New_York_Magazine_-_March_16_2020

march 16–29, 2020 | new york 57

DECOY’S

Peking Duck

Although the city is awash with more challengers

every year, Decoy’s crisp, juicy, beautifully

presented bird still reigns supreme. Credit chef Joe

Ng’s special fat-rendering technique, which leaves

the skin crackly, melting, and parchment thin.

BIRRIA-LANDIA’S

José Moreno has carved out a niche as Queens’s (and possibly the city’s)

preeminent purveyor of birria, a Tijuana-style beef stew animated with chiles

and warming spices. This specialty draws nightly crowds to his food truck,

which dispenses the meat and broth in various ways, including on

a quesadilla-like mulita and in a cup of consommé. But the thing to get is the

taco, made with tortillas stained red from a dip in the broth.

SARAGHINA BAKERY’S

Micca

Edoardo Mantelli studied under celebrated

Piedmont bread baker Eugenio Pol. He must

have been an annoyingly bright student judging

by his micca—a rustic mountain loaf with

a crunchy crust and creamy crumb as springy

as a Sealy Posturepedic.

The broth is fortified with whole birds, butchered

parts, and feet, then concentrated by the meat that’s

poached in it. A blast of ginger paste, minty sawtooth

herb, and creamy-yolked quail egg make it

Vietnamese chicken-noodle soup of the gods.

SPICY VILLAGE’S

Big Tray Chicken

All the spices assemble in this sliver of a restaurant

and in its signature dish: chunks of fried chicken

and potatoes with add-on noodles, Sichuan

peppercorn, cumin, and enough chile to leave your

mouth bamboozled but euphoric.

LLAMA SAN’S

Duck Nigiri

These dabs of aged-duck sushi are dressed with

slivers of banana and a single droopy nasturtium

leaf that makes the whole inspired creation look

like it’s been transported directly from some

fantastical Dr. Seuss cartoon.

BEST of NEW YORK

BEP GA’S

Pho Ga

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march16–29, 2020 | newyork 57

DECOY’S

PekingDuck

Althoughthecityis awashwithmorechallengers

everyyear, Decoy’s crisp,juicy, beautifully

presentedbirdstillreignssupreme.Creditchef Joe

Ng’sspecialfat-renderingtechnique,whichleaves

theskincrackly, melting,andparchmentthin.

BIRRIA-LANDIA’S

andwarmingspices.Thisspecialty drawsnightlycrowdstohisfoodtruck,

whichdispensesthemeatandbrothinvariousways,includingon

a quesadilla-likemulitaandina cupofconsommé.Butthethingtogetis the

taco,madewithtortillasstainedredfroma dipinthebroth.

SARAGHINABAKERY’S

Micca

EdoardoMantellistudiedundercelebrated

PiedmontbreadbakerEugenioPol.He must

havebeenanannoyinglybrightstudentjudging

byhismicca—arusticmountainloafwith

a crunchycrust andcreamy crumbasspringy

asa SealyPosturepedic.

Th
par s
poa g g p , y
herb,andcreamy-yolkedquailegg make it
Vietnamesechicken-noodlesoupofthegods.

SPICYVILLAGE’S

BigTrayChicken

Allthespicesassem sliverofa restaurant

andinitssignaturedish:chunksoffriedchicken

andpotatoeswithadd-onnoodles,Sichuan

peppercorn,cumin,andenoughchiletoleaveyour

mouthbamboozledbuteuphoric.

LLAMASAN’S

DuckNigiri

Thesedabsofaged-ducksushiaredressedwith

sliversofbananaanda singledroopynasturtium

leafthatmakesthewholeinspiredcreationlook

likeit’s be ported fromsome

fa Dr. Se on.

BEST of NEW YORK

BEP GA’S

Pho Ga