GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry

How was the trip, and do you have any recommendations?

Ignacio Mattos left in 2024, but it looks like an April Bloomfield-associated company took over the hotel last year. https://ny.eater.com/news/400744/april-bloomfield-corner-bar-nyc-restaurant-hotel-nine-orchard-mcguire-moorman-lambert

As someone who experienced anosmia and parosmia with my infection, I wouldn't be surprised if Covid was also a factor. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44187-025-00471-x https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/covid-chef-smell-taste-18152469.php

I would say maybe we ordered wrong, but when your menu only has four choices, and half of them aren't cutting it (just kind of boring bulgogi and Scoville spicy yet slightly bland squid), I'm not inclined to jump through hoops for a reservation or line up outside hoping to get a walk-in table with a one-hour time limit. The soup and banchan sides are mostly good, with a couple of letdowns (I get that it's a $36 set meal, but why is there mayo-heavy fruit salad?). The Carnitas Ramirez taco I had earlier in the day was far more memorable.

Even though the site has contracted in scope and feels like a shadow of its former self, I really enjoyed this longform piece from a freelancer. https://ny.eater.com/dining-out-in-ny/406875/johnsons-south-bronx-barbecue-what-to-order

Tejal Rao is based in California, I believe (hence the Spago review).

I would say $125 for a four-course meal in that setting, from a big-name visiting chef, is a pretty solid deal. Prices look comparable to Paris (the beef is €48 a la carte).

GC Oyster Bar feels obligatory, but Crave Fishbar also offers a pretty extensive selection (and there are a few locations).

Steven was encouraging us to get the ham and seemed disappointed when we chose the radish omelet instead. We were expecting a soft, folded French omelet but were happily surprised that it was a Spanish-style tortilla. I agree that the jin hua preparation is intriguing. The seasonal fruit the night I went was figs.

Might as well mention that Lei is a great time. Steven the somm is as affable as he is knowledgeable, and Patty Lee's cooking is a lot of fun. The sticky toffee rice pudding with condensed milk ice cream really is a stunner. I'll be thinking about it the way I've been thinking about Bridges' vin jaune gelato for the past year. Both the scallop crudo with lily buds and the celtuce with kombu gelatin, red wine lees vinegar, and crispy shallots are super refreshing. There's also a version of cumin lamb noodles that goes heavy on the dill in the best way. And the Doyers setting is charming, of course.

Priya Krishna called it New York's Most Exciting New Restaurant, but I found it kind of hit-or-miss. The good: snails in tamarind butter (though the snails were tiny); a thick, pounded-out slab of tuna crudo with golden raisin agrodolce; and the desserts (their pastry chef doubles as a server), including a high-walled pavlova filled with concord grape granita and a sticky toffee pudding that wasn't too sweet (though not as good as the one at Lei, which is made with eight-treasure rice pudding). The bad: a $40 stewed pork trotter dish that was all (tasty) gelatinous skin and no meat, and a tiny wedge of chanterelle toast where the mushrooms were drowned out by strong blue cheese. Waited 45 minutes before opening to get a walk-in seat. Probably won't go back unless getting a reservation becomes a little easier.

This just made me miss Box Kite and their crispy lichen sushi.

I haven't been since he moved from Harlem (so, years), but I have a soft spot for Kunihide Nakajima of Nakaji. And people whose opinions I trust have spoken highly of Shion 69 Leonard Street.

I almost always stop into Pizza Suprema when traveling through Penn Station. It's a really solid neighborhood slice in a very high-traffic area. Second L'Industrie but also Mama's Too around the corner. I think both are worth visiting. They're prone to long lines, but apparently, the trick is to order for pickup via the apps to avoid waiting. (Don't quote me on that...I'd look into it first.)

I'd also be remiss not to sing the praises of Gibeau Orange Julep. The hot dog was much better than I remembered. As a New Yorker who loves Gray's and Papaya King, this spot holds a similar place in my heart/stomach.