New York , Again 🇺🇸
Opening Letter by Robert Brown of Gastronomy Unbound :
I have only a handful of people I listen to for dining , recommendations, one of whom is Sultan. We became aware of each other
through our participation in the Facebook group Eatinerary. I don’t recall which one of us broke the bonds of Facebook to communicate one
on one, first through Messenger and then by email. But we had come to
realize that we had similar tastes and sensibilities in dining out.
A few years ago, after a robust email exchange, Sultan and his wife visited New York. I passed along the names of a few restaurants
that I liked over the years, which he actually took to heart. This pleased me since it’s rather deflating when someone ignores your
advice and ends up going to restaurants you would never recommend.
Although we didn’t dine together, we did meet for the first time at the Carlyle Hotel’s legendary Bemelmans Bar, followed a year later with a glorious lunch at one of Italy’s best seafood restaurants, La Pineta, on the beach in Marina di Bibbona, a 45-minute drive south of Livorno.
In the noisy information space of fine dining, operating with peak connoisseurship requires an open mind, the courage to take chances, considering contrary opinion and paying attention to people such as the far and wide traveler Sultan.
You don’t have to dine with him;
just read what he has to say & take it to heart
Robert Brown - Gastronomy Unbound
I’m blessed to have friends like Robert Brown, a Maverick Gastronome that I never second guess , who was kind of enough to write this lovely intro i had a pleasant occasion to meet Him & His Lovely wife at the Bemelmans , a Start of a True friendship.
My trip to New York left me with the same mixed feelings it always does.
I love the city. its energy, the constant movement, the feeling that something interesting is always happening around the corner. Yet at the same time, I find myself increasingly disconnected from many of its famous attractions. The tourist hotspots often feel like they exist for visitors rather than New Yorkers, and nowhere is that more apparent than in some of the city's restaurants.
Cafe Carlyle
I spent an evening at Café Carlyle , a classic Cabaret that transports you to another era. the atmosphere, the crowd, everything feels New York how we imagined it all the way from Dubai. The food is classic American bistro , thankfully it did the job well. No pretennces , No Caviars , Wagyu … its opposite of progress . It's simple food done well
Café Sabarsky 🇦🇹 🇺🇸
Robert’s recommendations have never let me down. One of them was tucked away inside the Neue Galerie. it felt like portal towards early twentieth century Vienna. Dark wood, elegant service, old-world charm. It isn't trying to recreate history for tourists, Places like that are becoming rare.
Le Coucou & Le Mercerie 🇺🇸 🇫🇷
Le Coucou was Another recommendation by Robert Brown , for me was easily the best restaurant I experienced in New York , In a city Refined French cooking, beautiful dining room, Excellent service , & it seems talent runs in the family. Rose Marie Aude, wife of Chef Daniel Rose from Le Coucou, opened La Mercerie. a romantic candlelit setting , I tried their beef au poivre which exceeded my expectations
Estela 🇺🇸
New York still rewards curiosity. You just have to look beyond the crowds. This place perhaps an outlier ? It categorizes itself as New American Cuisine , let’s assume it’s a thing , it was delightful nevertheless
Win Son - 🇹🇼 🇺🇸
One of the most charming places I’ve visited yet be it scallion pancakes , mochi donuts or even burgers … it’s a lovely canteen that feels millennial Taiwanese with a touch of authenticity
Rezdora & Ci Siamo 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Rezdora is owned by one of my favorite actors, Tony Shalhoub, & that it’s the only Emilia Romagna Italian restaurant in I know off in NYC was enough for me to like it , but it truly was delightful meal & for Ci Siamo , a typical American Italian by Hilary sterling , it was during Thanksgiving & a pleasant scene to see her dining in with her family while working
I Sodi & Carbone 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Places like I Sodi and Carbone reputations seem larger than the food itself. The cooking wasn't offensive, but imagine I-Hop in the heart of Tuscany … considering the difficulty of getting a table & the endless social media worship, they were simply put an expensive homeless people’s food
Altro Paradiso & Corner Bar 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Both of these places are owned by Estella Parent Group , so I thought of giving them a try AP was an American Trattoria , pleasantly surprised while Corner bar was what it was , a tavern ( bar food ) both serving their purposes and delivered a good meal
Lilia & Misi 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
there’s a bright side to every hype , albeit inferior to those in Italy but good enough to have a passable grade , these two American Italian restaurants are hard to book , nevertheless & to that note I think it’s not worth it , but setting this hurdle aside , it was as good as it gets at this genre ( Americanized Italian cuisine )
Red Hook Diner , Smashed , 7th Street & Minetta’s Tavern - 🍔 🇺🇸
Those are generally speaking solid burgers , I’m sure there are countless in NYC , my health doesn’t allow me to have an extensive search for them but I’d vouch for those any day
Rus & Daughter / Katz
The city tour won’t be complete without trying two Jewish staples , they may be Hardcore Touristy nowdays but to me it’s a better detour than Broadway or Statue of Liberty , and somehow they don’t disappoint
K’far 🇮🇱 & Eyval 🇮🇷
I decided to judge both sides on something less controversial: food. Having visited both restaurants, I can report that neither came out on top. Yemenite lattes and octopus kebabs? That’s an international disaster & certainly won’t ease tensions . once again, both the food & diplomacy failed to find common ground.
Chinatown ice cream 🇨🇳 & Los Tacos #1 🇲🇽
What makes New York special is its diversity. Despite the chaos it can sometimes bring, the city’s mix of cultures continues to inspire original ideas and unique concepts. Places like these could only have been born from Such cross roads
Pizza 🍕 🇺🇸 🇮🇹
Pizza became something of an obsession during my trips , I waited in the long lines at Lucali and made the pilgrimage to Di Fara. Both had their moments, but neither justified the mythology surrounding them… but some where harmless tourist traps like Joe's Pizza
Ironically, my most memorable experiences happened outside New York.
In New Jersey at Razza , as well as a trip to New Haven proved far more rewarding. Sally's Apizza, Modern Apizza and Frank Pepe delivered exactly what aficionados hope for, Distinct personalities.
For More on New York Pizza :
https://open.substack.com/pub/sultanalbanna/p/new-yorks-pizza-by-the-slice?r=5bb53y&utm_medium=ios
Pisellino, La Cabra , Levain & Librae Bakery 🇺🇸 🇧🇭 🇩🇰 🇫🇷
New York has no shortage of cafés, bakeries, and bars. We enjoyed Bar Pisellino for its croissant and hot chocolate, while the Danish-inspired La Cabra provided a solid caffeine fix, even if it no longer feels quite as sharp as it once did. On a more disappointing note, Librae Bakery, the Bahraini import from our side of aisle, was a letdown & so was Levain , but the latter compensated with a Good cookie
Yoshino & Sushi Noz 🇯🇵 🍣
As for their Japanese imports, they never truly captured the Edomae sushi essence. It was Japanese craft with Corporate America Greed. With customers Gushing & marveling at every mediocre bite , I felt the presence . Yoshino was Decent, NOZ had big problems , expensive for the poor quality, while the apprentices doing all of the work … Basically a Temu Sushi
The city remains one of the most exciting places on earth. But the farther I get from the obvious attractions, the more I enjoy it , the old institutions that refuse to change, those are the reasons I keep coming back.