BEST DISHES in New York in 2023: NUMBERS 5-1

I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2023…

My eating out was definitely different this year. I let go of the need to visit all the latest “hot spots” and found much more comfort and enjoyment in old standbys and casual neighborhood spots. The pricing at new middle-tier restaurants also reached peak with very few entrees coming below the $40 mark.

Things are getting crazy up in here.

That being said, it was another good year of eating in New York with some fantastic bites and unexpected surprises that even the coolest of the Tik Tok’ers may have missed. My list leans towards Asian-inspired bites, which does not surprise me, but it just turned out that way. These were the Ten Best dishes I tried in New York this year:

NUMBER 5: CHOW MEIN at POTLUCK CLUB

I’m not sure why but the Chow Mein is only available on the brunch menu at the hopping Potluck Club, so while others rave about the dinner specialities like Tiger Shrimp or Salt & Pepper Fried Chicken, I felt like I got to experience a somewhat secret off-the-dinner-menu dish.

This plate is a masterful rendition of stir-fried noodles. The toothsome soy sauce-slicked noodles are packed with flavor enhanced by meaty succulent hanger steak, aromatic and deeply flavorful garlic chives, and crisp bok choy. It was really addicting and practically perfect on its own, but they served a chili sauce on the side that was fantastic and brought this dish from a 10 to a 1,000. Price: $22

NUMBER 4: SUSHI at ROSELLA

Rosella is a revelation in concept when it comes to sushi in this country. It’s the first sustainable sushi restaurant with a focus on local seafood that is not flown in thousands of miles across the world. The fish here is fantastic – the salmon is steelhead trout from New York State, the tuna is bluefin from Massachusetts, and the uni comes not from Santa Barbara or Japan, but from Maine.

The local fish is by definition fresh and had incredible flavor and texture that was enhanced by little touches, like pickled radishes or shiso leaf, or wrapped up in unique rolls, like the bagels-on-hudson, with smoked trout, dill cream cheese, and a Japanese style omelet. Price: $7-$35

NUMBER 3: PORK WITH YELLOW CHIVE PAN-FRIED DUMPLINGS at SANMIWAGO

When I wrote about Lin & Daughters (also on this list), I would not have guessed that I would have had a second life-altering dumpling experience in the same year. But that is because I had not yet been to the Taiwanese food stall Sanmiwago. Originally a stand at the Mott Street Eatery, the company has grown to three other bigger locations.

The signature dish here are stuffed with a plump juicy pork mixture and yellow chives. The fried skin is charred just enough leaving most of the wrappers soft and succulent, similar to an expertly grilled steak. Reminiscent of the excellent White Bear in Flushing, these are toped with an irresistible chili crisp, scallions, and fresh cilantro. Price: $7

NUMBER 2: CRAB CROQUETTES at UNTABLE

I keep saying that the quality of Thai food all over the city has drastically improved in the last few years. And now we get one of the best restaurants yet. Untable is a cozy neighborhood spot in a residential part of Brooklyn with unique takes on classic Isan dishes from previous chefs from both Somtum Der and Ugly Baby. 

It was here that I had one of the best crab dishes I’ve had possibly in my entire life. The plump fritters were stuffed with an abundance of creamy crab meat filling. The greaseless orbs were ever so lightly fried and topped with some crispy lemongrass threads and makrut lime leaves. Flavorwise, this was absolutely phenomenal – touching on all the balanced flavors that Thai food is known for. 

Underneath the croquettes was a brilliant refined sauce made of a sour/herbal/spicy/sweet tom yum puree. I quickly cleaned the plate and craved another three portions. Price: $19

NUMBER 1: STRAWBERRY PESTO ICE CREAM at RAFFETTO’S

I can’t imagine Marcello Raffetto, who immigrated from Genoa, could ever have imagined his great granddaughter would be making game-changing ice cream incorporating some of the most iconic ingredients in his shop. And I could never have imagined that an scoop of ice cream from a pasta shop would be my number one dish of the year.

It’s these kind of surprises that continue to excite me about the New York food scene.

On its own as a strawberry ice cream, this is rich and fresh and constantly tastes like strawberries. It doesn’t get lost in the sugar and cream. It also has another unexpected level. Along with chunks of the fruit, you’ll also encounter salty, savory ribbons of pesto sauce (yes, pesto sauce). You’ll get hits of umami (from parmesan) and some sweet herbaceous notes (from the basil). It is an unexpected twist that marries beautifully with the strawberries. Price: $6