Yeah That’s Kosher! >> a Kosher Travel blog

The Catskill Mountains, NY (”The Catskills”)

Contributed by: Dani Klein | Last Date of Visit: June 2008

Kosher Info: Situated 90+ minutes (longer if you’re traveling during the weekend rush) north west of NYC, the Catskills have become the summer escape for Jewish urbanites for decades. Over the years kosher places have come and gone, while others still exist, feeding the thousands of Jews who flee the city each summer.

In this post, I will go over eateries, hotels, and markets (including within Bungalow Colonies) which exist in the Catskill region. Each location will be followed by its approximate location and town.

(Please note: Due to the nature of the Catskills, many of these restaurants or markets are not open all year round. Also, many of these institutions come and go. If you know about a recent closing, or a new store opening, please comment to this post and I will make the necessary changes. Thank you.)

Markets, Supermarkets, etc.:

• Beaver Lake Estates, Monticello, concession style market… has capability of serving hot dairy food, often doesn’t.
• Mountain Fruit, Broadway, Monticello… large kosher-only market. Similar offerings to its Brooklyn namesake.
• Aladdin Supermarket - Kiryas Beirach Moshe Bungalow Colony, 184 Hasbrouck Dr., Woodbourne
• All Fresh Supermarket, Rt. 17B White Lake
• Buy Rite Kosher Supermarket, 3 Maple Ave. Woodridge
• Landau’s Supermarket, 2 Railroad Plaza, South Fallsburg
• ShopRite of Ellenville, 100 Shoprite Blvd Route 209, Ellenville
• ShopRite of Liberty, 1955 Route 52, East Liberty
• ShopRite of Monticello, 46 Thompson Sq. Off State Route 42, Monticello
• Woodbourne Supermarket, Main St., Woodbourne

Restaurants, Pizzerias, etc.:

• Fialkoff’s Pizza, 66 Broadway, Monticello… year after year, Fialkoff’s consistently has the best pizza I’ve ever had. Period. Expect a long line during popular times (typically Motzei Shabbat).
• Woodbourne Pizze, 431 Route 52, Woodbourne… often a scene amongst teens and college students Motzei Shabbat, pizza is good.
• Feller’s Woodridge Pizza Cafe & Fish Grill, 9 Broadway, Woodridge
• Flaum’s Shwarma & Appetizing, 5220 Main St., St. Fallsburg
• Glatt Delight of Woodridge, 13 Green Ave. Center One Mall, Woodridge
• Jay & Sharon’s Country Cafe, 5426 Main St. Route 42 North, South Fallsburg
• Kikar Tel-Aviv Restaurant at Vacation Village, Hurleyville Rd. (within Vacation Village colony), Loch Sheldrake
• Main Street Pizza, Main St., South Fallsburg
• Mazal Wok Chinese & Sushi, 436 State Route 52 Main St., Woodbourne
• Meal Mart, Main St., South Fallsburg
• Shawarma King, 279 East Broadway, Monticello
• Simply Sushi Cafe, 343 East Broadway, Monticello
• Simply Sweets Ice Cream & Candy, 343 E Broadway, Monticello
• Sprinkles Pizza & Ice Cream, 5671 Route 42, Fallsburg
• Stargelt, Main St., Loch Sheldrake
• Swan Lake Pizza and Dairy Restaurant, 42 Stanton Corners Rd., Swan Lake
• Yosi’s Pizza, 431 Route 52, Woodbourne

Kosher Hotels

A few kosher hotels exist, but they are not for everyone. Places like Spring Mountain Resort (formerly the Homowack), Raleigh Hotel, and Kutcher’s are popular with families looking to leave the city, but unfortunately, these hotels seem like they have not been updated in decades.

On a recent stay at Kutcher’s by my family (celebrating a Sheva Brachot Shabbat), we observed the hotel and noticed it retains a musty, sometimes moldy smell. The hotel is large, and offers many amenities, but not everything is kept to appropriate standards. The food was quite awful. The place seemed like an old age home, partially due to the clientele, and partially due to the decor and lack of any updates since the 1970’s. The man-made lake out back is swarmed with mosquitoes. If you prefer hard mattresses, this is the place for you. From my previous experiences with other Catskill kosher hotels, like the Homowack, they don’t seem to differ much.

Tourist Info: The attraction for most is getting away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Sadly the few tourist attractions in this region remain the Monticello Raceway and Casino, a handful of golfing greens, and Wal-Mart. You heard me. Wal-Mart. The Monticello Wal-Mart is majorly packed Motzei Shabbat, it’s a massive social scene! The lines can be over an hour long, especially later Saturday night. You may be better off at the bowling alley with the teens.

• Kiamesha Lanes, 4685 State Route 42, Kiamesha Lake   |   (845) 794-5561
• Liberty Lanes, 5714 State Route 55, Liberty   |   (845) 292-6450

Jewish Info: During the summer, this region is bustling with city Jews. Basically every bungalow colony has it’s own shul and set of minyanim, and typically it’s own mikveh. During off-season times, there are still Jewish communities (mainly Chassidish) who live there all year round, however, many of the kosher and other Jewish shops will be closed.

I just came across this site which has a listing of all the bungalow colonies. I can’t believe how many there actually are! Check it out: http://bungalowcolony.us/index.asp?lang=EN

Tags: bowling, bungalow colony, catskill mountains, fialkoff's, jewish travel, kosher travel, kutcher's, the catskills, upstate NY, wal-mart

Dallas, Texas

Contributed by: Eliezar Eidenbom | Last Date of Travel: August 2008

Kosher Info: Dallas has seen tremendous growth in kosher options in the last few years and now has several kosher restaurants and markets to take advantage of.  Like all cities, kosher restaurants come and go but some are becoming fairly well established now.  The Jewish community in Dallas is primarily in North Dallas between Forest Lane and Plano, which is where you find all your kosher options.  All kosher establishments in Dallas and Fort Worth are under the local Vaad, the DK (Dallas Kosher), headed by Rabbi Klein and Rabbi Shawel. 

Cafe Fino:  Located at the southwest corner of Coit and Campbell, Fino is Dallas’ pizza shop.  it has a wide selection of pizza choices or other entrees.  The pizza here is generally average but the calzones are very good.  The eggplant parmesan and lasagna are also well worth a try.  There are a lot of side dishes and wraps to try as well.  My wife loves their salmon raspberry wrap.  Kids may enjoy Fino fries which are french fries with gravy and cheese on top.  The best deal here is the “Fino fun pack” which is offered on Sunday.  You get an extra large cheese pizza, family size fries, and a pitcher of soda for a little over $20.00.  Fino is also the only place in Dallas opened Saturday night after Shabbat. 

Esther’s Steakhouse:  Esther’s is located at 580 Arapaho road in the back of a shopping strip.  It is somewhat removed from the rest of the Jewish community and can not been seen from the street when driving by.  The owner has redecorated the interior from its previous Americana theme and now has a much better up scale design.  The food is primarily Israeli and Moroccan and is the best tasting meat restaurant in town.  I highly recommend the steak, BBQ ribs, kabob and schwarma.  The Moroccan cigars are a good appetizer.  They also have a bakery which makes fresh deserts, pita, and challah.  The owner, Albert, is very personable and is a great cook.  While the food is excellent the service is slow and difficult to come by sometimes.  Plan to spend some time eating here.  Because of its location it is not frequented nearly as much as the other resteraunts in town and you may be the only people there at dinner time.  The restaurant also discourages bringing kids.  Esther’s is open for dinner only Sunday through Thursday.  If you want a great meal and don’t care about the service or eating by yourself it is well worth finding it.

Natalie’s Kitchen & Market:  Natalie’s is located at the southeast corner of Hillcrest and Campbell.  Natalie’s is a meat restaurant with a primarily Israeli cuisine.  The shwarma and falafel here are very good.  They can be bought in a pita only until 5pm and then they must be bought as a more expensive dinner plate.  The kabobs and steak here are also very tasty but I was not as big a fan of the lamb.  Natalie’s is reasonably priced and has good service and ambiance.  In addition to the restaurant, Natalie’s has a kosher market primarily consisting of products from Israel.  While it is not the only Israeli market in Dallas it is very convenient with the restaurant and has a few items the other markets do not carry.  Natalie’s is a great option if you are looking for a sit down meat restaurant. 

Cafe Carmel:  This restaurant is the closest one to the 635 freeway located at 13410 Preston Road.  It is a dairy restaurant that serves fish, pizza, and an Israeli menu.  The highlight of Cafe Carmel is that it is the only restaurant in Dallas that serves a breakfast menu.  The breakfast menu is very good and served all day.  The pizzas at Carmel are tasty but they are smaller than normal and really only feed one or two people.  Every time I tried the fish here it had a very strong fish flavor that was too much for me.  The decor inside is nice but the seating area is small and can be cramped if many people are there.  If you are looking for a kosher breakfast to get your day started Carmel is the place to go.

Milk & Honey:  Located at 420 N. Coit Rd. in Richardson Milk and Honey is a kosher market and meat grill.  it is my favorite place to eat in Dallas.  It serves Israeli food like falafel and schwarma and also has hamburgers and hotdogs.  Nothing on the menu is over $10 and almost everything comes with a free side of fries.  you can also get a kids half order at half the price on many items.  There is not much room for seating and even when there are seats it will be crowded, but you can always get your food to go.  The market carries a good selection of Israeli and other kosher products.  They also sell cold cuts from their deli at good prices.  They make their own pita and challah and a few other bakery items that are very good.  It is located in the same shopping center as a Wal-mart grocery store so it is easy to do all your shopping in the same center. 

Madras Pavilion:  101 South Coit Road, Richardson, TX  Madras is a a vegetarian Indian resteraunt that happens to be kosher.  They have traditional south indian food but they also have a Indo-Chinese menu for those who are not such big fans of regular Indian food.  They have an all you can eat lunch buffet with most of their popular items available.

Grocery Stores:  In addition to Milk and Honey and Natalie’s mentioned above, the Tom Thumb grocery store at Preston and Forest and the Tom Thumb at Coit and Campbell have full service kosher delis including kosher fried chicken, egg rolls, sandwiches, sushi and other items.  They also have good sized frozen, dry, and cold kosher sections including frozen dinners.  Both stores also have kosher bakeries.  The Albertsons at Hillcrest and Arapaho has a good sized kosher section but they do not have a deli or bakery.  Other stores around town also have smaller kosher sections and may have locally packaged baked goods.

Ice Cream:  On a hot summer day in Dallas ice cream is almost a neccesity.  The Cold Stone Creamery at Preston and Frankford and Gooeys Yogurt at Preston and Forest are both certified under the DK.  They are not chalav Yisrael but Gooeys does have some parve drinks.

Tourist info:  The main tourist attraction in Dallas is the Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza where Kennedy was assassinated.  The museum is very well done and you can still recognize all the sites from the Zapruder film.  Also downtown the arts district has a lot of good museums. 

Fair Park has the largest collection of art deco architecture in the nation and has museums and other attractions.  If you are in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas it is fantastic and shouldn’t be missed.  If you want more ‘Texas’ activities I strongly recommend seeing a rodeo. 

The Mesquite rodeo runs April through September and is very popular.  There are lots of great places for shopping around Dallas such as the Galleria mall in North Dallas.  The best things to do in Dallas are actually in nearby Fort Worth and the surrounding area.  Ranches, dinosaur footprints, horse riding, nature preserves and much more can be found within a couple of hours of Dallas.

Jewish Info:  There are two eruvs in Dallas, the North Dallas Eruv and the Far North Dallas eruv.  The North Dallas eruv has four synagogues and is the older community.  Congregation Ohr HaTorah is in a big new shul and is very welcoming and full of Texas hospitality.  If you need meals or a place to stay they will arrange it.  Down the street is Shaare Tefilla which is the oldest orthodox synagogue in Dallas.  There are also two Sephardic synagogues: Young Israel and Achdut Israel, run by Rabbi Terinio.  Both of them are primarily Israeli and the entire service is in Hebrew, there is little to no English spoken.  They are both very friendly and welcome everyone - Israeli or not.  This eruv also has two kollels and the Akiba Academy day school.  There is also a women’s mikvah and a men’s mikvah in this eruv. 

I have never spent a Shabbat in the far north eruv but there are a number of synagogues there including Congregation Ohev Shalom, Congregation Toras Chaim, Chabad of Dallas,  and Magen David Sephardic Congregation.  Most of the day schools including the Torah Day School and the Texas Torah Institute yeshiva are also in this eruv.  The people I know and have met from these shuls are all great people and go out of their way to provide hospitality. 

If you go farther north into Plano there are also a couple of other shuls DATA Plano and Chabad of Plano.  Data of Plano is the Plano branch of the Dallas kollel and only has services the third Shabbat of every month.  I have been to both Rabbis houses from Data of Plano many times and they are both wonderful welcoming families. 

 

Tags: dallas, dallas kosher, fort worth, jewish travel, kosher dallas, kosher texas, kosher travel, north dallas, plano, Texas

Phoenix, AZ

 

Contributed by: Lisa Weinberger | Last Date of Travel: Presently living in Area

Where are the Kosher Places in Valley of the Sun?

Making the move from the Tri-State area where there were Kosher establishments to eat from Noah’s Ark and Veggie Heaven in Teaneck, NJ to the multiple choices of Kosher places located throughout NYC, moving to the Phoenix Metro area was a bit of a culture Kosher shock.

Kosher Info: There are only a few Kosher restaurants in the Phoenix Metro area. There are many “Kosher Style” restaurants but although a nice idea, these don’t pass for Kosher. Segal’s Kosher Foods sells and serves meat located at 4818 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ‎. In the same area of Phoenix, Imperial Kosher Market is the hub to getting the Kosher foods you are use to from the Tri-State area at a somewhat reasonable price. They carry a decent amount of items and cold cuts. Imperial is located at 1145 E Glendale Ave, Phoenix, AZ.  Over in Scottsdale, there is Scottsdale Kosher Market which is a Kosher Market and a place where you can also sit down and eat. Again, not a full restaurant and pricing on their products are a little above and beyond. They are located at 10211 N Scottsdale Rd, Paradise Valley, AZ. 

And the best find is a vegetarian place called Fresh Mint in Scottsdale which has its Vaad’as do the others. Fresh Mint has been opened for six (6) months and makes amazing vegetarian cuisine and is located at 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ.

Trader Joe’s throughout the Valley of the Sun carries Empire meat products and Kosher wines. Phoenix also has their own Kosher bakery called Simply Bread. Their challah and artisan breads can be found at A.J. markets or the Kosher Markets around the Valley of the Sun.  A few Websites to check out are http://JewishPhoenix.org or http://JewishHaz.com. 

Tourist Info: Since I have lived in the Phoenix area for close to three (3) years, I have found some interesting areas to visit. The Friendship Japanese Garden located in downtown Phoenix, as well as Heritage Historic District, the Orpheum Theater, the Phoenix Library are all located within blocks of each other. There is the Phoenix Children’s Museum, the Arizona Science Center, Frank Lloyd Wright Museum and Wrigley Mansion all located in the Valley. If you are looking for places outside of Phoenix to visit, then I suggest the amazing colors of the Red Rocks of Sedona which does have a fairly large Jewish community, http://jcsvv.com as well.

You will need to rent a car as public transportation will not get you to every place you want to visit. When in the Valley of the Sun, a car is a must. If you plan to stay in the downtown general area, then a bicycle could work as well.

 

Jewish Info: While visiting the Valley of the Sun, there are many synagogues ranging from Reformed to Orthodox and Chabad. The synagogues are located mainly in Scottsdale and Central Phoenix. There are a few sporadic temples and Chabad organizations in the outside areas of these two, but most of the Jewish places of worship will be found in Scottsdale and Central Phoenix.

Tags: desert, jewish travel, kosher travel, trader joes, valley of the sun

KosherFest 2008, Secaucus, NJ

Kosherfest is similar to other conventions held at any other convention center. The only difference, kosher food. Wait, wait, FREE Kosher food. The sound of that makes any observant Jew grin with glee. I held the same feeling walking in to the exhibition hall, waiting to try all these new kosher goodies.

Walking into Kosherfest after stepping off the NJ Transit bus was fairly easy. Annoying, but easy. What was more annoying was the security not letting me into the convention hall because of my backpack. They were OK with messenger bags but not backpacks. They were afraid that people with backpacks will try and take as many samples as possible with them. If they only knew what was going to happen later that day. In the end, I got in.

Row after row of exhibitors, showing off their products services, and some new inventions. The thought of free kosher food didn’t really hit me until I already tried a few mini potato knishes, cheese blintzes, a chocolate slushee, mint Mentos, organic pomegranate juice, strawberry banana Prigat, and some relatively strong Muscat wine from Efrat. I was finally in a place where I didn’t need to hold back. Or so I thought.

I proceeded to try many different items, only dairy and pareve though as to not make myself fleishigs. “Hot Nosh” is a new vending option offering heated kosher food for decent prices. I found this product to be very important for those of us who travel, or who find ourselves in a location that typically lacks kosher options (campus, airports, stadiums, etc.). I got to try the mozzarella sticks.. they were hot and good. For $3+ it definitely hit the spot. It is also appealing for its convenience, always on even when the stores are closed. Definitely useful on college campuses, which typically lack kosher options anyway. I hope to connect with the businessmen behind “Hot Nosh” and help them expand this great idea.

I also learned that Manichevitz created the brand “Guiltless Gourmet”, a favorite snack brand of both myself and my wife. Their chips, dips, and salsas are great. For the traveler, they offer frozen burritos, which are also really good. I definitely suggest taking a few of those frozen bad boys on your next road trip in a cooler. Just make sure you’ll have access to a microwave. (On a side note, my wife just noticed on the Spicy Black Bean Dip label it says: “Perfect as an addition to roasted chicken, pork, and burgers…”. What a great way to de-Jewify your brand. Kudos.)

The ultimate travel companion is “La Briute” an all in one meal in a box (not a particularly large meal though), which can heat itself up without an oven or microwave. Arielle and I tried a couple of these meals on our trip to Iceland, and they came in handy as Iceland is totally void of kosher anything. These meals do not need refrigeration or any cooling of the sort. They are a bit pricey at about $10 a meal, but come very handy on the road or overseas. Just don’t try and heat it up on the plane!

A similar product to “La Briute” is China Mehadrin’s frozen meals. Obviously you’ll need access to a microwave and a way to keep these meals frozen while traveling, but they are still a great product for traveling.

One of the most important connections I made was with Weberman’s catering from South Florida. I know the company from my years spending Pesach in Miami… my mom would order catered food from Weberman’s, and the food was quite good. They create pre-made meals (much better than “airplane food”) for almost all cruise lines as well as Disney hotels and restaurants in both Orlando and Los Angeles. He gave me a few tips to share with everyone seeking kosher meals on cruises or at Disney locations.

Disney:
• All U.S. Disney hotels should carry their pre-made meals in both states.
• Disney restaurants that have table (waiter) service need an order placed 24 hours in advance for specific orders. Random Weberman’s meals should be available without advanced order, but I wouldn’t risk it.
• Counter service (or fast food style) restaurants on Disney locations should always have some of their meals in stock without an order.

Cruises Weberman’s serves:

• Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Norwegian Cruise Lines
• Holland America Cruise Lines
• Celebrity Cruise Lines
• Princess Cruise Lines
• Oceania Cruises
• Costa Cruise Lines

Advice on booking kosher meals on cruises:

• Call “Guest Services” of the cruise line around 6 weeks in advance.
• It is better to call Guest Services to place your order even if it is not 6 weeks in advance, than to not call at all.
• Use your Booking # when speaking to Guest Services
• Request a menu
• Many of the above cruises will have the Weberman’s meals, but don’t rely on that. Take the initiative and contact your cruise line after you book your trip.

I was also able to meet with and chat up the various representatives from the Kosher agencies such as the OK, COR & MK (Canada), CRC (Chicago), KLBD (UK), Kashrut Authority (Australia), etc. (the OU wasn’t too friendly). Many of them were excited to hear about this website and hopefully they’ll be helping with the project.

Toward the end of the day I started feeling really dizzy. Why? I don’t know. Eating too much crap? Maybe. But I’m better now. The last 30 minutes of KosherFest was utter mayhem, and wildly entertaining. Imagine a few hundred Jews and the barriers to free kosher products being removed. This was the scene near many of the stands giving away packaged food, especially Sabra Hummus and the other Israeli products nearby. I managed to pick up 3 new flavors of Sabra Hummus: Chipotle - Spicy, Caramelized Onion - YUM, and Pepadew??, as well as 2 tubs of the best hummus ever, Achla. I also walked away with a 9 pack of Gabila’s knishes, and a jar of Etrog Marmalade - weird!

Overall, this was a great experience and I look forward to KosherFest 2009!

Tags: Cruises, disney, hummus, kosher agencies, kosher frozen meals, kosher products, kosher travel, kosherfest, meadowlands, webermans

Glatt Kosher SUBWAY® Restaurants in the U.S.

While there are nearly 22,000 Subway restaurants in the United States, only a tiny fraction of them are actually Glatt Kosher… the overwhelming majority doesn’t claim to be kosher at all, so be careful.

I have eaten at a few of the kosher Subway places and I do admit, it is not my favorite fast food place. I dont really have anything bad to say about it, just nothing great either. It’s a deli place. If you like deli and soft bread, its great. If not, its just a deli place. I definitely wouldn’t plan a vacation around going to a Kosher Subway, that’s for sure.

Having said that, these Glatt Kosher Subways are popping up all over the place, and people love them. I guess us Jews just desire what we can’t have. Don’t you remember when Oreos became kosher?? I must’ve bought 3 packages at least and binged on those bad boys until my teeth were black with chocolate cookie.

But I digress. After doing some research on the web, I’ve compiled a list of the Glatt Kosher Subway chains across the U.S. Are there any outside of the U.S.? Someone comment and let us know.
I haven’t seen much advertising from this chain so far, so I guess this list should give them a little boost.

• • Los Angeles
    8948 W. Pico Boulevard
    Los Angeles, CA
    website
  • Kansas City
    6312 College Boulevard
    Overland Park, KS
    913-451-9993
  • Baltimore
    706 Reisterstown Rd.
    Pikesville, MD
    website
  • Livingston
    523 South Livingston Ave.
    Livingston, NJ
  • Brooklyn
    1219 Avenue J
    718-252-1716
    website
  • Brooklyn
    937 Kings Highway
    718-339-3338
    website
  • Cedarhurst, Nassau County
    529 Central Avenue
    Cedarhurst, NY
  • Queens
    14124 Jewel Ave
    Flushing, NY
    718-544-7827
  • Cleveland
    26001 South Woodland Road
    Beachwood, OH
    216–765–1925
    order online

CALIFORNIA

KANSAS

MARYLAND

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

OHIO

Special Notes:

• The Kosher Subway in Lower Manhattan on Water St. has closed.
• The Kosher Subway in New Rochelle has closed.
• A Kosher Subway is planned for the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, NY.
• A Kosher Subway is planned for Teaneck, NJ.
• A Kosher Subway is planned to open within the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in Rockville, MD (Greater Washington D.C. area)
• A Kosher Subway is planned for the Glendale suburb of Milwaukee, WI.
• Other Kosher Subways may be popping up here:
• Great Neck, NY
• Miami Beach, FL
• Brookline, MA
• Toronto, ON
• Chicago, IL

Pack your cars and head over to your closest Kosher Subway. Chances are you won’t be the only ones.

Tags: franchises, kosher subway, New York

Want to be in DC for the Inauguration?

While YeahThatsKosher is not a political website, and does not take any partisan views, we would like to let people know about this deal, should you be interested.

For those fervently interested in witnessing Obama’s inauguration into the presidency, it will take place in Washington D.C. on January 20th, 2009.

CheapOair.com is offering a special deal on hotels in the DC area for that week. Washington happens to be a beautiful city, and if inaugurations peak your interest, this may be a good time to visit. Inaugurations occur more infrequently than the Olympics, so now’s a good a time as any. So no matter who you placed your vote with, DC is looking like a good option this January.

Also see YeahThatsKosher’s post on DC: http://yeahthatskosher.com/2008/07/washington-dc/

Tags: barack obama, DC, inauguration, vote, washington dc

Finding Kosher Sushi in NYC

What was once impossible to find, Sushi has become so popular in the Jewish community over the past 15 years, every restaurant wants to get in on the action.

Delis, pizzerias, non-Japanese Asian eateries such as Chinese and Thai restaurants, have all jumped on the Sushi bandwagon. When I first tried Sushi over ten years ago, I absolutely hated it, but now I can’t get enough of this delicious finger food. (That’s right! The traditional way to eat Sushi is with your hands, not with chopsticks!)

So here are a few places I recommend in NYC. If you have some favorites of your own, please add them by commenting to this post.

• Mr. Broadway - Broadway, Midtown Manhattan - A great deli with Sushi bar up front. Some of the best tasting Sushi I have had.  Try the “Atlantic Roll” with Tuna, Avocado, and fresh Mango. Awesome!
• Jerusalem 2 Pizza (J2) - Broadway, Midtown Manhattan -Famous for its pizza (although it’s not too great anymore), J2 has expanded it’s menu and has a Sushi bar behind the sandwich area. You can pick up a pre-made roll or request a chef’s special roll. The rolls are surprisingly large, tasty, and inexpensive.
• Estihana - W 79th st., Upper West Side - Expensive but good Sushi. Popular date place. Also has a restaurant on Ave. J in Brooklyn.
• Fujihana - Ave. U, Brooklyn - Fujihana introduced me to Sushi. They are well known for their wide Japanese and Asian menu.
• Sushi Metsuyan - Central Ave., Cedarhurst - The Sushi is good, the atmosphere is amazing. The wall has a built in fish tank with exotic fish and other sea creatures. Great date place! They have 3 additional Sushi restaurants around the NY metro area including Teaneck, Queens, and Monsey.

Tags: 5 towns, asian, Brooklyn, Kosher, kosher sushi, Manhattan, nyc, sushi

Silicon Valley, CA

Contributed by: Erica S.  |  Last date of travel: Currenlty Resides in SV

San Jose, Palo Alto, Moutain View, etc.

Kosher Info:

There are a few restaurants located in the Silicon Valley which is defined as stretching from San Jose to South of San Francisco along the Peninsula. Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels is located in Palo Alto and does the best possible job of imitating a NY Bagel Shop. Open mornings and afternoons, this restaurant is pretty delicious if you are in the mood for a perfect bagel with lox and vegetables. Some parve Shabbat takeout items available as well as Challah. There is a kosher Krispe Kreme Donuts in Mountain View and a new meat restaurant on Castro Street... the sous chef was formerly at Baron Herzog’s Tierra Sur in Oxnard, CA and the menu is expected to be very good.

Kosher groceries are available in the Silicon Valley but the price is marked up from what you would pay in NY or LA. Kosher chicken and turkey as well as other certified products can be found at various Trader Joe’s locations throughout the region. Mollie Stones in Palo Alto has a complete kosher aisle, packed meat, dairy (including Cholav Yisroel products) and freezer section. Lucky in Los Altos and Lucky in Saratoga have 2 full aisles of Kosher goods as well as a large freezer section, and dairy and meat fridges.

Tourist Info:

The Silicon Valley is mostly occupied by residents and businesses and there are not many “touristy” things to do. This isn’t really a vacation destination. However, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay are all within an hour’s drive and all are geared towards tourists. San Jose has a great technology museum and Great America, an amusement park is in Santa Clara.  The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is enjoyable if you like weird large Victorian houses. One can take a driving tour of high-tech/internet company headquarters (which is fun for the technologically inclined traveler).

Jewish Info:

Palo Alto is home to two orthodox synagogues: Emek Beracha, which is OU Affiliated, and Chabad of the Greater South Bay. There are daily minyanim available. The Dryan Family Mikvah is housed on-site at the Chabad. The Jewish Study Network (Community Kollel) is now located in Palo Alto and offers daily classes for Jewish adults. Palo Alto has an Eruv.

San Jose has an orthodox synagogue called Am Echad which is located in the Willow Glen neighborhood. There is also a Mikvah in San Jose.

Tags: California, Google, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Silicon Valley

New in NYC: Maoz & Clubhouse Cafe

Late last month, Arielle and I went to find a late bite to eat on the UWS and found a brand new place that just opened that night: Maoz Vegetarian. The name alone told me entrepreneurial Israelis have invaded the U.S. yet again. We walked in and found an Israeli-run Pareve / Vegetarian falafel place (with a Hashgacha). You could purchase your falafel as a part of a meal (with Belgian Fries) or a la carte. While I am not a fan of falafel, and I’ve had my share in Israel, Maoz’s took the cake. The falafel was awesome! To top that off, the fries were even better!

I don’t know what it was, but I just liked the atmosphere, and definitely the food. As it turns out, there are a few locations in NYC other than the one we found on Broadway between W70th and W71st streets. They also have locations by Union Square and on East 8th st near NYU. After visiting their super fun website www.maozusa.com I learned that they have additional locations in Philly, and MANY overseas including: Paris, Mumbai, Barcelona, Madrid, London, Perth, and 4 in The Netherlands. I must note though that I am not 100% sure that these are kosher. The good news is these places are vegetarian & do not offer any meat products. So feel free to check it out.

My wife and I have a ritual that every month or so we go on a date to a restuarant that we both want to try. She had been wanting to check out Clubhouse Cafe located on W.46th street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The establishment is owned by Le Marais located across the street, in the heart of the theater district in Times Square. Clubhouse Cafe is not your typical kosher restaurant. When you enter it’s as if you’re in some small trendy meatpacking bar, full of exposed brick walls, purple-black lighting and mirrors everywhere. There’s a bar up front, with a large flat screen for those who want to sit and drink. In the back there is a seating area and another flat screen (although it was not on when we were there.)

The food is traditional American-fare made upscale. Appetizers include duck empanadas, we tried those they’re pretty small but good - and buffalo wings among others. The sandwiches are fairly reasonable and well sized. She had the burger which was really delicious. I had a grilled chicken sandwich. Good but not as good as the burger. If you are looking for a fun place to go with friends, or for a different type of place then check it out. It’s not a great date place (tables are too cramped together) but it is definitely worth a try. For more info check out www.clubhousecafe.net.

Tags: bbq, falafel, israeli, maoz vegetarian, nyc, times square, uws

Oxnard, CA

Contributed by: Dani Klein | Last Date of Travel: August 2008

Kosher Info: Oxnard, CA houses the Herzog Wine Cellars, one of the U.S.’s finest kosher wine brands. Within the complex there is Tierra Sur, a classy glatt kosher meat restaurant, obviously with a wide selection of kosher Herzog wines. I was only able to try the burger but I was not disappointed! The burger came with sliced heirloom tomatoes, red and yellow, with options to add on: Homemade hickory and maple smoked lamb bacon, sautéed balsamic onions, and Sweet potato fries instead of regular fries. Not only was the burger amazing, but the sweet potato fries were awesome!

As far as I know, Tierra Sur is the only kosher eatery in Oxnard, and the Gold Coast of California, which includes Ventura, Ojai, and Oxnard.

Tourist Info: Oxnard is a quiet city 60+ miles north west of Los Angeles accessible by Amtrak. The city has nice houses, nice beaches, and acres of fields to go strawberry picking. Oxnard hosts the California Strawberry Festival each year. The beaches are sparsely filled, except for some of the locals and few tourists surfing and sunbathing.

Also, the Herzog Wine Cellar offers a 15-30 minute self-guided tour.

Not far off of the coast of mainland California are the Channel Islands, beautiful and untouched. You can only access the islands by boat or small plane.

Jewish Info: While in Oxnard I bumped into many Jews, not Orthodox Jews, but Jews nonetheless. I also passed by the Chabad of Oxnard, which seems to be the only Orthodox shul in town.

Tags: California, chabad, gold coast, jewish travel, kosher travel, ojai, oxnard, ventura

Vail, CO

Contributed by: Rabbi Dovid Mintz | Last Date of Travel: {Author lives in Vail}

Kosher Info: Chabad Jewish Center of Vail offers a kosher menu @ www.KosherVail.com. Meals can be ordered 24 hours in advance and are delivered daily at approximately 6 pm. Citi Market in Vail carries a small kosher section, kosher breads and pastries.

Tourist Info: Since it’s opening in December of 1962, Vail has become one of the world’s premier resort areas. Thousands of people visit every year to take advantage of Vail’s world class winter sports and exciting cultural life. Because it is such a popular tourist destination, this tiny mountain village boasts world renowned artists, and luxurious homes and lodges which would usually only be found in a larger city.

Visiting Vail:
Vail Mountain is home to some of the world’s most exciting skiing and snowboarding, as well as to other winter sports activities. The mountain boasts 5289 ski-able acres, including the legendary back bowls. RIVA is the mountain’s longest run at just over four miles. Vail’s other runs offer something for everyone, from the beginner to the world class expert. A convenient complex of 34 lifts and one gondola, as well as professional schools and magnificent lodges make any trip to Vail unforgettable.

A visit to the village of Vail can be just as fulfilling as a run down a challenging slope. Vail’s tourist industry supports a vital community of artists, musicians and performers, and a visit into town might include any number of delightful activities. Whether you’re looking an evening of live music, or unique boutique shopping, Vail can certainly deliver.

There are lots of options in terms of accommodations when visiting Vail, Colorado. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose from a variety of hotels, condos, lodges and even rental homes. You can choose your lodgings based on their proximity to areas of interest, their size, or the amenities they offer. The price of your lodgings will depend on the season, with prices being highest during the winter holiday season and peak winter ski season.

Jewish Info: The Chabad Jewish Center of Vail is located at 1000 Lions Ridge Loop in a Hotel called Vail Run. It is a ten minute walk from Lionshead Village and twenty minutes from Vail Village. Services are held Friday evening at 6:00 pm Shabbos and Morning at 10:00 am with a traditional Kiddush to follow. If you need a Minyan for Kaddish, please contact the Rabbi to make special arrangements. For more information call Chabad of Vail at 970.476.7887 or visit www.JewishVail.com

Tags: chabad, Colorado, jewish travel, kosher travel, ski resort, skiing, vail

Boston, MA

Contributed by: Paul Hurwitz | Last Date of Travel:Currently resides in Boston

Kosher Info: For a city as big as the Boston Metro area, you’d think there would be more kosher restaurants. Unfortunately this is not the case, but there are choices. The Jewish center of Boston is actually the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline. On Harvard St there are kosher restaurants, a grocer/butcher and several other establishments. After each listing I mention the kosher supervision because not each establishment is universally accepted by the local community.

Restaurants/Bakeries:

♦Rubin’s Kosher Restaurant Delicatessen. Rubin’s is a classic deli with what I call good old-fashioned Jew-food. Rubin’s closes at 8PM. Glatt Kosher under the KVH.

♦Cafe Eilat, which is a pizza/dairy restaurant. The pizza is best when you order a whole instead of slices. Kosher under KVH and Rabbi Hamaoui (Sephardic Congregation).

♦Taam China is chinese and is open the latest of all local kosher restaurants. They have a second location, Taam China II in Newton. The Brookline location is small and because of that they try to have fast turnover. The Newton location is much larger and in my opinion has much better food. Glatt Kosher under Rabbi Hamaoui (Sephardic Congregation).

♦Rami’s is an Israeli falafel/shwarma place. The food is excellent, but if you want shwarma show up before 5PM, otherwise they run out. Glatt Kosher under the KVH.

♦Milk Street Cafe is the only restaurant mentioned here that is not in Brookline. It is located in Downtown Boston in the financial district. It is an excellent dairy restaurant that also does a lot of corporate catering (dairy/meat/pareve). It is open Monday-Friday 7AM-3PM. It is perfect if you are in Boston seeing tourist sites. Kosher under Orthodox Rabbincal Council.

♦Ruth’s Kitchen is a storefront for Catering by Edna. They are open Wednesday-Friday for takeout and they have a few tables to sit down. Glatt Kosher under Rabbi Dovid Moskowitz (Cong Chai Adom)

♦Kupel’s Bakery has bagels, challah and baked goods. They have just about any spread/topping you could think of for bagels. Kosher under the KVH.

♦A special mention goes to JP Licks on Harvard St, a local chain of ice cream stores. All but one of their locations are completely kosher under the KVH (Brigham Circle location is not certified). You can have the waffle cones, bagels, everything in the store. JP Licks has a special place in my heart because they always have Lactose free choices of ice cream.

Your options for breakfast are Rubin’s (pareve waffles, pancakes french toast, omelettes etc) and Kupels. Also, on Sunday mornings you can go to the JP Licks mother ship in Jamaica Plain and get fresh made waffles with any topping along with bagels, muffins, scones and coffee). There is no longer a kosher Dunkin Donuts in the Boston area.

Markets:

♦The Butcherie is a full-service butcher/grocer. The store is kosher under Rabbi Mordechai Twersky, but the fresh meat and prepared foods are not Glatt Kosher. There are plenty of packaged meats/chicken, dry goods and dairy products.

♦Trader Joes has a wide selection of kosher products and fresh Empire poultry products.

♦The Stop & Shop on Harvard St has a kosher bakery in the store (under the KVH) and a whole section of just kosher products.

Outside of Brookline there are more kosher establishments in Newton, Sharon and Stougton. They are not in the areas frequented by people visiting Boston, so I am not mentioning them here. Check the Kosher Restaurant Database on Shamash for more information.

Tourist Info: Boston is a great city to visit, whether its for a vacation or for one of the myriad conferences and conventions that take place here. There is a lot more to do in Boston during the summer than there is in winter because of all the outdoor activities here. One of the best ways to get an introduction to Boston (and have great fun while doing so) is to take a Boston Duck Tours tour. The tour takes place on a WWII era amphibious vehicle (a DUKW boat) and includes the DUKW entering the water and giving a view of Boston and Cambridge from the Charles River. Another option would be to take a trolley tour which allows you to get on and off throughout the day to spend more time at sites that interest you.

Of course there is the Freedom Trail, a 2.5 mile red brick trail that leads to more than 15 historic sites around Boston. You can explore on your own or take a guided tour. A lot of stops on the trolley tours and the Freedom Trail overlap, so you probably don’t need to do both. A highlight of the Freedom Trail is the USS Constitution, ‘Old Ironsides’. Old Ironsides is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. You can go on a guided tour and visit the museum. Note that it is a secure Naval facility, you have to go through airport-style security to get in.

Boston has great parks that are lot of fun to explore. Boston Common is in the heart of Downtown and has wide open spaces as well as a playground and the Frog Pond (wading in summer, ice skating in the winter). You can stroll along the Charles River on the multi-use path on both sides of the Charles and see the Hatch Shell (the location of the Pops Goes the Fourth 4th of July fireworks and concert). The crown jewel is one of the US’s newest National Parks, the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. You can take ferries from Long Wharf, near the Aquarium, to Spectacle and Georges islands and from there to some of the smaller islands. If you have one day to explore the islands go to Georges Island. Georges Island features a Civil War era fortress, picnic area and is a great place to explore. You can also take a ferry out to Little Brewster Island to take a tour of Boston Light, the oldest manned lighthouse in the country.

The Prudential Tower in Copley Square has the Skywalk Observatory on the 50th floor that offers a 360 degree of Boston. Near the Prudential Tower is Newbury St which is great for people-watching and shopping. Another great people-watching area is Harvard Square in Cambridge. Sports fans may want to visit Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, either for a game or for a tour on non-game days. Under the bleachers section of Fenway there is a kosher hotdog vending machine.

Boston and the surrounding areas have some great museums that can add to any trip to Boston. If you have kids (especially under 10 y/o) Boston Children’s Museum is not to be missed. There is a special playspace just for kids under 3 and the 3 story climbing sculpture in the main lobby is great for older kids. Another museum, great for kids and adults, is the Museum of Science which also has a planetarium and a 5 story tall IMAX theater. There are lots of other great museums around Boston. Visit this website for links to all of them.

Jewish Info: There are many places to stay in Boston if you are Orthodox. If you will be staying for a Shabbat, there is a Courtyard By Marriot and a Holiday Inn in Brookline that both have special rooms for ‘Sabbath observers’ that don’t require a electronic card key and are within 10 minutes walking distance from the Young Israel of Brookline. The website of the Young Israel of Brookline is a great resource for finding local minyan times at all the local Orthodox shuls and other Jewish community info. Visit http://www.yibrookline.org. The Daughters of Israel mikvah on Washington St. in Brighton can be reached by calling (617) 782-9433.

There are other Jewish communities in the area: Newton, Brighton, Sharon and Cambridge. With the exclusion of Cambridge, these are areas not usually reached by people visiting Boston on vacation.

Tags: boston, jewish community, jewish travel, kosher travel, new england, universities

Norfolk / Virginia Beach, VA

Contributed by: Linda Rosenberg Minkow | Laste date of travel: Author currently lives there

Kosher info: Norfolk has a growing array of kosher conveniences. Two local supermarkets carry a limited selection of kosher products: Harris Teeter on DeBree Avenue and The Marketplace (formerly Gene Walters) on 21st Street between Colonial and Colley. The Marketplace is currently in the process of renovating, and when they’re done there will be a kosher deli counter and larger selection of meat.

There is a kosher wholesaler in Norfolk called VA Bel or Belkov’s, located on Princess Anne Road. They are open Tuesday-Friday 10-3 or so, and will stay open if you call an order ahead to pick up at another time. They literally have an entire warehouse of kosher foods, and Calvin will open any box of anything he has in the back to sell to his kosher customers. It’s really great if you have the time to pick up a order during the day.

Restaurant-wise, there is currently an Israeli grocery store called Little Israel in Virginia Beach on Independence Blvd that serves falafel, deli sandwiches, fries, salds, schawarma and the best Jerusalem mix I have ever had. They have a mashgiach there until about 4 pm so if you want anything meat after that, call ahead and Yehuda will make sure you get what you orderd. Yehuda’s mother-in-law is Moroccan and makes some of the best couscous I have ever tried.

There is a new dairy/fish/pasta restaurant that just opened in the Waterside, a small mall that is right in the middle of downtown Norfolk near a lot of tourist attractions (see tourism section). I haven’t been there yet, but it’s run by three non-Jewish ladies who also run Dish catering, a local kosher catering company. There is also a woman in the local Orthodox shul who does small-scale catering, Tehilla Mostofsky. She’s phenomenal.

Beyond restaurants and catering, we have a Rita’s Water Ice and a Cold Stone Creamery under hashgacha on 21st St. The JCC off of the Witchduck Road (yes, you read that right) exit from highway 264 has a kosher cafeteria as well, providing wrap sandwiches and other lunch options.

Tourist Info: Norfolk and Virginia Beach are great tourist spots. Norfolk has the world’s largest shipyard and naval base. There is a museum called the Nauticus which outlines Norfolk’s naval involvement since the very beginning of US history. There is also a decommissioned battle ship you can tour called the US Wisconsin. The Nauticus area is right down the block from the new cruise ship terminal, where you can also catch local boat tours of the bay.

Downtown Norfolk has lots of attractions. There is the MacArthur Center Mall, located across the street from the General MacArthur memorial/museum. There are lots of little boutiques, bookstores and clubs in the area as well. Ghent is right near Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and Easter Virginia Medical School. It has lots of trendy little bars and stores, including bike shops and health food stores.

Virginia Beach, of course, has the beach and other beach attractions. There is First Landing state park, which has really great running and biking trails as well as a boating marina. Fort Story is a local Army base that has a small museum and a lighthouse if you enjoy those sorts of things.

There are numerous concert venues throughout Norfolk and Virginia Beach if you’re looking to catch a major comedy or music act. The Chrysler Museum in downtown Norfolk and the Virginia Opera House are attractions right in the middle of trendy Ghent and Downtown Norfolk areas.

If you’re willing to take a drive, Williamsburg is only an hour away. There is colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown, which are great historic areas with lots of interactive attractions and living history sites. Busch Gardens is in the area, as is King’s Dominion. Both are fantastic theme parks. Another 30 minutes north is Richmond, which has a Virginia Holocaust museum as well as various historical and entertainment attractions. Driving south of Norfolk will take you to North Carolina. There are lots of beaches and outdoor attractions there, including boating and camping. If you head to Raleigh, the museum thre has a Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit (not sure how long that’s going on there).

Jewish info: In Norfolk, there is a lot of Jewish history and a growing Jewish community. B’nai Israel is the local Orthodox shul, but there is also a Chabad near ODU (Old Dominion Univ.). There are two large Conservative temples and at least one large Reform temple in Norfolk. B’nai Israel is run by Rabbi Chaim Silver (community Rabbi) and Rabbi Sendar Haber (assistant Rabbi). There is a kollel/Jewish education outreach center run by Rabbi Gershon Litt. There are two Jewish elementary schools, one run by the JCC (less religious) and one run by the B’nai community (more religious). There is currently a small boy’s high school and girl’s high school as well.

The Jewish community is very tight-knit, a mix of local ba’alei t’shuvah together with the Rabbis (and their families) that teach at the school, run the shul and maange the kashrut for the community. There is a large military presence in Norfolk, so the community has a lot of former and current military members who are stationed in the area.

It’s a very welcoming community so feel free to stop by!

Tags: beach, boating, history, jewish travel, kosher travel, military, Norfolk, theme parks, Virginia, Virginia Beach

Washington, D.C.

Contributed by: Sharona Whisler | Last Date of Travel: [Author lives in DC]

Kosher Info: In the District itself kosher food and especially restaurants are slim pickings considering how many Jews live in the area. The most popular kosher restaurant in DC is “Eli’s” (http://www.elisdc.com), a glatt kosher deli/grill with a nice variety of dishes on the menu. Eli’s is located at the corner of 20nd and N streets NW. The closest Metro stop is Dupont Circle on the red line (leave through the Dupont Circle South exit when leaving the station stop) which is just around the corner and down the block.

The only other kosher restaurant in DC is located in the DC JCC on the corner of 16th and Q streets NW, cleverly called the “JCC Cafe“. The restaurant is in the rear part of the lobby and so there are always people walking by. This is also a meat restaurant with a great lunch special and dinner special. The presentation is a more formal than Eli’s and it is not as crowded. The closest Metro stop to the JCC Cafe is also Dupont Cirlcle (but this time it is best to leave the station stop through the Q Street exit).

Markets:

A new Trader Joe’s opened up on 25th street b/t L and M streets NW that sells kosher chicken and sometimes ground meat. This is exciting for DC residents.

There is a general market called Brookville in Cleveland Park (Cleveland Park Metro on the red line is a half-block away) which sells a nice variety of kosher and Israeli products and Zomicks Challah! There are many other restaurants and kosher shopping opportunities in Maryland, one of which is Metro accessible.

Sienna’s Pizza is in Rockville, MD is a block away from the White Flint Metro stop on the red line. They serve dairy Italian and Mexican dishes and you order at the counter.

Tourist Info: This is DC we’re talking about. The mecca of American history and government. How can I list tourist info for the nation’s capital? It can go on forever. Here is it goes. Go see the many monuments and memorials (free!), Tidal Basin (free!) Smithsonian Museums (free!), Arlington Cemetary (free!), walk around Capitol Hill (free!), Georgetown for shopping, and go to Dupont Circle, Adam’s Morgan, or Georgetown at night.

I’ve found this site to be very helpful for the DC tourist: http://www.washington.org.

Jewish Info: The orthodox synagogue, Kesher Israel which holds daily services is located on the corner of 28th and N streets NW.

The DC Chabad is located at 2110 Leroy Place, and offers a free Shabbat lunch.

Tags: DC, jewish travel, Kosher, kosher travel, museums, washington

Brooklyn, NY

Contributed by: Arielle Singer Klein | Last Date of Travel: [Author grew up in Brooklyn and often visits her parents who live there.]

Kosher Info: Ahh Brooklyn the proverbial mecca for the Jewish foodie. Although I no longer live in Brooklyn I still dream about all the myriad food choices that exist some open till the wee hours of the morning. I usually don’t mind a visit because I know I’ll end up with a juicy burger or delicious sushi on my plate things I rarely if ever complain about. In Brooklyn you can eat for a lot or a little it all depends on your tastes and your budget. Here my rundown of good eats.

Flatbush:

Flatbush is a mix of Ashkenazim, Sephardim and now even Chassidim. In Flatbush can be found some of my favorite restaurants.

Avenue J

Looking for a cheap breakfast? Hit Bagel Hole on Avenue J. For around $3.99 you can get a complete breakfast; eggs, coffee, bagel, home fries. You can get a bagel with cream cheese for about a $1.50. The bagels taste great and are always fresh. They also have an array of flavored and regular coffees, the best iced cappuccino’s, the best tuna and other fresh tasty salads. They also offer wraps and twists and baked goods.

For a sit down breakfast, lunch or dinner where you can take the family check out Garden of Eat-In. They offer everything from pancakes, omelets and french toast, to soups, salads sandwiches, pasta, even sushi. Everything is delicious and a meal there won’t break the bank.

If it’s pizza you crave you can definitely find it in Brooklyn.

Most of us from Brooklyn will agree that Pizza Time has the best pizza in Brooklyn. The founder of this blog will argue otherwise. Pizza time has a variety of pizza toppings and the most delicious square cheese-less tomato slice.

Jerusalem 2 Pizza has the best mushroom slice around. They also make great personal pies.

If it’s a deal you’re after, head over to Natanya near the subway station. You can get a cheap special for with a slice, fries, and can of soda; and they give the best free pickles. I spent every Friday afternoon there after school with my dad and most of my Saturday nights throughout high school.

Looking for a meaty sandwich? Head over to a kosher Subway (based on the non-kosher chain) on either Avenue J or Kings Highway. There are a variety of bread and meat combinations topped with fresh vegetables and a large selection of sauces.

Subsational is also a great choice for a sammy. They have two locations one on E 15th street off of Avenue J, the other on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue P. They have mouthwatering sliced steak, grilled chicken, salami, meatball subs, turkey etc. all served on club bread. There are burgers, tacos, burritos and really great pastrami egg rolls.

Want a burger that’s juicy, flavorful and phenomenally good? Check out Burger’s Bar (an Israeli chain) on Coney Island Avenue (near Subsational). They serve tantalizing burgers, spicy burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken and steak sandwiches and delicious home-style French fries. The best part is you choose what goes on your burger. When your order is ready you stand at a counter and tell the counter help exactly what you want on your burger. There’s lettuce, tomato, pickles, fried and raw onions, chimichurri sauce, pesto, BBQ sauce, garlic mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish sauce, sweet and hot chili and quite a few more. If you didn’t guess yet this is one of my favorite places to eat!

When you are looking for a place that has slighly more ambiance, or a touch more elegance, check out these places:

• Estihana- Located on Ave J; has a variety of Asian fusion fare. They serve Japanese, Thai and Chinese food. If you can sit at the tucked away booth and if you really want to impress her (and she likes sushi) order the sushi boat for two.
• Moshi Moshi- Another great place that serves Japanese and Chinese food. Make sure you try all things Tempura. The tempura vegetable appetizer is pure cholesterol joy as is the tempura banana dessert. Located on Coney Island Ave between Ave P and Quentin Rd.
• Fuji Hana- One of the original kosher sushi places in Brooklyn. Their sushi is superb, as is the ginger chicken - a Thai specialty served sizzling hot. Don’t forget to try the tollhouse cookie or hot apple cobbler for dessert. Located on Ave U between E 9th & E 10th streets.
• Sunflower- The Israelis have invaded Brooklyn and with them they have bought fabulous salads, paninis, fruit shakes, and pasta. This is a great place to go with the girls or a date but not a first date. Located on Quentin Rd. & E 13th (& Kings Hwy).
• Amazon- One block over from Sunflower is Amazon on E12th st. Similar in fare to Sunflower but with soft lighting, less noise, and a lot more ambiance. Try the haloumi salad, deep fried cheese on lettuce, tomato, cucumber and saute’ed mushrooms with pesto dressing or the panini caprese made of mozzarella, tomato, and pesto on delicious club bread served with salad. Don’t forget the pas