Its that time of the year. The NYT Top 100 list is out and people on Social Media are losing their minds. The list is like eye candy for food enthusiasts with all sorts of juicy nuggets. It includes many cheap joints, albeit random in the grand scheme of NYC dining. But the expensive places are the usual suspects and ranking them all is like ranking apples and toasters. Imagine asking what’s better, a tiny Tamale shop in Harlem or Le Bernardin.
The list inspired me to write about some of the best eats during the last few months. Most in Manhattan and Brooklyn as usual. One in Staten Island for my Staten Island readers. Both of you.
Wagyu Flat Iron, Shrimp in Butter sauce at Shmoné (West Village) – The first Israeli to receive a Michelin star in the US. A fun and relaxed counter seating. Nothing extraordinary about the shrimp themselves, but with that butter sauce it would make NOLA chefs blush. And the steak with that tomato and tahini sauce is pure melt in your mouth awesomeness.
Chili Pan Mee at Pig & Khao (UWS) – First visit to the UWS location after many meals at the original in LES. A culture shock to say the least. From hip to hips. Meaning many mothers with children at this location. Much larger space but pretty much the same menu, and the same sick Chili Pan Mee. The French Toast for dessert not too shabby either.
Hummus from Gazala’s (UWS) – I went over this already. Still haven’t had better in NYC.
Tum Strawberry at Rynn (East Village) – Rynn has become our go to Thai in East Village. But boy oh boy lunches are so much more relaxing than dinners. The place is no longer a secret, and neither are dishes like the Tum Strawberry. Pure magic.
Mochiko Chicken at Cotra (Brooklyn) – This Japanese is top 3-5 in Brooklyn for me these days. Every time we go we discover new dishes, like the cod last time. But regulars like the sick fried chicken are absolute musts. Cotra is the type that is liked by locals but you would never see on a NYT best list because of lack of marketing.
Everything at Mtskheta (Brooklyn) – You wont find any of the Georgian wine featured on Drops of God season 2. But the wine at Mtskheta is good and cheap, and so is the food. This has become my go to for large groups. NYT lists Tone on the list, quite high, but I prefer Mtskheta.
Falafel at Falafel Tanami (Brooklyn) – Speaking of the NYT list, looks like they removed Tanami. What changed? Absolutely nothing, except a new location two blocks away.
Dan Dan Noodles at Schuan Kitchen (Staten Island) – The name is not a spelling error, and the location is not autocorrect. Chinese food in Staten Island slowly but surely getting better. This tiny fast-casual is the first real Szechuan on the island, at least as far as I know. The excellent Dan Dan, String Beans, and dry spicy chicken have become our musts.
Eating With Ziggy 