Travel Archives - The Culture Mom

06Jan

Mizu, a Japanese Restaurant Find, Found in NYC’s Flatiron

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Disclosure: Misu provided me with a complimentary meal, but all opinions are my own. When the publicist for Mizu first wrote to me, she said that the restaurant was unassuming; however, once I tried their sushi, rest assured I’d be back for more. I was skeptical for no reason other than the fact that there are a lot of good sushi restaurants in NYC. But guess what? I agree. So did my son. We thought the food was simply divine, and we are two picky sushi eaters, generally quite discerning. Mizu is helmed by Japanese trained Chef Nakao Read More

04Jan

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Tour of New York City

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Photo by On Location Tours Disclosure: I was invited to review On Location Tours, but all opinions are my own. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, now in its third season, is one of my favorite shows of the last decade. Its depiction of a Jewish family in NYC in the late 1950s plus the writing by Amy Sherman-Palladino plus the acting plus the active chatter all resonate on a very personal level. I love the characters - they have spunk, charisma, charm, and a whole lot of Jewishness. The writing is also very unique, funny, and so very NYC - at least, the NYC Read More

18Nov

Guest Post: Review of “Mummenschanz In RE:PLAY” at The New Victory Theater in NYC

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Mummenschanz Costumes, Fotoshot on 07.07.2016 at Diogenes Theatre in Alstaetten, Switzerland. Photo Marco Hartmann About the writer: This a guest post written by writer Lisa Gerstel, a diverse and seasoned executive who has spent her career in children’s and family entertainment via Publishing, Live Events and Broadcast before stepping back to take a much earned reprieve from the corporate world in order to reinvent herself and remember why she moved to NYC. She lives in the latest hip neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her Read More

10Nov

A Sublime Find: Plado Tasting Bar in the East Village

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Last week I ventured downtown to have what I can truly call the best meal I have had in ages. It came as a complete surprise as I went into the meal with zero expectations, for no reason other than that I knew very little about the restaurant beforehand. But here I am days later, and I am salivating about the meal that I had at Plado Tasting Bar in the East Village. The (Mediterranean) restaurant is at 192 East 2nd Street. When we walked up to the brightly lit restaurant, we felt immediately welcome by a warm entrance. There's a bar, which appeared Read More

18Oct

My New Culinary Find: LEYLA on the Upper West Side

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I was so happy to discover a wildly new delicious Upper West Side restaurant that serves Turkish cuisine last week called LEYLA. My guest and I were intrigued by each and every dish and were really impressed by the level of detail in taste, originality, and authenticity, as well. We are both in love with Mediterranean food, so LEYLA spoke to both of us on a very deep and genuine level. The restaurant itself is small and intimate, with a definite sense of Turkish influence in style and design with beautiful textiles. It's colorful, comfortable, and Read More

27Sep

My Latest Upper West Side Discovery: Roasted Masala

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Last week I experienced a new Indian restaurant on the Upper West Side called Roasted Masala. As a former resident of the neighborhood, I was quite eager to return to my old stomping grounds for what I felt would be a unique culinary experience. I had read that the restaurant is helmed by Chef Jawad Rehman, who uses Northen India recipes passed down from his grandfather. He used to watch as his grandfather created cuisine for large and lavish Indian weddings. Those storied recipes are now brought to life at Roasted Masala for diners to Read More

12Aug

Lunch at Toriko in Greenwich Village, a Culinary Find

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Yesterday my son went into NYC to for lunch at Toriko NY, a restaurant that has recently launched new lunch menu items. It was an opportunity for us to head to Greenwich Village on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and I used my time well, heading to the Guggenheim after lunch for a dose of modern art. Toriko is known as one of the top Japanese yakitori and wine concepts from Tokyo Restaurants Factory, helmed by Chef de Cuisine Manabu Asanuma previously of MIFUNE New York. As Japanese food lovers, we welcomed the opportunity to try Read More

29Jun

A Greek Taste of Astoria at Amylos Taverna

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NYC continues to excite my culinary senses. Last week I ventured out to Astoria for a Greek meal at Amylos Taverna. Other than a passion for Greek food and knowledge that the best Greek in NYC is found in this particular part of Queens, I knew very little and had low expectations. And, yes, the experience threw me quite a bit, in a good way. Owned and operated by the Arvanitis family (known for their involvement in the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - the patriarch, John Arvanitis, also owns Omonia Cafe, which he opened in 1974. As a result, the Read More

26Jun

A Simply Sublime Israeli Meal at NYC’s BUSTAN

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If you're looking for an exquisite meal and you love Israeli food, you simply must visit BUSTAN. I was invited for a tasting recently, which I went in for with zero expectations, and I came out with a new favorite NYC restaurant. For one thing, I adore Israeli food. For another, I'm a vegetarian, and I love Israeli ingredients - the fresh vegetables, spices, and flavors. BUSTAN nailed all of my passions and desires. I am not necessarily a foodie, but after a visit there, I may be converted to one. I knew I was in for a treat from the moment I stepped Read More

05Jun

An Italian Family Feast at NYC’s Senso Unico

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A few weeks ago, my family made the trip to Sunnyside, Queens for a night out on the town. Sunnyside isn’t an entirely new experience for us as we are huge fans of a Thai restaurant located here called Sri Pra Pra. Still, seeing that we live in Westchester, exploring the boroughs is always fun and a real treat. We love to eat and experience new places, particularly family-friendly ones, so when an invite came to experience Senso Unico, an Italian Osteria, I jumped. Owned by chef/Owner Vincenzo Garofalo and wife Laura, natives of Avellino, Italy, Senso Read More