Month: January 2022

Sushi Dokku (Fulton Market)

Creatively adorned, Americanized nigiri is the featured attraction at this hip sushi-ya that’s all wood planks, stainless steel, chunky tables, and hefty benches. Why just have one piece when you can have two? Here, each order is served in pairs. Among the selection, enjoy the likes of hamachi sporting a spicy mix of shredded Napa cabbage, daikon, and red chili; or salmon dressed with a sweet ginger-soy sauce and fried ginger chips.

Mako (Fulton Market)

Mako is a hot ticket, with just 22 seats in which to savor the smartly considered omakase, featuring black sea bream wrapped around ankimo; pickled chayote crowned with a micro fava leaf; Osetra caviar; as well as king crab with uni miso, A5 Wagyu butter, and a potato chip. Equally enticing are its seasonal sushi and cooked dishes, like poached abalone braised with soy sauce and finished with just the right brush of XO sauce; as well as sea bass with charred frisée and seaweed.

Gaijin (Fulton Market)

Gaijin is Paul Virant’s love letter to okonomiyaki. Okonomi in Japanese means “what you like” and, accordingly, guests here are encouraged to choose their own course. Thanks to his time in Japan, the chef displays ace skills and experience. Osaka and Hiroshima are the main styles on his menu, which also flaunts a custom brew from Moody Tongue. While Tuesdays bring a tonkatsu feast, steamed rice with furikake, miso soup, and tsukemono are eternal hits. Desserts, like shirokuma with pineapple-buttermilk sherbet and coconut syrup, are worth the splurge.
Momotaro (Fulton Market)
Consistently packed, this impeccably designed space boasts numerous kitchens churning out a range of dishes.
Jidori kimo, those prized chicken oysters—here grilled to perfection—has long been a signature, while the beef tsukune sliders in a bao from the robata-yaki are equally impressive. Don’t miss the delicious nigiri or maki, including una-kyu or the ebi uni maguro, of which there are only ten per evening, so plan ahead.

Tengoku Aburiya (West Loop Gate)

TenGoku is a take on izakaya food by the talented Chef Sangtae Park. In Japan it’s most rare to land upon a restaurant that serves it all, but this team certainly bucks that trend. Of course, it helps that the informal space was conceived solely with pub grub in mind. There is something for everyone on this ample and versatile carte. From tako yaki (octopus fritters with unagi-teriyaki sauce) and assorted maki, to a bowl of heartwarming udon and maze soba with ground pork, fish flakes, and egg, this kitchen delivers to your heart’s content.

Omakase Yume (West Loop Gate)

The subtleties behind Yume’s entrance—marked by a basic black awning—along with its particularly skillful preparations allow it to stand tall and loom large over its more extravagant competitors. Savor the chef’s unfaltering focus on Japanese cuisine by way of deep-fried nasu hirame; Edo-style sushi featuring madai, akami, and chutoro; as well as slices of Wagyu beef poised atop sushi rice, brushed with soy, and finished with grated wasabi. Sweet and custardy tamago, followed by matcha panna cotta—deeply colorful, full-bodied and tart with creamy buttermilk—bring the meal to a close.

Juno (Lincoln Park)

The menu has a handful of small plates, including delicacies like juicy chicken meatball skewers with a pepper-soy glaze, but the main attraction is their wide variety of sushi. Traditional options appear alongside more creative signature takes, and Chef B.K. Park’s deft touch with seafood can be seen in both. Specialties include the Juno Queen, a nigiri featuring salmon and spicy scallop with potato crunch.

Izakaya Mita (Bucktown)

Start with single-serve sake in a jar so cute you’ll want to smuggle it home, or a cocktail inspired by Japanese literature (the Norwegian Wood, a delicious interpretation of the Haruki Murakami novel, blends whiskey, Luxardo, sweet vermouth and orange bitters). The array of small plates brims with creativity and flavor: tsukune are coarse-ground, delightfully chewy and achieve a mouthwateringly charred exterior from having been grilled over binchotan; while tako-yaki are as delicious as any found on a Tokyo street cart.

Ramen Wasabi (Logan Square)

Who says comfort food must be consumed in humdrum digs? Certainly not Wasabi, where globe lights, sleek booths and towering windows exude modern mid-century sophistication. Tonkatsu, shoyu, and garlic miso broths bob with springy noodles and ace ingredients, such as pork belly, a six-minute egg, wood ear mushrooms and marinated bamboo shoots. Ramen is a highlight, but it’s not the only option. Pick from a host of others like pork belly buns, dumplings and rice bowls piled with panko-crusted Berkshire pork, thinly sliced Wagyu or salmon.

Arami (West Town)

Kick things off with a spicy tako maguro maki filled with octopus, tuna, eel sauce, and chili oil; or marinated tuna-wrapped zuke maguro kani. Shishito peppers lend that delicious bit of crunch to a small plate of katsuobushi and ponzu, not unlike those miso-graham cracker crumbles that garnish coconut- cinnamon- and banana-flavored ice cream.

Kai Zan (West Town)
Savvy diners book a seat at the marble sushi counter to watch chefs and twin brothers Melvin and Carlo Vizconde perform their magic up close. The brothers turn out sophisticated, creative dishes that are decked with myriad sauces, flavors and textures. Non-traditional sushi, nigiri, yakitori, as well as classic bar bites like takoyaki and karaage are all crafted with precise details and impeccable ingredients.

Meadowsweet (Williamsburg)

The inventive American menu here gets a lift from Mediterranean accents: fried artichokes served with a tangle of bitter-spicy arugula in a creamy vinaigrette are positively addictive. Crisped black bass with a parsley root velouté sings with a side of green apple cabbage, which is flecked with chunks of smoky bacon. There’s an impressive list of cocktails and wine; not to mention a globetrotting beer selection ranging from Austrian lagers to Japanese ales.

Cervo’s (Chinatown)

The staff here is welcoming and well-informed on how to pair the brilliant Spanish wine list with the Med-inflected fare, including flaky squid empanadas, plump with inky filling; or savory Serrano ham paired with tender butter beans and Meyer lemon. Don’t miss the mussels escabeche, floating in an irresistible olive oil-drizzled broth, perfect for dragging the house-made sourdough bread through.

Floret (Nolita)

It would be a mistake to write-off this groovy spot as just another hotel restaurant, as it is in fact a fully formed dining room that simply happens to be in a hotel. Though the menu is unassuming—a few vegetable-forward appetizers, pastas, and proteins—the Mediterranean and Asian influences that inform the cooking are nothing short of delicious. Casual servers deliver confidently prepared winners, like grilled maitake with ramp purée, whipped ricotta, and fried bread.

Lola Taverna (Soho)

This is not your average Greek restaurant serving the tired old clichés. Instead, the chef infuses a hint of whimsy into each dish and delivers on flavor and quality. Some standouts include spanakopita spring rolls, chicken gyro bao buns, and moussaka with lamb or vegetarian options. Come Sunday for the well-priced supper and half-price wine.

Shuka (Soho)

Start with the delicious whipped feta with pistachio and dill; a bright fattoush salad; or roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with yogurt, mint, pickled sultanas, and Urfa peppers. For dinner, go for the hen of the woods mushroom lahmajoun, a flatbread laced with labneh, thyme, confit garlic, and harissa; or savory shakshuka, which stars a skillet of spicy lamb meatballs and poached eggs simmering with tomato, chickpeas, Swiss chard, and currants.

King (Soho)

This kitchen brings a deft touch to their small, daily-changing menu, with ingredients pulled straight from the greenmarket. A tangle of warm tagliarini has gratifying bite, paired with a textured tomato sauce; while perfectly cooked lombatello (Italian for hanger steak) arrives chargrilled over twigs of rosemary, with braised rainbow chard and a lovely anchovy and oregano salsa.

Upland (Flatiron)

Everything seems to click at Upland—the setting is urbane and cozy, with vintage floors as well as glowing jars of preserved lemons and backlit wine bottles lining the walls. A meal from this kitchen team might reveal sprouted fava-bean falafel paired with a tahini- garlic- and cashew-sauce; or estrella, star-shaped tubular pasta with hearty chicken livers and herbs. Yuzu soufflé with calamansi curd makes for a crowning finish.

Il Fiorista (Flatiron)

Owners Alessandra and Mario De Benedetti, who recently relocated from Italy, have expertly blended their homeland’s sensibility. A beautifully-executed squid ink pasta, anelli al nero, is studded with tender, briny calamari, chili, and fennel; while a roasted honeynut squash tart stays seasonal with chestnut purée and shaved black truffle.

LamaLo (NoMad)

The spirit of this place has a casual, don’t-mind-if-I-do vibe. Despite the laid-back ambience, reservations are advisable since tables fill early.
The menu is designed for sharing. Go for the daily spread—a parade of numerous dips, like smoky baba ganoush, lemony hummus, charred cabbage, spinach and artichoke dip and even a cauliflower-based riff on tabbouleh—all served with traditional lafta.

Pera (Midtown East)

For flavorful Turkish food infused with contemporary influence, Pera serves to please. The menu always brims with simple, good quality and slightly renovated plates like warm hummus with pastirma; lentil and bulgur tartare; or watermelon chunks tossed with salty feta, tomatoes and olive oil. A forkful of their model and deliciously tender chicken adana with a side of addictively crispy fries has wide appeal and makes for a fitting feast—at all times.

Legacy Records (Midtown West)

The dishes here are remarkable and treated with great care. The menu may meander the Med, but its soul is Italian. Crudi run the gamut—red snapper with cilantro-citrus emulsion and bay scallop are solid stunners. Torchio tossed with giant surf clam, saffron, and lemon balm has a terrific bite, but they save the best for last here, with an intriguing and seductive meringata with a boozy, black pepper-infused Venezuelan rum cake.

MP Taverna (Irvington, Westchester)

Chef Michael Psilakis puts the “MP” in this taverna, serving his modern interpretation of Greek cuisine. Start with meze, like grilled octopus or an eggplant dip, before savoring mains like ricotta dumplings enrobed in spicy lamb sausage and sundried tomato. Desserts too flaunt a contemporary twist, as in the apple baklava Napoleon or chocolate halva brownie.Groups looking to feast may get the chef’s whole roast animal, but call ahead as it takes time to prep.

Mint Premium Foods (Tarrytown, Westchester)

The semi-open kitchen turns out a menu that meanders around the Mediterranean, resulting in hearty seafood, savory steaks, and charcuterie aplenty. Nibble on crispy falafel as you peruse the board for such indulgent specials as the grilled Porterhouse accompanied by a simple salad. English cheddar with caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar is a popular proxy for dessert.

Mile End (Boerum Hill)

This is Montreal Jewish fare, the stuff comfort food dreams are made of. Think of thin slices of corned beef piled high, topped with kraut and Russian dressing, blanketed in melted Swiss and wedged between toasted pumpernickel. Side dishes are as serious as the main ones, like that Canadian classic poutine, finished in a number of ways, including cheese curds, gravy, eggs, and even chicken schnitzel.

Russ & Daughters Cafe (Lower East Side)

From white-jacketed servers to that pristine counter, this updated yet model LES café channels the very spirit and charm of its mothership, set only blocks away. Serious diners find a seat and get noshing on hot- and cold-smoked Scottish salmon teamed with everything-bagel chips, a thrilling contrast in flavor and texture. Caramelized chocolate babka French toast is crowned with strawberries for a sweet-savory treat.

Katz’s (Lower East Side)

One of the last-standing, old-time Eastern European spots on the Lower East Side, Katz’s is a true NY institution. Tourists, hipsters, blue hairs and everybody in between flock here, so come on off-hours. Walk inside, get a ticket and don’t lose it. Then pick up your food at the counter and bring it to a first-come first-get table; or opt for a slightly less dizzying experience at a waitress-served table. Nothing’s changed in the looks or taste. Matzo ball soup, pastrami sandwiches, potato latkes—everything is what you’d expect, only better.

2nd Avenue Deli (Midtown East)

While the décor may be more deli-meets-deco and there’s a tad less attitude, this food is every bit as good as it was on Second Avenue. The menu remains as it should: kosher, meat-loving and non-dairy with phenomenal pastrami, pillowy rye, tangy mustard, perfect potato pancakes and fluffy matzo balls in a comforting broth. Have the best of both worlds with the soup and half-sandwich combination.

Barney Greengrass (Upper West Side)

Legions of customers flock here—and have been for a century. Cured and smoked fish, as well as deli items may be the classic order, but they also serve a terrific breakfast. Start your day with a Nova scramble sided by a bagel and cream cheese. The menu offers a roster of all-time favorites: homemade chicken liver, smeared on a toasted bialy, with hard-boiled egg and caramelized onions is always a good bet; as is an overstuffed pastrami sandwich on soft rye, served with mustard and crunchy half-sours.Liebman’s (Riverdale)
This iconic kosher deli is still stuffing sandwiches and ladling matzo ball soup (reputed for its healing powers) just as it has for over 50 years. Soulful classics include stuffed veal breast and tongue sandwiches with tangy pickles, but it’s positively blasphemous to skip the pastrami sandwich, with layer-upon-layer of warm pastrami shavings piled on soft rye.