Guest Post- Sushein

I recently went with my wife to Sushein. A brand new revolutionary kosher sushi restaurant located in lower Manhattan.

The thing that really sets this place apartment from other sushi establishments is that they have a conveyor belt leading from the sushi chefs in the back of the restaurant, going all the way down to the front with loads of fresh sushi being piled onto it non-stop.  The variety is fantastic and its very exciting to try new rolls because you never know what's going to come in front of you next.  All of the plates that come down the conveyor are color coded, and each color represents a different price (i.e. red=$3.25, grey=$5.50, etc.).

There is also a made-to-order menu as well for lunch and dinner just in case the conveyor is not for you.

The service is constant, fast, and pleasant. One side of the conveyor is bar-style seating, and the other side is booth-style. 

Very hip and stylish décor and ambiance as well.  Check out the online menu.

I definitely recommend Sushein, whether you are looking for an affordable night out, great tasting and innovative sushi rolls, or just something a little outside the box.

Sushein 

325 Broadway (between Thomas and Worth)

www.sushein.com

(212) 962-2500

Hours of operation:

Sun 1pm-11-pm

Mon-Thursday 11am-11pm

Fri 11-am- 2:30pm.

Winter Saturday night

Closed- IMA Restaurant

I have just confirmed that Ima's has also closed down.

Not surprising. I liked the place but with Mabat being the 600 pound gorilla and Royal Persian being the cute small homey place run by Sabba and Safta, who needed an IMA ? Aren’t grandparents always better?

Breaking news- Sammy's Deli closed

Regrettably I have just confirmed that Sammy’s Deli has closed.

I happened to love the place (clean, new, spacious) and the service was good as well.

Food was great (best kugel in Teaneck though Petak’s is getting close)

Unsure if its temporary or permanent, but its closed.

What he should be doing is moving the retail out of that whole building, and doing a joint venture with the owners of the gas station (Rafi Levy) in making a block long building with underground parking , first floor retail (Sammy’s moves back) and 4 stories of higher end rental/ condo apartments above for the empty nesters in town. (I’m unsure if the Chinese takeout building was sold yet, but it was for sale a while back).

The Queen Area/ Plaza district wad rezoned for 5 stories with a setback so its “shovel ready” after permits are processed.

More to follow…..

Guest Post- "Noi due" – “The Two of Us”

This dim lit basement restaurant is a perfect choice for a casual brunch or a dinner with friends or family.

The decor-dim lit basement with wooden furniture, snapshots of Italian suburban scenes hanging on the walls, and a vast choice of wines covering the walls behind the main counter-make you feel like you walked into a real Italian Tavern.

As they take no reservations in advance, there may be a short wait before you are allowed in.  Due to the great food and friendly atmosphere the place is always packed -but don’t get scared off by the line outside the door!! You  will always be greeted by a friendly girl or the Italian manager who will take your name down and make sure you get a table prepared for you in no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. 

As you wait for your food you can relax by watching the “pizzaiolo” twirl the pizza dough on his finger before he acrobatically places it in the brick oven placed in an open area at one end of the restaurant.

The food is served to you fast and the friendly waiters are always around to replenish your bread/water or get you anything you may need. 

The menu is not long but everything on it is excellent, as their logo suggests on the menu: “poco ma buono”- “little but good”. Choices of appetizers, pizzas, pastas, fish and salads.  Pasta is always “al dente” and as close to authentic Italian pasta as you will possibly get in a kosher restaurant.

The “poco ma buono” concept goes for the portions as well.  They are not huge so that you can actually leave the restaurant fully satisfied but without that feeling of being stuffed and not being able to move.

The desserts are great but the “Dolce di Lecce” is a must! Be careful because it’s addicting!

The cleanliness of the place is apparent through and through. The food is fresh and clean, the waiters are put together, and the bathrooms are shining too!! As you make your way to the bathroom you even get a chance to check out the cooking crew in the kitchen; and if there is a person or two in line before you, you can observe them cook and will notice that the kitchen (the most important place of the restaurant) is very clean as well.

The overall atmosphere is fun and friendly.  Always full of people which makes it a very happening place.   The waiters add a “fast-pace” edge to the ambiance as they rush-almost run- from table to table serving all their customers.  And the vastly diverse crowd allows everyone to feel at ease no matter the attire or the religious views.

Whenever I’m in the city and in need of a meal I always make sure to stop by “noi due” EVEN if it means taking an extra train to get there! It’s worth it.

Noi Due
143 West 69th Street
New York, New York 10023
212.712.2222
http://noiduecafe.com/Home_Page.html

Maoz Vegetarian

As many of you know, I love Israel. From the flights (nothing beats business class on miles) to the Kotel, from the food to the hotels, I can go there monthly.

The ability to pretty much be able to stop and eat anywhere is the best part of the food aspect. Walking down a street, smell fresh pita and walk in and get one- in Jerusalem yes, the rest of the world, regrettably NO.

UNTIL NOW

Maoz Vegetarian is an Israeli Falafel “stand.” In reality, it’s small stores located throughout the City (currently six of them). They also offer great delivery service, which I used yesterday (and lord knows I can go on about delivery services- that used to be my job at my Brooklyn office at 1pm everyday).

They offer whole wheat and regular pita, salads, fries and freshly squeezed juices. The salad bar options are the traditional ten or so salads.

The best thing about the place- the fries are either regular, sweet, or a mixed bag of both. What a great idea. Not sure why no genius has thought of that before.

They offer a few “deals” which basically make it easier to order.

They are well staffed and the line moves fast. Thankfully, Maoz takes all credit cards, though the average bill is only $10.

Here is the one down side - there are no damn seats! I understand their model, but I ate one of my meals there on the street curb outside next to a homeless man! They need to work on some benches or something, outside regulation permitting.

All in all, very worthwhile.

Maoz

212-777-0820

212-265-2315 deliveries

www.maozusa.com (you can order online)

locations: 200 West 40^th St @7^th Ave, 2047 Broadway, 59 East 8^th St, 683 8^th Ave, 38 Union Square East, 2857 Broadway @ Columbia

Guest Post Basil

After taking two weeks off to catch up at work, I am back!

See below for a guest post re Basil. While I agree its worth the trip to Crown Heights, its NOT worth the trip from Teaneck unless you are already suffering in Brooklyn (like me).

From what I hear, the lines in Basil are always out the door. This Saturday night was no different. The wait for a table of 4 was 30 minutes. We read the menu while we waited so as soon as we sat down we knew exactly what we wanted. We flagged down the waitress, who was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and was able to offer some suggestions before we ordered.

The appetizers were amazing and arrived quickly. Their Basil fries put a spin on the classic shoestring french fries, the fritto misto were unique and fried to perfection, and the baked brie was unbelievable. The eggplant parmesan salad was ok, nothing to rave about however, the wild mushroom pizza with goat and mozzarella cheese really hit the spot. The creamy cheese in between mushrooms really complemented the thin crust and had the perfect consistency. The other mains were pretty good too with the exception of the linguini. It was overcooked and needed seasoning desperately.

Although the service was pretty good for a busy Saturday night dessert took forever. We waited a good 20 minutes for funnel cake and Napoleon. The desserts were good, but not worth the 20 minute wait (especially when you're paying a babysitter on top of it all!).

Basil is an all around good restaurant with food food that's different and edgy. Definitely out of the box and worth the trip to crown heights.

Basil Pizza & Wine Bar

270 Kingston Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213

(718) 285-8777

Guest Post- Chai Ko Topas

Have you eaten here yet? Talk about getting the BEST bang for your buck in town!  My family, plus my sister, 6 people total literally ate like kings for a very reasonable price.  My short ribs order basically consisted of an entire cow.  Oh, and it only cost $26! 

We had four appetizers, a massive soup (which could've been for 3 people), 3 mains and 1 dessert.  Here's the best part.  Coupled with my 10% Yavneh discount ( http://www.ypaaonline.org/ ) the total cost for all of us was $140 including taxes and a 20% tip.

The food was excellent and very fresh.  The service was top of the line and the food was brought to our table quickly after it was ordered.  I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice dinner at a relatively affordable price point.  (Make sure to go soon before everyone realizes how good this place is and they raise their prices!)

Chaiko Tapas
515 Cedar Lane Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-530-5665
http://www.chaikotapas.com/

Guest Post- LA in NYC! Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf opens

Guest Post below from Queens, though I'm heading there for lunch today..

This past Sunday I decided to surprise my wife by spending a day in the city. Since I had formal dinner plans on the early side, I needed to find a lunch place that was cheap and not over-filling. I had heard that coffee bean was coming to NYC, so I googled it and luckily enough it had just opened this past week.

I was very surprised at the lack of publicity it received, leading me to believe it would be a hole in the wall but to my surprise it was the biggest coffee bean I have been in to date.

The new staff didn't miss a beat. It seemed like they had been there for years.

The obvious difference between the NYC coffee bean and the west coast coffee beans is the lack of outdoor seating. Jalapeño bagel was there (although they changed the look of the bagel entirely- taste is the same... They now melt cheese on the top of the bagel)

The pastries are amazing and exactly the same as the west coast. I got the caramel blend with whip cream and it was very solid. My wife had an everything bagel with cream cheese. This leads me to my problem with Coffee Bean, why don't they spread the cream cheese on the bagel for you????

The truth is it's better than your average bagel store throwing on a pound of cream cheese, but it just seems so tier 2.

My meal of 2 bagels and cream cheese, 2 small drinks and a cheese danish ran me $14. Not bad for lunch for 2 in midtown Manhattan!

Coffee Bean is sure to make its mark in NYC. J2 Pizza and Milk N' Honey may need to start reducing prices in order to keep a flow similar to that of the past few years.

Head out to Coffee Bean, it's worth the trip.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

1412 Broadway (at 39th Street)

Meat Me

I received a lot of emails regarding a new steakhouse on the Upper West Side, so when our diet food wasn’t delivered Monday due to the storm, there was no better excuse then to check it out.

Meat Me French Steak House & Sushi Bar is located on Amsterdam Ave between 95^th and 96^th Street. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s located two blocks from Talia’s Steakhouse (to use that term loosely) and three blocks from Mike’s Pizza. Talia’s should brace themselves.

Simply put, the food was great. The menu was La Marais style, with pricing maybe 10% less. There is a full bar, but as they did not yet obtain their liquor license, we simply salivated looking at it. There is no BYOB as the license is pending. The place is well renovated French style, with open air seating (the front wall opens). Nice breeze, but the usual mix of bums and drunks walking to and from the projects.

Appetizers were incredible. I’m a sucker for appies, and finding duck and merquez is rare. Their combo plate was huge and hard to find in a kosher restaurant.

The mains were great. We had more duck, a rib steak and a pepper corn fillet, which was done perfectly. The sides were a little lame, but frizzled onions on your plate is all you really need in life.

The desserts were the same as every kosher steakhouse- crème caramel, sorbet, an exploding cake, blah blah. Maybe one day someone will invent something new.

The bread was so so, though the spread matched Abigael’s.  

The service stunk. I received better service gassing up my car before the storm. While they were only open for a week so you can’t judge them, the issue was more with the waiter. The waitress and bus staff were great, but this waiter forgot our drinks, brought our sides (the ones he remembered) before our appies, and told us they were out of the wrong items (duck) and didn’t know what else we can order. Message to owner- send him to the unemployment line now.

To top of the night, they offer a 10% coupon on their take out menus, yet also good for sit-downs (which the waiter forgot to discount even though I handed it to him) and they accept Kosher Advantage.

Meat Me

726 Amsterdam Ave

New york, NY 10025

212-678-7000

www.meatmeny.com

Can we make Teaneck like Tenafly?

Last night, I met my wife for dinner at Ariel’s. Choice was Mocha or Ariel’s. I made the wrong one. While the food was good and the service great, fact is, as I mentioned earlier, it's just a plain Jane dairy place. None of that "wow!" that they had when they first opened. The lack of a crowd showed that all agree with me. The chef/owner needs to reinvigorate the place.

Afterwards, we drove over to the Red Mango frozen yogurt store in Tenafly. Incredible.

Is it like Bumbleberry? Yes. If you consider a Camry like a Lexus since they both drive.

For starters, the staff rocks. They are out their giving samples, asking if you need help, and really hard working. At Bumbleberry, it appears as if the staff is just passing time until they roll their next joint. Don’t get me wrong- I love Bumbleberry- but Red Mango is on their game.

They have a lot more toppings available and a lot more space to walk around. There are tables and benches galore, both inside and outside. Once again- not faulting Bumbleberry- they tried a new concept in Teaneck and started small….

Finally, we walked around downtown Tenafly. Simply put- gorgeous. Benches (can’t find those on Queen Ann Road), flowers and wide walkways abound.

So here is my thought, and I will put this in writing to the Council and Planning Board- why not experiment and make West Englewood Avenue into a pedestrian, plaza-like Fulton Street in downtown NYC, or like a Ben Yehudah Street in Jerusalem.

There are currently 35 or so parking spots- leave 5-7 on each end and start the plaza 100 feet in. The 25 spots lost can easily be replaced in the commuter parking lots behind both sides of the street, or off the Plaza (is the Glatt Express parking lot busy? Yes. Is it full? No. For a later discussion, the zoning plan currently allows for a multi-story parking lot in the current lots place).

Bring in benches, al fresca dining, etc. and combine that with the current wifi and you’ve got game!

But, don’t do anything permanent just yet.  Let's try it once a month on a Thursday or Sunday and see how it goes…

Kosher Diet Delivery

I’ve received lots of comments, emails, bbms, Facebook posts as to what diet I was on and why I haven’t been eating out.

Over the past three plus years, I’ve been able to shed 35 pounds off my high marker weight.

Thankfully, I have been successful in this task as a result of a combination of diet, exercise and vitamins.

I’ve been running one to three times a week, 5-12 miles at each shot as well as a mile or two on stairs. Few things beat fish oil and red yeast rice to reduce your cholesterol along with exercise and dieting.

I get my meals delivered daily from Kosher Diet Delivery.

Simply put, it's great.

I pay on the 60 day schedule, so I’m at $34 or so a day. I started at six days a week and now I'm only doing four.

Breakfast ranges from omelets to stuffed French toast (incredible) to breakfast burritos (I can do that one every day). By the time you finish breakfast, you say to yourself - "I can do this diet forever."

Lunch is a selection of salads, though I am on the wrap version. I couldn’t deal with splattering dressing all over myself daily. Lunch is usually meat so you can’t have some of your friends Reese’s pieces to nibble on. Nothing beats a roast beef wrap with a side of cucumber salad. Once again- this is a diet?

Dinners- lots of fish and chicken. But every so often you can feast on stuffed cabbage (splatter alert) or some veal (which I pass on for turkey- mental issue between me and veal).

Rest assured! there are snacks during the day. Custards, soufflés, fruit, nuts. In case you can’t tell, I’m loving it.

Now, for the "$34 question," is it expensive? Yes! But is it worth it? Definitely. In addition to the weight loss aspect, as I’m away from home 15 or so hours a day, I ate out for years. Eating out three times a day far exceeds the $34 price tag on a per capita basis. PLUS, the hours of talking, thinking calling and discussing what you will be eating are eliminated (and in my case, in Brooklyn, arguing with them when they screw up your order). 3 full meals and the snacks are all delivered in a cooler to your doorstep overnight.

They have weekly tryouts at a cheap price, so check it out. If you don’t like certain things, tell them - they'll customize your menu to your preferences. You can also go online and modify your menu as well.

Mention my name and tell them you want a third snack a day

☺

Kosher Diet Delivery
http://www.kosherdietdelivery.com/
800-354-3122 

Petak's is opened!

Petak's re-opened today on West Englewood Avenue next to Dougies

As per their release:

"We have delicious home made schnitzel, popcorn chicken, Meat knishes, meatballs, rotisserie chickens, stuffed cabbage, fresh cut salads, grilled Chicken, chicken soup with matzo balls and more,

Spend 25$ get a free half lb. Side or salad.
"

I will go there tonight and check it out. I AM NOT affiliated with them contrary to some emails I have received alluding to this or inquiring. 

Petak's

Gabe Gilbert

201-833-8200

182 West Englewood Avenue

Guest Post and a sad closing

On a sad note, it appears as if Bistro Grill in Great Neck has closed. One of the local shuls there sent out an email stating this and their number hasn't been answered. I hope its false. Bistro is a great place to meet people on Long Island when you want to avoid the Five Towns and want to skip Queens. Prior to ETC Steakhouse in Teaneck, it was even worth the drive from NJ for the food (which I've done plenty!)

Below is a guest post for Red Mango in Tenafly, a yogurt/ ice cream place. Yes people, there is kosher food in Jersey outside of Teaneck and Englewood.

Newly opened in Tenafly a block north of the Theater, the Red Mango offers friendly service and places to sit. Free samples of any and all frozen yogurt flavors.  They offer many flavors of all natural yogurts along with a wide variety of toppings. We had original plain vanilla mixed with  blueberry; blueberry mixed with peach and pomegranate; and Madagascar vanilla mixed with peach.

By the way, we saw an excellent movie called The Help.

Red Mango, Stop and Shop Mall
24 West Railroad Ave, Tenafly NJ
201-568-9500
www.redmangousa.com

Guest Post: Turquoise in Fresh Meadows, Queens

The restaurant itself is nice, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. The acoustics are decent- you can converse in a normal tone without fear of not being heard (watch Curb your Enthusiasm last night?). The tables are beautifully set (nice dishes, glassware, and linen napkins) the chairs are comfortable, and there is nice ambiance- soft lighting, candles on the tables, neutral colors, etc.

There is a decent wine list, consisting of about 10 whites and 8 reds; and it’s reasonably priced. There is no hard alcohol (mixed drinks, martinis, etc.) or beer on the menu.

The menu itself is leather-bound, and offers a wide selection of appetizers, salads, and fish. There are a couple of pastas on the menu, as well as daily pasta specials. The service was GREAT which is not typical in a majority of kosher restaurants. Our waiter was impeccably dressed, well groomed, and knowledgeable about the menu. Our water glasses were constantly filled, the waiter and assistant waiter  came back multiple times to check up on us (and yes, the restaurant was busy), and even the owner made his way around to every table seeking input.

After ordering, a basket of bread and herb butter is brought to the table, along with 4 small salads including glazed beets (DELICIOUS) and a cilantro / jalapeno dipping sauce (AMAZING).

Being late on Saturday night, we ordered light and split 4 dishes amongst ourselves. We had 2 salads and an appetizer- the Goat Cheese and Beet Salad and the Mediterranean Salad, along with the roasted asparagus with grated Parmesan.  Additionally, we had the fish and chips…we ordered the St. Peters (Tilapia) which was fresh, crisp and delicious, and the French fries were as well. We also had a pasta off the menu (ravioli stuffed with broccoli and cheese in a broccoli garlic oil sauce with red chili flakes).  The portions were large, and the presentation was nice.

The desert menu had a few items on it but there wasn’t anything on it that was compelling us to order. Given their robust dinner menu, and the restaurant being dairy, this is something they need to take advantage of and enhance.

Dinner for 4 with tip was under $100.00. After paying the bill, the owner came out again to thank us and to seek any additional feedback.

All in all, a very good experience and a restaurant I would recommend going to.

Turquoise Kosher Fish Restaurant

189-23 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, Queens

718-776-7775

http://www.turquoisekosherfish.com/

Thank god its friday!

I’ve gained some weight these last few weeks as you can imagine, so I’ve toned done the eating out. My partners are starting the diet food delivery that believe it or not I’m still on four days a week (check it out at kosherdietdelivery.org)

We had to start their diet by feasting at ETC last night. Place was packed and they couldn’t give us a reservation until 9:30pm. The place was still quite full then. For some reason, we preferred that. I’d rather get closed out or pushed off from a local restaurant because they are busy then have it go out of business because they are slow.

As always the food was great. Didn’t really like the hanger steak but the peppercorn fillet was a great way to end the night after a Planning Board meeting and a closing with a Persian. The owner/ chef came around asking for comments and opinions which is always a good sign (PS he said Restaurant Depot does not sell Dr Browns diet soda hence he doesn’t have it).

I hope to spend more time jogging and less time eating over the next few weeks. Please keep the guest posts coming. There are a few new restaurants  recently opened or opening that I hope to check out and report back on.

Shabbat Shalom and Good Shabbos

Guest Post- Milk Street Cafe NYC

Years ago when we took a trip to Boston we stopped off at the Milk Street Cafe for lunch.  It was so tasty and we all asked why no one had opened something like it in NY.  Circa had tried but no one can top the original.

2 weeks ago I was in the Financial District with my son for a dentist appointment and asked a friend where I could take him for dinner and he suggested the Milk Street Cafe.  It is easily located at 40 Wall street, Trump Tower.

Even better than its Boston location this store had several stations that can make everyone in your family happy.  When we first walked in we walked around to see all our options as there were many.

Dairy Salad Bar

Meat Salad Bar

Panini Station

Meat Station

Asian & Sushi Station

Barista Bar

I went with the Asian station and had a piece of salmon, stir fried vegetables and rice.  My son toured all the stations and wanted to start with french fries and a roll.  The salmon was so tender and delicious I took some home for the next day.

Afterwards my son enjoyed a smoothie and sampled many of their desserts.  The place was clean, and well staffed.  Everyone that worked there was more than happy to help and answer any questions.

I stopped by the next week for dinner and got a Rockfort Salad for dinner and picked up another salmon with vegetables for the next day lunch - all delicious, looking forward to not being there on the nine days so I can check out the meat station

I went back again the next night and picked up dinner and a salad for the next day.  The salad was so fresh that the next day it tasted like it was made minutes before.

Yes a glowing review but as I said Milk Street does it right.  Best part I think is that they serve both meat and dairy - everything  is given out in take out containers so if your husband wants meat, you want a great salad and your kids want sushi you can all be happy in one place at the same table.

Easily accessible by train and there is a parking lot in the next building.  Daily specials are listed on their website.  We have not yet sampled their catering menu but it was not hard to convince my office mate that next months office lunch should be ordered from Milk Street.

Milk Street Cafe

Manhattan

40 Wall Street

New York, NY 10005

Phone: 212-542-3663

Boston

50 Milk Street

Boston, MA 02109

Phone: 617-542-3663

http://newyork.milkstreetcafe.com

Who can think of food?

Spent Saturday night at the office and at Sammy's (interesting comment for another time) and yesterday at visiting day.

As we gear up for a fast day, I have no reviews today. As tomorrow is the day to dream of food, please send me your guest posts!

Sammy’s Bagels update AND Mikes Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen

I am pleased to announce that Sammy’s Bagels has finally stepped up to the plate and changed their layout.

The bagels are still where they were, but the register was moved to the end.

The soda fridge was moved to the end of the store. Basically, opening more room, if that is possible. No more gauntlet!

It felt a bit roomier, but they still have yet to get that Mr. Clean down pat. But hey, one step at a time..

In addition to the breaking news, I tried to meet a client for dinner on Wednesday night in the City. As it is the nine days, I couldn’t even get a place on line, let alone a table at Noi Due on West 69^th St (in the same building as where Levana’s used to be). From what I heard, the line was appropriate as the place rocks. Guess that will have to wait.

After trying My Most Favorite Foods new location on West 72^nd Street with the same outcome, we settled on high end Mike’s Pizzeria on Amsterdam and 92nd. As most people know, when you walk into any pizza store, you don’t look at the menu board. You look at what’s on display and what appears to be fresh rather than leftovers from the old kosher shop in Chernobyl.  Not Mikes. They have a full menu of appies and pasta, in addition to a large fresh selection of personal pies. It easier to find oil in Israel than a fresh kosher personal pie in NJ, but if you head across the bridge and down to the Upper West Side, you can find it.

While short on tables, they have a good cleanup crew that will flip a table quickly and bring you your food after you order it at the counter. Drinks are great and meter parking lines the street at all times.

All in all, a great place to stop for a good quick meal with many varieties.

Mike’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen

654 Amsterdam Avenue at 92^nd St, NYC

212-362-0700

Shelly’s

You know the summer is in full swing when it’s time to start eating dairy for most of the 9 days.

There is no better time to head out to Teaneck’s dairy restaurants, which I am a big fan off (see Mocha Bleu and Rabica posts).

This past Tuesday night, I went out to Shelly’s. Having worked there beginning with their second day of operation back in 1993, and having met my wife there, you might think I was traumatized (my wife doesn’t read this - maybe now she will). Not at all. As my Amex bills will show, I am a big fan of Noah’s Ark and Shelly’s. I challenge anybody to name a better sit down place where you can get a deli sandwich with your kids, without caring what you wear, and never a worry if there will be a parking spot.

Back to Shelly’s. There is no better time to go than the 9 days (or Mother’s day). The menu is new, fresh and innovative. Since Noah’s Ark was closed, there was an abundance of servers/busboys/kitchen staff. So much so that I thought I was in an Ecuadorian town.  We ordered a great selection of appys, from cheddar and black bean stuffed potato skins to flat bread pizza.

For our mains, the sea bass melted in our mouth. We make it a point to order Mac n Cheese wherever we go. It takes a good chef to differentiate Mac n Cheese from Wacky Macs. This one hit it on the spot. The tuna tostados were spiced to perfection that even a non-fish eater would try them.

While we wished they had more ruggies for dessert, I probably don’t need any more of those after living on them for most of my teenage years. The mousse on a plate of brownies was clearly not on my diet, but definitely one of the upsides to going to a dairy place.

And thankfully, they had diet Dr Browns. Makes the mac n cheese go down healthier.

I tried to make sure the bathrooms were clean, but there was a line.

All in all, a great meal at an affordable price ($172 with tip for four people).

Shelly's 482 Cedar Lane, Teaneck

201-692-0001

http://www.shellyscafe.net/

Shelly's and another Guest Post- Chai KO

I had a great 9 days meal last night at Shelly's and will be back tomorrow to write about it. I'm in the field all day, so enjoy a Guest Post regarding Chai Ko on Cedar Lane

So the wife and I decided to use the Nine Days Kosher Kouponz $12 for $20 deal tonight at Chai Ko.  Previous experiences were underwhelming when compared to classic Esti Hana, particularly on the meat menu.  The honey baby ribs, shredded crispy beef, and steamed beef gyoza at Chai Ko don't match what I remember from my single days on the UWS at Esti Hana.  But this time, we stuck with sushi, and were impressed.  We shared the Godzilla, Tataki, and Volcano rolls, and all were well made and tasty.  Avocado was fresh and green.  The tempura was not greasy.  The volcano roll had a pleasant lemon or lime note that brought the dish together.  The simple California roll was fine too.  Chai Ko sushi tonight was better than Sushi Metsuyan, who have gotten a bit complacent.

Perhaps the difference was that the guy from Esti Hana was at the front desk tonight.  Or maybe the negative reviews finally forced them to get their act together.  In any case, Chai Ko is now worth another look.

Chai Ko- 515 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
201-530-5665
www.chaikotapas.com/

Guest Post- Clubhouse

I have been swamped at work the last week or so and sadly have not made it out to eat. Thanks to the readers who have sent me great guest posts and I apologize to those who have been suffering from withdrawal from my combination of sarcasm and kosher food. I will be out to eat soon!

Guest Post:

Well… word on the town is mixed for this little hole in the wall (literally- the restaurant is situated in the original walls of the building – look carefully when you are there and you will see the joints in the brick) just across the street from the famous La Marais steakhouse.  Opened by the same owner, but lacking much of the finesse, atmosphere and service of the former, Clubhouse Café is, well a Café.  The music is loud and usually good (though the night I went it was off for most of the meal and when it was on it was sappy elevator music.)  The menu is very short, pedestrian and unimaginative with a serious lack of variety but every single thing you will order is good.  I had the grilled tuna steak which was fresh, perfectly done and well flavored.  The sliders are always a hit and the salads are crisp and flavorful.  The hangar steak was very well done also.  No quibbles about the taste of the food; It is perfect for grabbing a quick bite if you are in a rush, or can’t get seated anywhere else, or you’re looking for SOMETHING edible late at night in NYC…

The prices are not café priced.  They are slightly below La Marais’s…

Clubhouse- 155 West 46th St, NYC
212-354-3838
 www.clubhousecafe.net

Guest Post: SOLO NYC

I liked the atmosphere of solo, not as cramped as prime grill.

Appetizers.. I had the veal sweat breads..it was good, not great and the portion was very small for being the most expensive appetizer..$24. I would not order it again if I went back. My wife had the Solo Porcini Mushroom Velouté (soup) which was fantastic and a generous portion. 

The main dishes..I had the Cowboy steak..hands down one of the best steaks I've ever had! nice size and every bite was amazing. My wife had the short ribs, also delicious. I just had the leftovers for lunch.

Desert...I had the Passion Fruit Meringue..it was awesome! a great cold desert..Wife had the Molten Chocolate Cake..same like everywhere else. 

All in all, it is pricey but the food was excellent...I would though ask people which appetizers are worth getting before you go and please get the cowboy steak! I would definitely go back!

Solo

The Sony Building @ 550 Madison Avenue
212-833-7800

ETC Steakhouse

  

I went out with my wife to ETC Steakhouse in Teaneck this past week.

ETC makes you proud to live in Teaneck. I must admit that when it first opened I gave it six months. I figured, who would want to spend those prices for a Teaneck steakhouse when you can go to the top tier places in NYC for only 15% more.

Boy, was I wrong.

The first thing they did right was run some massive online coupon promotions. They participated with every known provider and gave some serious shekels off the bill. That brought them instant cash flow (since you prepay for them) to make sure they have a spotless, immaculately renovated restaurant.

Their menu is concise and ever changing. The staff is young, but professional. They are well groomed, identically dressed and they actually look like they care. It's not the standard Israeli girl with a low cut shirt and 4 earrings doing you a favor in between chatting with her friend at the register (see Sushi Metsuyan if unsure).

The place was packed and people were turned away. I didn’t recognize many of the people in there, and thought I smelled a little Monsey, which is how you know it's doing well when people travel to Teaneck to pay those prices.

Many people have told me they like ETC because it is the same quality as the top tier NYC shops without the schlep, tolls, gas, parking and 2 more hours on the babysitter clock. Add that to the coupon and you’ve got a great meal at a great price.

A warning - stay away from the “fillet.” It's a generic piece of meat with little flavor meant to appease the picky people. If you want to taste some great food, go with the favorable three peppercorn steak. Anybody who eats there knows that the chocolate ribs are a must.

The dessert menu is one of the best around for a meat establishment. Not only that, the chef changes up that part of the menu too. No need to stare at the same cement based cake on the menu any longer!

One other disappointment - can it kill them to have some more diet drinks on the menu? Thanks for offering Dr Brown’s, but did you know they sell diet too?

ETC Steakhouse-

http://www.etcsteakhouse.com/

201-357-5677, Palisades Avenue, Teaneck

Guest Post- Prime KO Japanese Steakhouse, Upper West SIde

This is my busiest week of the year (7/31 deadline). I had a great meal at ETC Steakhouse last night with my wife and I will write about it tomorrow. Until then, see this Rockland County guest blurb re Prime KO, Prime Grills upper west side steakhouse.

The venue was overpriced with small portions and no side-dishes come with the entree (except 1/2 a broiled tomato and some bitter Japanese lettuce herbs).

We shared a salad for app and had steaks (I had the 60 day aged 14oz and she had 8oz, turned to 4.5 oz after grill).

We left hungry and I wanted to go to Abigails for dinner following our meal.  Though the ambiance was classy and the waiter was helpful explaining the Asian dishes, I would not go back.

Guest Post- Prime Grill (it was only a matter of time...)

Guest Post from Upper West Sider

The Prime Grill has maintained its renowned name as the premier Kosher steakhouse in NYC for a number of years.  Now, with the “Prime Hospitality Group’s” expansion – Prime KO, Solo, upcoming Prime Butcher, etc. – it’s clear that they have the right idea.  With its Plaza District location, conveniently situated down the block from Saks Fifth Avenue, it’s literally at the epicenter of one of the most financially concentrated 2-mile circumferences in the world.

I always have a difficult time justifying going to Prime Grill.  At $150 a head, at least, $45 to park my car and to still barely hear what the person next to me is saying, it’s not a top NYC restaurant choice for me.  But, at 6PM on a summer Sunday, it provided a different experience.

I was pretty shocked when the menu were placed in front of me.  Prime Grill still had those SAME light blue menus that they’ve had for YEARS?  Oh, and they’re binding is reinforced with gray masking tape.  Seriously?  I’m sorry, but masking tape and the price tags that are listed inside is just an oxymoron.

As always, the BBQ Duck Spring Rolls and Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna appetizers are unmatchable throughout the island.  The bread they serve on the table is good, but nothing to write home about.  Although, all bread tastes better with a glass of wine and some olive oil.

For the main, I decided to splurge and go for the famed New York Rib at $82, which supposedly is “dry aged for 60 days.”  The steak was definitely tasty and the warm steak sauce on the side was excellent, but it was not much better than a top of the line steak at any other greater NY area Kosher eatery.

Deserts were fantastic.  Tiramisu was something to rave about and you never go wrong with warm apple cake and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Service was excellent, but the person I was with goes to Prime Grill 3 times in a bad week, so my service gauge was biased.

All in all, Prime Grill is an excellent steakhouse (the “Kritic” may disagree, but they’ll chime in on their very special experience – hopefully – at a later point).  You need to know what times you can go so it’s not too packed and be prepared to refinance your home.  There are definitely comparable steakhouses that are a fraction of the cost and more convenient as it relates to parking and availability, but only Prime Grill has that “name brand” effect that many people are after.

Oh, and Prime Grill – get new menus, please!

Guest Post: Q Cumbers in the Five Towns

(Wonder if the FIve Town women also tell their husbands how busy they are doing the day like they do in Teaneck. After all, the lines to some of these stores can be worse then the FDR drive at rush hour. Have some pity!)

Okay – so we got ANOTHER lunch place for the ladies who lunch.  And there are many…. But this isn’t just another one another one, actually.  Qcumber’s was originally just down the Avenue, in Woodmere, where it sat quietly and unobtrusively.  The new location, down Central Avenue at the end of the commercial part of Cedarhurst, provides a whole new crowd of customers.  The Cedarhurst side of Central Avenue is far busier and home to the “ladies who lunch”.  Qcumber’s has the usual array of omelets, wraps, pizza, Panini, soups, salads and coffee drinks, albeit some very interesting ones, but their claim to fame, their door buster is the, wait for it “CREATE YOUR OWN SALAD”.  I am not being facetious.  This salad is the fave of all salad fans (and dieters/nutrionists alike).  You start with a choice of romaine, iceberg or baby spinach and then the toppings are endless.  And let me tell you, the choices at Qcumber’s are varied, unique and fresh! (try the grilled veggies….)  now, this isn’t the only place in town where you can get the “CREATE YOUR OWN SALAD”, but is the fastest, most efficient and freshest one out there! (and there are 22 dressing choices – enough to please even the most picky lady who lunches…)

Guest Post- Crunchies in Woodridge NY ("Upstate" for all of us Jersey people)

So it seems that the thursday night scene has picked itself up from Woodbourne and plunked itself down in Center1. For those of you not familiar with Center1 it is a strip mall in Woodridge NY that houses Buy Rite supermarket, Strauss Bakery, Wigs by Penina, Toys 4 U, Crunchies, and Purple Pear North. This past Thursday night you found Na Nachs selling flowers, girls and boys trying not to mingle for fear of getting kicked out of camps/schools, Chassidish families of at least 8 kids in tow buying groceries, and regular people like me trying to get a bite to eat.

Crunchies is the 'scene to be seen.' In addition to their regular menu they also sell Pomegranate dips, salads, and cold cuts for Shabbos. We walked in and the line was to the door. The line moves pretty quickly, especially since you're schmoozing with people you know since everyone is there. The menu consists of different type of shnitzel subs and sandwiches, salad platters, plain chicken platters, sides, and specials. I was a bit disappointed as they did not have any of their specialty drinks which the cashier said 'is coming soon for the summer.' According to my calendar the summer is halfway over and you should have planned that way in advance. After you place your order at the register you walk around to the side counter where you wait for your number to be called. Once they call you they make your sandwich right there infront of you. They have a vast array of condiments and sauces you can choose to put in your sandwich. I had ordered a 'carribean shnitzel' which is shnitzel and fried pastrami as well as their special crunchy fries. I was notified as the guy was making my sandwich that there were no more crunchy fries but would I like cajun or sweet potato instead? A little disappointed, I chose the sweet potato fries instead. My husband had a side of wings and a super spicy chicken wrap.

The food was plentiful and really delicious. We both enjoyed our meal and the food was really fresh, A+ for that.

Cleanliness however, was a little lax. When we sat down there were drinks leftover from the previous patrons and the ketchup needed to be wiped down. When I flagged down a worker he came right over and cleaned the table.

Overall, great food, fast service, and although the cleanliness was a bit on the weak side it's a great place to go for a good schnitzel sandwich.

Crunchies Deli in Woodridge, NY (845) 436-6600

It's the weekend!

Actually ate dinner at home last night before going back to the office! Was great!

Guest posts inbound from ETC, Sushi Metsuyan and Cucumber in the Five Towns and the Purple Pear upstate.

Please email me your guest reviews or other comments to thekosherkritic@gmail.com or comment on the blog below

Enjoy the weekend

Some quick meals and a Guest Post

Over the last two days, I had some quick meals that I wanted to mention, as well as a guest post.

I must commend Mocha Bleu for their hours on Tuesday. As many of you know, it was a fast day and many stores did not open at all. Mocha Bleu actually stayed open one hour late until 10pm, allowing for people to come out and break their fast. As always, the service was great, although they ran out of the bottles of French lemonades, which I love.

Last night, I met two partners at Burgers Bar as they hadn’t eaten (I had some sushi from Sushi Tokyo in Flatbush, but that’s for another day....). The smell in the back of the store was worse than a Washington Heights basement. We still ate there as you see the food being made in front of you by ex-givati soldiers using gloves. Still, not a good thing..

On to a guest post on Grill Point in Kew Gardens..

I just ate at Grill Point on the corner of Jewel Ave and who knows in queens - all I can say is, grimy, greasy and all out awful.

I was basically sitting at the table of the people behind me.

The portions were large, but who wants to eat babganuch, matbucha salad, israeli salad and eggplant without pita bread - I ordered a salad platter and it came with no bread!

My husband asked for his entree as a sandwich - it was $17 even though the waitress said $14!

I left feeling like a grease ball. I'm a vegetarian but even the salads were heavily oiled up.

All in all- never going back!

Blech!!!!!!

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Abigael’s

I had a business meeting in midtown last night. I was excited to go to Abigael’s as I have not been there since they renovated.

Over the last ten years or so, Abigael’s has been, hands down, the best overall kosher meat restaurant. By overall, I mean it may not have the best steak, but when all factors are taken into consideration - hours, selection, parking, appies, specials, seat availability, etc. – it ranks the highest.

The one issue many people had with them was that it was getting old. They have tweaked the menus multiple times over the last few years, but it still had the same tired feeling. The renovation, in my mind, fixed that. Though nothing too spectacular, new entry floors, paint, wall fixtures and moldings gave it a more modern appearance instead of looking like the Russian Tea Room. That was all it really needed.

Though I wasn’t in love with my steak, I fault myself for not inquiring if there was olives in the ragout that it sat on.

I need not evaluate the appies, since anybody who eats kosher knows they have the best selection (hungry for a brisket egg roll yet?).

The alcohol selection is always ample, and the service, though not at its peak, is okay. They seem to have many more busboys nowadays instead of waiters, but at least there is a crew on the floor.

The one issue I have is bread. By far, Abigael’s provides the BEST bread on this side of the Atlantic. Problem is getting it. More often than not they don’t bring it. My self-control ( the little that I have) stops me from asking, but really? It’s not like I don’t over order. It’s just pure sloppiness. And if it is a policy of theirs not to offer until asked, shame on them.

Desserts need to be changed up. It’s been at least ten years since they lost their Pastry Chef, but I’m sure they can figure something out.

All in all, as usual, the place rocks.

Abigael’s on Broadway

1407 Broadway, New York, NY 10018

212-575-2584

www.abigaels.com

Rabica

I went with my kids to Rabica last week. I truly feel it’s one of Teaneck’s best restaurants.

For starters, the place is VERY clean. The bathrooms are spotless and well equipped, which is especially important when I had to take my younger daughter twice.

Service is usually good, although on Thursday, it was particularly great since it was only 6pm.

The appetizers are good, though the menu overall is getting tired. It hasn’t been changed in years. Same for the mains. I think there is a limit to how many times people want the same product over and over again, so after a while, they just stop coming as frequently.

Their desserts are Teaneck’s best. Hands down. They claim they import the cakes from Israel. I really want one of each every time I go.

They make incredible fresh lemonade. The only problem is they REFUSE to sell it to me in any portion larger than a glass. At $3 a glass, I can drink $15 worth. I see no reason why they can’t sell it in a carafe size.

The best part of the meal is the price. It still is one of the most reasonably priced dairy places around.

Cleary the best bang for the buck.

http://www.rabicacafe.com/

192 West Englewood Avenue, Teaneck 201-297-7558

La Carne Grill

Sorry for the missed day yesterday. I wished I missed it in full as well, not just on this blog.

On Wednesday evening, we found ourselves in midtown at 5pm and decided to go to La Carne for dinner ahead of a meeting.

Bad choice.

For starters, as many of you may know, NYC’s Health Department now gives letter grades that must be posted prominantly outside each food establishment, similar to Los Angeles. (See http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/rii/index.shtml for a very easy lookup page).

La Carne scored a “B.” I should have never stepped foot inside. (A few minor issues like a missing permit.. Oh, and “Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.”) Thankfully I didn’t look up the reason for the grade until after i left.

The place was empty so obviously the service was good, but that’s where “good” ended.

The bread is commercial grade that you can get in any restaurant and not worth the carbs. Thankfully I resisted.  

For the appetizers - the duck spring roll appies were excellent. The merquez itself was great, but the pilaf it was served over was completely burnt flavored and uneatable. The fish pasties were nothing special.

For the mains, the duck was okay- not a stand out dish as it used to be, but not bad. The steak special that we had was unremarkable that I don’t even remember what it was. For our third dish, we had short ribs, which were just gross. (Sorry to my father who used to say “Don’t talk about food that way. If you had no food I bet it wouldn’t be gross”). The sides  of onion rings and avacado mashed potatoes were great.

Bottom line- I have not been there in several years, and for good reason. Sometimes you just need a little reminder. $225 later, I’m definitely reminded.

They're lucky I wasn't the one rating the place because a B would have been generous.

Guest Post- Bistro Grill French Steakhouse

In the field all afternoon yesterday and this morning. Dinner at La Carne was a major disappointment- full write up tomorrow. For now, guest post on Bistro Grill:

For those of us out in Long Island who have wined and dined in the City to excess… we have found a home in Bistro Grill in Woodmere.　 This "best kept secret" steakhouse is always full.　 Almost any night of the week you will find yourself hard-pressed to get a table without reservations.　 The service is quick, the food is excellent, elegant and pleases all.　 PLUS the prices are slightly better than a City steakhouse.　 A glass of wine will cost you about $8…. The entrees are priced between $21.95 and $36.95.　 There is the pricey Bistro Grill Delmonico topping out at $46.95.

The steaks are cooked to perfection, the salads are great- try the Grilled Portabello Salad- each bite has a burst of fresh tangy flavor.　 The Peking Duck Spring Rolls are a big hit as an appetizer. 　　Even the Fish entrees are great with a variety of different flavored sauces and interesting sides.

There are even a few kid-friendly items that are well-priced.

It can get somewhat noisy, as most steakhouses can, though it is far less painful then a certain well-known steakhouse in Manhattan where you may as well introduce yourself to the table on either side of you because you will be sharing the meal with them…

　

Bistro Grill French Steakhouse: 1034 Broadway Woodmere, NY 11598 516-374-7772

Seasons of Manhattan

Seasons of Manhattan catered the Yavneh Golf Outing yesterday at the North Jersey Country Club.

This being their first year (I believe it was Prestige the last 5 or so years), I was going to cut them some slack, but I quickly realized that wouldn’t be necessary, the job was excellent. As I do not golf and hope to never try again (5 hours standing around taking a few swings? Makes a half marathon sounds fun), I am told it was a great event.

The food was high end, as is the event as a whole. I would have liked to see more hard core food at the cocktail hour (face it - at 5pm, do you want potatoes and caviar or some meat?), but there must be something about caviar and golf that is above my pay grade.

I was told the breakfast and on-course BBQ were great. The alcohol was plentiful, but I don’t drink to comment (and scotch 11AM on Monday morning is just wrong).

All in all, I thought I would have more to write, but apparently, my heads up in Mondays post had Amir working his hardest (unlike Eden Roc Pesach 1997 where I had to cover him J)

Tonight - business dinner in midtown - where to go? Drive to Noi Due, Prime Ko or walk to Wolf and Lamb? Please let me know….

Weekend Roundup

As always, great Shabbos meals by my wife. Worked Saturday night and ended up at Sammys for pizza at 12:30am. You would think there are no kitchens in “the apartments” as the place, both inside and outside, was a YU-Stern young couple marriage fest - 21 year old married kids all over the place. (Don’t we all remember those days - man was life easier)

As usual, the food was excellent, and since Yossi (the owner) is now back from Israel for the summer, the place runs great. Proved the point about absentee food business ownership.

Had a great BBQ Sunday afternoon by my friend’s (somehow I don’t think I was supposed to eat three burgers, but who can resist sautéed onions in your burger?  I know I can’t) followed by the One Israel Fund tasting event.

Sushi and fruit were great. Eden Wok is usually on the money with their sushi, and Michael W. can cut up fruit like I showed him 20 years ago J (okay it was Tony Silvestri that showed him).

The wine tasting was one of the rare times I’ve seen a non-Baron Herzog/Kedem job in town. It was a selection of many non-mevushal wines, most not carried by Kedem, from a guy out in Long Island. I would have posted this last night, but didn’t want the Kedem crew to escort him out of town, or worse.

Today is the Yavneh Academy Golf outing - food has always been great and plentiful, hence I’m going late so I can keep my cholesterol low. Will be there by 4pm to check out the new caterer this year – Seasons of Manhattan – review to follow.

Enjoy the day and please send me any comments, guest posts, etc., either on the blog or to thekosherkritic@gmail.com.