I often get asked how I became a food writer. I don’t have a culinary degree, nor have I been a professional cook in any capacity.
I have an unabashed and unmitigated sweet tooth. To me, the ideal finisher to most meals is a bit of ice cream, and the ever-changing landscape of New York has evolved to fit a palate such as mine (or vice versa).
The South Asian food scene in New York isn’t just heating up; it’s truly hit a fever pitch. In a world where the New York Times calls Semma #1 on their top 100 restaurant lists, I think the cuisine has hit critical mass in its attention.
New York City is divided. It’s not something as simple as East Village versus West Village or Queens versus Brooklyn.
I don’t really assign the restaurants I review a rating, at least not publicly beyond a circle of close friends or family. It’s a habit I developed from my days as a film critic. How could I fairly rate a Marvel movie on the same scale as The Godfather or any other classic or groundbreaking modern film you would put in the top echelon of cinema?
Williamsburg has always been a neighborhood in conversation between old and new, between grit and polish. At Meili, that conversation takes a new shape, this time between Brooklyn cool and Sichuan soul.
Midtown Manhattan is not where I go to be surprised. It’s where I go for a function: a passable working lunch, mediocre midday coffee, and a predictable dinner. There are nice places, but many are large saccharine messes designed for client dinners and not a nice night out.
There’s no shortage of Indian food in New York, but finding Indian food with a point of view—that’s rarer. Some restaurants make you feel like you’ve traveled. Others, like Indigo, make you feel as though the chef has and if it wasn’t clear, that’s what you really want.
I hate the part of East Village near Stuytown. I know that’s a hot take as the East Village in general is a fun jaunt, but this specific section always feels like a part of town time forgot about and more specifically abandoned.
Stone Street has become one of my favorite little secrets New York City has to offer. While not being inherently hidden or a secret, I feel that it lacks the night life acclaim that other parts of the city hold.
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