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After 40 hours without solid food, I had a colonoscopy on Carnegie Hill. The clinic didn’t recommend that an escort pick me up, just no alcohol or major life decisions for 8 hours. So I popped a gummy in the soft sunshine and headed uptown, down the hill. My GI doc told me no one wants to know the colonoscopy results, just where lunch is.

Starting from empty, my first stop was Bermudez Bakery at Lex and 117 for a cuban sandwich and a Bustelo café con leche. Years ago Sietsema called the cubano the city’s best. It was simple: cheap storebought ham, swiss, pickles and decent pernil, the puffy and tasteless bread beautifully crisped on the plancha by Yessica. Feeling chatty, I ordered a second Bustelo so I could hang out. Neighborhood people came in to order sandwiches and folks with roller bags wandered in and out from the drug spot on the sidewalk. Two cafés and a cubano $12.

I retraced my steps to Tamales Lupita on E 112th. I had two rajas con queso: fluffy masa steamed in corn husks, chile poblano with a nice bite, queso de Oaxaca, and epazote. Damn good tamales, estilo guerrerense, hot ones all day long. I cut the heat with an icy, not-too-sweet agua de jamaica (hibiscus). $9.75.

I swung by E 121st St and Sylvan Court where I spent a couple of days in the aughts when it was a thriving shooting gallery and I was funded by the NIH. There were real estate signs all around and I saw a listing online for a small townhouse on the court asking $1.8 million. On EphermeralNY, long-gone locals reminisced about how the heat didn’t work and their house was haunted by ritualistic santeria butchering. The McDonald’s was shuttered at Lex and 125th, always a solid place to recruit derelicts. The sidewalks didn’t seem very gentrified at 2pm on a Friday, except for a mom with a fancy stroller and a tourist in shorts and tall dark socks.

I stopped by Lechonera La Isla on 125th, the one with the upside-down neon pig, flying the PR flag but run by Mexicans. I asked for a small plate of lechon, thinking it would come with arroz con habichuelas, but it was a bowl of straight-up pernil with chewy and excellent cuero, assertively salted and accompanied by a delicious mojo de ajo and a nice picked habanero and onion slaw. A fresh tray of cuchifritos came out, so I ordered a deep-fried alcapurria of green plaintain and yuca with a carne molida center, pleasingly bland, and another café Bustelo. $16 total.

After all those Bustelos and with no facilities in the mom-and-pops, I headed to Marcus Garvey Park. I asked a man with a shopping cart where I could find a restroom. He said, “You don’t want to go in there” and showed me the local out-of-the-way pee spot. I climbed Mt Morris for the views and got cruised by one of the men circulating at the top. I took the A Train home.

Some of the dishes were fantastic. Some of the pasta was undercooked. It was not worth $400. Also, they charged us $30 in Diet Coke

I know I'm jumping the gun a little on hot chocolate season, but I can't help thinking about it. My 2 favorites are Jacques Torres (with chili pepper!l in DUMBO and Chocolate Room in Cobble Hill (or was it Carrol Gardens?). Who else has a delicious, steaming, absurdly rich cup?

Ive heard AMAZING things about how AMAZING DTF is. After making plans, I’ve been excited to finally visit the restaurant all month. Every post I have ever seen about the restaurant is flooded with reviews about how “this specific food item is SOOOO amazing” or “this is the MOST DELICIOUS specific food item i’ve ever had.” Everyone has always hyped up the popular food items talking about how amazing and worth it and delicious it all is.

Let me be what seems the first one to say my friend and I were EXTREMELY disappointed and underwhelmed. Now, let me clarify that none of the items we got were bad. Absolutely none of them. But, they were all just fine. The cucumber salad, the mini ribs, the green beans, were all exactly what you think they’d taste like. We also got the pork XLB and chicken wontons, and they were good. But thats the problem. At no point of this dinner were we in AWE, the way that everyone online always is about the same food items.

After our average dinner, we were at least holding hope for the infamous chocolate dumplings, and they were good. That’s ALL. And this item seems like it is the most loved and gets the most praise in the world for being mouth-watering, delicious, amazing, life changing, etc. We thought they were good and it stops there (and i LOVEEEEE chocolate, but they were fine)

IDK. my whole reason in this post is to find out, did anyone else have a similar experience? My WHOLE point is, none of the food was bad, it was all average. So considering the waitlist and the prices, my soup dumplings from trader joe’s taste just as good.

Wow. I think liked this more than the steak. You can get good steak many places, but good mutton chops?? No way.

One caveat is I actually really like lamb as is, so the flavor profile was right up my alley. I loved how the different parts had different tastes (the richer bottom part, that fatty ”ears”)

I don’t know why I waited so long to get this (I’ve had the steak here a couple of times, but was always too intimidated to get the mutton chops).

Washed it down with a red and finished the night with a port, and I’m in heaven.

So if you like the lamb or goat, i would totally recommend the mutton chop. and maybe like me you will like it even more than the steak.

(for reference, I got it medium, $73, plus a dirty gin martini to start, a house cabernet while eating, and a tawny port to cap the night.)

I’m craving a really great cake slice or cupcakes anywhere in the city. Best suggestions for who does this the best?

Thanks

In a few weeks we are taking our 6 and 9 year old kids to NYC for the first time.

We want to take them to eat food that "feels NYC/american" or that we can't get back home (London). We also want to take them to the odd place that has a good vibe.

They are reasonably adventurous eaters, but still, they are 6 and 9!

We were hoping to take them to coqadaq (yes, i know some people say the food isnt that special for the price, but it still looks good, we will all enjoy it and theres nothing like it in London), but we couldnt get a res for a reasonable time. What would people suggest instead? Happy with any sort of cuisine really.

So far we are planning on eating/booked:

Norma
nami nori
salt cure
l'industire
kellogs diner
PAOLINA
Golden Unicorn
Katz
Broad nosh

Just pulled up and there’s a sign saying closed until further notice. Any suggestions for similar hidden gems or info on reopening?

https://www.zabars.com/

Their bakery, like their prepared foods, is a little hit-or-miss, but when it hits... man. The French rolls I got on this visit were forgettable, but these, holy cow, these were amazing. Fresh, soft as hell, a little bit moist. I don't know if they make more throughout the day, but if these four were the last, well, I'm afraid I got them today.

Now, these rolls aren't spoken of breathlessly, like any number of items at, say, Radio Bakery (with whom I have no issue). And while Zabar's is a known place, you're not seeing lines there like at Radio, Dominique Ansel, etc. These rolls are basically hidden within a grocery store and I'd bet it's like 99% locals that are enjoying them.

What are some other savory bready treats that might fall into this category?

Anybody know if Streakers in soho is taking walk ins / have any guidance on how to walk in?

A long story, but our housing management company knowingly fucked us and while we are displaced are covering all meals and, after multiple attempts to find out if there is a budget, received the word there is none.

So, what can we get for dinner tonight, money aside, that will be so satisfyingly good we forget all our worldly problems for one meal? Doesn’t have to be expensive, but can be. And preferably a place we can strut into tonight or tomorrow.

I found the dishes (Scallop Wellington, Uni Cream Udon, Stuffed Chicken Wings, Wagyu Bibimbop) to be Instagram worthy but all lacking any real seasoning or spice. Felt it was totally humdrum and not even remotely worth the price.

Hello New York! Angelino here. I work with many people from the East Coast. The classic refrain about the west is that we don't know how to make bagels. Also pizza and sandwiches but I'm trying to focus on bagels.

Here's the thing, I believe them wholeheartedly. The problem, however, is that no one ever manages to tell me what makes a good bagel. The most I've gotten was "They just don't do it right."

I know they're supposed to be crunchy on the outside, dense and soft on the inside. I also know not to toast a fresh bagel. There are a number of places around SoCal that claim to make East Coast bagels but I simply have to take their word for it.

So let me have it. What makes a good bagel? What do we do wrong? Obviously I could Google it (and I will for cross reference) but it's more fun to hear from people's experience. Give me the toolset to judge bagels. I beseech you.

Extra gratitude for anyone who's been to Noah's in LA and can tell me where they stand. At face value I enjoy their bagels and shmear. Show me the light.

Braces self for East Coast bluntness

Italiani a New York, does anyone know where one can find simmenthal? I’ve looked at most eatalys and haven’t found it, if anyone has seen it lmk.

Been wanting to Knead some Love donuts for the longest. It’s a very high price point these 3 donuts cost $50. For the one time to celebrate Diwali, really good.

Black Zaffron Lamb chili with spicy cornbread $15.

Prime Smoke Co Honey Butter Turkey plate $15.

Lots of other vendors as well including non food related and they will be in Brooklyn Prospect Park tomorrow but these are the ones new to me.

Edit: Finding a fusion like this (the donuts) is extremely niche so I didn’t mind. Diwali is around the corner and my birthday just passed I wanted to treat myself. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy the donuts. I bought a moon cake for autumn festival recently for $12 and some range even higher than that, but I don’t see people complaining. It’s weird that y’all will police certain things more than others. Let’s keep in mind these are handmade/small businesses.

Wanted to thank everyone for their recommendations, it was a successful eating weekend! Warning, this is a long post.

Didn’t make it to UOVO, since there was a 90 minutes wait on Friday evening at 8 (expected, but still). We ended up across the street at Cecconi’s with no reservation and having the table for only an hour. Host was very gracious, we were a bit underdressed, but like I’ve read here, if your credit card works, you’re good. Ended up sharing the rigatoni bolognese, and the prosciutto and burrata pizza. It wasn’t mind blowing, but decent. Had picked up some Junior’s cheesecake so had dessert at the hotel.

Next morning, bright and early to Utopia on 34th for some cold brew and a nova lox on everything bagel, and French toast bagel with blueberry cream cheese. All delicious (and massive). I’m from Montreal, but decided that I do also enjoy a New York bagel. Shout out to the wonderful cashier who was extremely nice (I was nervous to order, reading everywhere that New Yorkers are rude and you need to be ready to order or else!). Nope, she was even showing us pictures of the menu!

Made a stop at P. McDaid’s Irish Pub because our feet were killing us and it’s right next to the Christmas Cottage. Again, our waitress was an absolute sweetheart. Had a great Moscow mule, but with passionfruit purée. Yummy.

Dinner was Gramercy Tavern, on the Tavern side. First time experiencing the Danny Meyer hospitality. I must say I GET IT NOW. The place was full of happy customers, the ambiance was great, the service was amazing. I do not have enough words to describe our waitress Sarah. Funny, engaging, and genuine. The sommelier team was also incredible, no upselling, just plain love of the craft. The food was delicious, baked oysters, cheddar bacon biscuits, brick pressed chicken and the meatball. For dessert, tiny apple fritters donuts. I want to come back next time, even knowing there are 12,000 restaurants in NYC.

Sunday was wet as everyone knows, we ended up at Citizen in SoHo. Passable at best. Service was not great, forgot to tell us they were out of biscuits, so meal served on bread instead. Tiny servings. Will not be coming back. Food is not worth it and probably a number of better options in SoHo.

Dinner at Manhatta was wonderful. Service was attentive with being obtrusive. Lamb bucatini to start, and that plate blew my mind. Lamb tartare at the bottom, and bucatini made with red wine. It’s like my brain short circuited when I tried it. Also has the sweetbreads cooked to perfection. Mains were rib eye (the jus was incredible) and the duck. That duck might have reconciled me with the bird, it was SO good! Dessert was chocolate tart and a vacherin. They also brought us extra goodies at the end. Cocktails were excellent. One tiny thing is that the champagne by the glass is expensive. But hey.

Next morning, had bagels from Bagel and Shmear, everything with scallion, and everything with bacon jalapeño. Also delicious and the owner was really sweet.

Overall, a successful foodie weekend! Thanks to all for recommendations!

Not Bungalow type or upscale places. A little more lowkey.

I'm thinking similar to old school Chinese restaurants that have a private room with the big rotating table. A little more comfy, cozy, great food - but doesn't have to have a private room.

Would love to hear reccs in any of the boroughs.

I went there around 2AM on Friday night last week and it wasn’t there. Just wondering if it moved or its just gone now

What brand of bacon do delis tend to use? I’ve tried various pork and beef to no avail, and all sorts of hard rolls, but no matter what I try I can’t get the “perfectly adequate” that every deli in the city can do.

I’m also working with a pan on a stove, not a flat top, so it’s possible that has something to do with it?

Hi all! I'm looking for truly puffy, fluffy chile rellenos anywhere south of 20th (or anywhere, really). Thanks in advance!

I feel like in the last few years the Mexican food scene in the city has gotten really great. I've also been thinking about the PE takeover of Los Tacos 1 and will be curious how/if their food will change.

Anyway - what are your favorite spots around the city? I think I generally know the more chef-y spots, but would take recs for more far-flung taco shops and anything high-end that's under the radar.

And if you don't agree that the scene is good, tell me! I was born and raised in Southern California and Tucson and I feel like I have a solid grasp on good Mexican food, but open to a spirited debate!

the places i’ve seen recommended (rucola, bar bete) have no reservations available tomorrow and i don’t want to chance having a wait