Shaya Can't Stop Won't Stop, Press Street Station's BLT is a Lunch Must

This week Ian McNulty heads Uptown to 'high flying' Isreali stunner Shaya: "Chef Alon Shaya has mastered the elegant simplicity of the region's flavors, expressing them fully and with a sharp eye for detail." Meals are built around the signature wood fired pita bread, and best shared, as they follow "the tradition of mezze, a parallel to tapas with deep roots in the Middle East." McNulty's must-order items: the kibbeh nayah (lamb and beef tartare), Persian rice, roasted chicken, shrimp shakshouka. [Advocate]

Helen Freund stops in at all day eatery Press Street Station on the edge of the Marigny and Bywater: Chef James Cullen (a St. Lawrence and Treo alum) run the kitchen—which includes staffs and NOCCA student interns—with an emphasis on breakfast and lunch fare made with local ingredients and house-baked breads. Freund's must-order items:  Marigny Benedict, BLT, grilled peach salad. [Gambit]