Food Adventuring Around NYC
Brian Hoffman is a classically trained actor who is now a full-time tour guide, blogger, and food obsessive. He leads food and drink tours around New York City, which not only introduce tour-goers to delicious food, but gives them a historical context. He has written food articles for Gothamist and Midtown Lunch in addition to overseeing this blog and a few food video series, including Eat This, Locals Know, and Around the World in One City. His latest series is an international cooking show with his son which can be found on this site.
My search for the best beer in New York continues…. This has all happened so fast. Regrettably, I have slacked off on staying up to date with the newest breweries opening in the city. And while I think I have some pretty good excuses (a new baby in my life), they have started opening at high …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City Chef Dan Kluger has a way with vegetables. He garnered lots of praise for his vegetable mastery at ABC Kitchen, which has become one of the trendiest NYC veggie-centric restaurants. And now he has his own …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, LITTLE SHEEP MONGOLIAN HOT POT IS NOW CLOSED. You might see posts on this blog about Shake Shack or Dos Toros even though they have become pretty recognizable chain restaurants. But they started in good …
My search for the best pizza in New York continues…. SADLY, CAFE AL MERCATO IS NOW CLOSED. One of the newest tours I give is a food tour up on Arthur Avenue, which any New Yorker will tell you is the real Little Italy. The Bronx neighborhood is densely populated with traditional Italian bakeries, cheese …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City It was New Year’s Eve and according to the meteorologists, it was the coldest it has ever been on this day. But that didn’t stop us from going out and exploring some bars and restaurants in …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… This year was another crazy ride. And while politics and breaking news stories often drifted into my anxious psyche, food still played an important role. And this year was full of surprising dishes that were nourishing, pleasurable, and a much-needed distraction. Here now are the …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… This year was another crazy ride. And while politics and breaking news stories often drifted into my anxious psyche, food still played an important role. And this year was full of surprising dishes that were nourishing, pleasurable, and a much-needed distraction. Here now are the …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… The East Village is the center for good Japanese food in the city and now we can add one more stop to the list. DokoDemo opened this year selling more Japanese street food – the usual okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and yakisoba. The yakisoba was greaseless and …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… Those that have been to the iconic Dominick’s on Arthur Avenue know there is no menu. The surly waiters come over and ask what you want. Not everything is available every day, but you should hope for the baked clams which have browned crisp …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… We have breweries and distilleries in the city, but Barow’s is making something else – a liqueur. They use a sugarcane spirit and then infuse it with tons of carefully sourced ginger. The result is a bold sweet and spicy liqueur that is perfect in cocktails …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… Japanese-inspired cocktails are all the rage these days in NYC. Bar Moga specializes in them in a refined, traditional setting. I was really surprised by their Sleepwalk, which combined some refreshing complex flavors together – lemongrass shochu, a Yuzu saké, coconut, ginger, lime, and …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… No, Rockaway’s Asparagus beer does not taste like asparagus. You never know with the crazy craft beer creations these days. But Rockaway focuses on more approachable and traditional beers. Despite the name, this session beer goes down very easy. It’s a full-on wheat beer with …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… These creations that are like an empanada meets an egg roll meets a stuffed tennis ball are not exactly traditional from any one Latin American country. But the folks at Che Café have put a spin on the empanada with these chechenitas. They’re fun …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… After experimenting with some different soda flavor combinations, two friends stumbled upon the surprisingly perfect marriage between coffee and citrus. After roasting their own flash brewed coffee, they add a blend of tangerine, lemon, and lime juice and some cane sugar for a sweet …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… There are many bakeries along the Italian enclave of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. But only one makes something called white chocolate bread. And Madonia Bakery only makes it for holidays and on the weekends. When I’m lucky enough to give our Arthur Avenue …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… Xi’an Famous Foods has grown since I first visited their original location deep in the heart of Flushing, Queens. Since then the prices have grown and they’ve expanded to more than ten locations around the city. But I must admit the food flavor hasn’t …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… SADLY, GRISTMILL IS NOW CLOSED. Ignore the silly name for this brilliant concoction. It’s more brilliant than the complex pun makes it sound. But it’s more complex than the words smoked salmon slider implies. The Loxness Knotster is available at brunch and dinner and it is a perfect …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… SADLY, DALY PIE IS NOW CLOSED. By now we’ve all had salted caramel desserts, but salted lime desserts are not as common. After trying a signature pie at Daly Pie, I realized they certainly should be. Think about a margarita – clearly lime and …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, LITTLE TONG NOODLE SHOP IS NOW CLOSED. This year many restaurants opened specializing in mixian noodle soups. These rice noodles from the Yunnan region of China were not as common as say udon or ramen. But …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2017… What is a green chickpea you ask? They’re actually fresh chickpeas that have not been ripened. They taste and look a little like edamame. Leave it to Jean-Georges’ trendy new vegetarian temple to introduce them to a wider audience. The hummus is herbal and bright …