Top Dishes To Eat in NYC Before You Die?

[ulterior epicure]

Not a New Yorker, but here are my 2 cents:

Olive oil gelato @ anywhere owned by Batali

Sweetbreads@ Babbo

Cockscomb @ Casa Mono

Gee, I seem to be on a Batali kick here... let's see

Maine uni @ Sushi Yasuda

Caviar, sea urchin, and shellfish @ Le Bernardin

Nut and seed-encrusted black sea bass @ Jean-Georges (I guess, technically, this dish could also show up on their menu in Shanghai).

[freshherbs]

truffled egg toast at ino

pretzel croissant at city bakery

[raji]

I wish I had Nathan's memory... I mean I KNOW I've had "memorable" dishes at places like Eleven Madison Park, Tabla, Jean-Georges, Bar @ Modern, but having had them once or twice, it would be hard for me to list them...

But it's funny - I was living in Japan for a few years, and I'd only be back for a couple of weeks every few months, and there are very non-Japanese cuisines that are done well or even exist in Japan, probably Korean and Italian being the standouts. So, when I would come back, I would have to "stock up" on all those NYC-specific things, not really knowing when I'd ever get to eat them again. So I would have to go through this exercise mentally every few months. oh and Japan is kinda pricey, so when I'd be back I wasn't exactly booking tables at Bouley. So my info is probably dated but I'll try

Katz's Corned Beef and/or Pastrami, on rye, russian and mustard on the side

Slices at Joe's

Margherita at Grimaldi's

Mysore Masala Dosa @ Madras Mahal or Jackson Heights

Curry, chicken tikka masala, poori bhaji, other chaat in Jackson Heights

shrimp tandoor, breads @ Devi

Anything not obvious @ Sriprapai

Meat/Veggie combo @ Queen of Sheba

Falafel and Chicken Swarma sandwiches @ Mamoun's

Corner Bistro burger (yeah, bite me, I still have yet to have a bad one, and if you avoid peak times you aren't standing on line like a Shake Schnook)

Bufalina Mozzarella Caprese Salad, Gnocchi butter/sage, at a good Italian Restaurant

Sesame bagel, lightly toasted, lox, onion, lettuce, schmear

Half-duck over rice with ginger sauce, chinese vegetables @ NY Noodletown

Dim-sum at whichever the good place is at the time (i.e. Golden unicorn)

Tacos @ Tulcingo & Tehuitzingo

Anything with Mole @ Tulcingo del valle

now to rope in all of NY's stellar Japanese food

Liver sashimi wherever you can find it

Nankotsu, Tebasaki, Hifu, Tsukune, ochazuke/onigiri, chicken Sashimi @ Totto/Torys

Rosu Tonkatsu @ Katsuhama

Wagyu ishiyaki @ Sugiyama

Ebi chili, buta kakuni, yuba harumaki @ Saburi

uni, amaebi, salted shiromi @ Yasuda

toro, kanpachi, shika/botanebi, aburiengawa @ Ushiwakamaru

Miso Black Cod, tempura, tartares @ Nobu

There's probably a lot more I'm just stealing moments until the Giants figure out how to score...

[Bueno]

Jean George's Turbot, DiFara pizza, Katz's Pastrami, Momofuku Hamachi, Yasuda's toro, Per Se's Oysters and Pearls, Momofuku Pork Buns, Ramsay's Scallops and Cauliflower, Urena's Meatballs, Hearth's Gnocchi, DB Bistro's Burger, Corner Bistro's Burger, Mary's Fish Camp Lobster Roll, Otto's Gelato, Frites from Pommes Frites, Hot Dog from Gray's Papaya, Porterhouse for Two at Luger's, Bacon at Luger's, Moulles Frites at Balthazar, Steak Tartare at Les Halles.

[johnder]

Shake and burger at shake shack.

Bo Ssam at momofuku ssam.

Corn on the cob from the red hook ballfield vendors

Spicy Beef tendon from Grand Sichuan

Di Faro pizza

Blue Ribbon bone marrow with oxtail ragu

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I'm going to disagree on the Shake Shack (which I love).

neither of those are "only in NY". the burger is Wisconsin-style. the custard is Wisconsin-style (albeit not as thick). the concretes are St. Louis style.

ditto for corn on the cob and the spicy beef tendon. which is why I'm withdrawing the tung-po pork from my list.

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Granted, you can get these items other places, maybe better, maybe not as good. The point I was making with my entries is there is a certain 'extra" something you get by eating these in ny. Sure, you can drive up to a shake stand in the mid-west, but where else can you do it in the middle of a urban park surrounded and enjoy eating with with priceless people watching?

[Jmahl]

I'm going to disagree on the Shake Shack (which I love).

neither of those are "only in NY".  the burger is Wisconsin-style.  the custard is Wisconsin-style (albeit not as thick).  the concretes are St. Louis style.

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Ahhh, Nathan, but you're not eating them in Madison Square Park, in the shadow of some of the greatest buildings in NYC!

My list has to include...

Katz's Pastrami

Gray's Papaya Recession Special

A Slice - DiFara's or Joe's or...

Baby roast suckling pig at Great NY Noodletown (and their shrimp wonton soup)

Fried Dumplings at Fried Dumplings

That egg cream at Gem Spa!

Breakfast from Russ & Duaghter's - eaten at home, whitefish salad included - Kossar's bialys

A Yonah Schimmel Knish

Balthazar's fries

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A man after my own heart.

Jmahl

[docsconz]

Shake and burger at shake shack.

Bo Ssam at momofuku ssam.

Corn on the cob from the red hook ballfield vendors

Spicy Beef tendon from Grand Sichuan

Di Faro pizza

Blue Ribbon bone marrow with oxtail ragu

←

I'm going to disagree on the Shake Shack (which I love).

neither of those are "only in NY". the burger is Wisconsin-style. the custard is Wisconsin-style (albeit not as thick). the concretes are St. Louis style.

ditto for corn on the cob and the spicy beef tendon. which is why I'm withdrawing the tung-po pork from my list.

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Granted, you can get these items other places, maybe better, maybe not as good. The point I was making with my entries is there is a certain 'extra" something you get by eating these in ny. Sure, you can drive up to a shake stand in the mid-west, but where else can you do it in the middle of a urban park surrounded and enjoy eating with with priceless people watching?

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I agree. The location and environment is one big reason that certain food experiences can not be fully replicated elsewhere. Certain foods may still be delicious when removed from a particular location, but the charm of a specific situation is often like adding an extra dose of umami. That applies to NY and elsewhere. Can a St. Marcellin ever be quite the same as it was when eating it with a loaf of crusty bread while sitting on a blanket underneath the Eiffel Tower? It may be as good or possibly even better elsewhere, but it will certainly be a different experience.

[Nathan]

let's just rename this thread "the best things I've had in NY" and remove the "only in NY" part.

(btw, a great burger and custard in the middle of an urban park surrounded by people watching is not unique to NY....I can think of at least one other example offhand.)

[weinoo]

let's just rename this thread "the best things I've had in NY" and remove the "only in NY" part.

(btw,  a great burger and custard in the middle of an urban park surrounded by people watching is not unique to NY....I can think of at least one other example offhand.)

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Nathan, I don't mean to sound argumentative, but...

a) the thread title does not have "only in NY" in it...

b) I submit that eating a great burger and custard, at the Shake Shack, in Madison Square Park, is unique to NYC!!

[Nathan]

a. the first and definitional post for this thread most certainly does say "only in NY"

b. your second point is purely tautological and if followed logically means that every culinary experience in NY is absolutely unique...including eating at McDonald's in Times Square. so?

[weinoo]

a) Agree about the first post - why isn't Shake Shack an "only in NYC experience?

b) After looking up tautological, I have to say that I still don't necessarily understand what you mean about Shake Shack not being a unique NYC gustatory experience.

[raji]

tau·tol·o·gy /tɔˈtɒlədʒi/ Pronunciation Key

Pronunciation[taw-tol-uh-jee]

–noun, plural -gies.

1. needless repetition of an idea, esp. in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”

2. an instance of such repetition.

3. Logic.

a. a compound propositional form all of whose instances are true, as “A or not A.”

b. an instance of such a form, as “This candidate will win or will not win.”

This thread is becoming tautological!

[Nathan]

a) Agree about the first post - why isn't Shake Shack an "only in NYC experience?

b) After looking up tautological, I have to say that I still don't necessarily understand what you mean about Shake Shack not being a unique NYC gustatory experience.

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the only thing that is unique about the Shake Shack is that it's in NY. but the same is true of the McDonalds at the Spanish Steps in Rome or any hot dog stand on its specific corner.

in other worlds, in the sense that you're using, every restaurant in the world presents an unique gustatory experience...because it is the only restaurant at that particular spot. that's true...but it's also pointless. in reality, the Shake Shack is pretty much a copy of various midwestern custard and burger joints....yes, it's probably the only one on the east coast....but, is Ditch Plains really an unique culinary experience? or is it the closest approximation in NY of various New England shore establishments?

[weinoo]

The only thing that is unique about the Shake Shack is that it's in NY.  but the same is true of the McDonalds at the Spanish Steps in Rome or any hot dog stand on its specific corner.

in other worlds, in the sense that you're using, every restaurant in the world presents an unique gustatory experience...because it is the only restaurant at that particular spot.  that's true...but it's also pointless. 

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Well, it's pointless - in your opinion!!

And I understand your side of the argument much better, thank you. I still don't know if I'd be able to use tautological in a sentence, though.

Funny thing is, I was thinking about that McDonald's at the Spanish Steps in Rome..never eaten there...

[Nathan]

it has the only public bathroom in the area so I've set foot in there a few times. can't say that I've eaten there!

[docsconz]

For people who are really into McDonalds, perhaps eating at the one in Times Square really is a special and memorable experience, even if that might not be the case for most or all of us here. There are plenty of hot dog stands all around and the hot dog certainly isn't unique to NYC, but eating a Nathan's dog on a beautiful day at the Coney Island Boardwalk is still (or at least was) special. The same could hold true for some for the Burgers at Shake Shack. I don't think it is tautological at all even if I don't specifically share the same sentiment.

[erha2]

it has the only public bathroom in the area so I've set foot in there a few times.  can't say that I've eaten there!

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me too!!! i would say that is probably the case for a lot of people visiting rome!