Food Adventuring Around NYC
THE SPOT: Naya is one of those local chains that I have walked by millions of times. Since I no longer write for Midtown Lunch devoting every single day to finding an affordable mid-day meal, I never really paid much attention to this Lebanese fast casual joint, which has now expanded to nearby states and …
THE SPOT: I stumbled upon a bight blue storefront in Williamsburg the other day that I thought had to be a pizzeria or Italian spot. The name Paolina threw me off. But I saw a big sign that advertised falafel. Turns out this spot, which is destined to be a hit with the Instagram set, …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. Falafel hasn’t been quite as successful when given a gourmet spin. It lives very comfortably in the world of street food and fast food and while unique spins on the chickpea fritter are welcomed, high prices usually are not. Spice Brothers is a bit sneaky …
That corner spot in front of a busy subway station is prime real estate for a quick and fast NYC joint. And Flé Flé Grill lucked out here when they opened in 2018. Set up like a Mediterranean Chipotle, this is quick and cheap and on the healthier side of fast food. I hear good …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. My mission, which I chose to accept, has been to find the best falafel in NYC. It’s a fool’s errand, of course, because places keep coming and going. And the term best is terribly subjective. But I hold steady and keep on with the mission. …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. Poor Brooklyn Heights. I don’t think it gets nearly enough credit for its food. Everybody thinks of the neighborhood for historic architecture and incredible views, but very few people travel here for a meal. And for the most part I concur. Aside from the exciting …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, ZÖÖBA IS NOW CLOSED. When is a falafel not a falafel? When it’s a ta’ameya. Late last year an Egyptian fast food chain opened in Nolita, in the space of a former favorite neighborhood falafel …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. I’ve seen falafel come in all shapes and sizes. One was shaped like a log, others were bright green or fiery orange, one was even shaped around a hard boiled egg. But I had never seen ones that looked like the ones served at Zyara NY.
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2018… Freshness is the main word at the hipster centric Queen of Falafel. I couldn’t get over how bright and fresh this platter of food was – from the Arabic salad, creamy labne cheese, hummus, tahini, richly charred smoky eggplant slices, and perfectly fried green falafel. …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. Hipsters come from all walks of life. I had been meaning to try Queen of Falafel in Bushwick for a while now. The storefront is covered with street art and is on one of the hippest streets in Brooklyn. I assumed this is an immigrant …
What’s not to love about Paris? It’s grand, romantic, and incredibly delicious. While you got to come here and get views of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, you also want to get in to some of the hips neighborhood where locals hang out and that’s what I did on the Gourmet Marais tour. On …
SADLY, TURKISS IS NOW CLOSED. When one falafel joint closes, another opens. It doesn’t always work that way, but it almost always does in and around Bleecker Street in the West Village. Yatagan sat on Macdougal Street for years churning out doner kababs and falafel. I never made it to Yatagan, but now that it’s …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. Every time I move on to another food journey, I turn to my readers to find out where they think the “best” version of this dish can be found. Before I even begin eating, I can usually predict the winners. But in the case of …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. SADLY, GAZALA PLACE IS NOW CLOSED. Gazala Place in Hell’s Kitchen (and its bigger, newer location on the Upper West Side) is the only place in New York to get Druze cuisine. The Druze are a religious people that live throughout the Middle East and have …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. You can pretty much stuff whatever you want inside a falafel. And some places do. I’ve seen such unconventional fillings like sundried tomatoes, olives, and spinach. It seems these tend to be popular at Israeli falafel joints. And I love it because I can usually …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. I was recently in the far south neighborhood of Bay Ridge. One of the things I love about this neighborhood is that its generally not a destination neighborhood. Most people in New York have heard of it, but unless you live there, odds are you …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. SADLY, CHICK P IS NOW CLOSED. I do my best to keep a low profile when I’m out revewing a new dish. But every once in a while, a waiter or cashier catches me in the midst of taking a photograph and their interest has been …
Come back every Wednesday for another funny, informative video documenting my inept food adventures. As we put 2014 to bed, I one more time dream about the ten best dishes I tasted throughout the year. You can read more about each dish here or you can just watch this video and revel in my gluttony. …
Looking back on 2014, I present the most memorable and greatest dishes of my year. In years past, I’ve done a full two month countdown of all 100 of my favorite dishes. This year, I decided to just focus on and give praise to the ten most memorable dishes of the year. I’ll still put …
SADLY, RAKKA CAFE IS NOW CLOSED. Once upon a time, Cafe Rakka was an institution in the East Village. Back in the rough and tumble 80’s and 90’s, its two locations would be the place to grab a quick meal before heading to any one of the nearby music venues. Sadly those days are mostly …