May 21, 2018 Update:
Did you see the news? Gloria retains its 3 star rating! You probably missed it because, well, the news is not out yet. But it will be in a minute. Gloria in Hell’s Kitchen is quite possibly the most underrated restaurant in NYC today, and I have proof. Gloria registers a 0.12 on the TouristMeter™. TouristMeter™ is a foolproof way of measuring how touristy a place is by dividing the number of TripAdvisor reviews (mostly tourists) by the number of Yelp reviews (mostly locals). The lower the number the more local it is. And when you are walking distance from Times Square it doesnt get much lower than this.
The magnificent Skate has now been replaced by a magnificent Skate! It is now a mammoth $50 Skate for two which we elected not to have this time. The Jonah Crab with that Sabayon sauce is pure joy with every bite and perhaps the best dish today. The Octopus is still good. And the fish mains with their super complimentary sauces are outstanding! The Monkfish is served with an oniony broth, and the Red Snapper with its own delicate broth. I dont believe there’s a dud on this menu. Friends, if you enjoy good Seafood, and dont wish to pay Le Bernardin money for it, this is the place for you. Major Go!
June 25, 2017 Post
53rd street in Hell’s Kitchen is a street I’m well familiar with. I used to walk by Kiran, an Indian restaurant formerly at the same space as Gloria like a Hassid in East Village. Face covered so the super nice owner wouldnt see me walking by. I didnt want to break his heart after years of loyalty while I was cheating with another Indian on 9th. After Kiran it was another love hate relationship, CoBa 53. They opened, they closed (thanks Health Dept, and Obama!), they reopened but could never find their groove. The biggest, weirdest gripe I had with them was that this was the one place where tablecloths just seemed out of place.
So when I heard Pescatarian Gloria opening in that spot, I needed to see it and taste it to believe it. Instead of the usual Walk of Shame or avoiding that corner of 53rd entirely, I actually coudnt wait to see what they’ve done with the space. Nifty light fixtures replaced with niftier ones, and the tablecloths are GONE. The irony is that after all the space anticipation I forgot to take a picture of it. Multiple shots of every dish (Our neighbors who flat out stole our corn bread thought we are some sick food paparazzi) but nothing of the space. 
I often start posts like this one with a Jambalaya of irrelevant junk, before giving a place the proper praise it deserves. So before I lose any more reader, I can honestly say that this was one of those meals. A solid 3 star! The most refreshing thing to open in Hell’s Kitchen since The Marshal introduced us to American food (we have every Thai and Mexican imaginable, but good luck finding good ribs). Some call Gloria a mini Contra as thats the place most associated with it (GM formerly with Contra). But its more like a mini Le Bernardin.
Corn Bread – Nothing wrong with this bread course. Except for the fact that we got it fairly late in the game after they initially delivered ours to the next table.
Black Bass Tartare – Pretty to look at, and one of the dishes to get. Just wonderful flavor with the watermelon radish adding nice brightness.
Jonah Crab – Simple, yet outstanding! The sweet as lobster crab mixed with strips of Kohlrabi (like a cross between Turnip and Daikon) and aided by a thin eggy Sabayon. Ok, maybe not that simple.
Octopus – Yet more delicious awesomeness. Perfectly cooked Octopus slices sitting on a bed of cabbage and black rice, delivering one heck of a nasty bite. Its rare to see a place deliver so many probable menu staples so early in the game
Shrimp – If I may briefly pause the party for just a sec. I think this is the only one I would skip next time, which is more of a testament to the rest of the lineup. Nothing wrong with the shrimp and their Gulf funkiness, but nothing new flavor wise with the Cortez sauce. And the Hominy made my brain expect Peruvian corn like texture but that snap was sorely missing.
Skate Wing – This is it. The one, the Neo, the dish to get. There’s nothing better in the seafood universal than Skate Wing simply seared with butter with a sprinkle of magic dust.
Panna Cotta – Meh! But no point deductions here
Go!
Gloria
401 West 53rd (off 9th), Hell’s Kitchen
Rating: Three Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that.
Recommended Dishes: Skate Wing, Octopus, Tartare, Crab, Monkfish, Red Snapper
I always thought Truffle Hunts were sort of a joke. You go to the forest with a bunch of eager puppies to look for truffles planted there the morning of. Sort of like finding the Matzah during Passover, except for the forest, and eager part. The only way to get my kids to look for Matzah these days is if we plant a white truffle along with it. So after all those trips to Italy including Piedmont, I never imagined that I would get my truffle hunt certificate in Croatia. Husband, Father, Lover of Pizza, Tour Guide, Truffle Hunter. My tomb stone is starting to resemble the Stanley Cup.
The evolution of the 
We have a Sabra invasion in full swing and no one bats and eyelid, not even Trump. Einat Admony (Balaboosta, Bar Bolonat, Taim), Efraim Nahon (Taboon), Michael Solomonov (Dizengoff), Nir Mesika (Timna), and many more, including now Meir Adoni, an Israeli superstar opening his first in NYC. The falafel kingdom continues to expand with chainlets like Taim, and Nish Nush leading the way. And we even have a (sort of) Israeli bakery chain in Breads Bakery, whose owner is Adoni’s partner at Nur. Even my new favorite French dessert spot in East Village is owned by talented Israelis.
So if Adoni wants to open an Adoni Hagadol, I wont even take royalties. He’s already off to a flying start, hotter than a Shakshuka in the Sinai. We werent quite sure what to expect from Israel’s culinary idol. And when we arrived, as often happens when we come back from an extended European trip, we are greeted with a jolt in the way of three greeters. I think on average the employee/diners ratio is roughly 5 times higher in NYC than anywhere in Europe. Why do we need three hosts!
Warning: The following post is more about the Show rather than Tell. There are a handful of very strong candidates to write the first post about after this adventure, but I cant think of anything more deserving. Its a rare Location Location Location situation, and not so much about the food. Although there was nothing really wrong with the food. We just didnt give it much of a chance to prove itself beyond the one wonderful course that we thoroughly enjoyed. It could have been the meal of a century, if not perhaps for a group of 40 German tourists occupying the place before us. Leaving us just enough time for a short meal before rushing for another highlight, the famous Zadar sunset.
The latest issue of W42st has a proud theme. Inside there’s a mini zine where you’ll find 5 Asian dishes I’m mostly proud of
They recycle their own sluts! I’m not quite sure what it means, but that is according to a sign inside. Either they employ people with extremely low standards or they are referring to their Eggslut sandwich, which is excellent. Either way, to my knowledge they are the first slut recyclers in the industry.
Unlike big brother Chef’s Club where you got a fuller assortment of famous chef’s recipes including guest appearances, the counter is all about a few rotating recipes available for lunch and breakfast. Every three months or so they will change entirely. So anything you eat now, say goodbye to it immediately, or take a few more months to enjoy. While they are preparing your slut, the rest of the team is hard at work trying to figure out its replacement. All enjoyed in a very comfortable, cafeteria like fast food setting. Order at the cashier, and wait for it.
Eating With Ziggy 