Food Adventuring Around NYC
The Place: Nestled on the other side of the elevated subway in Astoria, this corner coffee shop is a true oasis. The tables were all taken (and there was even a wait) when I stopped by on a weekday morning. Not sure if this is just a beloved local hangout (there were lots of meetings …
THE PLACE: Places like Ramro did not exist in Astoria when I lived and hung out in this neighborhood decades ago. This is an intimate high-brow restaurant bordering on fine dining with a focus on an under-represented cuisine outside of Queens (Filipino). The service here is top-notch and the few tables are close together, yet …
I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2024… As I put together my list of the ten best dishes I tried in NYC, I realized just why I love this city. I didn’t purposely curated this list to be diverse in terms of neighborhood, cuisine, or price point. It just ended up …
What do you think of when you hear about an ice cream shop called Marvel? At first, I assumed this was a shop where you “marvel” at the amazing soft serve ice cream. Or maybe it’s a cheap ploy to get comic book fans here. But then it dawned on me, when pronounced with the …
We have been very lucky to have spent some time in Greece and its surrounding islands. One place we have not visited in that part of the world is a country that many Americans don’t even realize is its own country. With lots of influence from both the Greeks and the Turks, Cyprus is very …
If only AbuQir was open back when I lived in Astoria, I would have given them all my money. I used to live in this residential part of Queens for many years and I frequented both seafood markets and Egyptian restaurants around this street, but at that time (as far as I know), no business …
Neither Sam nor I have seen an episode of Game of Thrones, but we visited one of the many locales where that epic show was filmed. We explored the southern part of Croatia a few years ago and loved the history, sites, and incredible food. In fact, Sam got to sit on a throne on …
Did I ever think I’d make a hot dog during this international cooking journey? Maybe. Hot dogs are not just an American thing. You might be surprised to discover they are huge in Scandinavia, Asia, and, of course, South America. When thinking through the traditional dishes from Chile, it only made sense to share with …
Go big or go home they say. And if you don’t want to go home, maybe go to Brazil. It’s a huge country with a huge cuisine. This week, we get a little (or big) taste of the colorful and hearty food from Latin America’s largest country.
Before the pandemic, Sam was on his way to having a pretty full passport. We were big travelers (and hope to be again) and Sam was lucky enough to come with us on our adventures for the first three years of his life. The first country on our cooking journey that Sam has actually been to in …
After last week’s success (mostly thanks to Sam), we’re now really cooking (pun intended). And, in fact, this is the week that Sam really learned about a brand new dish and has since fully incorporated it into his diet. He now often eats couscous for lunch – without all the meat and spices, of …
My search for the best beer in New York continues…. Back in the “before days,” I used to visit and spend time at breweries. And I always liked to order a flight or tasting to work my way through as many of their different offerings as possible. Since I’m not visiting breweries at the moment …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2019… Since I reviewed their brewery, IcoNYC has opened up a new tasting room in Long Island City. One of the beers you should definitely try (if you can still find it), is the ruby red Hib Hob. It features tart hibiscus up front that …
ICONYC BREWING COMPANY IS NOW FOCAL BEER POINT CO. I didn’t realize exactly where I was going when I made my way to the tasting room of IcoNYC Brewing Company. It wasn’t until I stepped off the subway and started walking to the strange little mini-shopping plaza that I realized I was in my own …
Come back every Wednesday for another funny, informative video documenting my inept food adventures. In Locals Know, I explore a new city through the tours of Urban Adventures. This one has been a long time coming. I am so excited to finally unveil the first episode of a new webseries I have been working on. …
The greatest day in mobile food vending is back. On September 12, the Vendy Awards will take place on Governor’s Island honoring the greatest in New York’s food vending community. Tickets are still available for purchase here. Every year in addition to the usual category, the Vendys give us something a little special. This year, …
You know a restaurant in Astoria is legit when English is barely spoken and Greek men are playing cards in the kitchen. This off-the-radar taverna served me and my Greek friend some spectacular pork sausage kissed with orange and fennel. It made me really miss Greece, but now I realize I can just hop on …
My search for the best cheesecake in New York continues…. The Greeks may have been the ones who invented the cheesecake, but they probably were not the first to bring it to New York. We have either the Germans, Italians, or Jews to thank for that. But that doesn’t mean the Greeks aren’t here and …
My search for the best beer in New York continues…. I remember a few months ago before the second location of Astoria Bier & Cheese opened on Ditmars, I passed by a few people on the street who saw the sign announcing the beer store’s opening and they expressed their doubt. “Beer and cheese don’t …
I underestimated the modest little falafel. I was expecting some great things, sure, but I was also anticipating lots of dry and dense chickpea balls. Greasy, soggy, and mealy were words I used very rarely in my falafel reviews. Of course, I stuck with the most renowned and popular falafel spots in the city. I’m …