When it was time to choose a setting for his new Food Network series “Beat Bobby Flay,” the chef had one place in mind.
“I’m a New Yorker, so I always want to shoot here,” says Flay, who lives downtown with his wife, actress Stephanie March. The grilling guru — he’s hosted a whopping five TV shows on the subject — will battle fellow chefs on the series, which premieres March 6. He’s also opening a Mediterranean eatery, Gato, later this month.
But when the Iron Chef isn’t throwing down, he’s eating his way across the city in pursuit of the best grilled dishes. “[Stephanie and I] go to the same few places,” Flay says. “When I’m craving something, I know they’re going to do it really well.” This is his Grilling New York.
La Esquina, 114 Kenmare St., at Cleveland Place
“I like their grilled corn as a side when it’s in season. It comes with cotija cheese and lime. Corn’s a nice relief from the stewed meats I’ll generally order for my meal there. It’s great with some red chili.”
Pita City, 180 Seventh Ave., at 21st Street
“Pita City is this little place in Chelsea that my wife and I go to, and it’s really inexpensive and fantastic Middle Eastern cuisine. All the different condiments and grilled meats and vegetables and pitas and all that stuff are just great. I usually get some kind of gyro meat or chicken, and I always get labneh, which is a yogurt sauce, tabbouleh and some hummus.”
J.G. Melon, 1291 Third Ave., between 74th and 75th streets
“I love the burger at J.G. Melon. I grew up eating there. I think it’s the griddle. They’ll tell you it’s the meat — I’m sure it’s good quality meat. But I think the flatiron griddle really makes the burger fantastic. The burger is just the right size. It’s got the right crustiness. They melt the cheese completely. They just do all the fundamentals spot-on.”
Milos, 125 W. 55th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues
“When I want grilled fish, I go to Milos. It’s a Greek restaurant with a big charcoal grill. They have this big, giant display of all of this Mediterranean fish, and you can walk up and pick out your fish. They weigh it and charge you by the pound. They grill it over charcoal, fillet it and then serve it with some Greek olive oil and fresh oregano. Depending on what’s there, I like St. Pierre, which is John Dory, or — if that’s not in season — I like a black sea bass, a domestic fish from North Carolina.”
Mighty Quinn’s, 103 Second Ave., at Sixth Street
“I went there for the first time last week. The guy [pit master Hugh Mangum] is killing it there. It’s the best [slow-cooked] barbecue in New York. I had beef ribs, which I love; I had some pulled pork, which was amazing; and I had some brisket, which was great and some pork ribs. Even the sides are really great — I had the sweet potato casserole. A lot of the time at barbecue places, the meat will be good but the sides [won’t be]. I actually tweeted my meal — I said, ‘90 seconds into this meal, I’ve found the best barbecue in New York.’ ”
Hanjan, 36 W. 26th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues
“Hanjan is on 26th Street, which has become this crazy bar/restaurant block in the last couple of years. I live and work right near it, so it’s a lunch place for me. They do a lot of barbecue-style marinated meats [like chicken skewers], and they do a really good version of bibimbap.”
Gato, 324 Lafayette St., between East Houston and Bleecker streets
“I’m pretty focused on [my new restaurant] Gato right now. We’re going to have some great grilled dishes there. We’ll do a charred steak with cabrales blue cheese, a grilled chicken with tarragon and goat cheese potatoes, and some charred carrots with harissa and yogurt. I’m excited for everyone to try it.”