NYC Tastes

Working in Times Square just got a whole lot better last week.  NYC's newest food hall City Kitchen finally opened its doors and unleashed a slew of great food options.  There's a couple East Village favorites like Whitman's flipping their incredible burgers... ...and Luke's Lobster churning out all three of their rolls Lobster, Crab and Shrimp. One of my neighborhood favorites Ilili Box has all sorts of Mediterranean delights like their rich Duck Sharma, Phonecian Fries and crispy Brussels Sprout topped with mint yogurt and fig puree. Ramen fans won't be disappointed with Kuro Obi.  The Kuro Moderne from this Ippudo offshoot is just as porky and rich as the original and the fat, delicious Hirata Pork Buns make an appearance as well. Azuki has a long sushi counter at the end of the hall with fresh sashami, house rolls and salads. Plus there's all sorts of tacos from Gabriela's Taqueria including Al Pastor, Cr...

There's nothing better than spending a relaxing afternoon over food and Ilili is a perfect place for unwinding. The gorgeous room and soothing Mediterranean music make me feel like I've been transported to some exotic far off land.  The food is quite wonderful as well.  The last visit we started with the Manti- lamb dumplings with yogurt foam, tomato and pine nuts. I was expecting bigger dumplings but I loved how tiny and dense these were. The combination of spicy lamb and cooling yogurt was an excellent play on flavor and texture.  It was honestly quite a sexy little dish. The Black Iron Shrimp arrived in a little skillet covered in garlic, jalapeno and a sizzling butter sauce. The Phoenician Fries came out nice and crisp covered with Sumac, Parsley and an addictive spicy Garlic Whip.  Mr. T and I both agreed these fries were fantastic.  Ilili can transport me any day...   Ilili

A good happy hour can be hard to find  but Ilili is churning out a pretty great one if you're looking to unwind in a nice setting with a few cocktails. From Beirut with Passion- Basil Cilantro Mint Infused Vodka with Sparkling Passion Fruit. This was so refreshing and delicious it may be one of my favorite new cocktails. The Shrimp Hommus wasn't too shabby either.  I practically wiped the bowl clean with the puffy warm pita bread. Ah yes Ilili...you are my new Happy Hour spot for sure. Ilili NYC