(This venue is closed.) Over many years of visits to this Argentinian ice cream shop, I don't believe I've ever asked for a cone. (My photo archives offer no evidence to the contrary.) A cup offers fewer distractions from wonderful flavors such as mascarpone with frutti di bosco (above) and tahini (below). Also recommended: corn, mate (Mah-tay), dulce de leche, hazelnut, pistachio, white chocolate.
Cones
272 Bleecker St. (Morton-Jones Sts.), Manhattan
212-414-1795
www.Facebook.com/ConesNYC
Boiled bok choy in chicken broth; Shanghai salted meat and vegetable rice; Wuxi pork ribs; leavings.
Tipsy Shanghai
228 Thompson St. (West 3rd-Bleecker Sts.), Manhattan
212-763-0877
www.TipsyShanghai.com
Distinctively yet unselfconsciously fashioned by hand, çiğ köfte (Cheeg Kuf-teh) are Turkish "raw meatballs" that traditionally are made from lamb or beef. This vegan version features bulgur, red pepper, and walnut, which partner in your own hands with lettuce, lemon, leafy herbs, various crisp palate-fresheners, and perhaps a dab of pomegranate sauce, too. Also shown: a two-bite baklava, on the house.
Nefista
105 MacDougal St. (Bleecker-West 3rd Sts.), Manhattan
646-952-0176
3371 Shore Pkwy. (Sheepshead Bay Rd.-East 19th St.), Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
347-922-7429
656 Anderson Ave. (Columbia-Nelson Aves.), Cliffside Park, New Jersey
201-774-4080
www.Nefista.com
Invader is a French urban artist whose discreetly installed mosaics evoke the low-rez look of early video games. Owing to the lack of resolution, it's hard to be sure what's on the patty — perhaps lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese — but there's no mistaking the sesame-seeded bun.
Space Invader and Burger (Invader, 2015)
Outside the Waverly Diner, 385 Sixth Ave. (at Waverly Pl.), Manhattan
You're unlikely to encounter New Nordic cuisine at church events in New York. The most recent Finnish Christmas Bazaar offered no exceptions; over the years the traditional menu has changed very little, a state of affairs that attendees seem to endorse.
The same blend of beef and pork that fills the khinkali plumps a lunch-only burger at this Georgian restaurant. Beneath the patty is a seam of roasted mushroom; to one side, a pourable sauce of tomato, cilantro, and onion. Also shown, two sweets (comped for me): a qada, baked in-house like the burger bun; and a wedge of pickled watermelon rind.
Shown at bottom: "[Not re]sponsible [for ha]ts & coats". As late as the 1950s, many New York gentlemen rarely went about bareheaded. By contrast this sign, probably exposed during construction, has been left uncovered, offering a tip of the hat to a restaurant-design fashion of today.
Via Kim, @garsleat
Chama Mama
149 West 14th St. (Sixth-Seventh Aves.), Manhattan
646-438-9007
www.ChamaMama.com
The thin, crêpe-like pancakes here called palatschinken are popular throughout Central and Eastern Europe. They can be savory, sweet, or, when filled with lingonberries and topped with sour cream, tart. Crispy edges are a nice touch.
27 Morton
27½ Morton St. (at Seventh Ave. South), Manhattan
212-929-4339
www.27Morton.com
Wearied laminated menus reclined at one end of the counter; I noticed them only when I was about to settle up. "Since everyone is a regular," said a lady, beside me, who had just paid her tab, "no one really needs a menu." Me neither, not for a simple pleasure like a BLT.
La Bonbonniere
28 Eighth Ave. (Jane-West 12th Sts.), Manhattan
212-741-9266
www.Facebook.com/LaBonbonniereNYC
French meets Japanese: cauliflower soup with kombu dashi.
Patisserie Fouet
15 East 13th St. (Fifth Ave.-University Pl.), Manhattan
212-620-0622
www.Facebook.com/FouetNYC
Short-lived night light: an all-white cookie.
The Donut Pub
203 West 14th St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.), Manhattan
212-929-0126
www.DonutPub.com
Thank you!
