Steve, I’ve decided my focus should be on places that the people here on the Hungry Onion NYC forum like. I just read through the 2023 Good Eats NYC thread and big chunks of Eating with Ziggy, and am sure my tastes align more with them than Pete Wells and the Michelin Guide – and they are much less likely to attract price-jacking crowds with their praise.
My wife did much of the same reading and we’ve now firmly added Chveni Cafe, Rana 15, and FOB Filipino to our “must eat” list.
Sounds like a solid plan. FYI Saregama is on HO and so is Dave Cook who has a fascinating website, Eating in Translation.
Thanks, Steve. But for a current overview of what I’ve been eating and enjoying, Doug, my Instagram feed (@EatingInTranslation, linked from my website) is the best entry point.
So true, the website covers much territory, including pre-pandemic history, and many places do not survive. As is always the case. However, I did find some gems from it and it has a great ‘sense of place’ in the listings by neighborhood that is valuable to folks like me.
Now I’ll have to take a peek at the Instagram link as well.
Warung Selasa, as I mentioned, is a two-seat, Tuesday-only restaurant in the back of the Elmhurst, Queens, grocery Indo Java. Here’s a typically excellent combo plate:
As for pizza near your current digs, Cuts & Slices does offer a few vegan options. Garlic parmesan shrimp, I’m sorry to say, will never be one of them.
Thank you, Dave. These both look great, exactly the kind of thing I look for. I’ll keep an eye on Warung Selasa’s Instagram feed to see when they announce Tuesday’s dishes.
Doug
I don’t know if Mam (Vietnamese) is on your radar, but I’ve been there a few times and really enjoyed the food. They serve only one or two mains, with a couple of optional add-ons, and you need to order in advance. But if you’re planning to be in the vicinity of Chinatown in Manhattan on a weekend, it’s worth your consideration. Sign up for alerts or stalk them on IG.
Not sure if it’s too late, but I am new to HO, and just found this thread.
You mentioned interest in steak and fries — I suggest Le Crocodile in Williamsburg. They also do an excellent roast chicken and fries. Overall great French bistro food. Great ambiance too.
For Steak Au Poivre, I might consider Red Hook Tavern in Red Hook. They also do a very unadorned, very good, and rather expensive burger.
Staying in Red Hook (my neighbourhood), I see you’re already familiar with Hometown BBQ. Bar Mario opened quite recently, and offers good, traditional, Italian. Sunny’s Bar doesn’t have food, but you should go there one evening for their live music night. Sensational NYC vibe. Grindhaus is an unclassifiable cafe/bistro/restaurant owned by a truly colourful character who lets her chef run riot with flavor combinations. I always find a meal there ‘interesting’. Seaborne is an under-the-radar cocktail bar serving very good drinks (no food).
Someone already mentioned Somtum Der, which indeed is a nice alternative to Ugly Baby. If you really want to go to Ugly Baby (the spice levels are crazy but I admire the chef’s uncompromising standard), then try the Penang Curry — it’s IMO the most manageable in terms of spice levels.
I also suggest La Vara and its sister restaurant Saint Julivert for superb seafood cooked in very modern and inventive ways. I’ve basically never had a bad meal at either.
Finally, also suggest Place de Fetes for neo-bistro/wine bar/inventive modern American vibes and food. Menu changes often, but always interesting and, more importantly, delicious.
You mentioned Dhamaka — the same restauranteur runs a place in Brooklyn called Masalawala, focused on Bengali food. Kind of a limited menu, non-existent vegetarian choices, but both the wife and I loved it.
I saw Pecking House mentioned — second that it’s great fried chicken. For a different style, try Rowdy Rooster in Manhattan — counter ‘Indian’ fried chicken spot run by the same Dhamaka guys.
Hope that helps.
I saw your posts on the Paris board & was thinking about messaging you about taking a look at this board since you said you live in NYC. Now that I know you’re in Red Hook, even better, since we’re in Bklyn Hts & have been coming to Red Hook for many years to places that are long gone and those still there (like Sunny’s). We liked Mario’s well enough & will probably go back eventually. But I really want to thank you for the reminder that Grindhaus is still there. We went when she opened & tried to go back a couple of times since, not sync’ing with her schedule, but will put it back on the list for a re-visit soon. La Vara is on our short list of places we go to reasonably regularly. Take a look at previous posts here and you’ll see that several of us go to Indian Table quite frequently. Have you been? Highly recommended. And, of course, I’d love to see posts on your meals &/or for you to join us for group outings. Welcome.
Ah yes, we always have a cracking good time at Grindhaus. Thank you for welcome — very glad to have found this board.
Happy to post view on places I visit. Going to new/modern Cambodian spot Lula Mae in Clinton Hill next weekend. Will post thoughts on the broader NYC board!
A group of us went to Lula Mae in May (the 17th I think). There’s a thread about it you should look at. If/when you go, add your thoughts there ok?
This right here.
Just ignore the tangent about tarantulas.
I cannot. Am stuck in the hair of the tarantula!
Ugh, sorry. Hope you can free yourself at some point.
Adding appreciation of all of this. I still haven’t been to Le Crocodile (@SteveR had suggested this to me a year or more ago! Then for the roast chicken…) Grindhaus looks amazing. I still haven’t been to Saint Julivert, but really enjoyed my meal at La Vara…And Masalalwala looks interesting to try.
Can’t believe you guys mentioned the tarantula again. Ewwwww. What’s with the bug obsession???
Hey Doug, if you’re craving a world-class hero, DeFontes in Carroll Gardens is the place. I’m partial to the roastbeef/fresh mozz/fried eggplant sando but you can’t go wrong even if you panic order.
I might as well be pedantic here and say “Red Hook, not Carroll Gardens”. But, yes, its great and a worthwhile old school destination place.
I was going to post Red Hook but the Google map says Carroll Gardens and I didn’t want to be one of those old codger types but yeah either works. The address is all that matters.
Thanks, Bob. I’ll add it to my planning guide for future trips. Toni has come down with an ugly summer cold, which will cramp our eating for our last few days of this year’s trip. Sadly, this means we’re going to have to skip a planned trip today to Warum Selasa in Elmhurst for Indonesian food.
