All posts by Johnny Prime

Lower East Side/Chinatown, Other, Restaurant Reviews

Kalye

October 3, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

Check out my Ride & Review first HERE:

Kalye is a relatively new-ish (open since November 2022) Filipino food joint on the Lower East Side. My buddy Ivan (@eyebahnrides) wanted to check it out, so we made a video out of the occasion. We swapped bikes and each did a review of the other persons bike, then we finished up at Kalye.

We started with the lumpia and a little dish of macaroni salad. Both were great. They air fry here, so the lumpia weren’t greasy or oily. Great crisp, and this went perfectly with our first round of beer (San Miguel).

Next, we moved on to the sisig and lechon. Both of these pork dishes were incredible.

The lechon had such a great crisp on the skin, and the belly was rendered out and cooked perfectly. Both dishes were paired with a wonderful garlic rice, and we put down our second round of beer; Red Horse.

Last, dessert. Halo halo. Absolutely delicious ube soft serve ice cream atop chipped ice, coconut, sweet mung bean and grass jelly.

This place was excellent. The plan is to go back with our wives for a double date.

KALYE
251 Broome St
New York, NY 10002

Japanese, Lower East Side/Chinatown, Restaurant Reviews

Kaki

October 3, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

First, check out my Ride & Review video HERE:

My wife discovered this newly opened joint in our hood called Kaki. They have a 15-piece omakase that includes sake for just $75. WHAT A STEAL! The pieces are clean, beautiful and delicious. A bit more on the traditional side in terms of presentation.

Here’s a photo dump of all the pieces.

I will definitely be back. We really like this spot!

KAKI
129 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002

Lower East Side/Chinatown, Restaurant Reviews, Vietnamese

Cloud

September 24, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

Cloud is a new Vietnamese place in the lower east side. After some drinks and snacks nearby, my wife and I decided to pop in to give a few items a try, particularly their coffee selections and their avocado shake.

We started with their non-traditional take on banh xeo, which was more like a pita bread cone with all the flavors of banh xeo inside. It wasn’t bad!

Then, we tried a soup called banh canh, which was almost like a cross between pho flavors and some Chinese noodle soups we used to get up in Hell’s Kitchen. I enjoyed it.

On the flip side, we didn’t like the egg coffee because it was laden with cooked egg particles. It wasn’t mixed in properly to make for smooth texture. I actually asked them for something to strain it with. After that, it was better.

Their peanut butter coffee was delicious, however.

The avocado shake needed some more sweetened condensed milk, but otherwise was nice.

I’m sure eventually I’ll try the banh mi and pho to fill out this review a bit more.

CLOUD
79 Clinton St
New York, NY 10002

East Village, Latin/Mexican & Caribbean, Restaurant Reviews

Superbueno

September 18, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

Check out my ass-kicking Ride & Review video HERE first:

This taco bar opened up in the space that was formerly Boilermaker, and it serves up some amazing cocktails, like the mushroom margarita!

My wife and I tried two types of tacos: crispy pork belly (my fave) and al pastor (her fave).

Truly both were excellent, so you can’t go wrong with either. We also had the nachos, which are vegeterian as far as I can tell. Made with mushrooms, poblanos and mole sauce.

I will definitely go back to try more stuff!

SUPERBUENO
13 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003

East Village, Italian, Lower East Side/Chinatown

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

September 17, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

First, check out my ass-kicking RIDE & REVIEW video for this restaurant HERE:

This place, whose name translates to Pistoia Wine Shop (Pistoia is a town in Tuscany), has some really amazing food.

We started with the guancia (pork cheek) and Tonno del Chianti (pork that tastes like tuna). Both were hands-down incredible.

Even their bread is a delicious mix of focaccia and country style.

Next we dove into some pasta. On was a special tagliatelle with sausage. Very good, although just a hint salty.

The other was a duck pappardelle which was lights out!

We finished the meal with the most perfect panna cotta I’ve ever had. Seriously.

FIASCETTERIA PISTOIA
647 E 11th Street
New York, NY 10009

Banh Mi, Deli, Lower East Side/Chinatown, Restaurant Reviews

Sam’s Deli

September 16, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

I stopped in this joint for a sandwich while I was serving jury duty. I felt like the price was high for $11.50: turkey club and a seltzer. But it was decent.

They also had banh mi. Look at the HORROR/DEATH METAL font!

I grabbed one for the road. It was okay for the price, but I’ve had better.

SAM’S DELI
30 Mulberry St
New York, NY 10013

Brooklyn, Latin/Mexican & Caribbean, Restaurant Reviews

Sunset Park Taco Crawl

September 4, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

Some foodie friends from Instagram gathered for a taco crawl of Sunset Park’s best and most price friendly selections.

First was Tacos el Bronco. There’s a sit down spot on 4th Ave and 44th Street, but we hit the food truck nearby. We did a beef tongue taco and veal head taco. The veal head was slightly better since it was sort of stewed, and had more flavor. The tongue needed a hint of salt.

Next up was Don Pepe Tortas & Jugos. Here we tried a watermelon juice, the special “arab” beef taco, which was spicy and delicious, and a cemita (grilled sandwich). The arab taco was the winner here.

For the last spot, we went to a hidden speakeasy restaurant in the back of La Union Deli Grocery (Mi Pequno Chinantia). Here we tried a goat taco and mixed meat pork taco. The mixed meat was the king here. The goat was a little too gamey for us. We also has some tamales here too. The verde was really delicious.

TACOS EL BRONCO
Food Truck
5th Avenue at 37th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232

DON PEPE TORTAS & JUGOS
3908 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11232

LA UNION DELI GROCERY CORP
(MI PEQUNO CHINANTIA)
4011 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11232

Italian, Nolita/Soho, Restaurant Reviews

Roscioli NYC

August 30, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

What a waste of money. I was really excited about this place, but everything was so overpriced and underwhelming that I’m not sure I’d ever go back, not even to the upstairs salumeria (when it opens next month).

Roscioli is a famous eatery in Rome, which my wife and I loved when we went nearly 10 years ago. The NYC location just didn’t meet expectations. As you can see above, it was a fixed menu with additions available for a starter and wine pairings. The meal begins with a watered down negroni of sorts, and some nice bread.

The first course of panzanella and burrata was the best of the meal. Bread soaked in tomato and onion juice with cheese. Can’t really go wrong.

The added tuna appetizer for $28 was a total rip. It tasted like mediocre poke; occasionally stringy, cheap fish. Skip.

Then there was a blob of glue-like risotto. Meh.

The pasta was good, as expected (carbonara). But for the price and portion size I can think of a dozen other places off the top of my head that are just as good if not better.

The meatball sucked. Mushy, no character. I’ve had better free samples as Costco.

Then there were two hunks of slightly rubbery cheese with a delicious aged balsamic. I was hoping for that crunchy crystallized texture from the cheese. Nada.

And finally, runner up for best part of the meal (tied with the pasta), a humble tiramisu. I love this shit, but at $150 a head all-in (no wine pairings, and with tax and tip) they need to step up their game.

Over all, this place is a pass for me. It’s too bad Motz’s burger joint wasn’t open yet next door. I would have followed up a bad meal with a good one.

ROSCIOLI NYC
43 MacDougal St
New York, NY 10012

Burgers, East Village, Pub Food, Restaurant Reviews

The Wayland

August 25, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

First, check out my Ride & Review video HERE:

The Wayland is a nice bar at the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C that serves up some great deals at Happy Hour. Namely, $1.50 oysters, and a $12 “beer and burger” deal.

Both are top notch quality, and they really do a nice job with cocktails too, like this shallot infused gin gibson.

I can’t wait to go back and try more stuff. That “Lost Lady” burger was a killer double patty with American and a great special sauce. Nice and simple. Get here!

THE WAYLAND
700 E 9th St
New York, NY 10009

East Village, Latin/Mexican & Caribbean, Restaurant Reviews

San Loco Tacos

August 24, 2023 Johnny Prime Leave a comment

First, check out my Ride & Review video HERE:

This self proclaimed “gringo taco joint” is really great, in my humble opinion. This is basic stuff – sort of like a high end, better version of Taco Bell.

We tried two tacos and a handheld burrito during their lunch special pricing (two tacos $9, comes with drink; burrito plus guac and chips for $12, comes with drink).

Both were great, with the pork carnitas taco being the best of all. Better than the beef and better than the chipotle chicken. We opted to eat at the bar and upgrade our drinks to frozen margaritas (we tried tamarind and cactus pear).