Food Adventuring Around NYC
Tacos are hot again. Like really hot. Santo Taco, which took over the iconic La Esquina take out window this past summer, has already expanded further uptown. And it’s not the only taqueria in the city garnering lots of attention. I’ve tried quite a few of the new ones (more reviews to come) and I …
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 PLACE: ThisBowl is still as trendy as ever and recently expanded to a second location in Nomad. I predicted them to be the best Sweetgreen a few months back when I wrote about their fresh and flavorful salads, and still stand by that. Although there is something that feels a bit less corporate about …
THE PLACE: I had a bit of post traumatic stress when I entered Buba Bureka in the former home of Manousheh. I loved that place and while they stuck it out in a very difficult neighborhood for a decade, Manousheh was forced to close last year. The Israeli-owned Buba Bureka (named for BUreka BAkery) did …
THE PLACE: Just off Bangladesh Street in Queens and amongst a sea of food carts advertising the same dishes and all claiming to be the “original”, Fuska House might be the one with the longest lines. It’s not technically the first of the carts selling a Bengali street snack called “fuska” but they have become …
THE SPOT: On a corner between Soho, Tribeca, and Chinatown, this is the first Manhattan location of Lucia Pizza which has been operating on Avenue X in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn for over 4 decades. The newest generation of owners seem to have felt it was time to expand and play with the big boys in …
THE PLACE: Just as Sweetgreen was once a unique and delicious entry to the NYC lunch scene, ThisBowl has taken the healthy bowl-obsessed contingent by storm. ThisBowl is an Australian chain (called Fish Bowl down under) and my guess is they are hoping to pull a Sweetgreen here. After garnering huge lines in Noho, a …
THE PLACE: Not one of the smash burger places that gets all the hype in NYC, Lovely’s Old Fashioned has been sitting under-the-radar in Hell’s Kitchen for the last year or so. The old-fashioned name and feel, along with a lack of tables (only a lunch counter overlooking the griddle), truly gives a sense that …
Trying to find some really good food on Coney Island is tough. You’re mostly here for the kitsch and crappy fast food. I somehow managed to track down some decent tacos and ice cream recently, but more often than not, you’re going to want to eat at Nathan’s. If you’re a first timer to Coney …
Eating food with your hands is one of the great pleasures in life. We have so many great hand (or finger) food in NYC. Tacos, pizza, bagels. Something I would not have put on that list (until now) is a whole chicken. Cauldron Chicken opened at the end of last year on a part of …
Zhu Ji Dumpling Stall has been hiding in Flushing for a long time, yet somehow I missed it until now. This is literally a stall just off Main Street where those in the know stop for some cheap and juicy dumplings. The set-up reminds me a bit of Fried Dumpling down an alley in Chinatown, …
This corner space in Fort Greene right outside the subway space is prime real estate. Pretty awesome and amazing that it now hosts its second hip vegan fast food chain. I do miss Broccoli Bar quite a bit, but no doubt the Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan has garnered more of a cult following with Tik Tok …
Midtown lunchers are always on the search for the newest variation of the bowl. Customizable grains topped with protein, vegetables, and sauces. Many chains, like Sweetgreen and Cava, have taken the concept across the region. I really hope dùndú, the latest foray into this bowl sensation, can make the leap to spread its food across …
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 …
It’s 2023 and I’m about to do it. God help me. I’m about to feature an NYC food shop that got famous because of Tik Tok. I’ve yet to jump on the Tik Tok bandwagon (although I get closer every day) and had no idea Chick of Us was buzzing all throughout young people’s smartphones. …
We’re back after a few weeks away. You didn’t think we’d give up that easily? We still have a giant world out there to explore. And I’m excited that our first country back is also the first country I ever visited outside of my own. Growing up in South Florida, it was not uncommon to vacate …
SADLY, LEKKA BURGER IS NOW CLOSED. Lekka Burger was primed to be the next hot vegan burger spot. The chef behind it is Amanda Cohen, who is possibly the biggest name in New York’s innovative vegetable-forward cuisine. She owns and operates Dirt Candy and I have always admired her and her work. I stopped by Lekka Burger …
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 …
When I was a kid, I used to write about movies obsessively. Taking a cue from Siskel & Ebert, I would count down my favorite movies of each year and then when the 1990’s ended, I made a list for the decade. If I had enough movie knowledge, I probably should have made a list for …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2019… If you can’t get into the hot Thai spot Wayla, you can now try their flavors in bowl form upstairs for lunch. The choices change daily but expect full flavored meats and vegetables like ground chicken larb, sweet chili salmon, or stir-fried beans and tofu all served with …