The Best _____ of New York!

So here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! My thoughts on who has the best pizza, pasta, Mexican food and more in all of New York! Some things to note: I had many amazing meals and dishes that are not mentioned here. These are just some that really stood out to me…not to say I didn’t enjoy many many more! I also didn’t cover “the best of” every possible food category because that would just take way too long…both to write and read! And of course, I was not able to get to even half of the restaurants on my very VERY long list. This may shock some of you with the plethora of restaurant related posts on this blog. But trust me, there are just so many good restaurants here…it’s kind of overwhelming (and very stressful!) But I did what I could, and without further adieu and in no particular order…

The Best Appetizer: Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with truffle honey butter and burnt orange toast from Locanda Verde (review)

The Best Brunch: Cookshop (review #1 #2 #3)

So I think the fact that I went back to this place three times speaks to how good it is. From the ideal location right next to The Highline, to the wonderful and homey atmosphere, to the absolutely delicious food! Let’s look back at some of my favorites, shall we?

Scrambled eggs with creme fraiche, smoked salmon, caramelized onion, served on homemade biscuit and watercress salad

Pastry board: chocolate chip scone, sweet potato bread, apple muffin, pecan sticky bun, blueberry jam and butter

Poached egg popover: poached egg, popover, leek and cheddar fondue

The Best Mexican: Barrio Chino (review #1 #2)

I originally fell in love with their strong margaritas and fish tacos. A return visit showed me that their enchiladas were truly top notch.

achiote and citrus rubbed tilapia served with avocado salsa and pickled onions

Enchiladas Verdes: green enchiladas stuffed with zucchini and mushrooms and melted oaxacan cheese served with black beans topped with queso fresco

The Best Vegetarian: Pure Food and Wine (review)

This is definitely a special occasion vegetarian restaurant but truly delicious! Even for the non-vegetarians among you!

Chocolate mint sundae with thin mint cookies, chocolate ice cream, mint ice cream, and whipped cream and chocolate sauce…never knew a vegan raw sundae could taste so good!

Zucchini and local heirloom tomato lasagna with basil pistachio pesto, sun-dried tomato marinara, and macadamia pumpkin seed ricotta

The Best Dessert: The salted caramel sundae from ABC Kitchen (review)

I know what you’re all thinking…yes, I do love me some Big Gay and Ample Hill, but those are in a category all to themselves. This is the best plated restaurant dessert…come on, totally different!

Sundae: salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts, popcorn, whipped cream, chocolate sauce

The Best Sandwich: The scuttlebuck from Saltie (review)

Homemade foccacia bread with pickled veg, hard boiled egg, greens, feta, house-made aioli, olives, and capers

The Best Salad: The kale salad from Northern Spy (review)

Kale salad with cheddar, delica squash, almonds and pecorino (the potato gnocchi on the right were excellent too!)

The Best Meatball: Piccolo Angelo (review)

Meatballs the size of my head! In a marinara sauce

Honorable Mention: Chicken meatballs from The Meatball Shop (review #1, #2)

Chicken meatballs in tomato sauce topped with grated parm and foccacia bead

The Best Pasta: House made linguine with spring fava beans, garlic, tomato, and toasted breadcrumbs from Frankies Spuntino (review)

House-made linguine with spring fava beans, garlic, tomato, and toasted breadcrumbs

The Best Pizza: The stracciatella and spinach pizza from Co (review), the margarita from Keste (review), the overall experience and uniqueness from Pauli Gee’s, (review #1, #2) and the bee sting from Roberta’s (review)

So I know it may not be proper to name FOUR places as “the best pizza,” but I think pizza is a very complex dish and there are many different kinds. When craving the traditional margarita, none is better than Keste. For your white pizza, head to Co. For the ultimate pizza parlor experience and very unique pies, travel to Greenpoint to see and meet Paulie Gee himself. And for fantastic sweet sauce mixed with spicy sausage and sweet honey, Roberta’s is truly top notch. All the crusts were fantastic, the sauces well seasoned, and the pies perfectly charred.

Stracciatella: crushed tomato, stracciatella, arugula, black pepper from Co

Regina Margherita: tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, grape tomatoes, basil, and extra virgin olive oil from Keste

Grapeful dead: Baby spinach, olive oil, mild gouda, shaved parmigiano reggiano, and pickled red grape halves from Paulie Gee’s

Three pies from Roberta’s: From right to left: the margarita, the bee sting (spicy salami, hot honey) and seasonal (kale, parm, fontina, lemon garlic oil)

The Best Asian Food: Talde (review)

Yes, I realize this is quite a broad category. But, Talde really wins for me for it’s perfectly cooked and flavored whole fish and it’s wacky over the top cereal bowl dessert.

Whole market fish: banana leaf roasted topped with tumeric-tomato chutney

The Best Burger: The lamb burger from The Breslin (review)

Chargrilled lamb burger with feta, cumin mayo, and thrice cooked chips

Best Ice Cream: Anything from Ample Hills (review)

Seriously…any of their hand crafted, small batch ice cream is absolutely delicious. And they make EVERYTHING in house…from the butter cake in the ooey gooey to the oatmeal cookie dough in Nona D’s oatmeal cookie. I have yet to find a place EVER to match these cups and cones.

Nona D’s Oatmeal cookie on the left and pumpkin with graham crackers and marshmallow on the right

Honorable Mention: The salty pimp from Big Gay Ice Cream Shop (review #….too many to count!)

This sweet and salty cone should really be in a category of its own. In fact, the whole shop should be! From it’s eclectic decor, to boisterous servers, to a menu filled with names like Bea Arthur (which is also delicious btw) and Affo-”gay”-to, how can you  not fall in love with it?

The Salty Pimp: I think you’ve seen this maybe one or two times here before! Caramel line ice cream cone with sea salt and chocolate

The Best Overall Dining Experience: ABC Kitchen (review)

This award  is based not only on the food, but the whole package…service, atmosphere, and the all-round feel of the place really makes a difference to me. ABC kitchen was a stunning restaurant with fantastic service, beautiful food, and obviously, so delicious!

Line caught tuna sashimi marinated with ginger and mint

Roasted beets with homemade yogurt and balsamic

Honorable Mentions: Traif (review) and Degustation (review) and Allswell (review)

Traif’s unique combinations and flavors really blew me away. The 5 course tasting menu at Degustation was so impressive…if they only had better service, I think this could have been a winner! The fact that I am STILL thinking about the pork from Allswell is definitely worth noting. Also worth noting is I visited all three honorable mention-worthy restaurants with the same friend…I think she may be just as food obsessed as myself!

Crispy pork belly, caulilflower, peperoncini, romesco, parsley-garlic from Traif

Third course: seared trout with chard leaves on a bed of corn, farro, and pea succatash with chorizo oil from Degustation

Roasted pork with aioli, anchovies, capers, and homemade olive bread from Allswell

I think that I could have really gone on and on…I will never forget the arepas from Caracas or the tofu from Gwynett St. or the octopus from Kefi…but I had to cut it off somewhere! I hope I have helped you sort out where to eat in a place where you will never EVER run out of restaurant options. I have already had some fantastic Toronto restaurant experiences and have many home-cooked meals to share with you. So please, STAY TUNED!

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Pizza Three Ways: White Pizza, Red Pizza, and “Cauliflower Pizza”

There has been a lot of pizza making and A LOT of pizza eating going on in our small Brooklyn kitchen these days! Two more traditional pies and one…well…we’ll get to it. (I know a couple of you were shaking your head at the title…but just you wait!) After our most recent pizza dinner out at Co a while back, I knew I had to re-create that pizza experience. I’ve had success with Jim Lahey’s no knead bread before (the owner of Co), so why should the pizza dough be any different? Well, it wasn’t! I substituted half whole wheat flour for half of the regular flour and it turned out perfectly. Before we venture into red sauce territory, let’s talk about the white pizza. Something that has become very popular on pizza menus and has also become near and dear to my heart. Never having created a white pizza at home, I used the new stove-top to oven method (found here) and pizza perfection was reached.

Pizza in the skillet pre-broiler

White Pizza Topped with Swiss Chard (Adapted from this recipe)

Crust: This recipe using half whole wheat flour for the regular flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

mix these ingredients together and set aside

1 bunch swiss chard, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Fresh buffalo mozzarella and goat cheese (as much or as little as you like…but let’s be serious…more is better!)

Preheat skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Saute garlic for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add chard and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stretch dough out into a thin circle. Preheat an oven-proof skillet over high heat with some oil in it. (if you don’t have an oven proof skillet, just wrap the handles in aluminum foil). When smoking, add crust to skillet and cook until bottom starts to get nice and chard. Add mozz, swiss chard, and top with goat cheese. Brush crust with some of your flavored oil. Place under broiler until dough is cooked and cheese is melted.

Pizza post-broiler served with remaining seasoned oil for more brushing and dipping

Onto the red…the sauce. The second most important part of any good pizza (the crust being the first). I used this recipe for a traditional NY style pizza sauce…and man oh man was it ever good! Just the smell of the butter and garlic, simmering with the basil, onions, and tomatoes. Honestly, as good as any pizza parlor sauce.

Topping the red pizza

Once the crust was spread out onto the baking sheet, topped with sauce, toppings, and mozz, it went into a screaming hot 500 degree oven and literally took no more than 10 minutes to get a charred crust and bubbly cheese.

Half roasted red pepper, olives, and artichokes, and half sauteed mushrooms and shaved brussels sprouts. All topped with basil

So the last pizza…let me rephrase…I think it’s important not to look at this as a pizza but more of a vegetable pie with pizza like qualities. It can not be picked up with your hands and folded into your mouth like a traditional NY style slice, but when cut with a fork and knife, it really is quite delicious. Both Adam and I were surprised with how good it actually was. Well…we really shouldn’t have been that shocked considering the amount of cheese that went into it!

Cauliflower pizza crust pre-baking

So for this “cauliflower pizza”, I used this recipe as a guide, but there are actually so many variations floating around the blog world to try…this should show you that it actually is worth trying!

You're going to tell me this doesn't look like pizza??

You can really top it with anything you like…I went with my new favorite sauce recipe, artichokes, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spinach, and lots of mozz and goat cheese. I would say I maybe went a bit too heavy on the toppings for the delicate crust…I think this is a case of less is better.

One pie feeds two people and we were actually surprised at how filling it was. Perfect for anyone following a gluten free diet or just looking for a new vegetarian recipe…give it a try and let me know what you think!

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Cousins Weekend in NYC: Brunch @ Rosewater, Dinners @ Cafe Habana and Co

If you’ve been following me for some time now, you know what happens when friends and family come to visit us in NYC….lots and LOTS of good eating! And my wonderful cousins arrival to our Brooklyn apartment was no exception. Not only did they just travel from Toronto…they drove 10 hours after a long day of work to visit with us for the weekend. After a long drive and a late night, a good and hearty brunch was in order. My first brunch experience at Rosewater was fantastic so I thought a return visit with my hungry visitors would be a good way to kick off our long day of walking ahead. And for the most part, it lived up to expectations….for the most part….

Poached eggs, turnip cakes, sauteed greens, goat cheese, and chipotle/tomato sauce

Lemon ricotta crepes...beautiful light coming in from the patio window

Apple pancakes with meyer lemon butter and toasted hazelnuts

Housemade veggie burger on a pretzel bun with feta, arugula, jalapeno mayo, and fries

The egg dish with the chipotle sauce…my plate was wiped clean. And let me tell you…every pancake dish, or even every piece of bread for that matter, should come with lemon butter. But those crepes…huge fail. Very dry and tasteless. Still a very enjoyable brunch and I would still keep it on the list of go-to brunch places. Belly’s full and body’s fueled, we spent the rest of the day walking through the city…and I literally mean the WHOLE day was spent walking. After a much needed rest and a quick change into evening wear, we headed off to give the pizza at Co a try. In our pizza eating tour of NYC, Adam and I have sampled Keste, Motorino, and Paulie Gee’s. So, after reading the latest Bon Appetit, featuring Jim Lahey’s (the owner of Co’s) no knead pizza dough, Co seemed like the natural next step.

Pizza bianca with coarse sea salt, olive oil and fresh ricotta

Upon arrival we were told it would be an hour wait, which we all agreed was worth it after we saw and smelled the charred pies. But after we hit the 1 1/2 hour mark, we were four very hungry and not very happy patrons. But Co’s service was spot on…bringing a complimentary order of their pizza bianca with homemade ricotta. Adam said this was some of the best bread he’s ever had…and the man knows his bread! Off to a good start and still starving, we ordered four pizzas to share (so if you’re counting, we actually ate FIVE pizzas…I did say we were hungry!)

Margherita: basil, mozzarella, parmesan, tomato

Stracciatella: crushed tomato, stracciatella, arugula, black pepper

In front: Mushroom and Jalapeno Pie: bechemel, pecorino, gruyere, garlic confit, seasonal mushrooms, shaved jalepeno, fresh dill
In back: the popeye: pecorino, gruyere, mozzarella, spinach

Co can definitely bake pies with the best of them! We all agreed the spinach and stracciatella were the best and definitely threaten to take the pizza crown from Keste. I’ve never had a spinach pie before where the spinach was actually baked in the oven (normally it’s thrown on after)…what a delicious idea! Fantastic food, great service, nice atmosphere…an overall win!

The next day we got our culture on and visited the Moma to take a break from all the walking and eating. Museums definitely work up an appetite because by 5pm we were all ready for an early dinner. And lucky it was early, because Cafe Habana in Soho fills up fast! We just got in before the dinner time rush. What a cool spot…we literally couldn’t stop looking at the funky wall paper and even funkier dressed waitresses. This restaurant visit gave me a chance to try another item featured on my fave show, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.“

Grilled corn Mexican style served with chili powder, lime, and cojita cheese

With Chavela’s corn fresh in our mind, Adam and I both agreed this was a better version of the grilled yellow husk. With a squeeze of fresh lime, a perfect summer street food!

Ensilada de Jicama: Jicama salad with queso fresco, mango, dried cranberries, and raspberry vinaigrette

Tiacoyo de Tres Marias: Corn masa boat stuffed with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, black beans, and served with rice and beans

Grilled Shrimp Taco: shrimp marinated in thyme, oregano, chipotle in adobo, garlic, citrus zest, salt, pepper, and olive oil served with rice, beans, guac, and pico de gallo

Everything we had was just good, fresh, and spicy food. I think the salad was actually a favorite…definitely to be re-created at home! There may have also been some un-pictured Ample Hill and Big Gay Ice Cream consumed over the weekend…no visit with me is complete without some (or a lot) of ice cream! A fun family weekend!

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