Posts Tagged With: Travel

Douro Valley – Of Pork, Wine Paint, and Penis Cookies

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Ziggy

Did I get your attention? Scroll down if you are just here for the cookie porn. But for the rest of you this post is all about our Douro day with Facebook group star Igor of Porto Tours and Transfers. Unless your trip is at least 6 months from now, forget it. You can try, but the dude is usually booked many months out. But you do have many options these days besides Igor, so dont despair.

This wasnt our first time seeing the valley. 12 years ago we explored it on our own, before Google Maps was a thing. Hitting dead ends, and dirt roads was just part of the adventure. I remember the feeling of finally finding Quinta de La Rosa, our most memorable lunch destination. Memorable for the view and attention mostly, as we were the lone guests. With Porto tourism increasing seemingly 10 fold since, eating at any Quinta facing the Duoro alone is a fantasy these days.

Quinta da Pacheca, undeniably one of the most interesting wineries we’ve ever come across. Its a stunner. Not small, not cheap, and it comes with its own resident artist, Oscar Rodriguez. You’ll see his work throughout the property. And before you know it, you are scratching heads at his studio trying to figure out how he’s able to create paintings with just 6 different kinds of wine.

We tasted a very respectable white, a robust red Reserva, and quite a potent 40 y/o Tawny. The Tawny alone worth the price of admission. Its the kind of property you want to spend some time, if not days (sleep in a giant wine barrel, anyone?). This is where you want to host your next wedding, or Gynecologist convention. The gynecologists may or may not have a problem with the bathroom glass doors and lack of privacy. What is it with Portugal and its fascination with bathroom glass doors.

Just across the river in Peso da Régua, O Maleiro was quite the tasty, ultra local treat for lunch. Family style is the name of the game. And there was plenty of game in the superb Alheira… boar, chicken, and plenty of spices. Grilled, not fried, made a difference. Its not particularly attractive after its sliced, but this was the best tasting sausage of the trip. Alheira was invented by jews in order to avoid expulsion. They hung sausages on their doors in order to show their solidarity, without revealing the true porkless recipe.

As satisfying as the grilled black pork and potatoes was, it was solidly out-staged by the juiciest pork loin this side of where you can find the juiciest pork loin. Served with a particularly addictive Feijao Frade – black eyed peas (or “mung beans” here) and kale salad. After the meal, you go to the side of the bar, and pour your own port. My kind of place.

We followed that mini feast with some road fruit shopping (those cherries!), a jaw dropping view point, and the sleepy town of Amarante for cookie porn. On our previous visit to Amarante, we somehow missed the penis cookies completely, but it turns out this town is totally obsessed with them. The history is hazy, but it seems like a weird way to honor patron saint São Gonçalo.

Apparently São Gonçalo had special skills, but not the kind your dirty mind assumes. He had special matchmaking powers where he would help an older female with low prospects find love. Besides the local festivals featuring all sorts of phallic cakes, its tradition for a man to give a penis shaped cookie to someone he desires. It works! I gave one to my friend Robert, and 20 minutes later he had a headache. Besides, the next day, the cookie got too hard! I knew I should have bought the one filled with cream. Ok, I’ll stop now.

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Jesus é Goês {Lisbon} – Connecting the Culinary Dots

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Ziggy

After two weeks of well over a dozen stellar meals in Portugal, deciding on what to write about first is like asking who’s your favorite child. Easy. The one more likely to talk about me on the shrink couch. You would assume its the opposite. But when your goal as a dad is to distribute the love equally, and for mom to get the bulk of the blame, its really not.

I should have taken a picture of the facial expression of the hotel manager, when I told him I cancelled the super popular, Facebook darling Ponto Final, and their dreamy sunset table, for a gloomy (in comparison) table at a Goan restaurant he never even heard of. Its like I asked him if I can borrow his girlfriend for a day. I spared him the laundry list of reasons for this move. But here I am, writing my first Portugal food post about an “Indian” restaurant.

I essentially subbed one “Somebody Feed Phil” place for another. I dont normally make it a habit to visit Phil places, but that Lisbon episode, and some others, make them hard to ignore. You feel the urge to travel like Phil, and meet the people he met. Unfortunately, minutes after we sat down at Jesus é Goês, we learned of the tragic death of Jesus only a few months prior. He died of an enlarged heart in his 40’s. They closed for about a month, and now at the helm is his partner. “He always told me that one day I will need to actually do some work”.

Why Goan food in Lisbon? Such an excellent question Timmy. The story starts with the age of discovery, and Vasco de Gama becoming the first to link Europe and Asia. Goa and many other territories like Mozambique, Macao, even Brazil became Portuguese colonies. After India took back Goa in 1961, Many Goans had the option of obtaining Portuguese citizenship, and move to Portugal. Even today, anyone born before 1962 is eligible.

Today Lisbon has a sizeable Indian and Bangladeshi community. But their history is not as intermingled. The best example of that Goan/Portuguese marriage is the Vindaloo. Its traced to a Portuguese dish called Carne Vinha De Alhos, pork marinated with wine and garlic. After introducing this to the Goans, they switched from wine to vinegar, and added lots of spices in order to preserve the meat. Similar story with Pasteis de Nata and Macao, and why you have egg tarts in Chinese bakeries.

Surprisingly there’s no Vindaloo on the colorful Jesus é Goês menu. I’m sure Jesus would have had a perfectly sound explanation for that. But there’s plenty of spice and pleasant heat throughout especially with the mains. The Cafreal de Frango, Shrimp Curry, and the star of show Cabrito Xacuti have the kind of complexity and balance that fits my taste buds like a glove. You’ll be reaching for them well after you cant eat anymore.

Jesus, who spent many years working as a chef all over Lisbon, shows his creativity and even playfulness throughout, especially with the “Holy Burger”. A tiny spice filled burger topped with an egg I didnt know can be poached as such.. Like mini umami bombs on a spoon. Even something more familiar sounding like the Samosas were thin, flaky, and packed with so much more flavor than the doughy ones we are accustomed to.

Simply put, this was some of the best Indian food we’ve had in a long time. And it was in Portugal, where spicy isnt really embraced. Its a small place. Reservations help as we’ve seen enough get turned away. Jesus legacy lives on large. Same menu, same cooks, and a truly special place I wholeheartedly recommend.

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This is Evora

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Ziggy

How do you convert a building into the number one attraction in your city? Very simple. You dig out all the bodies from area cemeteries. Hire an interior decorator to help with the bones and skulls placement in the building. Display a cute welcome sign in the entrance, something like “we bones in here wait for yours to join us”. And voila! That’s pretty much what three monks did with roughly 5000 monk corpses at the Chapel of the Bones. One of many interesting sites to keep visitors entertained in and around the Alentejo capital of Evora.

There’s a certain atmosphere in Evora that is lacking in frenzied Porto and Lisbon. Most visitors come here on a day trip from Lisbon, either as part of a tour or on their own. You can see the contrast when visiting the cathedral before and after lunch when the tours start to disperse. This is why its best to stick around a few days. If you do, make it at the historic Convento do Espinheiro, a ridiculously affordable 5 star former convent, a few miles north of the city.

In addition to the bone church, and the cathedral with its reachable Insta roof, you’ll want to see the striking Roman Temple, preferably in the afternoon when the light is less harsh. Almost every other corner of Evora is a reminder of its complicated past. Mercadores (merchants) and Moeda (coin) streets in the Jewish quarter go back to the days when Jews did much of the banking. In the middle ages you were forbidden to lend money to members of your faith, so the majority Christians relied on the minority Jews.

Very few trippers make it to the University, second oldest in the country after Coimbra. Its main attraction, the Colégio do Espírito Santo building has a striking facade, and a game called “Lets find the library”. I can give you directions, but you’d be missing all the fun we had. Right next to the University is the beautiful Espírito Santo church that requires a separate ticket. Here you can play “lets find the turkey”. The one that commemorates the Jesuit missions to America. Or just chill at the beautiful public garden, chasing peacocks next to folly ruins.

University

And then there’s the Alentejo food and wine. Rustic, Tuscan-like fare, a welcomed change from the seafood heavy coast. Old timers like Fialho, and Taberna Típica Quarta-feira are intermingled with the new kids like Origens, bringing a new wave of flavors. I get the sense that Evora is becoming a food powerhouse. More on that soon.

And there’s no shortage of day trips from Evora. Estremoz, Elvas, the jaw dropping Monsaraz, Marvão, and the beautiful, still undiscovered Castelo de Vide just to name a few. A tour and lunch at the Michelined Herdade do Esporão, and Monsaraz is an easy and rewarding pair. And if you want to learn about the area cork production, David of Cortiçarte will help with that with much humor. Portugal supplies over 60% of the world’s cork.

Make sure to include Evora in your Portugal plans.

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10 Best Things We Ate in CDMX

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Ziggy

How does one come up with 10 on a four day trip? Its complicated. The long explanation starts with my childhood, and requires lying down on an old couch to tell the story. It has to be an old couch, preferably beige. The short version is that’s how we roll, especially on a food focused trip as such. I can actually come up with 10 items in just one of the days. That’s Mexico City for you.

Green Chorizo Taco at Mercado de Jamaica

I think Eva Longoria made a mistake here. This is a life altering taco that didnt require any salsa to enhance the flavor. But on Eva’s Searching for Mexico show on CNN, while I was delighted to see her visit the same place we did, I was terrified by the amount of salsa she added on this delicate beauty. This jewel was part of a tour with Eat Like a Local.

Pescado a la Talla at Contramar

Imagine opening a restaurant that evolves around a dish that eventually becomes a national treasure. And before you know it, you are the food consultant to the president. Thats exactly what happened to Gabriela Cámara, and her famous two color snapper. I’ve had wonderful fish with one of those colors before that is a bore fest compared to this experience, where you essentially make the fish tacos of your dreams.

Suadero Taco at Tacos El Güero (San Rafael)

Rule number one of fight club: Aim for tacos outside the gentrified areas, or in this case, areas that refuse to gentrify. Not only you’ll find them at a fraction of the cost, but quite tastier as well. Suadero, sadly rarely seen in NYC, is essentially the beef (brisket) version of Carnitas. Here you’ll find them just fatty enough, crispy, and quite tender. And you’ll most likely be the only tourist, but dont get intimidated. And dont skip on the sick pastor as well.

Chile en Nogada at Angelopolitano

Yet another rarity in the USA, and once you see and taste it you’ll understand why. It looks like a dish typically made once a year on a special holiday, and for some it is in Mexico (Independence Day). But at Angelopolitano, you’ll find it year round, even when pomegranate is not in season. Its a hearty combination of meat, candied and dried fruit stuffed in poblano chile, and topped with walnut cream sauce, and pomegranate. Typically served room temperature.

Pibil Tacos at El Turix

At the glamorous Polanco, you can either dine with ladies who lunch across the street at Maque, or sit on the sidewalk with construction workers at El Turix. We did both, for research of course. And the construction workers got it right. An outstanding Cochinita Pibil wrapped in a deliciouso soft tortilla from this busy hole in the wall. And you may also see many munching on the fine Panuchos (fried tortillas stuffed with beans, topped with shredded chicken)

Lengua Tostada – Amatista Tostadas (Coyoacán)

This is another one of those if you know, you know type place in the foody paradise Coyoacán. Popular with tour guides, other locals, and tourists alike. They dish all sorts of delights like a fine Aztec soup, and fancier Tostadas like Octopus and tuna. But that Lengua Tostada, covered with an intense but pleasant dark 7 chili sauce was the eye opener. A fiesta in your mouth. Try to go when they open or prepare to wait a little, especially if a tour occupies the entire second room.

“Veracruzanos” at La Cocina de mi Mamá (Coyoacán Market)

While most tourists head to the insta-heavy Tostadas Coyoacán, the locals sneak to the back of the market for this literally hidden gem. We had to ask another vendor who was very happy to bring us there, but its probably more fun to find on your own. This dish is exhibit A why Mexicans take their breakfasts very seriously. Tortillas filled with eggs, bathed in bean sauce, chorizo, onions, cheese and peppers. Sensational to say the least.

Taco course at Quintonil

Its hard to pick a dish from a meal full of standouts. Every dish played a role, but perhaps none bigger than the extravagant Taco course. There were charred avocado with Escamoles (insect caviar), smoked cactus salad, Oyster mushrooms, pureed beans from Oaxaca, nutty Crottin cheese, chorizo with oats, and more. It could have been a fine meal in itself, but at Quintonil its just another course.

Lengua Taco at Tacos “El Betin”

I think the term ‘hole in the wall’ was invented here. This was our first stop on a taco crawl in San Rafael. Great pastor, but the Lengua was like a smack in the face. Just about the most delicate, tender Lengua I ever had. Just like other spots in San Rafael, you may find yourself surrounded by locals, or a food tour.

Grandma’s Flan at La Casa de Toño

Come for the hearty pozole, the specialty at this American-like mini chain, but stay for Grandmas Flan. Nothing really out of the ordinary here. Just a solid flan, Caramel freaks like me, crave and enjoy. La Casa de Toño is one of a few good options open Sunday night, popular among locals too. You’ll get a number and wait to be called or displayed on the screen.

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CDMX – If I Can Offer Just Ten Tips

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Ziggy

A follow up to “If I Can Offer Just One Tip”. We only spent 4 days, but somehow managed to see, do, and boy oh boy eat plenty. Not only I try to include tips that you wont find on every other list, but some are actually contradictory in a way. This is designed more for first timers. Stay tuned for the obligatory top 10 dishes which will be fairly easy to do in this case even with such a short stay.

Stay in/near Centro

Classic Ziggy fashion, starting with the one where he loses half of the audience. But hear me out. I’m not so much advocating the heart of Centro but the south/west edges, or really in/near Colonia Tabacalera or Juárez. Much of the advice out there is to stay in La Condesa or Roma areas which are some of the most gentrified areas of CDMX. I found them not terribly different than what you find in large US cities. Different but not terribly like the beautiful chaos of Centro during the day. We enjoyed spending most evenings in La Condesa/Roma, and Ubering back to our hotel (10 minutes, cheap). Many of the sites are so spread out, you’ll be Ubering plenty no matter where you stay. But we found the Barceló México Reforma location perfect for us first timers. Walking distance to all the sites in the Centro, the up and coming neighborhoods of San Rafael and Juárez, and close enough to the night scenes of Roma.

Sunday is Fun Day

Its a double-edged sword for foodies. Many restaurants close or close early on Sundays. But this is also a pleasant day to spend in CDMX. The canals and boats of Xochimilco are essentially a one giant party on Sundays. The otherwise crazy busy Reforma is closed to traffic, so a good day to bike the monument filled blvd. You got afternoon dancing at the Alameda de Santa María, and much more. Since most likely you’ll spend less than a week in CDMX, try to have a full Sunday be part of the plan.

Frida Kahlo Museum – Temper expectations

Its a wonderful little museum no doubt. But the commercial and touristy aspect of it is a major turn off. Between buying the timed tickets well in advance, the crowds, standing on line to get in. Want to take photos? That’s another fee. All that planning and hoopla for a crowded 45 minute quicky, without any of the wonderful Frida work on display. If you are a Frida fan, its an obvious must. Otherwise, watch the movie (its great even today) prior to your visit if you go, or skip altogether.

Although Coyoacán in itself is a must

On the other hand, Coyoacán, the location of Frida’s museum is a stunner. You got the fantastic Coyoacán market, the main square surrounding Fuente de los Coyotes, the artisan market of Allende Garden on Sundays, and just wandering around the streets is such a pleasure. And we happened to find some of the best food we’ve had on the trip here (more on that on the next post).

Take Your Probiotics?

I’m not a gastroenterologist and dont even play one on the internet, hence the question mark. This is just something I picked up from another blog. The biggest problem with Mexico City is the chance of getting sick. No matter how careful you’ll be, its always a possibility, and perhaps not a destination for very sensitive stomachs. But we followed the advice of taking Probiotics daily starting a week prior to the trip, and other than minor tummy trouble on the last day before departure, we were fine. Coincidentally, or not, on the day before departure we forgot to take our Probiotics.

Watch your step

Remember when I said the biggest problem is getting sick? I lied. The most dangerous thing in Mexico City might actually be the sidewalks. The city is essentially built on a lake by the Aztecs. The clay the city rests on dries up, collapses and results in broken and uneven sidewalks all over. I had a few close calls, and I imagine its not easy to navigate on a wheelchair. While you marvel at the scene and architecture, its very easy to lose focus.

Dont overlook the smaller museums

CDMX is a museum powerhouse, with world class museums scattered all over the city. So with everyone and their mothers flocking to them, its easy to overlook the smaller, less popular ones like the colorful Museo de Arte Popular, and Museo Mural Diego Rivera. The latter houses a Rivera masterpiece that miraculously survived the great earthquake of 1985 when it was inside a hotel. Pound for pound they can offer a better experience and fun/crowds ratio for people with limited time.

Do the Anthropology Museum, but preferably with a guide

This is more of note to self, but a tip nonetheless. We did not see the museum with a guide, but wished we did. Its an awe-inspiring, world class museum that attracts tourists and locals (including many school trips) alike. Whether you are into anthropology is almost irrelevant in this case. While you’ll admire the design and artifacts, the crowds, and the sheer volume of information is overwhelming and may be best appreciated with a guide.

Take Uber over Taxi

We had a 50% success rate with taxis, and 100% with Uber. Uber is cheap, reliable, and its very hard to get scammed when you agree on the price upfront. On the other hand, taxi scams are unfortunately more common. If you must take a taxi from the airport, at least make sure they dont sell you an oversized car for over $500 pesos. If you only need a sedan, ask for a sedan.

Design your own taco crawl

That’s not to say, dont take a tour. Absolutely take one, but might as well make it something that’s more outside your comfort zone, like the market tour of Eat Like a Local mentioned earlier. But designing a taco crawl in CDMX is fairy easy and fun. Here’s one idea in San Rafael: Lengua and Tripa tacos at El Betin, Suadero and Pastor at El Güero, and El Barrigon with beer at Porcino.

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Quintonil {CDMX}- Where Hyper-modern Meets Tradition

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ziggy

Even the street names of ultramodern Polanco are snobby sounding… Isaac Newton, Galileo, Alejandro Dumas (or Dumbass as per Shashank). Just about all the streets are named after important writers, philosophers, politicians, and food bloggers. Walking around the area is like playing Jeopardy. Who is President Masaryk! Compared to the rest of Mexico City, the Polanco neighborhood feels like a Beverly Hills gated community without the gates.

Its a rather picturesque, unapologetic enclave filled with ladies with big hats who eat avocado toasts at places like “Snob bistro”. Yes, its a real place inside an attractive development, straight out of Coconut Grove. But yet, we counted three yellow boots, locking pricy cars for some reason. Too important to pay their tickets, or too many spare beemers? There’s a video that went viral recently showing a Polanco resident yelling at a parking officer.

Its therefore not a surprise that Pujol, Quintonil and other CDMX elite are in Polanco. Frankly, I “settled” on #9 world ranked Quintonil over #5 Pujol because I fell asleep and missed my Pujol reservation window. I could barely score one at Quintonil. But while Pujol is the more famous, there’s really no consensus in the city on who’s the best.

From the outside, Jorge Vallejo’s, Quintonil, just like so many great ones, like Osteria Francescana, looks unassuming. While inside, the smart decor, and the pampering of a world class spa, sets the ‘we are not in Kansas anymore’ tone. This was a birthday treat, as was the entire food focused trip. And the result was two unforgettable hours.

The fun actually starts when you reserve months in advance. Do I want a main dining room a la carte, the seemingly insect heavy bar tasting menu, or the dining room tasting menu. The latter two require a significant deposit, roughly 5x the a la carte option. But the fine print states that one can simply opt for the dining room tasting menu upon arrival (when booking the dining room), which raises the question, why would anyone pre-order that over the cheaper a la carte. And after the 4th glass of the excellent matching wines, I tried, unsuccessfully, to get to the bottom of it with my new BFF waiter, while Mrs Z kicking me under the table. After the fourth kick, my facial expression changed, and by the look of his, he probably suspected I was having a stroke, or gas.

As for the food (Its about time Ziggy, sheesh), not one dud, and nothing stood out above all. And that’s a good thing in this case. Like a winning team without a star. Every dish complemented the next and previous. A harmonic flow of colors, textures, and umami. What looked like a simple melon salad, was actually an extravagant melon, tomato, horchata, and pumpkin seed concoction. And what looked like a another photogenic concoction, was a tasty riff on the classic Scallop Margarita with a vivid Aguachile, wasabi, and nori.

In between single courses, you even had a chance to play taco master with carefully selected ingredients that filled the table. There was charred avocado with Escamoles (insect caviar). Smoked cactus salad. Salsad oyster mushrooms. Pureed beans from Oaxaca. Nutty Crottin cheese. Chorizo with oats, and more. Add delicious corn tortillas and you got a flavor jammed fest.

Then comes a perfectly cooked Striped Bass with seafood infused basmati and a coconuty sauce. A young goat with chickpeas puree, and herbs, was aromatic and superb. The dishes featured more science than my combined 4 years of college. Its avant-garde alright, but undeniably Mexican.

The scrumptious desserts really complete the experience. All four of them. A Cactus paddle sorbet. A delightful Creme Fraiche with passion fruit and caviar. The stupendous Guava “rocks”, with pink peppercorns, and caramelized white chocolate. And just when you are about to get too full, comes a birthday flan for the ages. One of those meals, and yet another reason to visit this food paradise.

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CDMX – If I Can Offer Just One Tip

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Ziggy

Mexico City will open your eyes. You might as well forget everything you know about Mexican food and Mexican culture. If you think that tacos mostly come with hard shells, or the Day of the Dead parades have been around for a long time, prepare to be surprised. The latter was actually inspired by a recent James Bond Movie. And the former, Ok, I dont know anyone who eats at Taco Bell regularly, but you get my drift. They are out there.

This city may also change the way you travel. We American city slickers, often lean toward smaller… villages, small towns, country side, places that are total opposite of where we live. Mexico City, the largest Metropolitan in North America, challenges that theory. I’ve been thinking about going back from the moment we left. You get a sense of unfinished business.

I’ve never had so much to write after a short trip. I have many useful tips, even though we just barely scratched the surface. I will offer more tips in no time, but today I will offer just one. I dont want you to think I’m lazy (I most definitely am, but I dont want you to think that), but this tip is a rather important one.

Take the half day Markets and Street Food tour with Eat Like a Local.

“But Ziggy, arent you a guide, or a former guide or something? And so, arent you biased?”. Good question Timmy! It’s true. But I only love to write about experiences I like. There are some tours I took in Europe and the US that I never mentioned here. And being a former guide, and someone who’s been taking tours all over the world, gives you a decent understanding of what a good tour should be.

Simply put, this is an outstanding tour. It’s a little more expensive than other tours in CDMX but you do get what you pay for and then some. Mainly you get the benefit of a limit of 6 guests, which is the lowest I’ve seen outside of private tours. It’s a female only, CDMX born group that focuses on responsible tourism including paying the vendors well. Judging by the smiles and hugs we witnessed, this is not a gimmick.

The focus is on Merced and Jamaica markets with some snacking in Condesa at the beginning and end. What you get is a brilliant array of street food including insects, tacos, fruits, sweets, huitlacoche (corn fungus), incredible corn in a cup, and a life altering green Chorizo taco that did not need any salsa or anything really. About 20 tastings but we never felt too full. Very good pace, and plenty of much needed rests for a drink when needed. With a small group (us and another couple) it was like a local showing us around. You get a better understanding and appreciation of local culture (see first two paragraphs).

Taking food tours anywhere is usually a good idea. In addition to the usual benefits there are the added intangibles like meeting other travelers, and spending time with a local. And so you are often at the mercy of the person you meet, and Panda, our guide (thats her nickname) is just the right kind you want to spend four hours with. They bill their tours for people who hate tours. You wont find too many tours out there that involve subway rides, and such small groups. But this is also for people who love tours.

Eat Like a Local Mexico – Best food tours in Mexico City
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This is CDMX

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Ziggy

CDMX – Ciudad de México – Mexico City to those not familiar. If you’ve never been to Mexico City city, there’s a decent chance you never heard of it referred as CDMX before. I was in that camp up until six months ago when I decided to make a birthday trip out of it. And now all I can think of is what took me so long, and where in NYC can I get a decent Suadero, or green chorizo taco.

The good news is that I will write in more detail about CDMX soon, especially about the food. The bad news, I scheduled mouth surgery right after the trip (yesterday) so I am out of commission in NYC for a few weeks unless you want me to review Oatmeal. Quaker’s Raisin, Date, Walnut is winning that horse race for now.

But for the time being, I will just tell you, in all my years of travel, I’ve never seen anything like CDMX. The combination of distinctly different neighborhoods, sprawling markets, street food everywhere you turn, jaw dropping monuments, world class museums, is on another level. I expected to see different, and I got that and then some.

It’s incredibly rich culture is best understood via food of course, although there are some interesting boutique museums that help describe in other ways. In addition to the plethora of street food, and I mean plethora, you got a hefty amount of contemporary options including two in the coveted “top 50 restaurants in the world” list. Will tell more soon.

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Sweets Village

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Ziggy

Do you ever cross to the other side of the city for dessert or are you normal? Whether we are finishing lunch in Tribeca, dinner in Hell’s Kitchen, or brunch in Greenpoint, we often end up in East Village. It can take 30-60 minutes to make the schlep, but that’s just part of living here. Unlike in say Florida, or anywhere else pretty much, 30 minutes doesnt feel very long here.

Why dessert in East Village? Same answer as why there’s so much Thai food in Hell’s Kitchen, and do pigeons pee. I’m not really sure. But I suspect its part of the same sad reality I’ve been talking about for many years… location location location. East Village is the last Manhattan neighborhood where mom and pops can still easily open shop. That’s been the case for a while now. But during the last few years, there’s been an inflow of supremely talented bakers essentially completing the picture of Sweets Village.

Between the dessert bars, ice cream, and all the new and old bakeries, you got a wealth of sugary options scattered all over the area. But what makes it an embarrassment of riches is the high quality and the variety of experiences, from a fancy multi course dessert meal to a simple croissant. Ok, not so simple. And as for the quality, I dont ever recall seeing so many lines for sweets on a Saturday afternoon. While you’ll find a bad case of FOMO in every neighborhood these days, in EV its on a block by block basis.

I will not be able to cover all of them, as I have more important things to do, like argue with random people on Twitter, but here are some solid options for your next sweets crawl.

Librae Bakery (35 Cooper Sq) – One of the newer kids already generating much buzz. A Bahrain import, so expect middle eastern influences like Za’atar Labneh Morning Bun. But many, including us line up for the Pistachio Rose Croissants, a rich, airy, ultra flaky pastry, so messy you’ll feed all the resident squirrels on the go.

La Cabra – (152 2nd Ave) – Another new one generating long lines, perhaps the longest of the bunch. A Copenhagen import specializing in coffee, but people flock for the sick cardamom buns. I suspect you’ll see more of that in NYC soon, just like Basque Cheesecakes and other trends.

ChikaLicious Dessert Bar (203 E 10th St) – I’ve written about this place a few times in the past. Chika Tillman is a local legend. Grab a seat at the counter (if you can) and watch her and her talented assistant make magic. Pick the dessert from the menu for $25 and you’ll get a treat before and after. The outrageously light and delicious Fromage Blanc Island Cheese Cake has been on the menu from the beginning. A one of a kind experience in NYC.

Spot Dessert Bar (13 St Marks Pl) – Another fantastic dessert parlor, with full service. Incredibly unique, instagramble creations. Every single item I’ve had here including all the regulars and many specials were insanely delicious. I cant figure out my favorites, though my family is partial to the Matcha Lava, but really just the lava part, not so much the matcha ice cream. The Harvest might be the most famous.

Lady Wong (332 E 9th St) – Another Asian inspired dessert boutique. Run by a creative duo who spent a significant time cooking in high end restaurants in Singapore, including Michelin starred. You’ll see plenty of green items, due to the wide use of Pandan. Give the Panna Cotta a try, especially if you are a coconut lover. A sharp reminder that every dessert should come with a syrup dispenser.

Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe (342 E 11th St) – The grandaddy. One of the last remaining old Italian bakeries, offering fantastic cheesecakes, tiramisu, and all the rest of the classics. Its as old as the Brooklyn bridge!

Caffè Panna (77 Irving Pl) – Not in East Village, but close enough (Gramercy) and worth mentioning. This is where we go for some of the best Affogato in NYC.

This is a good start but there’s much more. Another place generating much buzz is Baonanas and its banana pudding. I havent had the pleasure (as of this writing, this may change any hour). There’s also no shortage of quality gelato and ice cream, although the best are just a bit outside of East Village… il laboratorio, Amorino… But deliciousness has no borders. Bon Appetit!

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indigo {TCI} – A Star is Born

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Ziggy

Fine dining in TCI? Pass. Coming from NYC, we find fine dining in the Caribbean pretentious, overly expensive, and full of hiccups. When you shell out a considerate amount, you cant help but notice all the little things that go wrong. We mostly avoid them these days after being fooled one time too many. Fool me once shame on you, fool me 15 times, I’m a glutton for punishment. But sometimes you want to take your wife somewhere new and exciting, where she can sport her Rent The Runway dress, and matching scarf. And sometimes when the stars align, you hit a homerun. Or in this case, a “Six”. If you know, you know.

Indigo is the brainchild of Australian Andrew Mirosch, the Culinary Director at Wymara. Its the old Gansevoort which recently rebranded to Wymara. Its essentially the new Stelle for those familiar. We avoided Stelle all those years, but social media chatter and early reviews suggested Indigo is the one new kid on the block worth checking out. Indigo is named after one of Mirosch’s daughters. He often flies to Australia to see them, and comes back with highly sought-after Australian Salmon and lamb. As long as he doesnt bring back Vegemite, I think this formula will work for a long time.

Our expectations at places as such lowered over the years. But Indigo is doing its best to lift that bar. The one thing I really like about Indigo happens almost as soon as you sit down. A menu intro by Mirosch himself. Instead of meeting the host at the end of the meal as happens so often, a chat at the beginning helps with the menu navigation and palate matching. Its a game changer for some. It doesnt take long to see how passionate and dedicated he is on freshness and the ingredient driven menu. As with any place on Provo, you need to satisfy a wide range of tastes (ie tourists), and by all accounts it looks like Mirosch got the tools and expertise to do so.

The rebranding to Wymara didnt mean rebranding from sexy. So we, including Mrs Z scarf immediately felt that sense of belonging. I’m pretty sure, if we didnt arrive at Provo senior hour (7), when Indigo was fairly empty, we would have gotten plenty of the usual looks, and the few patrons we saw were simply too busy with the menu. Choosing from the menu turned out to be a difficult task as there were some very interesting looking specials that night. I prefer small menus, and this was definitely not. Andrew Mirosch, the fisherman to the rescue.

We started with the two soups on the menu, including one special. Fish soup was pleasantly creamy and loaded with various chunky delicious fish. But as good as it was, the Conch Chowder special made it look pedestrian. Complex, supremely flavorful, and as good as it gets really.

Second course was a special trio of tapas called “Would it kill them to add another shrimp to make it shareable”. Lobster spring roll and Mirosch’s take on Maryland crab cake totally upstaged the lone sad coconut shrimp which needed the two terrific sauces to give it some life. A flashy but tasty app overall.

Although it was still windy, the island fishermen went fishing after a 4 day break, hence a superb local grouper special. A hefty, perfectly flaky fish, sitting on top of freshly made light fried rice. This dish worked slightly better than the buttery lobster. Indigo has an interesting dessert selection but being a sucker for sticky toffee pudding I stopped reading the rest of the menu. A tad too sweet perhaps, but still enjoyable and something I’d order again.

The service is usually understandably lacking on the islands, but it wasnt the case here. Friendly, proficient, and anticipatory. I dont recall the wine we had as I wasnt planning on writing a dedicated post while there. But this was an enjoyable meal from start to finish. A solid exception to the rule. Go!

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

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