Posts Tagged With: restaurants

Curaçao – The Good, The Great, and The Hmmm

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Ziggy

Even prior to coming I got the sense that Curaçao is not exactly a culinary destination. I got blasted for this and the notion that its difficult to find fresh fish on Reddit, but I stand by the claims, especially since some residents agreed. With that said, there’s plenty of decent food, including some nifty tuna, shrimp, and octopus dishes. But the islanders prefer to fry their fresh fish, mainly Snapper. The one big positive is that compared to NYC, Anguilla, TCI and the rest of the them, there’s decent value here.

I had to pause for a good minute to come up with the last word in the title. Hmmm in this case means the food didnt win me over, but its good enough, and there are other reasons to go. Not only that but these are arguably some of the most famous spots on the island, and a big part of the Curaçao puzzle. So the hmmm column can very well include some memorable meals.

The Good

Kome – As soon as you walk in you get a sense that this is one of the more popular places. It also feels like the kind of place you find in a large US city, including the menu. With that said, on a Wednesday Tapas night, after a strong start, there were enough misses for a downgrade. The hits: Gnocchi, Mushroom Toast, Truffled Risotto and the two sensational desserts (Bolo and profiteroles). The misses: Fish Tacos, Mac and cheese, and a Crunchy Thai Chicken that was anything but crunchy or flavorful. Still, I’d come back to this one.

La Reina beach, food, coffee and lifestyle – I dont get paid by the word, but I’ll give you the full name anyway as it’s listed on Google. An unexpected surprise after another place was closed for lunch. The place is pretty much just as the name suggests; a beach club, and a food, coffee, and lifestyle shop. Inside you got multiple rooms, some decorated like a museum. And the food is mostly solid especially a top dish of the trip nominee Gambas Pil Pil. Finally some heat! Superb goat cheese salad and sliders as well. The lone miss was a sad mushroom pasta which needed exactly what the pil pil dish had.

Rozendaels Original Cuisine – This place has a lot of things going for it, starting with the relaxing, sprawling courtyard. Good food overall led by the Laman, Gambas Pil-Pil, octopus, and Stoba. Although surprisingly one of the best dishes was a simple fried polenta topped with cheese. On the downside, a few oddly bland dishes like the sweet potatoes with roasted chickpeas, a terrible drink menu, and a cranky owner (maybe direct result of the drink menu).

The Great

BKLYN – Pound for pound best meal of the trip. As far as food, service, drinks, atmosphere, just one came close to match this combination. Probably the only place that would do well in NYC, ironically (or not) named and influenced by one of its boroughs. The highlights were the tuna lollipops, ribs, smoky little gem, funchi fries and crème brûlée. The drinks were superb as well especially the My Tai which takes 6 days to make (island time!). Another highlight were Brenda and Dylan who manage the front with ease and by the end of the evening become your island friends.

MosaCaña – Our first meal set the bar a bit too high for most on the list. Friendly service, superb drinks (Republic Banana, Johnny Colada). Much of the menu is Asian inspired, and much of the flavors come from terrific Asian sauces. Fried cauliflower with sweet chili soy glaze was expertly cooked. Fried calamari with chili sauce does the job. Succulent, tender ribs, akin to a nice Thai style glaze. The grilled tuna was probably my favorite. Fresh, brightened with an acidic sauce and pico de gallo. Jerk fries weren’t very jerky tho. Strawberry desserts usually don’t do it for me but this was excellent.

The Hmmm

Grand Café ‘Gouverneur De Rouville’ – Come for the history, atmosphere and view from the balcony. Just don’t expect food that will knock your socks off, but it was more than acceptable. Stuffed mushroom and banana soup were decent starters. Keshi Yena, a local specialty, like a strange Chicken Parm and Lasagna mashup, was pretty much what I expected. Better than the Caribbean chicken which you can easily skip. My favorite was the fish of the day (Corvina) with a complementary creamy mustard sauce, but wife was not a fan. Another thing they have going is one of those rare breed super waiters and humans named Samir.

Jaanchie’s – The oldest restaurant on the island is one of the more unique. Wait for the owner to sit down with you and explain how the menu works in his own way. While you listen to the sounds of 50 or so small yellow birds hanging around and being fed. Its sort of an eatery and bird sanctuary. The one mystery is opening time. I believe it was 1:15 pm when the opened the door. Its really more about the experience, though many swear by the food. Ours came room temperature, and more like basic comfort food. Like eating at your in-laws. And you get to try Iguana which is the least scariest scary food you’ll ever have.

La Bohème – Strictly for the Punda Vibes experience every Thursday, if you absolutely must be in the thick of the action. You can reserve for drinks and a snack like Chicken Curry Arepa. Maybe have a heartier lunch. Just dont expect mains like the Lomo Saltado to rock your world.

Café George – One of the finer establishments. Newer, French inspired. Just tried a couple of dishes here for a quick lunch before flying out and no complaints whatsover here. Terrific Nicoise salad. While fresh fish was lacking, we couldnt get enough of the tuna on the island. And Croque Madame did the job and then some. Good enough to try for dinner next time. And another reason to stay at Avilla. Both the greats and this one within 5 minute walk.

Categories: Curacao | Tags: Best Restaurants in Curacao, Curacao, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

A Seafood Mecca Worth Every Penny

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Ziggy

Finally made it to Josh Pinsky’s and Chase Sinzer’s Penny, the upstairs neighbor to big brother Claud. Same story as many of the spots we visit. Wait just enough time for the hoopla to settle down. With Penny, its still tough to make ressies on a whim, but fairly easy with a reminder two weeks out at 9 am. I dont get why it took so long for restaurants to switch from midnight to 9 am. Finally giving locals a better chance than some tourists.

The duo created something special with Claud and Penny in East Village. As long time readers know, I’ve been following Pinsky since the Momofuku Nishi days. I remember eating some nifty seafood dishes like skate wing, scallops, and one particular mammoth Lobster Spaghetti that would probably be double the price today. At some point Nishi was my favorite restaurant in the city. Pinsky, in Momofuku fashion, continues to set trends, not so much follow them.

So it wasnt exactly shocking when the sequel was seafood focused with a Ko-like bar setup. The surprise was when they billed themselves as a “walk-in seafood restaurant”, initially at least. With this type of hype, you need to time your walk-ins perfectly. By 6:30 on a Saturday the wait was at two and half hours. This also means of course, you are expected to finish in 90 mins, as so many places in NYC these days. In Curacao last week, we were warned at one place that we only had two and half hours to enjoy our meal. A luxury only available in the outer boroughs these days.

The seafood as expected was as perfect as it gets. Rivaled by places like Theodora, though a bit more refined and ingredient driven at Penny. Another bonus with the bar/counter sitting, unlike Theodora, you can actually talk to the staff, and no one shouts the orders right at your ear. The only complaints: Mrs Z was a little cold sitting close enough to the door, and at 5′2″ couldn’t reach the bottom of the bar stool. Maybe its time to introduce high chairs for adults, and make them elegant somehow.

The food rundown:

Penny Martini – I appreciate a short and to the point drink menu. Just get this if you are a martini lover or just enjoy them on rare occasions like me.

Sesame Brioche – Sexy is the first thing that came to mind (maybe just my mood at the moment). The shape, the warmth, the softness, with that room temp butter you can eat with a spoon. A must get.

Beets + Trout Roe – All kinds of surprises under the thinly sliced beets besides the roe, like raisins, and more beets. A borscht lover and hater delight.

Puntarelle – A superb special. Dont see this crispy chicory cousin outside of Italy much. This one comes with marinated tuna and a light anchovy vinaigrette. The veggies here dont get enough credit.

Tuna Carpaccio – So simple yet so good. Went very well with the onions especially, for me (olives for her). I’d add a few pink peppercorns myself but this was exceptional.

Seafood Broken Rice – Creamy, hearty, and light somehow at the same time. Like a cross between couscous and risotto with bay scallops, lobster, halibut and more. Every morsel produces different results

Halibut + Kohlrabi – Another sensational dish. Just like the rest of the dishes, ingredients pop including even dill in this case.

Ice Cream sandwich – Looks like something a 5 year old made with Wonder bread. But once you take the first bite, a wowzah. A carrot cake jam takes it to another level. And that super soft brioche again the perfect partner.

Choc Mousse – Good as well, but fairly standard and forgettable after the sandwich. I’m still not convinced EVOO, no matter how good, elevates in this case, but I might be in the minority.

We did spend a pretty penny at Penny but we probably ordered two more dishes than needed. Ordering two desserts means a happy Ziggy and wife wanting to try more, but one dessert, and one veggie dish should suffice next time. Since it only took two years to make it, might as well make it count. Nevertheless, prices seem fair. Go!

90 E 10th St

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: food, Penny, Penny NYC, restaurants | Leave a comment

The Ziggys Just Went Bananas in East Village

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Ziggy

Imagine seating in a typical Michelin one star. You order a three courser, including a perfectly cooked short rib with ultra thin mashed potatoes as the star of the meal. The decor is minimal, and the theme is simple quality cooking. One year later, you are desperately trying to remind your spouse of this meal.. “c’mon, remember? we couldnt find parking, and it was raining”. Two years later, you forget the meal yourself.

With a place like Bananas, a one year old in East Village, you wont have this issue. Even without the name and the theme, you have a variety of ways to remember this place, starting with the perky Rachel the waitress and the two owners. Not to mention dishes like the sick Étouffée that we still talked about hours after the meal.

I’m hesitating calling it theme or gimmicky as the name is actually part of the owners story. A slur that eluded me growing up in NYC without any Asian friends. Asian Americans who grew up here were called “Bananas”, yellow on the outside, white on the inside. However there’s much more to the Bananas story. Just about every dish is a chapter.

Not only these proud bananas use bananas successfully in their cooking, the entire place is like an interactive Banana museum. You have a plethora of banana art, and you can even play with bananas between courses. “How do you play with Bananas Ziggy?” Frankly, none of your business, but you just have to go to find out.

The food is playful Asian, new American, with a NOLA twist. Bananas’ young duo has extensive experience in NYC including Michelin. Hence the type of place that normally would garner a lot of buzz, but yet the place is still very much under the radar. Flavors at the very least are that of a Michelin Bib Gourmet level.

The food rundown:

Caramelized Onion Dip – Outstanding, rich, not too oniony dip. Comes with shrimp chips you can eat on their own. I’ll be looking for them at my local Asian supermarket.

Chicken Liver Mousse – Almost didnt order since it comes with pickled scallions. Order it since it comes with pickled scallions! Earning the trust early on.

Étouffée – A signature dish for good reason. Combining shrimp and shrimp wontons in a creole(ish) sauce is genius. Just the right amount of heat, with deep, lasting flavors overall. The dish you talk about hours after the meal.

Shrimp Alfredo – Succulent Udon noodles with large fried shrimp. Nice to have in cold weather, but not as memorable as the others.

Dynamite Fried Rice – Torched table side. Good flavor with the bay scallops and mushrooms, but a little strong with the Masago so may not be for everyone. If you like caviar, chances are you’ll like this.

Char Siu – A cooking masterclass on how to introduce addictive sweetness without sugar. Gorgeously marinated pork comes with caramelized, what else, bananas. Another must order.

Banana Ice Cream – Sprinkles of bacon added salt and crunch but just ok overall. If I can make a suggestion in the small chance the crew is reading. Fried bananas with sticky rice and coconut ice cream. Call it The Ziggy

Bummer they ran out of Octopus as this is another one I really wanted to try. Wash it all down with a Hungarian natural white Harslevelu by Somloi Vandor, even if you are not a fan of natural. Meal of the year!!! 😊

174 1st Ave (10/11)

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Bananas East Village, Bananas NYC, food, restaurants | Leave a comment

Theodora – A Hanukkah Miracle in Fort Greene

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Ziggy

After two years of trying to get the hottest table in Brooklyn, it finally happened. Snatched two Chef Counter spots the day prior. Did I try very hard? Not really. If you look at Theodora reservations at any given time, you wont see any. I cant even commit to what I’ll watch on Netflix tonight, not alone where I’ll eat with how many people a month from now. Not to mention its NYC. Plenty of exciting options, old and new, that require much less effort.

Chef Counter seats are always a gamble as you never quite know what you going to get. A relaxed environment with a chatty chef, or “The Bear” like chaos. Here its somewhere in the middle. Organized chaos, led by the screamer, a fellow, with opera experience no doubt, that yells the orders standing right next to me. After the initial shock to the system of “FIRE.. CABBAGE… ALL DAY!!!!”, we quickly got used to it. Though when you start yelling fire near an actual fire, other thoughts come to mind.

And since I’m ranting, is it time perhaps to retire the long awkward, “Have you been here before? Well, our dishes are meant for sharing. Its best to order 4-10 dishes ~~because our margins are very thin and the opera singer didnt come cheap~~“. Oh! Good to know. I was about to order the cabbage dish all for myself. In this day and age its like asking if we have been out in the past 15 years. Its as useful as a hotel booking site listing a Flat Screen TV in the hotel room. When was the last time you saw a TV that wasnt flat.

Theodora is the latest from the team behind Mis Ada nearby. The focus is on fish, aged fish, but we were drooling inches away from the chicken dishes that they kept dishing out. It’s one of those menus that I want to try every single item, given the chance. Even though it wasnt exactly a slam dunk meal, and kinda pricy, I recommend trying at least once.

The food breakdown:

Hiramasa – The most hyped Crudo on the menu was surprisingly just ok for us. They age all or almost all their fish, but here the 4 delicate cuts get lost in the shuffle of sauces and avocado (hiding underneath). Good flavors but mostly not from the fish. Perhaps in other places, this would have been more of a highlight.

Wood-Fired Cabbage – Ugly delicious. Smoky, but could have used more. Elevate by the Calabrian Chili Butter. Happy I was allowed to share this with her since it was her favorite dish.

Sourdough – With Whipped Ricotta, Brown Butter, Honey, Sage. Another hyped dish but this time for good reason. Light and absolutely delicious. Seems easy to make, but would be hard to find quality Sourdough and Ricotta such as this. Though you can buy the bread two doors down at their bakery Thea.

Striped Sea Bass – Another great dish. Perfectly cooked bass in a superb broth with saffron, with mussels and charred sunchokes adding much needed texture.

Whole Butterflied Trout – Mexico City style, Harissa on one side, and Chermoula (The North African Chimichurri) on the other. The sauces were very mild which was a good thing. Much of the richness came from the Pil Pil sauce at the base. Very good overall, but a very large dish without any sides. Maybe some rice, or even pita bread would be nice. Or at least serve the cabbage dish with it if ordered.

Baklava Sundae – Regrettable choice. I should really start bringing my own Lebanese Halva and Silan to these outings. Should have gone with the cheesecake as originally planned.

The drinks were good. They use spices including pepper in many of them. I liked the smoky Mayahuel martini.

Happy Holidays everyone!

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

Les Frères Ibarboure {Bidart} – Sum of All Parts

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Ziggy

How often do you get a chance to stay at a tranquil, 5 acres, 13 room, modern boutique hotel, with lush gardens, remote feel yet short driving distance to civilization, for around $250 a night. Oh and did I mention a Michelin Star restaurant on site, considered by many the place to beat in Pays Basque. Possibly our most memorable stay ever in France.

This gem is technically in Bidart but closer to Guéthary or Getaria in Basque. Not to confuse with Spain’s Getaria, home of the famous Turbot. Located in the middle of the forest, but smack in the middle of French Basque between Biarritz, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Not to mention easy access to the two said villages and local restaurants like the outstanding Ezkia.

This is the product of third generation Ibarboure brothers. Xabi takes care of the savory side, and Patrice, a Daniel alum, handles the sweet side. The award winning cookie waiting for us on arrival was a preview of things to come. Between munching on cookies, the heated pool, gardens, and restaurant, you may not want to leave the property. The always helpful full staff makes it easy. Is this starting to sound like an ad? Good. Any day now I should get my first check from any of the hundreds of places featured here.

There’s something about putting on my dressy Costco pants, brushing whatever hair I’m grateful to still have, and walking about a hundred feet to the restaurant, passing by the garden, the source for much of the menu. The walk back through a secret backdoor is even shorter, and much appreciated with this wine menu.

I’m not going to go over every one of the courses. But an epic meal to say the least featuring all sorts of flavors, textures and surprises in classic Michelin style. Like Zucchini flowers filled with langoustine custard with tempura’d langoustine lollipops. A 41 y/o classic dating from the brother’s dad. The seasonal salad course as expected, absolutely divine. Same for the sensational beef.

Foams and sauces made from the vegetables and herbs grown in the garden featured throughout. The desserts were possibly the best part of the meal. Mrs Z proclaimed the chocolate dessert after enough vino, “best chocolate thingy I ever had”. We usually share everything, but she got all weird in this case. But I was extremely satisfied with my fig creation.

The atmosphere was typical of a remote hotel Michelin restaurant. Not many patrons which means you receive a lot of attention, but with the kind of professionalism that keeps you comfortable. The same great attention to detail you expect from such establishments. And we got lucky with one of those fun waitresses who laughed at all my ~~bad~~ dad jokes. This entire hotel/dining experience is a classic example of sum of all parts greater than whole. I recommend a minimum of three nights.

Categories: France | Tags: Bidart, Les Frères Ibarboure, Pays Basque, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Choko Ona – A “Good Place” in Espelette

Posted on October 18, 2025 by Ziggy

We are back from another trip to Basque Country. This time spending some time in Pays Basque Français. Spoiler alert: Its as stunning as Spain’s Basque if not more. Filled with striking old towns and picturesque villages like the home of this gem. I get the sense that younger people flock to San Sebastian and Bilbao due to social media pressure, while the older folk that know a thing or two, keep the French Basque a secret. Dont let them win!

When you do visit the cities and villages of Pays Basque, one of the first things you notice is Espelette everywhere. Espelette stores, Espelette spices, magnets, and other products. That’s because you are not too far from the famed village of Espelette, home to the renowned Espelette peppers. You’ll see the peppers hanging in random places, and the peppers heavily utilized in local cooking. Even when you order something as simple as a Gallete (Buckwheat crepes from Brittany) in Biarritz, chances are you’ll get it topped with Espelette butter. Even without the fame, Espelette is one of the most beautiful villages in France.

Choko Ona (“Good Place” or “Good Corner”) is just another reason to visit this village. A one Michelin that acts like one but priced like a Bib Gourmet. Smartly furnished space, housed in an 18th century house that today looks more like someone’s private home. One cool feature is the entire back side of the house can be wide open, overlooking their garden.

A creative menu featuring seasonal local ingredients. All handled by a young staff that speaks English and makes you feel at home. The only thing I didnt appreciate was sitting in front of a mirror ;). We changed spots midway much to the horror of the entire establishment.

We opted for the 4 courser, which of course was more like 6 or 7. Flawless to say the least. To start, in classic Michelin, outstanding tidbits to dazzle your palate. Then an Onion tart, pretty much just layers of braised onions topped with caramelized jus. One-note but an addictive one. Onion hater Mrs Ziggy cleaned her plate.

Then the most beautiful, delicate… Jewfish! Not an autocorrect. Maigre as its called here, aka Meagre, Croaker, Drum Fish, and other names, including yes, Jewfish apparently. An outdated name for some reason (I’m Jewish so I’m allowed to joke about this, but you are not) pretty much everywhere except Australia and other places. Regardless of what you call it, this was superb,

Kintoa pork, perfectly cooked medium-rare, super tender and juicy. Served with a leek topped with some sort of pesto, along with saffron pilaf rice and more delicious Jus. Kintoa is a local breed. Its called Kintoa because back in the day local farmers had to pay the king a fifth (Kintoa) of their pigs as tax. Hazelnut dessert, and more glorious tidbits was the perfect finish. Another highlight was the Brioche with, what else, Espelette butter.

One thing I really liked about Choko Ona is the pacing and the amount of food served. It should be more common especially in Michelin places, but not often you leave a tasting menu, satisfied, not full, while consuming plenty. We were still able to enjoy a multi course dinner that evening.

Categories: France | Tags: Choko Ona, Choko Ona Espelette, restaurants, Travel | 2 Comments

Da Toscano Porchetta Shop – Gem Hidden in Plain Sight

Posted on September 30, 2025 by Ziggy

First, time to make another change to the blog. Its been about 13 incredible years, and food blogs are slowly becoming obsolete, replaced by other forms of social media. I do want to keep it going, but I just dont have the same amount of time and energy. From now on, my NYC blog posts will be short, sweet, and to the point, writing mostly about the food.

Da Toscano Porchetta Shop, located in, you guessed it, Da Toscana, a popular restaurant in the West Village. “Popular? Never heard of it, Ziggy”. Its one of those quiet, those in the know fame. We had a memorable meal there when they opened, and I figured I’ll blog about it when I’ll have a bigger meal. But that day never came. Popularity took off and its hard to reserve these days.

While Da Toscano open for dinner only these days, you can enjoy the the Porchetta sandwiches and more at the bar or takeout during lunchtime 4 days a week. The opening hours on Google and elsewhere confuse many to believe they are open for lunch, but its really just for the sandwiches. This is the follow-up to their Porchetta shop in Charleston, one of four businesses they have there.

I tried the original Porchetta sandwich. San Gennaro feast in my mouth is one way to put it. A whole hog is roasted with rosemary and fennel for 8 hours. They then slice it and let the slices swim with its juices, before serving it with Salsa Verde, Crackling, and Aged Provolone between fluffy Focaccia that hold their own. The result is a glorious blend with the tender meat reigning supreme. Some of the juiciest and tastiest Porchetta I’ve ever had.

Conclusion: New Yorkers are spending tons of hours waiting for subpar social media hyped sandwiches all over the city. Sometimes the good stuff can be found at the most unexpected places by highly talented chefs. Its like having an omelette at a popular diner vs a chef’s joint like Anton’s who studied the heck out of making the perfect one.

PS. Couldnt take a good picture. Lighting, shaky hands, the drooling, all of the above. The pictures are courtesy of Da Toscano

24 Minetta Ln, West Village

Categories: New York City, West Village | Tags: Da Toscano NYC, Da Toscano Porchetta Shop, food, restaurants | Leave a comment

Saint Julivert – Less is Less

Posted on September 15, 2025 by Ziggy

Saint Julivert is a seafood focused eatery in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Opened in 2018 by Alex Raij and Eder Montero, the husband-and-wife team behind La Vara, next door, and Txikito which I included in the best of NYC list. The well respected duo essentially reinvented Spanish Tapas in NYC. Saint Julivert is on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list (good quality, good value cooking). The dishes are fairly small but the waitstaff recommends 4-5 dishes for two, like any other restaurant.

Sorullitos – Nicely spiced hushpuppies sitting on tangy mayo. Solid, well priced snack. No issues here.

Amberjack – Raw, high quality Amberjack (Kampachi). I appreciated the tomato water and Shiso oil as opposed to the usual acidic crudo, but an expensive 4 bites each when sharing with someone.

Polenta/Chickpeas fritters topped with Baba ghanoush and salmon – A special that sounded good, and it was. But essentially an expensive (over $20) amuse bouche. One weird theme here is that they advise sharing, but serve everything in odd numbers.

Squid a la Placha with Mushrooms – Just fine. Not as good as I hoped. The Mushroom flavors didnt really pop, and the whole dish was just a tad too sweet. Only when I mixed the sauces at the end, I got the right balance.

Venetian style Risotto – Nice smoky flavor, but midway it started to feel like an excellent, pricy side dish. I would have loved to pair with fish or another protein for some texture. For a “Fisherie”, they dont have any fish on the menu, other than an expensive special on this night.

5 dishes, one drink, $170 (includes tax/tips)

Conclusion: Plenty of creativity and top notch ingredients. Just not enough food. Sure I can order more dishes and push it well over $200, but at the end we simply didnt feel like we were getting good value. Not often I can go for a slice of pizza after a meal. If you order 4 dishes as the waitress suggested (“4-5”), you could even do a burger. It felt like an 8 course tasting menu that ended midway. A one and done for me.

264 Clinton St, Brooklyn

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: food, restaurants, Saint Julivert, Saint Julivert Brooklyn | Leave a comment

Best Restaurants in Manhattan

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Ziggy

Well, the people of Reddit have spoken, after putting together the Brooklyn picks. For Manhattan I grouped them instead of creating another map (Brooklyn is huge). And just like with Brooklyn, there are certain areas as you can see where I dont spend much time. UWS and UES are just too far, and not as interesting, while Midtown East and Times Square are hotel/tourist heavy, with minimal parking, and more suited for business lunches. Rarely anything interesting opens there.

I also think its time to retire the Z-List. I’ve been managing it for many years, and I’ve had many people commenting on how useful it is. But a list of 30 that covers a large area, no matter how often updated, can run its course. I know some rely on it, but I think its better to rely on its Brooklyn and Manhattan list replacements at this point. I will leave the Z-List up for a while to give people a chance to say goodbye 😉

I will update these lists often. This one is more or less from south to north, with the borders stretched on occasion to fit everyone…

Tribeca

Nish Nush – One of the best if not the best Falafels in the city for a few decades now.

Au Cheval – Go for the sick burger, stay for the Mac & Cheese.

LES / Chinatown

Ginger and Lemongrass – Pretty much for the spicy lemongrass soup.

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou – Hard to beat for a quick cheap dumplings and noodles.

Spicy Village – Slightly uncomfortable but exceptional Chinese. Try the dumplings and Big Tray of Chicken

Uncle Lou’s – Got a little too touristy lately but this is where I’d go for Cantonese right now

Katz’s Deli – The Pastrami Temple. Mega touristy for a reason

Corima – Affordable, superb creative Mexican

Nolita / Little Italy

Thai Diner – Super popular for a reason. Try to come at Off-peak hours

Wayan – Vongerichten Jr doing all kinds of Indonesian/French magic

19 Cleveland – Excellent all around Israeli

Tomiño Taberna Gallega – NYC’s best if not only pure Galician. Meaning get the Octopus

Figo il Gelato – Fig/Ricotta Gelato when fresh is hard to beat

Soho

Raoul’s – A celebrated old French Bistro.

San Carlo Osteria Piemonte – Almost does Italy’s top food region justice. Order from the Piemonte menu

Rivareno Gelato – I’m an ice cream junky and this is my favorite Gelato these days. Especially appreciate the northern flavors

Pinch Chinese – Outstanding elevated Chinese. A favorite since they opened pretty much

Greenwich Village

Anton’s – I follow certain chefs I admire, until they call the cops 😉 Nick Anderer (Mailino, Marta) did an amazing job curating a great menu at Anton’s. He’s now doing his magic at his second, Leon’s (great lunch so far). Love the brunches here too.

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele – While not exactly the same as the Napoli original, a fancy pizzeria with a full menu

Jeju Noodle Bar – I preferred this Korean before the Michelin star, but its still outstanding

Balaboosta – The flagship of one of the most celebrated Israeli chefs.

Song’ e Napule – If I have to pick just one pizzeria

Leitao – Superb Portuguese. One of my favorite discoveries in the last few years

Via Carota – Possibly the most well rounded Italian we have. Popular for a reason

Dell’anima – Italian in West Village is having a moment. Just moved back after many years deep in Hell’s Kitchen. Exceptional pastas and chicken.

East Village

Foxface Natural (Temporarily closed) – From a tiny Sandwich shop to creative Michelin style dining.

Hearth – A reliable old timer and the creator of Brodo.

Fiaschetteria “Pistoia” – The closest we have to eating in a Tuscan village

Carnitas Ramirez – Possibly best tacos in NYC today.

Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks – Yes, worth the hype.

Spice Brothers – When a spice master opens a fast food Middle Eastern. Worth checking out

Nowon – Our go-to for a simple burger, rice cakes and more.

Claude – Josh Pinsky is another chef I follow for a while, from the Momofuku days in this case.

Flatiron / Gramercy

L’Express – One of the most reliable Brasseries in the city, aging like a fine Bordeaux

Olle – No shortage of great Korean in the area, but you’ll be hard pressed to find better Galbi Jjim

Ulivo – Nice all around Italian, good pizza, and a plethora of fresh pastas by a talented Sardinian

Milu – Fast food Chinese like no other.

Rezdora – Pricy high caliber Italian, especially the pastas, inspired by Emilia Romagna

Chelsea

Jun-Men Ramen – Good ramen but even better non Ramen items like the Mazemen and wings.

Tia Pol / Txikito / Salinas – Three excellent Spanish all timers, near each other. All quite different. I frequent Tia Pol more only because its more accessible.

Hell’s Kitchen

Frena – Elevated middle eastern by a seasoned chef, now owner. Taboon 2.0 for those who remember.

Chalong Southern Thai – Probably best Thai in Hell’s Kitchen today, if not Manhattan.

Danji – Former Michelin Korean. Nice comeback story after a devastating fire

Chi – Solid, stylish Szechuan with a twist

Don Antonio – Legit Neapolitan pies. Just about as good as it gets.

Pure Thai Cookhouse – Legendary Thai in Thai heavy Hell’s Kitchen

UWS

Pig and Khao – Used to frequent the LES location. Same menu as far as I know.

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Frena – Taboon 2.0 Dazzles

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Ziggy

When you visit a place when the chef/owner is on vacation in NYC its not necessarily a bad thing. In super competitive NYC it most likely means the well oiled machine is intact and the boss can take a breather. In Frena’s case it meant we visited at the right time. I gave it about a year after old EWZ darling Taboon closed due to a nasty fire and reincarnated three years later as Frena. Not being in the business, it’s a small mystery why restaurants take so long to recover after a fire (See Danji). Some never do.

I’ve been a fan of Taboon pretty much since I started this blog. One of the points I always stressed was that if you survive that long in that location, you are doing something right. Anything west of 9th Ave, the Hell’s Kitchen border for most tourists, should pique your interest. Efi Naon, the mega talented head chef at Taboon understood that he had something special there, and reopened the place along with a frequent Taboon patron.

Taboon 2.0 feels more like 1.2. A new version where much of the old menu items are still there, and the concept is pretty much the same. Elevated “Middle-terranean” with the Taboon oven in the center of things. even the name Frena has a similar meaning to the old name. Frena is the community oven in a Moroccan village (Naon is Moroccan Israeli), and also the name of the fluffy Moroccan pita. In my East Village tours I introduced guests to the Frena pita, which I can still smell.

This meal was not a whole lot different than my Taboon meals over the years, except that it was simply better. Just about every item felt like an improved version of the previous, along with some new Italian flair to boot. Its an ambitious menu that’s common in Middle Eastern. Leave it to Anon, who trained all over Europe including a three Michelin in France, to perfect it.

Just like Taboon, every meal at Frena starts with their terrific “Frena Bread”. A rarity for such quality bread, dusted with a bit of salt and za’atar, to be free these days. But if your group is more than two, chances are you’ll need another ($9), especially if you get the 5 dips deal. All dips were exceptional, especially the Cauliflower hummus.

For the middle course we opted for the said Italian flair. I mean how bad can braised oxtail Tortellini on top of Sabzi Persian herb stew be? Turned out to be one of the highlights of the night. Roasted eggplant with tomato and Stracciatella was like eggplant Parm on steroids. You wouldn’t be disappointed with those dishes at a Rezdora, or any of the Michelin Italian.

Its best to share some of the big plates here. Old signature Lamb kebabs cooked in Terra Cotta pots covered with bread as satisfying as ever. We absolutely demolished it. The butterflied Branzino lightly drizzled with sage chimichurri looked like a piece of art at the Louvre, and significantly more exciting than the old Branzino.

Just like in Taboon, you finish with the transformative Silan – Tahini ice cream, caramelized rice crispies, almonds, halva, date syrup. A marching band in your mouth. There are some dishes that changed the way I eat at home, and this is one of them (Mesa Grill’s eggs is another). Every other dessert will pale in comparison, but a good Knaffe rarely disappoints, and no exception here.

Frena
773 10th Ave (52nd)
Recommended Dishes: Frena Bread, Dips, Tortellini, Roasted eggplant, Lamb Terra Cotta, Branzino, Silan, Knaffe