I spent last weekend in my second favorite city in the world, good old New York City (#1 is Tokyo).  While I tried out a few new spots to eat, I found myself hitting up some old favorites.  These are the restaurants that I miss and crave when I’m not in the city, mainly because they offer food that I just cannot find in South Florida.

After a long night of partying, we went to Kashkaval in Hell’s Kitchen for a Middle Eastern feast. Located on 9^th Avenue between 55^th and 56^th Street, Kashkaval is a cheese and gourmet foods market in the front, and an intimate, candlelit wine and cheese bar in the back.  Knowing that it would probably be my only trip for a while, I definitely over-ordered. Hummus, guacamole, curried chicken salad, a cheese and charcuterie plate and an omelet with spinach and feta were way too much food than two people needed, but it hit the spot.

Good soul food is another thing I have a hard time finding here in South Florida, so I wasn’t going to skip grubbing in Harlem.  My restaurant of choice- Amy Ruth’s on West 116^th Street.  In my opinion, they serve up the best waffles and fried goodness around, and it’s always a treat to have a glass of their “Kool-Aid of the Day.”  On this last trip I indulged in the orange Kool-Aid, the Jennifer Holliday (a waffle and five fried shrimp), and a side order of the baked mac and cheese.

No trip to NYC is complete without a “slice.”  In my case, I skipped the slice and went for the whole pizza pie at Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn.  Located right by the Brooklyn Bridge, it is one of seven locations throughout New York and New Jersey.  Don’t let the line out the door scare you- it moves quickly and the dining experience is completely worth it.  If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be a line, right?  Loved by locals and tourists alike, Grimaldi’s is run by a bunch of Italian men who have been serving up the best food for years. If toppings are your thing, by all means go ahead, but I simply recommend the cheese pizza.  It’s crispy, fresh and delicious enough to keep me coming back every time I’m in NYC.