Posts Tagged With: food

Balaboosta – Oldie Still Goodie

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Ziggy

Balaboosta is an old Yiddish term for the perfect housewife. A domestically gifted mother that feeds the family with one hand, balances house finances with the other, while teaching Krav Maga in her spare time between writing cookbooks. Balaboosta’s children call her twice a day. They would prefer to call more but her busy schedule especially on book signing days make it difficult. That’s the meaning behind the name of a West Village institution led by one of those fearless women.

If you’ve been following me for at least 7 years you’d probably know about my on and off love affair with this housewife. I was a fan until I started cheating on her with her younger, sexier sister, Bar Bolonat. In 2017 I even wrote that the old Balaboosta needed a boosta shot. Less than a year later it happened in a way no one anticipated (in true Balaboosta fashion). Balaboosta closed and merged with Bar Bolonat in Bolonat’s location, keeping the flagship name. Six years later, Balaboosta feels as fresh as ever.

Owner Einat Admony is one of America’s most celebrated Israeli chefs. Between the Taim chain that quietly opened 13 location on the east coast, the restaurants, and cookbooks, her resume is worthy of a Chef’s Table episode. Her daring ways can even be a little too much for New Yorkers after experimenting with the couscous-focused Kish-Kash for a few years. Super high rents make these experiments exactly that.

Needless to say our family (+1) meal in Balaboosta recently was the best meal we ever had in an Admony establishment. Balaboosta today is like Admony’s greatest hits, starting with the ole reliable Hummus, and ending with the sick Tahini Crème Brulée with shredded Halvah. Halvah is one of my many weaknesses. When my Halvah inventory is low at home, everyone around me suffers but no one knows why.

Eggplant with “Asian Tahini”, togarashi, crispy shallots and just enough pleasant heat from the pomegranate harissa is one of many dishes that showcase Admony’s range. There are even Yemenite Soup Dumplings on the menu (FYI, NYC’s first ever soup dumplings festival is tomorrow). Perfectly spiced and herbed beef kebabs is another one of her signatures. Children books have been written about these Kebabs.

The old Balaboosta classic, the Brick Chicken is still solid, but can get lost in the shuffle. Getting chicken as such isnt very hard anymore. But getting a super slow cooked short rib with Lachuch, the Yemeni Injera-like pancake, with tahina and their green S’chug (Yememi hot sauce/spread) is virtually impossible. With that spongy Lachuch, jus, and sauces, you can make the best tacos you’ll ever eat.

No issues whatsoever with the superbly juicy special Brisket, or the crispy saffroned Tahdig rice we couldnt get enough of. Even with the basic bread pudding special (get the Crème Brulée), there was not a bad dish in the house. Just better dishes. And if you are a fellow admirer of Sauvignon Blanc, try the 2022 Cheverny Domaine du Salvard. Go!

Balaboosta
611 Hudson St (West Village)
Recommended Dishes: Hummus, Eggplant, Kebabs, Short Rib, Crème Brulée

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

Olle – Not Just Another Korean

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Ziggy

In LA a few weeks ago, a Korean called Hungry Crowd near our hotel in Burbank was just what the doctor ordered after a long drive from Napa. While munching on their Bibimbap I realized that it’s not only the first Bibimbap I’ve had in ages, but I havent even seen it on a menu in years. My last one may have been at Danji in Hell’s Kitchen (still temporarily closed), about a decade ago. I regretted telling this to the waiter, who was very puzzled by the news.

In NYC pioneers like David Chang, Jungsik Yim, and Junghyun Park (Atomix, Atoboy) converted Korean cuisine into something we cant define. ‘New Korean’ if you will as coined by Jungsik. Tremendous competition pushes newbies to reinvent and differentiate. We now have multiple Cajun/Korean and the haute joints keep multiplying and having babies. Just like you will rarely see new Italian showcasing Cacio e Pepe or Carbonara, you rarely see new Korean offering Bibimbap these days.

Outside of the big city, even in the burbs here, Korean simply means BBQ. In the expending Koreatown in Manhattan, there’s no shortage of BBQ, but new places like Olle on 30th, keep pushing the envelope. Olle is another Jeju inspired (Jeju Noodle Bar) establishment, with somewhat of a concept. Stylish Korean comfort food centered around one dish, the Galbi Jjim.

As with many concept places all over the city, ordering at Olle requires a bit of homework. But no worries. Good ole’ uncle Ziggy is here to help with the process, although I probably understand about 85% of it. All you need to do is order the Galbi Jjim, select the two sides for $10 more, and anything else from the menu. With that you get an excellent Banchan set of around 8 that includes Kimchi, Daikan, Onions, Scallion Pancakes, marinated egg, wood-ear mushrooms, and rice. There was not one dish that I didnt want to more.

But the star is the Galbi Jjim itself. Braised short ribs with oyster mushrooms and other goodies that continues to cook table side. Good luck finding short ribs with greater depth and consistency. The only thing that was missing was more of the excellent mushrooms, but this dish is billed for two people, not four. The price is a whopping $70 (there’s also a small option for $60), but once you add the other parts, its not a bad value. Especially if you successfully share for four.

Out of the two sides, I was surprised at how much I liked one over the other. Bibim Naengmyeon, cold noodles with spicy sauce wasnt quite up to par with my taste. People rave about it all over social media, but I found the sauce too tangy for the delicate noodles and quickly got bored with it. The fried rice dish on the other hand produced at the end of the meal with the leftover Galbi Jjim was stellar. Although it does come with some confusion among the staff on how long we were supposed to cook it in order to have a decent amount of Socarrat. When its done on your table, you are like a kid driving to the Luna park with your parents. Are we there yet?

We also tried the Skate with Soy-Garlic sauce which was another winner. Not exactly new flavors but the combination is unique and works beautifully. Pork bone soup with potatoes, perilla leaves & seeds features a phenomenal tasting broth, but even though it came as advertised, picking the meat from the bones was a frustrating exercise. There were moments where we felt like hamsters being experimented on. Pretty sure the staff were taking notes.

They handed us the bill before I even attempted to find out if there’s dessert. I guess the answer is no. Out of the four, Mrs Z was the only one who didnt care much for the experience, but I suspect it was because she wasnt drinking. That decision meant only $50 pp final bill. All considering, refreshing in this part of the city. Olle is a Go!

Olle
11 E 30th St (5th/Madison)
Recommended Dishes: Galbi Jjim, Fried Rice, Skate, Pork bone soup

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

Hainan Chicken House – Score One More for SP

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Ziggy

Reason #157 to visit Sunset Park in Brooklyn, arguably one of the top five food neighborhoods in the entire city. Also happens to be another reason why you dont see me write about Queens much. I’ve written more about Spain, Portugal, even Quebec City than the foodie haven borough of Queens. Location, traffic makes it easier for me to visit Philly than Queens. And the many gems of Sunset Park makes that decision easier. Even when we finally commit to head over to Queens like yesterday, we somehow end up in Sunset Park.

Those that took my Brooklyn food tour (RIP) remember this part of Brooklyn well. Whether its the best egg tart in the city where they know me by the last 4 digits of my number, like a prisoner. The scene and flavors of the food court of Fei Long Market. Or Bamboo Garden, possibly the most authentic and popular Dim Sum Palace in NYC, standing in place of the disco from Saturday Night Fever.

During the SNV days, this Chinatown didnt exist. Today its the fasters growing and largest Chinatown in the city, probably north America. In the 80’s, Cantonese speakers from overcrowded and gentrified Manhattan Chinatown started moving to Brooklyn, followed by immigrants from Fujian. Rumors were circulating that 8th ave in Brooklyn is the real “road to wealth”. 8 of course is a lucky number in Chinese culture.

A thriving Chinatown also means a healthy Malaysian food scene, and all three NYC Chinatowns have that. Hainan Chicken House opened by Malaysian New Yorkers in 2023, and fairly quick fame followed. The team didnt realize that a certain neighborhood regular visiting the place was actually Pete Wells. Two NYT stars, and a spot on the NYT top 100 later, and I’m munching on the same spicy noodles for the third time, surrounded by white dudes.

After nibbling on the same dish in previous visits, I finally came back with friends for a proper meal. That said dish, Char Kway Teow is a noodle masterpiece. A gorgeous concoction of egg noodles, shrimp, clams, squid, bean sprouts and more, stir-fried to perfection. Its the Malyasian answer to the Thai Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles).

The specialty of the house, Hainan Chicken Rice is served hawker street food style wrapped in paper. We opted for the roasted chicken. While not my favorite dish here, every visitor should try this at least once. Worst case scenario, you’ll suffer along with a well seasoned rice, and a Ménage à trois of three distinct sauces.

The table issued no complaints about the curry puffs, or chicken Satay skewers served with a sublime spicy peanut sauce. But our favorite discovery this time was the Char Siu, a marvelous, well executed roasted pork belly. You’ll be hard pressed to find better pork belly texture/flavor combination. Just the proper thickness and none of that softness you get sometimes in Thai places. Go!  

Hainan Chicken House
4807 8th Ave (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Char Kway Teow, Pork Belly, Curry Puffs, Chicken Satay

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Pig & Khao – Dont Overlook Brunch

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Ziggy
Pig & Khao

Ah, brunch, my least favorite meal of the day. Its neither here or there, it requires drinking earlier than I’m used to (yes I have rules), and more than half of the days it doesnt even exist. On average I do brunch once every two months or so while for many Manhattanites and Brooklynites its a weekly routine. But as the saying goes, I don’t always do brunch, but when I do, I prefer something interesting like Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, any of these five, and now Pig & Khao.

Pig and Khao is one of those places where I avoided brunch for too long because the dinner menu is just so darn good. But upon further inspection, the current brunch menu includes P&K greatest hits like the best in NYC Sizzling Sisig, and Khao Soi. Not to mention the newest of the classics, the addictive Chili Pan Mee, one of the most satisfying bowl of noodles in NYC today.

Leah Cohen who spent years in the Philippines as a kid, and as an adult can cook Southeast Asian food with the best of them. She owes much of her success to her dad who she lost during the early stages of the pandemic. Being a contestant on Top Chef season 5 helped kick her career that includes a book and numerous Food Network appearances. She opened Pig & Khao in 2012, and Piggyback right before the pandemic.

While I cant make reservations at places like Laser Wolf, I Sodi, Raoul’s, and many more, its a small mystery how easy it is to reserve Pig & Khao. Even though its packed every time I go there. You get a sense that the vast majority of patrons are locals, but there’s an easy way to confirm this. 1400 Google reviews vs 175 Trip Advisor (mainly tourists). Compared to say Joe Allen (950, 1100).

Pig & Khao

As some of you know, Pig and Khao has been a staple on the Z-List from day one. Probably a top 3 in the entire city for me. But according to EWZ historians I havent written anything about it since December 2018. Not much has changed other than one particular dish elevating itself to the top of the ranking bypassing the awesome Sisig.

That dish is the mentioned Chili Pan Mee. A seemingly simple dry Ramen noodles with a sick pork ‘ragu’. Its incredibly well balanced with just enough pleasant heat. The slow poached egg probably adds more to the dish than the occasional crispy anchovy, but as a whole its pretty perfect. A must among musts.

Another must for brunch is the… wait for it… French Toast. You may be thinking, why would you ever order French Toast at a place like this. The answer is, think of it as dessert. Southeast Asian sweets are much less inspiring than the savory items IMO. We often leave places without trying any or disappointed that the sticky rice with coconut and mango isnt on the same level as Pure Thai Cookhouse. But leave it to the P&K crew to come up with a superb sweet French Toast with caramelized bananas and super addictive salted caramel sauce.

While not an absolute must like the others the Sissling Corned Beef Hash was better than I thought it would be. Once you mix the egg with everything else you get a killer peppery combination. And a good value at $18. With the dishes ranging from $15-20 the whole menu felt like fantastic value in today’s NYC. Stop laughing, Queens residents.

68 Clinton St

Categories: Lower East Side, New York City | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

Cotra – An Izakaya Sensation in Gowanus

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Ziggy

June 30, 2025 Update: The more I try, the better this place gets. The north Brooklyn food scene is very strong at the moment, and Cotra is quickly becoming a top 5, if not top 3 for us and friends. Talking of which, it’s best to come here with friends, preferably not picky, in order to try more. Great bar scene all around the neighborhood for a pre/post meal drink. Though my favorite discovery this time was a Spanish market called Mercado Central on the corner of Third and Union. A nice selection of tinned seafood and other items, some hard to get.

The Addictive Cabbage is still that, but it will feel less so once you try the brilliant Sun Dried Tomato Edamame, and/or Spicy Cucumber. Something happened to the Okonomi Fried Potato that made me appreciate it much more this time. Maybe the crispiness, the sauce combination, or maybe hypnosis by the dazzling Bonito Flakes. I can look at them all day.

The Mochiko Chicken is still fabulous. The steak is better to share just between two, so I skipped this time. The Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) is solid, but a little basic when compared to the rest. Perhaps the best discovery this time was a butterflied whole Branzino with the bones removed. Beautifully cooked, and a nice combination of complimentary items. As for drinks, try the Suigei Tokubetsu Junmai (Drunken Whale) Sake.

Aug 2, 2024 Post:

I’ll make this one short and sweet. This Izakaya in the very up and coming Gowanus is excellent. One of those meals where every aspect of the experience satisfied. From the ease of making reservations (a luxury in NYC), to the food, and prices. Paying $150 for two for a full service meal with my usual overordering these days is like going retro 2018. Happy hour prices on a Saturday night helped, but the menu is still fairly priced for NYC.

Opened just over a year ago by three friends with extensive cooking experience. A typical Izakaya menu with sprinkles of innovation and the execution of a high end French/Japanese. Its the type of fun extensive menu where I want to try every single dish. Being a “tapas bar” means you can try a bunch of small dishes, or mix in one or two large ones. The most expensive item at the moment is the Ribeye ($36). Have you seen the prices of high end meats in restaurants all over the city these days?

I have said it before and I will say it again. Gowanus is transforming into a force to be reckoned with. In neighborhoods as such you need to differentiate yourself in order to attract outsiders and become a destination spot. Its incredibly tough to simply rely on immediate area locals. “Lets go walk around in the Gowanus” is something almost no one ever said here. And if they did then the most likely reply would be “what is that”.

The food rundown…

Addictive Cabbage – True to the name. Yamitsuki (“addictive”) izakaya-style cabbage. Crispy, nicely dressed. It grows on you quickly, and tastes even better with other dishes like the fried chicken. Before you know it, you really cant stop eating it.

Fried Potatoes – With Bonito Flakes and sweet Okonomi sauce. A serviceable dish. Some may be surprised at the sweetness but it works.

Mochiko Chicken – Just what you would expect even in high end Japanese. Expertly cooked fried chicken with Harissa Mayo. Light batter, supremely tender, and juicy.

Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice – Very solid. Even though I was hoping for for better tuna/rice ratio there was plenty of flavor here, and I would order again.

Yakiniku Ribeye Steak – Perfectly cooked, well marbled Ribeye with Miso Scallion Butter (a bit chunky but fine). They keep rotating their steak offerings but I imagine they cant do much wrong with any of them.

Mrs Z wanted ice cream in Dumbo and my immediate thought was the excellent Miso Cherry from OddFellows. So no dessert sampling here, but hopefully this is the start of another beautiful relationship. Go!

Cotra
451 Carroll St (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Addictive Cabbage, Mochiko Chicken, Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice, Potatoes, Yakiniku Ribeye Steak, Branzino, Sun Dried Tomato Edamame, Spicy Cucumber

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

The Ultimate Chinatown Food Tour

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Ziggy

Since I still get food tour requests four years after quitting touring, I’ve been on a mission to find a solid alternative. A local who possesses the kind of knowledge, energy, and passion for NYC food, especially street food. Someone who will take you to places even locals dont get a chance to discover. A guide with an actual sense of humor, not the kind of dad jokes I shared with many of you.

I’m tempted to write “I’m still looking”, but that would be just another ego inspired bad dad joke. The fact of the matter is the entire Ziggy clan, including the food snubs, thoroughly enjoyed the Ultimate Chinatown Food Tour with Scott the other day. And in case you are wondering right off the bat, yes I paid for it.

Food tours is a subject near and dear to my heart. The reason I got into this business to begin with was that the offerings 10 year ago were quite poor, and I wanted to do something no one else did. Judging by the fact that I reached #4 on Trip Advisor (out of 250 experiences), I’d say it succeeded, but the market got saturated and commercial in a hurry. Even foreign based entities like Spain’s Devour are now offering tours in NYC.

As a guide, and one that took many food tours around the world (including Devour in Spain), I will share with you the formula. Food tours are half food, half location/places, and half guide! You need a fun and energetic guide, delicious and varied food, and places that come with interesting stories. The rest like history, general knowledge isnt as important (not that it was lacking here). With Scott its an easy check, check, check.

I’m not going to spoil this for you by naming any of the places. I think its best not to know much. But there were quite a few surprises even for someone like myself and my oldest that spends much time in the area. I can tell you that I had some exceptional Szechuan, fantastic noodles, and a delicious item at a place I frequent but never had it. On top, you get a good sense of the local cuisine breakdown that will help you understand what Chinatown is all about.

And doing all this with Scott is the icing on the cake. He developed a special rapport with the vendors, and even learned some of the language. Seeing Chinatown on your own or through a local like this is unquestionably night and day. Its not only the preferred way, but a potential highlight of your entire trip. But I would wholeheartedly recommend this tour to locals as well.

https://ultimatefoodtours.com/

Categories: Chinatown, New York City | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Quebec City – The Good, the Great, and the Ugly

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Ziggy
Duck Ham at Buvette Scott

After spending weeks trying to understand Quebec City’s cuisine, you’d think after spending some time in the city, the answer would be clear. Strawberries, cheese, Poutine, Montreal Smoked Meat? When you start mentioning items from other cities, maybe the list isnt that long to begin with, or cloudy at best. It seems that most items listed are of the traditional variety, and are offered in very few places. La Buche, one of those “Sugar Shacks” is one of those, but it was consistently mobbed during our stay.

Quebec City is not known for anything specific that makes people travel over 500 miles as we just did. But we did find a seemingly up and coming food scene led by a plethora of ingredient driven, farm to tables that work with whatever is in season. So you may find asparagus, morels, strawberries, etc following you from menu to menu. And things get increasingly more interesting once you leave the old town…

The Good

Buvette Scott – An intimate, mostly delicious delight with the kind of service that feels like hanging out with old friends. A special of lightly fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with mascarpone and smoked trout. The signature duck ham is like eating duck butter. Mezzelune pasta stuffed with ricotta and topped with lobster, scrumptious and pleasing to the eye. Morels stuffed with chicken wing meat with aromatic veal and wine broth, and last asparagus of the season was the best of show.

Chez Boulay-bistro boréal – A classic in the old town. A comfortable room with a working A/C turned out to be a surprise luxury in QC. Lunch specials come with soup (excellent leek and potato on this day) or salad (nice seed action). Cavatelli with broccoli and local cheese was light and perfectly executed. Lean, flaky beef cheeks with a complimentary ratatouille is a signature here and I can see why. After the meal, exit through the other end via the hotel (that’s also where the bathrooms are) and check out the Bouley sweets store. Talk about eye popping stuff.

Le Clocher Penché – Choosing between an uncomfortably warm room and a room with no ambiance was not a good start. The appetizers made up for it more than the mains. Scallops with morels, easily top dish. The sauce is the reason to order the terrific bread. Shell pasta with oyster mushrooms and Pork chop were serviceable.

Chez Mag on Île d’Orléans – If there’s one tip I can give you besides booking the one “great” is circle the entire Île d’Orléans for strawberries, picturesque homes and lobster rolls. These rolls wont win any awards, but eating them with a side of smoked meat poutine in that picnic area is hard to beat. Standing on line and listening to the conversations around you is part of the experience.

Chez Temporel – Quebece City takes their brunches very seriously. The Croque Monsieur may look like something I would make, but did not lack flavor. “Brunch Plate” featuring the Frittata of the day and other goodies did not disappoint.

Boulangerie artisanale Epi’Fanny – Close to a religious experience for croissant lovers. Jambon sandwiches, not quite Le Petite Vendome level, but will make you at least reminisce.

Épicerie J.A. Moisan – The one store you should check out. All sorts of international items displayed in a smart way. We sampled some cheese and ended up with a creamy La Bete a Seguin to enjoy with a baguette.

The Great

Melba – Our top meal in Quebec City and it wasnt even close. Opened last year in the up and coming Saint-Sauveur neighborhood by a mega talented team of cooks. Thankfully the ties to the popular Battuto don’t include reservation difficulties. One of the joys of reserving in Montreal and QC for a New Yorker is that I dont have to spend hours finding a table.

Hors d’oeuvre as the name suggests are snacks here, so I recommend at least three for two. You can even let the waiter pick as we did. Just make sure to get the “Bikini Sandwiches”. Best Grilled cheese sandwich you will ever have, with zucchini and olives and more zucchini slices on top. You may also enjoy the Barbajuans, like skinny fritters stuffed with lamb and spices with homemade babaganoush as a dip, or Deviled eggs with lobster.

Mains arent too shabby either. A delicate lobster poached Halibut with the softest carrots and lobster bisque. As good as that was, it was bested by Guineafowl with potatoes, chard and a killer combination of sauces. The good selection of wine by the glass and the addictive buttery buns sealed it. Flawless to say the least. All considering good value as well.

The Ugly

Au Petit Coin Breton – Uninspiring pricy crepes with egg, ham and cheese. Nothing like a classic Breton Galette. The crepes at Baguette & Chocolat looked more like it. Much of the old town spots are for tourists.

The Prices – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a city as expensive as NYC outside of the US. Even Montreal seems cheap in comparison. The high tourist to local ration in QC has something to do with it.

The Tipping – Quebec City’s food scene is having a moment, and so is its tipping culture looks like. I’ve been to Canada many times, but I dont recall ever feeling the need to tip like in NYC. With every machine starting at either 15% or 18% and finishing at 25% even for ice cream, tipping less than 20% felt odd.

Categories: Montreal | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Z-List Update

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Ziggy

Still trying to keep the list at 30. 4 in, 4 out this time. I tried to include the excellent Ulivo and a few others but I got too many such places especially Italian. Leitao is the most exciting new find this year, but the rest are not too shabby, and not exactly new discoveries.

Out

Danji – Closed for too long due to fire. Not sure when and if it will reopen
Cull and Pistol – “So crowded no one goes there anymore” – Chelsea Market in a nutshell today
Somtum Der – Nothing wrong with SD. Just freshening up the list with new(er) Thai
Jun-Men Ramen – No longer open for lunch on weekdays so havent been in a while.

In

Song e Napule
Leitao
Thai Diner
Claro

The complete list

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

Breakfast by Salt’s Cure – Clinton St for Locals

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Ziggy

I dont believe that a PhD in Mathematics is enough to figure out the exact amount of syrup required on any given pancakes. How often do we put too little, too much, way too little, way too much, especially if its something like Trader’s Joe’s frozen blueberry pancakes. And then there’s the butter. How much is enough. Its 2024, and I have plenty of life challenges on the plate.

And what kind of Syrup anyway. My Aunt Jemima daughters would rebel when we served anything else. For years we would put both Aunt Jemima and Maple syrup on the table. Until they both moved out, and we gradually got rid of AJ. But turns out, they eventually move back in, so we met them halfway. Yes to Nutella (especially during Matzoh season), but no to Aunt Jemima.

Gothamist

Turns out someone on the west coast figured it all out. In 2010 the first Breakfast by Salt’s Cure opened in LA, and the lines quickly followed. “Breakfast” is the spinoff to Salt’s Cure (sugar?), a popular LA brunch spot hailed for the item that was essentially spun off, the Oatmeal Griddle Cake. Chris Phelps, the brain behind this has been perfecting these “pancakes” since age two.

As you can see, these pancakes wont win any beauty awards. Maybe miss congeniality. But they are as good as any pancakes you’ll ever have. And they certainly dont need syrup. In fact its a “no syrup for you” policy in all four locations (two in LA, two in NYC). Phelp’s Oatmeal mix, available for purchase, includes the perfect amount of cinnamon molasses. Not too sweet at all.

I’ve been passing through the lines at the West Village location for many months now. Coming at 9 am on a Sunday meant a 10-15 min wait. By 10 am it was more like 30 mins. Once inside you order and pay at the counter, and wait for them at your table. You have the option of various flavors like banana and blueberry. I was partial to the Banana with nuts, while the rest of the family preferred the original.

The combos add eggs and sausages to the mix, but even those items are not your typical diner variety. The eggs whether soft scrambled runny, sunny or over, are perfect. With regular pancakes and a dollop of syrup, eggs usually need to be completely separated. The sausages are more like thin eastern European cutlets. Not a bad thing. I went for the pork, but there’s also chicken and chickpeas (like a falafel cutlet I suppose). The saltiness of the sausages compensate for the lack on the eggs.

While tourists, rightfully so, wait for the pancakes at Clinton St Bakery, locals these days go to Salt’s Cure. While the pancakes at CSB are indeed good, I think much of the flavor comes from their warm Maple Butter, and the pancakes arent really as unique as Salt’s Cure. According to the hard working EWZ historians this is my first (and probably last) Breakfast post. Which means its an obvious Go!

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

A Perfect Day of Eating in Montreal

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Ziggy

A long weekend in Montreal, after an 8 year hiatus produced a tail of two eating days, and one painful reminder. Never trust hotel employees for food recommendations. Locals, especially in large cosmopolitan cities, may not be familiar with their own food scene. But they are trained to answer this question based on various factors such as “other tourists like it”, and will often sound very convincing. After a mediocre first day where I was winging it with an assist from an overzealous employee, the planned second day produced much better results. While this day is not exactly how my day went, its mostly based on it.

Start the day with a Montreal bagel from one of the institutions in Mile End, St-Viateur or Fairmont. Just try to forget everything you know about NYC bagels and keep an open mind. Its really nothing like it, and comparing them is like comparing apples to toasters. They may seem bland and sweet, but you might appreciate the light and airy texture. Try the sesame with cream cheese. Do you know what they call cream cheese in Spain? Philadelphia! Just the kind of unrelated tidbit you’ll only see on EWZ, but very useful in cocktail parties.

The one time I tried both of the institutions, I got luckier with St-Viateur over Fairmont as the former was right out of the oven. But you cant go wrong here. The one big positive about this bagel is that you dont need to spread a pound of cream cheese to be able to taste the cream cheese. Conveniently right next to Fairmont, you can get good coffee at Caffé Grazie-Mille where regulars enjoy telling the owner about the daily pictures they get from ex girlfriends.

The cool thing about these bagels is that you dont need a nap now and you can resume eating within hours. And what’s a better place to do it than Jean Talon Market. This is just a spectacular market, especially in August when its corn season. Peaches and Cream corn will be the sweetest corn you will ever have. But you will encounter all sorts of worldly artisanal items throughout the market. And if you never had ground cherries before, this is a good time to try if in season.

It’s lunch time and I will cheat for once and give you options. Its my blog and I’ll cheat when and how I want to. Option one: The Katz’s of the north, Schwartz. Like bagels, even if you are very familiar with NYC style Pastrami you should try this. First, its an institution. Second, the smoked meat is pretty darn good, especially if you get it on the fatty side. Third, you can sample Poutine here too.

Lunch option two: Portuguese Chicken. Its not as popular as smoked meat among tourists and guide books, but its arguably a better option IMO. If you live in NYC, you can find really good Pastrami and even Montreal smoked meat (Mile End in Brooklyn), but its very hard to find fast casual Portuguese chicken grills like Ma Poule Mouillée for example. The chicken is perfect in every way. Crispy and juicy in all the right places, and brushed with that salty, spicy Peri Peri that even makes the fries taste amazing. You also got Pastel de Nata, and of course Poutine.

Its finally nap time. Do you nap on vacation, or even at home? If yes, I’m jealous. Last time I took a nap was one of the best moments of life. It ranks somewhere between the birth of my second, and the day Mrs Z lost her voice. But first, if you are staying at the old town, or just visiting, pop into Cafeterra for excellent berry topped pastries and solid coffee. Opened fairly recently by a Ukrainian couple.

That leaves 4-5 hours till the highly anticipated dinner at Bouillon Bilk. The food scene here is quite vast and that’s what draws me to this city. Much of the rest is not wildly different than NYC. There are options galore here, but 13 year old Bouillon Bilk is a classic in the making. While prices have increased substantially since my first visit 8 years ago, its still affordable compared to NYC once you factor CAD to USD conversation. The smart, ingredient driven 5 courser is $100 CAD currently. And the a la carte menu isnt terribly expensive. Not a bad day, eh?

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