Boy, has 2015 been quite a year for Manhattan Digest! We passed our millionth view mark in November, got to interview some huge stars and of course we reviewed what is the best of the best in Manhattan! This is about digesting Manhattan, isn't it? So after a stellar year, and some pretty stellar places that we have sampled and enjoyed, we here at Manhattan Digest are giving you the best of the best from what we ate in 2015. Devour, check in, and be amazed by where you should stop into for the 2016 calendar year and beyond.
Where To Eat?
If you can't find anything delicious eat in New York City, quite frankly you need to get your head checked. Cuz you be cray! There are a zillion delicious places to eat here, you just have to find what works for you. Let's break it down by food categories.
If burgers are your style, the two places i would recommend trying are Whitman's Burgers in the Lower East Side, and Five Napkin Burger also located in the LES but also has another fantastic location in Hell's Kitchen. For the former, try their award winning "Juicy Lucy", consisting of beef short rib, pimento cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, spicy pickles and special sauce. Totally delicious. For the latter, go outside the grain (pun time!) and try their Lamb Kofta, which has lamb & beef ground with onions, garlic, parsley & spices, tomato, cucumber, pepper & onion relish & tahini sauce on a soft white roll. Not your typical burger per se, but is healthy and has a ton of spice packed into it.
Sushi is the quintessential food item for the everyday Manhattanite. And it is something we are always searching for regarding what is the best, freshest, innovative and tastiest types out there. Three recommendations for this kind of sushi that you crave would be Sushi Dojo, located in the East Village, Haru Sushi, which has multiple locations throughout NYC, and Azuki, which is part of City Kitchen, an elevated food court experience located inside Row NYC in Times Square. Some have delicious sushi rolls available at your disposal (Haru- Perfect Fantasy Roll, Azuki- Manhattan Roll) whereas Dojo is a bit more refined with their cuisine where you can get items like Salmon Roe and Nashu Nibitashi (Lightly fried eggplant marinated in Dashi). All are guaranteed good times in the Sushi and Japanese department.
For you Italian food lovers- feast on Olio e Piu, Bistango and Adoro Lei. Each have taken Italian Fine Dining and elevated it to where you feel transported to Italy itself. With items like Polenta alla Bolognese (Olio), Truffle Rice Balls (Adoro Lei) or Meatballs al Forno (Bistango), each place has got you covered with depth, taste, flavor, and more.
Tacos, tacos tacos! Who the heck doesn't love tacos? Well skip the long line at Chipotle and try these places out- Otto's Tacos, La Gringa Taqueria and Tres Carnes. Each goes outside of the "Gringo" route taken by putting a ton of fresh flavors inside their tacos and burritos such as Plantains, Brisket, Carne Asada, and so much more. All reasonably priced and great to go to with friends and family.
To finish a great meal there has to be some type of sweet dessert in the end. Three places I would highly recommend going are Schmackary's, H Bake Shop and a good ole staple in Manhattan... Magnolia Bakery. For Schmackary's, their line of cookies are simply some of the best I have ever tried (Maple Bacon for god's sakes is heaven), where as Huascar Aquino's H Bake Shop has the best of both worlds with his delicious cookies and incredible line of cupcakes (PB&J please). Magnolia has been a staple for people in NYC since the Carrie Bradshaw "Sex & The City" days and is widely known for their delicious cupcakes and my personal favorite... their banana pudding.
Other places that I would recommend to be a bit "all encompassing" include the absolutely delicious and fresh Brod Kitchen, which just opened up a brand new location right by NYU, Chalk Point Kitchen, a top 20 TripAdvisor restaurant who takes farm to table ingredients and elevates them to an insanely tasty level, and Bay Kitchen Bar, who has some of the tastiest seafood in all of New York City.
Don't just take my word for it. Next time you are in the mood for one or any of these places, check them out! Guaranteed you will have an amazing time. Happy Eating Everyone!
No comments yet