Kosher Kritic

By: Daniel Douek

Daniel may have completed his undergraduate studies at Yeshiva University, but he is still a student of great cuisine. By day he is a mild mannered employee at a large and growing internet company. By night he is a kosher restaurant critic with strong stances and an outspoken demeanor. He is, the Kosher Kritic.

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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