Meet the Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting’s Staff: Alex
Hello, my name is Alex and I am a tour guide with Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting. We are celebrating our 10th year in business and I feel so lucky every time I have the privilege of guiding our guests through New York City. I truly enjoy talking about the history and sharing my favorite places to eat with everyone!
Favorite Cheap Eats Spot in New York City:
When the weather is nice, I often head to Washington Square Park for lunch. Thiru Kumar is a talkative Greenwich Village legend who has been operating his cart in the park near Sullivan Street since 2001. The dosas (South Indian crepes) are made fresh to order and my go to is his special Pondicherry. This is a dish he invented here in NYC that can now be found on menus in India. Check @NYDosas to make sure he’s there before heading over. If it’s rainy or snowy, instead I’ll go around the corner to Saigon Shack (114 Macdougal St) and feast on their amazing Vietnamese staples like pho, banh mi and bun.
Favorite Fine Dining Restaurant in New York City:
When in Midtown, I can’t get enough of Churrascaria Plataforma (316 W 49th St). They offer a world class Brazilian rodizio service plus an amazing seafood and salad bar. However these days I’m often looking for a perfect dinner or brunch closer to home and my top choice for that is Olmsted (659 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn). They have such innovative dishes and also a picturesque backyard near Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
Favorite Guilty Pleasure:
Most of the time I’d say this is pizza… specifically a plain cheese slice from Scarr’s Pizza (22 Orchard St). Although in the winter, my true guilty pleasure is the hot Hong Kong style milk tea from Cha Chan Tang (45 Mott St). Their version is so heavy and of course authentic, as it is made with evaporated milk.
Favorite Thing to Do in New York City:
Trying cuisines from all over the world! Seriously, for fun I meander NYC attempting to satisfy my need to try every single one of the city’s best places to eat. My favorite Thai restaurant, my favorite Filipino restaurant and my favorite Pakistani spot that I’ve dined at to date are all within a couple blocks from one another in the Jackson Heights neighborhood in Queens.
Best Tip for Visiting New York City:
Don’t be afraid to wait in a long line, more often than not that line is a sign that you are at a great place! The throngs of hungry people can look intimidating at first but often these queues move quickly. A great example would be the rope lines that guard some of the city’s best tacos, which can be had in both Chelsea Market & Times Square, at Los Tacos No 1 (229 West 43rd St & Other Locations).
