Food Adventuring Around NYC
The Place: In the early days of my food adventuring around NYC, we discovered this great little ceviche and cocktail bar called Desnuda. It felt like a secret little spot that was doing something specific and great. It’s been closed for a long time now, unfortunately, but I have been hoping someday that something would …
THE PLACE: I knew Nounou Noodles was new but I didn’t realize it was “new new”. The waiter told me they opened just a few weeks ago. When I came for a weekday lunch, it was just me and one other table, but I could envision this place filling up for the evenings. It’s a …
The Place: Starting the new year on a fresh, clean note is important to me. So I always think seafood is a great first step, which conjures up memories of my recent lunch at Strange Delight, a seafood-centric restaurant and bar in the middle of Fort Greene. The chef’s counter is always a great spot …
I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2025… This was the year where I surrendered to the fact that I won’t experience every single viral dish in the city and, frankly, realized I don’t really want to. While a few of the hottest and most in-demand bites found their way on my …
I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2025… This was the year where I surrendered to the fact that I won’t experience every single viral dish in the city and, frankly, realized I don’t really want to. While a few of the hottest and most in-demand bites found their way on my …
THE PLACE: Been a while since I took myself out to a fancy new hotspot. Markette, in one of the least attractive streets in Chelsea, fits the bill nicely. The vibe is like a fancy hotel lobby with a tranquil bar and dining room. Service is friendly and attentive and this would be a great …
The little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese gem Mắm has expanded since I was here last. Their very cramped Chinatown dining space has been conjoined with an adjacent cramped dining space. The barebones, but bustling space felt as close to the meals I’ve had in Vietnam than anywhere else in the city so far. And the Oc Buoi …
THE PLACE: Along the Nive River sits a very charming commercial street in Bayonne, France (not to be confused with Bayonne, New Jersey). This is a town in the Basque Country of France that feels as far away from Paris as you could possibly imagine. We had just two nights in this small but fascinating …
THE PLACE: Paris is magical so it’s hard to not discover a gorgeous little bistro with all the atmosphere you’d hope for in an airy local spot in the City of Love. They’re on every corner. Yet La Marine, which was recommended to me by the one and only Peter Shelsky, was even more special …
THE PLACE: Dame has been top of my list since they first started previewing their now famous fish and chips during the peak of the pandemic. Since then, this cozy Greenwich Village haunt not only continues to be a hot table in the city but also has become a reliable old standby. THE MENU: British …
THE PLACE: Chinatown has changed. While you can (and should) still get bowls of cheap noodles and steaming dumplings in the neighborhood, you can now also find yourself in a high-brow modern restaurant taking nods from the likes of Spanish and French cuisine and serving everything from cured tuna and a comté tart to a …
THE PLACE: We discovered this cute corner neighborhood spot on our recent visit to Philly. El Chignon is in the hip, lively neighborhood of Passyunk Square, world’s away from the hubbub of Center City and Independence Hall. Vibrantly colorful and casual, this was a great weekend brunch spot that made us feel like we were …
THE PLACE: One of my favorite Korean restaurants used to sit at this open storefront on First Avenue. It was heartbreaking when Oiji closed – although that restaurant went even more upscale in a much more expensive iteration called Oiji Mi. Thankfully, the gang from Hand Hospitality (behind other Korean favorites like Atoboy and Her …
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: In a section of Long Island City that seems to be turning into a little Asia of sorts (thanks to lots of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese restaurants), Nai Brother sits on an unassuming corner. It’s one of two New York City locations of a Sichuan restaurant chain specializing in a unique dish. The …
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 …
Thanks to inflation and the crazy prices at high-end sushi restaurants, my omakase days are mostly behind me. Which is so sad because it is by far my favorite food experience. High quality sushi made by a master and with surprises just can’t be beat. But since most non-gimmicky omakase meals are hundreds of dollars …
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 …
Aside from the obvious tropical location miles from the actual rainforest, La Estación could easily fit in New York City. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if one day they open a location in New York. The owners are New York Puerto Ricans (or Nuyoricans) who opened a barbecue restaurant in Puerto Rico almost two …
It’s hard not to order dan dan noodles or mapo tofu when visiting a Szechuan restaurant. Those are two familiar dishes that almost always hit home, but I have had them so many times and menus at restaurants like this are often pages long. I came to Shan, a welcome addition to Cobble Hill, during …