related items
Pork grits at Calexico Carne Asada
In a year dominated by cheap eats and comfort food, my favorite dish exemplifies both. The new Calexico Carne Asada taqueria near the BQE is run by a bunch of California guys who specialize in California/Mexican cuisine (hence the name), so it's only fitting that they created one of the greatest mash-ups of all time: pork grits. Sure, shrimp and grits have been around forever—but it took a special blend of genius and panache to combine pulled pork and grits. Anson Mills grits—the gold standard—form the base of the dish, but the moist, slow-roasted and fiery chipotle pork is the star. Add in the New York cheddar, which offers a layer of tang and cuts the spice, plus some jalapenos for extra kick, and you have a soul-warming meal for under $10. —Jeremy Cesarec, dining writer
Arroz de pato at Aldea
George Mendes’ arroz de pato encapsulates his take on Portuguese food: not so nouveau (or “novo” if you will) to render it unrecognizable, but far enough from gut-busting slabs of rehydrated bacalao to reinvigorate the cuisine. OK, duck three ways isn’t exactly light fare either, yet I defy you to leave behind a single fatty morsel. Rosy slices of duck breast kept tender via sous vide contrast with richer strands of duck confit and glistening shards of browned skin. The poultry trio decorates a mound of paella-esque rice—chewy with each grain distinct and adorned even further by chorizo and briny black olives. Tart blobs of apricot sauce are far from superfluous; the fruity hit is like duck sauce for the real feathered deal instead of serving as egg roll dip. —Krista Garcia, dining writer
Brown butter garganelli at Travertine
Polished pasta at a restaurant named after a rock? Believe it. Travertine’s garganelli with brussel sprouts, shiitake and brown butter may be one of the most memorable pasta dishes of the year at what might be the most-buzzed about restaurant of late 2009. After years of futile fights by multiple venues against the local Community Board, Sydney restaurant maven Danae Cappelletto managed to snag the green light, transforming the former Little Charlie’s Clam Bar into a decked out, clubbed-up eatery that still takes its food seriously. The dish is a high point for Babbo vet/former Top Cheftestant Manuel Trevino—in which simple ingredients combined with masterful technique result in serious flavor. The insanely rich brown butter sauce is persuasive enough to get even the pickiest eaters to eat their brussel sprouts. —Kelly Dobkin, dining writer
Cold noodles at Yun Nan Flavour Snack Shop
No matter if it’s Sahara-hot or cool as Antarctica, I trek to Sunset Park’s finest cubbyhole-size Chinese eatery and order cold noodles, a dish as bold as the name is bland. The husband-wife team plops a mound of thin, handmade noodles into a bowl. They’re then crowned with cilantro, crushed hot peppers, crunchy nuts, crumbled pork and several spoonfuls of sugar, then finished with a tart-savory pond of soy sauce and dark vinegar. I quickly stir the ingredients, then dig into a dish made delicious by its contrasts: cool-spicy, chewy-crunchy, savory-sweet. Don’t forget to give the broth a loud, lusty slurp. —Josh Bernstein, dining writer
Beef bone marrow at DBGB
DBGB doesn’t need any more buzz. But when Daniel Boulud starts serving a Flintstonian dinosaur bone, it's hard not to pay attention. It’s actually a beef bone, split lengthwise for full-length skeletal appreciation and packed with fatty-good marrow. Pickled mustard seeds dot the rich, jammy filling for bite and texture, and toasty points of rye bread line the plate for spreading. There’s more! Beside the bone sits a slice of tender Katz’s pastrami—rolled around watercress for a beefy, peppery compliment. —Bret Stetka, dining writer
BLUE HILL, PRIME MEATS, TIPSY PARSON→
Photo by Melissa Hom
