54 new york | march 16–29, 2020
LEE LEE’S
Rugelach
LA ESQUINA DEL
CAMARÓN MEXICANO’S
Seafood Cocktail
Harlem isn’t known for its rugelach, but Alvin “Lee
Lee” Smalls’s recipe has earned him a devoted
following. His cookies are deeply bronzed,
crumbly crusted, and loaded with personality
(not to mention walnuts and raisins).
BAZ BAGEL & RESTAURANT’S
Blintzes
Are cheese blintzes, those golden-fried, sugar-
dusted vestiges of the Jewish-dairy tradition,
breakfast, lunch, or dessert? They’re all three at Baz,
where the kitchen stuffs the tender crêpes with local
ricotta in deference to its Little Italy locale.
Sliders that aren’t real sliders (i.e., steam-grilled
burgers) generally suck. One exception: Hooni
Kim’s bulgogi beef with scallion vinaigrette and
sriracha mayo on butter-grilled buns as soft as
campfire marshmallows. Customers knock them
back like sacks of White Castles.
DANJI’S
Bulgogi Beef
Sliders
ATOMIX’S
Stuffed
Chicken Wings
Stuffing chicken wings must be like building ships
in bottles. Maybe that’s why the folks at Atomix’s
upstairs lounge ration their spicy wings to two per
order. If only you could get them by the bucket.
ST. ANSELM’S
Butchers Steak
The signature steak at this Brooklyn-hipster grill
may no longer be had for the stupendously low 2011
price of $15. But even at $28, it’s still terrific value:
scrupulously sourced, expertly grilled, loaded with
flavor—the best budget beefsteak in town.
MAISON YAKI’S
Frogs’ Legs
Frogs’ legs are among the fustiest Escoffier-era
ingredients yet also, somehow, the perfect
Brooklyn bar snack: crisp, golden tempura-
enrobed limbs fashioned, classically, into small
lollipops and served, humorously, on lily-pad
plates with bright parsley ponzu on the side.
At this Chinese dining palace at the bottom of the
Bloomberg Building, the crab is deep-fried,
assiduously spiced, then served with proper
imperial (or, if you prefer, Bloombergian) ceremony
in a basket under dried whole chiles.
The Western-Chinese Muslim cuisine called
Dungan may be scarce hereabouts, but it is rich,
bright, and distinctive. To wit: beefy lagman soup
(thon lamian) brimming with red pepper, green
beans, and a tangle of noodles irregular in
thickness, a sure sign they were made by hand.
LAGMAN HOUSE’S
Lagman Soup
when to get it BREAKFAST BRUNCH LUNCH SNACK DINNER LATE-NIGHT DESSERT GROCERY
BEST of NEW YORK
HUTONG’S
Red Lantern
Soft-Shell Crab
The specialty of the house (make that the back
of the bodega) comes in a big plastic cup
brimming with shrimp and octopus submerged in
a briny-sweet tomato-based sauce invigorated
with clam juice and orange. Crumble some saltines
on top and douse with hot sauce.
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54 newyork| march16–29, 2020
LEELEE’S
Rugelach
LAESQUINADEL
CAMARÓNMEXICANO’S
SeafoodCocktail
Harlemisn’t knownforitsrugelach,butAlvin“Lee
Lee”Smalls’s recipehasearnedhima devoted
following.Hiscookiesaredeeplybronzed,
crumblycrusted,andloadedwithpersonality
(nottomentionwalnutsandraisins).
BAZBAGEL&RESTAURANT’S
Blintzes
Arecheeseblintzes,those en-fried,sugar-
dustedvestigesoftheJe dairy tradition,
breakfast,lunch,ordessert? They’reallthreeat Baz,
wherethekitchenstuffs thetendercrêpeswith local
ricottaindeferencetoitsLittleItalylocale.
Slidersthataren’t realsliders(i.e., steam-grilled
burgers)generallysuck.Oneexception:Hooni
Kim’sbulgogibeef withscallionvinaigretteand
srirachamayoonbutter-grilledbunsassoft as
campfiremarshmallows.Customersknockthem
backlikesacksofWhiteCastles.
DANJI’S
BulgogiBeef
Sliders
ATOMIX’S
Stuffed
ChickenWings
Stuffingchickenwingsmust belike buildingships
inbo
upstai
orde
ST.ANSELM’S
ButchersSteak
Thesignatures lyn-hipstergrill
maynolongerbehadforthestupendouslylow 2011
priceof$15.Butevenat $28,it’s stillterrific value:
scrupulouslysourced,expertlygrilled,loadedwith
flavor—thebest budget beefsteakintown.
MAISONYAKI’S
Frogs’Legs
Frogs’legsareamongthefustiestEscoffier-era
ingredientsyetalso,somehow, theperfect
Brooklynbarsnack:crisp,goldentempura-
e d,classically,intosmall
umorously, onlily-pad
sley ponzuontheside.
AtthisCh of the
Bloomberg ied,
assiduouslyspiced,thenservedwithproper
imperial(or,if youprefer,Bloombergian)ceremony
ina basket underdriedwholechiles.
TheWestern-ChineseMuslimcuisinecalled
Dunganmaybescarcehereabouts,butit is rich,
bright,anddistinctive.To wit:beefy lagmansoup
(thonlamian)brimmingwithredpepper,green
beans,anda tangleofnoodlesirregularin
thickness,a suresigntheyweremadebyhand.
LAGMANHOUSE’S
LagmanSoup
whentogetit BREAKFAST BRUNCH LUNCH SNACK DINNER LATE-NIGHT DESSERT GROCERY
BEST of NEW YORK
HUTONG’S
Red Lantern
Soft-Shell Crab
The specialty of the house (make that the back
of the bodega) comes in a big plastic cup
brimming with shrimp and octopus submerged in
a briny-sweet tomato-based sauce invigorated
with clam juice and orange. Crumble some saltines
on top and douse with hot sauce.