Posts Tagged With: Travel

Turks and Caicos – Top Seven Large Bites

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Ziggy

As published in the current issue of WhereWhenHow, this is a follow up to the Top Seven Small Bites

Who said that Providenciales is an expensive destination? I did! Approximately 14 times while eating with the kids on our last trip. Gone are the kiddie menu days almost overnight for the Ziggy clan, much to the chagrin of my wallet.

Does this sound familiar? One minute your 10 year old is eating the international kiddie specialty known as Penne with Butter, and next thing you know she is ordering Garganelli with conch and clams, after just discovering that she’s also into Escargot.

Or, one minute both of your kids are sharing a steak (with daddy). Fast forward 8 months later, your 60 pound youngest wants none of that sharing nonsense. The last time she got a kiddie menu, she asked me to leave no tip and write a review on Trip Advisor about the various service issues of the establishment.

So I’m feeling the pinch. And as a result, I already told the kids that they would need to rely on their grandparents for continued education. I told them that while sipping through a straw of my $16 + Tip + tax drink at my resort.

Of course I’m being just a tad melodramatic. Providenciales or “Provo” if you don’t want your iPhone to correct it to “doomsday” or something else that makes no sense (its a mysterious thing this auto-correct) can be as expensive as you want it to be. As I’m about to point out you can have your pick of deliciousness from white cloth to no cloth, from sommelier to.. {shrug} no sommelier. And the good thing about traveling with kids when they are grown up is that you get to share and try a few things as a family.

But I’m not here to audition for “Mommy and Me Magazine”. I’m here to write about 7 large bites as a follow up to the 7 small bites from the previous issue. Can daddys even write for “Mommy and Me Magazine”? Does such a thing even exists? Great, now this is going to bother me for the rest of the day.

At any rate, here are the top 7 large bites from our last trip

Pecan Crusted Conch at Bay Bistro – Schnitzelicious Bliss! Lights Out! Or until we realized we accidentally leaned against the light switch and turned off the lights at the patio. True story! Like a beautiful conch schnitzel, with a mild but potent orange sauce. Its a consistent crowd pleaser for adults and kids alike. Island historians can tell you what happened with the failed Coconut crusted conch with curry experiment.

Strong contender: Grilled lobster (in season)

Best End of Milk Fed Lamb at Seven – Benny Hill? Downton Abbey? Its not exactly clear what motivated the British to name the lamb’s back of the neck differently than the rest of the world. But it IS clear that it can be delicious, and that chef Josu knows what to do with it. Three tender, perfectly cooked (medium rare) neck filets accompanied by all sorts of glorious goodies, too many to mention (i.e Blogger lingo for “I forgot”). And its great to have the knowledgeable Alan Daffy on the floor to make sure everything is running smoothly and remind you what you are eating while under the (fine wine) influence.

Strong contender: Duck breast

Caribbean Platter at Sailing Paradise – A more than worthy schlep just for the plate, and the serene waters and colors of Blue Hills an added bonus. Addictive, tender, juicy, spicy, tastes much better than it looks, Jerk Chicken. Same idea applies to the jerk pork, and if you did not get the homemade Jamaican sauce to add even more pleasant heat than ask for it. Add the wonderful lightly fried fish, rice and peas, plantains and you got yourself a dish. But we aren’t done yet. The glorious goat curry, with all its bony glory requires its own space. Maneuvering through these bones was a succulent adventure. After the meal at the airport we were smelling our index fingers like in a gynecologist convention. (Ahem… Brenda/Kathi, under the belt? ;))

Strong contender: Get the platter!

Tagliolini with Seafood at Caicos Café – White smoke rising from the chimneys of Caicos Plaza signals a new menu at Caicos Café. While black smoke rising suggests someone just burned a toast. Savory fish, scallops, shrimp, mussels, flambéed with Pernod and a lot of love. An Emilia Romagna classic in Providenciales.

Strong contender: Orecchiette (Mike Tyson’s favorite pasta)

Steak au Poivre at Le Bouchon – soi le bienvenue Pierrik and family. A gorgeous rendition of the French classic that normally no one talks about nor knows how to spell, like the 4th and 5th Kardashians. Perfectly cooked, flavorful steak with a deliciously light peppercorn sauce that made me dip the fries, bread and fingers into it. A month before, a similar dish in a renowned similarly named Bouchon in Las Vegas was double the cost and half the flavor. Well Done Pierrik!

Strong contender – Burger with egg (for lunch only – ask for the egg) (Brenda, I’m pretty sure its only available for lunch, I didn’t see it on the dinner board)

Lamb Burger at Lemon – What to order in Lemon is always a challenge for me. A good dilemma. Unlike the choice you have to make before leaving the house on a rainy day between the pink polka dot umbrella, and the one with the yellow circles. Which one makes you look more manly (Mrs Ziggy if you reading, it would be nice to have a plain black umbrella around the house. I have a second job now writing for a major magazine and I dont have time for matters like this. Love, Ziggy). But I digress. An excellent lamb burger! Lamb, hummus, cucumber mint yoghurt, brie, play together like a beautiful symphony with every morsel. Add the delicious roasted potatoes and you got a great dish.

Strong contender: Mushroom Risotto with Pork

Curry Grouper at Flamingos. A customary 10 minute moment of silence normally follows after the dish arrives, reminding us why we come to Turks and Caicos year after year. An Island legend at an Island institution. You will be hard pressed finding a piece of fish with texture more perfect. Sweet, savory, melt in your mouth goodness. Like eating delicious butter. This was love at first bite, and a regular dish since.

Strong contender: No idea! But was told the similar coconut grouper is as good if not better

So there you have it. 7 memorable big bites from our last trip. Enjoy your trip and stay hungry my friends

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: food, Providenciales, Providenciales Dining, Providenciales restaurants, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos dining, Turks and Caicos Restaurants | 4 Comments

The Hell’s Kitchen Survival Guide

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Ziggy

Updated: January 29th, 2020

Although the emphasis was on the “Hell” part initially, as in the only place potentially hotter than hell, Hell’s Kitchen today boasts some of the city’s most incredible array of kitchens. It wasnt always the case (hence the title) and there are plenty of naysayers out there that still live in that past. But the neighborhood is rapidly changing, and despite gentrification, 9th avenue and around is a food lover paradise. Its a beautiful mishmash of world cuisine, with Thai, Mexican, Ramen, and Korean dominating these days, pretty much in that order. After working in the area for 20 years, and running food tours during the last four, I’ve written a guide with a map to help you out…

Food Tours of Hell’s Kitchen, East Village and Brooklyn

Best Dishes in Hell’s Kitchen

Best Tacos in Hell’s Kitchen

Top Pre-Theater Options

Food Halls

Gotham West Market – Perhaps the coolest thing ever to open in Hell’s Kitchen. In a city suddenly flooded with all sorts of food halls, this is one of the more intimate, and less visited ones. Main reason being the tourist free zone of 11th and 45th, making it more of a neighborhood stop. Only about 9 high quality vendors, and a bicycle shop. Ramen, Italian, Seafood, pizza, great ice cream and more.

Middle Eastern

Middle Eastern – Gazala’s Place. Fabulous Druze cooking. Some of the best Hummus in town (I’ve spent plenty of time in Israel including the druze village where Gazala Habibi came from). The place is slightly larger a hers and hers closet (in my house at least. I count my blessings to have 2 shelves left for myself). The Bourekas with goat cheese and sun dried tomato is always solid.

Gourmet Middle Eastern – Taboon. One of the most successful, long running hidden gems in the area. A fine “Middleterranean” menu created by Israeli chef Efi Nahon. Try any of their bread specialties baked in their Taboon oven, and the Silan (below), one of my favorites desserts in the city. Taboon Silan

Doner Kebab/Turkish – Turco. This is perhaps the closest thing we have to the Berlin style Doner Kebab (Turkish immigrants in Germany made it the most popular fast food snack since the invention of the Speckpfannkuchen and Zwiebelkuchen). The main culprit is that thick, crispy tasty pita bread that holds its own. I slightly prefer the chicken over the lamb but you should try both.

Asian

Momofuku – Bang Bar. Leave it to David Chang to make lines fun, and for a $5 snack no less. Oddly situated in the Columbus Shops at the Warner Center, its worth the short trek for the spicy pork “U”. And for a price of a Halal cart lunch its… I’m saying it… a Bang for your buck. Get it? Because its called Bang.

Sushi – Uogashi. Perhaps the Holy Grail in Sushi deprived Hell’s Kitchen. An East Village import that shuttered in EV after a building fire in 2018. The space housed a different sushi place which explains why it took me 6 months to find it. From the freshness of the fish (Uogashi means fish market) to the quality of the rice, its not only the best in HK today but some of the best Sushi I’ve had in NYC.

Korean – Danji. One of the more reliable old guards, and best Korean in Hell’s Kitchen. Chef Hooni Kim can flat out cook. He travels to Korea multiple times a year to gather inspiration. Best Tofu dish in town. And you will be hard pressed to find better chicken wings and sliders in the area. Michelin people agreed (initially ta least), rewarding it a star soon after opening.Ramen – E.A.K. Cant decide between Chicken or Pork based broth? Why not try a blend of both. Its the first successful infiltration of IEKEI (pronounced EAK) style Ramen in NYC, albeit on tourist heavy restaurant row (46th) for some reason. So far I’ve enjoyed the Oh So Hot with spicy Miso so much that I’m having trouble ordering anything else. Skip the boring $3 extra appetizers they offer for lunch.

Ramen – Totto Ramen. Shoe box setting and potential long waits adds to the charm at the original. Just write your name on the board outside (Not Seymore Butts – already done) and wait. Order the spicy Ramen, add the egg and you are all set. Newer, bigger Totto located a block away 464 West 51st. Less wait if any than the original

Ramen – Ippudo Westside. Perhaps the most exciting HK opening in 2013. One block away from Totto and others making HK a NYC Ramen powerhouse. Just like Totto, this is an experience, but a little different. Its bustling, noisy, energetic, and that’s just the wait inside and out. Clearly my favorite here so far is the Akamaru Modern, but you must add the egg, and for a little more spice the spicy miso paste. Highly recommend this one

Japanese – Blue Ribbon Sushi. Not all chains are created equally. This is far from Applebee’s. And depending on who you ask, and the day of the week, this is not exactly in Hell’s Kitchen but close enough (Yelp thinks that it is). Its located in the SIXTY Hotel on Columbus Circle (on 58th st). Whether you are a sushi lover is irrelevant in this case. Good fried chicken, steaks, and the sick oxtail fried rice alone is worth the price of admission. And other goodies such as the excellent Ika Shoga (sautéed squid), and Kanpachi Usuzukuri (amberjack sushimi) worth detouring.

Thai – Pure Thai Cookhouse. Not your average NYC Thai food among a plethora of all kinds of great Thai on 9th. No drunken noodles, no red curry, no green curry and not even purple curry on the menu. What you do get is something a bit more authentic with all sorts of complex flavors and extra heat. Read the post for what to order. Try the ribs, Pork with curry paste, Ratchaburi crab and pork with dry noodles, and the pumpkin or Mango custard with coconut sticky rice off the board (may not be on the menu)

Pure Thai Ratchaburi

Thai – Taladwat. The new kid on the Thai block is a possibly the most important opening in Hell in the last few years. Thats because its the latest from David Bank and his wife, the owners of Pure Thai Cookhouse, and its three times bigger. The menu focuses on 20 or so small plates covering a wide array of protein. You have the option of getting two for $16 for lunch (a bit more for dinner). So far the Crabmeat Tom Turmeric is the winner

Thai – Pam Real Thai. I was hesitant to add this one for too long, partly due to having two Thai places on the list already. But.. a) Many EWZ readers have already been to Pure and/or Larb Ubol, b) The Oxtail Soup, and c) Just about everything else I’ve had here is pretty darn good. Setting redefines minimalistic, and the place could use some refreshing, but I dont go there for the decor. Try the Pad Kra Prow (w/shrimp), Pad Prik Khing, Khao Soi, best Kee Mao Seafood in the hood, and the Oxtail Soup which is just about my favorite soup on the planet.

Chinese – Gourmet Szechuan 56. By far the best Chinese in the area. Like Pure Thai, Spice level significantly higher. Loving the Shredded Beef w/ Asian Spicy Green Chili especially. Update Jan 30, 2020: Now Rong Cheng House. Still Szechuan(ish) but havent tried the new space

Chinese – Le Sia. Its one of those rare situations where I add a place to the guide before my first visit. I’m well too familiar with Le Sia in East Village and what these guys are capable of. Expect fiery Chinese style crawfish/crab boils, BBQ skewers, and the type of authenticity the neighborhood isnt used to. The most important Chinese opening in Hell’s Kitchen in a long time. Le Sia Crawfish

Chinese/Dumplings – Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen. A little piece of Chinatown on the border of Hell’s Kitchen, steps away from Times Square. Contrary to what the name suggests, this place isnt known for its ramen, but for its soup dumplings. The place is tiny, and at peak hours there could be a line but it moves quickly. Communal tables add to the fun, but try not to squirt that dumpling soup juice on your neighbor. Unless its a Broadway actor

Indian

Indian – Saar Indian Bistro – My little Indian rule of thumb – pay special attention to the latest from Indian master Hemant Mathur (Malai Marke, Chote Nawab and many more). The dude just knows how to cook and how to hire them. He finally opened one in the Kitchen in 2018, making Saar instantly the most important Indian in the area, and very different than the rest. Its a nice bridge between a curry house and gourmet Indian. Try the Chicken kebabs, Cauliflower Latkes, Butter Chicken, and Pepper chicken

Italian

Dell’anima – Italian is the one thing that is lacking in the area even though there are now three of them on this list. That makes this West Village import at Gotham West Market one of the most important openings of 2019. Try the signature Tajarin Carbonara, and the chicken

Italian – Mercato. This is quickly becoming not only my favorite Italian in the area but my favorite restaurant in the area. Truly flavorful, mostly authentic southern Italian (from south Italy, not south Staten Island) dishes like the excellent homemade Trenette (below) with garlic, almonds, tomato and basil. A cozy Trattoria, with an all Italian staff. Check out the simple spaghetti, the meaty gnocchi, Sardinian specialties, and look for any specials like the excellent Cavatelli

Italian – Il Melograno. A lot of mediocre Italian in the area. This is not one of them. No frills, small, cheap(er) Trattoria sitting in a location where its almost impossible to survive unless you are doing something right. Owner from Brescia, no stranger to Northern Italian cooking. Try the Pappardelle with sausage and truffle oil. In the warmer months locals flock to their sidewalk wine bar Il Baretto on 11th.

American

Wine and Cheese bar – Casellula. Great wine and.. you guessed it.. Pork Ass sandwiches. No joke! Small, not the prettiest bar but the food more than makes up for it. Just leave it to them to make you a cheese and meat assortment with some vino and enjoy those asses

Bar/Gastropub – Shorty’s. Calling this a Gastropub may be a stretch, but you do come here for the Philly Cheesesteak. I’ve had it in Philadelphia, and I can assure you that this is the real deal. Same bread (arrives daily from “Le Bus” in Philly and finish baked in house), same steaks, same Whiz, same style, same everything. Owner apparently was part owner of the great Tony Luke’s in Philly. If you never had one, you are in for a messy treat.

Burger – Farm to Burger. Good burger places come and go here. Ans this very hidden gem in the Aliz hotel just came. I’ve only tried one burger here so far and it was good enough to earn the crown. The not as sweet as it sounds Honey Bee might be the best burger in the kitchen.

Farm to Table – The Marshal. One of the most exciting additions to the neighborhood in recent years. They have a relationship with 14 local farms whose ingredients fill much of the seasonal menu. Just about everything they do, they do well. From the terrific french loaf, to the meatloaf and roast chicken, to the ice cream sundae. Ditch the diner and go to this neighborhood spot to experience American cuisine at its finest The Marshal - Meatloaf

Pizza

NY Slice – Sacco. An old timer. No 99 cent slices here (more like $2.50), but a NY slice as good as it gets

Slices – Corner Slice. Gotham West Market now serves delicious airy Sicilian squares by dough wizards backed by Ivan Ramen

Neapolitan Pizza – Don Antonio. Opened by two Naples veterans who know a thing or 3 about pizza. One of them also owns the popular Keste in the village. Try the slightly fried Montanara that no one else does, and my fave Diavola boasting the best sopressata in town.

Pies – Capizzi. A solid alternative to the Don Antonio, John’s craziness and perhaps the closest thing to a pizza parlor you can only find in the outer boroughs. The ingredients speak for themselves, like the bright, fresh tomato sauce and the extra meaty pepperoni and sausages Capizzi

Latin

Empanadas – Empanada Mama. Empanadas are like little patties, and should be on everyone’s area walking tour. Try the spicy chicken, the meaty Brazil, and before you try the Viagra make sure there’s ample space between you and the person in front of you. Hmmm, this sounded much funnier in my head.

Ecuadorian – Nano. This hole in the wall on 10th has some serious “nona” action going for it. Try the homey Caldo de Bola soup which made the Best Soups in HK cut. For lunch you got various deals that include the Seco de Pollo, chicken strips in a mild but pleasant gravy, and Sango de Res, beef in a soup like green plantain sauce, among all kinds of other surprises

Peruvian – Inti. 10th ave is the new 9th ave. Can someone go here please? Anyone? Bueller? Its always empty during lunch for some reason and it would be a real shame if it closes. A Pio Pio alumni with a twist. And the twist being ~~empty~~ ceviche. Great looking and tasting Ceviche Mixto (below), Fresh fish chunks, shrimp, octopus and calamari with red onions, cilantro and rocoto hot pepper. Add sweet potatoes for much needed contrast and the traditional baby corn and you got yourself a winner. Or try the always reliable Rotisserie chicken

Peruvian/Large Groups – Pio Pio. Ok, I give up. Pio Pio is a chain. In fact I think the official name for this one is Pio Pio 8, or something like that. It’s also not the best Peruvian in the area (Inti gets my vote), and it wont win any James Beard or Z-List awards any time soon. But whenever I’m asked the question I loath the most by my employer. A last minute place for a large group that is not only affordable but will make everyone happy, this is the first place that comes to mind. Good drinks, rotisserie chickens, and much more.

Dominican – Lali. Read this while listening to this. Ready? Lets go. Home cooking cant get any more homey than this. Small, Diner-ish, Reggaeton music blasting in the background to help you chew and move, and the two lovely nonnas serving including Mrs Lali herself. You get what’s available today which will normally include some sort of stew, chicken, or ribs. Go for the braised chicken if available, or the beef stew, with rice and beans of course. Breakfast and lunch only.

Mexican – Tulcingo Del Valle. With all the fancy Mexican popping in the area during the last decade, this 20 year old Pueblan still feels like the last of the neighborhood bodegas. No shortcuts, fresh or bust approach is the reason people keep coming back. Its a very full and challenging menu but the tacos, especially best in the hood Al Pastor, are always solid. Veggie Publan specialties like Chile Relleno and Mole Poblano are fantastic, and dont leave without trying the flan.

Mexican – Alan’s Kitchen Mexican Cuisine. This one is a tentative addition as its new and I’ve only been once, but the Carnitas here are Mission-esque (Mission District is a Mexican paradise of sorts in SF). The tacos are so good I hear Los Tacos nearby are changing their name to #2.

Mexican – Tacuba. I realize that there’s a better chance seeing Lindsay Lohan win an Oscar than seeing tourists (without guides) in one of those last remaining bodegas/hole in the walls deeper in the area. This is the latest from Julian Medina of Toloache fame. And everything I’ve tried so far from the octopus sandwich for lunch to the Carnitas for dinner suggests GO!

Misc

Ethiopian – Meske. This is a fun place for groups. Just order a bunch of plates and watch them create the plate of dreams. Use the spongy Injera bread below to scoop up all those goodies. Queen of Sheba practically next door also worth considering Meske

Diners. Westway Diner for a classic NY diner

Bakeries/Cafes/Sandwiches

Sandwiches – City Sandwich. Sorry I have to use that “one of the city’s best” again. From Naples to Lisbon to the huge Portuguese community in Jersey, comes some of the best bread in the area, with some of the most unusual ingredients like blood pudding, sandwiches worthy of a run-on sentence. Just try to study the huge menu ahead of time so you dont feel pressured or confused once there. I like some of the egg sandwiches (egg based sandwiches got its own section) like Bench Girl, and of course the only on Tuesday, porky Roberto

Café/Bakery – Bibble & Sip. One of the new kids on the wrong side of the block. Technically just outside of HK but deliciousness sees no borders! A place where you can unwind and BS all you want (it says so right on their logo). The Earl Grey Banana Bread is quickly gaining neighborhood fame. Add the Earl Grey Panna Cotta (notice a theme?), Matcha Cream puffs, scones, the morning egg sliders and all sorts of rotating daily goodies.

Bakery – Sullivan Street Bakery. Talking about no brainers. Another “One of the best in town” and the source to many top restaurant’s bread baskets like Scarpetta and Maialino. Try some of the bread, the spectacular Canottos (the sweet ones), Bombolonis (donuts on crack), and the chocolate almond croissants. Many love their pizzas but its the other stuff that makes me go there almost weekly these days Sullivan Street Bakery

Café – Rex. The new kid on the block and by kid I mean Rex, the hardest working baker in HK. And only 3 years old! Ok, not really, he’s 4 now! Ok, not really again, his father helps out a little but still. Great coffee, scones, and muffins like the Morning Glory.

Bagels – Pick-A-Bagel. Ess got nothing on these guys. This is by far my favorite bagel place in the area, and trust me I’ve looked. A good place to try the walnut raisin spread but I normally go for a simple bagel with butter. Muffins are great in size and taste, and the only place that has Ziggy’s fave banana nut. Its a great concept: You say “Bagel” and they pick one for you. 🙄

Cupcakes – Huascar & Co. Bakeshop. Cupcake wars champion and one of the nicest, friendliest people you’ll ever meet.

Pies – Little Pie Company. While everyone is obsessing with cheesecakes, those in the know come here for the insane Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie.

Fresh From Hell. Quite a few healthy places surprisingly closed the past few years like Mooncake Foods despite being popular. But tiny takeout FFH is a solid new alternative with fine sandwiches featuring Sullivan bread, and the best split pea soup this side of wherever they make the best split pea soup.

Fresh from Hell

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best food in Hell's kitchen, food, Hell's Kitchen NYC, Hells kitchen, NYC dining, NYC food, NYC restaurants, restaurants, Travel | 47 Comments

The NoMad – Chronicles of a Chicken

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Ziggy

The war is still ongoing. Hours before our dinner reservations at the NoMad I asked the trusted folks at the Chowhound forum the simple question: “To Chicken or not to Chicken”. Meaning, should I order their famous chicken dish considering…

a) It costs $79 (its for 2)

b) Its Chicken

Well, the overwhelming response was Yes, with a few Nos (including a resounding No 2 weeks after I already had it), and 1 “order what you feel like”. Considering chicken is not exactly something I’m ever in the mood for, I needed a little help with this one.

The NoMad, not to be confused with Nomad (you see the difference? These are in fact 2 different restaurants in NYC) is a 1 year old Daniel Humm and Will Guidara venture at the NoMad hotel. Eleven Madison Park light if you will (same duo behind that). Once inside there’s no mistaking that you are dining in a hotel. Your look most likely will determine the room they will sit you at. Apparently we look like ladies who lunch! Since it was sort of early (5:30 mind you, before Vanya, Pasha, Boris..er whatever its called. I don’t subscribe to the “you must eat in the theater district before a show” policy), there was plenty of light out, and with that glass ceiling this room was very well lit. For a while it felt like we were moved from one waiting room to a fancier waiting room. But I didn’t mind it so much. Within 30 minutes or so were suddenly surrounded with tourists, so I guess they confused us for ” tourist ladies who lunch” or something like that.

But the food was quite good. They start you off with their terrific freshly baked Focaccia-like flatbread with rosemary, sage, and a little bit of salt. Toppings change seasonally. This is perhaps as good as it gets as far as restaurant bread goes. Tagliatelle with king crab, lemon and black pepper was savory, with plenty of meaty crab to go around. But the egg stole the app show. Poached with asparagus, brown butter and quinoa, holy smokes it was good! The asparagus alone is worth the price of admission, and that grainy quinoa really tied everything together beautifully. Fantastic dish, as I say to the swedes to the right.

And then came the main event. They first present you the whole cooked chicken like a fine bottle of wine. I sniff it from both sides and enthusiastically approve. They take the bird away and bring it back carved for 2, with a nice plate of dark meat with garlic espuma (foamy light garlic goodness) to share. The chicken was divine. Perfectly crispy skin, moist juicy white meat, along with some foie gras and black truffles (all cooked) nicely tucked beneath the skin. Each bite of that combination together was a Tour de Force. French couple on the left agrees. With that kind of hoopla over an expensive dish as such, nothing less than the best chicken ever was expected, and it was. Well done NoMad people!

Desserts were fine as well. Although the famous Milk and Honey was the only underwhelming of the evening. The chocolate dessert was more like it. A spectacular meal overall. Weird setting but food prevailed to save the day.

Categories: Gramercy, Flatiron, New York City | Tags: food, NYC dining, NYC restaurants, restaurants, The NoMad, The NoMad NYC, Travel | 11 Comments

Best Thai in Hell – Pure Thai Cookhouse

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Ziggy

This is the first of a series of posts about the best food in Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood in Midtown West, NYC. I already posted about the Best Pizza in the area, but this is the first individual restaurant posting out of many to come.

A quick stroll on 9th avenue, the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, brings up 2 questions. Why am I craving for Bourekas, and why are there so many Thai places around. There must be at least 100 of them, not to mention all the ones on 10th avenue nearby. Ant to top it you also have entire franchises nestled in there. Wondee Siam 2 is almost across from the original (I prefer the newer space and food). Yum Yum 1, Yum Yum 2, and Yum Yum 3 are all right next to each other. Yum Yum 2 recently represented the Yum Yums in the 9th avenue food festival and I’m not sure why Yum Yum 1 and Yum Yum 3 were absent from the event or the reason Yum Yum 2 was representing instead of Yum Yum 1. But I digress

I tried many of the Thai spots over the years, but since I discovered Pure, the “trying” part shifted to trying every item on Pure’s menu. Pure to me is purer Thai than the rest. Not only it feels you are in a foreign country once you enter (its slightly bigger than a shoe box, a hers and hers closet f you will. Yes thats what we call it in our house. I recently lost 2 more shelves to her shoes. I’m lucky I got something left), but the menu doesn’t boast the regular American Thai dishes you see everywhere else. You don’t see the usual green/red curry, drunken noodles, pad dishes that just about every single spot on 9th got (although I enjoy them from time to time like the excellent Kee Mao in Kare Thai on 10th). What you do get in Pure is all sorts of complex flavors leading to a Pure culinary ecstasy. Here are some of my favorites…

Beef Pad Prik Khing & Crab Meat Omelette (top picture) – This is my a new favorite discovered on a recent visit with my friend Alex. Its not on the menu but often appears on the board as a special. Tender, limey, juicy, super flavorful beef cubes with long bean, and sugar snap peas, with this beautiful crab and scallion omelette sitting on a bed of Jasmine rice which was absolutely perfect with the light curry sauce. Fantastic dish all around and worthy of a run-on sentence!

Ratchaburi crab and pork with dry noodles. These guys are serious about their homemade noodles, and this is one dish to sample it.

All kinds of fabulous Wok action:

Curry Paste with Pork, Chili Pepper with Chicken, Cashew Nuts with Shrimp, Chili Turmeric with Beef (Below. Very tasty with plenty of heat)

One particular rice/noodle dish I like is the Jungle Curry fried rice with Chicken – fairly spicy so use caution.

Many of the dishes especially with 3 stars next to the names are not for the faint of heart but you can also ask them to reduce the heat level. Remember what I said about authentic? Authentic translates to Thai spicy (vs American Thai spicy). Its BYOM – Bring Your Own Milk spicy so watch out with those starred attractions., and enjoy Pure Thai Cookhouse in Hell’s Kitchen

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Best food in Hell's kitchen, Best Thai NYC, food, NYC dining, NYC restaurants, Pure Thai Cooknouse, Pure Thai NYC, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Costata – Fiamma Part Deux

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Ziggy

10 years ago if you were to ask me what are my favorite NY restaurants, I would probably mention Union Square Cafe, Blue Water Grill, Gotham, Gramercy Tavern, and my neighborhood Chili’s (Yes thats right Chili’s. In the burbs those ribs are the best thing you can get). Now, although those places are still alive and kicking, I’ve moved on and havent been since. But one place in particular could have become more of a regular for us if it hadnt closed so prematurely, Michael White’s first restaurant, Fiamma. I don’t recall why they closed it. It only got a Michelin star and perhaps more importantly 3 New York Times stars.

10 years later, the boy is now a man. I’m talking about sir Michael White, not Ziggy (I still on occasion cry during Family Guy). White, is now an owner. An owner of 5 restaurants including Ai Fiori and the amazing Marea. (Seriously have you seen the episode where stewy and Brian are stuck in the bank? That was pure emotion). Michael White’s 5th restaurant is 3 week old Costata at the same space as former Fiamma. Naturally, I couldn’t wait much and the result was a glorious meal of the year, and one of the most memorable meals we’ve had in NYC

Inside right away it felt like being in the old Fiamma. But one of the first things we noticed was the number of employees around us. It felt like a factory. Perhaps they don’t want to take any chances in the first few weeks with all the newspaper critics and (ahem) Ziggys visiting. In fact the main manager came over to us mentioning that she saw me taking pictures outside with my fancy new camera, and at first I though I was in trouble, but she assured me that its more than ok and I can take all the pictures I want. So I got a little carried away taking pictures everywhere including with my new best friend Michael White (we bonded while exchanging Hummus recipes)

Costata is as if Marea, Scarpetta and Minetta Tavern got together and made a beautiful baby boy named Tommy. Like Minetta, its a steakhouse with a twist. The twist being great crudo and pastas.

And we started with that amazing Crudo. The scallops with truffle vinaigrette in particular was a stunner and a dish of the year nominee. Buttery, melt in your mouth goodness, and with that amazing but not overpowering truffle sauce was a thing of beauty. Picture perfect razor clams were great as well. With bits of sopressata (wow) and fennel mixed in with the ceviched clams. Brought us back to the awesome razor clams in Venice a few years back. Great start

Pastas were more than satisfying. The Lumache Carbonara was probably the winner for me. Although the pasta didn’t have that Lumache “snail” shape. Like Orecchiette (shape like baby ear) and other pastas the Italians call it as they see it. Though, I’m not quite sure about their motivation behind the Strozzapreti which means priest stranglers! Did someone envision a pasta shape while watching a poor priest being strangled? The Cavatelli with tender juicy oxtail was another winner. The Old favorite Garganelli Alla Fiamma with light truffle cream, the only remaining dish from Fiamma, was still good but I preferred the others a bit more.

Then came the main event. One of the most flavorful steaks I ever had. A mammoth 44oz $120 Tomahawk Ribeye cooked to perfection. We asked for medium (wife demands) so I was a little worried that they would overcook the beast but it came out perfect medium rare for the most part (or “real” medium in high end dining). Black truffle butter was the choice (extra $3) and sides of fries and asparagus ($10 each) complimented nicely. But the steak, OMG the steak, basted beautifully with a rosemary brush was so addictively delicious that I kept getting lost in the moment forgetting the sides. Its almost a cliché but this is probably the best steak we ever had

Desserts were great as well. Enjoyed the Meringa (another Kodak moment) but the Semifreddo with the Rum Raisin stole the show. Kids loved the chocolate tart.

As expected the service was top notch and very knowledgeable (some veterans from Minetta Tavern and Lincoln) as you would expect in a place like this. Jokingly I offered to pay with my Minetta tavern gift card I got from friends for our 20th anniversary (thanks guys if you reading, and even if you are not). I could have really used a card here as this turned out much pricier than anticipated (just north of $400 with tip, including 2 drinks)

So yes, meal of the year and highly recommend Costata. Now if you excuse me, Family Guy is on. Where are the tissues.

Categories: New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita | Tags: Costata, Costata nyc, food, NYC dining, NYC food, NYC restaurants, restaurants, Travel | 5 Comments

10 Things to Try in Eataly

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Ziggy

Something I don’t do nearly enough is read other food blogs. I wish I had the time to just chillax for a full day and read nothing but food blogs. No wife, no work, no kids, just me, myself and blogs. Not possible. But whenever we are about to travel somewhere I put the blog reading on the next gear, and naturally these days I read Italian food blogs. I noticed that not only I get many ideas on what to eat on our upcoming trip in the summer, but I also get plenty of ideas on how to improve the blog.

For example the excellent Katie Parla blog (which I found last fall while researching New Orleans and got the a great Boucherie reco from her) and Elizabeth Manchilli in Rome (and Florence) have given me something to think about, like that my site ~~sucks~~ does not have enough lists. So I gave you Best Pizza in Hell earlier this month and now I figured I’ll write about Eataly. A place dear to my heart and wallet (my wallet strongly believes in keeping your friends close and enemies closer)10 years ago I used to work right across the street from Eataly where it was a Toy Building. While we were too busy at work ~~checking out the modeling action on 22nd st with our binoculars~~ working, we didn’t have much time to check out the toys back then. But nowadays we go there often. Eataly is busy, hectic, full of Italians for some reason, and very very touristy, but for good reason. You can easily spend an entire day there. Well, I can! During the last few years I spent a lot of time there eating, drinking, shopping and learning elementary Italian cursing like “tuo padre è un pollo” (your father is a chicken) comes in handy. So without further ado, here are 10 things to try while visiting Eataly to make your visit more memorable

Sorry about some of the Iphone photos.

1) Italian Soda. My new obsession. The refreshingly citrusy Cedrata, Gazzosa, the ‘root beer on crack’ Chinoto, the lightly sweetened Gus Sodas. Buy a few and see what you like. All with natural ingredients and some like the Gazzosa feature the famous lemons of Amalfi

2) Maitake Mushrooms at Birreria – Put your name down for the roof garden, and wait for the text. The text is your gateway to some of the most delicious Mushrooms you will ever eat. Perfectly chewy and savory Maitake with Pecorino cheese. One of about 3 or 4 dishes in their mushroom section along with nice Oyster mushrooms and fried shiitakes. Also try the Cotechino sausage and pork shoulder

3) Grande Piatto Misto Di Salumi & Formaggi at La Piazza – Say what? thats right. A nice little assortment of the best cheese and Salumi of the day in the Piazza. Prosciutto, salami, 4 different kinds of cheese, honey, figs and more. Add a glass of one of their fine whites and its like having an aperitivo in Piazza Navona staring at la Fontana dei Fiumi. Except that you are in Eataly, inside a building, staring at a German tourist’s sandals with socks.

4) Asparagus and Egg at Le Verdure. Another example that adding egg to anything will make it better. My favorite from the veggie menu of Le Verdure

5) Cacio e Pepe at La Pasta. “A so a simple and a so good a”. Cheese, black pepper, al dente pasta is apparently all you need to make this Roman classic. Perfection on a plate. So what am I doing wrong?

6) Gnocchi at La Pasta – To compliment your Cacio e pepe. Gnocchi, with 3 hours braised + 3 hour cooked + 3 hour groin massaged, wonderful melt in your mouth lamb shank. Also try the Neapolitan pizza while there

7) Fresh Agnolotti cacio e pepe – This is to buy. Pillowy delicate Agnolotti stuffed with pecorino and black pepper. Don’t overcook. Set the timer to what it says on the box – I believe about 3-4 minutes after returning to boil. Add some freshly shredded cheese and butter and invite me for dinner and Voila! I found that a little more than 1 pound (1.2) feeds a hungry family of 4.

8) Truffle sauces. Walk all the way to the right pass the dry pasta section, and you’ll see this mostly Urbani truffle heaven. It will do wonders to your pasta. Just don’t overdo it – add just one of those little babies and invite me for inspection. You can also visit the Urbani NYC headquarters on 11th in the 50’s (I forget)

9) Pesce Alla Diamantese at IL Pesce – Seared fish of the day cooked with tomato sauce, olives, Calabrian Chiles, fennel and capers. Savory, great flaky texture and absolutely delicious. Well played Mario.

10) Gelato – Duh!! Try the Stracciatella (sort of like choc chip) and Nocciola (hazelnut). Fantastic gelato

So there you have it. Buon Appetito, and stay hungry my friends. Some more food porn…

Categories: Gramercy, Flatiron, New York City | Tags: eataly, eataly nyc, food, NYC dining, NYC food, NYC restaurants, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

5 Reasons to Visit Flatiron District this Month

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Ziggy

The Flatiron district is one of my favorite areas in NYC. It is the first area I think about when I need to kill some time. You got great architecture, artsy park, some of the best dining in NYC like Maialino and ABC Kitchen, and a stone throw away from Union Square and the village, Curry Hill, Koreatown and other great hoods. If all that is not enough here are 5 reasons to head to Flatiron today

1. New art at Madison Square Park. Orly Genger’s Red, Yellow, and Blue. 3 structures of layers of hand painted ropes in 3 areas of the park. I’ve seen a lot of art over the years at the park and this is one of the most stunning

http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/art

2. Madison Square Eats. They are back. New York’s finest in the food business dishing out some super tasty snacks. We are talking about Roberta’s Pizza (try the Bee Sting pizza), momofuku milk bar, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Arancini Bros., Bar Suzette, Hong Kong Street Cart and much much more (note that was 2 muches).

Avoid midweek during lunch however unless you don’t mind painful lines. More painful than standing in a full bus on a Friday night for 90 minutes as I did the other day. It was getting somewhat frustrating at some point but then luckily we all got that loud announcement again. “City bus operators are protected by state law. assaulting a bus operator is a felony!” Well thank goodness. And what perfect timing as I was just getting riled up. I mean is it really necessary to wake an entire bus of tired New Yorkers after work with this announcement. I can just imagine the meetings they had about what announcements they should do with their brand spanking new buses with fancy announcement systems. ” Hey lets remind them that assaulting a driver is a felony in case, you know, they are plotting something”, “Oh and lets also remind them what the fare is in case they forgot” We just paid it!!

3. Eataly. Still there and not going anywhere by the look of the crowds. I’ve been there 3 more times in the last 4 weeks alone and had more delicious Italian goodness like this Asparagus and egg dish in Le Verdure.

4. ABC Cocina. Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Dan Kluger’s much hyped Spanish tapa extension to the ultra popular farm to table ABC Kitchen.

5. Do you really need a 5th reason? Seriously why are you still reading? I gave you 4 perfectly fine reasons above including great food, flowers and painted ropes next to flowers. What else do you want? You know what, I had a great 5th reason but I’m choosing not to share it at this time. Instead I leave you with more pictures of painted rope with flowers, food, and for my Australian readers a squirrel…

Categories: Gramercy, Flatiron, New York City | Tags: eataly, flatiron, flatiron restaurants, food, Madison Square Eats, madison square park, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Turks and Caicos – Top 7 Small Bites

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Ziggy

(As published in the current WhereWhenHow Magazine)

Seven days of culinary bliss. That defines another trip to Providenciales in a nutshell for the Ziggy clan. I can’t think of another Caribbean island where we’ve had it thisgood in such consistent fashion. Recent trips to foodie heavyweights in Europe have produced their share of clunkers. So who knew that an island nation of 33,253 residents, with restaurants mostly geared toward tourists, would produce such culinary delights?

I just love eating in Provo. In fact I love everything about the island – the beach, the people, even the driving. According to Mrs Ziggy I turn into someone else, including a complete gentleman while on the island (Although the truth is I keep forgetting the location of the steering wheel on the rental and keep opening the wrong door). Anyway, with that said, I will share here some of our favorite dishes from our last trip.

A solid meal can turn uneven in a hurry without the support of a solid starter to set the tone. So without further ado here are the nominees for best supporting cast (I’m talking about small dishes. Play with me here as I’m recovering from the latest Oscar fever)…

Conch Kebabs at Garam Masala. Imagine the Falafel and the Shish Kebab having a baby girl named Apple (a ~~Hollywood~~ Bollywood baby). The result is a spicy, juicy palate pleaser that opens your senses for things to come. I love Indian food and I can tell you that this is not your ordinary Indian. Part owner Vinni has a passion for his native cuisine and it shows.

Strong contender: Chicken Tikka “Pizza” (on naan bread)

Lobster Salad at Las Brisas – Lobster, tortilla, Chalk Sound, gazebo, light breeze, stronger breeze, napkins flying, oh no quick, close the shutters before the kids get a cold – Ingredients you wont find anywhere else, not even in Basque Country. The folks at Las Brisas (which means breezes) have been dishing out great tapas and lobster salads for years. They partially cook the lobster and let the lime acid do the rest. A semi-ceviche if you will. But you need to get there during lobster season, otherwise, well.. enjoy chicken season.

Strong contender: Chickpeas and Chorizo

Grilled Calamari at Caicos Café – Did you ever take a bulldog for a walk to his favorite spot in the park, and experience its huge anticipation as it strains on the leash to get there? That is sort of like when I’m being taken to Caicos Café. And in recent years in Caicos Café, the marvelous grilled Calamari is usually the first thing to arrive at our table. The squid itself has great texture, not too chewy as some can get. Add fresh mussels, savory Cannellini beans and finger licking, more bread please sauce and you got yourself one heck of a dish. I like to order grilled calamari everywhere we go and the result is very often a case of severe daydreaming.

Strong contender: Gnocchi with Mushroom sauce

Fish Tacos at Hemingway’s – A staple on every trip to Provo for us, especially for Mrs Ziggy (Hi, Mrs Ziggy, look at me I have my own column. See, I told you all that time spent on Trip Advisor will lead to something). While in other popular establishments on other islands you need a fishing license to fish the grouper out of the tacos, in Hemingway’s the fish is the main event. A hint of sour cream and sweet Mango chutney provide a glorious compliment and lets you temporary forget any preferences for the spicier stuff.

Strong Contender: Conch Fritters

Coffee Rubbed Tuna at Bay Bistro – Who knew coffee and tuna can play so nicely together. Well, the same person that figured out the pecan, conch and orange Ménage à trois among other great combinations in the classics filled Bay Bistro menu, that’s who. Island riots and airport shutting firefighter strikes normally erupt after Bay Bistro removes items from the menu. Long live the Coffee Rubbed Tuna!

Strong Contender: Conch Wontons

Escargot at Le Bouchon. When in Provo do what the French do, and eat what the French eat like the succulent Escargot at Le Bouchon. It’s a fairly simple dish that so many can’t get quite right. At a recent popular Brooklyn joint I was presented with an Escargot dish that was pretty to look at but with zero substance, like Paris Hilton. However at Le Bouchon what you get is the perfect balance of garlic, butter and herbs. And once you are done with those babies you can shift that ‘I want more’ desire to the sauce and the terrific bread.

Strong Contenders: Mussels

Scallops at Beach House – Perfectly seared scallops with cauliflower espuma and white truffle vinaigrette. The espuma is a foam-like runny “I cant believe its not mashed potato puree”, and you really get the wonderful truffle essence here. Big flavours in this one. Note that spelling flavour with a U, the British way, normally alludes to bigger tastes than the less sophisticated American plain Flavor.

Strong Contender: Strozzapreti (Another Note, I havent actually tried those particular Priest Stranglers (“Strozzapreti”) but strictly judging in this case by the facial expressions of a trusted foodie that did. Unless it was just gas)

So there you have it. 7 memorable small bites from our last trip. Enjoy your trip and stay hungry my friends

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: Best food in Providenciales, best food in Turks and caicos, food, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos, Turks and Caicos Restaurants | Leave a comment

Ziggy International

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Ziggy

photo (46)

Start posting nonsense on Trip Advisor – Check

Make a YouTube Video – Check

Start a Blog – Check

Learn the difference between i.e and e.g. – Check

Get a feature column in a world renowned magazine – Check

If the link does not work, just click on the magazine on the left here

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: food, Providenciales, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos, Where When How | 3 Comments

Scenes from the Foreign Nation of Elmhurst Queens

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ziggy

Its fun to play tourist in your own town. One of the perks of living in NYC is that you dont have to travel much to get a taste of Thailand, India, Russia, Sri Lanka, China, Uzbekistan, you name it we go it. Well, maybe not a decent Rijsttafel (Indonesian rice tables popular with the dutch) so almost everything. Elmhurst in Queens is one of those neighborhoods that I never actually explored. Driven by it many times but never explored, until yesterday with the Hummus Whisperer.

Various Thai delis, stores, Michelin/Zagat recommended Thai establishments like Ayada flock this area. There’s something happening on every corner like in this one. Your choice of noodle soup. The coconut curry with “I cant believe this is not Matzoh ball” fish ball soup hit the spot. We proceeded to try all kinds of prepared dishes for a little picnic in a spectacularly busy park where we were the only white folks.

We had sort of a feast with one particular hit being a cod with a terrifically complex sauce.

This Vitamilk which is synonymous with soy milk in Thailand was one of the winners. Another refresher was a lychee juice not pictured here. This is the reason to take trips like these. Discovering things that may potentially improve your love for life 🙄

This trip was another reminder that its Silkworm season. Cant wait to put these babies on the grill or finally do that Silkworm Stroganoff I’ve been dying to do. Or my all time favorite still, Peanut Butter and Silkworm sandwich. Yum yum yum! And be careful to not overcook them folks. You dont want to lose that wonderful silky texture.

Turn another corner and its a very cool Thai Buddhist temple with all kinds of treasures to explore. Some of which we couldnt take pictures due to prayer sessions. Later dudes

Categories: New York City, Queens | Tags: elmhurst queens, food, NYC thai food, queens eats, Queens food, Travel | Leave a comment