With Eater editors dining out sometimes several times a day, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don’t want to keep any secrets. Check back for the best things we ate this week.
I’m not usually one to go for a dish with an eye-popping price tag, and had it not been for the fact that a friend specifically wanted to try this dish at Nudibranch, it’s unlikely we would have ordered what is simply listed under the large plates section as “14-day dry-aged duck” for $145. We got a heads up that it would take roughly 45 minutes to prepare, and soon after we finished our small plates, a staffer presented a stunning whole duck, with dark skin and sprigs of lavender. The dish was taken back to the kitchen to carve, then presented over a generous serving of nori rice and served with scallion pancakes and pickled baby cauliflower on the side. This was one of the best duck dishes I’ve ever had — a snappy, crackling skin with the lavender balanced by the Sichuan peppercorn spice, tender meat, and flavorful rice. It was ideally sized for our group of six, though I would have happily taken any leftovers home. 125 First Avenue, between St. Marks Place and East Seventh Street, East Village — Stephanie Wu, editor-in-chief
I think this new chicken spot from the Thai Diner team may be turning out the city’s best new tofu sandwiches. But while the Filet O’Tofu — a nam prik noom- and herb-topped riff on the fast food hit — has stolen much of the attention so far, I found myself more intrigued on a recent visit by the Mommy Royale with crispy tofu ($10).
Playing on another fast food classic, this tofu sandwich is topped with a vibrant orange Mommy Sauce and a melty slice of cheese, and then pickled mustard greens add an essential tart, slightly bitter jolt. The ratio of fillings here — juicy yet crispy tofu, gooey cheese and sauce, slightly crunchy mustard greens and onions — is perfect, as is the balance of flavors. Paired with fries with a turmeric-laced toum-style sauce and a not-too-sweet Thai iced tea, it made for a meal that I already started to miss while I was still eating it. 203 Mott Street, at Kenmare Street, Nolita — Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter
Before trekking out to Sleepy Hollow to wander around for Halloween purposes, we stopped by Dale Talde’s Cantonese restaurant at the Tarrytown House Estate hotel for an early dinner. The restaurant is inside the elegant King Mansion, where writer Washington Irving used to live. We sat in the main dining room, with portraits of what appear to be randomly picked famous people on the wall, from Linda McCartney to Mary J. Blige to Ryan Reynolds — our server told us everyone had some sort of link to Westchester, so it made for a fun mealtime game. The seafood-packed stir-fried noodles ($52.50) were amazing, with large lobster clumps and bits of crab meat mingled among tender, chewy noodles, all of which tasted even better the next day as leftovers. The smoked chile garlic beef brisket ($42.50) was also nice, with the crunch of lotus root and rice cakes, though I could’ve done with much more of the latter. 49 East Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown — Nadia Chaudhury, deputy dining editor, Northeast
Shengjian bao from Liu Liu Sheng Jian
Look for the busiest stall in the basement food court at Flushing’s New World Mall to find shengjian bao specialist Liu Liu Sheng Jian. If the crowds don’t immediately give its position among the other food stands away, just follow the smell of pork and the sound of sizzling to the far corner. There are technically other items on the menu, but you’re here for the fluffy, pan-fried shengjian bao ($10 for six) filled with steaming broth and minced pork. The bao are cooked just mere feet away from the ever-present line in a shallow, circular, rotating frying pan that crisps the bottoms while steaming the tops. On busy days, the bao could take 15 minutes or so to prepare — while waiting, hit the neighboring Tari Uyghur Food for skewers and Kung Fu Tea for a drink. 136-20 Roosevelt Avenue, near Main Street, Flushing — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
After seeing One Battle After Another in VistaVision — a three-hour epic that let out near 10 p.m. — I went searching for dinner. Hamburger America had its chairs up, Roscioli and King were closing, and options were dwindling. A few blocks away, Shuka, from chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, was still buzzing and open until 11 p.m.. We ordered a spread of vegetables, silky hummus, and an excellent spit-roasted chicken shawarma ($27) with warm bread, cooling red cabbage, herbs, and creamy white sauce. Paired with a glass of crisp Vermentino, it was a reminder that, at least in this corner of Greenwich Village, the city that never sleeps isn’t dead yet (or at the very least, still eats late). 38 MacDougal Street, at Prince Street, Soho — Melissa McCart, lead editor, Northeast