It’s Election Day, New York! Polls are open until 9 p.m. EST. Follow this link for Times coverage of the mayoral race and for a more nationally-minded guide, check out yesterday’s edition of The Morning newsletter, which is now the domain of one Sam Sifton. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
The best things we ate (and absolutely loved) in OctoberSay it with me: A.B.E. Always be eating. Our hungry, wide-ranging restaurant team enjoyed another month of dining and I asked them what their favorites were along the way. This month’s roundup takes us to California, Tennessee and, of course, good ol’ New York, New York, for soba, shrimp and grits, and the world’s most adorable manju. Mera mera soba at CocoronLike everyone else I know, I had a sick spell as the seasons changed. My cure also happened to be one of my favorite dishes in the city: the warm mera mera soba from the most reliable, lovable soba shop on the Lower East Side, Cocoron. The chicken bone broth is jack-o'-lantern orange, opaque with sesame paste, and the surface is mottled with bubbles of chile oil and chicken fat. This warm soba fixed me! And it can fix whatever ails you, too. BECKY HUGHES 16 Delancey Street (Chrystie Street), New York City Man’oushe with roasted kabocha squash at Reem’sI had a simple, dreamy lunch with an old friend at Reem Assil’s cafe in the Mission. I loved the light, airy man’oushe with tiny pieces of roasted kabocha squash and salty akawi cheese that carried its own salad on top: arugula dressed with pomegranate seeds, lots of pepitas and a bit of smoky chile oil. TEJAL RAO 2901 Mission Street (25th Street), San Francisco Shrimp and grits at Strange DelightCan we call this column the best things we ate this year? If so, I’d love to nominate the shrimp and grits at Strange Delight in Fort Greene. Served in a paper coffee cup like you’d find at any bodega, the tender grits are drowned in a super shrimpy étouffée with a soft poached egg that adds to the mess and pleasure. Find it on Strange Delight’s new daytime menu, a temporary arrangement with the talented pastry chef Amanda Perdomo that I’d love to see become permanent. LUKE FORTNEY 63 Lafayette Avenue (Fulton Street), New York City Manju at Kappo SonoAt Kappo Sono, a kaiseki counter on a penthouse floor off Union Square, a recent autumnal dinner ended with a manju (sweet-paste bun) molded into a pudgy bunny, with long ears flopped back and a tiny cottontail. It’s presented facing away from the diner — because “he’s shy,” our server said, but also because he’s gazing at the moon. LIGAYA MISHAN 39 East 13th Street, 6th Floor (University Place), New York City Lamb carpaccio at Bad IdeaThe chef Yia Vang, of the acclaimed Minneapolis Hmong restaurant Vinai, was in Nashville for a collaboration dinner at Bad Idea, and I had no idea until I walked in. There wasn’t a bad dish on the menu, but the lamb carpaccio was particularly memorable. Rosy top round was accented with lemongrass aioli, aji dulce peppers and pickled coriander. With a perfect mingling of herbaceous accents, the fruity heat of the peppers and bite from the pickling, this might have been the best carpaccio I’ve ever had. BRIAN GALLAGHER 1021 Russell Street #101 (South 11th Street), Nashville Polenta cakes at LolaI had to prove to my friends visiting from out of town that New York isn’t all city, so we drove up to Kingston for a night. I know I should have gone somewhere new, but I couldn’t resist sitting down for lunch at Lola again. Their cheesy, bright and perfectly corny polenta cakes brought me to my knees; I could have made them my entire meal. NIKITA RICHARDSON 243 Fair Street (Main Street), Kingston, N.Y.
THE RESTAURANT REVIEW Sunny’s SteakhouseBack in September, our restaurant critic Ligaya Mishan asked if the steakhouse could ever escape its reputation for meatcentric excess? In Miami, Sunny’s Steakhouse, which Tejal Rao reviewed this week, appears to have succeeded. Here, it’s perfectly acceptable to order the (expertly prepared) fish. Read the review → OPENING OF THE WEEK Opera HouseOne of the best parts of the 2022 film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (and its Son Lux-produced score) is the fight scene where Michelle Yeoh is transformed into a singer of Chinese opera. If it is going to be on the speakers at Opera House, a new Chinese opera-themed bar and dim sum spot underneath Chinese Tuxedo, sign me up. (I’ll also take any excuse to walk down Doyers Street these days.) More restaurant openings → A MINI-GUIDE No-Cook ThanksgivingThe reader emails started flooding in about a month ago: “Where should we go for dinner on Thanksgiving?” Well, fret no more. Florence Fabricant compiled a list of 11 restaurants serving America’s favorite feast, whether you’re looking for something staunchly traditional or Thanksgiving with a side of rice. Check out the list →
IS THIS A THING? You might, in fact, be ready for this jellyIn journalism, three (or more) makes a trend: Ella Quittner has a wiggly story out today on the return of savory jellies, made possible through the magic of aspic and gelée, at some of New York’s hottest restaurants, including I Cavallini, Lei, Le Veau d’Or, Cove and Zimmi’s. Read the story → Have New York City restaurant questions? Send us a note here. Follow NYT Food on TikTok and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.
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