New_York_Magazine_-_March_16_2020

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.

TRANSMITTED

________ COPY ___ DD ___ AD ___ PD ___ EIC

0620STR_BONY_lay [Print]_36876960.indd 54 3/13/20 12:35 PM

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.