Posts Tagged With: restaurants

Khe-Yo – Steak of the Year and More

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Ziggy

Courtesy of Zagat

Feels weird writing about steak after the horrific events in Paris. But life goes on.

Steak to me is like Family Guy. I enjoy it tremendously, but rarely seek it. I grill it at home, I order it when I feel like it, but rarely crave and go out of my way for it. Steakhouses in general are not part of my regular diet, and the vast majority of my steak intakes come from non-traditional steakhouses and elsewhere (Italian, French, American). But then, about once a year, I get to taste something like this, which makes me question my diet and our overall existence. I’m well overdue with this post since this particular piece of meat has been on my radar for a few years now. And for the same reason I dont record new Family Guy episodes, I’ve never actually made it to American Cut to have it. But I thought this was a post about Khe-Yo Ziggy. Liar!

American Cut is Marc Forgione’s steakhouse in Tribeca. Khe-Yo is its exotic, wild half sister. She sleeps naked, whistles at construction workers, and doesn’t come to company meetings on time. Khe-Yo is a collaboration of Forgione, another dude, and Laos born Soulayphet Schwader offering Laos inspired dishes (Essentially Thai on Crack). I’ve been to Khe-Yo before including four days after it opened in 2013, but this time I figured I’ll bring Mrs Ziggy for her first Khe-Yo experiences. However, things didn’t quite go as planned. They were better.

Before the waitress had a chance to tell us about today’s specials, I already knew that we were having the steak special. That’s because my sharp steak radar was able to pick up these words from the table nearby “Pastrami, rubbed, rib eye, hmmmm, yes, so good”. It sounded like what you normally hear at the other end of a sex line (I was told). The Ribe eye, rubbed with pastrami seasoning is after all, the Amarican Cut classic I keep hearing about. And it was as magnificent as I imagined. Expertly cooked, good size steak, that’s easily shareable between two ($56). The meat cant get much more tender for a rib eye, with perfectly rendered fat. The peppery pastrami crust is nicely charred and buttery. Its the perfect steak!

If you want a great steak you should probably go to American Cut. If you wan to experience the bold flavors of Laos, dont mind to get your hands dirty (or dont mind having your spouse feed you in public), and can handle some heat, than I highly recommend Khe-Yo. They start you off with a bang, the complimentary sticky rice with fiery “Bang Bang” sauce (lime, chili, fish sauce) that sets the tone for things to come. You eat that and much of the rest with your fingers. The smell for the next 10 hours is complimentary as well. Try the complex Jurgielewicz Duck Salad, the quail, and the crunchy coconut rice balls with sausages. I wish they would provide more sausages with that rice. And finish off with the apple crumb with pineapple and rum raisin ice cream. The whole meal is like Havah Nagila in your mouth!

Khe-Yo
157 Duane St
$$$
Recommended Dishes: Jurgielewicz Duck Salad, quail, coconut rice, Rib Eye (if you lucky)

Categories: New York City, TriBeCa | Tags: food, Khe-Yo, Khe-Yo NYC, Laos NYC, restaurants, Travel | 1 Comment

Mocu-Mocu – Sister Act

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Ziggy

Watching Mocu-Mocu grow is like watching a child grow. I wasnt there during inception, but I watched the development for the next 9 months, and the rapid changes after birth. Its only been 5 months, but before you know it, you are standing there swooping three different bra sizes into that laundry basket. I watched them build a modern, casual, artsy Japanese eatery specializing in… stuff (more on that). I watched them move from front window ordering to a comfortable sit down surrounded by smiles. I watched them build the constantly changing menu that includes a la carte, sets, pictures, and more sets that mimic Japanese traditions. Its a work in progress, but a fun and most interesting one to follow.

Mocu Mocu, a dream come true for two Japanese sisters, sits in a rather odd location in Hell’s Kitchen (10th/51st). Unlike Tex-Mex El Original which opened around the same time one block over, Mocu employs no PR firms, and didnt spend any time on any hot lists. Scorecard so far: One visit to El Original, four to Mocu Mocu. El Original, the name, is actually a better fit for Mocu Mocu since there’s nothing like it in the area and perhaps in the entire city. A true original

So what’s the specialty here? Well, some may say things that end with “yaki”. Takoyaki, doughy octopus balls, come topped with a posse of dancing bonito flakes. Okonomiyaki, tasty veggie filled savory pancakes are used almost like sandwiches hugging chicken, pork belly or coconut shrimp. The chicken Okonomiyaki is in danger of becoming my regular. Then there’s the larger and messier Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki that comes with a dollop of cabbage and fried noodles. And while consuming all these Yakis, you get brainwashed via the videos in the front into ordering perhaps the tastiest yaki of all, the Obanyaki. A gorgeous, not too sweet, dessert pastry filled with various “half and half” combinations. The one I tasted, titled Matcha de Bosco (should come with its own Reggaeton soundtrack) was filled with Matcha Cream and Mixed Berries.

There are six sets on the current menu featuring various combinations, and in true Japanese traditions (I’m told) all the items arrive at the same time. Along with your favorite “yaki” it may include seasonal Oshinko (pickled veggies, normally cabbage), salads, and unique soups like Chilled Edamame Vichyssoise with dried Edamame which I havent tried yet. Though I did have and enjoyed the minestrone like white bean and Sausage Miso. This most unusual miso is a product of Hiroko Shimbo, an acclaimed cookbook author that served as Mocu’s consultant. And if none of this works for you, there are always wings. Quite satisfying ones actually

In this corner of Hell’s Kitchen where tourists and high-heeled office workers are at the minimum, you either need to offer something cheap for the children walking from school or interesting one-off flavors that arent easily found anywhere. Totto Ramen around the corner is a good example. While there’s nothing unique about Ramen in NYC these days, there’s nothing like it in the immediate area. Mocu Mocu takes it even further as there may not be anything like it in the entire city. Go!

Mocu-Mocu
746 10th Ave
$$
Recommended Dishes: Soups, wings, and everything that ends with Yaki

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: food, Japanese restaurants nyc, Mocu Mocu, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Cull & Pistol – Escape the Room

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Ziggy

When we were done with our meal at Cull & Pistol the other day, right before we stepped out, we paused for a few seconds. “Its like a scene from the walking dead out there” I told the hostess who nodded nervously, almost as if she was saying, “I hope you got the proper protection”. I did not. I never do. We felt safe inside, but out there they were in large numbers, walking gingerly and awkwardly in one direction, some even salivating. And before the hostess had a chance to call the manager, we had no choice but leave. And there we were again walking among them, slowly, in the same direction, toward the same goal… ice cream. Five minutes into the walk, we only made it to Lobster Place next door. We reminisced about the meal we had five minutes ago.

Cull & Pistol is more than just an oasis in this lobster, taco, zombie, Chelsea Market frenzy. And its not exactly a new-comer to EWZ. I already blogged about it here, and here. I can’t even update the latter ‘here’, because I visit C&P or sister Lobster Place on just about every Chelsea Market visit these days, including three visits in the last 4 weeks. Why? its the fresh seafood stupid (Its just an American expression, I’m not calling any of my readers stupid, again)

What I like at Cull and Pistol doesn’t really matter much, because chances are, unless its lobster or fish and chips, it wont be on the menu by the time you visit. The menu is not only seasonal, changes based on sister Lobster Places availability, but also benefits from a chef with a menu OCD. One of my favorite chefs on the planet suffers from a menu OCD – a chef that will ride the hot stuff, but also likes to dare, experiment and invent.

If you have to pick just one lobster roll in NYC, this is it. To me around 90% of the lobster rolls out there carry very little value, and are as filling as a Doritos snack. A very expensive snack. C&P stuffs theirs with a lot love – sweet, juicy, claw meat kind of love. And they pair it with excellent almost shoestring fries (though a little bit less salt please). Another must for me as of late is the Spanish/Portuguese octopus. A few weeks ago it was a Portuguese beauty that came with a porky and veggy mix of some sort. One of the best octopus dishes I’ve had in NYC. Nowadays, its a heftier Spanish stallion, simply paprika’d, and served with crispy fingerling potato.

The highlight from the last meal was four Ecuadorian head-on shrimp baked with tarragon-vermouth salt. They were huge, sweet, and missing the funkiness/fishiness of similarly sized gulf shrimp. Oysters and happy hour always one of the main draws. Yesterday I grilled their succulent salmon burgers which are on the menu and can be purchased next door. Two nights before we sauteed their excellent garlic shrimp and served over pasta. Another hit on the current menu is the whole Dourade fried Thai style with mango, coconut, Thai basil, cucumber, chili, mint and fish sauce on the side. I found this more expertly done than in some Thai places where the fish is often dry and overcooked.

Great drinks is the norm, outstanding chocolate mousse for dessert. One of my NYC favorites at the moment.

Cull & Pistol
75 Ninth Ave (Chelsea Market)
$$$
Recommended Dishes: Lobster Roll, Octopus, Shrimp, Thai style Dourade, Salmon Burgers

Categories: Chelsea, New York City | Tags: Best Lobster Rolls in NYC, Best Seafood in NYC, Chelsea Market, Cull & Pistol, Cull & Pistol NYC, food, restaurants, Travel | 1 Comment

Sim Sim – Staten Island’s Lone Uzbek is Legit

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Ziggy

The island of Staten is not exactly blessed with great dining. Other than Sri Lankan I cant think of any reason to pay the hefty toll to go there. Did you ever wonder why Enoteca Maria and Vida are on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list for what seems like forever. The French inspectors are just way too busy to make room for Staten Island on their schedule. Some may say pizza is another good reason to come, and to those I’d say you can find just as good or better in the other boroughs. You just need to know where to look to find them.

Sim Sim is not another reason to travel all the way to the Midland section of the island, but it’s a solid alternative, and new experience for the islanders. While Manhattan is not exactly known for great Uzbek (I cant think of one decent), you do have plenty of good ones in south Brooklyn (Kashkar Café, Nargis to name a few). But the island residents have finally a legitimate Uzbek that can perhaps open the doors to some competition. And competition, as always, is the healthiest recipe. When you bump into the lone Indian restaurant in Pocatello, Idaho, you can bet your Vindaloo that you probably did not exactly discover a jewel. But Sim Sim is closer to the exception than the rule

At the helm in the kitchen is an Uyghur cook (ethnic group living in villages all over Asia), dishing out all the Uzbek classics… Manti, Samsa, Plov (this one with raisins) and those chicken kebabs that require that special Uzbek touch. The Uzbeks know how to grill em. The cook comes early in the morning to start the preparations that includes pulled Lagman noodles, at this point only available in soup form. The place is small and homey. Freshly renovated and decorated to resemble a casual Uzbek hang out place. The owner is Russian who operated the previous incarnation of the space, but now somewhat bravely, trying to insert some freshness into the island. No alcohol permit here, so bring your vodka, though a solid Kompot (Russian fruit punch) is always available

Categories: New York City, Staten Island | Tags: food, restaurants, Sim Sim, Sim Sim Staten Island, Staten Island Uzbek, Travel | Leave a comment

Arco Café – A Taste of Sardinia on UWS

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Ziggy

The little joys in life. Walking in Central Park, conversing with a three year old again, eating ice cream on a hot day, watching an entire show with your kids without an erectile dysfunction commercial these days, and stumbling upon a restaurant without any prior research and having a good meal. What? Ziggy? Are you ill? Did you forget to pick a place prior to your visit to Central Park North. That’s very unlikely of you. Oh I did pick a place alright, but it just happened to be in East Village for a stop on the drive back. A change of plans as we felt like eating right there and then, and so this little gem was discovered.

Upper West Side has always been a culinary wasteland in my mind compared to other neighborhoods, but that notion is based on history rather than present times. The truth is anything past 75th street is pretty much a foreign area to me. And if I’m driving anywhere near there, it usually means I’m on my way out of town. So finding something rather good in that part of the woods felt satisfying and refreshing. Like finding an authentic Peruvian on the Venice Beach Boarwalk last month. Or perhaps the hummus obsessed inner Ziggy read it a Acco, a town in North Israel boasting ~~some of~~ the best hummus on the planet

Courtesy of Arco Cafe

Arco is one of those places where you need to pay special attention to the specials board. The only thing better than menus? No menus. Something Yogi Berra who passed yesterday might say (RIP). Arco has a menu of course as its almost impossible to be without one in NYC unless your name is Momofuku Ko. But its the board that’s got the freshest, most exciting goodies. Like the pasta special that looked like Strozzapretti with eggplant and dry ricotta. Or the expertly cooked soft shell crab which was sitting on this simple but addictive string bean salad. Swordfish, a fish I’m not fond of. While this swordfish did not rock my world and turned me into a fan, I found it more enjoyable and not as dry as others I tried in the city.

Malloreddus is small Sardinian Cavateli. The only other Malloreddus I’ve had was at Mercato in Hell’s Kitchen, a place that has more things in common with Arco. This Malloreddus was topped with a sausage ragu and tomato sauce that will convert any “red sauce” haters. No complaints about the Caprese nor the Fritto Misto (more great spicy red sauce). The only dish I would not order again is the Gnocchi which was the fresh, super soft kind (I prefer a tougher texture), but that’s just personal preference. I’m guessing its a good idea to stick to the Sardinian stuff here. Desserts were good.

Arco is the type of neighborhood place that needs to be cherished. Very often we eat at places that make us feel like we just ate at a corporation (I’m looking at you Casa Mono) that only cares about serving you as soon as possible in order to free your table. While family owned places like Arco, Mercato, and Bar Pitti, whether you agree or disagree with their tactics sometimes, have more of a personality, more personable, and understand how to make you happy. Check out Arco!

Arco Cafe
886 Amsterdam Ave
$$$
Recommended Dishes: Malloreddus, Specials

Categories: New York City, Upper West Side | Tags: Arco Café, Arco Café NYC, food, Italian Upper West Side, restaurants, Travel | 4 Comments

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

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

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