Max Soha

I had every intention of writing up Max Soha right before Columbia College Family Weekend. Somehow life and my own studies took over and last weekend quickly passed before my eyes. And, in actuality, I am quite certain that nearly all Columbia students already know about this great gem in Morningside Heights. And if they don't, food is probably not on their radar. So, this post actually goes out to the rest of Manhattan - the adventuresome looking to branch out of their hoods in search of excellent Italian cuisine. This is the furthest north that I have dined in Manhattan, and let me tell you, venturing those extra few blocks was well worth my travels.


Located on the corner of 123rd and Amsterdam, Max Soha is cozy and simple - in both setting and cuisine. While the menu stays the same throughout the day, this is a lunch and dinner destination. The extensive list of daily specials hanging on the blackboard in the back of the restaurant sets the anticipation for each trip - and truly making each one unique. The setting is warm in this small dining room with brick-red walls and tables with floral coverings. And, in warmer weather, the outside wooden deck is another great setting. The only catch is that it's cash only, but the affordable prices should help with this obstacle.

The traditional trattoria features appetizers, salads, pastas, and entrees. While the specials will certainly always showcase the best, freshest ingredients, the regular menu offers many dishes that should not be overlooked. Yes, it's basic, but their handmade gnocchi is some of the best - served with tomato sauce, basil, and melted homemade mozzarella. These little dumplings will simply melt in your mouth. The rigatoni alla Siciliana is another simple, yet truly authentic dish. Served perfectly al dente and in a similar preparation to the gnocchi, the rigatoni is topped with eggplant, homemade melted mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. While I'd love to claim that the secret is in the sauce, I am convinced that the actual homemade pastas and the cheese carry equal weights. It's hard to stray from the best of tradition when they taste this good. But, on my last excursion north, the homemade ravioli special was more than enough reason to take a risk. This was the first time I had ever come across an asparagus, mushroom, and zucchini ravioli made with spinach dough and served with a beet cream sauce, and it was excellent.

If only Max Soha were in the west village, I would be dining there weekly. And, if only work were not quite as busy, I would be lunching there bi-weekly. If only. But if more people knew how delicious and authentic this Italian cuisine were, this post wouldn't be nearly as exciting. Whichever way you look at it, we all need more adventure and Max Soha in our lives.



Max Soha
1262 Amsterdam Ave. (@ 123rd st.)
New York, NY 10027
website
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):

Taim

I've always thought of myself as an optimist. While this may be my attempt to balance out my father's notorious pessimism, I like to think that my views really just come down to a reaction to the great "glass is half full" expression. I never want my drink or food to disappear, so I may as well convince myself there is more from the start. Most recently, I have been constantly surrounded by frustrations with the economy, excessive spending on weddings, and the hard-to-resist "summer fun" outings. Well, Taim gives me every reason to see the silver lining of being on a budget. As spending should be tighter than usual, I take comfort in knowing that sticking to a budget does not necessarily mean I have to sacrifice eating well.


This Middle-Eastern west village take-out joint has been making misers happy since 2005. While this is definitely not a new find, this is a spot that continues to attract crowds. In fact, it is more crowded than ever - a sign of the times, but mainly its excellent, consistent cuisine. And, unlike most hot spots, the crowds should not send you running. You will never wait for more than 10 minutes for your order, but don't expect to secure one of the tiny counters inside or one of the few benches outside. I actually recommend embracing the true take-out feature of Taim and heading to a nearby park, your apartment, or even to the Hudson River piers (a quick stroll west).

This is an upscale, but still very affordable falafel joint. The menu is centered around three gourmet mini falafels - green (traditional with parsley, cilantro, and mint), red (roasted red pepper), or harissa (Tunisian spices) - to be ordered as a sandwich or a platter. For both dinner and lunch, I am more than satisfied with the sandwich which is served with your choice of falafel, hummus, Israeli salad, and tahini in a whole wheat pita. Every now and then, I mix it up by substituting the hummus for baba ganoush and adding hot sauce to it. All three flavors are delicious and should be tried at some point. While the platter does cost more, it allows you to sample several of their delicious side salads - my favorites being the green cabbage and tabouli. Another great option is the Sabich sandwich - slices of fried eggplant layered with an organic hard boiled egg served with hummus, Israeli salad, tahini, and amba (mango) sauce.

So I know the pessimist is sitting here, looking at the date and thinking that summer is quickly coming to an end. What will happen as the weather cools off and take-out from Taim and an evening picnic are no longer appealing options? First of all, there is always delivery. While this is not the speediest option, the food is the very same. And, second of all, this just means that we are one step closer to fall - my favorite season. And, when you start to get stressed out when the end of fall is near, I am sure I can help you find reasons to embrace winter - and then it will soon be spring again!


Taim
222 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-1287
menu
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):

Five Leaves

I'll be the first to proudly admit it. The Hungry Roach has never looked so good! I wish I could take full credit, but thanks to one of my closest friends, Brian of The Blue Hour, you can finally get a true view of my most recent culinary adventure. While we both share a love and appreciation for delicious food, Brian has certainly mastered capturing it on film. His impeccable craftsmanship behind the camera has given my blog a temporary face lift. So enjoy this while it lasts!

Last weekend, the blogging duo met up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for brunch and an afternoon excursion. I always love heading over to my favorite borough, but had never been to its northernmost neighborhood and was very excited for a day of exploration. And for us (yes, I'll speak for Brian too now), all journeys begin with food - so we headed straight to Five Leaves, a new-American cafe that epitomizes the laid-back hipster vibe permeating the streets outside. While I have no doubt that this no-reservation hot-spot fills up fast, it was not nearly as crowded as most Manhattan brunch destinations - reason alone to hop on the L train and head east for just a few stops. For the star-struck, it's worth the trip to set foot in the nautical-themed restaurant originally designed and backed by Heath Ledger. And, for those who simply love a great brunch, get cozy and order up that bloody mary - this is the kind of place to start the day and see where it takes you.

While cocktails are a great way to prolong any meal, we also decided that a few courses were in order. We started with the house made ricotta with fresh thyme, chestnut honey, figs, maldon sea salt served with fruit bread. This is delicious - and Brian's photograph actually does it justice. There is honestly nothing else to be said about the dish besides, "Order it." We then moved onto the soup of the day - black bean and corn with avocado creme fraiche and the "Blat" - bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich with cumin/lime mayo. Both were excellent. The soup was the perfect consistency of the freshest ingredients - not too thick as bean soups can often be. I am not sure whether it was the bacon, avocado, or cumin that initially drew me to the sandwich, but the addition of my personal favorite spice truly made this sandwich unforgettable. It really is too bad that it is still Lent (or maybe it's a blessing) because this would have been one of those days that no matter how full I was, I would have splurged for dessert. I envision a menu overflowing with fresh pies, crumbles, and homemade ice cream. 12 days and counting!

The good news is that I can always go back. And, after checking out the dinner menu, I definitely plan to. After all, it's even easier to prolong a dinner - ordering up several courses and finishing with a cherry on top. If only I could prolong my blog's new face lift. Well, it's back to reality soon. But, just know that all the food that I eat really is this good looking!



Five Leaves
18 Bedford Ave (@Lorimer St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(646) 510-6467
website
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):