xi'an famous foods

Let’s talk about a classic New York spot for delicious, fast-casual Chinese food, shall we? Xi’an Famous Foods, which has several locations around the city, is super popular for good reason. The chain of restaurants focuses on Western Chinese fare, and I’m particularly fond of their hand-ripped (or pulled) noodles! They’re perfectly tender yet chewy, and come offered in a variety of sauces and soups (think stewed oxtail, spicy beef, & pork belly). I’m partial to the spicy cumin lamb version: Xi’an’s wide hand-ripped biangbiang noodles topped with sauteed slices of spicy cumin lamb, seasoned with a proprietary sauce consisting of soy sauce and vinegar, and served in lamb broth. BRB, drooling!

For a tasty vegetarian option, definitely check out the spicy & sour spinach dumplings. These are classic boiled Chinese dumplings, stuffed with a filling of ground spinach, eggs, wood-ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles, and then wrapped with green flour wrappers made with spinach juice. They’re served in a sour and spicy sauce, and garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds- yes please! The spicy cumin lamb burger is another fave of mine- a bit different than your traditional burger, of course, but delicious nonetheless. I’m a big fan of the warm & crispy flatbread-like bun it comes on. Pro tip- get an order of the spicy cucumber salad, and add some to the burger for an extra flavorful meal! If you’re craving Asian cuisine in NYC, I highly recommend checking out Xi’an Famous Foods for a quick, comforting and satisfying meal.

bagelsmith

Oh, bagels. When done right, they’re so simple, yet so satisfying and delicious. Both my husband and I are huge fans of these carby, doughy rings of goodness, and since great bagels aren’t as easy to come by in LA, we always have to get our fix when back in NY. And yes, I did see the recent (albeit controversial!) New York Times article claiming that the best bagels are in California. I agree, you can definitely find good bagels on the West Coast. However, I think the big difference is that you can’t just walk out of your apartment and grab a delicious bagel down the block like you can so easily in many neighborhoods of New York City. Plus that New York water has to play a part, right?!

Anyway, Bagelsmith was our go-to neighborhood spot when we lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s simple, no frills, but always busy for a reason. Bagels are baked fresh throughout the day, and they have pretty much every flavor you could want. Not to mention endless options for schmears and toppings! For breakfast, I love a whole wheat everything with egg, avocado, fresh veggies, and hot sauce. But the sweet tooth in me also loves a cinnamon raisin bagel (how pretty is that swirl though?) schmeared with almond butter! Just depends on my mood I guess! The hubby’s order is typically what he calls a “double double double” – double sausage, double egg, double cheese on an everything bagel, and loaded with sriracha when eaten. Plus another everything bagel with sun-dried tomato cream cheese for later. The boy can eat! We always get a few bagels to take home as well, and then you can fix them up however you like. The more the merrier!

misi

Where do I even begin with Misi? This South Williamsburg beauty from celebrated chef Missy Robbins focuses on handmade pasta dishes and vegetable antipasti inspired by simple Italian cooking. That’s truly just it. The menu is very straightforward- ten antipasti and ten pasta- but everything is executed with such finesse, that it feels like a luxury dining experience. You may remember Chef Missy Robbins from Lilia, her in North Williamsburg hotspot in a converted auto body shop. She’s back with a bit simpler concept, but doesn’t skimp on taste or flavor. Misi had been on my husband’s and my must-visit list for some time now, but since we've been spending so much time in Los Angeles, we still hadn’t gotten the chance to stop by. Finally, on a recent trip to New York, we decided to walk in early on a Friday evening (risky with no reservation!), and were lucky enough to be greeted by Missy herself! After a private tour of Misi’s beautiful pasta room (check out my Instagram story highlights for more), we were seated at some of the best seats in the house overlooking the open kitchen, and started to devour the menu while watching the sunset over the Williamsburg bridge.

It was hard to narrow it down- so many dishes sounds appealing- but we ended up with three antipasti and three pasta! A nice, light meal for two people, no?! Scroll through the slideshow above for details on each dish, but honestly I’m not sure I could even choose a favorite. The raw fennel & celery salad with parmigiano & walnuts was the perfect light, crunchy complement to the garlicky, grilled runner beans. And as simple as the fettuccine with buffalo butter, parmigiano extra vecchio & black pepper was- wow- it truly blew us away. There’s sometimes nothing better than fresh, simple ingredients done right. Missy even told us that the fettuccine was the first dish created for the menu at Misi, before the restaurant was even open! Definitely a must-order if you’re lucky enough to go. We were both pretty full by that point, but I’m never one to pass on dessert, and once again Misi keeps things nice and simple. There are six housemade gelati available (plus the current off-menu pistachio!), as well as a nice offering of digestivi like grappa & amaro. We went with the super creamy pistachio gelato (loved the chunks of toasted nuts), as well as mint stracciatella gelato, which was smooth and refreshing, with just the right amount of mint infusion. We had such a delicious and memorable meal thanks to Chef Missy Robbins, I truly cannot thank her enough. The passion and care that goes into her food is evidently clear, and as a #chefswife myself, I respect her so much for that! Cheers to plotting our next visit sooner than later!

republic of booza

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I'm all about a new ice cream shop opening in my neighborhood, especially in the summertime! I'd been excited to try Republic of Booza ever since I first saw the signage go up a block from my apartment (dangerously close??) in Brooklyn. While you may assume Republic of Booza serves good 'ol classic ice cream, the decadent, frozen treat here is technically called booza! What the heck is booza? I had the same question. The 'original' ice cream, known for its elastic texture and resistance to melting, was developed about 500 years ago in the eastern pocket of the Mediterranean, and is super common in Lebanon and Turkey. This denser, slightly chewier cousin to ice cream gets its texture thanks to two key ingredients: sahlab, or ground orchid root, and mastic, a resin found in the bark of a tree exclusive to the Greek isles. The result is a truly creamy, flavor-packed dessert, with zero air pockets to be found. The owners like to think of it as "gelato on steroids", and I couldn't agree more. Republic of Booza offers traditional Middle Eastern flavors, like qashta (candied cream) and tahini mint chip, as well as American classics likes salted oreo and chocolate, and even some globally inspired takes like horchata de chufa and red miso! I highly recommend stopping by the Williamsburg store, and trying it out for yourself. Just look how pumped my husband is in the above photo- like a kid in a candy store ;) You may even get lucky enough to watch the spectacle of the booza being made, which involves the confectioner crushing the booza with a three foot wooden pestle and then stretching it with his or her hands! You don't see that at many other ice cream parlors!

golda kitchen

Okay, y'all- I'm going to go out on a limb and say I have a new favorite restaurant in Brooklyn. Golda Kitchen is an all-day New American café with the perfect touch of Middle Eastern flavors that serves some seriously tasty breakfast and lunch fare. Local, seasonal ingredients truly shine here, but one of major highlights for me is the beautiful case of freshly baked pastries! There are tons on offer each day, and the flavor combinations are equally unique and delicious. I wanted to try one of each on my recent visit, but managed to narrow it down to a pumpkin olive oil cake with labne frosting and a plum-soaked brioche with pistachios. Glory, were they scrumptious! Our savory dishes didn't disappoint either, and I loved my charred broccoli rabe plate with sweet potato, figs & soft-boiled egg. The sandwiches are pretty impressive as well, as you can see from the photos below. Talk about a mouthful!

Click through the photos to read more about our meal, as I honestly cannot say enough good things about Golda. Really dying to try some of their other goodies as well- how good does hot chocolate with malted tahini marshmallows sound?! Or romanesco & kale moussaka with egg & flax-pinenut streusel?? Or finally, how about persimmon & gingerbread cake with rye flour, whey caramel & labne?! I'm literally obsessed with all these flavor combinations, and cannot wait to go back to Golda again soon!

lighthouse

I'm all about a seasonal menu with tons of healthy, fresh food- even better if it's got a slightly Mediterranean vibe! Lighthouse is all those things and more, with a focus on sustainability and local produce! I was excited to stop in for brunch with some girlfriends recently, and I love the laid back feeling of home you get from the moment you walk in. The whole place gets tons of light from the huge windows, and there's plenty of outdoor seating as well, which I'm sure makes the perfect spot for brunch or happy hour come summer. We started with their signature freshly baked challah bread with housemade tahini and pickles. There's not much better than fresh baked bread, except when it's slathered in rich and creamy tahini. We chose an assortment of entrees, and I loved all the bright colors involved! From vegetable salads to grilled chicken bowls to chilaquiles to ceviche, there's certainly something for everyone! I really want to try the charred eggplant bowl with green coconut rice and tahini as it sounds totally up my alley, and I think my husband would be all about the duck pita with calabrian chili! Guess we will just have to head back soon :) Make sure to click through the photos for more details on our delish meal!