Corima is the Absolute Best Mexican in Chinatown

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Ziggy

I’m being very careful with my “Bests” as you can see, and even more careful with the “Absolute Bests”. Anyone remembers the Absolute Best lists from Grub Street? Fun to look at, but very very wrong. It’s NYC. Unless you’ve been to even half of the hundreds of bagel places, you cant declare a best, not alone, absolute best. Just swing by the aptly named BAGELS R US in Staten Island to see the snaking lines on the weekends. You will never see it on any list because influencers and publishers dont travel to these corners of the city.

But I’m fairly confident you wont find better Mexican in Manhattan’s Chinatown, or any of our roughly 5 Chinatowns for that matter. First, its an exceptional, well deserved, one star Michelin. Second, its the only Mexican in Chinatown. When you see it on Allen street, you do a double take at your Google Maps, and then look for the business sign. Its right near Manhattan Bridge, and contrary to some claiming part of it is in Lower East Side, it’s very much inside Chinatown. The only time I’m in this corner of the city when I’m not looking for Chinese food is when I go to the excellent Michaeli Bakery.

Corima is an ambitious project, opened about a year ago by Fidel Caballero and his wife. It took less than a year to receive a Michelin Star, which is not so easy, especially for a place that’s not Japanese or French. Fidel Caballero is a Contra alum but more importantly a student of the legend three Michelin Martín Berasategui in Basque Country. Corima I believe is his first baby. Always interesting to see mega experienced chefs finally put their signatures somewhere.

Our meal in Corima was almost flawless. The only challenging aspect was deciding whether to go with the ever changing tasting menu or a la carte. After much deliberation, I opted for the latter. The two options are very different, as there’s usually only one dish in both, most likely the terrific bread. Without being overly familiar with Caballero, an ever changing tasting menu feels more of a gamble, and its somehow reflected in reviews. While some tried and true hits are only available a ala carte. But then you have people like Ryan Sutton swearing by the tasting menu

A rundown of the dishes, beginning with the question many have been asking for the past year.

Is the infamous $9 Tortilla worth it? YES!!.. and no!! Its a solid, thin sourdough flatbread, like Lavash or the Druze bread if you had it at Gazala’s on my Hell’s Kitchen tours. But since its Mexican it’s “Tortilla”. Probably made with some sort of fat. Good enough to eat on its own, but even better with the accompanied butter where they add roasted onions, mushrooms and chili to it. Not worth $9 but appropriately priced bread course for an ambitious one star Michelin where you spend roughly $120-150 pp. Supply and demand no brainer for the lone single digit item on top of the menu.

Beef Cecina Tlayuda – Superb cured beef. Like a moist beef carpaccio. More of a sum of all parts situation with the crunchy tortilla, Edamame Guac, and a sprinkle of Chapulines (Grasshoppers) so you dont forget where you are. Decent size for a small dish.

Tetela (top) – Replacing the fried Quesadilla on the menu is this fried masa based triangle with flavors reminiscent of a Pupusa. It’s stuffed with Maitake, Quesillo (Oaxacan cheese) and winter greens, and topped with thin truffle puree that looks like too much but once you have it, not enough. The only flaw was that the greens were not evenly spread out. Get this!

Monkfish – As good as the smaller plates were, the bigger were even better. Perfectly cooked firm monkfish, topped with paper thin potatoes, and a foamy seafood bisque. Just wished the fish was a little warmer.

Duck Enmoladas – More Excellence. Like duck enchilada topped with Black Garlic Mole and Cotija cheese foam. All kinds of beautiful flavors and textures with the beautiful duck reigning supreme. A spoonful of pure bliss.

Desserts didnt quite continue the momentum. Took a major step back in fact. When you feel nothing can go wrong and you order two instead of the usual one. Chocoflan with truffles with real truffles, not chocolate truffles was the main offender. Truffles dont belong in desserts, full stop. Give me one of those Mexican flans with caramel any day. The Funnel cake with roasted pears and pistachio was more like it, but considering the place, still quite basic.

The drinks were fine. Out of the 4, one clear winner, the Tequilla based Sinaloa Sling that she had. The rest not super balanced but fine. Still, this was a very enjoyable meal, helped in part by Ivan, one of those super waiters you just want to talk to and know better. The entire staff was in fact great. According to the wife who had a better look at the action, half of the staff featured “Porn Mustaches”. After 32 years I’m still learning new things about her.

Corima
3 Allen St (Chinatown)
Recommended Dishes: Tortilla, Beef Cecina Tlayuda, Tetela, Monkfish, Duck Enmoladas

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Hibernia {Anguilla} – End of an Era

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Ziggy

All good things come to an end. Eventually! My favorite, precious, perfectly fit sneakers have holes in the front approaching toe size. I made a deal not to wear them while I’m with her, or in close proximity to other humans. I only wear them on my daily walks, but their end is near. Honestly, considering she randomly throws away anything remotely old, I’m surprised I still have them. Heck, I’m surprised I’m still around.

Hibernia fits my taste like those sneakers. Except that it didnt have any holes in it at all. In fact it always felt fresh, and even trendy, after 38 years. One of my favorite restaurants in the world had the total package. Outstanding, creative cuisine in a mythical setting. They perfected the South East Asian / French mashup before it even became a thing in Paris.

Last month, owners Mary Pat and Raoul announced they will finally retire and close the restaurant in May after 38 years. While disappointing, it’s totally understandable. This is not the kind of place you can easily hand to someone else. But for us, this is a huge blow as we are essentially left with half a Jacala (since the first half of the name Jacques retired). While there’s no shortage of all kinds of great dining on Anguilla, these are our two favorites by a wide margin.

I dont usually write such posts. Who wants to know about a place that’s closing, in the Caribbean no less. But this is different. Long time readers, especially the Anguilla fans here, saw how Hibernia become an EWZ darling over the years. And in the small chance that any of you are still planning your spring vacation, this is your last chance to experience one heck of a dining experience.

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Au Cheval’s Best Item is Not the Burger

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Ziggy

It happens about once a quarter in Ziggy’s household. The announcement that she’s in the mood for a burger. The world stops. I have to pause the Hockey game, oil change, or whatever I’m doing, and start planning something immediately. In a smaller town, this would be an easy task. In NYC, its a project. You just know that she’s not talking about Five Guys. The last time I took her to a fast food joint is actually the last time.

I can probably come up with a list of 50 solid choices, but the usual suspects that come to mind are Red Hook Tavern, Au Cheval, and the Korean/American Nowon. Since we’ve been to the first during the previous urge, and reservations at Nowon are hard to get these days, its Au Cheval to the rescue. Although scoring a table here wasnt a picnic either, and it even costs money (about $2 pp). Happy wife, happy Ziggy.

The best thing I can say about a meal at Au Cheval is that the burger was not the best thing we ate. As good as the burger was, there was one item that we continued to talk about the next day. Maybe I should’nt just say it, but instead provide a series of links where you’ll have to navigate through a bunch of pages featuring a rundown of the dishes, erectile dysfunction ads, and one of those “are you a robot” to make sure everything is running smoothly. Or maybe just stick to this format

That item is the Mac & Cheese. Apologies if you expected something fancier like the Steak Frites or Branzino. The steak is indeed of good quality and perfectly cooked. But this was some of the most addictive Mac & Cheese we ever had. It featured bits of their famous bacon because clearly the thick slabs on your burger are not enough. And enough quality black pepper to make Cacio e Pepe fans drool. Its like the perfect Mac & Cheese and Cacio e Pepe lovechild. Worth coming here just for this.

I already covered the burger here. Its not a case of elevated dry-aged meat, but more of a sum of all parts. Its a solid oversized American cheeseburger. And adding the bacon and egg is icing on the cake, albeit very heavy for shrinking stomachs (the over 50). Once you factor the burger, Mac & Cheese, a riff on General T’so’s, and the rest of the menu, you essentially got American on steroids.

Another highlight at Au Cheval is the beer menu. A good combination of International, domestic, local and very local. The Other Half hazy Session was outstanding as pretty much any Other Half I ever had. Go!

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Au Cheval
33 Cortlandt Alley (Tribeca)
Recommended Dishes: Burger, Mac & Cheese, Steak Frites

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Marine Room {TCI} – A Good Place to Eat

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Ziggy

I’m suffering through a writers title block of the worst kind. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to come with this half joke. One of the options I was considering was “A Diamond in the Rough”, but I quickly remembered that about a year ago I found out that it doesnt mean what I always thought it meant. I’ve been living a lie my entire life. Like the moment you find out that a tablespoon equals three teaspoons. I always thought it was just a slightly bigger spoon.

The title is essentially half giving up, and half inspired by the title of my favorite restaurant in Florence, Italy (so people dont get confused with food mecca Florence, South Carolina), Da Ruggero. When we first visited Da Ruggero 12 years ago, I vividly remember the Seattle Times article hanging on the wall with the title “Da Ruggero – A good place to eat”. A simple, humble title is the epitome of the simple Italian Trattoria.

In Turks and Caicos, a good place to eat takes on a different meaning. It includes a bit more flair to entertain the tourists. There’s pretty much nothing to do at night on the island but eat and drink. Why do people opt for hotels with big pools? They need to be big enough to circle at night multiple times. Aka, The Turks and Caicos Passeggiata.

Marine Room is a rare, new find (my old definition of Diamond in the Rough). There’s a reason why I keep recommending the same two places in Provo, Caicos Cafe and Le Bouchon. Around 20 reasons. Vast majority of new places simply dont impress enough. Prices have gone through the roof in Provo, so it’s increasingly hard to find a ‘total package’ kind of place. That includes places that excel in things I cant easily get at home, namely seafood. If your top dishes are Braised Short Rib and creamy Gnocchi (looking at you Almond Tree), I wont be in a hurry to return as a visitor, but I might visit more often as a local.

Marine Room opened by the couple that owns Lemon To Go, and formerly Lemon about a year ago. So far it seems like the total package. Beautifully designed space outside and in. A full, seemingly capable staff including an experienced head chef that created a playful but very solid menu. You wont find Ribeye Cap outside of few select steakhouses in large US cities. And Some truly impressive cocktails and cocktail menu. I rarely take a picture of the cocktail menu, but took one here.

We started with a superb Lobster Thermidor Tart. Lobster mixed with cheese and bisque on top of puff pastry. It’s like Dennis the chef and Carmen from Bay Bistro went to the same culinary school (She serves a similar but different Shrimp dish). The Tuna Tartare with Avocado was a revelation. The second best compliment I can give to Tuna Tartare with Avocado (first being the flavor and execution) is that there’s very little avocado. Probably my favorite dish of the night.

This is is one of the situations where the mains were slightly less successful, but only because the apps were that good. The expertly cooked Cod with lentils was just what you’d expect from a place like this. Maybe slightly overcooked fish but super flaky and enjoyable nonetheless. The black beluga lentils especially elevated the dish.

Had to order the signature Sideways Lasagna, or the “Tall and skinny Lasagna that fell on the way to the table”, depending on how you look at it. It’s just a very good Lasagna. Not particularly unique or distinct tasting, although outside of Italy its an impossible task. Being surrounded by “Mine is better” murmurs didnt help. But think about what you need to go through to make something like this at home. I still recommend, and would even order again.

The Key Lime Pie was a fine finisher. The rest of the menu is a nice blend of Italian, seafood, and the steakhouse variety. One of those rare menus where I want to try every single item. More data is needed, and I obviously cant speak for consistency. But for now, a solid, rare addition to the list of recommended dinners. Go!

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Rynn – Crafty, Undiscovered Thai in EV

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Ziggy

The last time I took a picture of an empty room, the place closed within a year. In a city of over 30k restaurants, good, even great places closing, is a daily phenomenon. But you only hear about the famous ones. One year old Rynn feels different. Besides the fact that its relatively undiscovered, its located in a sleepy area (for NYC) during the day. An early weekday lunch offers the best chance to experience a private lunch. Every blogger’s wet dream.

Thai food in NYC is having a moment. It’s not just Hell’s Kitchen and Queens anymore. Good ones are popping everywhere, even in Staten Island where I live. We went from zero to 3-5 solid choices in the last few years. But the best area to see this Thai renaissance might be North Brooklyn. Court street feels like the new 9th ave, and Smith street is not far behind. I recently covered one of the notables there.

Rynn is an ambitious project, opened by five women in East Village. Some sites like Eater claim five, while other sites, three. Not that it matters much, but there’s not a whole lot of info about the owners and where they worked in the past. Though everything points to very capable and experienced hands in all aspects of hospitality. When I hear of five owners coming from various Japanese and Thai establishments, my first thought is that every person may bring a unique perspective. My second thought is how the heck do they make any money.

Rynn, like Rua and many others are part of the new wave of ‘complete Thais’. You can pop in for a quick lunch, bring a date for dinner, or even your in-laws (not mine, yours). You can enjoy something familiar like Pad Thai or something more unique like their signature Strawberry salad. Instagrammable decor – check! Drinks – check and then some. This is one of the most creative cocktail menus I’ve seen in a Thai place. Even the menu itself is creative. Only issue is that creativity and ingredients here aint cheap.

Starting a meal with the best dish has its pros and cons. Tum Strawberry is as good as advertised. A refreshing mix of strawberries, grape tomatoes and gooseberries doing their best cherry tomato impersonation. It’s spicy, vinegary, and leaves a very pleasant tang. Reminiscent of a dish at the great Kann in Portland, OR.

A slightly less successful potential signature is La Tiang – Sautéed shrimp and pork wrapped with egg nests. Its more of a feast for the eyes than palate, but I’d still order it. Rynn understandably is very proud of the Robert Sietsema (Eater) coverage and they show it throughout the menu. While I’m not always in agreement with Sietsema, I’ve always admired his coverage of the little guys.

Like Butter Chicken or Tikka Masala at Indian joints, Kee Mao is my kryptonite, my weakness. Here it is one of those situations where it looks rather sad, but tastes rather great. Remember the “tastes great, less filling” beer commercials? It comes only as a seafood option as it should be. The calamari can be a little less chewy but the shrimp more than makes up for it, and the chili notes and overall flavor is spot on.

Another solid dish is Nua Yang Jaew – Grilled, thin Ribeye North Eastern Style. That means nicely marinated, fatty in all the right places Ribeye, accompanied by a complimentary fish/chili dipping sauce. You always hesitate to put anything on quality meat, but make this an exception. Not terribly expensive at $28 but it doesn’t come with anything else.

Mango with Homemade Butterfly Pea Sticky Rice is another Thai dish I cant pass on, but almost always disappointed. This was a good version, but I wasn’t quite satisfied with the sweetness. The Mango really took charge, more than I prefer. Pure Thai Cookhouse ruined it for me. But I’d still get this. Mango is of course seasonal, and its the beginning of season now. They even have a drink called “Not Mango Season”.

Rynn is one of those places I dont just want to come back and try the rest of the menu. I want to do it ASAP, like, today. But it’s just so damn cold. Go!

RYNN Thai Restaurant & Bar
309 E 5th St (East Village)
Recommended Dishes: Tum Strawberry, La Tiang, Kee Mao, Nua Yang Jaew, Mango with Sticky Rice

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Mtskheta Cafe – Eating Well, Spelling Pourly

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Ziggy

Mtskheta, although officially my favorite Georgian in NYC, I still need to Google the name every time I write it. I suspect by the time I finish this post it may change, but this could be just another name on a long list of many that I cant remember how to spell. I stayed at Rendezvous Bay Hotel twice and I still doubt myself. How many T’s are in Werkstatt. I’ve only been there 12 times. As long as I dont confuse my kids name, I’m golden. Oh wait, I do that too. I recently started playing Mahjong on the phone to improve my memory, and even that I had to Google just now.

Mtskheta is named after a city just north of the capital, Tbilisi. If you just replace the “kh” with a throat clearing “ch” sound, its easier to pronounce. Coincidentally, or not, Mtskheta Cafe is just north of US’s Russian capital, Brighton Beach. I mentioned Mtskheta Cafe on other sites like Hungry Onion, but never here. Honestly, the percentage of readers that could manage a meal at this location isnt very high, but I do have some Brooklynites reading the posts.

This is as old school as it gets. They dont have a website for me to link. To reserve a table I have to call. Wines are under $30 a bottle. And the clientele is as local as it gets. When I said to the waiter to say hello to a friend who frequents the place, he said, “which Levani, we have three Levanis that come here”. In all my visits to Mtskheta, our table was the only one not speaking Georgian. I do know some words, but a Georgian restaurant would be the last place in the city, I would practice them.

I think the only thing missing in Mtskheta is a Salt Bae style sprinkling of pomegranate table side. Pomegranate and walnuts are two Georgian staples as you can see here. On this night we had Spinach with walnuts, eggplant with walnuts, walnuts with walnuts, Georgian Salad with walnuts. Needless to say our group of 8, under my command, covered much of the menu, including many Georgian classics.

From the earlier dishes, the only one I’d probably not order again is the spinach. Though I’m pretty sure I said the same thing last time. Its that memory thing again. The dish is fine, just a tad too dense, not creamy enough. Unlike something like the cheesy Khachapuri, always a crowd pleaser. The eggplant remains an absolute must. And the Mchadi (cornbread) with cheese, doing its best Arepa impersonation also moved itself to the must category.

But the one dish that separates Mtskheta from other Georgians in the city is Djurdjari. Either that or Mtskheta is the only one spelling it that way. Either way, I havent seen anything like it on any other menu. Liver, intestines and other meat parts cooked with cumin and other spices. Its a glorious mix of flavors and textures, but not for everyone.

Kupati, the famous fat Georgian sausage is always outstanding. Potatoes with mushrooms, more of a Russian staple, is fairly basic, but a no brainer order with a large group. Same with Ostri, a comforting beef stew with nicely spiced tomato sauce. Fried chicken cooked with garlic sauce is the Georgian answer to Gambas al Ajillo. And the Chicken Kebab here is as tender and juicy as it gets.

For dessert its not a matter of what to pick, but how many Napoleons. While I personally prefer the moist, mushier style, my group even ordered more of this one. Add some cheap Georgian wine, and the feeling of eating in an extended living room is complete. Cant recommend Mtskheta enough.

Mtskheta Cafe
2568 86th St (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Djurdjari, Mchadi, Khachapuri, Eggplant with walnuts, Kupati, chicken with garlic sauce, Ostri, Chicken Kebab, Napoleon

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Provo – Food for Thought 2025

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Ziggy

Another great Turks and Caicos trip in the books. We sort of settled between alternating between Anguilla and TCI these days. TCI is my home away from home, my partner if you will, while Anguilla feels like the mistress. I’m starting to think this is the closest I will ever get to a mistress. A bit shorter than usual (the trip, not the mistress), but this was some of the best eating in roughly 25 trips. Over the years, new places have been hit or miss to put it mildly. But this time we encountered new places that dished out some fairly impressive stuff. Only problem, not small, it all comes at a small fortune these days. Meals under $200-250 for two are becoming a rarity in Provo.

The Farm

An unplanned breakfast, lunch and dinner at the newest addition to Seven Stars. A striking, comfortable, bright and airy place with a very capable kitchen at the hands of island veteran Edwin Gallardo. Terrific short rib sandwich and a salad with the kind of dressing that almost made Mrs Z pull a Meg Ryan. Serviceable breakfast (SS guests get a $25 credit) other than the surprisingly stale sourdough.

The best part was Indian Sundays which happened to be during the Super Bowl in our case. I wasnt expecting much from a theme night, but this was as solid as I ever had in the Caribbean. The Butter Chicken alone is worth the “price of admission”. It has more of a peppery, “Chettinad” like flavor profile and is simply outstanding. The shrimp fry and carrot cake not too shabby either.

Omar’s Beach Hut

Beach shacks or huts is one area Anguilla got the edge, while Provo’s shacks are closer to regular restaurants. Although, places like Omar’s and the famous Da Conch Shack are quite picturesque and worth leaving the resorts for. Omar’s has arguably the best Oxtail dish on the island, but pretty much everything I’ve had here from fish tacos (top) to conch fritters have been solid. Omar is sort of an island legend and the local following reflects that.

Le Bouchon

A must on every single visit. We’ve been enjoying Le Bouchon cooking before Le Bouchon was even born (when the chef owned Caicos Cafe). We found Pierrik Marziou’s legacy even in Paris. Last time we stayed in the 11th arr., walking distance to a place called Justine formerly owned by Pierrik and named after his daughter who owns a shop right near Caicos Cafe. “Its… a small world after all” Everybody…

Another stellar meal. Killer Escargot as usual. Perfectly tender octopus sitting on a nice and crunchy salad. Love salads with texture. And I can’t think of another signature dish on the island that’s more renowned than the Steak au Poivre. It’s the sum of all parts dish including the fries, au gratin and veggies. Highly recommend Le Bouchon, for like the 25th time.

Hemingways

Nothing to see here. A traditional lunch since the first trip where we stayed at the Sands (before Seven Stars was built) on one of the best oceanside decks on the stretch. Over the years we settled on fish and chips and fish tacos, no matter how many times we examined the menu. Yes, its Swai, but who cares if you rarely eat it. Swai can be delicious when prepared right and is flakier than most Snappers out there.

Bay Bistro

The new and improved* Bay Bistro 2.0 is off to a promising start with an asterisk attached. Carmen Norocea (formerly with Magnolia) is leading the new team, and she completely revamped the menu. While the food was mostly great, the overall experience was somewhat lacking. Not much of a break between courses and we were done eating in under an hour. Not much of an ambiance or personal touch from the staff. Normally I’d be fine wit that. But like Indigo, Omar’s and other new places its nice to meet the people that can introduce you to the concept and/or menu. Carmen was not there, and the active manager was mostly entertaining one guest.

The food was indeed mostly good, but not perfect. The clear miss was an overcharred, dry and uneventful lobster that relied on melted butter more than I normally like. Surprising considering lobster was historically the one sure thing at BB. The rest was great. Tiger Shrimp tartelette wasn’t much of a tartelette, but sitting on top of one. Quite excellent mostly due to the smart shrimp seasoning.

Tuna Tataki was very interesting. Something you may find at a finer joint with the flavors to match. The one dish I’d come for were the Jerk lamb chops. Superb, even with the uneven cooking. The dessert of banana and toffee in a jar needed some adjustments like a more accessible, not frozen at the bottom, Graham cracker crust, and more cream.

Lua at the South Bank Resort

I love trying new places but this is one pricy lunch at a resort I probably should have skipped. I was curious about the resort itself and I was advised to go by a trusted local. But at the end of the day, this is just another restaurant at a pricy resort where you get good service with hit or miss dishes. In our case it was a fine Caesars salad, a refreshing creamy feta with hot honey. But a basic, slightly oversalted $40 Snapper filet on top of Caponata was a pricy miss. Caponata was a nice touch, but the dish was desperately missing something starchy and got boring in a hurry.

Marine Room

Out of the new places we tried, this was our favorite by a mile. From the stunning decor, drinks, food and ambiance this was just about flawless. A packed house, not in a beach resort, means they are doing something right. I will save the rest to a dedicated post. Spoiler: The signature Sideways Lasagna wasnt the best dish. How will you sleep tonight? I recommend Zzzquil. Bout time I add some ads here. Zzzquil – when you are over 50, doing eye exercises at 3 am, the 20th Tiktok trick you’ve seen.

Caicos Cafe

The traditional first and last night meal. Not much has changed except that its as busy as ever. On our first night, we sat next to the entrance and witnessed the amount of people being turned away. Make reservations people, especially in places like Caicos Cafe and Le Bouchon which are very popular with locals. One thing I’m beginning to realize with CC, as it gets more and more popular with locals, we are more in the mercy of the local taste. Case in point, the famous grilled calamari is now fried.

But there’s no shortage of hits. On our first night we discovered a well crafted Duck Foie Gras terrine. The Gnocchi is still the same fresh pillowy goodness. The conch chowder is as good as ever, and the Lobster fra diavolo is still a crowd pleaser. Pay attention to the specials. They may include a fresh Wahoo perfectly cooked on top of an addictive Amalfi style veggie stew. Or a beautiful chewy Strozzapreti with bits of octopus, beans, olives, tomatoes and more. Strozzapreti of course was created when someone saw a priest being slowly strangled. On our second night we came with local friends, so we were able to sample all the specials.

And talking of special, a special shutout to the lovely couple we met on our first night who are avid readers of the blog. Pleasure was all mine, obviously 🙂

Chinson’s

Avid readers, both of them, know I’m a big fan of Chinson’s. A trip feels incomplete without at least one visit for lunch. Not only great food, but the prices are more than fair as opposed to much of the island these days. Great Jerk as usual, and the Goat Curry is still the GOAT.

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Kalaya {Philly} – Pilgrimage Worthy

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Ziggy

The last season of Chef’s Table was both exciting and upsetting. At least they ended with the upsetting part allowing us to enjoy the show until that point. The last episode was about a restaurant in Mexico City that proudly shows sensitive political stances on the menu. Not sure I would like to live in a world where every restaurant or business I support shows where they stand on certain issues, some of which may be sensitive to some groups. We go out to be entertained, not preached. We have CNN and FOX News for that.

Compared to the last episode, the Kalaya episode was wildly refreshing. Not only for the great looking food but the owner’s bubbly personality, and her story. I immediately went to Google Maps to mark it only to find out its already marked. Why havent I visited until now? I ran out of daughters (that might go to school there), and my love affair with the Philly Cheesesteak never really changed. I was so enamored with one particular handsome beast (John’s Roast Pork) that it took me ages to even try another.

Kalaya not too long ago moved to the up and coming Fishtown. A fitting name for a new culinary powerhouse, especially if you stretch the border a little to include places like Laser Wolf. The place has the look and feel of a sprawling well oiled machine that’s quite far from your typical Thai. Great food, ample lighting, efficient service, and strong drinks. What else a boy can ask for. Dumplings shaped like birds?

The dumplings at Kalaya are the exception to the rule. Get them for the look, and hopefully you’ll enjoy the taste. The signature bird shaped dumplings with caramelized cod and preserved radish had a mild interesting funk but didnt exactly blow me away. The flower shaped chicken dumplings had a more agreeable flavor and texture. But the biggest surprise was how tiny they were. You could easily kill two birds with one bite.

While I didnt really explore the Appetizers column, I get the sense that Kalaya’s strength is with large entrees. A perfectly steamed whole Branzino topped with all sorts of delicate goodies was pure joy with every morsel. A fall off the bone Lamb Shank on an outrageous, well balanced Massaman curry, with potatoes, onions and almonds was fall off the chair wowzer. One we couldnt finish. The silky Cabbage side was another winner.

Rarely you see great looking desserts at Thai places. The mammoth shaved ice is a show stopper, but our shrinking stomachs went for the more than fine Thai Tea Tiramisu. I also rarely talk about drinks here because they are either not memorable or something I can do at home. The Lum Yong drink was neither. An unforgettable blend of Gins, Coconut, Lemongrass, lime and spices. Go!

Kalaya
4 W Palmer St, Philadelphia
Recommended Dishes: Both Dumplings, Lamb Shank Massaman, Branzino, Cabbage, Tiramisu

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Fiaschetteria Pistoia – Under the Village Sun

Posted on January 31, 2025 by Ziggy

Just your friendly reminder that Fiaschetteria Pistoia is still awesome. You dont survive this long off Ave C without doing something right. And that something is the closest NYC has to a Tuscan Trattoria. When the owners of Pistoia opened this location in early 2017, they knew how to cook one thing, really well. The cuisine of Pistoia. That’s where they lived and owned a restaurant, just outside of Florence. That means Tuscan classics like the bready Pappa Al Pomodoro, Crostini with liver, Pici Cacio e pepe, and other fresh pastas.

Speaking of which (fresh pastas), when I walk inside Pistoia with a group, I know exactly where I want to sit. Facing the pasta making station. Sort of homefield advantage since I’m usually the only one who knows exactly where it is. I can think of very few places, Ulivo one, that offers a selection of high quality fresh pastas in all shapes and sizes. In fact, other than the occasional special, they only offer one Secondi, Veal Scaloppine, which is safe to skip.

Concentrate on the things Pistoia does well, some of which is best in the business variety. My “recommended dishes” here is one of the longest in the EWZ universe. Start with the exceptional Prosciutto San Daniele, or “proshoot” if you are dining with a Brooklynite. The Sformatino is another must. Wonderfully creamy Zucchini flan. Adding the classic Crostini Toscani to recommended list.

Too many great pastas on the menu, so best to bring friends, in-laws, etc. I hosted a wild party there once. By wild I mean some ordered two drinks and there was very minimal weather talk. The Tagliatelle al Tartufo is a new discovery. As expected for $34, its mostly truffle sauce base, but its incredibly satisfying. Another new one is Gnocchi with Spare Rib Ragu. Although the small Gnocchi could have been firmer, the familia had no complaints and I’d order it again.

In Tuscany, Cacio e Pepe is done with the thicker and chewier Pici, and after all these years, Pistoia seemed to perfect their version. In other places it may not be peppery enough, too creamy, or not creamy enough. Same goes for their Tiramisu. I crave it after an Italian meal as such, and it so often disappoints. The Panna Cotta, this time with a berry sauce is another winner. Go!

Original Post

Fiaschetteria Pistoia
647 E 11th (Off C), East Village
Recommended Dishes: Prosciutto San Daniele, Sformatino, Pappa al Pomodoro, Crostini Toscani, Spaghetti, Pappardelle, Maccheroni, Picci Cacio e peppe, Gnocchi, Tagliatelle al Tartufo, Tiramisu, Panna Cotta

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Z-List Update – January 2025

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Ziggy

Ladies and gents. The moment none of you have been waiting for. The beginning / end of the year biannual update to the Z-List, my favorite 30 restaurants in NYC. Congratulations to the winners.

In:

Cotra
Balaboosta
Chuan Tian Xia

Out:

Dell’anima (GWM its home, closed)
Minetta Tavern (havent been since the pandemic and frankly lost interest
FOB (closed)

The List

Categories: New York City | Tags: , | Leave a comment

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