Best Dishes NY Editors Ate This Week: June 9
I'm on a mission, it seems, to try every half- and whole chicken on menus around town: so it was a given that we'd order the half-chicken at Claud during a recent visit. It was a hit. So juicy and so savory, the dish is dressed with lovage and a shower of pickles. There's plenty of brine without overwhelming the dish, but make sure you order (housemade) bread for the plate. (Maybe practice restraint if you're saving room for the restaurant's famous slice of chocolate cake.) 90 E. 10th Street, at Third Avenue, East Village — Melissa McCart, lead editor, Northeast
After writing about Mama's Pizza closing on the Upper West Side last month, I figured it was time for me to check out the founders' grandson's downtown slice spinoff Mama's Too. I walked past the very long time outside of L'industrie Pizzeria to this unassuming pizza shop, quickly ordered my new slices, and found a seat in the crowded space. I got one of each format: the Angry Nonna square slice, a nice sweet-savory combination thanks to the slightly zingy hot honey and chile oil; and then the house slice, which was a perfect rendition of what a fresh pizza slice should be (together for $11.25 with tax and tip). I regret not getting a sandwich, but there's always next time. 323-325 Bleecker Street, near Christopher Street, West Village — Nadia Chaudhury, editor, Northeast
Naks, the Filipino restaurant from the Unapologetic Foods team, has switched over to an a la carte menu for the entire restaurant (the main room was previously reserved for the $135 tasting menu-style kamayan). The new format means groups can try much more food, and the standout for us was the Kanto fried chicken ($16) — boneless chicken that managed to be incredibly crispy, hot, and tender even after we went back for seconds 20 minutes after it was served. Don't miss the grilled lemon soda pork belly ($16) or the clay-pot adobo rice, ($32) either. 201 First Avenue, between East 12th and 13th streets, East Village — Stephanie Wu, editor-in-chief
This past Sunday, a group of friends and I were lucky enough to grab a last-minute reservation at the very intimate and often-crowded Lost and Found in Long Beach. It's a very unassuming spot that never disappoints and keeps you coming back with its seasonal changes and frequent menu updates. I was pleasantly surprised to see a bison strip loin, which came dressed with an incredibly vibrant house-made chimichurri sauce that blew me away. I also snuck bites of my wife's bistro burger, which never fails to deliver. Pro-tip: Do not skip the charred cheesecake. 951 West Beech Street, Long Beach — Connor Reid, senior video producer Tuna sandwich at Bottega
Crown Heights daytime offerings leveled up in a big way this summer. First, Lisbonata, the Portuguese egg tart pop-up, opened an order-through-the-window permanent location. (The yuzu and pistachio flavors are a must!) Then, on the other side of Eastern Parkway, Bottega, a coffee shop with food, is also new. It's here that I had some of my favorite sandwiches of late. We went for the chicken Milanese with broccoli rabe and provolone, a fancy take on the Italian classic; as well as the tuna with pickled red onion, marinated artichoke, fried capers, fontina, pistou rosé, and lemon aioli on griddled milk bread, basically an adult tuna melt (both $16). Venture to both businesses on a summer Friday and you'll have the ideal lunch bang bang. 619 St. Johns Place and 215 Rogers Avenue — Emma Orlow, editor, Northeast
Now that the weather is heating up, one of my favorite places to people-watch is Bar Italia on Madison Avenue, where I just spotted Vera Wang and lots of decked-out shoppers. I don't usually think of pasta as a light choice, with the exception of this dish ($42), made with incredibly sweet fresh cherry tomatoes simmered for hours before whole filets of Mediterranean fish are added. Chef Dennis Franceschini always has seasonal specials, and if you get there in the next week or two, you can still catch the oversized white asparagus — sweet, nutty, and so soft you can cut it with a fork. 768 Madison Avenue, between 65th and 66th Streets — Beth Landman, contributing writer, Northeast
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