Posts Tagged With: food

Three Days in San Francisco

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Ziggy

NOPA

This post was supposed to be a lot better, and longer. Instead of eating our way through the famous Ferry Building Farmers Market, we spent the time struggling with United Airlines reps who cancelled our flight at the last minute. “But mam, you don’t understand, we need to be there for the Roti Roti Porchetta, and something called Loco Moco, 6 hours from now. I’m a famous food blogger and this is perhaps my last chance for a Loco Moco, whatever that is”. No dice! No Ferry Building Market for us. But we managed, persevered, and even made it to the Ferry building eventually.

Its been 15 years between visits for us. Last time it was the sardines, the wine, and the rise of the female chef. While this time it was the burrito, Carne Cruda and Full House. Yes, this time with Full House obsessed kids who needed to see every FH site including the house, the painted ladies, and famous Stamos arrest sites. The Painted Ladies thing totally fooled me I must say, due to my daily proximity to this scene in Times Square. I just wasn’t expecting buildings. And as I was admiring these beauties, I couldn’t help but shed a tear for the last two goldfish Ziggy Jr and Ziggy Jr Jr who tragically committed suicide while enduring all these Full House hours in that room

San Francisco food scene is undeniably good. Farm to Table concept doesn’t exists here because its pretty much assumed. Chefs enjoying easier access to raw materials and longer seasons. “Its easier to cook here” is what I keep hearing from SF chefs. Its one decent Uzbek away from a town I could actually live in (I kid, I kid. It can also use a few Sri Lankan, Isan, and Georgian). Lets begin our tour…

New York City has anywhere between 5-10 Chinatowns depending on when you read this. On average a Chinatown is added every 4 years, like the World Cup. But none of them are like the San Francisco Chinatown, the oldest in the nation. You got the fun and touristy for a reason Grant Street and the surrounding alleys. And once you feel like you had enough, you can move one block over to Stockton Street where the local Chinese actually shop, perhaps the real Chinatown if you will.

Eastern Bakery is believed to be the oldest bakery in Chinatown. Inside it appears that not much has changed with its ancient feel and boasting of a Bill Clinton visit while he was still president. I love this kind of old school. While the pork buns failed to impress (not many do), the Coffee Crunch cake made up for it and then some. Then there was The Fortune Cookie Factory, which was a revelation of sorts. Eating these babies fresh is like eating lobster in Maine. You can even personalize your Fortune Cookie with notes you can write yourself like “This was not Chicken”. But why on earth in a seemingly family friendly place like this they would feature X-rated fortune cookies.

I wish I could tell you about the wonderful egg tarts of the infamous Golden Gate Bakery but they were on vacation. Apparently they surprise close so much, there’s a website devoted to it. Although the track record of the site screams for another site to tell you if the other site works or not.

Our love affair with everything Piedmont has landed us in Perbacco. A semi-classy, sprawling, corporate joint in the Financial District. They make their own Culatello which is a bonus but the highlights of the Salumi Misti pretty much stopped there. Carne Cruda featuring hazelnuts and quail egg was outstanding. The pillowy Agnolotti dal Plin had that pleasant explosiveness one can expect from Agnolotti, but I couldn’t help but wonder how they taste with plain butter. The Tajarin was eggy and buttery alright but the ragu fell a little flat. The Stracci with the rabbit ragu, peppers and anise was more like it, the star of the pasta course.

Our first wow moment however came the next day, NOPA for brunch. Or what we call, lunch. The more brunch I eat the more foreign the concept gets. NOPA is a sprawling, busy, industrial space that’s efficient and good. And with those famous Painted Ladies practically next door to boot. The soft scrambled with cranberry bean succotash was why I go to California to eat every now and then. The burger was perfection. We know burgers. We got PhDs in burger. This was a good burger. The famous French toast looks like any other French toast in this picture, but I’ve never had anything like it. A lot of work involved to reach such richness levels. Also, these guys don’t mess around with their NOLA like Bloody Marys. The spiciest one I’ve had. NOPA is a screaming buy.

But the true envy for me, as in why cant we get this back home, home to 350,000 Mexicans I might add, came at La Taqueria in the Mission District. Carne Asada Burrito was griddled El Dorado style was some of the tastiest of its kind. Now I understand. But what blew me away was the tacos carnitas with heaps of juicy pork goodness. The flat Horachata can be forgiven with food such as this. Go! And while touring the murals, pop in Dandelion Chocolates for some hot coco and perhaps the best S’mores you will ever eat. We had bigger plans to explore the various latin eateries, but a defective pedal boat in Golden Gate Park changed all that. 80 year old ladies who lunch were passing us, while lunching.

The biggest mystery we faced, other than guessing if Golden Gate Bakery was open or not on any particular day, was where to eat at Fisherman’s Wharf. Still a mystery, sort of. Scoma’s did the trick overall, but felt rather touristy with prices that don’t match the joy (simple Pappardelle Bolognese $26!). Cioppino and mixed seafood grill were fine, and the crab Louis with shrimp salad was quite good, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I could have gotten a better value from any of the other touristy places around

I was determined to go to the Ferry Building after all, market or no market. We saw a nice eclectic selection of purveyors, like a modern Chelsea Market, with great water views and clean bathrooms to boot. I liked the mushroom store guys, who grow it all, including beautiful Maitake (hen of the woods). The olive oil folks had a nice selection to sample including cheap “Traditional Modena Balsamic Vinegar”, high potential for false advertisement. But since we weren’t hungry we settled for Humphry Slocombe ice cream and its creative gelato like textures and flavors. Secret Breakfast was brilliant, and “Toast and Jam” even brillianter

At SOMA Eats in SOMA, we enjoyed breakfast with local SOMAliers. Healthier, well prepared only in SOMA options like Breakfast Burrito, egg and salmon sandwich with SOMA coffee, and SOMA Orange juice. We liked SOMA eats. (memo to NYC, SF and anyone else who is listening. How about giving neighborhoods real names).

Our last meal turned out to be a doozy. Cockscomb had potential to be strike two. Of things I’m not supposed to Google from work. Camelback mountain somehow became strike one. Playful, inventive menu with an emphasis on buthery stuff. Or in the case of the splendid beef heart tartare, mostly unwanted butcher stuff. Personal relationships with well respected local farms and butchers enables Cockscomb to strive in what appears to be a not so happening location. The grilled cheese sandwich with egg, one their most popular items, was a fine rendition. Calamari stuffed with risotto, came with an “I can’t believe this is not Hummus” chickpea spread. The Bacon Chop, a glorious cut with the pork belly attached, was a revelation of sorts. Juiciness levels I haven’t seen since the college days. From pork chops that is. We liked the Zampini. Nicely spiced pork and fennel sausage with corn and shishito salad. But our favorite perhaps was the simple brilliance of the Culotte, a sirloin cap cooked to medium rare perfection. And when you finish with a rare Panna Cotta that doesn’t suck, you know you are in the right place. Cockscomb – worth googling, worth going out of the way for.

La Taqueria

Cockscomb Pork

Cockscomb Panna Cotta

Cockscomb

Categories: California | Tags: Cockscomb, Dandelion Chocolates, Eastern Bakery, food, Humphry Slocombe, La Taqueria, NOPA, Perbacco, restaurants, San Francisco, Travel | Leave a comment

Red & Gold Boil – Boat to Village

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Ziggy

I personally subscribe to the popular notion of “Happy wife, happy Ziggy”. It took me years to understand what it meant exactly. So when she comes home one day with an odd demand like “I feel like crabs”, I don’t even question the oddity. I ask my friends at Chowhound where are the crabs before Mrs Z and I even finish the conversation. I can multitask! Especially when it comes to conversations about someone’s work or school. When my kids finally, after a significant amount of begging, open up and tell me about their school, my thoughts go something like “Hmmm, this is significantly less exciting than I imagined”. Followed by impure thoughts about pizza. Anyway, the so called friends on Chowhound recommended some places to get crabs, including of course Ashley Madison. But I opted to go with Red & Gold Boil in the East Village even though its pretty much the middle of crab season at Ashley Madison

Red & Gold from the outside on pedestrian busy St Marks looks more like another playful Ramen spot rather than a seriously good crab joint. Inside, I havent even peeked or leaked so dont know. We took advantage of a perfect day and grabbed a table outside. Opened about a year ago, when the owners of a four boat flee exporting crabs to China decided to let New Yorkers join in on the fun. And oh what fun it is.

The crab is boiled with other goodies such as corn, mussels, potatoes, sausages, shrimp, squid, and all presented to you with added spaghetti bonus in a bag that can keep things warm according to my rough estimate for 3 weeks. In fact it was so hot that in order to peel the shrimp without second degree burns you would need to take it out of the bag and let it to cool for about 10 minutes. Why did we order another bag of shrimp, only god knows. I would advice no to do so, and concentrate on what they do best here, sweet, meaty, messy crab.

Many years ago when Mrs Z and I lived in South Florida, we used to frequent a crab house for baskets of garlicky golden Florida crab. We would get a bib and a wooden hammer, partly to beat the crap of the crab, and partly beat the crap of the table when someones birthday was announced. Imagine 250 people pounding simultaneously on their tables until your ears bleed. Ahhh, good times. The love for crab never went away, but we very rarely do anything about it. I call it the Family Guy affect.

We started with a catfish, fried to flaky perfection, along with overly garlicky but who cares waffle fries, and ok raw oysters. The waffles and catfish are part of a

$13 app special. The seasonal $40 Dungeness crab that I was struggling to find on the west coast last month was the bomb! Only to get slightly outstaged by the slightly sweeter $25, always available red Maryland Crab. Bib and gloves are provided, and you might as well put your phone on do not disturb. Not only you’ll be busy for a while but you will get so dirty that you wont be able to take out the phone from your man purse. All the other items in the bag are just there to give you something to chew on between the cracking. Like Crab amuse bouches. All washed down with my new favorite Japanese beer, Hitachino Nest. Another great find in where else, East Village. GO!

Red and Gold Boil
30 St Marks Pl
$$$
Recommended Dishes: Crab, preferebly red, or gold

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: East Village Crab, food, Red & Gold Boil, restaurants, Travel | 5 Comments

Bruno Pizza – Don’t Judge a Book by its Name

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Ziggy

If you pass on this post because of the name, you may want to hang on a little longer. But first I would like to present to you this very related Ziggy’s Guide to Tipping in NYC:

1. If the service has been stellar – Tip 20% (on top of the tax, before tax is up to you)

2. If the service has been a little less than stellar – Tip 20%

3. If your water hasn’t been filled on time, your food hasn’t arrived on a timely basis, and no one asked you if you like your food – Tip 20%

4. If your server made numerous errors with your order, hasn’t smiled the entire time, and looks rather stressed out – Tip 20%

5. If the servers made you feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed the entire time, to the point of never returning – Tip 20%

6. If the server along with another server collaborate to follow you to the bathroom, blindfold and kidnap you via the back alley, lock you in an apartment for 15 days and let you watch nothing but Full House reruns before leaving you in the middle of a bear infested forest naked – Tip 15%. Yes, this is where I draw the line

Why then Ziggy? Why do you recommend tipping 20% no matter what? Because this is their salary. Because the servers are humans like me and you. Humans who make mistakes. Because if you make a mistake at your line of work, your salary most likely doesn’t take a hit. Because people can have bad days. Because there are other workers relying on this tip. I can explain much further but this post is not about that. It’s about one of a handful of places in NYC that ditched the tipping practice completely, while charging a fixed 20% “administrative fee” (no tipping allowed). I give them Kudos for that and I hope others follow suit. Its just that over the years tipping has become sort of automatic. And the more you eat the more you understand the ins and outs of running a restaurant and the reasoning behind bad days

Bruno Pizza would have gotten major props even if they allow tips. The food is much more creative than the name implies. The name sucks! I don’t know how else to put it. Its one notch less generic than Rays. “Not Another Bruno” would have made more sense

But let me tell you how much I loved this place. It was on the radar since they opened, but leaped to the top of the mental queue when an Italian chef I respect told me to go. They just got their liquor license and already featuring an impressive drink menu including a few beers on draft (liked the Italian one, didnt like the San Francisco one, forget the names). The place has a funky, east villagy, minimalistic, rustic look. Very loud. Space between tables… maybe good enough for a Jenner, but definitely not a Kardashian. As for the food…

Fairytale Eggplant – More like Fairytale Eggplant and Shishito peppers. A fairytale perhaps because they make them so meaty, and great tasting? Comes with this mild black cashew paste which makes the dish resemble a squid ink mess after a few minutes. Get this!

Fluke – Stunning all around, look and flavor. Quinoa grains puffed and boosted with Tapioca add a coffee like flavor to the fluke. A few uni pieces add more color but I would gladly sub them for one more killa fluke piece. Need more cowbell, and fluke.

Margherita Pie – Good. Not as wildely different as I was expecting after reading about the pizza elsewhere. Just a little different texture, chew and a kinda whole wheaty flavor.

Nduja (pizza) – Thats more like it. Nduja (spicy pork) with cauliflower which adds a nice crunch. Great tasting pie

Cavatappi – Excellent. Like fat Gramigna, or supersized curly elbows, with collard greens, smoked bone marrow, breadcrumbs, bacon and clams, all work nicely together

Grayson-Agnolotti. The glaring miss of the night. Its 5 tiny ravioli with light cream sauce, chanterelles, squash and hazelnuts. Ok flavor, with hazelnut bringing unnecessary sweetness, and Agnolotti that has no resemblance to any agnolotti I’ve ever seen. But the main issue is the size. It would be tiny even as an appetizer, but priced as a main ($22)

Desserts – This is where that brilliance is really showing off for me. Two items on the menu currently and both outstanding and very creative. The rose gelato is made on the spot, and its so airy and fresh. It comes dusted with powder they make from lovage (that comes on the Margherita as well), and a berry compote thats not overpowering. The peach sherbert was equally great, especially the accompanied plum merengue.

Kicking myself for not bringing the big boy camera for this one, but oh well. Highly recommend Bruno Pizza. One of my favorite new restaurants of the year

Bruno Pizza
204 E 13th St
$$
Recommended Dishes: Fairytale Eggplant, Fluke, Nduja, Cavatappi, both desserts

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best Pizza in East Village, Bruno Pizza, Bruno Pizza NYC, food, restaurants, Travel | 4 Comments

Two for Tuesday (LA): Peru and Israel

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Ziggy

Welcome to Two for Tuesday™, a new column on EWZ, featuring two places that well represent another city, state, or country. For the time being Two for Tuesday will be featured on the 1st Tuesday of every September. But I may increase productivity if I get enough likes. This one is for my LA readers (both of them). We’ve been to LA many times, so its about time I write a little something about this wonderful little town where no one walks anywhere except to/from rehab, and everyone looks like the cast from Baywatch

El Huarique – Venice

Eclectic Venice Beach – Tourists, hipsters, beautiful people, homeless, muscles, homeless hipster, Venice Beach got it all. But finding good eats at places like this is like catching Miley Cyrus wearing pants. So imagine my surprise when I found this hole in the wall that was some of the best simple Peruvian food I ever ate. The Lomo Saltado, a Chinese like beef and veggie stir fry was on point. The rotisserie chicken which the Peruvians do so well was seasoned to perfection and quite impressive overall. Mrs Ziggy was especially taken by the Papa a la Huancaina, a boiled potato in a beautifully spiced cream sauce. The ceviche did not disappoint. This is a take-out place with maybe 6 or so seats as you can see, but oh boy what a hidden gem in Venice.

Itzik Hagadol – Encino

I saw a medium Igor, but “Big Itzik” or “Big Isaac” was nowhere to be found. The food though spoke volumes. Big sprawling family friendly place dishing out simple traditional Israeli goodies. One of those “I wish we would have this in NY” moment. I can think of plenty of small falafel places, and larger haute Israeli, but nothing like this, where you can just come in announced with 15 of your closest friends. Hummus with mushrooms was especially noteworthy among the starters. Falafel tasted like proper falafel. Good quality lamb chops, chicken kebabs (aided by a homemade s’chug. Ask for it) and schnitzel. They make their own Mititei, a Moldovan/Romanian kebab made of ground mixed meat. This one was of the heftier, juicier kind. Some Eastern European influence perhaps by medium Igor.

El Huarique – Venice
1301 Ocean Front Walk, Venice

Itzik Hagadol
17201 Ventura Blvd, Encino

Categories: California | Tags: El Huarique Venice, food, Itzik Hagadol Encino, Los Angeles, Travel | 2 Comments

Hellish Update

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Ziggy

In my constant pursuit to bringing you the best bites in an area I call Hell’s Kitchen, I present to you this most pressing update. Two in, two out

Out: We fare adios to Bis.Co.Latte who lost their battle with the rising rent monster. This means we are saying goodbye to over 50 flavors of Biscotti, but more importantly Hell’s Kitchen best soups. Best of luck to Holly & Antone with the next venture. Hopefully a soup truck right at my doorsteps.

Out: Co Ba 53. While I wouldn’t be so quick to remove a place closed by the health dep’t, the last couple of meals helped with the decision. I wish them the best, and please if you do reopen, get rid of the stupid tablecloth. It makes you look fancier than you are, and it doesn’t fit the place and the neighborhood (Update: Just passed by them and they already reopened. Oh Well)

In: Otto’s Tacos. The first addition I didn’t even need to try. I’m already well too familiar with their East Village spot, and those shrimp tacos (hmmm, how you doing). But I did of course had my fix on day two of this most important Hell’s Kitchen opening since Gotham West. I’ll be seeing more of them

In: Mocu Mocu. More Japanese goodies in the hood, though there’s really nothing like this in the area. Artsy, nifty but very casual spot that is still trying to find its bearings. Essentially all sorts of Japanese street food and snacks. Takoyaki (octopus balls), Oshinko (homemade pickles), soups like the terrific white bean and Sausage Miso, Okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), Obanyaki (dessert pastries), decent wings. I’ve been here three times already and each time I discover something new. This project is a collaboration of two sisters and Hiroko Shimbo, an acclaimed cookbook author. Unlike the new atrocity across the street El Original, this place hasn’t spent a day on any hot list, while flying under everyone radar. Its all in the marketing, and word of mouth. That’s why I’m here

Buon Appetito!

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: food, Hell's Kitchen dining, Mocu Mocu, Otto's tacos, Travel | Leave a comment

Montrio Bistro in Monterey – Don’t Fear the Reaper

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Ziggy

Chills, confusion, despair, butterflies, who shot Mr Burns, shaking, why is it so cold here. Where the hell are we? Where are the butterflies?

“Mom, what’s wrong with dad? Why is he sitting in the corner, on the floor like that?”

“He just found out the restaurant he picked for tonight is #1 on Trip Advisor. Just give him a moment and avoid eye contact. It happened before.”

I know that voice. Mommy? More chills, hungry, it was Maggie, Maggie shot Mr Burns. How many R’s in Monterey. Where are the freakin butterflies. She says they come in November, but I cant stay that long. I need to visit Big Sur tomorrow. What the hell is Big Sur anyway. So hungry.

“Mom, he is drooling now”

“Don’t touch him! That means he is getting better”

Ok, feeling better. Off we go to the #1 as of this writing and dine with fellow tourists. We are after all tourists as well, and do touristy things like ride cable cars, walk slow, and visit aquariums. How bad can this be. I considered a place called Passionfish, another long timer, near our Butterfly-less Grove, but opted to stick to the script. This vacation is going just great. Stick to the script.

It’s just as I imagined. Packed with visitors from all over the world. I hear French, Italian, New Jersian… chills slowly creeping back. But hey, we quickly get a table and.. crayons. You would think that crayons will make the matter worse, but in this classy looking, mural filled joint its actually quite refreshing. Imagine getting crayons at Aquavit. I’m back to self, and in ordering mode. The menu breathes Best of America. California America! There’s salmon, there’s chicken, there’s short rib. Its a new revamped menu I’m told by a {gulp} British chef, and just about everything sounds orderable. They even have a “Bites” section which suggests this check inflating trend is now nation wide.

We start with what else, popcorn. They come cheesy, mixed with bacon bits. The waitress goes “May I?” “May I what, feed them to me?” No, she picks up the cup and spills all the popcorn on the plate so we could easily pick them up with the chopsticks that come with it. How fun. Mac and Cheese was cheesy alright, and quite good. But the polenta with mixed mushrooms, one of my favorite dishes on the planet fell a little short. Leave that to the Italians. Dungeness Crab cakes tastes like crab cakes should. Wish there were more of that though. Perhaps the fact that its not quite Dungeness Crab season here is to blame. The “Crispy Calamari” comes shaped like chicken tenders, aided by a tangy Romesco (I heart Romesco) and house made hot sauce that came in a nose drop bottle. And then came the Mussels.

The Mussels are paragraph worthy. We are a mussels family, enjoying our east coast mainly PEI (thats Price Edward Island for the German tourists) mussels for years. Yes, I know eating PEI mussels in NYC and in the source is like eating two different kinds of mussels. But here on the west coast, chefs in the know, even British, are loving the mussels coming out of Penn Cove in Whidbey Island, Washington. These mussels, cooked with a mild red curry broth, were some of the fullest, sweetest mussels I ever had.

The mains here did not disappoint either. The last time I ordered salmon and chicken together was 25 years ago when my source of income was tips from pizza deliveries. The chicken was fine for a #1. The salmon (top) I get isnt meant to be eaten by itself. A spoonful of salmon, creamy risotto, Nduja Sauce, and fried brussel sprouts leaves was, I’m using it, divine! And I couldnt find much wrong with that short rib. Damn its super tenderness, and juiciness! A proper finish with a sticky toffee pudding and a waitress recommended bread pudding that is particularly popular here (great for NY standards, average in New Orleans)

Crisis overblown. We enjoyed this one enormously. Kudos to the chef, the waitress, and crayon makers. This did not feel like a tourist trap, but a local established that cares about the product, and what their customer eats.

Montrio Bistro
414 Calle Principal, Monterey, CA

Categories: California | Tags: Best food in Monterey, food, Montrio Bistro, Montrio Bistro Monterey, restaurants, Travel | 5 Comments

The NYC Trip Report that Left Me Speechless

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Ziggy

And starving. Like, literally starving to death. There was a point where I realized that the safest time to read Aynat’s (Trip Advisor handle) daily accounts of her NY adventure is between 6 and 6:45, before my stomach wakes up from its beauty rest. This was not Aynat’s first trip to NYC, and she already logged countless of great meals under her belt. But this time it became apparent after day two (out of 27) that included a marathon meal at Ko (the best marathon there is), that Aynat picked up her game to almost unreachable levels. From my vantage point (living room, transferring to kitchen soon) this is the Michael Jordan of trip reports. The basketball player, not the chef. Although the chef is pretty darn good too (miss Rosemary’s in Vegas dearly).

I read trip reports on various boards like Chowhound and Trip Advisor on occasion, and it usually doesn’t take long to get a sense of the due diligence involved. Aynat on the other hand, essentially has redefined food research, and is probably already planning her next trip to NYC (best medicine to post vacation blues.. Alcohol. Second best.. rebook). This was 27 days of eating bliss and blissful eating. After her trip was over, I figured it would be criminal not to write something about this on EWZ, but the challenge was how. So I asked Aynat to compile a list of her favorite dishes of the trip and here are the results. Top 20 dishes (comments are mine) with pictures whenever I could find them

Momofuku Ko – Chef’s Multi Course Tasting Menu. Its impossible to pick one dish from this 18 dish ecstasy. Its like asking Evander Holyfield which Illegitimate child is his favorite. Perhaps the best eating experience NYC has to offer at the momeny

Bowery Meat Company – Bowery Steak with Salsa Verde, Whipped Potato. The ribeye cap, arguably the cows most delicious part is rolled into this hockey puck of dreams. One of the most delicious steaks I ever ate. Aynat agrees.

Marta – Carbonara Pizza with Potato, Guanciale, Black Pepper and Egg. I’ve watched Nick Anderer try to perfect this Roman beaut over the first few months, until he settled on arguably the best white pie NY has to offer. Aynat also liked the Rabbit meatballs very much.

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Bistro – Oxtail Fried Rice with daikon, Shiitake & Bone marrow. Aynat hesitated at first with this one. “Why is he suggesting Fried Rice, in a hotel no less.” Easily made the top dishes mark, along with the brilliantly simple sautéed squid (Ika shuga)

The Marshal – Wood Oven Roasted Meatloaf stuffed with Mozzarella, Squash Carrots and Kale. Sometimes a man just wants to eat meatloaf. Apparently same rules apply for women. One of Hell’s Kitchen’s hidden gems, dishing out proper farm to belly American classics.

Annisa – Barbecue Squid with Thai Basil and Fresh Peanuts (top picture). Aynat asked me about some of my favorite squid/octopus dishes in town and I directed her to one of Anita Lo’s best sellers. Needless to say she liked it.

Ivan Ramen – Pork Meatballs with Buttermilk Dressing, Bulldog Sauce, Bonito. Perhaps it’s the hypnotizing dancing bonito flakes, the tangy Bulldog sauce, or those tender juicy meatballs. Whatever that is, hope this LES Ivan branch keeps it on the menu for a while.

Alta – Shrimp and Chorizo Skewer with Avocado, Garlic and Sherry Vinegar. Another winner at this old tapas staple. Aynat also praised the Brussel Sprouts with apple, Creme Fraiche and pistachios. The dish that essentially made us start cook Brussel sprouts. And many chefs around town followed.

Balaboosta – Crispy Cauliflower With Lemon, Currants and Pine Nuts. It’s not an Israeli meal without a cauliflower dish. (Hmmm, I knew something was missing from my meal in LA last night). This is one Balaboosta must

Nougatine at Jean Georges – Fried Calamari with Basil Salt and Citrus Chilli Dip. Never been to Nougatine so never had it. But I can just taste it…

Root and Bone – Crispy Free Range Fried Chicken, Tea Brined and Lemon Dusted. Perhaps the NYC fried chicken to beat, along with Ma Peche’s Habanero infused bird. The brine and the magic dusting gives it a deeper, lasting flavor. Aynat also really admired the Charred Asparagus with Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Crunchy Peanuts. And talking about deeper and lasting, Root and Bone apparently means something else entirely down under (where half of the owners are from. Coincidence?)

Santina – Guanciale e Pepe. Aynat also hit some of the new kids on the block, and enjoyed Santina’s Cecina as well. I’ve personally been to Santina three times now, so ye.. I’m a fan too.

Rounding the top 20…

The NoMad Restaurant – Suckling Pig with Ramps, Potatoes and Salsa Verde. Been twice, never had it

ABC Cocina – Spring Pea Guacamole with Warm Tortillas

Timna -Lamb Saddle with Persian Lemon Dust, Black Garlic Mousse, English Pea Purée. Along with Fried Cauliflower (doh!) with Homemade Labane, Curried Tahini and Sumac. Top of my to do list

Inti – Ceviche Mixto. Love this dish. They make great ceviche here

Mercato – Gnocchi in Beef and Pork Ragu. Havent had this in a while and got tomorrow free. m..u..s..t r..e..s..i..s..t…

Kati Roll Company – Unda chicken roll. Never had it.

Gazala’s – Sun dried tomato Bourekas with Hummus, salad and olives. Still best hummus in town

Ample Hills Creamery – Salted Crack Caramel. Seriously addictive ice cream (like seriously!) . Aynat also gives major props to the Sullivan Street Bakery Bomboloni and Amorino gelato.

So there you have it. There were many other great dishes Aynat enjoyed in this one, but these are the highlights. This is a great starting point for those researching their next trip. Thanks Aynat for this glorious report

Categories: East Village, Lower East Side, Midtown West, New York City, West Village | Tags: Best restaurants in NYC, food, Top Dishes NYC, Travel | 3 Comments

Bar Pitti – The Confucius of NYC Dining

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Ziggy

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it – Confucius

The legend of Confucius is so legendary that in modern times he is often compared to Jesus. Both men were great thinkers and preachers whose believes written down well after their death. Confucius, much like Jesus is viewed as a religeous figure. Except that.. he wasnt really. He was a teacher and a great philosopher, but not so much a preacher. Confucius, as the name implies… a misunderstood figure. Even some of his philosophies are either misunderstood or misapplied

Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star – Confucius

Just like great thinkers like Confucius and Donald Trump, I feel that Bar Pitti is misunderstood. Perhaps the most misunderstood restaurant in NYC. If you are to visit NYC and read reviews about this place on Yelp, chances are that you will likely pass on it. Which is fine I suppose. There are plenty of Branzini in the sea. What you will read is mostly about service. “I did not get the special board right away”, “The board was too confusing and heavy”, “The wait staff is hurried and rude”, “We were hurried”. “The owner walks around like he owns the place” I can go on and on. You can read about it yourself.

When you hit the wall, it will hurt for a few days – Ziggy

But the truth of the matter is, Bar Pitti is just about as Italian as it gets in NYC. The owner and the entire staff are Italian. The chalk board is in Italian. Everyone speaks Italian. And if you ever set foot in a true Italian Trattoria in Italy (not Staten Island) you may have noticed the contrast. Italians are more direct. Just like the rest of the world, they dont work for tips. The “wait staff” is not there to “serve” you. It may be the owner, the sister, the cousin that takes your order, brings you the food, and helps you select the wine. But the biggest difference the way I see it, is that the number of workers in a typical Italian restaurant in NYC far outnumber a similarly sized Italian Trattoria in Italy. In another words, they work their ass off. That work ethic translates to “Hurried” by some here. The directness and the language barrier may translate to rudeness. Their policies (like cash only) are… well.. their policies. Its all in the open. If you choose to eat their anyway, you dont have the right to complaint. Its like saying “This Pizza place sucks because they dont sell slices. Only whole pies. AVOID!”

Some girls are bigger than others. Some girls mothers are bigger than other girls mothers – Morrissey

You know who doesnt think there are service issues at Bar Pitti? NY celebrities. Bar Pitti is one of those NY celebrity magnets. Which also means good looking people lining up the sidewalk waiting for a table. Its a places to see and be seen, partly due to that wide sidewalk and prime West Village real estate. Jake Gyllenhaal was in the next room while we dined there the other night, joining a slew of celebrities dining there at some point. Bar Pitti is also one of the only restaurants in its class that has no website. Reservations for four and over are taken like in Italy, the old fashion way… via conversation. which means you can score a table even on a busy Saturday night. Want to stay for a while? Keep ordering. This is not a place to linger, unless you are Jake Gyllenhaal

You can observe a lot just by watching – Yoggi Berra

Yoggi Berra is talking about the specials board at Bar Pitti. That’s where the action is. Starting with the great Pappardelle Rabbit ragu or whatever meat ragu, and ending with the Taglierini with summer Black Truffles. One of the only NYC places offering black truffles the entire summer. The Burrata is another strong board option, and so is the Veal Milanese. This place will also make you question your ban on creamy dishes, starting with the Pappardelle Alla Fiesolana, perhaps the most popular dish of the house. For mushroom lovers, the oyster mushroom app is an absolute must.

Bar Pitti is old school at its best. And I pity the fool who passes on it

Bar Pitti
268 Ave of the Americas
$$$ (cash only)

Categories: New York City, West Village | Tags: Bar Pitti, Bar Pitti NYC, Best Italian in NYC, food, Travel | Leave a comment

Oiji – Men at Work. Korean Men!

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Ziggy

First, an apology to you readers, ~~both of you~~, for the lack of quality posts as of late. Busy with work, family, various projects, avoiding Obama. Yes, Obama visiting the Daily Show the other day causing major havoc to many New Yorkers trying to go home or just go about their business. Have you ever seen an American president stuck in traffic? There’s no such thing. At some point the entire 52nd st was converted to Obama freeway where no cars or pedestrians could cross from north to south. Close to three hour commute. My friend and fellow blogger at Smum County told me today about the commute nightmare of his daughter’s camp that day. Even the homeless guy on 52nd and 11th had to be temporarily displaced, and knowing him and his apparently very annoying invisible friend, I feel sorry for the poor cops that were tasked with that one. And for what? 15 minutes of American entertainment.

But I digress, quickly. Since not even Obama can steal the spotlight of this post about one of the best meals we’ve had lately. No coincidence it was in East Village. No coincidence from young chefs opening their first restaurant. In a way this place reminds me of Tuome nearby. Very young chefs (I was told 12 years old by our waitress but it was a little loud), playful Asian inspired menus, no desserts (I dont consider the chips dessert) and that overall casual, buzzy East Villagy feel. In fact since this was a last minute rezzy, I was wondering if perhaps I was underdressed for the occasion after reading on Chowhound that this was more of a chic, romantic joint. So I asked the guy on the phone if sexy long shorts with sandals (and desperate need of pedicure depending on the light) were ok and he just burst out laughing. As for the food, plenty of hits, and no bad dish in sight

Fried Chicken – Started with a bang. Tapioca flour coated, far from your ordinary battered fried chicken. Shredded Leeks was a nice touch

Cold Buckwheat noodles – Excellent! Pretty much exactly what you expect but with the much added bonus of spring Ramps preserved from the previous spring. Those ramps soaked in a lot of punch

Jang-Jo-Rim – Enjoyed this one. If I have to pick the weakest dish this might be it, though its more of a testament to the other dishes and I still recommend you get it. Buttered rice once mixed in with the egg and everything else had a nice flavor. The King Oysters Mushrooms was my favorite part, but the beef shank could have been a little warmer

Truffle Seafood Broth – Best dish of the night. Mussels, Shrimp, two Crispy Rice “Sheets” that sizzle when the broth is poured table side, need to be softened a little for best taste. But its all about the beautiful, dark, rich broth that makes this a winner. Just a small hint of truffle, perhaps not enough to be part of the name, but just right to round up the perfect broth

Oxtail – Finger licking exceptional good. I was concerned that it would be too sweet but it wasnt. Pick it up and suck on the bones for the true affect. More tasty root veggies here. Really liked the use of veggies throughout the meal. Their mama must be proud

Potato Chips – The most disgustingly addictive thing I ever ate. Apparently a thing in South Korea nowadays.

Go!

Oiji
119 1st Avenue (7/St Marks)
$$$
Recommended Dishes: All of the above

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best Korean in NYC, East Village Korean, food, Oiji, Oiji NYC, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Dining in Vienna

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Ziggy

Our first foray into the Vienna food scene was quite successful. Hooray for research! The best I can describe Vienna is like eating at your mother-in-law after shipping her to the Culinary Institute of Mother-in-Laws for a year. Feel good home cooking at its finest, filled with all sorts of familiar tastes. Even the touristy places had enough hits to award recommendation tags. The golden schnitzels, goulashes and cordon blues were the only rays of light during our sunshinless four days. Here’s the recap…

Pulker’s Heuriger in Rührsdorf, Wachau Valley. The one place that requires its own post. Perhaps the most memorable meal of a trip that included a Michelin Star meal. You essentially say “Ja” to the food option and get a mini feast of various home made goodies. Pork fat spread, ham, fresh goat cheese, black pudding, fresh pork belly with crackling (revelation!), veggies, various spreads, and great homemade desserts. All, washed down with the fantastic house whites. Its slow Food at its finest, in the stunning Austrian wine country. When its nice out, you can sit at the garden surrounded by vineyards. Cant recommend this place highly enough.

Restaurant Sperl – If I can only give you one tip for Vienna its this: Bring and umbrella. But my second tip would be to eat at Sperl on your Belvedere Castle day. Sometimes you just know you are in the right place as soon as you enter. Best Goulash of the trip – most tender meat with even a bit of heat. A very respectable Schnitzel (The tables next to us ordered 6 of them. There were four people). A rather flavorful creamy asparagus risotto. And something called Geröstete Knödel mit Ei, essentially bread dumplings with egg and bacon (optional)… although tasted too familiar, it was a feel good familiar. Our waiter was the Austrian Kevin Nealon

Appiano – Best meal in Vienna though also the most expensive (not outrageous by any means). Austrian with a nice Mediterranean/Italian twist. Starting with their excellent octopus app is an absolute must. Quadratini pasta stuffed with beef shoulder was a pleasant surprise. Pork schnitzel was pounded a little too thin for my taste. Get the expertly cooked beef shoulder filet instead with mashed potatoes and asparagus… melt in your fork tender awesomeness. Our lone Cordon Bleu of the trip was a hit. Appiano is somewhat isolated, away from via tourista, but close enough to many hotels in the center. We were the only tourists there. A month after this visit however, I got a note that they will shut down for the summer for health reasons. Hoping for a speedy recovery chef

Café Central – Did not suck! There was no mistaken that you are in one of the most touristy spots in town, but it wasn’t bad at all. Goulash soup was actually one of the better soups of the trip. Would make for a very nice ragout. “Sacher sausage” essentially a simple Vienna sausage. Backhendl turned out to be quite acceptable, juicy fried chicken. But its the torts (top) here that are the real draw, and I wish we could have spent some more quality time with them. Not bad for a place with over 2500 Trip Advisor reviews.Gasthaus Pöschl – A little gem smack in the center. Not the prettiest and most comfortable interior, but when the food is this good, who cares. And they are open on Sundays. Try the Reisfleich, like a saucy plov with juicy pork cubes. Veal Schnitzel was one of the better ones of the trip, and a bit more seasoned than the others. Liver sauteed with potatoes was a big hit with our group.

Konoba – Not one of the better meals, but I can see why locals flock to this Croatian seafood joint well outside of the center. Octopus was a far cry from what we got at Appiano. Squid ink risotto had a nice flavor, though no so lucky with the grilled sardines . Platter for two was the saving grace. There was a whole Seabream, calamari, a few overcooked butterflied shrimp, and some filets. If you go, try to get a table inside the lively room, as opposed to the side by the entrance.

Street food – Reserve Sunday lunch for street food, mainly around the church. Not only its fun and one should always take advantage of street food wherever they go, but many restaurants are closed on Sundays. Obviously you cant miss the fantastic pretzels and sausages (try the spicy ones). Also the sausages at the Wurstelstand on Hohen Markt in particular the cheesy Käsekrainer were quite good. We can use some of that action here in NYC.