaperoning new friend’s kids.
Eater
Cafe Kestrel is a good match for anyone that enjoys and appreciates good food. If you enjoy salads and fish especially, you may want to put them on top of the list. When it rains during the meal, you may hear “soup?” murmurs all around you as the chef/owner Dennis Spina also promises soup on rainy days. Judging by the kind of range we experienced, you may want to come here for soup as well.
From start to finish, it was a clever use of top notch ingredient. From the Hors D’Oeuvres section, the Baguette with seaweed butter was an indication of things to come. Save some bread for the salad. Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Stracciatella is normally enough for most places. But here Spina tops them with a nice mix of spices including aromatic fennel pollen. Just a few but very explosive bites.
“Cafe Salad” looks fairly pedestrian, but quite brilliant once you dig in. Good use of Yellow Beets, Red Rock Cheddar that looked like Butternut Squash, surprising everyone around us as well, Walnut Praline & a nice lemony dressing. Lamb sausage is another dish that tasted much better than it looks, especially once you combined all the ingredients.
The mains were even better. The chicken, served crispy thin, with an addictive dates puree, capers, carrots & Herbs De Provence. A forkful of pure bliss. Ordering the Cod with Fava Beans over the Steelhead Trout was a tough but seemingly correct decision, even though I cook Cod very often at home. Delicate, and immensely flavorful.
Excellent Apricot tart, and a Sundae to finish. The Sundae could have been easier to manage and appreciate from a bowl if I can be picky. The drinks were not nearly as memorable, but fine. Efficient, all female service, on this night at least. No miss or even a near miss. In fact I would gladly order the same exact dishes again next time. Go!
Cafe Kestrel 293 Van Brunt St (Red Hook, Brooklyn) Recommended Dishes: Baguette, Zucchini Flowers, Cafe Salad, Chicken, Cod, Apricot Tart
In the small chance you got here while searching for medical advice, this post is not about pruritus. It’s about another itch. One that grows over time to revisit a favorite place. You are good for months, if not days after each visit, before the itch kicks in again. With Werkstatt its pretty much a perpetual itch lasting close to 9 years.
I vividly remember the first visit which was special for everyone involved including the hosts. This is what I wrote back then.. “This was also an especially fun evening for Thomas Ferlesch and family (wife and daughter). Not only visited by a world famous blogger, but also by Mimi Sheraton, a former influential NYT critic who handed the then young Ferlesch 4 stars in 1981 when he worked for Vienna ’79 (UES).”
Coincidentally, that was pretty much the last time I saw Mr Ferlesch. On every subsequent visit, it was the same young chef at the helm. But not only the quality hasnt budged, the place seems busier than ever. The only thing that changed is less nightly specials. But with a tried and true menu as such, it just makes decisions that much easier.
Besides, quality German/Austrian food in NYC is an endangered species. I see places slowly closing, and nothing new is opening, as far as I know at least. It’s also the perfect place to bring elderly parents, after getting tired of Turkish. On our last visit, we were hardly the only ones to do so. You dont even need to order Salmon!
Their only complaint of the night was “this is not how we make Matzo Ball soup”, which meant it was probably excellent. Other than that, we had a selection of the usual suspects, plus one new dish, a serviceable Bucatini with Short Rib and Mushroom Ragu. One thing is certain. It may not be evident to some diners, but the young chef at the helm got some crazy range.
Out of the regulars, Calamari & Kielbasa, Chicken liver Mousse, and the Pretzel called Best Pretzel in NYC (for good reason) have been on the menu I believe from day one. Three dishes that not only dazzle your taste buds, but even compliment each other.
Beef Goulash with Spatzle is another winner that we get occasionally. You may not find a more tender beef in the entire city. Got to add a side of Spatzle with cheese because the other one comes without. In parties more than 2, you cant get enough Spatzle. And I’m not sure anyone ever walked out without having one of the Schnitzels. When the owner’s car plate says Schnzl, you know what to do. Make it a Wiener.
Choc/Hazelnut Crepes and apple strudel for the finish of course. There’s not only a strong beer menu, but the cocktails are consistently excellent. This is the place that got us hooked on Palomas and its many variations. A fine Paloma is the perfect cure for summertime sadness, and maybe even Pruritus.
Eating With Ziggy 