Last week, we introduced you to chefs (and sisters) Katia and Tatiana Levha of Double Dragon and Le Servan go in their native Paris. Today, we want to introduce you to Camari Mick, the eminently clever pastry chef of One Star The Musket Room in New York City. Below, we find out where Chef Mick goes to dine after service, where she shops for those extra bits of flavor, and where she takes friends and family for meals.
After hours: I don’t stay for a full service, but after work I go to Tue Thai. They have $6 mojitos and their food is unmatched. Thai Diner is really good, but I’ve eaten my way through Tue Thai's whole menu and their soft shell crab is so good.
Guest dining: If [I'm going out with] a large group of people, I love to take them to Shukette because you can share a bunch of skewers. If it’s a little bit more intimate, maybe it’s my mommy, who's a very light eater, I would take her to La Vara. The rice dish, rossejat, is the best thing in the world. It has a squid ink aioli that's so good. Mom would definitely dive into the suckling pig there. Oh, and their croquetas, too—ham and cheese.
Stay nearby: Ace Hotel Brooklyn strives for affordability, but even the smallest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, Smeg fridges, Tivoli radios, and some feature either Music Hall turntables or acoustic guitars by the legendary New York luthier D’Angelico. The furnishings are a unique mix of custom and vintage pieces. From US$230
Supply central: For kitchen tools I cannot find anywhere else, I go to JB Prince. For kitchen spices and overall ingredients, it’s either Kalustyan’s or SOS Chef. If one doesn’t have it, the other does.
Chef's library: Kitchen Arts & Letters has everything you could ever want as a pastry chef. What’s great about Kitchen Arts & Letters is they’ll let you sit in there and read the book. They don’t disturb you. It’s the perfect book store for introverts. The last thing I bought was a croissant book as I was testing out their version of an almond croissant, and they used marzipan instead of an almond cream.
Stay nearby: Through a combination of clever, compact layouts and plentiful sunlight Arlo NoMad's rooms manage to feel livable in spite of their modest square footage. This means the bed occupies the majority of the room with a front-row view of city life through oversized windows, and a bathroom that’s got space for a glass-enclosed rain shower. From US$170
Regulars only: I would probably go somewhere in my neighborhood, Harlem. Fumo has a great happy hour with spritzes for. They have a pizza oven and I just love the classic Margherita. It’s one of those pizzas you cannot get to go. You have to get it fresh from the oven. I’ve ordered pizza from them to my apartment and it’s just not the same.
Pizza pizza: My favorite slice is in Greenpoint. It's Paulie Gee’s. They have this vegan square slice, the Vidalia, and it is so good. They have video games in the back and orange booths, and it reminds me of being in a bowling alley.
Stay nearby: Rooms at the Wythe Hotel are comfortable, spacious by New York standards, and perfectly suited to the setting and clientele. Poured concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, distressed brick walls and subway-tiled bathrooms strike just the right note. There’s a lot of pleasure to be found in the fixtures, the finishes, and the bath products. From US$230
Green space: When I bike to work during the summer, I take Riverside Drive down from Harlem and usually listen to a podcast. On the west side, between the 40s and 50s, there's an underpass and you go along the piers. It’s such a beautiful space and so relaxing to ride right along them. You see kids playing and people using a volleyball court which isn't crowded at all.
Sweet tooth: I go to Avrilililly's, also in Harlem. It’s a Black-owned ice cream shop but they also have cakes, cookies, etc. They do such great cake work, I’m having her [owner Avril Lekic] make my birthday cake this year. She does such a great job.
Order like a local: Harlem Shake. It’s so good! I love it. It’s very consistent, very delicious. Their shakes are amazing. I get the vegan jerk with fries on top and always get a chocolate malt shake—the 50s vibe. You can even order liquor.
Stay nearby: The Pendry, in Hudson Yards on Midtown's west side, hints at its Californian origins in the décor. There's a calming softness to the design and materials with echoes of the West Coast’s golden sunlight throughout. There’s also a sparse simplicity to the rooms and suites that makes them feel even more generously sized than they already are. From US$670
Chef Camari Mick's parsnip with gooseberry, rum, creme fraiche © Nitzan Keynan
Hero image: The Musket Room chef Camari Mick
© Clay Williams
