Is NYC back in my good graces?
Twenty-two years ago, I moved from New York City to Los Angeles for what I thought would be a 3-year relocation. I had always identified as a ride-or-die New Yorker, and honestly couldn’t see a world in which I left that behind permanently. But after a few years of living in LA, it was clear I was never moving back to the East Coast.
My friends back home couldn’t comprehend this switch-up, and they love to hate on LA (and, quite frankly, anywhere that isn’t NYC). As a result, I’ve made it my life’s mission to show everyone why LA is the best city in the world. Outside of my daily work life, LA is filled with the best food scene, hikes, museums, concerts, ocean swims, walking art tours, farmer’s markets, long bike rides, plays, and perfect weather year-round.
All of that being said, this last trip made it hard to continue my anti-New York campaign. I’ve always said that when the weather is nice, NYC is amazing, but that’s only about 15 days out of the year. The sun was shining for the 7 days I was in the city, so we might have to round that estimate up to 30.
My week was packed with work, but I was still able to fit in plenty of incredible meals, see some great theater, visit art galleries, ride around the city on a Citi Bike, and even make a quick escape upstate to Tivoli. LA is still my favorite city in the world, but my recent trip reminded me of how special NY can be.
Milken Panel:
On Wednesday, May 7 at 11:30 a.m. PT, I’m moderating a panel at the Milken Global Conference. The panel, “Charting the Rise of the Podcast Economy,” will feature some of the greatest minds in the podcast business. You can watch the livestream here.
Attention Cold Coffee Lovers:
Cumulus was nice enough to send me their cold coffee machine. As a coffee lover, I must admit—I was impressed. Especially for those of you who are cold brew fans, this machine is worth a try. There’s even a nitro cold brew option, which I had never tried before but loved. Plus, it’s perfect for espresso martinis. They were kind enough to offer $100 off their machines to Jamie’s List readers. You can use the code JAMIE100 to start your mornings (or evenings) off right.
Special Shoutout:
A very happy birthday to Jamie’s List all-star and owner of The Benjamin, Ben Hundreds.
My week in NYC was filled with some of the best meals I’ve ever had. Obviously Yi Ji Shi Mo continues to reign supreme, but from Win Son Bakery to Torrisi to The Four Horsemen, every meal was flawless. I even snuck in a late night slice at Scarr’s and an early morning BEC at Corner Gourmet (which is in the running for the best in the city). While it was all delicious, these two spots were the winners in what was a tight race
Kiko
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Crew: Aaron Stern, Adam Saper, Martha Patricof, The Infatuation, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, and Time Out.
What to Order: Thrice Fried Chicken wing, Dungeness Crab, Chicory and Red Cabbage Salad, Maine Lobster Crispy Rice, Head-on Prawns, Half Sasso Chicken, Double R Ranch Flanken Short Rib, and Wendy’s Organic Luna Koshihikari Rice.
Good For: This place works for everything. Date night, business dinner, dinner with friends, and larger groups.
Pro Tip: The bigger the group the better. More people means you can try more things on the menu. A group of 6 is ideal, although 4 will do…if you’re extra hungry.
Notes: Asian fusion (or any fusion, for that matter) instantly makes me suspect of a restaurant, but Kiko breaks that mold. The mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean is perfect. The food was a 10 out of 10, and everything about this restaurant was a hit. I highly recommend checking this spot out next time you’re in NYC.
Quique Crudo
Cuisine: Mexican
Crew: Aaron Stern, Adam Saper, The Infatuation, and The New York Times.
What to Order: Ensalada Cesarín, Ceviche de Langosta, Tostada de Jaiba, Aguachile Negro de Callos de Hacha, Aguachile de Camaron, Ostiones Empanizados, Tostada Steak Tartar, Pastel Tres Leches, and all the drinks.
Good For: Date night, dinner with a friend, solo dining (I know it sounds crazy, but try it, especially since this a place where you can sit at a counter).
Pro Tip: Show up early and be ready to wait (an unappealing combination, I know) since they don’t take reservations–but I promise it’s worth it. Also worth noting: Quique is best enjoyed as a party of two or fewer. They serve dinner later than most, so it’s a great option if you’re looking for a late night meal–which, in NY today, means after 10 p.m. The days of 2 a.m. meals are long gone–for me, at least.
Notes: Cosme Aguilar’s Quique Crudo is a counter-service-only restaurant that’s up for one of the best meals in NYC right now. This shouldn't be surprising, since he and his brother’s restaurant, Casa Enrique in Long Island City, was the first NYC Mexican restaurant to be awarded a Michelin Star. However, even with crew member Adam Saper’s obsession with this restaurant, it still truly exceeded my expectations. It’s reminiscent of Holbox LA, another Jamie’s List favorite. You come for the seafood, but don’t sleep on the steak–it’s just perfect.
Broadway is full of great shows right now. I was lucky enough to catch six during my trip, and every single one of them was great. From Sarah Snook’s masterful performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray, to Andrew Scott’s raw emotion in Vanya, to Othello (in my opinion, Jake Gyllenhaal is the best working actor on stage today), to the chaotic fun of Oh, Mary!–each show was amazing. If I could have only seen one show, it would have been Dorian Gray—however, John Proctor Is the Villain is doing something very special that made it stand out…
They’ve done the impossible: created a story about teens, for teens, that every adult will also be captivated by. The actors were all top-notch, from Stranger Things breakout star Sadie Sink to newcomers Fina Strazza and Nihar Duvvuri. I also want to give a special shoutout to Emory alum Jonathan Demar, who is one of the co-producers. This one’s a must-see—as evidenced by the seven Tony nominations they received this morning.
Who: Rep. Adam Kinzinger
Where: Available as a podcast and on Youtube. Want to join the live conversation and ask our guests your burning questions? Unlock real-time access by joining our paid membership community.
Why: The former GOP Congressman and founder of Country First joined me to discuss the state of our nation, Russia/Ukraine, and how his life has been since leaving Congress.
Quote: “I don't think there's anything that I can think of that I would say go do besides take time for yourself. I bet if we’re all honest, we feel burned out already, right? And it's only been 100 days, we've got 1400 more days to go. If it means taking a week and throwing your phone out, do that. It's determining that we're going to actually get through 2026, 2028, and doing what you need to do to make yourself sustain that.”
Roasted Duck by Pa Ord with Rachel Halilej and Chris Bender; Sichuan Impression with Joseph Varet; Heng Heng Chicken & Rice with The Office; Superba Food and Bread with Katie Thal and Rachel Halilej; Scarr’s Pizza solo; Win Son Bakery with Celine Song and Justin Kuritzkes; Quique Crudo with Adam Saper; Borgo with Adam Saper and Shu Chowhury; Yi Ji Shi Mo solo; San Vicente West Village with Lauren Malanga; Estela with Ronald Cohen and Sharon Harel; Casa Mono with Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky; Wolfgangs with Mark Patricof; Maxi’s Noodle and Noodle Village with Steven Bauer; Kiko with Martha Patricof, Lily Patricof, Nina Patricof, and Peter Friedland; Raf’s with Anna Boden; Cocodaq with Alan Patricof and Nina Patricof; The Four Horsemen with Kristina O’Neill and Magnus Berger; Hutong with Lynette Howell-Taylor; Torrisi with Jonathan Demar and Aaron Stern; Daichan with Mark Feuerstein and Chris & Kristi Bender; Ysabel with Jonathan Wang, Cathy Schulman, Mark Roybal, Julie Lynn, Kevin Misher, Mark Vahradian, Chris Day, and Lynette Howell-Taylor.
Aaron Michaelson, Aaron Stern, Adam Saper, Adam Smith, Alex Tse, Andy Wang, Anthony Jacobson, Ashley Sawyer, Ben Hundreds, Blake Lively, Bobby Kim, Brian McGinn, Chad Colby, Chad Gutstein, Condé Nast Traveler, David Geffen, David Gelb, David Katzenberg, David Nathanson, Evan Funke, Eater, Eli Meyer, Food & Wine, Goop, Kristina O’Neill, Gwyneth Paltrow, Iman Dakhil, Infatuation, James Beard Award, Jason Spivak, Jerry Greenberg, Jeremy Smith, Jerrold Son, Jessica Alba, Joe Varet, Jon Buscemi, Jon Alagem, Jon Shook, Jordan Okun, James Ponsoldt, Kate Burr, Katie McNeill, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, The LA Times, Lawrence Longo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marc Rose, Maec Mezvinsky, Martha Patricof, Matt Haimes, Matt Karatz, Max Chow, Max Shapiro, Max Winkler, Michael Kives, Michelin Guide, Nicole Richie, Neal Moritz, The NY Times, Paul Zucker, Peter Goldwyn, Phil Rosenthal, Phill Ettinger, Rachel Halilej, Riley Patricof, Sawyer Patricof, Sarah Meyer, Shu Chowdhury, Todd Steinman, The Hungry Tourist, The Infatuation, Vinny Dotolo.
Today's email was brought to you by Jamie Patricof, Michaela Sullivan and Lauren Malanga.
This is beautiful ❤️🔥