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.
The bang-bang was alive and well when my friend and I followed up dinner with a stop specifically for dessert at Agi’s Counter. Though the paprika chocolate pudding did its best to sway us, we were really only there for one thing: cheesecake ($15 for dine-in and $14 to-go from the bakery). At Agi’s, they’ve managed to catapult a New York classic into something entirely their own, with plump blueberries that prompt a double take, a sliver of lemon for squeezing, and a drizzle of olive oil that mingles with the buttery richness in a way one only dreams of. It was a busy Friday night, so there wasn’t a table available for another hour after we arrived, but during a somewhat warmer winter evening, we gladly opted for immediate patio seating instead. 818 Franklin Avenue, between Union and Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights — Patty Diez, associate director, brand development
The Italian combo at Salumeria Biellese Deli. Nadia Chaudhury/Eater NY
In need of a portable lunch that I could eat while sitting on the floor of Moynihan Train Hall before catching my train to Philadelphia for Michelin (the fact that there is no real seating there is still ridiculous), I headed to this Italian deli. I got the Italian combo ($11), with a beautiful stack of mortadella, salami, provolone cheese, and my choice of mustard and tomatoes. I just really love a well-made sandwich, and this fit the bill totally. It didn’t hurt that I also alternated bites of the jalapeno crunchy Cheetos for a little zing. 378 Eighth Avenue, at West 29th Street, Chelsea — Nadia Chaudhury, deputy dining editor
The hot pot pie by Stacey Mei Yan Fong at Kid Pizza. Nat Belkov/Eater
Hot pot pie by Stacey Mei Yan Fong at Kid Pizza
I ran, not walked, to Chelsea when I heard Stacey Mei of 50 Pies, 50 States fame had collaborated on a special edition pie at the New York-style pizzeria, inspired by flavors from her home in Hong Kong. “It’s based on that last bite in a bowl of hot pot,” Mei writes to me, “something my family did at every celebration from birthdays to Christmas to the last day of Chinese New Year.” The pizza landed piping hot with a scattering of bitter chrysanthemum greens atop little pools of umami-rich sesame dressing and crumbles of juicy, fatty pork tossed in spicy chile crisp, all on top of dough made by people who know what they’re doing. Wow, I hadn’t tried anything like this before. Stacey’s pie will only be on the menu through Thursday, December 18, but I, for one, hope this isn’t the last we see of her genius atop pizza dough. 157 West 18th Street, near Seventh Avenue, Chelsea — Nat Belkov, associate creative director
The monte bianco at Zimmi’s. Melissa McCart/Eater NY
The new pastry chef at Zimmi’s, Clodagh Manning, hails from Ireland by way of London’s now-closed Lyle’s. Her desserts are astonishing. During a recent visit, I got both of them and was floored, particularly when it came to the monte bianco ($16 to $18) with its contrast of textures from the nuttiness of chestnut mousse, dovetailed with a pronounced citrus. I can’t wait to try her stuff when the bakery wine bar opens next door in the new year. 72 Bedford Street, at Commerce Street, West Village— Melissa McCart, lead dining editor, Northeast
The JJ’s Classic at Luther’s in TV Eye. Bettina Makalintal/Eater
Though the fried chicken sandwiches seem to be the big star for Luther’s, a Southern fried chicken pop-up inside the bar and music venue TV Eye, it was the JJ’s Classic ($14.50) — a vegan riff featuring a fried hen of the woods mushroom, remoulade, and pickles — that got my attention. (I’ll almost always choose a mushroom sandwich over a meat one.) The fried mushroom was hefty, with a crisp, perfectly fried coating surrounding the tender cluster of mushrooms. The thick pickles added just enough sweetness and crunch. It reminded me of a certain closed-on-Sundays fast-food chicken sandwich.
Between Luther’s, I Like Food in Aunt Ginny’s, Rose’s R&R, and Lori Jayne — which got popular as a pop-up inside the bar Alphaville and is now popping up at Danger Danger in addition to its location at Time Out Market — it’s a really good moment for bar food. 16-47 Weirfield Street, between Cypress Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue, Ridgewood —Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter
The Brussels sprouts salad at the Golden Swan. Lester Davis
When the temperature drops, I like to find restaurants with cozy nooks, and the Golden Swan’s upper floor is filled with them. After settling into a corner banquette in a room with just one other table, I ordered the roasted Brussels sprouts salad ($28) as a starter. It was made with sweet, petite sprouts, roasted and tossed in a Dijon dressing. Bacon lardons braised in chicken jus, and thyme added crunch and smoke, and slivers of pecorino lent zest. I have a friend who always liked the saying that “everything tastes better with an egg on top,” and it applies to this case — when the yolk melted over the mix, it took the dish to another level. A hit of spicy mustard oil and a dusting of grated cheese were the finishing touches. 314 West 11th Street, at Greenwich Street, West Village — Beth Landman, contributor, Northeast