So Many Recipes, So Little Time
Staten Island — and it’s [stætn], not [steiten] so you know — is the most overlooked city borough on our list. The Forgotten one is hidden by the glitz and skyscrapers of Manhattan, melting-pot-like diversity of Queens and the Bronx, and hip vibes of Brooklyn. We’re catching up. As if by request, by the weekend,…
If ever on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, do yourself a favor and stop at Regina’s Grocery on Orchard Street. The street feels like a block party with small eateries with outdoor set-ups, art galleries, shops, wall murals. Low rise brick buildings and iconic fire escapes keep you clicking the camera button — every…
This year, my Mother’s Day happened in June. With two older children on the other side of the globe, the baby of the family took me out on the town. Some Like it Hot at The Shubert Theater was absolutely glorious! Music, choreography, costumes, dancing — everything! And the company! I thought of my mom….
Last night’s pilgrimage for the most mysterious sandwich in Brooklyn — Artichoke Parmigiana from Mama Louisa’s Hero Shoppe — was prompted by a story in Bon Appétit magazine. https://www.bonappetit.com/story/artichoke-parm-history-new-york Besides culinary notes, the story has a good deal of New York history packed along a bready hero. It walks you from early 1900s Italian immigrants…
Isn’t it obvious why Soviets were so after Fidel? It’s the sandwich, stupid! At Guantanamera, it was probably the best one I’ve ever had. First it was the bread. Fried to a perfect crisp, wafer thin, it was not just breaking at the bite but crackling of where the teeth touched. Then, there was pork…
Another fantastic discovery in the city — Blue Willow, Hunan/Sichuan. Amazing food, dreamy sensuous Wong Kar-Waiesque ambiance, and extremely reasonable for midtown Manhattan prices. Just be sure to make a reservation, which with Resy is really stress-free. We debated between the ma la pot and farmhouse pork belly choosing the latter only because it…
Last night it was back to Elmhurst. The food scenery there is hard to beat. We loaded up on fermented tea leaves and crunch for lahpet thoke, watched an amazing street al pastor activity, scouted for sambals at a local grocery. A few weeks ago, we came here specifically for a restaurant from our list…
That’s the beauty of the food scene in Elmhurst area of Queens — there’s always something for any occasion. Even when you made a hike all the way from NJ to only hit the permanently closed door of the restaurant you were planning on. There are five more equally interesting places across the street. And…
The moment you sit down at the table at Yemen Cafe, even before you order, you get a bowl of Marag, a hot lamb soup, a platter of Malawah, a crusty flatbread, and a bowl of Zahawiq, spicy tomato chutney with chilies and herbs. The servers don’t rush and give you time to look over…
— Did you tell her she can eat!?!? It was a little after 8 AM on a sunny April Sunday of 2009. I was upstairs in the bathroom getting ready. Downstairs, Tom caught our nine-year-old Lizzie sneaking cereal in the pantry. No, I didn’t tell her that. We were heading to Queens for my birthday…