Top 5's is a handpicked selection of all that's fun and fascinating about different cultures—consider this your Insider's Guide.
Most Recent Reader Submissions
My favorite places for Israeli restaurants/stores in NY
1. Cafe Moghador, looks Morrocan, but actually very Israeli
2. Holyland Market, to get those special croutons for soup
3. The Hummus Place
2. Holyland Market, to get those special croutons for soup
3. The Hummus Place
My favorite Israeli food
1. Israeli Salad
2. Burekas, balkan-style filo pastries with cheese
3. Labne, type of yogurt
4. Falafel
2. Burekas, balkan-style filo pastries with cheese
3. Labne, type of yogurt
4. Falafel
Ehud Tal
Brooklyn, NY; Came from Tel Aviv, Israel in 2002
Brooklyn, NY; Came from Tel Aviv, Israel in 2002
Favorite British writers
Steve Haslip
Brooklyn, NY; Came from Wivelsfield Green, England in 2007
Brooklyn, NY; Came from Wivelsfield Green, England in 2007
My Top 5 Favorite Taiwanese Dishes
1.
O-a-tsian, fresh baby oysters and greens omelet, served with oyster sauce
2. Me Shai, flat cake served on a skewer, made from pork blood and rice
3. Bubble Tea
4. Aiyu Jelly, jelly made from the seeds of a variety of fig
5. Fermented Tofu, popular snack, also known as "stinky tofu"
2. Me Shai, flat cake served on a skewer, made from pork blood and rice
3. Bubble Tea
4. Aiyu Jelly, jelly made from the seeds of a variety of fig
5. Fermented Tofu, popular snack, also known as "stinky tofu"
Taiwanese Traditions
1.
Ba Jia Jiang, eight generals
2. Kuang Ming Lamp, the lamp for bright future
3. Yan-Shui Firecrackers Festival
4. Chiang-Ku Ceremony, climbing competition
5. Mazu, cultural festival
2. Kuang Ming Lamp, the lamp for bright future
3. Yan-Shui Firecrackers Festival
4. Chiang-Ku Ceremony, climbing competition
5. Mazu, cultural festival
Top Russian Musicians and Bands
1.
Taisia Povaliy, singer
2. Natasha Koroleva, singer
3. Blestyashie, band
4. Larisa Dolina, singer
5. Igor Krutoi, musician
2. Natasha Koroleva, singer
3. Blestyashie, band
4. Larisa Dolina, singer
5. Igor Krutoi, musician
Veronica Bronov
Jersey City, NJ; Came from Artemovsk, Ukraine in 1993
Jersey City, NJ; Came from Artemovsk, Ukraine in 1993
Favorite Iranian Food
1. Chelo Kabab, rice and kababs
2. Khoresht Gheimeh, lamb and yellow split pea stew
3. Loubia Polo, one-pot dish with rice, ground beef, green beans, tomato sauce and curry
4. Zeresht Polo, rice and meat with barberries
5. Kotlet, meat, potato, vegtable patty
2. Khoresht Gheimeh, lamb and yellow split pea stew
3. Loubia Polo, one-pot dish with rice, ground beef, green beans, tomato sauce and curry
4. Zeresht Polo, rice and meat with barberries
5. Kotlet, meat, potato, vegtable patty
Sara Motamedi
New York, NY; Iranian-American
New York, NY; Iranian-American
My Favorite Korean Food
1.
Dduk Bok Gi
2. Yangnyeom Dak, Korean fried chicken
3. Chap Ssal Ddeok
4. Jjam-ppong, spicy seafood and vegetable noodles
5. Tang Soo Yook
2. Yangnyeom Dak, Korean fried chicken
3. Chap Ssal Ddeok
4. Jjam-ppong, spicy seafood and vegetable noodles
5. Tang Soo Yook
Favorite Korean Artists
1. Nam June Paik, video artist
2. Sang Bong Lie, fashion+visual designer
3. Ahn Sang-Soo, master of Korean graphic design
4. Youk Shim Won, illustrator
5. Young Nam Cho, visual artist
2. Sang Bong Lie, fashion+visual designer
3. Ahn Sang-Soo, master of Korean graphic design
4. Youk Shim Won, illustrator
5. Young Nam Cho, visual artist
Popular Korean Superstitions
1. If you buy shoes for your boyfriend, he'll run away from you.
2. If you cut your toe nails during night, a rat will eat it up and become human.
3. If you see poop in your dream, good sign. Buy lottery that day.
4. Don't talk about your dream in the morning. It will blow away.
5. If you break dishes during morning, not a good sign.
2. If you cut your toe nails during night, a rat will eat it up and become human.
3. If you see poop in your dream, good sign. Buy lottery that day.
4. Don't talk about your dream in the morning. It will blow away.
5. If you break dishes during morning, not a good sign.
My Favorite Mexican Movies, actors, actresses, directors
1. Maria Rubio
2. Veronica Castro
3. Salma Hayek
4. Roberto Gomez Bolanos "Chespirito"
5. Gael Garcia Bernal
2. Veronica Castro
3. Salma Hayek
4. Roberto Gomez Bolanos "Chespirito"
5. Gael Garcia Bernal
Mauricio Del Bosque
New York, NY; Came from Monterrey, Mexico in 1997
New York, NY; Came from Monterrey, Mexico in 1997
Advice From Your Filipino Grandmother (or any Filipino Family Members)
1. Don't wear hats. It will make you kalbo (bald).
2. Don't take showers at night. Going to bed with wet hair leads to blindness or insanity.
3. Rest your feet before taking a bath. If you don't, the veins in your feet will pop out more.
4. Eating ginger root is good for your throat, especially if you sing.
5. Eating bitter melons is good for your skin to clear pimples and to clear your complexion.
2. Don't take showers at night. Going to bed with wet hair leads to blindness or insanity.
3. Rest your feet before taking a bath. If you don't, the veins in your feet will pop out more.
4. Eating ginger root is good for your throat, especially if you sing.
5. Eating bitter melons is good for your skin to clear pimples and to clear your complexion.
Anne-Michelle Gallero
New York, NY; Filipino-American
New York, NY; Filipino-American
Favorite Filipino Blogs
1. Lessons From the School of Inattention,
author of humorous books on travel and English language
2. Burnt Lumpia, graphic designer and writer based in London
3. The Bakla Review, author, stand-up comedian and presenter
2. Burnt Lumpia, graphic designer and writer based in London
3. The Bakla Review, author, stand-up comedian and presenter
My favorite places for Filipino restaurants/stores in NY
1. Purple Yam,
www.cendrillon.com, 1314 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn, NY 11226-5604
2. Phil-Am Food Mart, www.philamfood.com, 683 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
3. Ihawan, 40-06 70th Street Woodside, New York 11377
4. Krystal's Cafe, East 7th Street corner 1st Avenue, East Village, New York
5. Engeline's, 58-28 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11377
2. Phil-Am Food Mart, www.philamfood.com, 683 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
3. Ihawan, 40-06 70th Street Woodside, New York 11377
4. Krystal's Cafe, East 7th Street corner 1st Avenue, East Village, New York
5. Engeline's, 58-28 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11377
Kenneth Tan
New York, NY; Filipino-American
New York, NY; Filipino-American
