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… 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 …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… A thickly sliced bacon appetizer is pretty standard at American steakhouses. But Quality Eats turns that on its head. The smoked cured meaty pork belly is fantastic but its what’s around it that really causes a stir. The meat sits on a rich sauce …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Fried calamari usually conjures images of heavily breaded tentacles with a chewy sometimes rubber texture. Not so at Rasa, which specializes in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. The crispy squid appetizer is sweet and spicy, slicked with a smabal chili sauce. But the squid is …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Egg sandwiches are so ubiquitous in New York that I probably should devote an entire journey to searching for the best of them. Each year I discover a new often hipster place upgrading our typical breakfast sandwich. This one is a juice and coffee …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… I love bubble tea as much as the next guy but I don’t really indulge very often because it can tend to be ovely sweet and too milky for my tastes. That’s until I discovered Boba Guys, the California import that are making their …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, MANILA SOCIAL CLUB IS NOW CLOSED. Filipino is not always the first cuisine that comes to mind when you think brunch. But once you try this giant smoky tortang talong (eggplant omelette) with garlic rice, you’ll start to crave it all hours of the day. …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Filipino newcomer House of Inasal had the end and the beginning of the meal figured out. You must start your feast with these Filipino street food staples. Tiny quail eggs are battered and fried and served with a vinegar dipping sauce that cuts the …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, WHITE GOLD BUTCHERS IS NOW CLOSED. One of the most anticipated openings this year was from Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield, the chef and brains behind such hits as The Spotted Pig and The Breslin. White …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… Did you ever crave something cold and sweet but feel guilty about your frozen yogurt addiction? Pressed Juicery figured it out for us. The California chain arrived in New York this year and are taking their cold pressed juices and turning them into a slushy health bomb …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… It doesn’t get trendier than avocado toast. It’s as simple as can be – smashed avocado maybe toasted with some lemon and chili flakes and placed on a thick piece of toast. No wonder it’s such a brunch sensation. Gotan adds a little salty feta, bright …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2016… SADLY, CHOMP CHOMP IS NOW CLOSED. For all the diversity in NYC, we had been lacking a dedicated Singaporean restaurant for years. Chomp Chomp came along and saved us from psuedo-Thai/Malaysian/Singaporean meals with authentic takes on hawker food. These crispy and funky fried chicken wings …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. Sometimes I’m wrong – believe it or not. Food blogging is not always precise and many factors weigh in to how I feel about a meal. So while it’s not always possible to return to a restaurant (there’s always a new place to try and …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City I have been wanting to come out to try Lali Restaurant for quite a while now. But the little Dominican counter is located pretty far west in Hell’s Kitchen and is only open for lunch. The …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City This summer I spent a few weeks travelling around Eastern Europe and I learned that the king of food in most countries is beer and sausage. Here in New York, I’ve only experienced a bit of the …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City I never rest – even on Thanksgiving. Maybe because especially on Thanksgiving there is a lot to eat. And I spent the last week trying to find some amazing dish that would be appropriate for the …
My search for the best pizza in New York continues…. Not sure why but I expected more from Prova. I really had no good reason to since the new pizza stand is in the bottom of Grand Central Terminal (not always the best place for serious food), comes from Donnatella Arpaia (not my favorite person when …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City Mu Ramen has been high on my list (perhaps at the top) of restaurants to try since they opened last year. What started as a secret pop-up in a bagel shop by a former Per Se chef …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City For most of us in this country, this has been a tough week. Half of the country is completely destroyed by the election results and all the anxiety leading up to it. This is not a …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, GALERIA IS NOW CLOSED. If you like your trendy rice bowl so much, you can even take it home with you. Because in addition to the food, the bowls are also for sale at Galeria. This …