Having a week for holiday, I spent part of last week in New York City. My friends and I did the whole Manhattan shtick: the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge and so on. We all revel in being a tourist now and then.

But what I found out is that what’s beyond the Brooklyn Bridge is just as good. And when you head north, even the not-so-illustrious Bronx has wonderful surprises of its own:

Brooklyn — Brooklyn has some of the trendiest neighbourhoods in all of New York. The variety of food — from delis to vegan restaurants — is spectacular and the music scene is one of the most notable in the world right now; hugely popular bands like MGMT and the Strokes both have roots in the area.

So, appropriately, we checked out an independent record store, Sound Fix, in the area called Williamsburg. There were rare, old vinyls from Africa, ones from newer bands and myriad CDs that covered everything from indie to jazz. This was all in a very unassuming, vibrant store with staff that knew the answers to any relevant question.

Then, we went for lunch at Fornino Pizza, and it was the best gourmet pizza restaurant I have ever been to (their tagline is fitting: “the art and science of pizza”). The toppings are all from the chef’s own garden and greenhouse and, most importantly, they’re plentiful! Additionally, the types of pizzas are divided up into generations, so there are classics like Margherita but you can also get wild with pizzas like Asparagi e Prosciutto, which is covered with asparagus, prosciutto, mozzarella, onion and cherry tomatoes. 

Fornino is on the main street in the area, Bedford Avenue. The individuals on the street are fashionable; there are even a few independent designers who sell their clothes in tiny shops. Uniqueness is the theme, from the people to the food to the fashion — it’s rather refreshing compared to the concrete jungle of Manhattan.

The Bronx — Our visit to the Bronx was brief, but it was the best time I had on the whole trip. We cautiously walked into a small, family-owned Peruvian restaurant only to receive wonderful, personalized accommodation from the father and owner. The man was overjoyed to serve us, not even hesitating to make a vegetarian dish with eggs and beans for the three of us with the diet.

He said, “Of all the restaurants in New York you come into mine; I’m taking care of you.”

The food was simple, but it was some of the best-tasting simple I’ve had. The experience was what was world-class, though. The man shared his family’s story of immigration from Peru and how he saved up to finally open his own restaurant. It was the kind of conversation you usually have to tip for.

Some words of warning, though: The Bronx is an unsettling area; certainly don’t go at night or with your Prada because you may find it being sold on a street corner in Manhattan the next day. However, if you go for a few hours with an open mind, you may find something wonderful — even if it’s just from stumbling randomly like we did.

When we left his restaurant, the man said to us, “I’m going to keep you in my mind. Don’t forget me. I won’t forget you!”

And, you know what? I can guarantee I won’t forget either. Brooklyn and the Bronx made my trip unforgettable. • 

Brooklyn Bridge photo by Ladislav Somlyo