Below are a couple of photos from Chelsea Market. Eventually I will give some more info about what’s to be eaten here. For now, other than these two photos, I can really only provide you with a link to my review of the famous Mokbar ramen joint that is located here.
All posts by Johnny Prime
CoBa 53
NOTE: THIS JOINT IS NOW CLOSED
My wife and I came to this joint to try some of the Vietnamese basics. We started with some drinks. I had “33,” which is a beer from Vietnam, and my wife had a lemonade mixed drink.
The first staple item to order is the spring rolls. These were not a hit for us. They were a little bland.
Next, the banh mi sandwich. This had good flavor, but the bread was all wrong (it needs to be a French baguette), and it needed more pate and another layer of meats to really fill it out. I would have liked some more slices of jalepenos and also less cilantro stems and more leaves.
The next big item to get is the pho. I liked the broth. It needed just a slight more oomph, but otherwise it was pretty enjoyable. It had sliced eye round as well as brisket. I added beef balls for an extra $2.
This next items isn’t necessarily a staple item to order, but my wife and I are fond of clay pot dishes. We got the pork belly version and it was really great. It was packed with lots of great porky and fatty meat, a boiled egg, fried tofu, squash and lemongrass.
For dessert we had the coconut lemongrass ice cream. It was a little gummy in texture, but otherwise was an interesting flavor.
Here’s the Willy:
COBA 53
401 W. 53rd St.
New York, NY 10019
Pho Bang
Pho Bang in Elmhurst has been touted as one of the best places to get a bowl of the increasingly popular Vietnamese beef noodle soup. I liked the broth flavor here: it was rich in beefy flavor, though not as light-feeling and aromatic as it should be. Since it was a little bit of a hike for me, I’d probably not go back since I can get a bowl that is on-par if not better downtown.
The main problem for me with this bowl of soup was that I found a piece of thick, food-grade plastic bag in it. When I told the waiter, the manager came over and explained that it was just part of the bag that was snipped off to either unload the pre-packaged broth.
Anyway, I was hungry, so I plucked it out and ate it. But this would probably be a nail in the coffin of “not coming back here again” for most people. Here’s the piece of bag – it was about the size of a fingernail:
PHO BANG
8290 Broadway
Elmhurst, NY 11373
99 Favor Taste
Me, my wife and some friends hit this hot pot joint for a late night meal. It was absolutely amazing. For $19 you can order as much as you want, all you can eat, and BYOB. They’ll charge you an overage if you waste food, but everything is so delicious that you likely won’t have too much left at the end of the meal. SOMEONE will eat it all. That someone was me last night.
We went with a spicy broth AND a pork bone broth. Both were excellent. The spicy broth will numb you up if you hit on some of the peppercorns. Otherwise it isn’t too spicy to the point where you are sweating. The pig bone broth was rich and flavorful; really hearty.
They bring out some Korean and Japanese type snacks first: soy beans, kimchi, and pickled items.
While waiting for your broth to boil, you go mix up some sauces to dip your meats into once they are cooked.
We went with pig brains, tripe, fish balls, squid, fried tofu skin, lamb, beef, boo choy and mushrooms. Check it out:
Cook that shit up!
This place is a ton of fun with a big group. Get your ass down there and enjoy yourselves. BE HUNGRY!
99 FAVOR TASTE
285 Grand St.
New York, NY 10002
Joe’s Pizza
I love the pizza here. It’s flat, crispy, has fresh mozzarella, and nice sauce. This famous pizza joint was even featured in the movie Spider-Man. Go here if you are ever in the Bleecker and 7th Avenue area. You won’t be disappointed. Throw some fresh basil on this and it is a perfect pie.
Joe’s Pizza
7 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
Corner Bistro
Corner Bistro has long been hailed as one of the best places in NYC for a burger. About 12 years ago I sunk my teeth into a burger here, and only just recently had the chance to come back and try it again.
Most beers are under $4, and the bloody Mary was $7.
The hype is well placed. It IS a great burger and a very fair price (Bistro Burger for under $10). It was nicely cooked, but could benefit from slightly fewer raw onion circles and perhaps a second slice of cheese.
The fries were nicely golden, but lacked a little salt. Nearly perfect.
Better eating experience overall at Gotham West Market, despite the ambiance not being even close to the original. Also tots beat fries here.
CORNER BISTRO
331 W. 4th St.
New York, NY 10014
Nino’s Tuscany
Nino’s Tuscany overall score: 68
EDIT: This place is now CLOSED!
This place grabbed my attention when I saw the meat in their window as I walked by.
The “Italian Steakhouse” concept has been picking up momentum lately, with places like Costata, Quality Italian and Il Mulino Prime developing lots of buzz. I had to try it. Plus is it just down the street from our apartment.
Flavor: 5
My steak was a little bit on the bland side unfortunately. It was cooked perfectly, and my compliments to the chef for a wonderful sear, but I think it was under-seasoned and just didn’t have some of the oomph that some other places nearby have. It was served on a hot plate that smelled deliciously of butter.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 6
The cuts in the window looked fantastic, so I will have to be kind in this section, despite my steak being a bit gristled and fatty. I love a good rib eye that has soft, jelly-like fat, but my cut was laced with some of the more tough to eat ribbons of fat. A shame too, because it was indeed cooked so beautifully. They do offer all the basic steak cuts though: porterhouse, strip, filet and rib eye.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
Portions here are just right. Not too much, not too little. You’ll go home full, and the plating is simple and basic, clean, neat, and without pretense.
Price: 5
I felt that the price was a bit high given the fact that my steak was not up to snuff. At $52 I expect near perfection. My wife’s chicken dish was fairly priced, however, as were the rest of the items we ordered. We stayed away from the appetizers though, as they seemed a little steep as well.
Bar: 7
This joint has a very cool bar area. With brick arches and columns to split it away from the main dining areas, you feel like you are in a cozy neighborhood spot. There’s also live music near the main entrance and bar area too, so it makes for a nice place to have a drink.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
There were no specials read to us, but as far as other meats go, they did offer an ossobuco dish, and various veal, chicken and lamb preparations: a solid showing. My wife had Cornish Hen, which was really nice. Crispy skin, juicy meat all over (even the tits), and a nice rosemary wine flavor pairing. The only down side to her dish was that the broccoli rabe it was served with was not seasoned (needed salt).
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 6
We started with just a single slice of Canadian bacon (aka ham). It was nice, just maybe needed a sauce to pair with it.
We also did a side of sautéed spinach. This was really nice. Smelled really fresh, tasted of garlic and oil, and was generous in size.
For dessert we tried the tiramisu. This was okay. It wasn’t boozy, and it was nice and soft in texture, but the top was covered in what tasted like frozen cool ship cake frosting. That was a little off-putting but otherwise it was enjoyed.
Seafood Selection: 9
There’s lots to choose from here for seafood. They have a ton of nice shellfish on the app menu, along with smoked salmon (which was very tempting). For entrees they offer fresh lobster, lobster tails, salmon, sea bass, tuna, shrimp and even a whole roasted fish of the day. Nice! I can’t, in good conscience, give full points though since I didn’t get a chance to try any of it.
Service: 8
I thought our service was a bit on the slow side for a party of two. To Ninos’ defense, though, the place was really busy, so I can’t fault them for that. I’m happy to see businesses keeping busy and having a full house. Also the manager Benny was really friendly, well-dressed, and had a great table side manner. Everyone was pleasant and nice, and even the table bread was pretty good, served with a bowl of olive oil and olives.
Ambiance: 6
This place has a nice cozy, warm feel to it. A winter’s night was the perfect time for us to come, I think. The musician was playing a mix of Christmas music and Sinatra style favorites, and a few couples had even gotten up to dance for a song or two. Very nice.
NINO’S TUSCANY
117 W. 58th St.
New York, NY 10019
Flight
Flight is a Thai and Asian-inspired gastropub on York at 78th Street that used to be called Dresner’s until it was completely revamped. The new setup (opened in October) is really beautiful inside, with muted, modern, intimate tones of grey wood and simple, elegant yet cozy accents.
Owners Dermot (beverage director, front of the house) and Golam (executive chef) did an amazing job with the transformation. Dermot has been in the ownership position of this location for many years, and Chef Golam has an extensive 27 year cooking career.
We got to sit in the coolest part of the restaurant: an elevated, sidewalk-side seating area that sits about two or three feet above the sidewalk and has long floor-to-ceiling windows/doors that can be opened in the warmer weather.
The concept of “Flight” is being able to taste many things during your time there. Aside from offering flights of wine and beer, they also offer whiskey flights, as well as food samplings like meat and seafood flights with brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour menus. I like this idea, because whenever I am excited about a menu, there are always tons of things that I want to try but can’t because I get too full.
I was recently invited along with some other bloggers for a press dinner, where we got to sample a bunch of their signature dishes. Be warned, though, that we received small, tasting sizes of the dishes. Actual menu items are much larger portions.
My wife plucked her two favorite wine varietals off of their extensive global wine list: a Riesling and a Viognier, which were both really great. Crisp, light, refreshing, slight sweetness and easy on the aftertaste. I tried three of the 16 craft beers that they had on tap: UFO Ginger Land Wheat, Queens Pilsner, and Kona Big Wave. My favorite of the three was the wheat beer. I’m partial to that style. They also have a bunch of bottles available as well.
We started with some flatbreads on the table. This was similar to a pita, but more dense and much thinner. It was really nice and flavorful. It had a chewy texture as opposed to crisp, but in a way that almost reminded me of naan bread (which I love) or a thick crepe. It was served with a hummus-like dipping sauce. Very nice. I may have eaten more than my allotment for table sharing.
Next was a seasonal soup that they were offering, made from butternut squash and apple, and garnished with some basil. This was really smooth, not too filling, which I was happy about, and slightly sweet and crisp from the apple. It had great depth.
My favorite dish of the evening came next: Thai style coconut curry mussels. These were fucking delicious. I could eat this all day. The only negative about this dish was that I wished there was more liquid for me to drink or sop up with bread at the bottom of the bowl. So good. Spicy, light, warming, and just the right amount of seasoning.
The Thai meatball with dried crispy shallots, sweet chili sauce and cilantro was a really great bite as well. The meatball was a little harder than I had initially expected. Asian style meatballs tend to have more of a snap to them and are more dense. The flavor was great. Spicy.
In continuing with the Thai and Asian theme, the lump crab cake was dressed with a spicy sauce as well. The cake itself was a great texture: lots of good lump meat, and a beautiful golden brown crust. This rivaled the mussels for best dish of the night, for me.
The wild mushroom risotto was rich and creamy (marscarpone base), but not heavy. It was dressed deftly with a white truffle oil that really brought out the earthy flavors of the mushrooms.
The curry chicken was spicy as well, with bright lemongrass and cilantro flavors that made it herbaceous. It came with mushrooms, onions, peppers and eggplant, along with basmati rice. The only down side was that the chicken was a little dry. Perhaps thigh meat would have been better than breast meat for this.
The final savory dish was lobster ravioli in a butternut squash sauce and topped with a butterflied shrimp. The ravioli stuffing was lobster, basil, onion and shallot, and the pasta was hand made on site by Chef Golam. The squash sauce was similar to the soup course, but a bit more spicy and savory than the apple-infused soup.
For dessert, three different items came out. First was a brown bread ice cream that was absolutely amazing and, in my opinion, the best of the desserts. It tasted like french toast. The base was vanilla but bits of cinnamony bread were incorporated for texture. It was garnished with a sugar-dusted phyllo dough stick.
The tiramisu was very light, also with crispy phyllo dough on top. The dish wasn’t too sweet, which is good for me, and it wasn’t soaked in rum either. Not too boozy at all. Really nice, and it is one of their best sellers. This was my wife’s favorite of the desserts.
One of the other bloggers tried the apple tart. My wife and I didn’t get to try a bite, but it looked perfect, topped with some ice cream and the signature crisped phyllo dough for some crunch.
That about does it! I will definitely be back here to try a meat flight! They offer a burger, a filet mignon, a NZ rack of lamb and a NY strip, so I think I’ll be in good hands. They’re even going to be starting weekly jazz nights here as well, so I’ll be looking out for that too.
FLIGHT IS CLOSED
Jeepney
Jeepney is a Flip joint downtown on 1st Avenue that has been getting popular for its large format feast known as “Kamayan Night,” which they host only on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Essentially they cover the table with banana leaves, cover the banana leaves with rice, and then cover the rice with all sorts of delicious food.
The one caveat: you eat with your hands. It gets pretty messy, but if you’re careful like I was, you won’t slobber up your $4000 camera rig.
The drinks at this place are all very tropical island-inspired, which is fun. They have a Flip version of a pina colada, which is made for two to share:
And smoothies made with a sweet bean ice cream:
There’s also a variety of Flip beers to sample as well:
So what the fuck are people eating at Kamayan Night? There’s lamb stew, rice cakes, baby bok choy, banana ketchup ribs, stewed pork belly, sweet sausage links, spring rolls, pickled cukes and onions, and a fried whole red snapper. Everything was delicious – seriously; not one item on the table was lacking in flavor and tasty, exotic island goodness.
The lamb stew, although it felt like a winter dish and a bit out of place from the other items, was really packed with spicy curry flavors. It came across more like a mountain dish to me, as opposed to an island dish. It was surrounded by sweet rice cakes which ate like a bread.
The baby bok choy was refreshing and sweet, as was the array of pickled cukes and onions. They much needed green pop and crunch to the meal.
The sausage links were sweet and meaty. The skin casing was a bit thick and rubbery for my liking (I like char grilled casings that snap and crunch); I assume they were boiled as opposed to grilled.
The stewed pork belly was hiding under the bok choy. This was really great. Soft, flavorful, and super porky.
The spring rolls were a nice texture change up as well: crisp and light.
The banana ketchup ribs were amazing. I tasted the banana but not so much the ketchup, which I suppose is a good thing. There was a mild heat to them as well. Really nicely done.
I think the star of the meal, for me, was the fried whole red snapper.
It was so fucking crispy on the outside, yet tender and light on the inside. It was easy to pull apart and avoid bones as well.
I even dug into the cheek at some point, which was nice.
For dessert, I thought this dish was a bit small for four people to share, but it was really good and refreshing. It was sweet bean ice cream on top of coconut flavored shaved ice and garnished with flan, some small cubes of minty jelly, and then topped with Rice Krispies.
Same thing from a second visit (ube ice cream):
A couple of things I noticed:
1) Apparently not every Kamayan feast is the same. The table being set up next to us had shrimp as well as a clam stew of some kind for ravaging:
2) The walls are adorned with some hot naked broads. Enjoy:
If you’re feeling courageous, try Balut – a fertilized duck egg. Half duck, half egg. A fetus, basically. Sometimes crunchy with fowl parts.
JEEPNEY
201 1st Ave.
New York, NY 10003
Hooters
Yes, Hooters… Did you think I was some kind of food elitist?
We all know the wings are pretty decent here. But Monday night is “Bunday” at Hooters, which means burger specials (ranging from $9.99 to $12.99) and $2.50 beers (bud, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra). Three beers and a “Big Baja” burger (provolone, jalapeños, salsa) with fries (more like a half order of the curly fries) or tots for $25, right around the block from my apartment? Yup – I’m there.
Looks pretty good, right? I’m a professional photographer, though. I can make Jessica Simpson look good. In any event, the burger was fine – properly cooked and tasty. I’ve had better, and I’ve had worse. You go here for the deal, and if you’re a desperate pervert or don’t get cable or internet, you go for the tits. My buddy came for (the tits and) the BBQ bacon cheddar burger.
THIS HOOTERS LOCATION IS NOW CLOSED