Ok, maybe a few hours a day. Some visitors are surprised to learn that in the city that never sleeps, many, if not most places close at 10pm. That’s close to the time when people in some countries like Spain just start their evening activities. In Andalucia, we noticed most places only open at 8:30. In NYC, 8:30 is approaching the end of peak time (6-9). And in rural America, you may not even find a place open after 8pm.
So why is it called, the city that never sleeps? I think its because we simply cant sleep. Noise, rats, weather, tariffs. There’s always something to worry about. When I have those silent moments while driving with Mrs Z, I can just tell that she’s thinking about worrying about something… “I think you need a new suit”, “We probably need a new door”, “How come Costco milk expires so late. Are we being poisoned”. In the city that never sleeps, we call the police when neighbors dont sleep, and we constantly talk about ways to make us sleep. Warm milk and honey is my latest nightly routine.
L’Express used to be open 24 hours, but now they close for a few hours at night to reset. Is there a better way to gauge demand than the amount of hours an establishment is open during the week, along with its lifespan. Not many places outside of Times Square can beat 30 year old L’Express and their hours. On a recent random Tuesday night the place was packed.
Just like L’Express in Montreal, our L’Express on Park Ave in Gramercy is as classic French bistro as it gets. L’Express is owned by Chef Driven Hospitality Group, but more importantly its at the hands of Chef Amitzur Mor who worked at Gramercy Tavern, Bouley, and Payard among other places. The mission is to make forgotten dishes still relevant. The Katz’s Deli of French food if you will.
A good example of a forgotten dish revived at L’Express is the Duck Cassoulet. A few bites of that sent me straight to… Staten Island. Many years ago, when Ziggy was young, sporty, and without sleeping issues, he would frequent a place near the Staten Island ferry that offered a beautiful rich Cassoulet. At that time Cassoulet used to be my favorite French dish. These days, even in Paris its not so easy to find. I did manage to find a good one in the 5th Arr.
The rest of the items didnt disappoint. You need to ask for bread to mop up all the awesomeness from the Escargot leftover. The Steak Frites featured a decent size strip that was cooked to perfection. Add a small charge to make it Au Poivre and you get a much better value than Raoul’s, and most places. I took the shot under much duress. The Short Rib Bourguignon with potato puree is exactly what you expect from a French Bistro. And the Creme Brulee, absolutely on point.
On the flip side, The P.E.I Moules-Frites were average, and the olive puree didn’t quite compliment the crispy goat cheese well. But I’m just nitpicking here. Overall, I was impressed by the quality from a seemingly simple corner bistro that’s as accessible as a diner. L’Express is aging like a fine Bordeaux. Go!
L’Express 249 Park Ave S (20th) Recommended Dishes: Duck Cassoulet, Escargot, Steak Frites, Short Rib Bourguignon, Creme Brulee
When you come across Taboonia off 6th ave just inside Nomad, it looks like just another random fast food joint, a pizzeria even. But its so much more than that. Not only it’s NYC’s second Druze restaurant (first fast casual), but it comes with a tragic underlying story. Raif Rashed, one of the owners was a survivor of the Nova Festival on Oct 7. While he lived in the US, he happened to be in Israel at the time, and agreed to help his brother operate a food stall called Taboonia at the festival. I will spare you the many tragic details except that they both survived.
Opening Taboonia, and introducing Americans to traditional Druze cooking is part of the healing process. When I used to run food tours, one of the stops on the Hell’s Kitchen tour was Gazala Place, our first Druze establishment. I enjoyed talking about the Druze, their believes and the famous Druze hospitality. The same hospitality we experienced in 2012 in Usfiya where Rashed is from. Gazala came from Daliyat El-Carmel, the sister Druze village right next to Usfiya, just outside of Haifa. The tray below is how we got treated at the Druze house.
Our Druze Plate in Usfiya
Taboonia has some things in common, but very different than Gazala which eventually opened a place at the Upper West Side, and closed the original in Hell’s Kitchen during the pandemic. I have vivid memories of walking on 9th ave, seeing Gazala through the window cook that paper thin bread on a Saj oven. I miss her Hummus the most, and that bread was perfect for that.
Taboonia is a lot more low key, but same big heart. You are immediately greeted with some of the best spiced Chai you’ll ever have. I just asked him for the “best of” and the result was glorious. Manakish, essentially Druze pizza with Za’atar, similar to what we had in Usfiya. “Pita Labneh” featuring that thin flat Druze Saj bread stuffed with Tabule, egg, Labneh, and Harissa finished on the Saj oven. I recommend cutting by two instead of three like we did. Outstanding! Even the Potato Bourekas was fresh and excellent.
It’s one of those places where it may not even occur to you that its all vegetarian. All freshly made and solid ingredients throughout. Even the olives were delicious to this olives hater. The location is fine, depending on who you ask. Its fairly central, but the immediate area is mainly of the wholesale variety, though the area is changing. Go!
I’m being very careful with my “Bests” as you can see, and even more careful with the “Absolute Bests”. Anyone remembers the Absolute Best lists from Grub Street? Fun to look at, but very very wrong. It’s NYC. Unless you’ve been to even half of the hundreds of bagel places, you cant declare a best, not alone, absolute best. Just swing by the aptly named BAGELS R US in Staten Island to see the snaking lines on the weekends. You will never see it on any list because influencers and publishers dont travel to these corners of the city.
But I’m fairly confident you wont find better Mexican in Manhattan’s Chinatown, or any of our roughly 5 Chinatowns for that matter. First, its an exceptional, well deserved, one star Michelin. Second, its the only Mexican in Chinatown. When you see it on Allen street, you do a double take at your Google Maps, and then look for the business sign. Its right near Manhattan Bridge, and contrary to some claiming part of it is in Lower East Side, it’s very much inside Chinatown. The only time I’m in this corner of the city when I’m not looking for Chinese food is when I go to the excellent Michaeli Bakery.
Corima is an ambitious project, opened about a year ago by Fidel Caballero and his wife. It took less than a year to receive a Michelin Star, which is not so easy, especially for a place that’s not Japanese or French. Fidel Caballero is a Contra alum but more importantly a student of the legend three Michelin Martín Berasategui in Basque Country. Corima I believe is his first baby. Always interesting to see mega experienced chefs finally put their signatures somewhere.
Our meal in Corima was almost flawless. The only challenging aspect was deciding whether to go with the ever changing tasting menu or a la carte. After much deliberation, I opted for the latter. The two options are very different, as there’s usually only one dish in both, most likely the terrific bread. Without being overly familiar with Caballero, an ever changing tasting menu feels more of a gamble, and its somehow reflected in reviews. While some tried and true hits are only available a ala carte. But then you have people like Ryan Sutton swearing by the tasting menu
A rundown of the dishes, beginning with the question many have been asking for the past year.
Is the infamous $9 Tortilla worth it? YES!!.. and no!! Its a solid, thin sourdough flatbread, like Lavash or the Druze bread if you had it at Gazala’s on my Hell’s Kitchen tours. But since its Mexican it’s “Tortilla”. Probably made with some sort of fat. Good enough to eat on its own, but even better with the accompanied butter where they add roasted onions, mushrooms and chili to it. Not worth $9 but appropriately priced bread course for an ambitious one star Michelin where you spend roughly $120-150 pp. Supply and demand no brainer for the lone single digit item on top of the menu.
Beef Cecina Tlayuda – Superb cured beef. Like a moist beef carpaccio. More of a sum of all parts situation with the crunchy tortilla, Edamame Guac, and a sprinkle of Chapulines (Grasshoppers) so you dont forget where you are. Decent size for a small dish.
Tetela (top) – Replacing the fried Quesadilla on the menu is this fried masa based triangle with flavors reminiscent of a Pupusa. It’s stuffed with Maitake, Quesillo (Oaxacan cheese) and winter greens, and topped with thin truffle puree that looks like too much but once you have it, not enough. The only flaw was that the greens were not evenly spread out. Get this!
Monkfish – As good as the smaller plates were, the bigger were even better. Perfectly cooked firm monkfish, topped with paper thin potatoes, and a foamy seafood bisque. Just wished the fish was a little warmer.
Duck Enmoladas – More Excellence. Like duck enchilada topped with Black Garlic Mole and Cotija cheese foam. All kinds of beautiful flavors and textures with the beautiful duck reigning supreme. A spoonful of pure bliss.
Desserts didnt quite continue the momentum. Took a major step back in fact. When you feel nothing can go wrong and you order two instead of the usual one. Chocoflan with truffles with real truffles, not chocolate truffles was the main offender. Truffles dont belong in desserts, full stop. Give me one of those Mexican flans with caramel any day. The Funnel cake with roasted pears and pistachio was more like it, but considering the place, still quite basic.
The drinks were fine. Out of the 4, one clear winner, the Tequilla based Sinaloa Sling that she had. The rest not super balanced but fine. Still, this was a very enjoyable meal, helped in part by Ivan, one of those super waiters you just want to talk to and know better. The entire staff was in fact great. According to the wife who had a better look at the action, half of the staff featured “Porn Mustaches”. After 32 years I’m still learning new things about her.
Corima 3 Allen St (Chinatown) Recommended Dishes: Tortilla, Beef Cecina Tlayuda, Tetela, Monkfish, Duck Enmoladas
All good things come to an end. Eventually! My favorite, precious, perfectly fit sneakers have holes in the front approaching toe size. I made a deal not to wear them while I’m with her, or in close proximity to other humans. I only wear them on my daily walks, but their end is near. Honestly, considering she randomly throws away anything remotely old, I’m surprised I still have them. Heck, I’m surprised I’m still around.
Hibernia fits my taste like those sneakers. Except that it didnt have any holes in it at all. In fact it always felt fresh, and even trendy, after 38 years. One of my favorite restaurants in the world had the total package. Outstanding, creative cuisine in a mythical setting. They perfected the South East Asian / French mashup before it even became a thing in Paris.
Last month, owners Mary Pat and Raoul announced they will finally retire and close the restaurant in May after 38 years. While disappointing, it’s totally understandable. This is not the kind of place you can easily hand to someone else. But for us, this is a huge blow as we are essentially left with half a Jacala (since the first half of the name Jacques retired). While there’s no shortage of all kinds of great dining on Anguilla, these are our two favorites by a wide margin.
I dont usually write such posts. Who wants to know about a place that’s closing, in the Caribbean no less. But this is different. Long time readers, especially the Anguilla fans here, saw how Hibernia become an EWZ darling over the years. And in the small chance that any of you are still planning your spring vacation, this is your last chance to experience one heck of a dining experience.
Another great Turks and Caicos trip in the books. We sort of settled between alternating between Anguilla and TCI these days. TCI is my home away from home, my partner if you will, while Anguilla feels like the mistress. I’m starting to think this is the closest I will ever get to a mistress. A bit shorter than usual (the trip, not the mistress), but this was some of the best eating in roughly 25 trips. Over the years, new places have been hit or miss to put it mildly. But this time we encountered new places that dished out some fairly impressive stuff. Only problem, not small, it all comes at a small fortune these days. Meals under $200-250 for two are becoming a rarity in Provo.
The Farm
An unplanned breakfast, lunch and dinner at the newest addition to Seven Stars. A striking, comfortable, bright and airy place with a very capable kitchen at the hands of island veteran Edwin Gallardo. Terrific short rib sandwich and a salad with the kind of dressing that almost made Mrs Z pull a Meg Ryan. Serviceable breakfast (SS guests get a $25 credit) other than the surprisingly stale sourdough.
The best part was Indian Sundays which happened to be during the Super Bowl in our case. I wasnt expecting much from a theme night, but this was as solid as I ever had in the Caribbean. The Butter Chicken alone is worth the “price of admission”. It has more of a peppery, “Chettinad” like flavor profile and is simply outstanding. The shrimp fry and carrot cake not too shabby either.
Omar’s Beach Hut
Beach shacks or huts is one area Anguilla got the edge, while Provo’s shacks are closer to regular restaurants. Although, places like Omar’s and the famous Da Conch Shack are quite picturesque and worth leaving the resorts for. Omar’s has arguably the best Oxtail dish on the island, but pretty much everything I’ve had here from fish tacos (top) to conch fritters have been solid. Omar is sort of an island legend and the local following reflects that.
Le Bouchon
A must on every single visit. We’ve been enjoying Le Bouchon cooking before Le Bouchon was even born (when the chef owned Caicos Cafe). We found Pierrik Marziou’s legacy even in Paris. Last time we stayed in the 11th arr., walking distance to a place called Justine formerly owned by Pierrik and named after his daughter who owns a shop right near Caicos Cafe. “Its… a small world after all” Everybody…
Another stellar meal. Killer Escargot as usual. Perfectly tender octopus sitting on a nice and crunchy salad. Love salads with texture. And I can’t think of another signature dish on the island that’s more renowned than the Steak au Poivre. It’s the sum of all parts dish including the fries, au gratin and veggies. Highly recommend Le Bouchon, for like the 25th time.
Hemingways
Nothing to see here. A traditional lunch since the first trip where we stayed at the Sands (before Seven Stars was built) on one of the best oceanside decks on the stretch. Over the years we settled on fish and chips and fish tacos, no matter how many times we examined the menu. Yes, its Swai, but who cares if you rarely eat it. Swai can be delicious when prepared right and is flakier than most Snappers out there.
Bay Bistro
The new and improved* Bay Bistro 2.0 is off to a promising start with an asterisk attached. Carmen Norocea (formerly with Magnolia) is leading the new team, and she completely revamped the menu. While the food was mostly great, the overall experience was somewhat lacking. Not much of a break between courses and we were done eating in under an hour. Not much of an ambiance or personal touch from the staff. Normally I’d be fine wit that. But like Indigo, Omar’s and other new places its nice to meet the people that can introduce you to the concept and/or menu. Carmen was not there, and the active manager was mostly entertaining one guest.
The food was indeed mostly good, but not perfect. The clear miss was an overcharred, dry and uneventful lobster that relied on melted butter more than I normally like. Surprising considering lobster was historically the one sure thing at BB. The rest was great. Tiger Shrimp tartelette wasn’t much of a tartelette, but sitting on top of one. Quite excellent mostly due to the smart shrimp seasoning.
Tuna Tataki was very interesting. Something you may find at a finer joint with the flavors to match. The one dish I’d come for were the Jerk lamb chops. Superb, even with the uneven cooking. The dessert of banana and toffee in a jar needed some adjustments like a more accessible, not frozen at the bottom, Graham cracker crust, and more cream.
Lua at the South Bank Resort
I love trying new places but this is one pricy lunch at a resort I probably should have skipped. I was curious about the resort itself and I was advised to go by a trusted local. But at the end of the day, this is just another restaurant at a pricy resort where you get good service with hit or miss dishes. In our case it was a fine Caesars salad, a refreshing creamy feta with hot honey. But a basic, slightly oversalted $40 Snapper filet on top of Caponata was a pricy miss. Caponata was a nice touch, but the dish was desperately missing something starchy and got boring in a hurry.
Marine Room
Out of the new places we tried, this was our favorite by a mile. From the stunning decor, drinks, food and ambiance this was just about flawless. A packed house, not in a beach resort, means they are doing something right. I will save the rest to a dedicated post. Spoiler: The signature Sideways Lasagna wasnt the best dish. How will you sleep tonight? I recommend Zzzquil. Bout time I add some ads here. Zzzquil – when you are over 50, doing eye exercises at 3 am, the 20th Tiktok trick you’ve seen.
Caicos Cafe
The traditional first and last night meal. Not much has changed except that its as busy as ever. On our first night, we sat next to the entrance and witnessed the amount of people being turned away. Make reservations people, especially in places like Caicos Cafe and Le Bouchon which are very popular with locals. One thing I’m beginning to realize with CC, as it gets more and more popular with locals, we are more in the mercy of the local taste. Case in point, the famous grilled calamari is now fried.
But there’s no shortage of hits. On our first night we discovered a well crafted Duck Foie Gras terrine. The Gnocchi is still the same fresh pillowy goodness. The conch chowder is as good as ever, and the Lobster fra diavolo is still a crowd pleaser. Pay attention to the specials. They may include a fresh Wahoo perfectly cooked on top of an addictive Amalfi style veggie stew. Or a beautiful chewy Strozzapreti with bits of octopus, beans, olives, tomatoes and more. Strozzapreti of course was created when someone saw a priest being slowly strangled. On our second night we came with local friends, so we were able to sample all the specials.
And talking of special, a special shutout to the lovely couple we met on our first night who are avid readers of the blog. Pleasure was all mine, obviously 🙂
Chinson’s
Avid readers, both of them, know I’m a big fan of Chinson’s. A trip feels incomplete without at least one visit for lunch. Not only great food, but the prices are more than fair as opposed to much of the island these days. Great Jerk as usual, and the Goat Curry is still the GOAT.
The last season of Chef’s Table was both exciting and upsetting. At least they ended with the upsetting part allowing us to enjoy the show until that point. The last episode was about a restaurant in Mexico City that proudly shows sensitive political stances on the menu. Not sure I would like to live in a world where every restaurant or business I support shows where they stand on certain issues, some of which may be sensitive to some groups. We go out to be entertained, not preached. We have CNN and FOX News for that.
Compared to the last episode, the Kalaya episode was wildly refreshing. Not only for the great looking food but the owner’s bubbly personality, and her story. I immediately went to Google Maps to mark it only to find out its already marked. Why havent I visited until now? I ran out of daughters (that might go to school there), and my love affair with the Philly Cheesesteak never really changed. I was so enamored with one particular handsome beast (John’s Roast Pork) that it took me ages to even try another.
Kalaya not too long ago moved to the up and coming Fishtown. A fitting name for a new culinary powerhouse, especially if you stretch the border a little to include places like Laser Wolf. The place has the look and feel of a sprawling well oiled machine that’s quite far from your typical Thai. Great food, ample lighting, efficient service, and strong drinks. What else a boy can ask for. Dumplings shaped like birds?
The dumplings at Kalaya are the exception to the rule. Get them for the look, and hopefully you’ll enjoy the taste. The signature bird shaped dumplings with caramelized cod and preserved radish had a mild interesting funk but didnt exactly blow me away. The flower shaped chicken dumplings had a more agreeable flavor and texture. But the biggest surprise was how tiny they were. You could easily kill two birds with one bite.
While I didnt really explore the Appetizers column, I get the sense that Kalaya’s strength is with large entrees. A perfectly steamed whole Branzino topped with all sorts of delicate goodies was pure joy with every morsel. A fall off the bone Lamb Shank on an outrageous, well balanced Massaman curry, with potatoes, onions and almonds was fall off the chair wowzer. One we couldnt finish. The silky Cabbage side was another winner.
Rarely you see great looking desserts at Thai places. The mammoth shaved ice is a show stopper, but our shrinking stomachs went for the more than fine Thai Tea Tiramisu. I also rarely talk about drinks here because they are either not memorable or something I can do at home. The Lum Yong drink was neither. An unforgettable blend of Gins, Coconut, Lemongrass, lime and spices. Go!
Kalaya 4 W Palmer St, Philadelphia Recommended Dishes: Both Dumplings, Lamb Shank Massaman, Branzino, Cabbage, Tiramisu
Do you ever find yourself talk about travel experiences to friends and family like they talk about their newborns or grandchildren? You realize at some point that they dont care nearly as much as you, especially after showing them some serious raw meat porn. But you do it anyway, since it feels good to relive said experiences. Such was the case with Casa Rampolina and its restaurant La Rampolina.
Rampolina towers in the mountains above Stresa and majestic Lake Maggiore, with mythical views of the lake and the Borromean islands. By mythical I mean all we witnessed during our entire rainy stay was 50 shades of gray, and at some point the views became a myth. Plenty of pictures on the internet, possibly AI generated, like the one below. I’ll believe it when I see it, Federica!
Casa Rampolina
Federica and husband Davide own this jewel in a hamlet called Campino, an easy 8 minute drive from Stresa. After seeing the third penis shaped Limoncello, I was relived that we didnt stay within Stresa itself. Casa Rampolina provides ample, easy parking for its sizable 5 rooms. Comfy beds, baths, a sauna, and a superb breakfast overlooking the splendid AI generated views. The main feature is the kind of hospitality you’d expect from a family member, not a stranger.
La Rampolina, the restaurant was an unexpected doozy. When I read the reviews, I got the impression of a possible tourist trap. It wasnt very clear whether the draw was the food or the location. The confusion intensified when their parking attendant asked me to park closer to the next car in a lot bigger than the entire hotel. Are they really about to fill the entire lot? Yes they did, and then some.
Turns out La Rampolina is a local legend. Not only it was a very packed multi-room, multi-building house (imagine a large Florida seafood palace), but we were also the only tourists there, confirmed by Davide. In addition, a local celebrity chef just happened to dine there at the same time. By the end of the night the parking attendant was directing traffic like an air traffic controller.
Started with an awesome silky smooth Fassona carpaccio special with Puntarelle, and Bagna Cauda. I noticed on this trip wild mood swings on days we didnt eat Fassona. Coincidence? Egg, Toma cheese, veggies concoction was exactly what you expect. Excellent Tagliatelle with rabbit ragu. A different flavor profile than the ragus we tasted in other parts of the region.
Mrs Z and I usually share everything including mains but this time we had our clear favorites. A fine slow baked beef for Mrs Z. Fassona Hanger (Tagliata di Diaframma) for me. This was the best cooked Fassona of the trip. The waiter suggested to have it rare, and I could see why. Its much thicker than the usual Hanger, features a good amount of char, and supremely flavorful. The more you cook it, the more flavor you lose.
We even ended a mini streak of subpar Tiramisu here. My only regret was not taking advantage of the tremendous wine list and getting wine by the glass. But overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better finish to another wonderful eating trip in Italy. Worth travelling to Lake Maggiore just to eat and sleep here. Go!
Smith Street in Carroll Gardens is the gift that keeps on giving… and taking, as of late. Z-List darling FOB Filipino just closed and Ugly Baby is closing at the end of the year. While old and new like Avlee Greek Kitchen, Mama Capri, the excellent Rua Thai, and Bar Bête still making sure its one of Brooklyn’s best food streets. And shops like Smith & Vine and its selection of Vermouth and other goodies make it more worthwhile. We pay hefty tolls for the pleasure of visiting Smith Street.
Bar Bête is probably the most important addition on Smith in recent years. Ugly Baby, FOB may have started the cute name trend. Bête is slang for silly, or stupid. As in “Qu’est-ce qu’il est bête!” – How stupid he is! Hence, the title of the post. But its fitting in more ways than one. It is unequivocally stupid good. I usually find things to complain about. Not much luck here.
Thankfully we were told from the start of the meal that the food is for sharing. I was just about to order a full plate of curried cashews all for myself. Maybe the reason they keep telling us this is because we are usually the oldest people in the room (And I’m only in my late 40’s. 54 to be exact). “Is this your first time here” isnt very different than “Are you new to dining out” in places with menus and concept not wildly different than the rest. Not a complaint. Just an observation.
Bar Bête is a casual corner Bistro that happens to be literally on a corner. Its casual, but fancy enough to wear your new Untuckit shirt you got for the holidays. Its listed as “French” but to me its more like “New American” utilizing French techniques. The chef has extensive experience in high end dining in Vegas, Toronto and elsewhere. As as far as what we tried, a rare moment where I recommend every single dish. In fact, I wouldnt mind coming back without trying anything new.
Bar Bete
Started with a bang. Very few items can be as satisfying as a well executed, buttery Chicken liver Parfait. This one, with pistachios and spiced pear jam is as good as we’ve had in a long time. More awesomeness followed in the form of a Tuna Toast, one of the most popular items on the menu. A layer of fermented chili & garlic chive spread really elevates this.
The Duck Fat Potatoes is viewed by many, including the Infatuation, as the best thing on the menu. That honor should probably go to the Duck instead. The potatoes is really just an excellent side. Imagine a solid Patatas Bravas, except the pieces are bigger so meatier. The Hummus lookalike that comes with it is a fine garlic aioli. The Ricotta Gnudi is another standout. A common theme throughout the meal is balanced, deep flavors partially from the good use of chili.
The Caramelized Duck Breast is a dish we are still talking about three days later. Not only because it was the top dish, but also because we are still trying to figure out how I failed taking a picture of it. The picture I took just didnt develop somehow. The duck itself was cooked and spiced perfectly, but what really made the dish is the extremely aromatic smoky bed of cabbage.
The Yellow Cake with the chocolate frosting tastes exactly how you’d expect. A satisfying finish, but I suppose this is the only dish I’d consider skipping next time, in favor of the Creme Brulee. Try both. Only three cocktails on the menu was perfectly fine with us, and two of them quite good. Wine menu very French leaning as expected. Already looking forward coming back. Go!
Bar Bête 263 Smith St (Degraw, Carroll Gardens) Recommended Dishes: Chicken liver Parfait, Tuna Toast, Duck Fat Potatoes, Gnudi, Caramelized Duck Breast, Yellow Cake
If you havent asked this question yet, give it some time, and bookmark this. I’m not talking about glitzy Miami area, though I will mention some places there too. I’m talking about the more in-law (or parents) friendly areas closer to FLL like Hollandale Beach, Hollywood, Aventura, etc. Areas not really known for great food like Miami. I’ve been going to South Florida for years, even lived there at some point, but I’ve never blogged about it. It changes today!! Or tomorrow to be exact as I need a few days to do this.
Rustic Inn Crabhouse – A legend among legends. Its usually either our first stop after the flight or the last before the flight back, as its 10 minutes from FLL. We’ve been going there for over 25 years and every single time I come, I cant for the life of me remember which crabs I usually get. Note to self: Its the Dungeness. Though the Alaskan isnt too shabby, albeit double the price. Get the Manhattan clam chowder, the best in the business Key Lime Pie, skip the over sweetened fried calamari and you are golden.
Note: There’s a plethora of large, sprawling seafood places all over the Ft Lauderdale area but Rustic Inn is the only one we currently like. I used to like Billy’s Stone Crab, but my last meal there was quite disappointing. Same for some of the others like Boatyard. But I think they are worth trying out at least once.
At Peru Hollywood – You normally dont expect great food on a super busy Boardwalk but this to me is some of the best Peruvian I’ve had in Florida. The Lomo Saltado, with the tender, delicious tenderloin is unmatched. And the Parihuela soup with seafood is a great winter dish, when temps drop from 82 to 80.
Piola (Hollandale Beach) – While it wont win any Napoletana awards, it’s a Pizza chain that’s better than any chain I can think of including in NYC. Owner is Italian (from Italy. not New Jersey). The concept in fact originated in Treviso. I’ve only visited the Hollandale Beach location, and it has become a family favorite over the years. The Diavola is always a must.
Motek (Aventura) – This is another impressive chain, strictly judging by the Aventura location. Outstanding elevated Israeli/Middle Eastern. Cant go wrong with the Arayes burger, flatbreads, Baba, and Hummus. Not to mention the Babka and Silan for the finish. Just try to avoid the awkward oversized round table they call Chef’s Table, if you want any ambiance.
Patagonia Nahuen – My go-to for Argentinian Empanadas, and the occasional breakfast sandwich. Great selection, and perfect for a lunch by the pool or beach, or in your room when you realize you forgot to put sunscreen yesterday.
It’s worth noting the family friendly nature of these picks as you are visiting family with possibly more family. Nothing romantic here (Mrs Z nodding profusely).
Diving deeper into the Miami area…
Old’s Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina – Time to explore other parts of South Florida, starting with the famous Little Havana. Everyone should experience Old’s Havana at least once. Mega touristy for a very good reason. Only during the pandemic I recall seeing no lines stretching outside. They do take reservations which saved me big time last week. The best way to start the meal is with the Vitrola, a superb assortment of appetizers. Then try the Cuban sandwich, Pollo Asado, pork chops and lamb.
KYU Miami – Originated I believe in Houston, this is a popular elevated multicity Asian. There’s now a KYU in NYC in the former Gato space. This is a solid choice for groups and occasions. The famed cauliflower is actually my least favorite dish here. The fried rice, short rib, corn, fried chicken, gyozas are particular standouts.
Niu Kitchen – Cozy, intimate Spanish in downtown Miami. The kind of place that would do very well in NYC even though we have many such places. Fantastic Tapas and rice dishes, especially the seafood. Try the egg dish as well even though I liked it more the first time around. The shrimp, Octopus, the classic tomato toast not too shabby either.
Other places we enjoyed over the years in Miami…
Uchi – Japanese near KYU. Biblical menu but mostly good stuff
Boia De – Outstanding Italian, ok outdoor setting.
Lucali – Much easier to get a table than in NYC
Stiltsville Fish Bar – Great seafood by a team I’m well too familiar with in NYC
Tropezón Miami – More excellent Spanish with great drinks near Lincoln Rd.
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann – Upscale Argentinian in the amazing Faena Hotel. Worth visiting the hotel just to smell the lobby.
And we had some good ones. Instead of keeping the best for last, and boring you with the rest of the stuff, I decided to start with the Crème de la crème, and bore you later. There’s a method behind this madness. Although I do have another top food experience in Turin that’s not a restaurant. I wont spoil it for you, but it rhymes with “Mood Tour”. The second best Mood Tour we ever took.
Sometimes you feel it in your gut as soon as you walk in. You just know this will be a good one. I havent felt that in any place in Turin, other than at L’Acino. You are in the presence of greatness. Not to mention surrounded by good looking people, so obviously we felt belong (how many times you’ll use this joke Ziggy?).
The elderly, energetic mom/pop owners greet you like family. He masterfully runs the front, while she runs the kitchen like a well oiled machine, and brings out the magic on a plate. I’m only in my late 40’s (54 to be exact) and I wish I had this kind of energy. One minute he’s welcoming, another minute he’s taking orders, and before you know it, he’s hovering right above us looking for the perfect red for table 5. Its like there were three of him. Last time I said that, I discovered there was actually a twin helping out in a Paris joint.
Finally tried the famous Cherasco snails. Snails farmed in a city called Cherasco in the Langhe. Dont even recall seeing them on the menu at the great La Torre in Cherasco 10 years ago. I was surprised by the way they were served. Unlike any escargot I ever had. The snails are meatier, but its more of a sum of all parts kind of dish, with the tomatoes, garlic and plenty of spices.
The onion was an even bigger revelation. Stuffed with perfectly spiced sausage and with that cheese sauce, a brilliant combination. When chief onion hater Mrs Z, eats onion, it must be very special. Another such onion saw similar fate in Serravalle Langhe. When you see a stuffed onion in Piedmont, pounce.
Beef braised with red Roero (Beef Stracotto Al Roero) and expertly cooked potatoes was just solid comfort food. Satisfying, albeit familiar. The Tajarin with ragu was less familiar. While I had plenty of Tajarin with ragu, this one had sweeter oomph to it, in a very satisfying to the palate kind of way. Owner (Didnt catch his name. “Fabio” according to Google AI which I dont trust) said its from the carrots.
All washed down with excellent Barbera by the glass. Surprisingly we appreciated and enjoyed Barbera more than Nebbiolo on this trip. The only negative to some, not so much to me, was two sittings, and requiring reservations (including via email) weeks in advance. A bit of a victim of its own success and fame. Considering the many accolades, being surrounded by locals was a surprise, a refreshing one. Go!
Eating With Ziggy 