Just a friendly reminder that Mtskheta is still awesome. Probably top 5 if not 3 in Brooklyn for me these days. Good enough to trust them with a large group birthday party. Georgian food in south Brooklyn is still relatively affordable compared to the rest of the city. My friends thought I made a mistake when the bill was $60 per person after tax/tip and plenty of Georgian wine.
Speaking of Georgian wine, if you havent seen yet, I highly suggest watching the second season of Drops of God on Apple. During the meal, I called an old Georgian friend who recommended to me Mtskheta, and of course we had to talk to about Drops of God. While the Georgian reds at Mtskheta wont be life changing, they are cheap ($25!) and serviceable. Click the original post to see what to order. The only dish I would add to the list is Khinkali which I havent had since the first time. I still find these Georgian dumplings hard to eat, but the flavors are quite something.
Finally made it to Josh Pinsky’s and Chase Sinzer’s Penny, the upstairs neighbor to big brother Claud. Same story as many of the spots we visit. Wait just enough time for the hoopla to settle down. With Penny, its still tough to make ressies on a whim, but fairly easy with a reminder two weeks out at 9 am. I dont get why it took so long for restaurants to switch from midnight to 9 am. Finally giving locals a better chance than some tourists.
The duo created something special with Claud and Penny in East Village. As long time readers know, I’ve been following Pinsky since the Momofuku Nishi days. I remember eating some nifty seafood dishes like skate wing, scallops, and one particular mammoth Lobster Spaghetti that would probably be double the price today. At some point Nishi was my favorite restaurant in the city. Pinsky, in Momofuku fashion, continues to set trends, not so much follow them.
So it wasnt exactly shocking when the sequel was seafood focused with a Ko-like bar setup. The surprise was when they billed themselves as a “walk-in seafood restaurant”, initially at least. With this type of hype, you need to time your walk-ins perfectly. By 6:30 on a Saturday the wait was at two and half hours. This also means of course, you are expected to finish in 90 mins, as so many places in NYC these days. In Curacao last week, we were warned at one place that we only had two and half hours to enjoy our meal. A luxury only available in the outer boroughs these days.
The seafood as expected was as perfect as it gets. Rivaled by places like Theodora, though a bit more refined and ingredient driven at Penny. Another bonus with the bar/counter sitting, unlike Theodora, you can actually talk to the staff, and no one shouts the orders right at your ear. The only complaints: Mrs Z was a little cold sitting close enough to the door, and at 5′2″ couldn’t reach the bottom of the bar stool. Maybe its time to introduce high chairs for adults, and make them elegant somehow.
The food rundown:
Penny Martini – I appreciate a short and to the point drink menu. Just get this if you are a martini lover or just enjoy them on rare occasions like me.
Sesame Brioche – Sexy is the first thing that came to mind (maybe just my mood at the moment). The shape, the warmth, the softness, with that room temp butter you can eat with a spoon. A must get.
Beets + Trout Roe – All kinds of surprises under the thinly sliced beets besides the roe, like raisins, and more beets. A borscht lover and hater delight.
Puntarelle – A superb special. Dont see this crispy chicory cousin outside of Italy much. This one comes with marinated tuna and a light anchovy vinaigrette. The veggies here dont get enough credit.
Tuna Carpaccio – So simple yet so good. Went very well with the onions especially, for me (olives for her). I’d add a few pink peppercorns myself but this was exceptional.
Seafood Broken Rice – Creamy, hearty, and light somehow at the same time. Like a cross between couscous and risotto with bay scallops, lobster, halibut and more. Every morsel produces different results
Halibut + Kohlrabi – Another sensational dish. Just like the rest of the dishes, ingredients pop including even dill in this case.
Ice Cream sandwich – Looks like something a 5 year old made with Wonder bread. But once you take the first bite, a wowzah. A carrot cake jam takes it to another level. And that super soft brioche again the perfect partner.
Choc Mousse – Good as well, but fairly standard and forgettable after the sandwich. I’m still not convinced EVOO, no matter how good, elevates in this case, but I might be in the minority.
We did spend a pretty penny at Penny but we probably ordered two more dishes than needed. Ordering two desserts means a happy Ziggy and wife wanting to try more, but one dessert, and one veggie dish should suffice next time. Since it only took two years to make it, might as well make it count. Nevertheless, prices seem fair. Go!
Imagine seating in a typical Michelin one star. You order a three courser, including a perfectly cooked short rib with ultra thin mashed potatoes as the star of the meal. The decor is minimal, and the theme is simple quality cooking. One year later, you are desperately trying to remind your spouse of this meal.. “c’mon, remember? we couldnt find parking, and it was raining”. Two years later, you forget the meal yourself.
With a place like Bananas, a one year old in East Village, you wont have this issue. Even without the name and the theme, you have a variety of ways to remember this place, starting with the perky Rachel the waitress and the two owners. Not to mention dishes like the sick Étouffée that we still talked about hours after the meal.
I’m hesitating calling it theme or gimmicky as the name is actually part of the owners story. A slur that eluded me growing up in NYC without any Asian friends. Asian Americans who grew up here were called “Bananas”, yellow on the outside, white on the inside. However there’s much more to the Bananas story. Just about every dish is a chapter.
Not only these proud bananas use bananas successfully in their cooking, the entire place is like an interactive Banana museum. You have a plethora of banana art, and you can even play with bananas between courses. “How do you play with Bananas Ziggy?” Frankly, none of your business, but you just have to go to find out.
The food is playful Asian, new American, with a NOLA twist. Bananas’ young duo has extensive experience in NYC including Michelin. Hence the type of place that normally would garner a lot of buzz, but yet the place is still very much under the radar. Flavors at the very least are that of a Michelin Bib Gourmet level.
The food rundown:
Caramelized Onion Dip – Outstanding, rich, not too oniony dip. Comes with shrimp chips you can eat on their own. I’ll be looking for them at my local Asian supermarket.
Chicken Liver Mousse – Almost didnt order since it comes with pickled scallions. Order it since it comes with pickled scallions! Earning the trust early on.
Étouffée – A signature dish for good reason. Combining shrimp and shrimp wontons in a creole(ish) sauce is genius. Just the right amount of heat, with deep, lasting flavors overall. The dish you talk about hours after the meal.
Shrimp Alfredo – Succulent Udon noodles with large fried shrimp. Nice to have in cold weather, but not as memorable as the others.
Dynamite Fried Rice – Torched table side. Good flavor with the bay scallops and mushrooms, but a little strong with the Masago so may not be for everyone. If you like caviar, chances are you’ll like this.
Char Siu – A cooking masterclass on how to introduce addictive sweetness without sugar. Gorgeously marinated pork comes with caramelized, what else, bananas. Another must order.
Banana Ice Cream – Sprinkles of bacon added salt and crunch but just ok overall. If I can make a suggestion in the small chance the crew is reading. Fried bananas with sticky rice and coconut ice cream. Call it The Ziggy
Bummer they ran out of Octopus as this is another one I really wanted to try. Wash it all down with a Hungarian natural white Harslevelu by Somloi Vandor, even if you are not a fan of natural. Meal of the year!!! 😊
A serial food researcher’s job is to pick the restaurants, and figure out what the restaurant is good at. Pretty simple stuff. But sometimes, you come across places where more research is needed. Like, where to sit, what to drink, whether I can throw napkins on the floor (like in a Basque pintxo bar), and in this case, how to pose with the chef for selfies.
At Martín Berasategui’s flagship near San Sebastian, when Mr Berasategui comes out of the kitchen to chat and take pictures, you dont just smile and say cheese. You raise your fist like you mean it, and scream GARROTE!!! Otherwise, you will confirm kitchen rumors of the clueless American at table 4, and no dessert for you! The meaning of Garrote, you can find out later.
Before Berasategui adapted the term and made it his trademark, Garrote was just a word used by torture chamber enthusiasts. His father tragically died when Martin was 11, leaving the family restaurant to the mom and kids to manage. And not too long after, Berasategui started rallying the family troops with “GARROTE” to express grit and fighting spirit. Like, “lets kill this thing”. The word became his signature, and the new meaning added to the Spanish Royal Academy Historical Dictionary as a result.
You get the sense that you are not in Kansas anymore as you soon as you walk inside this legendary establishment. It’s like checking into a 5 star hotel, or a fancy spa. This is far from your typical Michelin experience, even for three Michelin star standards. For someone like me who is used to Michelin dining but not so much three star, its a YOLO moment.
Included in the €395 price is the kind of flexibility you can only find in a three star. You have your fixed menu, and an a la carte menu, and you essentially can manufacture your own tasting from the two sides. The super friendly waiters, straight out of Pluribus (if you havent watched yet, what are you waiting for) are there to help you with any changes you wish.
I’m not going to describe each of the 15 or so courses, not counting three different bread courses (fenugreek bread!). You are not paying me enough! But just about each course was a religious experience. The combination of flavors, textures, aromas, various temperatures, not to mention the artistic element was unlike anything we ever had. All kinds of food magic like a Gilda in a liquid form on a spoon, the Olive that was anything but, the smoked tuna belly on a celery, mint, and Bergamot “cloud”. Sensational complex flavors to boot.
The Hake and lobster dishes were particular standouts from the larger dishes. By that point each plate had so many ingredients, I was happy there was no test at the end. Trying the main ingredients like the grilled Galician Sirloin by themselves was one thing, but combining everything else together was like Mardi Gras in your mouth. And no matter how much you add to the spoon, nothing overwhelms the main ingredient.
The only complaint I can imagine and even witnessed with this menu is that its a bit too much of a good thing. I noticed some patrons asking the staff how many more courses, followed by “ok, we are getting quite full”. If you are able to pick all the chocolates from the chocolate tree on the last course, you should get a prize. Maybe thats what he means by “Garrote”… kill, kill kill. But not sure what they can do to fix this other than a two hour nap break in the middle. In this facility it felt like they can pull it off.
One of the highlights was getting a tour of the kitchen at the end. I was expecting a very large, maybe 20 or so person kitchen, and what we saw was essentially around 50 chef factory. 50 chefs for 40 seats. By the end that €395 felt like a decent deal. An unforgettable experience and probably the best meal we ever had.
You can build your appetite, or kill some of the calories at Chillida-Leku, 5 minutes away. An open air museum featuring the work of Basque Country sculptor Eduardo Chillida. He did the Comb of the Wind in San Sebastian, and the stunning Elogio del horizonte in Gijon (Asturias)
Not often a restaurant opens by a celebrated chef or group flies under the radar in NYC. Seeing a mostly empty room on a Sunday night was very strange considering this is the latest from Juan Correa and chef Erik Ramirez off the Llama Inn and Llama San fame (granted closed and closing). And especially considering how strong this meal was.
The location has much to do with it. Many see Hudson Yards as up and coming but to me its up and going, especially when it comes to unfamiliar flavors. Momofuku’s Kawi was the most interesting place to ever open in HY, only to close two years later. David Chang revamping his empire had something to do with it, but still. Business lunches and tourists in the area generally opt for something simple like Zou Zou’s (Mediterranean) or Ci Siamo (Italian). Most visitors probably never even heard of Nikkei (Japanese Peruvian).
With that said, Papa San might be the best offering by the Llama Group, and has the potential to become a destination place. A Hannukah miracle if you will, or a destination place is the only hope because “how about Hudson Yards” literally said no one when it comes to choosing a night out in NYC. Its usually the villages and surrounding areas, if not Hell’s Kitchen. Although technically, according to Google Maps at least, Papa San is just inside Hell’s Kitchen.
The food rundown. We mostly ordered from the “Small Plates” section of the menu as that looks like their strength.
Mussels – Almost didn’t order this because it was, well, mussels. Some of the best in years if not decades. Plump, gorgeous mussels in one of those addictive curry sauces with sweet heat from the Aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow peppers). And comes with a surprise, perfect McDonald’s fries to dip in that sick sauce.
Miso Black Cod – The weakest link is more of a testament to the other dishes. Expertly cooked, delicate Cod on Nori flavored Polenta. Subtle flavors, and while satisfying, forgettable compared to the explosive flavors of the rest. Still I’d order this again.
Eel Pizza – Salty, sweet, nicely balanced with the eel, shitake, pecorino, dancing bonito flakes and tangy sauce. Probably the most hyped dish here, and rightfully so, except that other dishes were equally as good if not better.
Wagyu Tri Tip – Exactly what you expect from a place like this. Perfectly cooked, thinly sliced with a very complimentary Yuzu Bearnaise.
Udon Noodles – Another signature, marketed as a play on Cacio e Pepe. This was just sensational. Complex, deep flavors with sautéed squid adding nice texture. If you like the chew on sautéed squid from say Blue Ribbon Sushi, you’d like this.
Tsukemodo Cucumbers side – refreshing bites to cut all that richness.
Creative drinks, friendly staff, nothing but smiles from the open kitchen (not sure if thats still the case when they are busy). The space is attractive, and the menu fairly priced for Manhattan. Good option this month to pair with the holiday lights at Hudson Yards.
First, time to make another change to the blog. Its been about 13 incredible years, and food blogs are slowly becoming obsolete, replaced by other forms of social media. I do want to keep it going, but I just dont have the same amount of time and energy. From now on, my NYC blog posts will be short, sweet, and to the point, writing mostly about the food.
Da Toscano Porchetta Shop, located in, you guessed it, Da Toscana, a popular restaurant in the West Village. “Popular? Never heard of it, Ziggy”. Its one of those quiet, those in the know fame. We had a memorable meal there when they opened, and I figured I’ll blog about it when I’ll have a bigger meal. But that day never came. Popularity took off and its hard to reserve these days.
While Da Toscano open for dinner only these days, you can enjoy the the Porchetta sandwiches and more at the bar or takeout during lunchtime 4 days a week. The opening hours on Google and elsewhere confuse many to believe they are open for lunch, but its really just for the sandwiches. This is the follow-up to their Porchetta shop in Charleston, one of four businesses they have there.
I tried the original Porchetta sandwich. San Gennaro feast in my mouth is one way to put it. A whole hog is roasted with rosemary and fennel for 8 hours. They then slice it and let the slices swim with its juices, before serving it with Salsa Verde, Crackling, and Aged Provolone between fluffy Focaccia that hold their own. The result is a glorious blend with the tender meat reigning supreme. Some of the juiciest and tastiest Porchetta I’ve ever had.
Conclusion: New Yorkers are spending tons of hours waiting for subpar social media hyped sandwiches all over the city. Sometimes the good stuff can be found at the most unexpected places by highly talented chefs. Its like having an omelette at a popular diner vs a chef’s joint like Anton’s who studied the heck out of making the perfect one.
PS. Couldnt take a good picture. Lighting, shaky hands, the drooling, all of the above. The pictures are courtesy of Da Toscano
The car free Zermatt village is one of those bucket list destinations I didnt know I have. I will save the why for another post, but what I can tell you now is that no pictures or videos can prepare you, especially if you get lucky with clear sunny days. The only challenge in such a touristy place was finding decent meals. There’s not a whole lot of reliable info out there. The end result was a mixed bag with only one strong recommendation, but all considering not too bad.
The Good
Alphitta – If you are like me, one who cares mostly about the food, and less about the setting, take a short preference break here. Yes, add Alphitta due to the setting, not so much the food. The walk to it alone sets the mood, and the direct view of the Matterhorn is priceless. The food is good enough. It’s an extremely eclectic menu trying to please tourists from all parts of the world. So whether you have curry, crispy pork belly, pasta, or whatever, it probably wont be the best rendition you ever had, but more than acceptable. Just skip the terrible goat cheese salad unless you prefer overly fruity dressings.
The North Wall – Being a pizza snob in NYC is a blessing and a curse. When we travel, the rare times we have pizza, I almost always expect mediocrity. While the dough at The North Wall can use some work, the Neapolitan(ish) pies are fairly solid, and satisfying overall. Especially considering its made in a gas oven by Brits not Italian.
The Great
Restaurant Waldhaus – I think the best tip for Zermatt is to simply keep walking up toward the south side. By the time you’ll reach Restaurant Waldhaus and a few others in the area like Sonnmatten, you’ll be out of breath but well outside tourist trap central. If you are looking for finer dining, perhaps Sonnmatten would be a better choice, as Waldhaus is as rustic as it gets.
The food is quite rustic as well. The highlights early on were the special of the day, chanterelles, sautéed with a curry sauce and came on top of their salad (or pasta if you prefer). Solid dry rubbed ribs, and meatloaf. A special of liver with risotto (top pic) was another highlight. From the sweets we especially liked the hot apricot cake in a clay pot. All with direct view of the majestic Matterhorn.
Gelato Italiano – The prize after each hike. Other than the apricot, superb gelato throughout. Try the Malaga if you like rum raisin or the cherry.
The Ugly
Grampi’s – Gets generally good reviews but the biggest disappointment in Zermatt. One of those places that feels very touristy including the menu. Everything from the Vitello Tonnato, pastas, to the Tiramisu was just a poor imitation of the real thing. Think Costco Tiramisu. The ribs may have been the only decent thing but not the same caliber as Waldhaus. Our waiter somehow just knew. He kept asking if everything was alright while checking my reaction Larry David style.
First, time to make another change to the blog. Its been about 13 incredible years, and food blogs are slowly becoming obsolete, replaced by other forms of social media. I do want to keep it going, but I just dont have the same amount of time and energy. From now on, my NYC blog posts will be short, sweet, and to the point, writing mostly about the food.
Saint Julivert is a seafood focused eatery in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Opened in 2018 by Alex Raij and Eder Montero, the husband-and-wife team behind La Vara, next door, and Txikito which I included in the best of NYC list. The well respected duo essentially reinvented Spanish Tapas in NYC. Saint Julivert is on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list (good quality, good value cooking). The dishes are fairly small but the waitstaff recommends 4-5 dishes for two, like any other restaurant.
Sorullitos – Nicely spiced hushpuppies sitting on tangy mayo. Solid, well priced snack. No issues here.
Amberjack – Raw, high quality Amberjack (Kampachi). I appreciated the tomato water and Shiso oil as opposed to the usual acidic crudo, but an expensive 4 bites each when sharing with someone.
Polenta/Chickpeas fritters topped with Baba ghanoush and salmon – A special that sounded good, and it was. But essentially an expensive (over $20) amuse bouche. One weird theme here is that they advise sharing, but serve everything in odd numbers.
Squid a la Placha with Mushrooms – Just fine. Not as good as I hoped. The Mushroom flavors didnt really pop, and the whole dish was just a tad too sweet. Only when I mixed the sauces at the end, I got the right balance.
Venetian style Risotto – Nice smoky flavor, but midway it started to feel like an excellent, pricy side dish. I would have loved to pair with fish or another protein for some texture. For a “Fisherie”, they dont have any fish on the menu, other than an expensive special on this night.
5 dishes, one drink, $170 (includes tax/tips)
Conclusion: Plenty of creativity and top notch ingredients. Just not enough food. Sure I can order more dishes and push it well over $200, but at the end we simply didnt feel like we were getting good value. Not often I can go for a slice of pizza after a meal. If you order 4 dishes as the waitress suggested (“4-5”), you could even do a burger. It felt like an 8 course tasting menu that ended midway. A one and done for me.
Minutes apart, the towns of Montreux and Vevey, on the east side of Lac Léman, aka just dont you dare call it Lake Geneva on this side, compliment each other very well. Montreux got a stunning promenade, while Vevey adds a picturesque old town. If you are staying in a hotel, the Riviera card will provide you easy access to both. You also got the mesmerizing Chillon Castle, and a world class museum, Chaplin’s World nearby, not to mention a stunning wine region. Which means staying for at least three days is ideal. Hence, according to my calculations, you need three meals. I cant say these names will rock your world, as these towns are not exactly culinary destinations. But solid options nonetheless.
Chez Nocente (Vevey)
The amount of Italian eateries all over Switzerland is astonishing. But rarely you come across one that is actually run by an Italian. In this case a Brindisi, Puglia native. The place itself is adorable as I found it by chance the day before we ate there. Smartly furnished, with Italian movie stars, and Pugliese stuff like Trulli displayed throughout. And chances are, you will be the only tourist there.
Start with a glass of Roero-Arnais. Leave the local wine for other establishments. Consider their elaborate salads, eggplant lasagna, and Mozzarella with various pestos. Finish with the pastas like ravioli stuffed with eggplant and scarmozza, and/or the special of the day. I’m on the fence about the Orecchiette with sausage here, but some of the group liked it.
La Table de Montreux
Stylish, Italianish, localish joint, in the center of Montreux. This is where you get your Entrecôte fix. Quality beef arrives sliced, sitting on a hot stone if you want to cook longer (you dont). This is also where we got the best bread of the two week trip. Pizza bread. If its any indication, the pizzas here are solid as well. Finish with the just about perfect, Tiramisu.
Du Pont (Montreux)
If I had to pick one meal, this would be it. Located in the old town, not the most picturesque to be honest. Quite a hike to get up there… for our Uber driver. Quick and easy 10 minute walk down. By the time we left, Du Pont was buzzing with locals. And it’s always amazing to me how in so many European restaurants one person often older than me, runs the entire front with ease.
Enjoy the light, seafoody terrine du leman that comes with a sizeable salad, and/or the Caesar. A top notch beef tartare as good if not better than places we enjoyed in France. But the crème de la crème was the Cocotte Poluet Morelles. Succulent chicken tenders with creamy sauce and morels cooked in a Dutch oven.
Eating With Ziggy 