I found it really easy to get to! It’s a half block from the Jefferson St. L stop. Also, about 15 taco trucks in the immediate vicinity, if anyone wants to do a very short but intense birria crawl.
Rana 15 in Park Slope
As in the 15 or so Aegean dishes you get at Ahmet’s mom’s, Rana, when you come for dinner. A concept where I dont mind getting all the dishes all at once for a change. Think Turkish Rijsttafel with the added bonus of half a main course. For $39 you just get to choose your main for two (Two mains for 3 or 4), one side, and you get all the apps and extra mezzes for a total of 15 plates. The Labneh, shrimp shine, but really not a bad dish to be found, and you dont leave extra stuffed.
Same concept for Brunch (which we’ve done as well). Choose your egg dish and you get a dozen or so brilliantly executed savory and sweet mezzes. Last night we went for the serviceable steak and chicken as we went with a couple that prefers no seafood, but would love to try the branzino or octopus next. Fun with a group. Easy to reserve, very casual. Not the type of place to expect top notch service and long wine lists. Ahmet the owner is one half of the also excellent FOB Filipino. Go!
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Yes, I also noticed the taco scene. Tempted to come back just for that
Day trip to City Island and Orchard Beach, with lunch at Sammy’s Fish Box. Not to be confused with Sammy’s Shrimp Box or Sammy’s Tropical Patio, although I think they have pretty much the same menus so you may as well confuse them.
Relish tray with corn bread, Italian bread, and a wedge of cheese, because why the hell not.
Salad with (pretty good!) blue cheese dressing. I hate croutons but I love chickpeas, so it balanced out.
This glorious 1 1/4 lb steamed lobster, which I think was more like 1 1/2 lbs, plus corn, plus yellow rice, plus baked potato. Steamed just a bit too long, and extremely hard-shelled, so I had to work for my lunch. But very nice.
And the bill for this spread? $29.95. Amazing.
Bonus ocean picture, from the end of City Island Avenue.
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Back at Gouie after a couple of months. Orange clam with apples, bamboo shoots, snow peas, and peanuts. This was excellent - the clam was very soft and mild. Three pieces of sashimi: grouper, striped jack, barracuda. Barracuda was my favorite, as usual.
Egg drop soup with lobster and firefly squid, also lotus root and greens. The seafood was impeccable, but I thought the vinegar made the broth a little too sweet (somewhat counter-intertuitively). The soup seemed like it was considering being hot & sour, but then changed its mind.
Man, I wish this place was cheaper. I’d go once a week.
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Looks like a place we have to go to, if we get back to Manhattan.
It’s a small, very low-key place downstairs in Essex Market. I’ve never had trouble getting a reservation, and the weekly specials are the draw for me.
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Just want to say great thread, thanks!
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Lechonera La Pirana, South Bronx
One of the most friendly guy ever. What a experience! That machete! That crispy skin!
Just a block from Jackson Ave station. I took the 2. Warning there was weekend maintenance so to get back I had to take it up to 180th than transfer to Manhattan bound. Kinda of a pain in the ass. Food was worth it! This is what you are here for Lechon. Let him douse that in mojo.
That chiccharon with mojo was one hell of a bite! I suggest you buy a small bottle of hot sauce from that guy up front in those booze bottles for extra kick. Rice was kinda dry tbh.
Octopus and shrimp salad. Again let him add some mojo and hot sauce. Big bite with sweet, sour, garlicky, spicy notes mingling on your taste buds.
Mofongo con todos. Tap out.
You will get leftovers, a full belly for the rest of the day, and a wonderful memory of a friendly outgoing guy they call Pirana.
Bodega across the street with $1 Arizona’s FYI
Patisserie Poulet in the Village. I love Japanese French bakeries! Same concept as Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg with a dessert tasting course. I just got some things from the case. Still full lol.
Went on a island afterwards.
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I need that hat.
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And the machete!
Oh wow I want to go
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You may already know this, but:
This was the first starred review in the NYT after the pandemic, and the three stars awarded to La Piraña Lechonera caused people at more self-absorbed discussion groups to reach for their smelling salts.
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La Vara tonight.
I went when they first opened, several times, because it’s local to me. But it’s been at least 4 years at this point. I easily got a same-day reservation for myself at the bar for prime dining time on a Monday night.
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I opened with an order of the croquettes of the day; wasn’t going to order them until I heard they were bacalao, then I knew I had to had them. I was offered a half-order (2) since I was alone, and happily accepted. In retrospect I wish I’d had the full order, as they were perfect.
Starter: a fried eggplant with honey and white cheese dish that I hoped would remind me of the version of this I had in Barcelona. In that version, the eggplant was shaved or mandolined, then fried. A pile of the eggplant was dressed with fresh white cheese (possibly spanish goat?) and a generous drizzle of honey, and it’s one of the most vivid food experiences I’ve had as an adult.
In contrast, the version I had tonight was underwelming. The vegetable was in small chunks and despite some kind of light breading, not that flavorful. The straticella was kind of unpleasant, and I didn’t get any honey taste at all.
Main: I struggled with what to order. I wanted to have several non-mains to comprise my meal, but that would’ve really driven up the final cost, so I decided against doing so. I settled on “morros prensados,” seared beef jowl terrine with a mustard green and pistachio salad on top. I enjoyed the texture (it’s served with a serrated steak knife) and flavor, and the salad, with a hefty boost from fresh pickled red onions, was terrific.
The main was a very small portion, so I was happy to have room for dessert. I picked catalan-style crustless cheesecake, which was served with a terrific dollop of diced and seasoned pineapple and some chantilly cream.
The bartender also made me an extremely good herbal tonic to drink. That’s exactly the kind of mocktail I always want but am never able to find. Very dry, very herbal.
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Chinatown Triple Bang
Support Chinatown!
Kopitiam.
Char Kway Teow and hand pulled black coffee with condensed and evaporated.
Carol’s Bun. Oh yeah tomato egg, eggplant, steamed patty, greens, and BEEF OFFAL. I would have been happy with just beef offal over rice.
Fong On. Savory tofu pudding and coconut rice cake.
I used to be Team Sweet Tofu Pudding but damn this Savory Tofu Pudding is wonderful. One of the best tofu dishes around believe that.
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Upside Down at NY Pizza Suprema. I like this a lot. The sauce was sweet and oniony.
Kimbap from Woojirip.
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a bunch of people in the pizza industry think that upside down slice might be the best in nyc.
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I have always been interested in Scotch eggs, but since they are wrapped in sausage, I’ve never had one. But Eastwood makes an Israeli egg, wrapped in falafel. My life is now complete.
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Not an authentic Scotch egg, now is it? 
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I’ll let the authenticateurs take that one.
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