Viewing NYC Articles Categorized Under Reviews

A Vietnamese Pop-up to Follow at Ha's Dac Biet

2020-10-17T16:00:00-04:00

I’m inspired by the upstarts forging ahead in such a trying time. I had the pleasure of dining at Ha’s Dac Biet, still a pop-up, a few weeks back at Dame, which hosts pop-ups in its West Village space on Sundays. I also highly recommend Dame, a seafood delight on its own.

My first mention on Ha’s Dac Biet is that in a city bursting with food, really great Vietnamese cuisine is more difficult to find than NYC, especially those that stray from convention. I spent a month in Vietnam awhile back and found myself craving the layers of aromatic flavors and fresh seafood. Ha’s Dac Biet answered the call with traditional dishes and some with a touch of fusion. Their menu rotates at each pop-up, but these are a good sampling below.

For the starters, I loved the grilled oysters swimming in scallion oil and peanuts. I moved onto the crispy shrimp heads, scrumptious crunch with lime, garlic, and fish sauce. I feel like Cha Gio often treated as almost a throwaway item by some restaurants, definitely not by these folks.

Then I indulged in grilled shrimp covered by what can be described as Vietnamese-style chimichurri. So flavorful and unique. The Cha Gio, or fried spring rolls, easily rivals anything I ate in Vietnam. For the the heavier main, a deconstructed meatball sandwich of sorts, surprised me with the complexity of flavor. The meatballs absorbed the fresh flavors of lemon grass, peppers, and basil nestled in strong tomato broth that went well with a fresh baguette. The herb salad was the showstopper for me, really tasted like Southeast Asia on a plate with peppers, peanuts, tomato, and scooped by prawn chips. The least overtly seafood and heavy item was a surprise favorite.

I finished the meal with Che, a traditional Vietnamese dessert, light and refreshing with pandan and tapioca pudding with fresh fruit. Really ended the meal right.

Follow their instagram to see where they are next.

The post A Vietnamese Pop-up to Follow at Ha's Dac Biet appeared first on Viewing NYC

[WATCH] NYC Pizza Expert Tries Lay's Grimaldi's Flavored Potato Chips

2020-08-18T16:00:00-04:00

Do the new Grimaldi's-inspired potato chips taste anything like the Brooklyn original? Professional pizza enthusiast Scott Wiener finds out for himself.

The post [WATCH] NYC Pizza Expert Tries Lay's Grimaldi's Flavored Potato Chips appeared first on Viewing NYC

Bessie's Best: Southeast Asian Comfort Food in a Pandemic at Wok Wok

2020-08-18T12:00:00-04:00

Bessie’s Best “Pandemic Edition” is here. I had actually left NYC for a bit and came back, just in time for the COVID-19 crisis. The restaurant industry needs love, so I am back at this giving a shout-out to the places I have loved getting delivery from or am now enjoying outdoor meals at.

To start, I want to write a love letter to Wok Wok, which recently opened to outdoor dining in Chinatown. I had wanted to write about Wok Wok way back when, so I have a few pictures from better times. During the shutdown, Wok Wok was one of my go-to delivery spots. Malaysian food holds a special place in my heart, which I’ve written about, because of the incorporation of so many culinary heritages: Malay, Chinese, Indian, British, and more.

To start, I recommend the Cheese Roti as a guilty pleasure, melted cheese in Indian roti served with a flavorful spicy chicken curry dip. I spent some time working in Malaysia and would get this greasy treat on the street. Wok Wok provides the same yum factor in generous American sized portions. For the non-Cheese inclined, the Roti alone is also delicious.

For my favorite mains, the Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of the most authentic I’ve tasted. It’s an acquired taste for some since it is served at room temperature, but that really allows the flavors of poached chicken and the aromatics to shine through. Many restaurants specialize in this dish alone, and Wok Wok’s is just as good as any of the specialists.

For rice dishes, the Malaysian Pork Chop is akin to the sweet and sour pork chop but has more of a Chinese BBQ flavor. The Basil Wok with Eggplant with an egg on top is a good option for vegetarians. The Beef Curry is delicious as well.

You also can’t go wrong with noodles here. The Laksa Spicy Noodle soups are coconut-y classics. The Hokkien Noodles are also Malaysian staple, made with a dark soy sauce with meat and veggies that are different from your standard chow meins. Not Malaysian, but I do love getting the lunch special with Chicken Satay and Pad Kee Mao that holds its weight against Thai restaurants.

Pulut Hinam, a sweet coconut soup with purple rice and pandan, is a great and hard-to-find Southeast Asian dessert to end on.

The family who runs it is also super nice, and I wish Wok Wok and them the best as it weathers the pandemic.

Pro-tip: Mix and match the offerings. I’m normally hesitant of restaurants that have too much of a menu of everything, but Wok Wok is a veritable diner menu of Malaysian and Thai dishes. This is not one of those restaurants where you have to stick to one lane.

The post Bessie's Best: Southeast Asian Comfort Food in a Pandemic at Wok Wok appeared first on Viewing NYC

Boutros: Brooklyn Heights Restaurant Serves up New American with Middle-Eastern Influence

2019-09-06T16:00:00-04:00

All photos via Jennimaria Palomaki for Viewing NYC

Located next to Sahadis on Atlantic, Boutros is a new restaurant on the Brooklyn Heights / Cobble Heights border, the passion project of chef-owner Allen Dabagh. Boutros serves New American cuisine with a menu that reflects Middle-Eastern influences. Their innovative dishes pair sea bass, pork belly and loin, and chicken with seasonal vegetables enhanced with rich, earthy spices.

Boutros also offers a few vegetarian options, including lasagnette with carrot mushroom bolognese and sides that are as thoughtfully seasoned as mains. The wine list is well curated with a selection of varietals and blends representing a diversity of terroirs. They also serve craft beers (mostly American) and some specialty cocktails.

The atmosphere evokes home-style warmth without skimping on Brooklyn-style cool. Exposed brick, concrete, and other industrial elements are balanced with botanicals and soft lighting. Renovation of the space revealed a mosaic tile floor that the restaurant has wisely preserved, lending an eclectic feel to the space. Great for an intimate date or a meaningful family gathering.

Start with the Foie Gras Fritters, the burst of savory flavor will instantly put you in a good mood. Trust the staff for a wine pairing with the mains. Finish with the Saz-Arak, it’s smooth, balanced and generously poured.

The post Boutros: Brooklyn Heights Restaurant Serves up New American with Middle-Eastern Influence appeared first on Viewing NYC

[VIDEO] Popular Food Vlogger Mikey Chen Gives a Foodie Tour of His Favorite Brooklyn Pizza Joints

2019-08-21T16:00:00-04:00

There's no shortage of excellent pizza in Brooklyn, but where do you start? In this video from from foodie vlogger Mike Chen of Strictly Dumpling, watch as he visits his top four pizza joints in the borough.

Since I ate my way across the pizza restaurants in Manhattan I've been looking forward to doing it again in Brooklyn, where many people consider the BEST borough for pizzas in New York. And after many delicious cheese filled slices, I may just have to agree. I went to Roberta's for their Bee Sting, Pizza with HOT honey then went to Totonno's for their classic pie, Paulie Gee's for its DELICIOUSLY spicy hell boy and finally to Lucali's for some of the most mouthwatering slice of pepperoni pizza you can find.

The four places he visited are:

The post [VIDEO] Popular Food Vlogger Mikey Chen Gives a Foodie Tour of His Favorite Brooklyn Pizza Joints appeared first on Viewing NYC

[WATCH] Bushwick Pizza Party is a 1980's Themed Throwback Joint With Delicious Pizza

2019-07-28T11:00:00-04:00

Bushwick Pizza Party is a 1980's throwback pizza joint on Irving Avenue between Bleecker and Menahan in Brooklyn. The serve up some delicious pizza in an over-the-top decor decked out with vintage toys, posters and other surprises. Patty Lee from Zagat went to BPP to check it out, and had some great pizza while there.

"I feel like Pizza Party was inspired by our childhoods," says Paul King, co-owner of Pizza Party. "This would probably be my room growing up, definitely with some influences from her brother as well. I feel like if you go to a lot of bars, it’s all focused around sports or the TV or whatever and that’s fine, but we just wanted to break off from the norm."

The post [WATCH] Bushwick Pizza Party is a 1980's Themed Throwback Joint With Delicious Pizza appeared first on Viewing NYC

[REVIEW] Visiting The Modern, 2 Michelin-Starred New American Midtown Restaurant

2019-07-24T12:30:00-04:00

The Modern is a two-starred Michelin restaurant overlooking the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan, and they know it. Floor-to-15-foot-ceiling windows allow diners to feel completely surrounded by the fine art and lush gardens, and large sculpture and floral arrangements adorn the restaurant interior as well.

My spouse and I recently visited The Modern to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary, and we loved it. We've previously been to several of Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Union Square Cafe, and Untitled, so we thought a trip to The Modern would be a great addition to that list, and you can never really go wrong with a two-starred Michelin Restaurant. The food was incredible and service was impeccable—everything you would expect of a restaurant of its caliber—so in this review, I will focus instead on what stood out to me, as we really had nothing to eat that was bad.

The level of personalization was greater here than any other restaurant I've been to. You order their prix-fixe menu, make your selections from their lists, and at the end of the night, you get a nicely printed, personalized menu to take home. As we went on our anniversary, the menu also said "Happy 9th Anniversary" on top, a really nice touch. They brought out an extra dessert dish for us, with handwritten chocolate cursive spelling the same message, and many of the staff wished us a happy anniversary as well.

As with most tasting menus, the food is really just a taste and small in size except for the main course. Each plate brought out to our table was top-notch, truly delicious. We thought the overall menu was well balanced and nicely themed, creative, and unique with the use of non-standard, local ingredients. I particularly liked the Eggs on Eggs on Eggs, which has a soft-boiled egg, sturgeon caviar, and egg sauce, all presented in a ceramic egg-shaped dish.

The service was attentive, the wait staff and sommelier were all knowledgeable, kind and polite, and the dishes came out of the kitchen at just the right pace. However, I thought that after paying $188 for each tasting menu, the unexpected additional charges for hot tea ($7), and the cheese plate ($28) was a bit nickle-and-dimey. This is especially because it was never mentioned that these items, offered to us by our waiter, were not included in the price of the prix-fixe. We also thought that the amount of food was not as much quantity as say, Eleven Madison Park, or some of the other fine-dining restaurants we've been to, but both of us left satisfied.

Despite the minor bad points, The Modern still gets a 4-star rating for me for its ambiance, delicious and creative menu, pleasant service, and personal touches.

The Modern: ★★★★

The post [REVIEW] Visiting The Modern, 2 Michelin-Starred New American Midtown Restaurant appeared first on Viewing NYC

[WATCH] These Guys Ate Everything on the Menu at New York City’s Most Famous Burger Restaurant

2019-06-13T15:30:00-04:00

For Alex Delaney, eating at J.G. Melon is a religious experience. Going there once a week was his version of going to church. Well, now he's back and this time he's there to try one bite of everything on the menu at this most hallowed of grounds. Plus, he's joined by the singular Brad Leone, who is definitely not there just for the free meal.

The legendary J.G. Melon burger restaurant is located on the Upper East Side on the northeast corner of 74th Street and 3rd Avenue.

The post [WATCH] These Guys Ate Everything on the Menu at New York City’s Most Famous Burger Restaurant appeared first on Viewing NYC

Would You Get a Haircut at a One of Yelp's Worst-Rated New York City Barber Shops?

2019-03-07T17:00:00-05:00

VICE has a funny series titled One Star Reviews in which host Taji Ameen visits the lowest-rated spots on Yelp to see if they're as shitty as the Internet says, or if they're just misunderstood. In this recent episode, watch as he visits Alex Barber Shop in Manhattan Valley for a shave and a haircut.

After months of neglect, it’s time for Taji to make a visit to the barber. Luckily for him, One Star Reviews is covering the cost by visiting one of Yelp’s worst-rated barbers in New York. Alex Barber is a father/son run barber shop whose reviews vary from threatening behaviour, to not working well with kids, to hidden costs. Will Taji leave with a look that works for him?

The post Would You Get a Haircut at a One of Yelp's Worst-Rated New York City Barber Shops? appeared first on Viewing NYC

[VIDEO] Brooklyn Bagel Blog Reviews Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish in Tribeca

2019-01-25T12:30:00-05:00

TL;DR Not great, but one of Tribeca's only options.

Brooklyn resident Samuel Silverman—a.k.a. The Bagel Borg—runs a great website and called The Brooklyn Bagel Blog which provides short but comprehensive video reviews for bagel shops all around New York City. In this video from the blog, watch as The Bagel Borg reviews Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish in Tribeca.

Tribeca. T-R-I-B-E-C-A. In case you guys didn’t notice, this took place in Tribeca. I guess I really like the word Tribeca. Can you count how many Tribeca’s were dropped? Tribeca. There, I said it again. Shop: Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish | Neighborhood: Tribeca | Score: 3.2019 | Invitation to BagelFest? Yes | Episode notes: Only real Bagel shop in Tribeca! 1 of 4 Zucker's shops in total, the one in Tribeca is the OG.

The post [VIDEO] Brooklyn Bagel Blog Reviews Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish in Tribeca appeared first on Viewing NYC