Royale
After a disappointing burger at Back Forty, I wondered if maybe a non-fancy place, one that doesn’t give a damn about fresh greenery or artisanal cheese, would pour more love into its beef patties. I turned to the crowd-wisdom of…
Back Forty
Update: Back Forty has closed, but a Soho location remains open. I wanted to like Back Forty. I’m all for elevated gastropub fare and Greenmarket ingredients, and I even like the rusticated interior design that’s in vogue these days. And…
Sripraphai
Reputed to be one of the best Thai restaurants in the city, Sripraphai sits on an unassuming block in Woodside, Queens, almost in earshot of the rumbling elevated 7 train. Since a renovation a few years ago, this spot is…
Minamoto Kitchoan
Wagashi, sweet pastries artfully shaped like fruit, birds, and flowers, have been traditional tea ceremony snacks in Japan for centuries, but they’re rarely seen in the states. Except for one corner of Midtown, at Minamoto Kitchoan, where wagashi are sold…
Scratcher Cafe
It’s St. Patrick’s Day, so you know every Irish pub in this town will be packed to the gills with bellowing guys in green plastic tophats. Probably a good night to carefully seek out a low-key setting. Scratcher, located just…
Macarons at Bouchon Bakery
Update: Bouchon Bakery now has a location in Rockefeller Center Macarons are not macaroons. Those dense, coconut-cluster snacks have nothing on these French confections. One bite reveals the layers–a light whipped cream, sandwiched between two puffed pastries, whose sugary shells…
Crif Dogs
Update: Crif Dogs now has a location in Williamsburg, on Driggs Ave After a long night of bar-hopping, one bite of Crif Dog’s “chihuahua,” a smoked, deep-fried hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with avocado and sour cream, practically…
Cafe Condesa
Until recently, I didn’t do brunch. Actually, that’s something of an understatement. I used to start my weekend with a large black coffee, a Camel Light, and a quick jaunt to the puppy run. Now that I’ve ditched coffee and…
Vanessa’s Dumpling House
Update: There’s now Vanessa’s Dumpling location on East 14th Street. Home of the best $1 dumpling deal in Chinatown, this mainstay is looking a lot spiffier these days. Back when it was known only as Dumpling House, it was half…
RIP Peeler Man Joe Ades
Well this is terrible news. Joe Ades, peddler of vegetable peelers and sidewalk personality has died, as reported by the New York Times. Always stylishly dressed in a sportcoat or vest, peeling carrots with orange-stained, latex-gloved fingers, Joe reeled in…