New York City 2025 Travel Log: Shack Stack, Fries, and Strawberry Milkshake from Shake Shack

Shack Stack

The perfect post-concert meal: A Shack Stack with fries from Shake Shack. (And a strawberry milkshake on the side. You know, to help soothe your throat after 2 hours of screaming.) 

Shake Shack (Flatbush-Barclays Center)

170 Flatbush Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11217

(347) 442-7711

New York City 2025 Travel Log: Margherita Pizza, Fried Calamari, and Fried Mozzarella-Stuffed Mushrooms at Patsy's Pizzeria

On this trip to NYC, I really wanted to get some New York-style pizza. Of course, there are hundreds of pizzerias in Brooklyn alone and New Yorkers have very extreme opinions on which one is the best, but I am neither a New Yorker nor a pizza snob, so after nearly four hours of waiting to get J-Hope merch in the cold, we decided to go to the historic Patsy's Pizzeria, which is very conveniently across the street from Barclays Center.

Margherita pizza
Fried calamari with shrimp
Fried mozzarella-stuffed mushrooms

We were quite ambitious and ordered the Margherita pie, the fried calamari, and the fried mozzarella-stuffed mushrooms. My food baby was definitely substantial afterwards, but my god, this lunch was spectacular. Not a crumb was left. (Well, Iris did leave a bit of crust left, but she did her best!) Not sure how Patsy's now ranks among New York pizzerias, but there's a reason why they've been around for nearly 100 years (and has 12 locations across NYC for your pizza-eating pleasure).

Patsy's Pizzeria

450 Dean St.

Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 622-2268

New York City 2025 Travel Log: Patty Melt with Fries and Passion Fruit Tajin Icebox Pie at Kellogg's Diner

As I knew we would be arriving in Brooklyn near midnight after a full day of work and not enough time to eat dinner before flying (and not wanting to eat at the airport), I did some research into eateries that would be open late. Our top contender was Kellogg's Diner, a classic 24-hour American diner in Williamsburg that's been open since 1928. 

Patty melt with fries and a pickle
Passion fruit Tajin icebox pie

I decided on the patty melt, which I had never tried before, but it seemed like the most quintessential American diner dish I could get (you know, based on whatever American TV shows and movies I've ever watched). It's basically a hamburger-grilled cheese hybrid with caramelized onions and MY GOD, IT WAS INCREDIBLE. I don't know how I have lived up until now without ever having tried one, but needless to say, I will now obviously be on the hunt for patty melts in Toronto. For dessert, we shared the passion fruit Tajin icebox pie — imagine a lemon meringue pie with the graham crust of key lime pie, but then take out the lemon curd and replace it with passion fruit curd instead — which hit all the spots. It was sweet, tart, and tangy, with just a hint of salt in the the crust, and it was the perfect ending to our meal. Chill, relaxed ambience and outstanding service, too.

Apparently, this place had gone really downhill over the years but is now having quite the comeback after ownership changes and a major revamp. If the sheer amount of filled tables at 1:00AM on a Thursday is any indication, this place really is definitely worth visiting — at least for late night eats.

Kellogg's Diner

518 Metropolitan Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 782-4505

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 3 — The Quintessential NYC Brunch at Parker & Quinn

A little Sunday brunch at Parker & Quinn before heading to the airport:

Smoked salmon platter with dill cream cheese, tomato, red onion, capers, cucumber, and a New York bagel

Because did you really visit NYC if you didn't eat a lox bagel?

Parker & Quinn

64 W 39th St.

New York, NY 10018

(212) 729-0277

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 2 — An Epic Dinner of Brazilian Delights at Berimbau

My brother took us out for an epic dinner of Brazilian food at Berimbau:

Mussels: Mussels with bell pepper, tomato, coconut milk, and dende broth
Espeto de Cogumelo: Mushroom skewer with chimichurri and Brazil nuts
Feijoada: Black bean stew with smoked pork cuts, dried beef, collard greens, rice, and farofa
Costela Cozida: Slow roasted beef ribs with poached yuca, watercress, red onion, and chili crunch
Arroz de Pato: rice, duck confit, duck sausage, collard greens, Szechuan pepper, and tucupi
Sagu de Coco: Tapioca, coconut cream, cashew purée, and caja sorbet
Cheesecake de Caju com Paçoca: Peanut crust, cream cheese mousse, cashew juice jelly, and honey tuile

One of my favourite things about visiting my brother in NYC is trying brand new foods and cuisines that I've never tried before, and this is one of those times. My only experience with Brazilian food up until this point was the all-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ at Touro. Brazilian food in general just isn't that popular here, and definitely not outside of the Toronto downtown core. But man, the dishes we ate tonight were phenomenal. Inspired. Incredible combinations of flavours and aromas. I can't believe it took me 37 years to try this. This is definitely one of the most memorable meals I've had in NYC.

Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen

3 W 36th St.

New York, NY 10018

(212) 763-7121

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Relaxing Outdoor Brunch at Bryant Park Grill

What to do on a beautiful Saturday morning in NYC? Go for a classic American brunch with the whole family (including my 4-month-old nephew, who is adorably acclimating to the outdoors) at Bryant Park Grill:

Eggs Benedict

I ordered the Eggs Benedict, of course. Because when in New York, do as the New Yorkers do. 

Bryant Park Grill

25 W 40th St.

New York, NY 10018

(212) 840-6500

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 1 — A Feast of Japanese-Inspired Tapas at Class on 38th

My sister-in-law took us to a hidden gem called Class on 38th for a dinner of delightfully delectable Japanese-inspired tapas:

Crudo: Hokkaido scallops, Japanese uni, fresh and pickled chili, and shiso aguachile
Tataki: Bluefin tuna akami zuke, white truffle soy, shiso avocado, and truffle
Tomato Ohitashi: Japanese dashi pickled vine tomato, sweet savoury sesame, shallot, and shiso
Daily Special: Spicy bluefin tuna on Hokkaido milk toast with spiced mayo and jalapeño
Karaage: Crispy battered monkfish, mentaiko spiced mayo, shichimi, and matcha salt
Miso Grilled Cabbage: Twice-cooked Savoy cabbage wedge, red miso leek soubise, chili crisps, and chives
Salmon Ikura Kamameshi: Japanese Koshihikari rice with roasted Scottish salmon, ikura, mushroom, myoga, and shiso

Okay, yes, the portions are definitely on the smaller size for the prices, but everything we had was amazingly delicious, incredibly executed, and impeccably presented. Not really sure why they don't have more of a presence from street view — they have a plain black awning with only their logo displayed on the window so you don't even know it's a restaurant — but it is totally worth seeking out.

Class on 38th

55 W 38th St.

New York, NY 10018

(929) 292-0691

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 1 — A Mexican-American Culinary Adventure at Mexicue

Greetings from NYC! I am back after six months to finally meet my nephew, who is now four months old. (I gotta say, he is freaking ADORABLE, and I am not someone who cares for babies.) Anyway, being in NYC means dining exceptionally well because my brother is a foodie and always plans out some new and exciting eats for us. So for the first meal on this weekend's NYC trip, he took us out for some incredible Mexican-American food at Mexicue:

Grilled street corn with creamy chipotle, cotija, and chili powder
Charred jalapeño guacamole with house tortilla chips
Crispy Masa-crusted wild cod tacos in corn tort with citrus chili sauce, pickled onions, creamy chipotle, and salsa verde
Nashville fried chicken tacos in corn tort with creamy chipotle, and pickled peppers
Brisket tacos in grilled flour tort with cheese, pickled onions, Mexican BBQ sauce, lime crema, cotija, puffed quinoa, and scallions

As much as I love Taco Bell and Chipotle, this is what a true fusion of Mexican and American cuisines is. Mexicue puts Southern American twists on Mexican classics resulting in incredible combinations of flavours and textures made with the freshest ingredients. Highlights for me were the guac and the fish tacos, but I would easily re-order any of these. An exceptional spot for anyone looking for a more sophisticated Mexican-American food experience.

Mexicue

1440 Broadway

New York, NY 10018

(332) 249-8600

New York City 2023 Travel Log: Sunset Cityscapes

A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan after sunset

My brother's new apartment has some incredible views and it would've been churlish not to take some photos, you know?

New York City 2023 Travel Log: Day 3 — A Glorious Feast of Spanish Tapas at Boqueria

My brother got us a reservation for the Chef's Menu at at Boqueria, so for our last family dinner in NYC, we indulged in a glorious feast of Spanish tapas:

Tabla de Quesos y Embutidos: Manchego, Caña de Cabra, Jamón Serrano, Chorizo Ibérico, served with olives and pan con tomate
Patatas Bravas: Crispy potatoes, salsa brava, pimentón, garlic allioli
Croquetas de Setas: Creamy mushroom croquettes with truffle allioli
Croquetas de Jamón: Creamy Jamón croquettes with quince purée
Dátiles con Beicon: Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeón blue cheese
Brócoli con Ajo Blanco: Roasted broccoli, Marcona almond ajo blanco, sumac, raisins, and mint 
Bruselas con Chorizo: Brussels sprouts, Chorizo Palacios, lemon, and chives
Gambas al Ajillo: Shrimp, garlic, brandy, lobster reduction, and Guindilla pepper in olive oil
Paella de Mariscos: Bomba rice, monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels, saffron, salsa verde
Churros Clásicos: Traditional cinnamon-dusted fried dough with dulce de leche

Indeed, an epic culinary journey to Spain and back. Standouts for me were the patatas bravas, the croquetas de setas, the gambas al ajillo, and the paella de mariscos. I guess this just begs the question: Why do I not eat more Spanish tapas? 

Boqueria

260 W 40th St.

New York, NY 10018

(212) 255-6047

New York City 2023 Travel Log: Day 3 — A Little Midtown International Food Crawl

The best thing to do with a free afternoon in NYC when you just like eating? A little international food crawl across midtown:

Chicken tikka masala naan wrap from Mysttik Masaala at Bryant Park Winter Village
Adobada corn tortilla tacos from Los Tacos No. 1
Chicken and beef gyro platter from The Halal Guys
Kaya butter toast from Kopifellas at Urban Hawker

Everything was incredible, but especially those adobada tacos from Los Tacos No. 1, which are easily my new favourite tacos of all time. If the long line-up out the door on a super-cold November day is any indication, it's everyone else's favourite tacos, too. And speaking of international, I just gotta mention how crazy huge The Halal Guys have gotten. The first time I ever ate there was when I was visiting my brother in 2008. He was working at BlackRock at the time (which used to be located at Park Avenue Plaza), and he was like, "I'll take you to my favourite lunch spot." So we walked a few blocks to this little cart with a giant line-up and I was like, "Really?" And he just said, "Trust me." Indeed, the chicken and rice was one of the most tasty, satisfying, and cheap (it was $5 back then) meals I'd ever had. I went back a few more times on that trip. And since then, I have trusted my brother on all his food picks.

Mystiik Masaala

Winter Village at Bryant Park

W 41st St. and 6th Ave.

New York, NY 10018

(917) 438-5166

Los Tacos No. 1

Times Square

229 W 43rd St.

New York, NY 10036

(212) 574-4696

The Halal Guys

W 53rd St. and 6th Ave.

New York, NY 10019

(347) 527-1505

Kopifellas

Urban Hawker

135 W 50th St.

New York, NY 10020

(917) 769-5513

New York City 2023 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Chinese-Cuban Food Adventure at Calle Dao

My brother and I don't have a ton in common aside from our jowls and our lashes, but one thing we both appreciate is trying new types of food. Knowing this, he always tries to introduce us to interesting restaurants whenever we're visiting him in NYC, so he decided to take us to Calle Dao for Cuban-Chinese food:

Fish and shrimp ceviche with sesame ponzu and plantain chips
Grilled shrimp with garlic yuzu mojo sauce
Chicken empanadas with curry mojo sauce
Chimichurri pepper flat iron steak with white rice, beans, and maduros
Tofu stir-fry with shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, celery, and chili black bean sauce

Cuban food isn't that popular in Toronto so I'm not very familiar with it, but I thought every dish was excellent with marriages of flavours that are truly inspired. The ceviche and the chimichurri steak were stand-outs for me, but the tofu stir-fry — which I would never have thought to order because it doesn't sound particularly interesting — was surprisingly flavourful and aromatic. To be honest, I didn't think such a fusion existed, but I'm realizing that NYC has everything in abundance.

Calle Dao

38 W 39th St.

New York, NY 10018

(646) 476-5696