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.
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Before Brooks Headley opened the vegan burger sensation Superiority Burger, he was the famed dessert chef of Michelin-rated Del Posto. And his soft serve/sorbet combo feels like one of his composed plated dessert but in a fast food atmosphere. Flavors range seasonally but the tangy …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, NIX IS NOW CLOSED. You wouldn’t expect what looks like a giant charred bone-in rib eye steak to walk through the dining room of vegetarian-focused Nix. It’s actually not a steak but a game-changing dessert cut to resemble a steak. A quartered tandoor-roasted pineapple is crisped …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Steakhouses are tough in this city. And they should be medium rare. What I mean is, they are so expensive that it’s only possible for a special occasion (unless you are one of the lucky elite). Quality Eats is one of the few places …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, HANK’S JUICY BEEF IS NOW CLOSED. New Yorkers and Chicagoans spar over which pizza reigns supreme (we all know whose it is) but after Hank’s Juicy Beef opened in Tribeca, we can all agree who makes the better beef sandwich. The slow roasted beef …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Chawanmushi is not a dish you see on many menus at hip, seasonal Brooklyn restaurants. But Olmsted is not your typical hip, seasonl Brooklyn restaurant. It’s the best restaurant I visited all year and the fact that Chef Greg Baxtrom is reinterpreting this Japanese …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… The two times I’ve been to Greece, I could not get enough of the tiny little fish that were breaded and fried with a hint of salt. I haven’t found smelt on most Greek menus in the city but was excited when I uncovered …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Bronx Brewery is doing so many great things and have now been more ubiquitous around town. Their take on a double IPA is no joke – hitting on all cylinders with a number of different hop varietals playing together for different levels of hoppiness …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… For Thanksgiving dessert, I popped open a bottle of Big Alice’s ambitious beer that is aged in used gin barrels. Granted this was a lot drier and more savory than I imagined with layers of sweetness and bold balanced acidity. Probably not the best beer …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, DELANEY CHICKEN IS NOW CLOSED. At his stall in Vanderbilt UrbanSpace, Daniel Delaney has changed his fried chicken menu a number of times. First there were drumsticks then giant wings and finally spicy chicken sandwiches. The current offering is great with a sweet golden breading that …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, TWO LITTLE RED HENS IS NOW CLOSED. I have already sang the praises of Two Little Red Hens’ excellent New York-style cheesecake on this blog. But the bakery is most known (and racks up huge lines) for …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, AMADA IS NOW CLOSED. We certainly eat with our eyes before anything else. And the presentation of the ham salad at Amada is proof of that. Even before I tasted the high-quality serrano ham wrapped around the bright salad of arugula, figs, spice …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Most critics in New York agree that Olmsted is by far one of the best restaurants to open in the city this year. I was fortunate enough to eat there this summer and as you will notice from my 100 Best list, I tend …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Although it may sound strange to American tastes, buttery miso makes a very smart base for ice cream – especially when studded with sweet and slightly acidic cherry pieces. After tasting this, the concept of cherry vanilla becomes irrelevant. How come more people aren’t demanding …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, MAYAHUEL IS NOW CLOSED. Don’t ignore the food menu at Mayahuel. While their expert tequila and mezcal cocktails may be distracting, their Mexican small plates are phenomenal. Every evening here must end with the crunchy, creamy, and cinnamony churros dipped into a decadent bowl …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, SIMON SIPS IS NOW CLOSED. This year my favorite little hidden coffee shop jumped into the nitro game with Parlor Coffee cold brew pushed through a tap system with nitrogen. It creates a cream, silky texture and a slightly efferevescent finish. The coffee …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… The brewery side of Dirck the Norseman has been consistently putting out bizzare creations that challenge the concept of beer. My favorite this year was this wonderfully roasty and super tart wheat beer that surprises with rich, woody coffee notes and a balancing lemon …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… You wouldn’t expect one of Brooklyn’s best cocktail bars to have a killer brunch. But Clover Club puts as much effort into their morning meal as they do into their well-thought out libations. It’s evidenced in their Bloody Marys, their bacon tasting, and their fluffy omlette …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, BABY BRASA IS NOW CLOSED. After spending two weeks in Peru, I feel pretty justified in reviewing rotisserie chicken. So it’s safe to say the specimens at the new Baby Brasa counter in the Lower East Side is superb. The chicken is incredibly moist …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… One of my favorite meals of last year was at the clandestine East Village sushi temple Kura. Well I was stoked this year when the Kura folks opened a secret room of udon. On a winter night, I can’t think of anything more restorative …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, TAKASHI IS NOW CLOSED. I really felt like I stumbled upon the next great food find when I saw a modest special on the menu at Takashi. I’ve heard of ramen bowls and ramen burgers but this was the first ramen quesadilla I had …