New York’s Top Fondue

New York's top fondue by maria haymandou

New York's top fondue by maria haymandouSome people get depressed when the weather gets cold, and that’s particularly easy in a place like New York.  Yet I get excited about the winter, since some of my favorite food is hearty, warm, stick-to-your-ribs winter food.  And do you know what falls under that category and is obscenely delicious?  Fondue!  Here are some great fondue places around New York, according to Gothamist.  I can’t wait to try them all!

Le Fond: Come here on Tuesday nights for half-priced bottles of wine and a cheese fondue special that comes with seared steak and plenty of great dipping vessels.  In the middle of the dinner, a waiter will add a bit of hot water to ensure that the fondue stays liquid and dippable.  

Fondue Chalet: This seasonal pop-up works to replicate the “European” experience with checkered tablecloths and vintage ski posters.  The “House Fondue” combines white wine with various cheeses to make a delicious and dippable mix.  

Murray’s Cheese Bar: Due to their prominence in the New York cheese scene, I would hope that Murray’s did some good fondue!  And they certainly don’t disappoint!  They make a fondue with Alpine-style cheeses, Chablis and nutmeg.  

The Standard: In the winter, the Standard’s famous seasonal garden gets a makeover with heated huts, hot drinks and warm meals like fondue.  There are two options here: the vegetarian one and the traditional one, and they’re both delicious.

Pair Wine & Cheese: Pair, like Murray’s, lets you pick up cheese in addition to sitting down for a cheese-heavy meal.  If you want to experience their fondue, the latter option is the way to go, and the waiters will gladly help you pair your melted cheese with good wine.  

Kashkaval Garden: While Kashkaval is more known for its Mediterranean food, that’s not to discredit its fondue.  They have four different options, including a sharp cheddar variety with hard apple cider and caramelized onions.  They also make one with Bulgarian sheep cheese.  

Taureau: The Taureau bistro specializes in cheese, meat and chocolate fondues.  While more expensive than the other options on this list, you get what you pay for, with countless combinations of cheeses, meats, oils and dipping options.  

Eating Through Jackson Heights & Elmhurst

Eating Through Jackson Heights & Elmhurst by Maria Haymandou

Eating Through Jackson Heights & Elmhurst by Maria HaymandouEven if I’m a Brooklyn girl at heart, Queens will always have a special place in my heart.  It’s easily one of the most fascinating and diverse neighborhoods in the city, even the country.  One of the most interesting neighborhoods is Jackson Heights, an immigrant-dominated neighborhood where Latin and Asian cultures collide.  That of course means that Jackson Heights and neighboring Elmhurst  is home to some of the most exciting food options in all of New York.  I recently came across an article that shared some of the best food spots in the neighborhood.  Here’s what they had to say:

Tibetan dumplings: The area off the Roosevelt Avenue subway hosts authentic Himalayan: try and get “momo” dumplings from places such as Phayul and Amdo Kitchen.  These are fat steamed dumplings, traditionally filled with beef wrapped in thicker skin than traditional Chinese dumplings.  Both Phayul and Amdo are extremely cheap spots, where you can get a big plate of dumplings for under $10.  

Arepas: Jackson Heights is home to one of the most legendary street food spots in the city: the Arepa Lady.  While the Arepa Lady was traditionally hard to find (which was part of the fun), she’s since built a brick-and-mortar restaurant to make the whole search easier.

Tortas: Mexican food is more known for its tacos, but Mexican sandwiches, or “tortas”, are arguably better, jam-packed with all sorts of ingredients that create an explosion of flavor.  Plenty of food trucks make great tortas, but my favorites are at Tortas Neza in nearby Corona, run by a rabid soccer fan who named every sandwich on the menu after soccer teams in his native Mexico.  

Thai: The Thai food in Elmhurst is a level of authentic that the pad thai in Greenwich Village will never reach.  As the center of the densest Thai community in New York, you’ll hear a lot more Thai than English in the restaurants of Elmhurst.  The best one is Khao Kang, where the food feels like true authentic home cooking.  

Dessert: If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then don’t worry, I got you covered.  The Sugar Club is a Thai grocery in Elmhurst that offers traditional Thai sweets such as sweet dried bananas.  There’s also “honey toast” made from thick slabs of white bread slathered with butter and condensed milk.  

New York Fall Getaways

New York fall getaways by Maria Haymandou

New York fall getaways by Maria HaymandouFall is now upon us and if you are searching for the perfect place to relax and catch your breath after an adventurous summer season, here are a few places you should consider.

Mohonk Mountain House

Location: New Paltz, New York

Website: Mohonk.com

Monhonk Mountain House is the perfect location for both a fun-filled family weekend or a romantic getaway! This 250-room mountain top resort was built in 1869, and offers guest some of the best view in New Paltz.

Year round amenities and activities: Hiking, spa, golf, ice skating, lake swimming and boating.

The Adirondacks

Website: visitadirondacks.com/

If fall foliage and scenic hiking trails are what you are looking for, the Adirondacks is the place for you! This location also offers areas that allow guests to fish, participate in gondola rides, or simply enjoy a lovely picnic for two. The Adirondacks also offer an amazing hot-air balloon ride over looking Lake George.  

Pack your bags and head to the Adirondacks. The best part is, admission for this park is free!

Bear Mountain Cruises

Website: bearmountaincruises.com

Circle line cruises is opening the autumn season with cruises to the beautiful Bear Mountain. Guests will sail up the Hudson River and have the opportunity to enjoy all that Bear Mountain State Park has to offer.

Guests can also take part in Bear Mountain’s annual Oktoberfest, which includes live music, vendors and complimentary admission.

Montauk

Website: montaukchamber.com

The end of the summer season doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the beach or take a tour of one the oldest lighthouses in New York. Montauk offers relaxing, scenic views and a number of overnight accommodations.

Gurney’s Inn is among the top-rated places to stay and they offer:

  • Indoor pool
  • Sauna
  • Steam room

Wunderbar! Best German Eats in NYC

With fall finally in the air and Oktoberfest in full swing, there is no better time to examine the best German restaurants in New York City. NYC has been home to German immigrants for centuries, all the way back to when New York was called New Amsterdam (Why they changed? I can’t say). In the late 20th century the East Village was known as Kleindeutschland (Little Germany) and boasted scores of German beers halls. You can still see this influence at Tompkins Square today, where a monument was erected to commemorate the 1904 General Slocum Disaster. About a century later, the densest population of German immigrants was in Yorkville on the Upper East Side, and in neighborhoods all through Queens and Brooklyn. Prohibition did considerable damage to the legacy of German beer halls, but there are still scores of wonderful German restaurants and bars around today. Let’s examine just a few!

Let’s start in Glendale, Queens, where Zum Stammtisch has been serving hearty German beers in their twin quaint dining halls since 1972 (though their decor would suggest a much older establishment). Zum Stammtisch is known for their goulash soup and traditional German favorites. With massive portions and authentic flavors, you really can’t go wrong. Try their jägerschnitzel, a pork cutlet pounded into the shape of Austria and covered in butter mushroom gravy!


Maria Haymandou
Heidelberg | 1648 2nd Ave

Next up is Heidelberg, in Yorkville. Named after a town in the southwest of Germany, Heidelberg is the last remaining vestige of a time when Yorkville had a thriving German community. Starting with the Teutonic stucco exterior accented with dark stained timbers, Heidelberg offers an authentic German dining experience. Highlights from the menu include the cucumber salad topped with sour cream, the kase-spätzle (Germany’s answer to mac and cheese) and the sausages. German folks are known for their sausages and the Heidelberg is no exception.


Now we head downtown, where there as been somewhat of a German revival. Zum Schneider leads that charge, serving up German cuisine since 2000. With outdoor seating, the restaurant harkens back to the city’s iconic history of German immigrants. Zum Schneider’s menu leans more to the unusual which contributes to its quirkiness and fun atmosphere. Check out their schweinswürst’l, a skinny pork sausage from Nuremberg, and the pfannkuchensuppe, a Greman pancake soup.

Maria Haymandou
Zum Schneider’s interior | 107 Ave C @ E 7th St

Zum Schneider also has wonderful Oktoberfest events. Come during the celebration and you can be treated to live polka band! Recently, they also opened a sister location on Montauk. Bavaria on the beach!


New York City has scores more German restaurants to explore! Which are your favorites?