Best Dishes New York Editors Ate This Week: June 16
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With Eater editors dining out sometimes several times a day, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don't want to keep any secrets. Check back for the best things we ate this week.
I've never met a shrimp wonton that I didn't at least like (knock on wood), but a recent visit to the Manhattan outpost of Maxi's Noodle introduced me to a shrimp wonton that I really loved. The main draw is that these wontons are big. They're generously plump and require a few bites, whereas many wontons just take one. The wrappers are silky and thin, letting the chunks of shrimp stand out. Their meaty texture was a fun contrast to the bouncy, chewy duck egg noodles. On this visit, I got the noodle soup with wontons, dumplings, and dace fish balls, but the wontons were my favorite so next time, I might even pare it down to just those — and I'll definitely be buying a bag of frozen ones to bring home too. 68 Mott Street, between Canal and Bayard streets, Chinatown — Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter at Eater.com
It was great to be back at Fedora, the longtime spot that's once again reborn, this time as a standout wine bar. This round, it comes from the owners of St. Jardim — Dete and Christa Alexander, and wine director, Basile Al Mileik. Former Le Rock chef Monty Forrest shapes the menu with items like pierogies with peas, spaghetti with clams, Merguez sausage with peppers, and an old-school luxurious sweetbreads dish ($28). The offal is slightly creamy with a crispy breaded exterior. Served with mushrooms, they're draped in a silky sherry sauce. I liked the smaller portion so we didn't fill up on a rich dish and could try other things. 239 W. Fourth Street, between West 10th and Charles streets, West Village – Melissa McCart , lead editor, Northeast
In a neighborhood with many pricey restaurants, this cozy and affordable spot, Water & Wheat, is a welcome find. A pasta machine turns out a variety of shapes, including whole wheat chittara and gluten-free penne, that can be topped with a range of sauces, from brisket Bolognese to carbonara. I love mafalde because it can still have a chewy, al dente quality, even though it's freshly made. Asparagus, broccolini, and olives add more texture to this dish ($22), while lemon and Parmesan give it a wonderful zest. Salads are super fresh, and most things on the menu, including salmon and Brussels sprouts, are finished in a wood burning oven that add char. I'm looking forward to going back and trying the pizza flatbreads. 1379 Third Avenue, between 78th and 79th streets, Upper East Side — Beth Landman, contributor, Eater NY
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Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
I visited Olive Garden for the first time in nearly 20 years. The meal wasn't perfect, but I can't wait to go back.
I visited an Olive Garden location for the first time in almost 20 years. I ordered four of the "create your own pasta" dishes, which came with soup or salad and breadsticks. Some of the meals were better than others, but overall, I was impressed by the dining experience. When I go to a chain restaurant, I know I can typically expect reasonable prices, decent food, a few crying babies, and a completely full stomach by the time I leave. On a recent trip to Olive Garden, my son and I experienced all of that and more. I hadn't been to the Darden-owned chain in nearly 20 years, so I was excited to see how the experience would stack up against other restaurant chains I've been to recently. Here's how the meal went. The chain is known for serving classic Italian-American fare. The Italian-American restaurant chain opened its first location in Orlando in 1982. It's owned by Darden — the same company that owns brands like Longhorn Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris, and Yard House. Today, there are nearly 900 Olive Garden restaurants around the world. However, my son and I visited a busy location in Long Island, New York. We started with the chain's unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. Since I hadn't been to an Olive Garden location in nearly 20 years, my son and I decided to order four different "create your own" pasta dishes to get a feel for the chain's offerings. Each meal came with the chain's signature "never-ending" soup or salad and breadsticks. To try a bit of everything, we asked for two servings of salad and two soups — pasta e fagioli and chicken and gnocchi. I wouldn't call the Olive Garden breadsticks memorable, but they were definitely bountiful. We were able to have as many as we wanted, which would have been great if we didn't have so much food coming. Although we enjoyed the bread, I found other parts of the first course to be more memorable. The salad was a bit overdressed and heavy on lettuce, but the croutons were tasty. I was impressed by the soups. Both soups, however, were better than I expected them to be. The chicken and gnocchi soup was rich, creamy, and loaded with an excellent balance of meat, gnocchi, and spinach. I also thought the pasta e fagioli was savory and balanced without being overly salty. After sampling each, my son and I agreed that the latter was the better of the two. When our meals came, I wasn't a fan of the pasta with marinara sauce. I make a decent homemade marinara sauce from scratch using a can of tomato sauce, chopped onions and garlic, salt, sugar, and a basic blend of herbs. The process, not counting the slow simmer, takes less than 10 minutes and is anything but a challenge. So, getting a dull marinara sauce from an Italian-themed restaurant was disappointing. I thought the marinara ($14) tasted like it was poured right from a can, without any additional handiwork by a chef. It was salty and tasted like — well, tomato sauce. The addition of freshly-grated Parmesan, black pepper, and red-pepper flakes helped some, but frankly, I'd choose my own marinara sauce any day of the week. I didn't love the meat sauce, either. Olive Garden's meat sauce ($14) tasted just like the marinara, but included ground beef and Italian sausage. The sauce was a bit too thin for my linking (it wasn't watery, but it wasn't thick, either) and the beef was a bit on the tough side. Without the tomato sauce, I'm willing to bet the meat would have been quite dry. Unless the chain changed up its marinara recipe, I likely wouldn't order either of these dishes again. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the creamy mushroom sauce. I typically detest mushrooms, but in the name of honest journalism, I ate several of the noodles that came in the creamy mushroom sauce ($14). I was pleasantly surprised at how good the taste was, even though I didn't eat any of the sliced mushrooms in the bowl. My son did, however, and said the dish was superb. My tasting of the noodles revealed a rich, creamy, flavor you'd expect from a classic Alfredo sauce, and I can see how anyone who enjoys mushrooms would've found the dish a pleasure. We loved the five-cheese ziti al forno. The five-cheese ziti al forno was more expensive than the other "create your own" pastas we ordered, but it was well worth the $19.30 price tag. It was heavy on cheese but didn't feel overwhelming. Overall, the dish had a flavor that reminded me of vodka sauce, and I loved the fact that it was baked. The fresh parsley sprinkled atop the pasta also added a nice herbal profile. Of the four meals we tried, we took home the least leftovers from this one. Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Olive Garden If you go to an Olive Garden expecting a Michelin-starred experience, you'll leave disappointed. However, if you come expecting food that will be filling, satisfying, and priced fairly, I'll wager that more times than not, you'll be happy with your meal. I never had a strong opinion about Olive Garden, but after visiting for the first time in almost 20 years, I'd definitely consider it on my list of places to return to.
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3 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
French Laundry alums debut one of the Bay Area's most exciting new restaurants
When Jade Cunningham left her native Philippines for Napa Valley in 2018, she had never heard of Michelin Guide or the French Laundry. She thought her future husband, Mathew Cunningham, was 'working at a laundromat.' But just a few years later, Jade Cunningham scored a job in the kitchen at the famous three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and now, the couple is opening their own spot: Carabao, Napa's first Filipino restaurant. Carabao (145 Gasser Dr., Suite C), named after the Philippines' national animal, a water buffalo, opens June 20. The intimate and tropical space will serve classic Filipino dishes with a modern twist. The traditional peanut stew known as kare kare will be paired with a braised oxtail croquette; tacos are filled with crispy pork sisig and topped with a quail egg; and the sweet spaghetti sauce will be a Bolognese made from Wagyu hot dogs. It's surprising Napa Valley didn't have a Filipino restaurant until now. According to government data, the Philippines ranks as the second most common birthplace for foreign-born residents in Napa County, behind Mexico. Moreover, Napa County's fastest-growing immigrant population is Filipinos in American Canyon, the city south of Napa. But Carabao's significance goes beyond Wine Country. It's also one of the only modern Filipino restaurants in the Bay Area from a chef with a fine dining background, joining San Francisco's Abaca. And it comes at a time when Filipino food is gaining more recognition across the country, with Chicago's Kasama becoming the first Filipino restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star in 2022. Cunningham's first gig in the U.S., however, was far from the world of fine dining. At 16, while earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management, she spent a summer in Ohio, cooking burgers and hot dogs at Cincinnati's ballpark. 'I got culture shock. I had never used a microwave before,' she recalled, noting that much of the food at the grocery store required one. She would try to cook meals that reminded her of home, but struggled to find the right ingredients. After graduating from university, Cunningham dreamed of working on cruise ships. She needed experience, so she returned to the U.S. in 2018, this time landing in Napa to work at the Meritage Resort. California immediately challenged her first impression of American cuisine. 'I learned that there are different colors of cauliflower, broccoli and bell peppers,' she said. 'I was so amazed at that.' After she met Mathew and learned that he did not, in fact, work at a laundromat, she was offered a stage at the French Laundry, a sort of unpaid internship that lasted a few days. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cunningham volunteered in the French Laundry garden. Once the restaurant started hiring again, she joined the team as a commis, a junior chef, and spent most of her time peeling tomatoes. She quickly moved up the ranks, eventually working at every station in the kitchen, including canapé, where the oysters and pearls dish is constructed. At the end of 2022, Cunningham and Mathew launched Carabao as a Filipino popup when a French Laundry alum lent them his food truck, Butter's Burgers (now set up at Armistice Brewing), for the night. She and Mathew 'texted everyone we knew,' she said, and set up in a church parking lot in downtown Napa. They sold out in one hour. About a year later, the pair started hosting regular Carabao popups on the weekends at Napa's Winston's Cafe. For a few months, Cunningham worked seven days a week, until she eventually left the French Laundry to pursue a brick-and-mortar. She and Mathew found a partner, Eric Gonzales, a follower of their popups whose grandmother opened Vallejo's first Filipino restaurant in 1980. Carabao's menu will feature dishes like pork and vegetable lumpia ($7-$11); bistek ($72), a sirloin steak served with onions prepared five different ways; and the Santa Fe salad-inspired Summer Ensalada ($17), drizzled with Cunningham's homemade 7,641 Thousand Island dressing, named after the number of islands in the Philippines. Some dishes are a play on popular items from Filipino fast food chain Jollibee, like the Aloha smashburger ($24), which comes slathered with pineapple marmalade in place of tomato, and the sweet spaghetti ($23) that Jollibee crowns with sliced hot dogs. 'Back home, we used tender, juicy hot dogs,' Cunngingham said. 'We're trying to get the best quality we can get, so (at Carabao) we're using Snake River Farm Wagyu hot dogs.' Dessert includes puto kutsina ($8), steamed rice cakes served with fresh grated coconut and topped with dulce de leche, and halo-halo ($15), the classic shaved ice offered here with inventive toppings, like candied hibiscus and caramelized plantain. Soon, Carabao will launch a more casual lunch menu featuring chicken adobo ($21) and lugaw ($10), a Filipino comfort favorite of gingery rice porridge with toppings, like boiled egg, tofu and tripe. 'It was the first dish I learned how to cook,' said Cunningham. 'When you're sick, you're craving lugaw.' Cunningham also plans to eventually transition a small bar in front of the open kitchen into a counter that exclusively serves a tasting menu. The restaurant, located outside of downtown Napa and near the city's Cinemark movie theater, feels like a tiny, tropical paradise. The walls are painted green and pink — Cunningham's favorite colors — and traditional Filipino farmer hats called salakot hang from the ceiling. There are several hand-painted murals, including ones depicting the Philippines' carabao and tiny Maya birds. The space seats roughly 50 people, with one large table reserved for group celebrations. 'Most Filipinos go out and bring their whole family,' Cunningham said, noting that hers is especially large. Her mother has 10 siblings, and her father has 11. 'Food is always at the center of our traditions.' Carabao. Opens June 20. 145 Gasser Dr., Suite C., Napa.
Eater
3 days ago
- Eater
2 Twin Cities Restaurants and Chefs Win James Beard Awards
Last night, the James Beard Foundation announced the winners of its Restaurant and Chef Awards, with two Twin Cities restaurants taking home awards for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef: Midwest. The Monday, June 16, ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago also included new categories to honor the beverage industry, including Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. Find the full list of the 2025 James Beard Award winners here. Karyn Tomlinson, of Myriel in St. Paul, won in the Best Chef: Midwest category. Tomlinson quickly became known for her 'grandma cooking nouveau' style at Myriel after opening in 2021, combining her Scandinavian/Minnesotan heritage and French culinary training. Alluding to that 'grandma chic' cooking, Tomlinson dressed up in the same coral dress her grandmother wore when she was crowned the 'dazzle corn queen' in 1941, part of a celebration marking the University of Minnesota's efforts to identify cold-tolerant corn crops for Minnesota. She ended her acceptance speech with some Midwest pride, saying 'the Midwest is beautiful, the Midwest is diverse, the Midwest is tenacious and strong.' Bûcheron won the Best New Restaurant category, with co-owner Jeanie Janas Ritter accepting the Kingfield bistro's national award. Bûcheron was one of 10 nominees in the category, and the only restaurant from the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. (The only other Minnesota restaurant ever nominated in the category was Owamni, which brought home the award in 2022.) 'It's the neighborhood restaurant we always wanted in our neighborhood,' Jeanie Ritter said during her acceptance speech, adding that some of her guests have come out to Chicago to celebrate with them tonight and thanking them 'for making it possible to do what we love.' She and her husband Adam Ritter spoke to Eater earlier this month about how they built the 'Midwest French' restaurant so they could spend more time with their two toddlers. Fresh off the stage, Ritter shared with Eater that several customers and friends joined her in Chicago for the awards. 'We had regulars fly here and get tickets to be with us. We have my dear mentor who just passed away, her husband and best friend surprised us, which is just — I'm still trying to wrap my head around it,' she said. 'We have the best community, and we are so grateful for them.' As for what she and Bûcheron's supporters would be doing on Monday night to celebrate: 'Oh man, hopefully we're not going to get as drunk as we did last night, but it might be unavoidable. We're having fun.' In her speech, Ritter said that, 'Minnesota cuisine is defined by the ingredients rather than the technique.' It was a sentiment echoed by Tomlinson during a post-win interview in the press room. She was proud of both Myriel and Bûcheron's wins as both are 'proudly Minnesotan and Midwestern and are exploring that in different ways in our connections with farmers.' She hopes that the Midwest will be recognized more in the future for its diversity and the many cultures that define the cuisine of the heartland. Bar Brava did not take home a Beard in the new Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. (Charleston in Baltimore brought home the win.) At the Media Awards on Saturday, June 14, Vinai chef Yia Vang and the Twin Cities PBS producers of Relish received an award in the Lifestyle Visual Media category. Here are the full lists of the Twin Cities's five finalists and 10 semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards. Additional reporting by Brenna Houck. Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2025. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation. See More:
