The Short List — “The Negotiation” + 5 Perfect Spots for Any Occasion
by: Todd Shaw (on SALT at toddscottshaw & toddscottshaw@gmail.com)
I recently had occasion to dine at Tim Ho Wan with a friend. It is dim sum at its absolute finest and cheapest. I think the most expensive dish was $6, and they served some of the best Baked BBQ Pork Buns I have ever had.
But, they also served everything in threes! Three pork buns. Three steamed dumplings with shrimp and chives. Three deep-fried eggplant. Why? Why serve food in threes when it has been statically proven that 88% of all tables are for parties of two or four? Don’t fact check that — just trust me. Instead of my friend and I fully enjoying every bite of food, we engaged in mind-game negotiations over who would get the last bite of each dish. For instance, I knew I wanted the last fried eggplant, but I couldn’t just say it aloud because that’s just selfish. So instead, I offered her the last dumpling in the hope she would take the bait and offer me the last piece of eggplant. Fortunately, that plan worked (#sucker). But now we had one pork bun left and two mouths to feed. All of a sudden I felt like John Wick and my “friend” just murdered my dog. This could only end one way . . . with another order of pork buns.
Now that I’ve let that out (serenity now, Todd, serenity now), back to the real matter at hand: where to eat and drink. The 5 restaurants featured this week need to be on your SALT list because they are the perfect spots for those times when you’re just not sure what you want for dinner. They have great drinks and excellent food. They aren’t fancy and they aren’t dives. They won’t break the bank and they won’t leave you craving a slice of pizza after. All of these places are perfect for a date night or for a casual dinner with friends. From affordable Michelin starred tasting menus to top-tier bar bites, all of these places will round out your SALT lists.
RIVERPARK: 450 East 29th Street, New York, New York
Lists to add to: Murray Hill, Farm-to-Table, Date Night, Great Views, Beer Garden, Dining at the Bar
Not many restaurants can claim to be the perfect spot for a fancy dinner with your parents, a great spot for eating at the bar on a date, or a casual spot to go to with friends and hang in a beer garden. Riverpark has all of the above plus dynamite views of the vertically expanding skylines in Brooklyn and Queens. I recently sat at the bar where you can order off both their bar and restaurant menus. I recommend their fish tacos (served, of course, as three!) followed by the cavatelli with smoked chicken, corn, shishito peppers and parmesan. And definitely do no pass on their charcuterie board for two. Inside tip: they host a Beefsteak once a year which is a damn good drunken time.
CHERRY POINT: 664 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
Lists to add to: Greenpoint, American, Great Burger, Dining at the Bar
There are some restaurants you go to because they do everything well, and there are some you go to because they do one thing great. Cherry Point does everything great and has an amazing burger to top it all off. For their charcuterie board, you pick not just from a combination of cheese and meat, but fish as well. Their grilled oysters with rosemary smoked hollandaise are unlike any oysters I’ve ever had. And their Double Cheeseburger with fermented chilies and aioli should be on any list of the best burgers in New York.
DUCKS EATERY: 351 East 12th Street, New York, New York
Lists to add to: East Village, BBQ
Ducks Eatery is not for the dainty and delicate. Just one of their dry rub St. Louis ribs could feed a family of four. Their oak smoked chicken wings with a jerk rub are fantastic and will make you rue the day you have to go back to eating over-sauced and over-fried wings from your local sports bar. But, if you leave Ducks Eatery without trying the smoked whole goat’s neck, you’re making a mistake. It’s curry infused and served over rice.
DELAWARE & HUDSON: 135 N. 5th Street, Brooklyn, New York
Lists to add to: Williamsburg, Farm to Table, Prix Fixe Menu, Date Night
Delaware & Hudson, to put it simply, is charming. It’s the sort of restaurant that transports you out of New York City and to Small Town, USA . . . if Small Town USA had a Michelin starred restaurant serving some of the best farm to table cuisine you can find. They have an impressive selection of craft beers and a nice wine list. Dinner starts with a chef’s selection of six plates to share. Think house-smoked bluefish pate and lamb meatballs with peas and mint. Aside from choosing your “Main Course” and beverage of choice, there’s not much to do except sit back and enjoy the parade of fresh ingredients that make Delaware & Hudson a must visit.
Save Delaware & Hudsont to SALT
DIRTY FRENCH: 180 Ludlow Street, New York, New York
Lists to add to: Lower East Side, French Bistro, Great Drinks, Hotel Dining
In the Ludlow Hotel, Dirty French features French bistro food in a setting that is unlike any French bistro I can recall. It’s definitely the sort of spot where you want to arrive a little early and enjoy a cocktail at the bar. I’d recommend the Chai Matsuda, which is a great combination of chai bourbon and orange bitters. Dinner starts off with a truly memorable flatbread and fromage blanc. The ahi tuna tartar with bird’s chili is a unique and flavorful take on the traditional dish. And whatever entrée you get, just make sure to get a side of pommes frites, because when in France . . .
I would love to get your suggestions on places we should be featuring in The Short List and how we can make the blog even better. Feel free to comment below or email me at toddscottshaw@gmail.com!
