Manhattan: Hell's Kitchen
Posted by Carey Jones, November 16, 2009 at 12:15 PM
"The people have spoken. And City Bakery is no longer their cookie of choice."
[Photos: Robyn Lee and Sophie Finkelstein]
Last week in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Championship, we went uptown to find the best chocolate chip cookies on the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Having found our favorites, we're now moving to Midtown—between Union Square and 60th Street.*
In this round, there were formidable contenders and surprising upsets: disappointing frontrunners, dark horses, and a chain thrown into the mix.
Our eight contestants: City Bakery, Pret a Manger, Max Brenner, Petrossian, Ruby et Violette, Frankie's (at Stumptown), and Times Square Hot Bagels.
The best chocolate chip cookie in Midtown, after the jump.
*Okay, this isn't all Midtown. But do we really need separate Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Flatiron, and Chelsea cookie tastings? We're sticking with "Midtown-ish."
Continue reading »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, November 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photo: Kathy Chan]
New to the range of goods at Amy's Bread, fitting in right with the season, is the Pumpkin Pecan Knot. A light yeast bread, with delicate spice, a mild pumpkin flavor, and handful of crushed pecans. It's just dandy toasted with a smother of softened butter, or nibbled away plain throughout the day. Buy the bread as a ring and it's sure to last you breakfast for the entire week. Or if you grow easily bored of flavors like myself, the bread is sold as cut wedges for $1.75 apiece.
Amy's Bread
Various Locations in NYC (map)
amysbread.com
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 9, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan]
I suggest you pumpkin fiends hurry your tushes over to Kyotofu in Hell's Kitchen before the 17th. Pumpkin soft serve (soy-based, like all their soft serves) is on the menu only till the end of next week before they switch the flavors. Pumpkin soft serve—light, creamy, and completely inoffensive—is offered on its own or as a twist with the chocolate soft serve. Each serving comes with one topping; matcha mochi is pictured above, though I think this flavor pairs better with the kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) whipped cream.
Kyotofu
705 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019 map)
212-974-6012; kyotofu-nyc.com
Posted by Erin Zimmer, September 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
"In general, whatever they slather with their slightly tangy, bright-tasting verde sauce is good."
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
El Ranchito del Agave
476 9th Avenue (b/n 36th and 37th; map); 212-904-1198
Service: It's all you, buddy!
Must-Haves: Anything with verde sauce, pico de gallo, chicken mole
Cost: All-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $8, or $4 per pound of takeaway food
Grade: B
If buffets were animals, the Mexican buffet would be a narwhal. Sightings are rare, or more like never, but sound pretty awesome in theory. We were hipped to a new one (barely a month old) El Ranchito del Agave on 9th Avenue, by an email from a reader named Scott. Only a ten-minute walk from SE HQ, we were so game. Bottomless trays of refried beans and cheese enchiladas? Oh, boy.
Joined by fellow California transplant Carey (and a couple of bean-appreciating East Coasters), let's just say this wasn't our first fiesta. But definitely our first all-you-can-eat fiesta. The front room, what used to be Trio French Bakery, is still filled with glass cases, except they're now stocked with Mexican baked goods (which sadly always end up tasting like unsweetened sandpaper). The buffet is hiding in the back. Over on the right, an illuminated steam table sits in a room big enough to comfortably outfit a wedding reception or bar mitzvah with a decent-sized guest list.
The buffet's offerings rotate daily but after two visits, we noticed multiple repeats: pork in adobo sauce, both red and green enchiladas, chicken mole poblano, plus two kinds of rice (the traditional orange-ish one and white) and two kinds of beans (black and refried). All-you-can-eat Mexican is tough. Those tortillas and rice scoops add up, so getting $8-worth is definitely doable, but you start to slow down around plate two.
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, August 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM
When you've exhausted Indian and tired of Turkish, Afghan is an exciting next step. I associate Afghan food with rich flavor and subtle spice, ingredients like pumpkin and rosewater and pistachio—elements that, at restaurants like Khyber Pass in the East Village or Bamiyan on Third Avenue, result in a vibrant and distinctive cuisine.
The same can't quite be said of the Afghan Kebab House in Hell's Kitchen. Though its meat plates and crispy appetizers leave little room for complaint, there's not much here a city diner hasn't eaten before. Still, with perfectly serviceable kebabs and an array of spiced veggie sides—plus the all-important BYOB policy—it's worth a closer look.
Bulanee, boorani, and kabuli palow, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, November 16, 2009 at 12:15 PM
"The people have spoken. And City Bakery is no longer their cookie of choice."
[Photos: Robyn Lee and Sophie Finkelstein]
Last week in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Championship, we went uptown to find the best chocolate chip cookies on the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Having found our favorites, we're now moving to Midtown—between Union Square and 60th Street.*
In this round, there were formidable contenders and surprising upsets: disappointing frontrunners, dark horses, and a chain thrown into the mix.
Our eight contestants: City Bakery, Pret a Manger, Max Brenner, Petrossian, Ruby et Violette, Frankie's (at Stumptown), and Times Square Hot Bagels.
The best chocolate chip cookie in Midtown, after the jump.
*Okay, this isn't all Midtown. But do we really need separate Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Flatiron, and Chelsea cookie tastings? We're sticking with "Midtown-ish."
Continue reading »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, November 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photo: Kathy Chan]
New to the range of goods at Amy's Bread, fitting in right with the season, is the Pumpkin Pecan Knot. A light yeast bread, with delicate spice, a mild pumpkin flavor, and handful of crushed pecans. It's just dandy toasted with a smother of softened butter, or nibbled away plain throughout the day. Buy the bread as a ring and it's sure to last you breakfast for the entire week. Or if you grow easily bored of flavors like myself, the bread is sold as cut wedges for $1.75 apiece.
Amy's Bread
Various Locations in NYC (map)
amysbread.com
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 9, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan]
I suggest you pumpkin fiends hurry your tushes over to Kyotofu in Hell's Kitchen before the 17th. Pumpkin soft serve (soy-based, like all their soft serves) is on the menu only till the end of next week before they switch the flavors. Pumpkin soft serve—light, creamy, and completely inoffensive—is offered on its own or as a twist with the chocolate soft serve. Each serving comes with one topping; matcha mochi is pictured above, though I think this flavor pairs better with the kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) whipped cream.
Kyotofu
705 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019 map)
212-974-6012; kyotofu-nyc.com
Posted by Erin Zimmer, September 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
"In general, whatever they slather with their slightly tangy, bright-tasting verde sauce is good."
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
El Ranchito del Agave
476 9th Avenue (b/n 36th and 37th; map); 212-904-1198
Service: It's all you, buddy!
Must-Haves: Anything with verde sauce, pico de gallo, chicken mole
Cost: All-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $8, or $4 per pound of takeaway food
Grade: B
If buffets were animals, the Mexican buffet would be a narwhal. Sightings are rare, or more like never, but sound pretty awesome in theory. We were hipped to a new one (barely a month old) El Ranchito del Agave on 9th Avenue, by an email from a reader named Scott. Only a ten-minute walk from SE HQ, we were so game. Bottomless trays of refried beans and cheese enchiladas? Oh, boy.
Joined by fellow California transplant Carey (and a couple of bean-appreciating East Coasters), let's just say this wasn't our first fiesta. But definitely our first all-you-can-eat fiesta. The front room, what used to be Trio French Bakery, is still filled with glass cases, except they're now stocked with Mexican baked goods (which sadly always end up tasting like unsweetened sandpaper). The buffet is hiding in the back. Over on the right, an illuminated steam table sits in a room big enough to comfortably outfit a wedding reception or bar mitzvah with a decent-sized guest list.
The buffet's offerings rotate daily but after two visits, we noticed multiple repeats: pork in adobo sauce, both red and green enchiladas, chicken mole poblano, plus two kinds of rice (the traditional orange-ish one and white) and two kinds of beans (black and refried). All-you-can-eat Mexican is tough. Those tortillas and rice scoops add up, so getting $8-worth is definitely doable, but you start to slow down around plate two.
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, August 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM
When you've exhausted Indian and tired of Turkish, Afghan is an exciting next step. I associate Afghan food with rich flavor and subtle spice, ingredients like pumpkin and rosewater and pistachio—elements that, at restaurants like Khyber Pass in the East Village or Bamiyan on Third Avenue, result in a vibrant and distinctive cuisine.
The same can't quite be said of the Afghan Kebab House in Hell's Kitchen. Though its meat plates and crispy appetizers leave little room for complaint, there's not much here a city diner hasn't eaten before. Still, with perfectly serviceable kebabs and an array of spiced veggie sides—plus the all-important BYOB policy—it's worth a closer look.
Bulanee, boorani, and kabuli palow, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 24, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Editor's note: You may know Kathy YL Chan as our longtime Sugar Rush correspondent. She'll be joining us each week with a more in-depth look at New York sweets to sweeten up your Mondays. Please welcome Kathy!
Sullivan Street Bakery's sweets warrant more attention than they usually garner. Their puddings, tarts, cakes, and pastries are the less appreciated counterparts to the bakery's breads, pizzas, and sandwiches. Their pizza bianca may be sublime, as are the Cubano sandwich and olive stecca, but hey, let's give the sweets some affection, shall we?
We'll start with the Peach-Blueberry Crumble ($3.50), my favorite dessert from their current (and ever-changing) selection. This sweet couples two fine summer fruits and tops it off with crumbled buttery shortbread, which even alone would make a great cookie. It's a dessert that requires a spoon and steady hand, lest you spill off all the tender baked fruit, loosely packed and still a touch warm.
More gorgeous goodies, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, August 4, 2009 at 11:00 PM
"Asian-inspired sandwich shops presided over by talented chefs are OK in my book."
Photographs by Robyn Lee
Xie Xie
645A Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10036 (at 45th Street; map); 212-265-2975
Service: Reasonably fast counter service
Setting: Stylized, slightly glitzy sandwich shop
Compare It To: Num Pang
Must-Haves: Fish Cha Ca La Vong hero, Vietnamese BBQ Beef sandwich, "1,000 Year Old" ice cream sandwich
Cost: $17 gets you a sandwich, ice cream sandwich, and a Red Jacket Orchard juice
Grade: B+
I always get nervous when I hear chefs or restaurateurs talking about "concepts"—as in, replicable concepts that can be cloned around the city (and around the world) as part of a brand roll-out. (In fact, it always makes me nervous when chefs start talking about "brands" and "roll-outs.")
So when I heard that Xie Xie (Mandarin for "thank you," pronounced shay shay) was a sandwich concept rather than a sandwich shop—complete with a second location already secured—I was worried.
I liked chef-partner Angelo Sosa's cooking at his short-lived Yumcha, and he has an impressive résumé, having worked for Jean-Georges Vongerichten for two years. So I know the dude can cook. But replicable concepts are much more difficult to pull off than they appear, so I really didn't know what to expect from Xie Xie.
Xie Xie is not a banh mi joint, and it's not a hero shop. It most resembles a slightly more elegant and stylized Pan-Asian version of Num Pang. (Really, if George Jetson opened an Asian-inspired sandwich shop, this is what it would look like.) "After my last stint with Jean-Georges I spent a year cooking in Asia," Sosa says. "The menu at Xie Xie is based on culinary impressions that were left during my travels."
To make the concept more cloneable, Sosa has limited the menu to five savory items. It does put a lot of pressure on those five sandwiches to be terrific, because there aren't many places to turn if one or two of the sandwiches turn out to be clunkers. But that's all right by Sosa. "I wanted to create five signature dishes," he told me.
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, July 23, 2009 at 5:00 PM
In our series BYOB of the Week, Serious Eats writer Carey Jones stops by a different New York eatery each Thursday, her own bottle of booze in hand.
Eating out in New York, I occasionally end up at restaurants whose cuisine I’ve never tried; it's rare that I stumble upon a restaurant whose cuisine I’ve never heard of. But Gazala Place fits that bill.
Opened in late 2007 by Israeli native Gazala Halabi, Gazala Place claims to be New York's first and only Druse restaurant. The Druse, a Gnostic Islamic sect spread over Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, are neither politically nor ethnically distinct from their neighbors, but their cuisine does differ slightly. Think hummus-heavy Mediterranean, with a twist. (And, of course, a BYOB policy.)
The differences start with paper-thin pita that arrives with every dish—bread that Halabi shapes every afternoon on a rounded iron called a saag, positioned near the front window. Served piled in baskets, crumpled like a handkerchief, the pita is lighter than a crepe but somehow more substantial, studded with whole wheat.
Continue reading »
Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 25, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Dave Pasternack showing off his web research of the louvar.
If Dave Pasternack has to Google a fish, you know it's something special (or non-existent). Earlier this week, the Esca chef-partner got a call about a fresh-caught louvar, and after a bit of research, agreed to 70 pounds of it. (When the guy who caught it also wanted to keep 70 pounds for himself, he knew that was a good sign.) Ed was talking to him about something else, namely crabs, when he found out about Dave's latest discovery. "Ya gotta get up here, right away, Ed, because I'm sure this is the first and last time you and I are going to get to eat this fish."
Meet the louvar. Besides having a noticeably pudgy forehead and only eating gelatinous creatures (it follows a very strict jellyfish diet), it could be the funnest fish name to say. Dave cannot help himself from doing the louvar (a type of dance) or coming down with a bad case of louvar (which totally requires medication). It's hard to compare the taste to anything. While it bears some resemblance to swordfish and halibut, it's really just, um, louvarly.
A white, with slightly opal undertones, slab of raw louvar.
Esca had at least thirty or forty orders last night (the fish's premiere day on the menu, and maybe, any menu anywhere) and expects to sell-out before the weekend. Available for both lunch and dinner ($30 and $35, respectively), it's served alongside pan-roasted Siciilian cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins. Trust me, this might be the only time you try a fish within a few days of Dave's first bite too.
Esca
402 West 43rd Street, New York NY 10036 (b/n 9th and 10th Avenue; map)
212-564-7272
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 6, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Harissa falafel from Taim
In his latest post, NYC Food Guy says Azuri Cafe in Hell's Kitchen makes the best falafel in the city and compares it to other top favorite Taim in the West Village. What does he say is wrong with Taim's falafel sandwich?
There’s no balance or complexity in construction or flavor. Azuri’s construction has a distinct purpose: providing a precise flavor adventure. Taim’s falafel sandwich is unbalanced, sometimes dominated by the neutrally flavored hummus. Hummus, as it is in Azuri’s falafel, should be a unifier of flavors, not the main component.
Taim is my favorite place to get a falafel in the city—one of those firm recommendations I make to anyone who visits from out of town—but then I have yet to go to Azuri Cafe. If their falafel is markedly better than Taim's, I need to get my butt there ASAP.
Related
Union Square Falafel Battle: Maoz, Pita Joe, Moshe's, and Rainbow
Best Falafel in New York
For One of the Best Falafels, Head to Ashkara in the Lower East Side
Posted by Ed Levine, January 29, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Attention, serious eaters who are partial to six-foot heroes for Super Bowl gatherings. Do not avail yourself of recent recommendations in New York Magazine, like Cabrito's Supersize Cemita for $180 or 'ino's vegetarian Pigskin Panino, which will run you $25 per foot.
Instead order and pick up a six-foot long (and almost one-foot wide) pizza bianca from the Sullivan Street Bakery for $27. I like to snack on it plain, without any filling. The sea salt, olive oil, and fresh rosemary sprigs lend the puffy bread plenty of flavor. Just cut off inch slices and pass them around.
Or, if you insist on slicing this humongous sucker horizontally, here's a seriously delicious way to fill it.
Continue reading »
Posted by Linnea Covington, January 2, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Editor's note: We're back with another Happy Hour report from our happy hour bureau chief, Linnea Covington. On tap this week, the Rudy's in Hell's Kitchen.
Rudy's Bar and Grill has been a Hell's Kitchen staple since 1933. Just look for the smiling, waving pig out front, which marks one of the best, oldest, and cheapest bars in Manhattan. Even Steely Dan mentions Rudy's in the song Black Cow, and, according to Danny, the longtime manager, numerous old-school politicians have been known to haunt the long, dark bar back in the day.
Now, walking past the pig and through the door, the counter is littered with old men—already slurring their words at 5 p.m. on a Monday—bright-eyed tourists snapping pictures, and business men downing pints of cheap beer. The jukebox blasts anything, from Iggy and the Stooges, Black Sabbath, U2, and Michael Jackson. Across from the bar, worn red leather banquettes are held together with duct tape, a prize spot if you can manage to get one. Rudy's also has a nice porch in the back for smokers and summer drinking. They show sports projected on the wall outside and on the TV inside.
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, December 23, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Photographs by Robyn Lee
Sullivan Street Bakery
533 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036 (b/n 10th and 11th Aves; map), 212-265-5580; sullivanstreetbakery.com
Service: Friendly, if occasionally haphazard
Setting: A modern retail counter with clean lines in front of a full-fledged wholesale bread bakery, with three stools for eating in
Must-Haves: Pizza, sandwiches, stecca, apple turnover, bomboloni
Cost: $15 will get you a slice of pizza, a sandwich, a sweet, and a drink
Grade: A
If you're a serious eater living in New York City, the Sullivan Street Bakery's Jim Lahey should be one of your gustatory heroes. Why? Because nobody—and I mean nobody—has provided serious eaters with more insane deliciousness at a more than fair price since Lahey first opened on Sullivan Street 14 years ago. When he first opened, Jim made only his trademark well-baked dark bread with the crunchy crust and tender innards; his revelatory pizza bianca; and his room temperature pizzas.
But in recent years Lahey and his merry band of bakers have greatly expanded beyond his initial trio of dough-based things into sandwiches and other foods that play to Lahey's strengths: a profound understanding of the inherent appeal of deftly combined flour, water, sugar, salt, and fat; and a deep appreciation of the sanctity of high quality ingredients and how to use them to maximum delicious effect. Now that Lahey has been spending most of his time perfecting his recipes for his about-to-open (January 2, according to his assistant) pizzeria Co., I thought it would be useful to take stock of where Sullivan Street Bakery is right now.
Continue reading »
Posted by Linnea Covington, November 26, 2008 at 3:15 PM
How many ways can you eat Thanksgiving dinner? At Empanada Mama, they deep fry a wheat flower shell that's been stuffed with celery stuffing, fresh thyme, rosemary, and turkey. It's served on a plate and covered in sage gravy with a side of apple-raisin-cranberry sauce. The flavor combination has a distinct taste of the holiday feasts past, but the unique presentation has you feeling like you aren't eating a turkey dinner.
For $15.95, Empanada Mama serves two of the hand-held treats with a side of butternut squash soup and a pumpkin pie cocktail—a rich concoction of Kahlua, Bailey's and pumpkin pie spices. Or, just try the empanada by itself for $3.50.
Empanada Mama
763 9th Ave (b/n 50 and 51 Streets; map)
212-698-9008
Posted by Robyn Lee, November 21, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. —Zach
"This hardcore French patisserie just opened up on 10th Ave. and 46th Street," Zach instant messaged me. "They have a macaron Christmas tree in the front window."
Hardcore French patisserie with a macaron tree? Zach, you said the magic words. He sent me this photo as proof of the macaron tree's existence and to make me wimper with macaron lust. Even though the macarons on the tree look a bit battered, I assume the fresh macarons are more photogenic. Unfortunately, their macarons are only available by special order at the moment, but there are plenty of other goodies in their patisserie. Check out this interior shot after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, November 18, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Famous for their pizza bianca and loved for their sandwiches and insanely delicious square cuts of pizza (topped with cauliflower, zucchini, or mushrooms), the pastries at this Hell's Kitchen bakery are often overlooked and surely deserve more recognition. Since Sullivan Street Bakery ranks high on my personal list of favorite bakeries in the city, I've made it a point to, over time, taste each and every single one of the sweets they offer—diabetes be damned.
Some days I favor one over another—be it warm bomboloni or a round of tortino di cioccolato with crunchy bread crumb bits speckled in the batter. My current affair is with a caramelized wedge of banana bread pudding. I have an especially soft spot in my heart for puddings which are generous and easy in the mouth, and I love Bananas for the same reason. At Sullivan Street Bakery, the two are combined with a flaky, butter-rich crust. The bread pudding mix is immensely moist, lightly spiced, and hovers an enviable line between custard and cake. To top it off, the bananas have been soaked in sambuca and coffee and deeply caramelized—dancing on the verge of bitterness, but falling just to the right side of sweet. Rustic comfort at its best. This warmed cut of pudding, accompanied by coffee, would make for a very fine start to the day.
Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th Street, New York, NY 10036 (b/n 10th and 11th; map)
212-265-5580
sullivanstreetbakery.com
Posted by Zach Brooks, November 7, 2008 at 1:30 PM
For those who want to eat Thanksgiving dinner out, we gave you a list of restaurants serving special Thanksgiving Day menus. For those who wanted to eat in, but didn't want to cook, we pointed you to the take out feasts being offered by Momofuku and Hill Country. But what about the person who wants to eat Thanksgiving alone? We recommend Piece of Chicken in Hell's Kitchen, which is now taking orders for individually packaged Thanksgiving meals. $10 gets you turkey and gravy, apple raisin coconut stuffing, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, string beans, collard greens, turnips, cranberry sauce, and banana pudding. Don't want to eat alone? I'm sure they'll work out a family size order for you. They recommend you place your order before November 12th, but they will be taking orders up until 2 days before Thanksgiving. 362 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10036 (b/n Eighth and Ninth avenues; map); 212-582-5973
Related:
Piece of Chicken, A Dollar Restaurant in Hell's Kitchen
Posted by Zach Brooks, October 30, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Kyotofu, the Hell's Kitchen Japanese tofu and dessert bar, is one year old. And to celebrate their anniversary they will be giving out free samples of their new cupcakes, mini misos, & more all day long. And while they have your attention (everybody loves free food), they also have announced a line up of new fall desserts, and a new daily happy hour featuring half price cocktails and Japanese beers form 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. kyotofu-nyc.com
Posted by Ed Levine, October 3, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Trying to figure out what to bring to a dinner party can be difficult. Usually, what happens in our circle of friends is people ask me what I want to bring. I'm pretty good on dessert, more than adequate on cheese, and truly terrible on wine or spirits. So I have found the surefire winner to bring to any dinner party is a whole pizza bianca from either Sullivan Street Bakery or Grandaisy.
What is pizza bianca? Here's how Sullivan Street Bakery founder Jim Lahey describes it:
A 6-ft. long light, airy, hand-formed flatbread; porous and bubbly with silky crumb. Accented with extra virgin extra virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt, and rosemary.
Yum! Just take a look at this beauty in its unfurled state.
Continue reading »
Posted by Zach Brooks, September 29, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Photograph by Robyn Lee
Two weeks ago Time Out New York asked me to nominate my favorite food neighborhood in New York City, and they told me I couldn't pick Midtown (for obvious reasons, I guess.) So I was forced to go with the only other neighborhood I could speak to with any real authority—the one I live in—Hell's Kitchen. Despite the pride I took in most of my recommendations (they added a few that didn't come from me) I somehow managed to miss a big one. It's I wish I could say I had forgotten about Kashkaval, the Mediterranean cheese and gourmet food shop on Ninth Avenue, but the truth is for some inexplicable reason I had never been there for dinner until this past Wednesday night.
Kahskaval is one of those New York City chameleons. I have shopped there during the day on many occasions, buying cheese and coffee from the front part of the shop. In the daylight, the back looks like a drab, casual eatery, maybe good for a snack— but certainly no destination. What I never realized (and many seem to already know) is that nightly this "shop" turns into a warm and cozy candle lit dinner destination with a really delicious menu of Mediterranean snacks and fondue.
Continue reading »
