I ended the month of April by heading to Philadelphia for two days to...um...eat. I returned to Zahav for a spectacular meal. (Chef/owner Michael Solomonov's book, Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking just won "Cookbook of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation.) I also hit his casual Federal Donuts and while they were out of glazed donuts by late afternoon, the Za'atar Fried Chicken was probably the best fried chicken I've ever had.
We had some traditional, and non-traditional, dim sum at Bing Bing, and a brilliantly creative vegan dinner at Vedge. I also loved my pastrami sandwich, which rivaled anything in New York, at Hershel's East Side Deli in the Reading Terminal Market, a great place to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, eating.
Some favorite places in New York:
-Biang: Chinese hand-torn noodles and dumplings with a bit of heat.
-Long Island Bar: Outstanding burgers and Boulevardiers at this classic bar.
-Grand Army: The bread & butter course is outstanding. Great cocktails and oysters at happy hour for just $1/each.
-Roman's: Italian-influenced cooking in a friendly, hip space.
-Fonda: Always a favorite. Terrific Mexican cuisine and superb margaritas.
-Wildair: Truly fresh, creative foods and a stunning natural wine list.
I post pictures a lot of places where I eat on Instagram, including photos of many of the places listed, and "snaps" at Snapchat. Follow me for frequent updates and addresses.
I'm heading to a few more places this month while racing toward a book deadline. My plate is certainly full! : )
▪ David