My New York Top 13

Everything is good and the food is unreal, the reservation is hard, but it's still very much worth it.

Great food and room and all around energy. It's today's Estela: - sardines with anchovies and peppers - uni custard - eel dumplings - comte tart - king crab - pork - duck - white wine gelato (Menu has changed seasons now, but you can't really go wrong.)

Walk in friendly-ish, smart and good and makes you keep wanting to eat more of it? - the bigger icebox - stuffed squid - confit oysters - tuna carpacio - the bread x2 - the lobster - ice cream sandwich

The price point isn’t light, but after eating Korean food for all of my life, I had never had such a… pure(idk what word to use) version of so many of the ingredients and fermented products. It really is unlike anything I’ve ever had. It’s in LIC so it’s not necessarily the most convenient, but walking through the convenience store and through a beautiful hallway (pictured below) is also a nice touch.

It’s extremely dialed in right now, here’s where I’m at as far as perfect orders goes: - wings - pea shoots or cucumbers - shiso or salt cod rice - one of the aggressive hits (pastrami, mapo, etc) - beef chow fun (seems regular, but it just hits) - steak with chili butter - this is a must - whole branzino if they have it - whatever dessert they have

Everything is kind of just really good, somethings are REALLY good? - mortadella* - polenta* - herb salad* - chili pepper - pork chop (didn’t get but have heard great things) - steak

Still the same extremely pretty room, but the food is done by the people from 4 Charles (but is much easier to get a reservation). - The burger - The salads - The prime rib - Truffle pasta - Also just everything

Sneaky great Viet food that, when the menu is right (they’re always changing it), is REALLY right.

For me, I’d go for lunch (because it’s easier to get in) and get any combination of: - The Thai Diner egg sandwich - Cheesesteak phat bai - Baan salad - Laab - Crab fried rice - Pea shoots

Extremely small, like a hallway, but just really delicious. Menu keeps changing but it’s just great. Go early or be ready to put your name down and go get a drink.

The second of two Chinese restaurants I find myself going to the most. - fatty beef with cilantro - mayo tofu - fish in chili oil - Peking duck - pea shoots - mango sago with mochi

You’ll have to go early or late, but literally everything is great and I don’t want to type it all out.

I agree with the reservation is impossible, but the main dining room is a nice room and the food is actually very good, it’s more attainable for lunch or later at night on a week day. - The ramp pasta - The bao - The zeppole and ham - The pomodoro - The raviolini - Chicken alla griglia