Posts Tagged With: food

Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks – If You Build It, They Will Come

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Ziggy

When looking at my site stats, there’s always the usual outliers. Posts that get significantly more views than the rest on a daily basis for reasons not known to me. These days I’m seeing it with the Thai Diner Survival Guide, a Day in Brighton Beach, Four Gems in Alberobello, and my post on the Caminito del Rey. But in the last year or so, none garner more views than my post about Angelo’s Pizzeria in Philly. WordPress doesnt show me the search words. I can only see the sites where users come from, and on occasion I would see the rhyme and reason for the spikes, but not in this case.

If only NYC had one of the things Angelo’s Pizzeria is famous for. Well, the one that’s not pizza. The thing that people wait for sometimes hours, and eat it in the car because its strictly takeout. Well, we kinda have it now. The Danny part of the name is Danny DiGiampietro, one of the owners of Angelo’s Pizza. The Coop part is for some actor named Bradley Cooper who was making the one hit wonders during the first few days. Luckily he wasnt there to make mine the other day.

After going after such hype for decades in NYC, my expectations werent greatly inflated. I learned a long time ago that hype in NYC is often just that. It can be purchased, or generated by smart marketing. Besides, I read plenty of reviews that suggested the sandwiches lack seasoning, messy, and just not nearly as good as advertised.

But this was pretty darn good. I arrived 15 minutes before opening, and was racing to the car 30 minutes later. There was already a line of 6 or so when I arrived. The waits were well over an hour when they first opened. I rarely feel FOMO in one of the greatest food cities on earth, and can easily wait a year or more. I think I finally tried the Cronut 3 years later.

The first thing you notice is the size. It’s one of those difficult decisions a man in his 50’s must make. Share or suffer the consequences of eating the entire thing. Friday, June 20, Ziggy shares a sandwich with one of his daughters. A milestone. The exchange was so emotional, I forgot to give her her share of the hot peppers.

Whether you want hot or sweet peppers on the side is the only decision you have to make. I wasnt asked how to build the beast, and I cant tell you how much I admire that. If you build it, they will come. The no onion people (I’m talking to you Mrs Z), can just stay home. Though the onions are so translucent, I hardly felt them.

No seasoning issues whatsoever. The meat, fried onions, and Cooper Sharp Cheese (no relations, I think) blended together gorgeously. And the sesame seeded hoagie, baked in house was the perfect sturdy partner. The only issue, that may not be an issue at all, is that they load it pretty well, and half of the bread got a little soggy and couldnt quite hold it all together. But you can easily solve this by giving that half to the lucky person sharing this with you. Go!

Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks
151 Avenue A (East Village)

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Cafe Kestrel – Best Thing to Open in Red Hook Since Hometown

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Ziggy

Red Hook always felt like the type of place that got just the right amount of everything. Where a little more (subway, mall, etc) or a little less could be detrimental. From the top of my head, you got a chocolate factory, a lobster place, the city’s best BBQ (Hometown), solid Thai, one of the best burgers in town, breweries and bars galore, and pizza. Not to mention Ikea. It can use a good Italian though residents seem fairly happy with Bar Mario for some reason (one and done for us).

But Cafe Kestrel feels like the type of place no one knew Red Hook was missing. An intimate neighborhood joint offering… ok, if I cant call it by the default “New American”, its European, or South European to be as precise as I can, which really means… New American. While the menu seems all too familiar (Chicken, fish, salad, etc), the end result wont.

This was a rare double dessert situation. When you just had a very full meal, and decide to order two desserts instead of the usual one. Judging by how many people share desserts around us, I’m sure many of you can relate. During a meal that feels like nothing can go wrong, it feels criminal to stick to the usual game plan. Besides, who can pass on a Sundae and an Apricot tart.

Just about all the publications about Cafe Kestrel will tell you how tiny it is. It’s too tiny to have a host, and more than 6 tables. You quickly get to know the folks sitting next to you, with just a few inches of separation. All the women by the wall, and the men, apparently all with bladder issues facing them. It’s much easier to get to the bathroom from the aisle seat. It felt like eating with new friends, except that since its Red Hook, more like chaperoning new friend’s kids.

Eater

Cafe Kestrel is a good match for anyone that enjoys and appreciates good food. If you enjoy salads and fish especially, you may want to put them on top of the list. When it rains during the meal, you may hear “soup?” murmurs all around you as the chef/owner Dennis Spina also promises soup on rainy days. Judging by the kind of range we experienced, you may want to come here for soup as well.

From start to finish, it was a clever use of top notch ingredient. From the Hors D’Oeuvres section, the Baguette with seaweed butter was an indication of things to come. Save some bread for the salad. Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Stracciatella is normally enough for most places. But here Spina tops them with a nice mix of spices including aromatic fennel pollen. Just a few but very explosive bites.

“Cafe Salad” looks fairly pedestrian, but quite brilliant once you dig in. Good use of Yellow Beets, Red Rock Cheddar that looked like Butternut Squash, surprising everyone around us as well, Walnut Praline & a nice lemony dressing. Lamb sausage is another dish that tasted much better than it looks, especially once you combined all the ingredients.

The mains were even better. The chicken, served crispy thin, with an addictive dates puree, capers, carrots & Herbs De Provence. A forkful of pure bliss. Ordering the Cod with Fava Beans over the Steelhead Trout was a tough but seemingly correct decision, even though I cook Cod very often at home. Delicate, and immensely flavorful.

Excellent Apricot tart, and a Sundae to finish. The Sundae could have been easier to manage and appreciate from a bowl if I can be picky. The drinks were not nearly as memorable, but fine. Efficient, all female service, on this night at least. No miss or even a near miss. In fact I would gladly order the same exact dishes again next time. Go!

Cafe Kestrel
293 Van Brunt St (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Baguette, Zucchini Flowers, Cafe Salad, Chicken, Cod, Apricot Tart

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

Werkstatt – The Nine Year Itch

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Ziggy

In the small chance you got here while searching for medical advice, this post is not about pruritus. It’s about another itch. One that grows over time to revisit a favorite place. You are good for months, if not days after each visit, before the itch kicks in again. With Werkstatt its pretty much a perpetual itch lasting close to 9 years.

I vividly remember the first visit which was special for everyone involved including the hosts. This is what I wrote back then.. “This was also an especially fun evening for Thomas Ferlesch and family (wife and daughter). Not only visited by a world famous blogger, but also by Mimi Sheraton, a former influential NYT critic who handed the then young Ferlesch 4 stars in 1981 when he worked for Vienna ’79 (UES).”

Coincidentally, that was pretty much the last time I saw Mr Ferlesch. On every subsequent visit, it was the same young chef at the helm. But not only the quality hasnt budged, the place seems busier than ever. The only thing that changed is less nightly specials. But with a tried and true menu as such, it just makes decisions that much easier.

Besides, quality German/Austrian food in NYC is an endangered species. I see places slowly closing, and nothing new is opening, as far as I know at least. It’s also the perfect place to bring elderly parents, after getting tired of Turkish. On our last visit, we were hardly the only ones to do so. You dont even need to order Salmon!

Their only complaint of the night was “this is not how we make Matzo Ball soup”, which meant it was probably excellent. Other than that, we had a selection of the usual suspects, plus one new dish, a serviceable Bucatini with Short Rib and Mushroom Ragu. One thing is certain. It may not be evident to some diners, but the young chef at the helm got some crazy range.

Out of the regulars, Calamari & Kielbasa, Chicken liver Mousse, and the Pretzel called Best Pretzel in NYC (for good reason) have been on the menu I believe from day one. Three dishes that not only dazzle your taste buds, but even compliment each other.

Beef Goulash with Spatzle is another winner that we get occasionally. You may not find a more tender beef in the entire city. Got to add a side of Spatzle with cheese because the other one comes without. In parties more than 2, you cant get enough Spatzle. And I’m not sure anyone ever walked out without having one of the Schnitzels. When the owner’s car plate says Schnzl, you know what to do. Make it a Wiener.

Choc/Hazelnut Crepes and apple strudel for the finish of course. There’s not only a strong beer menu, but the cocktails are consistently excellent. This is the place that got us hooked on Palomas and its many variations. A fine Paloma is the perfect cure for summertime sadness, and maybe even Pruritus.

Original post

Werkstatt
509 Coney Island Ave (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Pretzel, Calamari, Chicken Liver, Brussels Sprouts, Beef Goulash, Schnitzel

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

Ci Siamo – The Good, the Great, and the Salty

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Ziggy

Finally made it to Ci Siamo, another ambitious gamble by Danny Meyer. The name means something along the lines of “Here we are” which is fitting because even with the address at hand, you have to spend a few minutes looking for it. Even my GPS went, “Ahhm, I’ll just drop you off in the vicinity. Good luck”. It is inside one of our newest swanky developments called Manhattan West, right opposite to Hudson Yards. Manhattan West is the official declaration that our real estate developments ran out of names.

While there’s no shortage of all kinds of Italian in the city, its lacking in the vicinity of CI Siamo. Just like Thai in Hell’s Kitchen, this part of Chelsea has a strange concentration of some of our best Spanish… Mercado Little Spain, Tía Pol, Txikito, Salinas, just to name a few. Perhaps the Basque Cheesecake on the menu at Ci Siamo is a community peace offering.

Ci Siamo is Italian for grown ups. For a refreshing change, we were in the middle of the pack age wise this time, as opposed to looking like chaperons. And we are only in our late 40’s (55 to be exact). You know you are in a mature place where they replace each plate, fork and knife after each course, and you dont feel bad about it. The service is efficient but not stuffy.

The three main courses are summarized pretty well by the title. This post is not so much to deter but help you plan accordingly as I do still recommend Ci Siamo. Starting with the good, the house signature Cast Iron Focaccia is light and delicious but one of the most expensive breads I’ve seen ($17). It comes with a velvety tomato sauce for dipping. Pair it with the top notch Prosciutto, most likely of the San Daniele variety.

Moving on to the great. The pastas at Ci Siamo rank with some of the best of them. The boozy, wide ribbon Stracci with slow cooked Rabbit is superb. The rest even better. The Roman classic Pasta alla Gricia isnt as widely available in NYC as its sisters Carbonara and Cacio e pepe, but it should be. Here you have a perfect blend of Rigatoni with Guanciale, cheese and Black Pepper, with each ingredient slow dancing in your mouth. But the show stopper is undoubtedly the Cavatelli Allo Scoglio, bean like Cavateili with crab and chili. For an Italian, they are not shy with the peppery stuff. But should be more shy with the salt…

Salt is usually used liberally with pastas in Italian cooking, but at Ci Siamo it was more prevalent with the Secondis. The first few bites of the Pork Milanese, and the braised mushrooms that came with the well cooked Rib eye were fine, but then the salt took over. A one time thing? According to Google reviews, “Salty” is mentioned over 30 times. I guess Ci Siamo management disagrees.

Back to the good, dont sleep on the vegetables and beans portion of the menu. The carrots are outstanding. Amazing how some dill brightens a dish. The braised beans we enjoyed with the mains is another winner. In a way this menu reminds me of Via Carota. The pricy salty mains put a small damper on the meal, but you can have a fine, full, and much cheaper meal without the mains.

If it didnt say it on the menu, I wouldnt know that the Cheesecake is Basque, as there was not much burnt flavor that I recall. Get it still, along with the dark chocolate based Torta Calabrese. And if you are not splurging on the wine, try the Daylight Savings drink – vodka, rabarbaro, blood orange, cocchi rosa. Like a Negroni/Paloma love child. After the meal, see the new foot on the High Line.

Ci Siamo
440 W 33rd St (Chelsea/Hudson Yards)
Recommended Dishes: Focaccia, Prosciutto, Stracci with Rabbit, Rigatoni alla Gricia, Cavatelli Allo Scoglio, carrots, braised beans, cheesecake, Torta Calabrese

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

Nowon – Stick to the Classic(s)

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Ziggy

The singular and most important classic being the “Legendary Burger”. In fact, I’ll make it simple. If you dont like burgers, or not planning to order the burger, skip Nowon altogether. I’m Pretty sure the name stands for “Nowon to blame but yourself, if you dont order the burger”. That’s not to say Nowon has nothing decent to eat besides that. They do. I just cant come up with a solid argument to go there for the rest of the “classics” in one of the best food neighborhoods in the city.

But at the same time, its important to temper expectations. Much has been written about the burger including various “best of” publications, Reddit hype, and children books (“Goodnight Burger”) to reach the legendary status. But while its very well crafted, its still just a burger. And if you live here and had your share of decent burgers, it wont be earth shattering. So many reviewers expect a life altering, pee a little, moment only to be disappointed.

But you will be hard pressed to find a better burger that doesnt involve fancy meat. Its a simple, yet why almost no one does it, sum of all parts case. A perfectly cooked double patty, Kimchi sauce, American cheese, pickles, and perhaps most importantly, a soft Sesame bun hat holds everything together and not too heavy. Its Hava Nagila in your mouth. The wedding version.

Another must classic is the Chopped Cheese Rice Cakes. Not quite as good as Momofuku, the unofficial Rice Cake pioneer in NYC, but very nicely done. The rice cakes feature plenty of crisp and the spiced beef ragu completes it. The Black Sesame Garlic Caesar Salad, while not totally distinguishable from regular Caesar, is still pretty solid, and pairs well with the rest of the dishes. We’ve had some nifty salads here in the past that are no longer on the menu.

The big first ever miss at Nowon was the awesome sounding Mushrooms with noodles. Didnt trust my judgment of saying no to any dish that lists bell peppers as an ingredient. A shockingly flat concoction especially next to the bold flavors of the rest of the dishes. I also didnt care for the too sweet Tater Tots with Honey Butter, but that could be just a personal preference as its one of the most popular dishes here.

The Black Sesame Creme Brulee is a sound finisher. Though the Rice Pudding sounds pretty good as well. They offer set menu options called Mixtapes which gets you half a burger. Dont be the douche that complains about it, as its very rational, and a full burger is almost a full meal in itself. Not sure how they manage odd numbers.

Another location is now in Bushwick. Go!

Nowon
507 E 6th (East Village)
Recommended Dishes: Burger, Rice Cakes, Caesar Salad, Creme Brulee

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

Panzerotti Bites – A Taste of Bari in North Brooklyn

Posted on April 22, 2025 by Ziggy

Is there anything that you can’t find in Brooklyn? Think of any cuisine or specialty and chances are you’ll find it somewhere in NYC’s most populated borough. A decent chance you may even find it on Smith St, one of Brooklyn’s most interesting food corners. It feels like I’m mentioning Smith St on a monthly basis these days. I dont live anywhere near, but I’m finding myself gravitating toward it more and more. I was there twice last weekend.

Panzerotti is the guilt free mini Calzone you didnt know you always wanted. Its an airy, half moon shape stuffed dough, the size of a large empanada. You need at least two for a full meal, but one can be enough for a light one or a decent snack for some. While it’s not exactly a steal at $8-10 a pop or more for more elaborate fillings, a full meal will cost you pretty much the same as Neapolitan pizza.

Panzerotti Bites is the creation of Vittoria Lattanzio and Pasquale De Ruvo who wanted to introduce New Yorkers to the flavors of Puglia, or Bari to be more specific. In my lone visit to Bari, I was too busy schmoozing with the Orecchiette nonnas to even notice any street food. Although in my two weeks in Puglia, I didnt get a sense that street food was as prevalent as in other regions. But the food overall was varied and spectacular.

This is the kind of item you want to include on a nice day of snacking in North Brooklyn. On one of the visits, I combined it with the excellent soup dumplings at Nan Xiang Express in the Downtown area, while on another, tacos from El Bronco food truck (that Suadero!) in Sunset Park. That’s not to say, you can’t have a nice complete meal, especially at the inviting backyard of Panzerotti Bites.

The mural in the backyard alone is worth spending a bit of time there, learning Italian and some things about Puglia. It was sketched by the owners, and created by a talented friend. A healthy variety of Italian sodas (Just like beer, best in the business) helps. Try the alcohol free Bellini. Once you finished, stay some more for a sweet Panzerotto.

You can have it fried or baked. After trying both, I still dont know my preference. They fry them in clean, quality oil, so its not greasy whatsoever. With the pockets coming in straight from the oven or fryer, its advised to wait a little before diving in. I dare you to wait 30 seconds. After trying the Salame, Mortadella, a special of sausage and peppers, my favorite is still the first Panzerotto I tried. Mozzarella, Porcini mushrooms with black truffle paste. Superb!

The welcoming couple is the icing on the cake. They will take the time to guide you, and talk about Puglia like people talk about their newborn. They also packaged the Panzerotti (10 pieces per). They can ship them, or you can just pick up the Classic, Salame packages from their freezer. Worth crossing a bridge or tunnel for this one. Go!

Panzerotti Bites
235 Smith St (Cobble Hill)

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

L’Express – The Restaurant that Never Sleeps

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Ziggy

Ok, maybe a few hours a day. Some visitors are surprised to learn that in the city that never sleeps, many, if not most places close at 10pm. That’s close to the time when people in some countries like Spain just start their evening activities. In Andalucia, we noticed most places only open at 8:30. In NYC, 8:30 is approaching the end of peak time (6-9). And in rural America, you may not even find a place open after 8pm.

So why is it called, the city that never sleeps? I think its because we simply cant sleep. Noise, rats, weather, tariffs. There’s always something to worry about. When I have those silent moments while driving with Mrs Z, I can just tell that she’s thinking about worrying about something… “I think you need a new suit”, “We probably need a new door”, “How come Costco milk expires so late. Are we being poisoned”. In the city that never sleeps, we call the police when neighbors dont sleep, and we constantly talk about ways to make us sleep. Warm milk and honey is my latest nightly routine.

L’Express used to be open 24 hours, but now they close for a few hours at night to reset. Is there a better way to gauge demand than the amount of hours an establishment is open during the week, along with its lifespan. Not many places outside of Times Square can beat 30 year old L’Express and their hours. On a recent random Tuesday night the place was packed.

Just like L’Express in Montreal, our L’Express on Park Ave in Gramercy is as classic French bistro as it gets. L’Express is owned by Chef Driven Hospitality Group, but more importantly its at the hands of Chef Amitzur Mor who worked at Gramercy Tavern, Bouley, and Payard among other places. The mission is to make forgotten dishes still relevant. The Katz’s Deli of French food if you will.

A good example of a forgotten dish revived at L’Express is the Duck Cassoulet. A few bites of that sent me straight to… Staten Island. Many years ago, when Ziggy was young, sporty, and without sleeping issues, he would frequent a place near the Staten Island ferry that offered a beautiful rich Cassoulet. At that time Cassoulet used to be my favorite French dish. These days, even in Paris its not so easy to find. I did manage to find a good one in the 5th Arr.

The rest of the items didnt disappoint. You need to ask for bread to mop up all the awesomeness from the Escargot leftover. The Steak Frites featured a decent size strip that was cooked to perfection. Add a small charge to make it Au Poivre and you get a much better value than Raoul’s, and most places. I took the shot under much duress. The Short Rib Bourguignon with potato puree is exactly what you expect from a French Bistro. And the Creme Brulee, absolutely on point.

On the flip side, The P.E.I Moules-Frites were average, and the olive puree didn’t quite compliment the crispy goat cheese well. But I’m just nitpicking here. Overall, I was impressed by the quality from a seemingly simple corner bistro that’s as accessible as a diner. L’Express is aging like a fine Bordeaux. Go!

L’Express
249 Park Ave S (20th)
Recommended Dishes: Duck Cassoulet, Escargot, Steak Frites, Short Rib Bourguignon, Creme Brulee

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

Taboonia – From Usfiya With Love

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Ziggy

When you come across Taboonia off 6th ave just inside Nomad, it looks like just another random fast food joint, a pizzeria even. But its so much more than that. Not only it’s NYC’s second Druze restaurant (first fast casual), but it comes with a tragic underlying story. Raif Rashed, one of the owners was a survivor of the Nova Festival on Oct 7. While he lived in the US, he happened to be in Israel at the time, and agreed to help his brother operate a food stall called Taboonia at the festival. I will spare you the many tragic details except that they both survived.

Opening Taboonia, and introducing Americans to traditional Druze cooking is part of the healing process. When I used to run food tours, one of the stops on the Hell’s Kitchen tour was Gazala Place, our first Druze establishment. I enjoyed talking about the Druze, their believes and the famous Druze hospitality. The same hospitality we experienced in 2012 in Usfiya where Rashed is from. Gazala came from Daliyat El-Carmel, the sister Druze village right next to Usfiya, just outside of Haifa. The tray below is how we got treated at the Druze house.

Our Druze Plate in Usfiya

Taboonia has some things in common, but very different than Gazala which eventually opened a place at the Upper West Side, and closed the original in Hell’s Kitchen during the pandemic. I have vivid memories of walking on 9th ave, seeing Gazala through the window cook that paper thin bread on a Saj oven. I miss her Hummus the most, and that bread was perfect for that.

Taboonia is a lot more low key, but same big heart. You are immediately greeted with some of the best spiced Chai you’ll ever have. I just asked him for the “best of” and the result was glorious. Manakish, essentially Druze pizza with Za’atar, similar to what we had in Usfiya. “Pita Labneh” featuring that thin flat Druze Saj bread stuffed with Tabule, egg, Labneh, and Harissa finished on the Saj oven. I recommend cutting by two instead of three like we did. Outstanding! Even the Potato Bourekas was fresh and excellent.

It’s one of those places where it may not even occur to you that its all vegetarian. All freshly made and solid ingredients throughout. Even the olives were delicious to this olives hater. The location is fine, depending on who you ask. Its fairly central, but the immediate area is mainly of the wholesale variety, though the area is changing. Go!

Taboonia
832 6th Ave, (29th)
Recommended Dishes: Pita Labneh, Bourekas, Manakish

Categories: Chelsea, Gramercy, Flatiron, New York City | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Categories: Chinatown, 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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