Kosher Kritic

Koshertopia’s Kosher Kritic is known for her outgoing personality and craving to make a difference. When she’s not trying out the hottest venues that have a hecsher, she’s busy at her day job (but we can’t tell you what she does in an effort to keep her identity a mystery).

Shabbat Prep without the Prep: Finding those Odds and Ends

Monday, February 15th, 2010

So you have your meal planned out as far as your main dishes are concerned, but still need a little help with the odds and ends.  Well, if you’re on the Upper West Side, there are a bunch of places you can go to help you round out your meal.

If you need challah, you can run into several different places (Super Sol, Kosher Market Place, Fairway, etc.), but did you know, you can now can challah at Essentials located on the corner of 80st and Broadway?  Yep, they have a stand (randomly placed I must say) in the middle of the cash register.  But now it’s official – that place really does have everything!  And just some advice … if you’re looking to save calories, don’t do it here by going for wheat instead of egg challah.  Go for the goods and work out after Havdalah.

Now let’s say you’re looking for a nosh to serve while your guest are arriving.  I have to say, I love the peach mango salsa from Whole Foods served with Stacy’s pita chips.  The salsas are part of their “365” line.  If you want to try a few different things, then be creative with your salsas and pick up some scoop Tostitos.  Last week, I went with whole wheat Tostitos and snack practically flew off my table. If you want a healthier option, pick up any kind of hummus (Sabra is my favorite) and serve it with pretzel chips.  I served all of these things to kick off my last two meals and my guests loved everything!

If you feel like these winter days have you looking for ways to warm up, Zabar’s kosher soups in a jar are a must!  The chicken broth (regular or reduced sodium) taste better with some noodles or soup nuts thrown in, but they’re so easy to work with if you’re in the mood for soup.  They also have a vegetable option, which is seriously, out of this world.

If you need kosher desserts and like Babka, then let me introduce you to another reason to save up those calories for Shabbat.  Zabar’s makes a chocolate Babka that is so addictive.  I’ve had other packaged babka’s, but Zabar’s nails the sweet and moist combo that every babka should.  Check out Zabar’s and Co. located at 2245 Broadway and let me know what you pick up!

Another foolproof option for dessert is Sharon’s sorbet.  I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like at least one of the flavors they make.   Whether served with fruit or cake, you can’t go wrong adding a scoop from one of their pints.  Lots of places carry them, but you may not know the Price Wise located caddy corner to Essentials has them all the way in the back.

Now, before I let you get back to your menu, I want to share what I think is the best kept secret on the Upper West.  The Westside Supermarket located at 2171 Broadway is never crowded and less expensive than Zabar’s and even Fairway sometimes.  If you know you need every day kosher items, go here!

So the next time you need a challah, something sweet or another starter, don’t fret.  You don’t have to go far in the city to find places to help you with your last minute prep.

Tell me where you like to go to grab your odds and ends.

Shabbat Shalom,

KK

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Quick and Casual Lunch Options

Friday, January 15th, 2010

I walked into “NY Lunchbox” located at 255 W. 36th St. and immediately felt like I was in a hot spot on Ben Yehuda St.  Being that I eat in non-Kosher restaurants, I don’t always get the Jewish experience I did on that cold winter day. 

Let me set the scene: 

I walked in, there was a crazy long line leading to the register and a woman standing near me was talking on her cell phone; asking her friend, Rifki, what she wanted for lunch.   Before the woman placed her order (and Rifki’s), the woman in front of her studied the soups of the day and loudly asked, “Is the soup hot?”  I mean, where else on Earth do people ask if the soup is hot other than in a kosher place? I felt my grandmother’s presence with me at that moment.  She liked soup – HOT – too. 

The place itself is no frills.  I sort of felt like I was in a Jewish office and this was our commissary.  Or that I was in an airport and this was the one and only kosher kiosk.  The way it works when you get to Lunchbox is you stand in line, order and take your food out the door.  Or, you put your food on a tray and take it upstairs.  There is no so sign indicating where the line starts and the place is organized chaos at its best.  Soups, sandwiches, sushi, salads and amazing lunch deals are some of the things you’ll find on the menu.  You’ll also find a several people washing their hands, saying Birkat or davening Mincha — things I always appreciate and truly cherish when I’m in a kosher restaurant.  For that, I loved the place; however, I’m not rushing to pack my lunchbox there again anytime soon.  For under $10 I got their signature wrap, a drink and small salad.   I wish they let you mix and match your wraps because there were a few I wanted to try.  Whatever wrap you choose, you have to take both halves of it, which seemed silly to me.  In any event, the wrap itself was amazing.  It was sweet and soft and just out of this world.  What was inside it (tofu and veggies) was just so-so.   Overall, the experience was pleasant and their prices won’t break your break the bank.

On a day I didn’t feel like going anywhere to grab something to eat, I ordered in from Gan Asia.  I was really in the mood for chicken pad thai, so I ordered the dish their Web site claims to be a Thai favorite and steamed vegetable dumplings.  The dumplings weren’t cooked enough, so they were disappointing.  The pad thai was OK, but nothing special.  It was sweeter than I’ve had before, but it didn’t send me over the moon.  I’ve had other dishes from Gan Asia before (like their lemon chicken and chicken and broccoli — both were amazing!)  So, next time, I’ll skip the pad thai are go for what I know is great.  They’re lunch deals are awesome, though, so check it out in case you’re not into pad thai to begin with.

KK

Click here for the Lunchbox listing

Click here for the Gan Asia listing

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Chanukah Prep Without Fret at The Kosher Marketplace

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Whenever I pass by The Kosher Marketplace, I immediately think of Chanukah.  I ordered latkes from TKM  a year ago always think of the holiday when I’m on 92 and Broadway.   This year, as Shabbat rolled around, I decided to do my Shabbat Prep without the Fret “Chanukah Style” and returned to TKM to sample more of their dishes.   

Since I wasn’t making a meal, I didn’t feel the need to pick things that go together, so I ended up with a random list to say the least.  I started with a small container of frankfurters that were pre-packaged  for (think one long kosher pig in a blanket cut into small pieces).  They were just OK.  I have to say, I often feel the food at TKM that comes in the small plastic containers like the wraps, salads, pastas, etc., have a gourmet look, the way food does in Whole Foods and Wegmans, but it doesn’t always taste as good as it looks.   And even if something is really amazing, I feel like you need to be a millionaire to shop at TKM because you could buy a handful of items and drop $30 in a matter of seconds. 

After I perused to store two to three times, I made my way over to the meat counter.   I was torn between getting one of their premade chicken breasts or their crusted salmon and decided to go for the salmon.   Sadly, it looked amazing, but was a little too bland for me.   Their latkes, however, didn’t disappoint.    I bought two plain and two zuchinni and thought were great.  They were still small and still expensive, but they were as tasty as ever.  I bought a small container of meatballs , but made the mistake of thinking they were Swedish.   So when I got home and realized they were just regular meatballs in a marinara sauce, it didn’t really satisfy that craving.  I also ordered a jelly doughnut because it was Chanukah afterall.  It was good, but not as good a the bag of chocolate ruggelachs I’ve bought before from TKM.  Needless to say, I lived in the gym for a good week after my Chanukah trip.  And while everything was good, I don’t think my choices were worth the money or extra calories.

Happy Chanukah!

KK

Click here for the Kosher Marketplace listing

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Olympic Pita a Bust

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

On a Sunday afternoon, I decided to go to Olympic Pita for a late lunch/early dinner.  Breakfast and lunch make brunch, so I guess you could call this a lunner or a dinch?  Anyway, you know I like to say it how it is and all I can say after my meal at Olympic Pita is this place is a 5 out of 10 at best.  Formerly known as Baraca, Olympic Pita is located at 58 W. 38th Street between 5th and 6th.  So where do I begin?  The hummus was fine.  The babaganoush was fine.  The salad bar was fine.  The schwarma and fries were … you guessed it … just fine.  Nothing I ate was exciting or worth the calories.  Everything needed more flavor.  With that being said, if you love Middle Eastern food, but don’t like too much going on in terms of spices, you will LOVE Olympic Pita because everything is super bland.

The service was subpar, but comedic.  I explained I had never been to the restaurant before and the waitress was semi-helpful when it came to what I should order; however, when I went to the salad bar and came back with four different cabbages on my plate, it took several attempts before someone could tell me the difference between each one.  It turns out I had two cabbage medleys on my plate and two different coleslaws.  One coleslaw had mayonnaise and the other didn’t.  One cabbage had a lot of vinegar and the other one had less.  It wasn’t rocket science, although one waiter told me, “Two of them are red and two of them aren’t.”  Wow, thanks! I thought to myself.

The ambiance was fine, but nothing stood out as super romantic or cozy.  It was a cute place to go if you’re on a casual date or meeting up with a friend.  I’d say the place had a chic look and nice mood lighting starting around 5 p.m. The portions were very good for the price and I highly recommend getting the sampler for the appetizer because you get three little sides with the laffa bread, which is Olympic Pita’s version of a big pita.  Because I got to the restaurant before 4:30, I got to order from the lunch menu.  I ordered chicken shawarma and fries.  The portion was perfect, but it wasn’t worth finishing everything on my plate because everything tasted just OK.  The salad bar with all of the pickles, cabbages, slaws and olives reminded me of an old Jewish deli.  Had there been desserts spinning around in a refrigerator I would’ve thought I was in a Kosher diner for sure.  Alas, there were no spinning desserts, but I have to say, there was nothing on the menu that stopped me in tracks, either.   They have a huge sushi bar, tons of shish kebabs and if I had to do it all over again, I’d order the shawarma in a sandwich opposed to on a plate.  Perpaps the falafel would’ve been a better route.  I’ll keep it in mind for next time. It wasn’t bad by any means, so try it if you’re in the hood.  It’s a good deal.  Just don’t expect to be blown away.

KK

Click here for the Olympic Pita restaurant  listing

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Dining at Darna

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Darna, located at the corner of 89th and Columbus is the best thing to happen to the Upper West Side.  In fact, it’s the best thing that’s happened to kosher cuisine in New York.  From the authentic Moroccan recipes to the romantic décor, Darna has it all.  But what makes this place so special is the owner, Yehuda Avital.  Yehuda is one of the most charming, charismatic and philanthropic people you’ll ever meet.  Community means so much to him that he convinced the Orthodox Union to let him keep the restaurant open on Shabbat, so people with no Shabbat plans can have a place to go.  To know him is to love him – and his food!

As we’ve discussed before, I’m not going to be American’s Next Top Chef anytime soon.  So for $39.99 (+ tax and gratuity) you can have the most fun and filling Shabbat experience.  Whether you want your Shabbat meal delivered or you want to eat in the restaurant, Darna takes the fret out of Shabbat prep with just one phone call.  All you have to do is call in advance to place your order or reservation and you’re good to go.

The Shabbos menu changes, but usually includes the following starters hummus, Zaatar pita, baba ganouj, Israeli salad and tahini.  Challah, grape juice and soda are always included.  The starters are so good and filling, so you have to pace yourself.  I brought friends of mine to the restaurant a few weeks ago, and my Italian friend told me he had dreams about the baba ganouj after our dinner because it was the best he ever had!  I seriously alter my diet before a Shabbat meal at or by Darna.  Everything is so flavorful and you seriously feel like you’re in Morocca with every bite you take.  Onto the next course …

If you like salad, you are in for suc ha  treat!  The Shabbos menu includes the famous salad full of mixed greens, mandarin oranges or mangoes, pecans, cranberries and cherry tomatoes and a roasted red pepper vinaigrette – or my favorite — the Greek Lemon dressing you’ve ever tasted.  After the salad, it’s onto the salmon.

Darna’s salmon is baked in a Moroccan sauce and cooked to perfection.   I’ve been to Darna several times for Shabbat and have been to countless events that have been catered by Darna, so I’ve had many of their entrees.  When you go to the restaurant or order food for Shabbat, you get to choose a chicken or beef dish.  You don’t know what the dishes aer in advance, but they’re all amazing.

From the herb marinated skinless breast of chicken to chicken braised with preserved lemons, olives and traditional seasoning, the chicken dishes are out of this world.  Sometimes Darna serves pan fried chicken cutlets coated with their special herbed breading or their whole roasted Cornish hen stuffed with dates, almonds and mushrooms.   Whether you’re choosing between a chicken or beef dish you can’t go wrong.  And if you’re in a big group, I recommend getting enough of both for everyone to share.

The beef options range from braised short ribs with Harrissa sauce to ribeye steaks.  I’ve never had such soft beef in my life.  You barely need your knife at this place!  The entrees are served with rice or another side; but, if tajine chicken or beef is being served Mixed vegetables over couscous are brought out, too.  The chicken zohara is braised with preserved lemons, olives and traditional seasoning.  The beef tajine is a plate of tender beef cooked with dried fruits and almonds.  Both make me wish Shabbat was every day.

Cookies and fruit are also included in the Shabbat menu.  Bottles of wine are extra.

As you can tell, I LOVE this place  But, in order to have an experience as perfect as the food, you have to have any catering order in writing and go over every reservation in advance.  I’ve ordered dinners and found the dessert was missing or checked my credit card and found I was accidentally overcharged.  I know these things happen, but I’m just saying be sure you’re getting what you wanted to prevent headaches.  And when you make your order make sure you go over it with the person taking your order and get her name.  This way, you can keep track of everything in case something gets lost in translation.

I hope to see you dining at Darna one of these Shabbats.  There’s nothing like seeing the tables near you do Kiddush, motzi or break out into zemirote.  And by the time you leave, you’ll understand why I think it’s the best restaurant on the planet.

Shabbat Shalom!

KK

Click here for the Darna listing

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Supersol Saves the Day

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

When I walk into Supersol located at 661 Amsterdam Ave., I walk into my happy place.  Yes, the aisles are narrow and the place is usually crowded, but the food is always worth it.  I don’t love to cook, so when I prepare a meal, convenience is key.  Plus, I don’t like to daven over my menu when I’m food shopping; so, what’s so nice about Supersol, is that my favorite dishes are always in stock and I can get in and get out fairly quickly.   But that’s not even the pretzel on the chicken (opposed to the icing on the cake) – the best part about Supersol, is that you can order online and they deliver!

Now to help you with your Shabbat Prep, I’m going to share the menu I always put together when I’m hosting.  Over the years, I’ve tried a number of Supersol’s meats, kugel, challahs, desserts – you name it.  And I’ve found this list always makes the biggest hit with my guests.

My musts …

Starters:

Vegetables and Hummus – you can’t go wrong.  Pick up the baby carrots in a bag, some bell peppers, crackers or chips — Stacy’s Pita chips are the BEST! — and put them out with some hummus and drinks before your guests arrive.  If it’s a Friday night, your guests may have skipped lunch and be hungry from a long day and from being in shul.  So I think it’s nice to always have a little something out while you wait for all of your guests to arrive.  Plus, it’s not fair if you’re waiting for your last guest to come for your prompt guests to have to sit there hungry and thirsty.  Even if you just have pretzels and some sodas out, that’s a good start.

Deli Roll – this is HEAVEN on Earth.  I’m not kidding.  I just had this for the first time recently and I don’t know how I’ve made it this far in life without it.  Really, it was one of the best dishes I’ve tried in my LIFE.  Don’t walk – run to Supersol to try this now.   It’s a bit of a heavier dish, so if you have big eaters, starting with this will help fill them up.

The Meal:

Challah – I go back and forth between Zomick’s and Zadies.  But stay tuned for an upcoming post on the best Challahs in NYC!  (If you have any suggestions, please let me know!)

Gefilte Fish – you can buy this from the freezer or from the deli.  I go with the deli because I know I won’t cook it myself.  I love Supersol’s gefilte fish because it’s not fishy and even my friends who hate gefilte fish will eat it from Supersol.

Tuv Taam Horseradish – if you like horseradish, but don’t like the old bitter kind, try this stuff!  It’s awesome!  It’s sweet and has a kick.

Pretzel Chicken – This is also on my list of Top 10 Favorite Foods of All Time.  I have gotten every family member and friend HOOKED on this chicken.  Even my non-Jewish friends ask to come over to my place for Shabbat because they’ve become addicted, too.

Meatballs – I love Supersol’s meatballs, but I don’t always get them because they’re expensive.  If you’re not worried about your budget, then don’t go home without them!

Homemade Sweet Kugel or Spinach Noodle Souflee – The sweet kugel is always amazing and tastes incredible with the pretzel chicken because you get the whole salt and sweet thing taken care of.  The Spinach Noodle is very good too, but I recommend that if you’re serving Supersol’s plain grilled chicken, instead.

Homemade Cran-apple Crunch Kugel – Everyone always loves this kugel because it’s great on its own; but, it’s also so sweet it can be served for dessert.  It’s more like a cobbler than it is a kugel.   Delish!

Dessert:

Sharon’s Sorbet – These are always a hit because there’s a flavor for everyone.

Chocolate or Cinnamon Babka – I always associate Babka with Shabbat.  Yum!

This is my go-list when I know I want to have people over, but don’t have time to cook.   I never buy my fruits and vegetables at Supersol because they are SOOOOO overpriced it’s absurd.  Some of their prepared dishes, soups, side salads seem a little expensive for my taste, but that’s just the nature of kosher food shopping.  I wish Supersol had a club card and that members who spend x amount get a $10 coupon or something like that.  You can get a discount if you buy the MJE Express Card (for more info, check out jewishexperience.org).  But even so, the place is amazing.  It has a loyal following, but it’s not so crazy when you go shopping like it is in Fairway (I fear for my life in that place!).  But it would be nice if Supersol did more for the customer.  They offer coupons if you order online for the first time, but I really think they should consider doing some sort of rewards program.

So there you have it!  Let me know what your musts are when you shop at Supersol and what you think is a bust!

Happy Noshing,

KK

Click here for the Supersol UWS listing

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Estihana, Here I Come

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Estihana located at 221 W 79th St., is one of my favorite kosher restaurants; but, before I get to the incredible menu, let me say this: You must have very thick skin to order take out or delivery from this place!  Lamah? (Why?) You ask. Because when you call, you must be prepared for the main guy who answers the phone to treat you like you’re a telemarketer. Yes, that’s right. When you call to order food the guy basically acts as though HE just sat down to eat dinner with his family and YOU are ruining it!  He seems so agitated when he takes your order that he makes you feel like you phoned someone that is on the “Do Not Call” list.   But don’t worry.  There are one or two people who work there who are polite when they answer the phone.  And if you get the guy I’m talking about, you’ll come to terms with the fact that it’s not you — it’s him — and you’ll be able to refocus on what you want to order within seconds.

What you need to know next is that waiting for your food will be worse than placing the call for it.  But trust me, once you get your meal, you’re going to want to savor every bite.  You’re going to want to hold onto your fork for dear life –not just because the entrees are so expensive — but because the food is just that good.  Let me put it to you this way:  Have you ever gone to a restaurant, fallen in love with a dish and then went back to order the same thing — only to feel like it wasn’t as good as the first time?  That will never happen to you at Estihana.  I always feel like whatever I order is even better than I remembered it.

When it comes to appetizers, the egg rolls are my favorite. They are packed with flavor and cooked to perfection.  You can skip the salads with ginger dressing.  The dressing is watery and bland.  And if you love steamed dumplings, the dumplings at Estihana are just so-so.

If you’re in the mood for a chicken dish for dinner, you must get the Gomatori.  Think large chunks of white chicken meat, fried and cooked in the world’s sweetest and most addicting sauce.  The pepper steak is so incredible that after you’ve taken your last bite you’ll be craving it for a week.  And when it comes to dessert, the chocolate chip cookie explosion cake/ice cream combo will hit the spot.

I’m not going to lie. This place is pricey. But Kosher food in NYC just doesn’t come cheap. With that said, I give Estihana an 8 out of 10.

So, that’s all from me for now.  Let me know what you think is a must and what’s a bust when you check out Estihana!

Happy Noshing,

KK

Click Here for the Estihana Listing

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