Hell’s Kitchen Local

“The Kash” as my sweetie Marty and I call it. I love how the Middle Eastern theme connects so many different regions and culinary delights. The kale salad is by far the best I’ve ever had — what do they massage it with? I’ll never know. But they add roasted walnuts, pecorino cheese and dried figs. The diversity of texture and flavor is delish! Plus the octopus skewers, beet skordalia, walnut pepper spread and spinach feta tapas. My favorite area is the garden room in the back.

This Greek bakery serves the most delicious tiropita: a flaky cheese pie made with ricotta, cream cheese, feta and a touch of mint. One cheese pie with a bowl of olives is my perfect lunch. I love that the business is so old school, they use an honest-to-god cash register. Poseidon has been in its 9th Avenue location since 1950, although the business started in 1923 — a true Hell’s Kitchen institution.

I’m at this library several times a week, and every time I find something new, from books to a movie series to a friendly face. It opened on September 24, 1909, with funding by Andrew Carnegie, and I feel that history when I walk through the front doors and into the Renaissance Revival building. The librarians are always helpful and very friendly. They’ve recently expanded their events, and now they have everything from a horror book club to a scrapbooking workshop to a wider array of movies. I recently saw Soylent Green there, and it was the perfect weekday matinee getaway, just a few minutes from my home.

The best place to people-watch is in this 24-hour plaza, where you never know which friends you’ll run into or what kinds of conversations you might overhear from New Yorkers and tourists of all stripes. On a crisp fall day, there’s no better place to grab coffee and catch up al fresco.

I have a chronic sweet tooth, and this place is my guilty pleasure. I refer to them as the “Ben & Jerry’s of cookies”. I love their flavors, and I also love the Broadway-turned-baker backstory of their founder, Zachary Schmahl, which is very similar to another of my favorites in the neighborhood, The Little Pie Company. These businesses are so representative of what Hell’s Kitchen is all about — many people come here with a dream, and then they are forced to reinvent themselves to make it work! I am sort of in that same phase in my life right now with my tour company.

This has been my deli for 22 years. I’ve watched the kids grow up and get married and have families. When I’ve needed help or wanted to leave keys for a guest, they’re always willing to lend a hand. Hamsa (now at another deli) called me in Oklahoma after my mom passed, to tell me he was thinking of me. I would do anything for these people, they’re just incredible — and it’s a great neighborhood deli.

The drinks are great, and their fried pickles are out of this world. On sunny days, I love hanging out with my dog. The staff is super friendly, making it such a wonderful place to chill and enjoy the vibes!

Cubby’s is run by my good friend Charles, my old coworker at Pastis! I remember we would talk about our futures together on our breaks — his dream of opening up his own establishment and my passion for public service. I visited again recently and it was quite emotional to see where we have both ended up.

They are new to the neighborhood. The front-of-house staff is very knowledgeable about what they’re serving — whether vegetarian or vegan — and they’ve been wonderful guides in helping me find dishes that meet my specific dietary guidelines. The food is delicious!

World Wide Plaza is another go-to, especially in the summer. It’s conveniently located to theatres and it’s a cute and nice spot to catch up with friends, eat lunch or people watch. I love people watching…but I do miss the days of Blockheads and Mother Burger. IYKYK.