Finally I arrived in New York City – the city that never sleeps is a very true phase!
I stayed at the Hotel Edison, just ½ a block away from Times Square. Another fabulous Londolozi Friend took me on an East Side Deli Safari! What an experience. We started with a Pumpernickel Bagel with White Fish Salad & Nova Salmon in Gramercy Park – you have to know someone to enter this park as you need a key! We then walked to Union Square and went in and out of Trader Joes and Whole Foods! What a visual experience, I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I had all that choice every day!
Whole Foods – So much choice!
The famous Gramercy Park Key
We then hit Chinatown which was amazing! If you want to have the best Dim Sum, head to Nom Wah Tea Parlour, where we dined on Shrimp & Peashoot Dim Sum, Pork Buns, Egg Rolls and Rice Noodles with Black Bean Paste and Ribs – delicious! Walking through Chinatown was an incredible experience looking at all the fresh fish, eels, frogs, crabs, dried fish, dried mushrooms and so much more.
The Best Dim Sum Ever!
Shrimp and Pea shoot Dim Sum
Eating the Pork Bun
Fresh Fish in Chinatown
And…dried fish in Chinatown
Little Italy was wonderful, the streets were closed to cars, so we strolled down the middle and due to the intense heat, kept popping into the amazing Italian delicatassens, laden with Prosciutto, Mozzarella Balls, Pickles and breads – mouthwatering! Forcello’s for Deep Fried Pizza and Vennezia for Canoli’s and real New York Style Cheesecake.
Deep Fried Pizza at Forcellos – Just yesterday we put this to test for some guests who were craving a pizza!
Kossars for a Bialy was followed by Katz’s Diner (made famous from the movie When Harry met Sally), Russ & Daughters for some Scandanavian treats, Sugar Sweet Sunshine for the best Sassy Red Velvet Cupcake I have ever eaten and then Economy Candy, the biggest candy store in New York City!
Eating Bialy’s at Kossar’s Deli!
Sassy Red Velvet at Sugar Sweet Sunshine – Seriously unbelievable!
I was a kid in a candy store – Economy Candy
Just because I hadn’t had enough to eat on this day, we ended off at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop where I had a Salty Pimp Ice Cream! Imagine a cone filled with rock salt, caramel, soft serve and dipped in chocolate. Not bad for one day of eating! The next day, I ventured out alone and discovered Eataly, very popular in New York City. It is a one-stop gourmet shop – fill up your baskets with cured meats and cheeses, fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, fresh fish, handmade pasta, desserts, coffees and baked goods before sitting down at one of the five restaurants within this new favorite place of mine! Definitely worth a visit!
Wonderful breads in Eataly
And then there was the meat in Eataly!
Have some Pasta!
Mushrooms anyone?
The rest of my time in NYC was filled with outings to the 9/11 Memorial – a very moving experience. Walking through the busy streets, Motown on Broadway, people watching and then my final food moment at Ben’s Deli where I had the all time favourite Pastrami & Corn Beef on Rye with Pickles. Truly delicious and very filling!
My Final Gourmet Moment at the Bens Deli, eating a Corned Beef Pastrami on Rye!
Laden with New Orlean Spices, Candy, Coffee, Food Mags and loads of photos, I returned home to Londolozi truly satisfied and very full!
Now to put to test what I’ve seen and learnt!
Look forward to seeing you all soon.
Safe Travels!
Written and photographed by Anna Ridgewell
Thank you for sharing Anna! I have already had the treat of tasting a few of your experiments since your trip and have been very impressed! Look forward to more!
Love your NYC update… the photos speak for themselves! What amazing delights! Look out Londolozi – your taste buds are about to explode! And let me just say that I’m looking forward to having Sassy Red Velvet cupcakes when you’re next in town Bella 🙂 p.s. NYC is the greatest city in the world!
Thank you Alexandra!
We have already tried a few things out and you must come to Londolozi to have a Sasssy Red Velvet Cupcake! As you like Red Velvet delicacies, check out our Facebook page for our NEW Red Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies!
Anna you are a Dream!!!!
WOW !!!, Anna, what a glorious time you had in NY…. The colours, the tastes, the overflow of it all must have sent you home inspired and awash with new ideas.
SOOOOOOO good to get out and about and I hope you feel refreshed in spite of the big heat it must have been. Lovely photos of you…..but hoping we shall see the ‘real you’ here before too long.
XXXXXMim
Thanks Mim! Have a look at the previous two posts of my Food Safari in New Orleans & Boston!
Look forward to seeing you in November sometime x
Well done Chef! X
Very nicely done Sis! Can’t wait to have you back this side of the world! The boys loved your photos!
A message from Sammy- I love anty Anna
Liam’s in bed!
It was a great trip, thanks Ad! Hope to see you and the boys at Londolozi in the near future! x
Sounds like such a fantastic time! I’ve put some of your favorites in my file to visit next time I’m in NYC! Thank you for your blog!
Thanks Jenifer – you must definitely do the Nom Wah Tea Parlour for the Dim Sum – it was sublime!
A fantastic culinary safari – it almost felt as though we were with you and could taste some of those yummy treats! As you say, a mind blowing experience of choices and experiences and it will be interesting to try the Londolozi variations!
Oh my greatness what an amazing amount of different things to buy in NYC! I think Londolozi Guests are in for the treat of their lives, if not, you & the rest of the staff can enjoy it all! Whats next on your agenda, the recipes that go with all those lovely ingredients???
Thanks Anna
Thanks Wendy!
There will be a few surprises featuring soon on the Londolozi menu!
Next on my agenda is a busy few months creating the next season’s menu which is looking very delicious and finishing the next volume of the cookbook! Keep an eye on the blog for the updates.
Amazing, very jealous, looked like you had such an amazing trip with such diverse food, i have mushroom envy, to get so many different types of mushroom in shops, look forward to catching up soon and hearing more about your trip!
Thanks Sue!
You and Alan would love EATALY, so make sure it’s on your next trip’s bucket list!
I’ll be in touch soon! x
I’m going to NYC next month with some foodie friends of mine from California. I’ve printed off your blog and will use it as my guide while I’m there!! Thanks a bunch!
Thank you Mary Beth!
Leave yourself a Sunday morning to do this Deli Safari, as Sunday seems to be the most vibrant day in Chinatown & Little Italy.
EATALY is also best late afternoon so you truly get the hustle and bustle vibe of this fabulous place!
Well done Anna this is awesome…!!
Thanks Jax!
Hi Anna, Having read your blogs we cant wait for our upcoming trip to NYC & Boston in just over a month. I am sure that in your travels you must have found a weight loss program! I think we are going to need it. See you in November.
Ian
Fantastic write up. NYC is definitely spoilt for choice when it comes to food. Really enjoyed this series Anna, thank you. rich
Hi Anna
I now have all your places noted in my Ipad. We will definitely share notes in November.
Great Karin!
Please let me know if you would like any further info on Boston & NYC, as i have a few more places and things for you to do!
Anna, loved reading these posts from your trip …. and loved chatting with you earlier this week …. then of course there are the wonderful meals you all prepared for us during our visit to Londolozi … great, great and great………thank you so much.
Oh my goodness Anna – I get so excited reading all about your experiences in NY – you have such a wonderful way of making it all come life (next best thing to actually being there!). It makes me want to jump on a plane to the big Apple right now (oh how I wish!!!). Cant wait to read all about your Boston Food Safari – thank you for sharing it all with us.
Oh wow ! Just your descriptions alone make me feel ravenous 😀 !