Dan's New York Food Faves
Yours truly holding court on quiches for News 12 Brooklyn. A few of my dumbest words were selected for an episode of Fuhgeddaboudit Food focusing on L'imprimerie, a marvelous French bakery off the Myrtle-Wyckoff L/M.
I like food and I like bars and restaurants a lot! (Update: OK, now that I’m old, a father, L.A. bars kind of suck compared to NYC, I can no longer drink like I used to anyway, and I know how to cook a bunch of really delicious things for myself, I wouldn’t say I’m that taken by bars and restaurants anymore.) A friend once told me that I always seemed to know the best bar to go wherever we were in New York. I suppose I have mixed feelings about that assessment, but I appreciated it nonetheless.
I've long said that in New York you take the very good with the very bad. Global dining is some of the very good. But where to go? For all that is good, there is so very much that sucks or is otherwise not worth your time and money, despite all appearances.
There are zero claims whatsoever of authoritativeness or completeness, but please enjoy checking out a map of my favorite places to eat and drink in NYC. I wrote mini reviews in some cases, which you can see if you click on the pins.
Absolute Favorites
Uncle Zhou, Elmhurst (OK, so this place doesn’t exist any more, or might exist again? Still my favorite, though.)
China Blue, TriBeCa (Also closed)
Lan Zhou Handmade Noodle, Chinatown (R.IP. fuuuck!!)
Abuqir, Astoria
Mombar, Astoria
Taste of Samarkand, Rego Park
Walter Foods, Williamsburg (August 2019: I heard this shut down! December 2020: OK, apparently it’s a sports bar now)
Roberto's, Belmont
Mike's Deli, Belmont
SriPraPhai, Woodside (It’s good, but I’m less impressed after moving to Los Angeles, tbh)
Eddie's Sweet Shop, Forest Hills
Asian Jewels Seafood, Flushing
Spicy and Tasty, Flushing (I heard this doesn’t exist anymore either!)
Razza, Jersey City