Seasons. One of the top 10 reasons why I love living in New York.
Seen recently on a NYC subway - a hipster lion. Must have been the L train.
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I had breakfast at Norma’s today, which is a pretty sick brunch spot. But what I ate was not nearly as noteworthy as the Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata, offered on the menu for $1000 when super-sized with 10oz of Sevruga caviar. Glad I wasn’t paying.
Sunrise in New York
Want to know the real NYC? Make sure to follow my buddy Rolo’s Tumblr.
Beautiful rays of Monday morning sun streaming into Grand Central Terminal.
Vietnamese bahn mi is one of those trendlets that I’m happy has stuck in NYC over the last couple of years. There are so many great options for this ultimate fusion street food that combines the familiar yumminess of the French baguette with the ingredients, flavors, and general awesomeness of Vietnamese cuisine. My absolute favorite is JoJu in Woodside (I have a VIP card), which, with its 4.5 stars on Yelp is one of the highest rated around town. The one from Long Island City’s Cyclo (pictured above) has really great porky flavor. In Manhattan, I’ve heard great things about bahn mi at Xe May Sandwich Shop but haven’t had a chance to try it. Add it to the bucket list.
LIRR tracks divide the new and the old, the residential and the industrial, in Long Island City.
Special occasion? Expense account? New York’s seven 3-Michelin star rated restaurants are named in this New York Times article. In alphabetical order, they are: Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare; Daniel; Eleven Madison Park; Jean Georges; Le Bernardin; Masa; and Per Se (pictured above). Start making your reservations now.
(Source: flickr.com)
Visiting New York any time soon? Then watch “Ever New … New York,” a film made in 1962 that will introduce you to the sights and sounds New Yorkers experience on a daily basis. (Watch more old-time NYC movies here.) Sure, it was made 50 years ago, and some of the sounds and many of the sights are no more. But not much about the ethos of this City has changed over the last half-century. NYC is still here, still standing, stil becoming, never finished, always on the move. It’s a lot like the people who live here.
Where can you get good dim sum? That question has become one of the perennial things New Yorkers ask themselves, on par with “Where’s the best NY slice?” and “Will that dry cleaner ruin my sweater?” and “Should I take the express?” If you want great dim sum you have to go to Chinatown. No, not that one. Locals know that Flushing has the most thriving and diverse Chinatown around (New York has at least three Chinatowns - the one in Manhattan, one in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and a third in Flushing, Queens). These days, I like Jade Asian Restaurant (thanks due to my buddy Kirby for showing it to me). Everything is super fresh, done correctly, and they have a selection of stuff you don’t get just anywhere, like the mung bean dumplings and salt/pepper fish pictured above. That said, as I write this, I know that in a couple of months I will find a new place to get my dim sum fix, some place even better, where there are even more things I’ve never heard of waiting to be sampled. That’s the nature of this City. It moves fast. You have to keep up or risk getting lost in the shuffle. It’s no different for the adventurous eater.
This is what One World Trade Center looked like early one morning in September 2012.
New York Magazine’s fall preview is a mammoth set of recommendations and predictions of what’s going to be hot in NYC this fall when it comes to music, art, food, theater, etc. Check it out.
The title of this post should be “A Tale of Three Peruvian Restaurants.” New York is experiencing somewhat of a Peruvian cuisine renaissance these days, though there have been Peruvian restaurants in New York for at least the last three decades. One of the oldest, and my personal favorite, is Urubamba in Jackson Heights. Everything here is prepared in the traditional way and the results are authentically fantastic. Get the jalea, triadito, and a chaufa. Another favorite is Flor de Mayo on the Upper West Side. This place defines the Chino-Latino category and is more of a fusion place than the traditionalist Urubamba. Get the rotisserie chicken. It’s awesome. (Yes, it’s better than Pio Pio). Finally, newcomer Raymi is a fine dining approach to Peruvian cuisine that yields mixed results. Dishes to get are the lomo saltado, the classic Peruvian beef stir-fry dish pictured above (that’s Flor de Mayo’s version) and the arroz con pato. They make a “chicha morada pisco,” which is oxymoronic, but it works. Raymi succeeds on a different level than the others. The Flatiron restaurant is a beautiful space and attracts a beautiful crowd (if you’re looking for that). If you’re a fan of Asian and Latin cuisines, like I am, it’s a good time to be in NYC. You won’t go wrong by visiting any of the restaurants that make up New York’s “Peruvian Trifecta.”
Looking for a New York startup or venture firm? Chances are it can be found on the the Made in New York Digital Map.
Visiting New York on a budget? New York Magazine’s 2012 “Eat Cheap” guide is your culinary bible.
