Food Adventuring Around NYC
THE PLACE: We discovered this cute corner neighborhood spot on our recent visit to Philly. El Chignon is in the hip, lively neighborhood of Passyunk Square, world’s away from the hubbub of Center City and Independence Hall. Vibrantly colorful and casual, this was a great weekend brunch spot that made us feel like we were …
THE PLACE: Mostly hidden from street view, Blue Blossom is a sleek new fancy Chinese restaurant steps away from Bryant Park. This restaurant comes from the owners of Che Li and Szechuan Mountain House, two excellent refined Chinese spots in the East Village. This is their first venture into the heart of Midtown. A long …
THE PLACE: Bar Goto is a narrow unmarked cocktail den in the Lower East Side that has become legendary in the craft cocktail world. The bar is the main centerpiece, but a few intimate tables wrap around it and a serious, but casual mood is set by the expert bartenders and wait staff. It’s both …
THE PLACE: It’s always thrilling when a true gem opens in an under-served neighborhood. Aside from PJ Clarke’s, some good lunch options and a few Japanese dens, I can’t say there’s a whole lot to bring me to the East 50’s. Ánimo! announces itself with an exclamation point and for good reason – this place …
THE PLACE: There are certainly no other Irish Soda Bread Shops that I can think of in Manhattan. Perhaps that is why Mary O’s has had a huge line since the store debuted a few months ago. In addition to having a niche product, the bread at Mary O’s has developed a massive following when …
THE PLACE: While wandering around scouting a brand new food tour, I discovered a little stand outside the famous Phil-Am Food Mart. This is a weekend pop-up that is not officially related to the Filipino market, but of course, is selling street food that would appeal to the market’s customers. And don’t worry, they absolutely …
THE PLACE: It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been invited to a party in Manhattan and it feels like I accidentally stepped into one when I recently dined solo at C as in Charlie. I stopped by as soon as they opened on a very frigid weekday night and by the time I …
THE PLACE: This prime corner bar space has changed hands many times in the last few years, but it’s current tenant is possibly the most major player in the cocktail scene that has inhabited this space in recent memory. ¡Superbueno! has been beloved by those in the drinks industry and in 2024, it was named …
THE PLACE: One of my favorite Korean restaurants used to sit at this open storefront on First Avenue. It was heartbreaking when Oiji closed – although that restaurant went even more upscale in a much more expensive iteration called Oiji Mi. Thankfully, the gang from Hand Hospitality (behind other Korean favorites like Atoboy and Her …
THE PLACE: I was ready to hate Bad Roman and write it off as a not serious restaurant that is all social media hype. It is definitely some of that, but it was better than I expected. This was our best option for a special dinner out before a show at Lincoln Center considering we …
THE PLACE: Just as Sweetgreen was once a unique and delicious entry to the NYC lunch scene, ThisBowl has taken the healthy bowl-obsessed contingent by storm. ThisBowl is an Australian chain (called Fish Bowl down under) and my guess is they are hoping to pull a Sweetgreen here. After garnering huge lines in Noho, a …
THE PLACE: In a section of Long Island City that seems to be turning into a little Asia of sorts (thanks to lots of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese restaurants), Nai Brother sits on an unassuming corner. It’s one of two New York City locations of a Sichuan restaurant chain specializing in a unique dish. The …
THE PLACE: Once I arrived to the sparse, but sleek new Park Slope bakery Miolin, I realized I used to hang out at this space many moons ago when it was a wonderful Austrian restaurant called Café Steinhof. The times have certainly changed and now this neighborhood storefront tempts you with the intoxicating smells of …
THE PLACE: Not one of the smash burger places that gets all the hype in NYC, Lovely’s Old Fashioned has been sitting under-the-radar in Hell’s Kitchen for the last year or so. The old-fashioned name and feel, along with a lack of tables (only a lunch counter overlooking the griddle), truly gives a sense that …
THE PLACE: One of the newer speakeasies in the city, Paradise Lost is a super fun new tiki bar that has become a little secret among local bartenders. A (mostly) unmarked door that requires a hostess to buzz you in, reveals a kitschy transportive hallway leading to a “tropical hellscape” that is as fun and …
I’ve been sitting on this incredible dish for a few weeks – partly because others have come up that are a bit more seasonal. But I realized this needs to get mentioned before the year is up (you might just find it on my Top Ten) and also I think the symbolism of writing about …
Some might say everything is better on a stick. Kababs, yakitori, Corn dogs? Most don’t think of candied fruit, but it’s pretty brilliant. I was a skeptic at first (does fruit really need to be covered in sugar), but I gave in to the viral appeal and I’m pleased I did. Tanghulu are a traditional …
There are certain ingredients that come up very often on this blog. Mushrooms are impossible for me to resist and I almost always include a dish from all of my Thai meals in the city. But this is the first time where sweet potatoes have played the starring role two weeks in a row. Last …
It seems like the UrbanSpace Holiday Markets, which have always featured somewhat gimmicky food vendors, has turned into a full-on Tik Tok frenzy. Lines have gotten insane and one dumpling vendor even turned me away when I ordered saying a certain dish was only available for “Influencers.” To be honest, I am not as interested …
I have been mourning the closure of my absolute favorite food business in New York City: Chikalicious. The Japanese dessert bar (whose praises I have sang endless times on this blog) closed this past summer because chef Chika) was retiring. I’m happy they closed on their own terms and that there is still a Japanese …