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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More Mid-Week Lunching @ Cafe Gitane and Madison Square Eats

Well, we are winding down on my NYC restaurant posts…only a few more to go before “The Best Of” can be revealed. I know, you all must be on the edge of your seats!

Remember when I talk about not being the only “lady who lunches” in New York? Well, to prove my point even further, let me share my experience when meeting Katherine for lunch on a random Friday at Cafe Gitane in Nolita. I had heard rumors about how busy this small Moroccan/French cafe gets on the weekends. So, being a lady of leisure, I figured a week day lunch would be the perfect opportunity to finally cross this spot off my list. How wrong I was! Katherine and I arrived there to a 20 minute wait with no chance of grabbing an outdoor table. Once seated, we were elbow to elbow with our neighbors and the place was so loud, I think we were practically screaming at each other while we caught up on our latest running and restaurant adventures. Can someone please explain to me how the citizens of New York City have the time and money to take extra long, mid-week lunches?? I appreciate your responses.

The menu at Cafe Gitane was quite appealing…there were many a dish that sounded extremely tasty and all of the food looked so fresh and delicious. I already had my heart set on their famous avocado toasts and luckily, Katherine is always up for sharing!

Avocado toast with lemon and chili

Smoked trout salad with arugula, lentils, goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, avocado, and cherry tomatoes

Avocado on toast–sounds so simple, right? The addition of lemon juice and red pepper flakes on delicious toasted multigrain bread really elevated this dish to the next level. But be warned, the toasts do pack quite a bite! The salad was actually my definition of a perfect salad with so many different flavors and textures: salty and smoky trout, creamy goat cheese, sweet cranberries, rich avocado, crunchy walnuts, and filling lentils…I am already crafting my recipe re-creation, so stay tuned!

My other weekday lunch took me to the very popular Madison Square Eats. If I thought Cafe Gitane was crowded…Wow! Literally PACKED with people escaping their offices to try out a very large selection of eats. From Momofuku Milk Bar to Eataly to Mile End, this place had it all. But I had my heart set on Roberta’s, a Bushwick spot famous for their pizza that I had not been able to get to as of yet.

Roberta’s built a wood burning oven right in the middle of Madison Square

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 bee sting definitely echoed Paulie Gee’s flavor combination, but I think Roberta’s crust and sauce may be just a smidgen better (don’t worry…I still love me some Paulie!) The seasonal pizza was also delicious, but there’s something about the sweet, salty, and spicy combo of the bee sting that won me over. I highly recommend you brave the crowds and the heat and give MSE a chance. I wish I could return to try some Arancini Bros…so go try them for me please!

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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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Adventures in Pizza…Dinner at Motorino and Homemade Pies!

The other night, Adam and I were strolling in the East Village and were debating what to do for dinner. We had some leftover butternut squash enchiladas in the fridge from the previous night but we weren’t sure if we were feeling them. We both looked at each other and said one word…pizza. Normally, I’m a meal planner and menu studier. But this night…we were totally spontaneous and with a quick yelp, found a pizza place mere blocks from where we were walking that had actually been on my radar to try. With only a 15 minute wait at 8pm on a Saturday night, the dinner at Motorino was off to a good start.

Brussels sprouts pizza with fior di latte and pecorino and garlic

Stracciatella pizza with olive oil, raw basil and sea salt

Both pizzas were excellent! The cheese on the stracciatella was perfectly salty and gooey and the brussels sprouts were crisp and went beautifully with the pecorino and fiore di latte. You may have noticed these were both “white” pizzas (ie. no red tomato sauce to speak of). And this is where Motorino loses points…we ordered a side of sauce for dipping and I’m so happy that Adam didn’t go with his usual choice of a margarita. This sauce tasted like they just opened a can of crushed tomato and dumped it in a bowl. No seasoning, no flavor, nadda! So..despite the perfect crust and delicious cheesy toppings…keste is still the winner in our books. Would I go back to Motorino…absolutely! But only to enjoy one of their many white pizzas.

Two days later, the pizza craving was back again. Which was a good thing because we were off to our foodie friends for some homemade pies…that also included homemade sauce (that knocked Motorino out of the park) and homemade mozzarella. (yes…we do know how lucky we are to have this couple as our friends).

Stretching the homemade mozzarella cheese

I stood in the kitchen and watched “the pizza master” at work as I learned a new technique to mimic coal-fired pizza without a pizza stone or wood burning oven. Now pay attention…this will change your homemade pizza life as you know it.

Heat a cast iron skillet on high with some oil. Once smokin, add the dough and let it cook until bubbly. Add the sauce.

Top with mozzarella then place under broiler until nice and brown.

The finished pizza...topped with fresh basil after coming out of the oven

We all decided homemade crust is simply not worth it…we just added a pinch of salt to this store-bought trader joe’s dough and it was perfect. Using the cast iron to oven method gets you that crisp, slightly burnt outer crust and chewy interior. Once you make pizza this way, you will never go back!

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A Weekend of Friends and Food! Pure Food and Wine, Kefi, Cookshop, and Pulino’s…just to name a few!

Don’t you love long weekends?? I know I do! And you know what makes them even better? Having your very good friends visit from Toronto and showing them all the wonderful food this city has to offer! Of course, I did show them more than just the amazing food…you must walk when you are with me to ensure you are adequately hungry for your next meal. We took a lovely stroll along The Highline and The Brooklyn Bridge, and Adam and I acted as tour guides through our very own walking tour of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and Park Slope.

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

But let’s be serious here…I was obviously most excited to catch up over brunch, dinner, and everything in between. Starting things off with a raw and vegan dinner at Pure Food and Wine. Probably not what you were expecting but this food wasn’t what I was expecting either. It was so much more than just raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. And seeing as I was sharing this meal with a special friend…we went all out and ordered LOTS of special food! Favorite of this meal, and a contender for favorite bite of the entire trip, the philly maki rolls.

Pistachio stuffed portobello with pomegranate dressing

Philly maki with avocado, cashew cheese, carrots, lettuce, and a delicious dipping sauce (Wish I knew what was in it!)

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

Pear ravioli with smoked long pepper mousse and preserved lemon, truffle honey, and almonds

Pumpkin cheesecake with brown ale ice cream, pecan brittle, and brown ale caramel...one of the best desserts I've had EVER!

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!

I know…a raw food appetizer could win for favorite bite of this indulgent weekend of eats? Yes my friends…this place blasts any myths or other bad raw food experiences you may have had in the past. Just one bite of their ice cream will change your mind about raw vegan ice cream forever (if you even knew that existed!). Oh, and all the hype I had heard about the lasagna before going for dinner definitely holds true. The sauces were so flavorful and rich and married so well with the freshness of the raw zucchini and tomato. Definitely a special occasion restaurant and definitely worthy of the splurge!

The next evening we were ready for some cooked food and ventured to the UWS for my first Greek dining experience in this city (Crazy, right??) Enter, Kefi…a surprisingly affordable restaurant among the dining options in the UWS. Well…hopefully Kefi won’t figure out that they could definitely be charging at least double what they do for the quality of their food. Dining with a large group of close friends means lots of sharing…

Kefi salad: shredded lettuce, fennel, tomatoes, olives, and feta

Crispy cod with garlic potatoes and tomato

Grilled octopus with bean salad

Second contender for the best bite of the weekend was  the most tender octopus accompanied by a chickpea salad that I was trying desperately to use my bread to sop up every last bit of oily goodness.

Grilled branzino with potatoes, olives, and tomatoes

Grilled tuna with tomatoes, cauliflower, and olives

One flaw…if we’re being picky…my tuna was slightly overcooked. But I can forgive Kefi this one time…I guess I will just have to go back and let them make it up to me! A mere 12 hours later our group was back together for brunch at Cookshop in Chelsea. Perfect fuel for a walk across The Highline (as I learned from my visit only a few weeks prior).

Poached eggs with sauteed spinach, caramelized onions, goat cheese, and sourdough toast

Grilled cheese with cabot cheddar, candied pecans, honey crisp apples, arugula, whole grain mustard, and baby greens

This return visit confirmed this restaurant as my favorite brunch spot. Good food, good service, good atmosphere, and GREAT coffee. With a Jesse Tyler Ferguson spotting, what more could you ask for?? The 5 hour walking tour worked up our appetite for our final meal at Pulino’s, where lots more sharing of food ensued. I had heard some mixed reviews about this Keith Mcnally (of Baltzahar, Morandi, and Pastis fame) Italian restaurant, but it seemed perfect for a large group and was conveniently close to an ice cream shop you may have heard of oh…once or twice here.

Eggplant parm

Burrata pizza with olives and oregano

Fluke crudo: thinly sliced fluke with chili, tangerine, and citrus zest

Whole roasted branzino

Oven roasted octopus with potatoes, celery, and olives

I would definitely say this is solid Italian food. They’re not doing anything that will knock your socks off but the pizza was good with a nice thin crust and rich sauce, the crudo was fresh, and the eggplant parm was definitely something I would return for. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals…a definite crowd pleaser. And it was good enough for one Top Chef judge…my favorite celebrity spotting yet!

There may have also been some hot chocolate consumed, some milk shakes, cereal milk ice cream and compost cookies devoured, and some salty pimps and waffle cone goodness inhaled. I mean…what would life be without dessert shared among very good friends?

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