I got off the Canal St. Station on a hot summer Sunday, and immediately thought, “Why don’t I come to Chinatown more often?” Chinatown in Manhattan will instantly transport you to any major Asian city: the sights of the markets in Tokyo or Bangkok, the chaos of Beijing or Hanoi, the smells of, well, any fish market. I made my way over to Hop Kee, one of the few old-school Cantonese-style restaurants left in Chinatown. It was tucked underground, and when I walked in, I found a no-frills cash-only Chinese restaurant. I sat down, looked at the menu, and realized everything was served family-style. Bummer! I should have brought my friends. Knowing I could not possibly finish more than one family-style meal, if even that, I opted to order the pan-fried flounder, just like Tony did, knowing I could easily consume an entire fish, sans bones.

The fish came out piping hot and was covered in thin slices of fried ginger. I had no problem finishing this fish and immediately wondered why I hadn’t gone there sooner. The flounder was flavorful and fatty, the kicks of ginger took it over the top. I was disappointed not being able to try more menu items; I was especially looking forward to the Cantonese-style crab Anthony Bourdain ate in this episode. I paid my bill and noticed a family of seven sitting directly next to me. Their table had nearly the entire menu on it. When they caught me staring and drooling, I jokingly said, “I wish I was sitting with you guys!” The mom of the family stepped up like a true matriarch, asked for my plate, and loaded it up with Peking duck and Cantonese-style crab. What a humbling, sweet moment. While everything I ate there was over-the-top incredible, that crab wins. Just ask for extra napkins.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 5, Episode 8: “Disappearing Manhattan”

After my meal at Hop Kee, I decided to walk thirty minutes to Sophie’s, a tiny dive bar in Alphabet City. I was hoping for a quiet, boring Sunday afternoon, maybe sipping on a can of beer just to say I visited. I assumed the bar would be empty or speckled with a few regulars. I was surprised to find that there was a girl throwing her 22^nd birthday party there, and it was filled with young people doing shots of tequila and playing pool. The bartender had the typical New York bartender attitude that I also carried for the ten years I slinged drinks in Manhattan, so I immediately liked the vibe of this place. I ordered a beer, and when one of the drunk party girls asked if I wanted a shot of tequila, well, I couldn’t say no; Tony certainly wouldn’t have.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 5, Episode 8: “Disappearing Manhattan”

After overstaying my welcome at Sophie’s, I needed a little more fuel in the form of food before calling it a night. I jumped on the L train at 1^st Ave and got off at Jefferson in Bushwick to visit tortilla factory meets taqueria: Los Hermanos. I was, once again, surprised by how packed it was. Also being a cash-only establishment, you write down your order on a tiny Post-it Note and hand it to whoever is working behind the counter. I ordered a bistec and carnitas taco. Both were equally delicious, a perfect way to soak up some beer and tequila from Sophie’s. You won’t find any white-washed fajitas on this menu, just good old classic authentic Mexican cuisine for dirt cheap.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 5, Episode 13: “Outer Boroughs”

I used to live about a five-minute walk from Diner, and I have eaten there several times. I only recently learned that Anthony Bourdain visited after re-watching the “Boroughs” episode of No Reservations. His bitterness toward this place feels similar to my own views: it’s a place you really don’t want to like if you’re a stubborn New Yorker. It’s designed to look like a diner, with cushiony booths and rotating low-to-the-ground bar stools, but the menu and prices scream otherwise. You’ll find fresh produce forward meals, homemade pastas, bone-marrow buttered slathered steaks, and more. One of my favorite things I’ve eaten here was a slice of olive oil cake. The menu changes frequently, and back when I used to visit, the waitresses/waiters would write the menu on the paper tablecloth.

I was hesitant to include Diner on this particular food tour of mine, it didn’t feel exciting because I already knew it so well. But when I saw the episode where it was featured, Anthony Bourdain’s dining buddy argued that Diner has the best burger in New York, to which Tony argued back, “Those are kind of fighting words. You don’t want to f*ck this place over by saying it’s the best burger in New York.” I had never had the burger, which is what prompted me to revisit after so many years. When I arrived, I spoke with the manager and she confirmed they no longer write the menu on the table due to Covid-19 concerns and handed me a paper menu instead. I ordered a beer and a burger, medium-rare, just as it comes. My burger came out and looked beautiful. The ketchup for the fries was like a thick homemade tomato jam. I took a bite, and there’s no doubt, it’s a damn good burger, but I must agree with Tony on this one: if I was under the impression that this was the best burger in New York, I may leave disappointed. I reiterate, it’s a delicious burger, I would go back time and time again if I was craving such a thing, but “best burger in New York” are indeed fighting words.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 5, Episode 13: “Outer Boroughs”

I guess I can’t say much about a place I unfortunately never got to try. I assume the truck closes once they run out of food. My first attempt to visit was on a Tuesday, and the woman working at the truck next door said, “Mañana!” I went back the next night around 8 p.m., and they were closed again, however, this time, they had evidence of having been open at some point that day. I saw cutting boards and what looked like the leftovers of a hard day of work, but alas, they were closed. The good news is, the truck is perked directly under the 7 train at Junction Blvd, and if you try to visit but it happens to be closed, you won’t be short on other options. I was with two friends on our second attempt, we ordered tacos from the truck next door. For USD $2 each, the price can’t be beat, and they were some of the best tacos I’ve not only had in NYC, but ever in my life. The authenticity of the Latin cuisines in this neighborhood is undeniable. The truck even served brain and eye tacos, that’s how you know you’re in for the real deal. My advice if you’re trying to visit this food truck is, take the 7, enjoy the ride, and don’t be discouraged if it’s closed when you get there: you are bound to find something delicious.

Episode: Parts Unknown, Season 9, Episode 4: “Queens”

Let me tell you about my friend Rebecca. Back in 2017, I was traveling alone in Peru and decided to tackle Rainbow Mountain despite having severe altitude sickness. A van picked me up from my hostel at about 3 a.m. to bring me to Vinicunca, and I was fortunate enough to sit next to a girl from D.C. who was hiking that day alone. Her name was Rebecca. We tackled this beast of a mountain together and exchanged information to keep in touch. She eventually moved from D.C. to New York, but we hadn’t made the time to see each other… until about a month ago. Rebecca was down to join me on my Bourdain food tour, not only was she great company, but she also just so happens to be a food photographer. It seemed fitting to eat at off-the-beaten path spots with a girl I met on a mountain in Peru.

Now, back to the food: Our original plan was to eat at the Ecuadorian food truck, take a little break, then head to Lhasa, a Tibetan restaurant. Since, as you now know, our food truck plan failed, we headed straight to Lhasa. What was described in the episode as a place tucked behind a cell phone shop is no longer true. I was confused by this, but it turns out, the original location was destroyed in a four-alarm fire earlier this year. Lhasa Fast Food reopened on June 19^th, 2021 under the new name “Lhasa Tibetan Restaurant and Bar.” We chose a table outside and ordered everything Tony did. The Sha Momo (beef soup dumplings) was my favorite, the flavor of the fried beef was out of this world, the hand-pulled noodles were accurately described as “the size of a thumb,” and they offered some of the spiciest hot sauce I’ve eaten in New York. Now we’re talking! I felt foolish that I hadn’t visited Jackson Heights despite living in New York for so long. Lucky for me, because of the efficiency of the 7 train, Lhasa is only about a 20-minute commute from my apartment. It’s safe to say they’ll be seeing me again.

Episode: Parts Unknown, Season 9, Episode 4: “Queens”

Rebecca and I took the train from Lhasa, which is deep into Queens, to Gloria’s, a Caribbean spot deep into Brooklyn. For those who don’t live in New York and those whose New York geography is not great, this is kind of a nightmare of a commute. But Rebecca and I were on a mission to eat as much Bourdain food as possible, and we were committed. We sat on the train for over an hour, and when we finally exited the 5 train at Sterling, we were skipping to Gloria’s as our appetites had managed to work themselves back up. And then… we saw a closed gate. In situations like this, you have to laugh or else you’ll cry, but it goes without saying that we were frustrated. I was really looking forward to Gloria’s, and even though Google Maps had said they were open (it was a Tuesday,) I later called to find out they are only open Wednesday-Sunday from 12-8:30. This is a change that began within the last year due to slower business during Covid-19. I will most certainly be visiting in the future when I have the time for the two-hour roundtrip; I have a strong feeling it will be well worth it.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 9, Episode 10: “Brooklyn”

After the disappointment of two of our Bourdain food tour spots being closed, we decided there was only one option left: to start drinking. Not wanting to deal with the subway anymore, we took an Uber to Sunny’s, a proper dive bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Red Hook is known for several hidden gems, but it is a little bit of a pain to reach. It’s not near any subways, which is also what prompted the Uber ride. However, no pain, no gain: Red Hook is a fabulous hidden gem of a neighborhood that had me scratching my head as to why I’ve only been there twice. We walked in and I immediately fell in love with the place. Cash only, no food served there but you can bring takeout/order delivery from elsewhere, backyard, live bluegrass music. The bartender was a gem, there were some pups in the backyard, and the vibe was totally laid back and casual. We drank some tequila and beer while laughing about our mishaps of the day.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 9, Episode 10: “Brooklyn”

Keen’s is a classic New York steakhouse that I’ve never bothered to visit. I don’t usually go for the fancy places, and if I do, it’s seldom a steakhouse. But it was my 31^st birthday, my friend Amanda agreed to join Rebecca and I, and I was tipsy enough from Sunny’s to pretend I belonged there. I wore my fabulous Sicilian two-piece satin outfit and decided to treat myself. In the episode that Anthony Bourdain visits Keen’s, his dining buddy jokingly describes it as “a bar that just serves really large food,” declaring you must only order scotch: no wine, no cocktails. I didn’t take his advice and ordered a Negroni, while my two friends ordered Dirty Martinis. We ordered as much food as we thought we were capable of eating, because life is short, and when in Rome, or in this case, Keen’s. Everything we ate was delicious; we even tried their infamous mutton, also known as sheep’s meat. The porterhouse was melt-in-your-mouth perfect, every side was classic and excellently prepared. I am by no means a food critic, but if you want a true old-school New York experience, splurge and head to Keen’s.

Episode: No Reservations, Season 5, Episode 8: “Disappearing Manhattan”

I could relate to Anthony Bourdain when it came to exploring your own backyard. I know the streets of Katsushika and Shinjuku in Tokyo better than I know most neighborhoods in Queens. I make it a priority to try every local delicacy when I travel somewhere new, but typically don’t go too far out of my comfort zone here in my own home city. I wanted to end my food tour with a bang; going somewhere I’ve heard is a food haven, but had never made my way to: Flushing, Queens.

A little back story: I visited South Korea solo in 2019, and it was one of the few places I felt lonely. Seoul was a very social city; everyone traveled in groups, in both Seoul and Jeju, portions at restaurants were served family-style. I remember my first meal there after landing late at night. It was 2 a.m. I ordered tteokbokki and a beer. I was alarmed by the size of both items. I thought they were ripping me off because I was a tourist, but I quickly realized after spending some time there, that’s just how the portions were. Going out to eat made me feel like I was uninformed, foolish, and dumb, I ended up having a panic attack in Jeju because I felt so isolated. Lucky for me, I live in New York, where I can get any cuisine as authentic as ever, as long as I’m willing to make the trek. I invited Rebecca and Amanda once again, and together, we headed to Flushing, Queens for some Korean food. We arrived at about 9 p.m., and we were the only ones there. The waitress was incredibly kind and patient with us as we contemplated what we wanted and stayed right until closing at 11 p.m. We ordered Mackerel, Tteokbokki (spicy tofu and fish cakes), Soju, Makkgeolli (milky rice wine), Gamjatang (pork neck bone soup,) and got all the classic Korean fixings. The entire experience brought me back to Korea, but this time, I wasn’t so lonely. I was transported to the late-night spot in Seoul with the company I was missing on my original visit, laughing over Soju and Tteokbokki. It was a lovely way to end a few days of eating in my home city through the guidance of my idol, Anthony Bourdain.

Episode: Parts Unknown, Season 9, Episode 4: “Queens”

Rest in Peace Tony.