Eating With Ziggy

NYC – Top 10 Dishes of 2014

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Ziggy

Bowery Steak at Bowery Meat Company. Normally in the food blogging universe, when a steak is compared to a Hockey puck, its usually in order to describe a poorly cooked piece of meat. But in this case, its the odd looking Hockey puck shaped perfection sitting on top of creamy whipped potato puree, and topped with a little bit of Chimichurri. One little touch of that thing with your fork or a prolong stare breaks the spiral roll of ribeye cap, aka the more flavorful part of the ribeye. A most noble cut, generated by none other than the legendary Pat LaFrieda of course. Don’t believe me? Ask fellow meat lover Justin Bieber who was spotted there a day after yours truly and his family. “Way to go dad, always picking the wrong days”

Oxtail Soup at Pam Real Thai – I’m starting to believe this soup has special healing powers. Whether you are suffering from Flu like symptoms, Depression, Frontal Baldness, Cholera, try the soup and see a doctor. Best to have the soup solo, as it will clear up both your nostrils and allow free grazing of the two giant oxtail bones in a way that should leave no witnesses. Its spicy, complex, addictive and just about my favorite soup in NYC at the moment. Which really means America!

Patate Alla Carbonara at Marta – The White pizza section to me is like the pet isle in the supermarket. I only get there by accident or under some form of influence. My wife found me there once and though I was having an affair. These days the only way for me to cheat on the reds is with this Bianca, featuring Guanciale, Pecorino and egg “juice” poured ever so slowly all over the pie. It took a few initial incarnations (started as “Gricia” with an egg in the middle) until this thing was perfected by Nick Anderer who perfected so many things at Maialino. Its Roman style pizza which means Matsoh like cracker thin (especially at the edges), but it holds its own nicely throughout so knife needed.

Lobster Roll at The Grand Banks. This place rocked! Literally! In fact we almost left upon entering this Schooner (a ship for the German readers) parked on Pier 25 in the warmer months. But the food obsessed that we are, we braved it out and stayed for the main event. A Maine style Lobster Roll (cold) using the meatiest and clawiest parts of the lobster, with tarragon mayonnaise and cucumbers which isnt very “Mainely” I know, but serve as barriers between meat and bun. Very often lobster rolls lose its luster due to a soggy bun, but here the cucumbers keep it fresh and dont deter from the taste. The roll which comes with well seasoned potato chips (no frier on board) is not exactly a value play at $25, but you gotta pay up for the good stuff mon. Especially on the island I call Manhattan

BBQ Squid at Annisa – Stunner! Actually the first word that comes to mind is “gorgeous” but its hard even for the feminine inner Ziggy to say the G word these days. When was the last time you heard a straight man say something is gorgeous. And adding the F word just makes it sound awkward. But this dish is not only attractive to look at, but got the flavors to match. Marinaded, perfectly grilled Squid with fried tentacles, mint, and fresh peanuts boiled to match the texture of the tender Edameme. Add Hoisin sauce for some sweetness and tanginess and the formula is complete. I hope it never leaves the menu. Anita Lo are you reading?

Carrot Wellington at Narcissa – A rarity. A meal where the veggie dishes outperform the meats and fish. Even the beet dish here made me question everything I knew about beets and seek Borscht the next day. I never seek Borscht. The carrots are cured, roasted and simply shine in those puff pastries. They are tender and rich enough that you wont miss the meat. And the accompanied veggies especially the earthy Bluefoot mushrooms complimented nicely. Along with Piora’s carrots, perhaps the carrot dish to beat. If you are having commitment issues, you can always share it as a middle course.

Strozzapreti Con Aragosta at Lincoln (Top). Orange is the new crack! Possibly the most ingenious pasta dish I ever had. First of all its looks ~~gorgeous~~ sensational, and you smell the sea as soon as it arrives. Smell it! Its an important aspect of any meal. The Strozzapreti (invented I suppose when someone envisioned a pasta shape while witnessing a priest being slowly strangled) is made with lobster coral, the female egg sac, to bring that bright sexy orange prison look. Sweet lobster chunks are added to the mix along with Tarragon and a delicate citrusy sauce. But the best part and what puts this thing over the top was the shockingly flavorful lobster and scallop “sausage” bits which had the texture of chicken skin nut tasted nothing like it. As of this writing the dish is not on the menu, so write to your local congressman

Scrambled Eggs at Gato. I’m quite the sucker for nicely executed egg dishes, and this one topped a year filled with good ones (Casa Mono comes to mind). Almond Romesco (spanish red pepper sauce), Boucheron cheese, and fluffiness levels that I’ve yet to produce no matter how hard I try. I Google the heck out of how to make my scrambled eggs this fluffy, and it looks like Boucheron may be the answer. Bobby Flay got something nice going there, but dont tell him that, or mention this pick. We dont want success to get to his head.

Zabzi Tagine at Bar Bolonat – I attacked this mini Tagine on more than one occasion in 2014. But I confess that the first time, closer to the Bar Bolonat debut was the best rendition. Homemade couscous, aromatic fresh herbs, and short rib or beef cheek (it changes from time to time) so tender and flavor packed, even the Goyim foodies can appreciate this modern Israeli delight. Get this, the kibbeh, Creme Brulee, and any of the other “Best of 2014” dishes circulating the web. Einat Admony got herself another winner.

Fried Chicken at Root and Bone – Last year it was the Ma Peche Habanero, this year its R&B singing the chicken song. Choon! The bird is brined in sweet tea, onions and garlic for 24 hours, and finished with a dusting of dehydrated lemon powder to add that nice zesty tone. Perfectly crisped skin, and juiciness levels I havent seen since college. Great dish and a great menu that features all sorts of goodies like Sticky Toffee Pudding with whiskey sauce and beer flavored ice cream.

Special Mentions:

Burger at the NoMad Bar
Marinated Pork at Somtum Der
Falafel plate at Zizi Limona
Agnolotti at All’onda
Chicken Burrito at Missions Cantina
Beer Braised Pork Tongue Tacos at Empellon Taqueria
Octopus at Marea
Kimchi Fried Rice at Louro
Tofu at Dunji
Samsa at Nargis Cafe
Elk Chops at Henry’s End
Carrots at Piora
Green Curry Ramen at Bassanova
Dirty rice at Ivan Ramen
Cha Ca La Vong at Pok Pok Brooklyn
Oxtail and Bone Marrow Fried Rice at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill

Categories: East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Upper West Side, West Village | Tags: Annisa, Bar Bolonat, Best NYC Dishes of 2014, Bowery Meat Company, food, Gato, Grand Banks, Lincoln Ristorante, Marta, Narcissa, Pam Real Thai, restaurants, Root and Bone, Travel | 3 Comments

Meal of the Year 2014 – Il Centro in Priocca

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Ziggy

A more recent visit

Top NYC dishes of 2014 are coming up next, but first I have to tell you all about the meal of the year and quite possibly the best meal we ever had.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about… Its well past 3 pm and we’ve been seating there for three hours, alone now in the back room. We are starting to feel a bit agitated that we havent received our bill, and we still have yet to get a tour of the magnificent cellar. Mrs Ziggy is now playing Candy Crush!! When Mrs Ziggy starts to play Candy Crush on her phone it means things are not going very well, unless she finally beats that crazy difficult level that makes her forget sometimes she has children. This kind of inconvenience would normally put a big damper on roughly 99% of our meals, but not even a dent in this one. 30 minutes before Candy Crush I was telling young Giampiero (the son) about how much fun we were having and that we did not mind sitting there for such a long time (we really didnt at the time). He either took my comment a bit too seriously or more likely rightfully shifted his attention to other patrons. That same attention we were so greatly enjoying the previous 3 hours.

I hope any of the Corderos reading this will only see the previous paragraph as the compliment it was intended and nothing more. Over 10 courses of absolute delight, with each dish and each item on each plate showing brilliance we have yet to witness anywhere. I vividly remember the lone caramelized fig sitting in the corner of the Veal Cheek dish, like the little shy girl that no one wants to dance with. That unassuming little thing carried surprising intense flavors, wow moment #8 or so. The same kind of attention to detail and top notch raw materials followed throughout without any hiccups whatsoever. A rare (for us) perfect blend of Slow Food and Michelin (1 star). We are very fortunate to visit places that lean one way or another, but very rarely, perhaps never, we’ve witness this kind of marriage

The room was well lit and simplistic. Not a whole lot decor wise. An American couple somehow stole our reservations but they still managed to accommodate us and seat us directly facing that couple. So we were able to give them the stink eye! The best way to experience Il Centro fully is for one to go for the tasting menu while the other A la carte. The tasting menu is basically 3 starters, and one primi, secondi, dolce that you choose from the menu. On to the food…

While I had plenty of steak tartars in my life, this was my first ever Carne Cruda – a Piedmontese specialty of chopped beef, not as finely minced as tartare. Helped by a shaving of White Truffles (26 euros fixed price) this was a top dish of the trip nominee, and led the way to more Carne Crudas to come. For those brainwashed and scared of raw meat, Carne Cruda is perhaps the best way of self hypnosis.

Porcini in a Parmigiano cup was another big winner. The delicate perfectly cooked Porcini went very well with the flavors and crunch of the cheese. It was like eating Porcini for the very first time. The attractive Pepper plate stuffed with tuna a bit overshadowed by the other two but would have easily been a hit anywhere else. Faraona (Guineafowl) was simple yet quite exquisite. The best compliment I can give to any dish is that it changed the way we order in other restaurants. Like the Carne Cruda, this Faraona led to three more during the trip

Tajarin with ragu was rich and pleasant. Not as explosive as La Torre in Cherasco but still quite good. Ravioli stuffed with beef and topped with sausage and chicken liver ragu was even better. The liver especially elevated this dish to another level. Another wow moment came with the veal cheek caramelized with figs. Sweet, deep lasting flavors, and as tender as veal can get. And the aforementioned little fig in the corner was an eye opener. Codone beef (top), essentially a hazelnut loving local breed accompanied by a fragrant fruity salad was another revelation. The secret to happiness is happy cows

The best thing I can say about the hazelnut dessert trio on top of the menu is nothing, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise to those who will experience this. It’s like telling you the ending of Breaking Bad. A must get, along with the gelato

We drank a 2010 Cascina Val Del Prete Nebbiolo d’Alba, a winery based locally in Priocca. One of the best wines we drank the entire trip which was filled with great Barbarescos and Barolos

A visit to the magnificent cellar was the perfect finish to a most memorable meal. Bravissima!

Church around the corner

Categories: Italy, Piedmont | Tags: Best restaurants in Piedmont, food, Il Centro Piedmont, Il Centro Priocca, Piedmont Dining, restaurants, Travel | 2 Comments

Bowery Meat Company – A Croatian Seafood Delight

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Ziggy

Just dont call it a steakhouse. The brainchildren behind this meat project, John McDonald, Josh Capon, and Paul DiBari dont like that, and for good reason really. “Steakhouse” is stale, uncool, touristy and boring in today’s NYC. You cant hep but get the feeling that traditional steakhouses not named Peter Luger still exist for tourists and older generation New Yorkers. I cant recall the last time my friends said “hey how about bowling and steakhouse”. But my father in law does ask on occasion, only to get that painful reminder again that he cant eat raw meat. I predict that just like with the demise of Jewish Delis the steakhouse will eventually be replaced with places like Costata, Minetta Tavern and Bowery Meat Company. These are full menu, modern steakhouses with each having its little niche (eg. crudo, pasta, burgers, oysters) in addition to great steak

Even Yelp is confused, giving BMC the cafeteria “Salad, Italian, Seafood” tag. As in “Hey what do you want to eat today. Sushi, Russian, or ‘Salad Italian Seafood'”. I suppose BMC is more about “Salad, Italian, Seafood” than “Croatian” as the title suggests. But only the savvies of the foodie travelers understand the role Croatians played in the evolution of Oyster fishing, and the invention of the Charbroiled Oyster by the legendary Drago’s in New Orleans. The same Drago’s oyster was the influence behind the Charbroiled little ones at BMC, though I’m leaning toward the cheeseless version at Felix’s myself. If there’s one complaint about this “I cant believe this is not a steakhouse” meat company is the excess of cheese and in some cases salt. At some point it felt like one of those Borat “And what is this? its cheese” episodes. But yet, I would still put BMC on top of any steak seeker list today. And there was absolutely nothing wrong about the soon to be famous Steak I highlight below.

Bowery ~~Steak~~ Meat has quite a few nice pluses, starting with the pre-meal freebies that you wont get anywhere else. Rosemary Focaccia with what looked like small Finocchiona slices was gone before I could take a picture. And to top that, some schweddy balls in the form of oxtail arancini were quite good. They can easily charge for this stuff, but they dont. Others should note. Even free bread these days has been replaced by $6 fancy bagels with frozen “homemade butter”

Crispy Polenta – Mushroom and Shaved Parmesan. Nice starter. Polenta not so crispy but thats a good thing as the texture was a perfect not too soft, not too hard. Mushroom had a nice sweet tone and could have used some more earthiness or crunch.

Broiled Oysters – Garlic, Romano Cheese, Bread Crumbs, Parsley. The great aforementioned Oysters inspired by Drago’s in New Orleans. There are many folks out there like Mrs Z that will eat this over the raw stuff, so you gotta wonder.. what took you so long New Yorkers!

Short Rib Ravioli – Bacon, Rosemary Butter, Aged Balsamic. Six large ravioli. Nice meaty flavor and quite exceptional. But covering these with cheese was a slight turnoff. If I want my ravioli smothered with cheese I’d go to Staten Island. I would order this again though. Just hold the cheese.

Duck Lasagna for Two – Caciocavallo cheese, Parmesan. As with anything “For two” in NYC means “For 4” or “for a small Armenian village”. I would never order something for 2, for just 2. But we were 4. Like the ravioli this also had excellent meaty flavor, and no sauce that I recall. Soft lasagna sheets, duck and cheese worked together nicely.

Cheeseburger – Griddled Onion, Raclette, Tomato Aioli, Fries. This is an almost great burger. My suggestion: Change it to Burger. Lose the cheese! Raclette is generally quite salty, and this beautiful 40 day aged chuck, brisket, and sirloin combination should not be messing around with. The fries were so salty they were not edible. Perhaps they were gearing up for Justin Bieber who visited with his girlfriend the next day. My youngest still cant believe she went to BMC on the wrong day

Bowery Steak – Salsa Verde, Whipped Potato. A Triumph! The steak of the year, and one of the best I ever had. As soon as I touched it I knew it will be good (so many jokes with this one, but I’ll leave it alone. Its a family show). There’s no name to this 8 ounce meat perfection. The best part of the ribeye, the ribeye cap is flattened and spiral-rolled into these Hockey pucks by who else, Pat LaFrieda and cooked to perfection. Here’s your Michelin star right there.

Bowery Meat Company
9 East 1st Street
$$$$
Recommended Dishes: All of the above. But make sure to get the Bowery Steak

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best steak in NYC, Bowery Meat Company, East Village Steak, food, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Torrechiara Castle near Parma

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Ziggy

Since this is a food blog, a fitting subtitle for this post can be Locanda Mariella part II. Just in case anyone needed more convincing to schlep an hour south of Parma to the Apennine mountains. This castle, perhaps a dairy producer (Ciaolatte) and the castle of Felino can be combined with lunch at Mariella for a nice day trip. The area between the Po and the mountains surrounding Parma is in fact flooded with well preserved castles. But none of them is as intact and as remarkable as Torrechiara. The castle was built by Pier Maria Rossi, count of San Secondo, in the 15 century mainly for his mistress Bianca Pellegrini. Ok, lets pause for a second to examine this further. The count was married to Antonia Torelli, a noble woman, daughter of Count of Guastalla. He had an affair with another woman which as I understand was quite common at the time, fine. But building his mistress the greatest of all castles, and decorating each room with magnificent frescoes including that of her (Blue ceiling below)?. The dude had power! I had to ask permission to throw out the garbage this evening.

The castle is perched on a hill and offers sweeping valley views. A hill whose height I overestimated a bit as I drove way past it until we found the castle again and coincidentally one of the best kodak moments ever in Italy (top shot). It was all by design, I told Mrs Ziggy. Once inside the castle the main draw is all the various theme frescoes decorating each room. Some of the most important rooms are Camera d’Oro (golden chamber) the tribute to Bianca Pellegrini, and Salone dei Acrobati showcasing, you guessed it, naked acrobats.

Courtesy of wikipedia

Categories: Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Tags: Parma Castles, Torrechiara Castle, Travel, travel+photography | 1 Comment

Bar Bolonat – Shiksa Approved

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Ziggy

Updating a not quite oldie but goodie…

Eating With Ziggy

December 26, 2014 Update:

Took yet another shiksa to Bar Bolonat the other day and had another fun meal. Plenty of empty tables on a Friday night at 8 pm but by the time we left the place was packed. Are we eating later now like in Europe? I didn’t get the memo. Einat Admony’s pink scooter wasnt there again, and I’m yet to meet this NYC legend. Yes, to me her accomplishments here are inline with some of the famous chefs in NYC. Although there were some misses on this particular night, there were plenty of hits, some of which I added to the recommended list below.

Sunchoke Latkes – Hannukah special. Tasted much better than they looked (they looked like Latkes!). Nice falafely flavor

Delicata Squash – Good. Essentially a hefty meaty sweet squash lightly dressed with some Tahini and a few pieces of brittle adding more sweetness…

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Categories: New York City | Leave a comment

Trattoria di Via Serra {Bologna}

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Ziggy

It pains me to post only 5 pictures in this one. In a span of 10 days we had about 10 exceptional meals, including 5 meals that I can only describe as epic. Each epic meal was like a story. A story filled with interesting characters, intrigue, wine, passion, surprises, wrong turns, betrayal, tears, tears of joy and a lot of time. An epic meal requires extra time, preferably on a Sunday, and preferably as far from the center as possible. Bologna, arguably the greatest food city in Italy produced one of those on a little street behind the train station called Via Serra.

For the family sitting next to us, it was just another regular Sunday afternoon meal at one of their favorite neighborhood spots. For us however, the only tourists in the house, it was anything but. “Only tourists” unless you count our new friends from Turin who we stumbled upon again after meeting them the night before at All’Osteria Bottega, another Bologna gem. As far as I’m concerned, friendships start when someone offers me food. And as I reached for a scoop of the neighbors homemade Gnocchi with pumpkin cream sauce, much to the horror of the other family, I thought to myself, that could have been dish #6. I had room, damn it.

Via Serra is as “Slow Food” as it gets. The duo of Flavio and Tommaso have sort of a history together that reached peak levels with a successful spot down in the mountains, Osteria del Sole in Zocca. Tommaso, like so many other Slow Food cooks (they don’t like to be called chefs I learned over the years), has no formal culinary training. He was working in a dairy equipment manufacturer before he decided to change careers and showcase what he learned from dad. In fact right after our lunch they closed for a week to visit their families and the various producers in their respected areas. “Continued Education” as we call it in the states. Tommy traveled to Campobasso to scout butchers for a traditional Sunday Molise ragu (liver sausage, cotechino, sausage, ribs and minced shoulder in a tomatoes sauce). We came on the wrong Sunday it seems, but very far from a bad one

During this trip we drank all sorts of great wine, some more memorable than others. But none had the same affect as the house red here. Perhaps the best house red we ever had. On the board it just says “Rosso Bologna”, a 60% Barbera, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Flavio explained that its a local producer, completely organic called Maria Bortolotti. The aromas that came out of this one are those that you smell when you go to sleep the same night. Or is it just me and I should probably talk to a food/wine psychiatrist about that. Robustness in a very good way (unlike the Barbaresco at the Commune in Neive). Quite full bodied, nicely balanced with big tannins for a house wine.

Here you need to pay attention to the daily specials. We started with a fantastic Pate di Fegatini. Sweet, creamy, buttery goodness. Pate freak Mrs Ziggy was in liver heaven. Piada was a lot of fun. Not quite as thin as a traditional Piadina and without much of the lard but quite delicious. Its served with prosciutto and fresh soft Squacquerone cheese from the nearby Castel San Pietro. A fun traditional snack normally associated with the Romagna towns to the east.

The Primis we picked from the regular menu. Traditional Tagliatelle with ragu – it never ceases to amaze me how much flavor they exude from so little meat. Six fat Tortelloni with butter and sage, of the explosive, sinfully good kind. Outstanding Faraona arrosto, filled with stuffing made of bread, egg, cheese, and more Faraona. Best Faraona (guinea fowl) of the trip, but also quite different. Mrs Z is a little more fond of the Faraona overall, but I’m game! (Get it? I’m game!). Coffee gelato and homemade Nocioni was the perfect finish to one of those meals.

Via Serra is on Via Serra, 5-10 minutes past the train station. From the outside it looks like one of those hip London spots, because it was sort of was. It used to belong to the hotel next door that opened a posh spot that didn’t quite fit the neighborhood very well. Inside however, Via Serra couldn’t be more different than the previous tenant, starting with the philosophy. Those guys pay zero attention to how your plate looks and around 100% to the ingredients that goes on it. And Flavio in true Slow Food style will talk about those ingredients like new parents talk about their babies. Except in this case you pay attention, and enjoy.

Categories: Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Tags: Best Restaurants in Bologna, Bologna, Bologna slow Food, food, restaurants, Trattoria di Via Serra Bologna, Travel | Leave a comment

Best Tacos in Manhattan

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Ziggy

A common misconception in NYC: “There’s no good Mexican food here”. “Skip tacos, concentrate on Pizza, bagels and hala”. “For Mexican you got to go south then west”. “Even the Mexican Soap Operas here suck”. Somehow 350,000 tortilla challenged Mexicans opted for the Northeast, while the rest went to Texas or California. Well, there’s no mistaken where the best Mexican food in the US is located, but that doesnt mean there are no decent options in NYC. As with any cuisine you just need to a little bit of homework, thats all. And in the past few years there appears to be a Mexican renaissance of sorts in NYC. And if you think the soap operas are bad, think again. Just like some of the taco joints I will highlight below, they are intense, colorful and will bring you to tears. Here’s one example that will no doubt change your mind. Now, lets get down to some of the best tacos the city has to offer…

Tehuitzingo – I’ve already written plenty about this gem in Hell’s Kitchen. For a while it was like one of those terrible soap operas (the other ones). Did they close? Oh no. Oh wait, they not only reopened, but they multiplied. Welcome baby Tehuitzingo on 9th and 41st. 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Thats how much Lengua they sell every hour. The original on 10th isnt the same bodega (deli) as it used to be, but the tacos are still the same no frills, no nonsense old tacos. Its all about the great tasting meats with just the right amount of condiments. Try the Al Pastor, beef tongue (Lengua), just beef, carnitas, or anything else you fancy. I havent had a bad one yet

Otto’s Tacos – One of the new kids on the block, this LA expat is gathering a lot of attention lately. Their Horchata makes every other Horchata I’ve had taste like 1% milk. I tried all the tacos here except the chicken, and shrimp (top) is my clear favorite. Coated with serrano cream sauce, with onions and cilantro, the Shrimp is perfectly seasoned and cooked just right. The rest of the lineup is not too shabby either and that includes a mushroom tacos that ~~both~~ my vegetarian readers can appreciate

Empellon Taqueria and Empellon Al Pastor – The natural progression from the labs of Alinea and WD50 is obviously tacos. Alex Stupak is perhaps the biggest player in this tacos revolution we are experiencing at the moment, with Emplellon Cucina, Empellon Taqueria, and now Empellon Al Pastor. The latter is the cheap simpler tacos with the namesake Al Pastor, shaved off the spit Shawarma style, leading the pack. Taqueria on the other hand is the fancy, polished taco option. And if I would be drafting Tacos as part of a Fantasy Taco League, the beer braised pork tongue would most be my #1 pick

Mission Cantina – The Mission District in San Francisco has some of the best Mexican food in the country. Some in fact claim that this is where the Burrito was born. So not surprisingly, James Beard winner Danny Bowien of the famed Mission Chinese Food in Mission can make a nasty Burrito, although its take-out only these days. The wings here are great as well, and all these goodies will make you wonder about the low Yelp score. Crafty shmancy tacos rule the right side of the menu, with Veggie tacos firmly in charge. But one has to try the popular masa fish taco and the lamb belly while its still around.

Los Tacos #1 – Where I come from, when you see a line, you stand on it, then you ask questions. Same rule applies to Chelsea Market where three friends from Mexico and California are trying to introduce New Yorkers and tourists to Mexican street food. Many claim that these are the best tacos in NYC, and who am I to argue. Try any of them, doesnt matter. As long as you try the Adobada. Say it with me, A-D-O-B-A-D-A three times. Good, you ready. Now get out there and stand on line for those abodabas

Tacos Morelos – Another fairly new mom/pop/cousin joint in the suddenly taco heavy East Village. The store and restaurant is on 9th and Avenue A where the slow roasted porky Cochinita Pibil reigns supreme. But its the cart on 2nd and A, where the EV rockers get their fix after gigs at 2 am, and where my friend swears by the Al Pastor. Almost 24 hours (they take a break around 4 am) is 24 hours to me.

Categories: Chelsea, East Village, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Best tacos in NYC, Empellon Taqueria, food, Los Tacos #1, Mission Cantina, Otto's tacos, restaurants, Tacos, Tacos Morelos, Tehuitzingo, Travel | 6 Comments

24 Hours in Lake Orta

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Ziggy

In this food filled itinerary, the lake I like to call Lago d’Orta was not part of it initially. But guess what Mrs Z found out when she first Googled Piedmont and looked at the first images that came up. Text conversation:

Mrs Z: hey r we going to lake orta

Me: Neh!

Mrz Z: really?

Me: Thanks for ruining the surprise. Of course we r

As they say “Happy Wife, Happy Ziggy”

We enjoyed a full day after landing at MXP around 9 am with the lake only 45 minutes away. Picking up the car from Hertz was a breeze, waiting for the GPS to find a signal was not. How the Software Developer inner Ziggy did not think about restarting the unit is something only the Bill Gates gods can figure out. Either way, Google maps to the rescue. The car this time by the way was rather filthy. And I dont mean in a cool slang sort of way. We got a dirty car. One of those Fiats that turns off at traffic lights and requires sweet talk to move up a hill. But we made it in no time, and what we witnessed was something way better than what any of these images (and Google’s) capture

But there was another surprising aspect that contributed to this little one nighter even more than the lake itself. Food! As in the fairly new Agriturismo il Cucchiaio di Legno where we also spent the night. The Agriturismo is not on the lake so no lake views, although the lake is a short 5 minute drive. I imagined that once I pass by the lake side hotels of Orta San Giulio I would have hotel envy, but that did not materialize. I was very happy with this choice and can not recommend it highly enough. And if you are staying elsewhere and enjoy good food you should at the very least make it for dinner. Sure you can have a nice meal at the 2 Michelim Villa Crespi or at Locanda di Orta which just got a star a few weeks ago, but for something more “homey” and casual it doesnt get much better than this Cucchiaio.

My type of menu here. the absent kind. You eat what they prepare that day, and boy did they prepare plenty. We indulged in a fine plate of Salumi, delectable little salmon bites, and an only in Piedmont shocking Syrian soup. Then came the “Welcome to Italy” green Risotto, and a homemade Fusilli with pork shoulder that served as another reminder that big flavors can come out from these unassuming simple dishes. A juicier than juice hen with potatoes, and an even juicier veal cheek sealed the deal before we heard those magic words we’ve never heard in a restaurant before. “Would you like some more” A 10 course feast for a mere 25 Euros. Considering how delicious everything was, it was like a bank robbery. We reminisced about a meal in Coimbra, Portugal as perhaps the only one that beat this value.

They also provided a very nice picnic basket for us for lunch that we used on the picnic tables of the Sacred Mount of Orta overlooking the lake. Just the two sandwiches in there worth the 10 € per person tag, but there was so much more. The hotel room was very spacious and modern, with a loft in case we have guests (you never know) or Mrs Ziggy gets mad at me for packing only shoes with holes (like I’m supposed to inspect carefully before packing). You also get a nice patio facing the back yard. The whole place is so serene during the day you can hear a lung collapse. I was surprised to see it run by 3 young girls, and the cook responsible for that wonderful feast, Luigi, is 28 years old. There must be a law that all young chefs in the lakes region must be called Luigi (ie Luigi of Salice Blu in Bellagio) and when they reach puberty they need to change names. Makes no sense if you ask me.

What else did we do besides eat and inspect shoes. We Spent some time in the Sacred Mount. Quite a stunning setting overlooking the lake, surrounded by it pretty much. Its a series of chapels depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, from chasing goats as a child, to chasing goats as an adult. I like goats as well but in a different way. He apparently loved animals according to my friend. The place was nearly empty, and extremely quiet. If someone plays Doodle Jump down in Orta San Giulio you would hear the doodling. The lake views from here is what you mostly see on Google images. There are picnic tables by the parking lot, and I cant imagine a better setting for a picnic.

The town itself Orta San Giulio was so much more pleasant than I thought, that we didn’t feel like taking a boat to the island and instead just wandered all over town. We spent more time than Mrs Z liked in one particular deli with a chatty French owner where we sampled some salami and over 25 year old balsamic vinegar before we bought “Rafi”, the little truffle we carried with us the rest of the trip. Rafi was a good sport, vacuumed wrapped in rice and all. Update: Rafi is dead. Unless the guy made a switcheroo on us at the last minute, the truffle just did not have it by the time I used it a week later. The much anticipated dinner with our truffle at home turned out to be a simple Linguini with butter.

In short, Lake Orta is another gem that most Americans never heard of. And on this day at least I was happy that that was the case

Categories: Italy, Piedmont | Tags: Agriturismo il Cucchiaio di Legno, Best food in Lake Orta, food, Lago d'Orta, Lake Orta, Travel | 4 Comments

Espoleta – Turkey Wishbone Produces More Tapas

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Ziggy

I panicked! As I often do in situations like this. Whenever the opportunity for a quick wish presents itself, I normally panic and wish for something that I already have or something that emotionally stable Middle Aged Americans should not be wishing. So when I was given a crack at the Turkey wishbone a few weeks back, instead of wishing something more meaningful like good health for my family, a healthier college savings account, or an unlimited supply of Poo Pourri, I wished for Tapas. I’m not even sure what it means, nor I recall what I was drinking. I just panicked.

But the wish was granted when I was invited to the launch party of Espoleta, a new Spanish tapas and wine joint in NoHo. Yes my friends, Mrs Z and I continue to move up the NY social scene at a furious pace. Espoleta means Wishbone (ha!) in Spanish. Former tenant Forcella means Wishbone in Italian. Coincidence? I think not. Both sides of the Wishbone are held by Giuilio Adriani, pizza master of Forcella, now running the show at Espoleta. But that’s not the only big name there. Suenos fans can finally come out of their Tapa hibernation as Sue Torres is consulting here. I was told she’ll be in the kitchen once or twice a week.

Chef de cuisine, Francis Peabody, the famous “American physician born November 24, 1881”. Wait that makes no sense, googling some more… Well, not finding much, but Ariel Lacayo, the manager once voted Best Maitre D in New York City by NY Mag says Francis Peabody is a Daniel, and more recently Le Bernardin veteran

Since this was more of a party with mass produced food, we only got a small taste of what Espoleta has to offer. We munched on various Pintxos, Tapas and Paellas. Japanese squash, jamon, artichoke with manchego, various croquettes, Shishito peppers and more. My favorite was perhaps the Goat Empanadas with raisins and salsa verde (top). Excellent Spanish wine here, too excellent perhaps for me to remember to note it down.

Espoleta, with its big names, looks very promising and is one to watch. Check it out peeps.

Espoleta
334 Bowery

Menu: http://www.scribd.com/doc/249293660/Espoleta-Menu

Categories: New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita | Tags: Espoleta, Espoleta NYC, food, restaurants, Tapas NoHo, Travel | Leave a comment

Antica Corte Pallavicina – When Life Gives You a Pig

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Ziggy

When we were young and down on life, my mama had this strange saying: When life gives you a pig, you make Culatello! Black pigs preferred, raised in Emilia Romagna or Lombardia she proceeded to explain. You take the muscular side of the back legs, aka the “heart” of the prosciutto, cure it, put it inside a pig’s bladder and let it age in the moldy caves and cellars somewhere near Zibello, north of Parma. As close as possible to the foggy Po river. “Its all about the Terroir” she proclaimed. And only then, it can be designated Culatello di Zibello DOP, essentially Prosciutto on crack. Prosciutto so prized, it has a different name. Just don’t tell anyone that Culatello means “Little Ass” as it may take away some of that power from the name, she warned. Or maybe she was talking beets and borscht, I may be confusing things.

Last month we spent a magical day and night at Antica Corte Pallavicina, the most famous producer of Culatello di Zibello out there. In fact, “You can use the bikes to bike all the way to Zibello on the bike path” our trusted host told us. Done, and doner, assuming spotting Zibello inland from a distance was close enough for our own aching “little asses”. But if I would have to pick 5 memorable moments on this trip, riding those bikes along the Po on that day, with those views, passing farms, and with the sun Arrivederciing in front of us, was one of those moments. Minutes earlier, we visited their famous black pigs, snacked on their own Strolghino (salami), Parmigiano-Reggiano (also aged in their cellars) and drank their own bubblies while sitting on the antique couch in the antiques filled room, watching their antique dog and antique cat very closely (Mrs Ziggy isn’t fond of animals and some humans. Ok, most humans)

For Massimo Spigaroli the journey started over 20 years ago, when he bought the 14th century castle with his brother. A castle and farm that saw Massimo’s great grandfather as a tenant (after he worked for Verdi who lives nearby). At the time it was more like ruins, after years of heavy beatings from Po flooding. Nowadays, its a farm, 6 room hotel, a Michelin star restaurant, and a major Culatello producer. Tourists from all over the world flock to the Corte to see one of Emilia Romagna’s greatest attractions, the cellar of dreams. Dreams as in if you want them to cure one of those Culatello’s for you, you are dreaming my friend. And you will keep dreaming for the next 3 years (waiting period). But meanwhile you can check out the tags of the black pig Culatello hanging in the front. Armani, Rene Redzepi (Noma), Alain Ducasse, Francescana (“my friend” Massimo Spigaroli tells me if I understood correctly), Prince Albert, Prince Charles, Prince Ziggy, Prince. We all have our dreams as you can see!

As for the meal, other than a few minor hiccups, it was exceptional. The restaurant has a fancy feel, but at the same time its unpretentious and comfortable. You feel like a guest of the estate rather than at a dining establishment. The combination of antique, modern, floor to ceiling glass windows, and the overall spaciousness felt unique. This is not Farm-to-Table. This is 50 yards-look-outside-your-window-what-do-you-see-to-Table

Once you settle down you are greeted with the homemade butter, Grissini, and a Cuban cigar box filled with delicious bread. I love a good bread and butter, especially when the butter is of perfect spreadable temperature. “When in Rome…” you go for the “Podium”, three Culatello aged 18, 27, and a black pig aged 37 months sitting at the top of the podium lip syncing the Italian national anthem. The 18 month was silky smooth, sweet, and in a bizarre way reminded me of delicious small dried fish. While the 37 was brinier, and packed in a lot more flavor. The 27 was somewhere in between.

Basic but fantastic Tortelli with ricotta and spinach. And an even better al dente Risotto crowned by green beans and surrounded by three gentle sauces that somehow worked nicely together. Very high degree of raw material throughout, though it didn’t quite work with the rabbit. Great ingredients, looks fantastic but the rabbit “cubes” a bit dry and uneventful. For the white Ox they add another large table to yours and carve the beast right in front of you. It was expertly cooked, on the rare side with great flavor, if not a tad too cool. The Ox plate included an exceptional supporting cast of mushrooms, various garden veggies and a fine tasting zucchini topped with Parma cheese and breadcrumbs.

For dessert we were lucky to be joined by our new friend who lives not too far away. And as expected, marvelous desserts here, especially the “Baba” rum cake which was just about the best rum cake I ever had. The top notch Mousse, was a great finish to a magical evening

Massimo Spigaroli is very proud of his place, a celebrated one Michelin star. While in NYC Michelin stars are distributed like candy (I got one!) in Italy there are standards that must be met. I normally dont pay as much attention to service as others do, but it was hard to overlook this kind of hospitality. Since we had to leave early to a dairy producer and couldnt stay for breakfast, the staff prepared a box filled with more Culatello, and various homemade goodies. In a food oriented trip such as this, Antica Corte Pallavicina fit the itinerary like a glove