Gypsy’s patriotic performer shares her fave food picks before or after a show.
Though we understand their circumstances may have been a bit different, like Oliver and his clan of orphan boys, we’ve all fallen into a daze dreaming of “food, glorious food” at one point or another.
After all, it’s been said that food is the great equalizer, connecting us and bringing us together, either with family or friends, colleagues or companions, or any others from all walks of life, to dine often at a communal table or gathering space wherein we share stories and reveal the most authentic parts of ourselves.
In our continued effort, however, to find our way into others’ hearts (and stomachs!), sometimes it helps to venture beyond our tables and into the kitchens of others — especially in a city with such a diversified abundance of eateries as New York.
And of course, you can’t spell “theatre” without “eat.”
So, in our food-based series, we continue to poll some of the Great Bright Way’s best to “dish” (get it?) on where they love to eat, drink, and take in the vibes either pre- or post-show, while also answering why they love to sup there, sharing a favorite dish or two, and more.
Today, we present, in person, “that five-foot-two bundle of dynamite” Jordan Tyson, currently entertaining you (and the rest of the audience) nightly as Dainty June in Gypsy.
Prior to her turn in the Audra McDonald-led reimagination, she pondered “If This is Love” as Young Allie in The Notebook, and appeared regionally in productions of Into the Woods (Pittsburgh CLO), Lempicka (La Jolla Playhouse), Folk Wandering (ART), and I and You (Weston Playhouse). Tyson had a recurring role as Capri on Netflix’s The Chair and appeared in the same company’s Vampires vs. the Bronx film. Known across social media for her signature “Mantras of the Day,” she also frequently posts acoustic covers to TikTok, with a forthcoming EP of original music due out soon.
But where does Jordan journey for a meal?
(171 Lafayette Ave.)
A quaint and quiet taverna nestled on the corner of Adelphi & Lafayette Avenue, Olea Mediterranean, founded by Dan DeMarti, Chelsea Altman and Johannes Sanzin, and celebrating 25 years in Fort Greene, Brooklyn this year, is described as “the perfect place to catch up with an old friend….[for] a Sunday brunch.”
“I’ll stop here for breakfast sometimes before a Sunday matinée,” says Tyson, to that point. “It’s becoming a weekend tradition for me.”
With servers that can either allow you to relax for hours or get you out quick to catch a show, it’s a neighborhood spot “as casual as somebody’s living room”; customers can nosh on anything from hummus and labneh to a whole branzino (with head and tail!), beef short ribs, and a Greek Paella with a kick.
“But it’s not just about the food or the restaurant,” she continues. “I love [being] in Fort Greene because it makes me feel relaxed.” And if you want “relaxed,” Olea is certainly the place to find it.
With its stucco walls, wooden ceilings, terra cotta and mosaic décor throughout, “you feel as if you’ve been transported to Greece,” according to one customer’s review, while another comments, “the outdoor seating perfectly fits the ambience.”
“Olea makes me feel like I’m getting comfort breakfast food,” says Tyson, “but because it’s Mediterranean, [I’m getting] fresh, light and balanced options as well.”
As for a regular order? It fluctuates, Tyson admits, with a laugh, “depending on the day.” For dinner, she’ll nibble on the sautéed Halloumi Cheese Plate, made up of fried sheep & goat cheese imported from Cyprus, served with harissa & romesco dips, fresh chile pepper & scallions (“This one is perfectly mild, but with character,” she says, enthusiastically. “I’m new to eating cheese, really, but I love a sheep’s milk cheese.”); or dig into the Arctic Char, served over cauliflower purée with roasted garlic, Lacinato kale, lemon, olive oil, sundried tomato & capers – “It’s just light, bright and delicious,” she boasts. “I’m a fish girl, and this one does not disappoint.”
But her ultimate indulgence is the Brioche French Toast. Served with fresh fruit compote swimming in maple syrup, “they do not go wrong here.”
Particularly enamored with its fluffiness – “It doesn’t get soggy like at some other places,” she laughs – she appreciates the memories it evokes in her, explaining: “It was my favorite breakfast as a kid, so it hits me [with] a wave of nostalgia!”
Tyson prefers the classic (“keep it simple”), but there are two other options for customers to peruse: a Tsoureki’ Greek French Toast, with whipped Greek yogurt, honey-tahini-lemon syrup, and a sprinkle of sesame, or a Savory Parmesan selection, prepped with peas, potatoes, a Greek avgolemono sauce, and topped with a crispy, olive oil-fried egg.
It’s as if everything in life that truly matters is right here! All aboard, come on, let’s go!
Olea Mediterranean Taverna is open M-F for brunch & lunch from 11am-3:45pm and Saturday & Sunday from 10am-3:45pm; dinner M-Th & Sunday from 4:30pm-9:30pm and Friday & Saturday from 4:30pm-10:30pm. The kitchen closes for a short while between brunch/lunch & dinner every day, and the restaurant closes between brunch/lunch & dinner on weekends and holidays.
(41 Carmine St.)
Sullaluna, which means “on the moon” in Italian, is the brainchild of Francesca Rizzi, who, along with her husband Rodolfo Tonello, first pinpointed the concept of a café/bookstore in the Cannaregio neighborhood of Venice in November 2017.
“The first time I visited Sullaluna was actually in Venice, at what was its first location,” Tyson shares, to that end. “And then, to my delight, they opened a shop in New York City.”
The hybrid bookstore & bistro, centered on illustrated books for children and adults in English and Italian, came about as a way for Rizzi – who grew up producing wine on her grandparents’ farm who grew up producing wine on her grandparents’ farm, and had, separately, cultivated “an appreciation for beautiful illustration,” especially in children’s books – to marry her two seemingly incompatible interests: high-quality illustrated works and organic food and drink.
“We wanted to find a place where we could showcase…books by some of the greatest illustrators and artists, while also promoting healthy, clean, predominantly vegetarian food, with an emphasis on sustainability,” reiterates Rizzi, of the initial Venetian venture.
And the venue did just that, not only offering customers an airy, open and welcoming space to relax and casually browse books while enjoying a velvety glass or wine or a snack, but giving lesser-known authors, illustrators and publishers a chance to be advertised, where they might otherwise miss out on such an opportunity. Rizzi deemed it “fostering biodiversity” within the publishing industry, much like she did on her farm.
When their eldest son, Fulgi, expressed a desire to move to New York City in 2023 – “to embark on a journey, challenge himself, and grow and gain experience,” Rizzi details – Mom and Pop followed suit, hoping to forge relations and commonalities between the cities, building on existing bonds between Italy and New York.
With its rich and storied history as a home for the arts and its connections to their home country of Italy, the Rizzis decided on Greenwich Village as a landing spot, and opened officially in October 2024 – with Francesca traveling back and forth “two weeks every two months” to tend to both the shop in Venice and New York. She continues even today enticing the Italian cultural community of New York City and connecting with schools, illustrators, designers, and illustrators, along with “many other groups that have welcomed us warmly and with curiosity….we can’t wait to collaborate.”
As for the food, the menu, much like that of its predecessor, offers simple Italian fare, again, promoting healthy, clean eating, emphasizing seasonal, locally-sourced vegetables and sustainable seafood.
“The wine is invigorating [and] the books are stunning,” reads one enthusiastic review.
Tyson, for one, agrees, speaking in regards to the books – “I love to read through some of them and admire the beautiful illustrations” courtesy of artists like Giulia Caminito, Stefano Turconi & Noemi Vola from independent Italian publishers like Topipittori, Orecchio Acerbo, and Terre di Mezzo – but especially on the food front: “It’s one of the ways I get my hit of true Italian dishes in the city,” she says, “and the feeling that I’ve transported out [of New York] and into my favorite place.”
For a meal, she’ll start with Uova al purgatorio rivisitate. Loosely translated to “eggs in purgatory,” and served with housemade tomato sauce and a salad on the side, “it looks like just eggs on toast, I know,” Tyson confesses, “but OMG – life-changing.” Sharing she initially ordered the dish simply because she “wanted to get some protein in before my show,” she inadvertently discovered her “new favorite thing”; she’s never looked back, and it’s now become a staple she orders every time she visits the restaurant. “These eggs blew me away,” she admits, particularly distinguishing “the butter of it all” with a sigh. (“My lover couldn’t stop asking for bites off my plate!” she exclaims.)
Next, the Gnocchi di spinaci al gorgonzola (a bit more obvious: spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola). “I mean, it’s gnocchi,” Tyson says, bluntly. “How could you go wrong?” Remarking that “they’re perfectly salted” and have little need for alteration, she, nonetheless, notes that you can never go wrong asking your server for extra cheese (“preferably pecorino romano”), stating, just as matter-of-factly, “You’ll thank me later.”
Top it all off with a cappuccino, “but only before noon, of course,” she instructs, with a giggle.
Simply put, Sullaluna “evokes a path, a journey, a far-off goal. It springs from a dream, a vision, a desire,” as Rizzi explains in a statement. “In Italy, when someone is ‘sulla luna,’ it means they are immersed in their ideals, unconcerned with practical matters, and lost in daydreams.” Much like customers – Tyson included – are when they arrive and engulf themselves in the bright, convivial, and delicious environment here.
Sullaluna is open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday from 10am-10pm, and Friday & Saturday from 10am-11pm. It is closed on Tuesdays.
We’ll continue to present a new performer with new restaurants and new menus, so keep checking back to see who we poll and what’s on their mind at mealtime! Until next time, as always, bon appétit!
