my better half will be away, anyone up for lunch and/or dinner? i’d like to go to razza in jersey city for pizza or indian food, zaiqua looks interesting: https://ny.eater.com/2023/8/1/23809971/zaiqa-biryani-hells-kitchen-review , maybe we can get dave to lead us on an expedition to Lechonera La Piraña in the bronx, or really up for anything.
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I can do Monday dinner! I feel like we’re going for Indian pretty soon, so maybe something other than that.
Neither day good for me, alas. But I will look forward to hearing about the excursion!
I’m a maybe for Monday &/or Tuesday dinner. Probably not during the day, but keep me in the loop.
Maybe on the 8th, on the 7th we are tied up (and getting an Indian Table preview that eve)
Yes, it looks interesting. It appears to be where the original Totto Ramen was (at whose bar I had many a happy slurp) or, more likely, the space next door that TR had briefly expanded into that added oystery apps, etc., to the limited TR offerings.
TR offered a limited menu because the cooking space there is tiny. Based on that, I’m a little alarmed that Zaiqa is so expansive in its offerings. And those are not even the biryanis. I’d have been delighted had it had the guts to focus only on biryani, perhaps even offering a biryani of guts.
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When I stopped in a month ago, the fellow who greeted me – a very nice fellow – stressed that his little restaurant had food “from all over” India. However, he had no air conditioning, or even air circulation, on a day when it was really needed. I wish him well.
Sorry can’t join, but look forward to seeing where you end up and what you eat!
The name of the 2nd partner of Zaiqa looked familiar for some reason but I can’t put my finger on why. Here’s a bit more on them and more food pics.
Looks like TORIBRO Ramen, opened by a Toto cook is there instead of Toto. Same building as Zaiqa
looks like I’m busy on aug 8th now, still gonna eat something/go somewhere on the 7th. my better half likes KFC but doesn’t love the ambiance of a lot of the joints (mad for chicken in flushing a notable exception), so maybe chick chick on the UWS is in play. Trying to convince my kids on a fam meal at zaiqua on sunday…
Yes, on digging further Zaiqa does appear to be in the space that the 51st St Totto Ramen had expanded into for a short while. That shop was called, accurately, “Totto Ramen Next Door” and I enjoyed their takoyaki from time to time.
Chicken-wise, have you tried any of the sandwiches at Jacob’s Pickles, a little south of Chick Chick on Amsterdam?
That’s the honey chicken and pickles biscuit sandwich from the restaurant’s stall at the Time Out food hall in Dumbo. Very tasty back-and-forth of flavors.
have a hard time imagining you eating in mainstream, trendy jacob’s pickles! we do like the food but stopped going because portions were too big! we felt bad about all the food waste. I doubt the two of us could finish a single brunch plate.
If you find yourself on the UWS Monday late (after 7:35…I could be done earlier, but won’t know till just before my last appt.), give me a holler? I’ve never been to Chick Chick, nor Jacob’s Pickles (come to think of it).
Having not seen Jen’s post beforehand, my wife & I went to Indian Table with some friends (yes, I have other friends - who would’ve guessed?!) last night, only to be seated at back to back tables w/Jen & her family. The restaurant was taking a one night break from the RW menu last night due to the chef being off living his life (we didn’t know that in advance, Jen seemed to) & were disappointed , but ordering from the regular menu proved to be great. The apps were all just about perfect (mushrooms, potato patty, achari chicken tikka & chorizo w/pao). The entrees all really good as well (well, to my taste only 3 of them, but my wife likes chicken korma so…) - pork vindaloo, chicken chettinad & chicken xacuti. Comp’ed a dessert of coconut bread pudding cake & coconut ice cream (kulcha?). Nice. Now, looking forward to the RW group dinner on the 18th (see other thread).
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Fun to see you and Ginny Steve!! I know they were not serving the menu but not that the chef was taking the night off 
but it turned out fine - my visiting daughter and son in law, both South Asian Studies academics, were very pleased with the genuine goan flavors. The meal chosen was very meaty and saucy - I would have wanted more vegetables and other lighter dishes for contrast - we had a couple of the goan chorico paos for the apps - for 4 people I think we should have just asked for 2 additional paos to accompany 1 meat serving; it was a lot of the delicious meat. Then we had the lamb bafado, properly vinegared, the Remo’s “Aad Maas Amsol”pork ribs cooked wih tamarind and kokum and flamed with feni (I think we had this or a variantt before at a group dinner), the kalchi kodi, a complex red goan fish curry, and lastly an excellent avial, a coconut based south indian stew fearuring drumsticks and other vegetables. we also ordered the chutney set - all were good but not as diversified as I had hoped. We finished with the faloodi which was fun and cooling to eat and walked out to find it was raining, hard. Thank heavens for Lyft and India Table’s street shack.
unfortunately my food adventures came to naught as I haven’t been feeling well these last two days. My better half will be back tomorrow, perhaps, if I’m feeling better, I’ll have time for lunch somewhere or other.
