In this week’s edition: Ramen and cocktails at the bar. Photo courtesy of NR

Resy LineupNew York

The Final Resy Lineup: A Perfect Burger, New Year’s Eve Plans, and Comforting Takeout Food

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Welcome back to the Resy Lineup, your biweekly dose of recommendations on what to eat, drink, and see.

In this very final edition: Cocktails and ramen, New Year’s Eve happenings, and pozole to-go.

 

December 15

The Restaurant Rec

Union Square Cafe, because the quintessential Danny Meyer haunt is particularly lovely this time of year. The best move: A seat at the bar, especially if you’re dining solo (extravagant lunch, anyone?), so you may order their excellent burger (cheddar, heritage bacon, herb aioli, amazing rosemary shoestring fries) any time of day. If you’re a party of two, split the burger and a pasta — the zesty creamy fettucine al limone is always on point.

 

The Drink Proposal

The Apple Pie cocktail at NR (your choice of warm or cold), a near-perfect mix of gin, calvados, earl grey, ginger, fig, and yes, apple. Buttery, crisp, and served in a teacup, it’s best sipped at the twinkly bar with maybe a bowl of ramen in tow.

 

The Event Invite

New Year’s Eve is but a mere two weeks away, and if you’re looking to close out the year with delicious food, we have you covered in every way: whether you’re looking to indulge in caviar-laced menus, party all night long, or keep it fun and casual.

 

The Splurge

The city’s three-Michelin-starred fine dining emporium is going all out for the holidays: Le Bernardin will be offering a special $330 nine-course tasting menu Dec. 19 through 30 ($590 with wine pairings from master somm and beverage director Aldo Sohm) in their salon. Expect decadent seafood dishes like the signature pounded tuna with foie gras, and warm scallop “tartare” with Ossetra caviar.

 

The Takeout Move

If you’d rather not deal with the holiday crowds, know that Yellow Rose delivers (figuratively and literally) with its extra cozy offerings that are takeout-proof: pozole rojo brimming with pork belly and any of their flour tortilla tacos (we have a soft spot for the bean and cheese) should more than do the trick (Pro tip: If there’s cake, throw that in, too). Order here.

 

The End

This is the final Resy Lineup! It was a pleasure writing this column, and for those who read it, thank you for tagging along for the ride. See you in another Resy Editorial story very soon!

Pastas at Upland in New York.
Photo courtesy of Upland
Pastas at Upland in New York.
Photo courtesy of Upland

December 1-14

The Restaurant Rec

Place des Fêtes, because it’s a magic little spot. Sit at the counter (best seats in the house in our opinion, especially if you’re a party of two), get some wine, and let yourself be swept away by the array of excellent small plates lining the menu: start with the obligatory sardine toast (a star) before picking your way through salumi sliced to order and peak-season vegetables (like the crispy maitake dipped in an incredible black garlic fudge). Debate which mains to order (all are good) and absolutely do not skip dessert!

Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

 

The Drink Proposal

It’s officially December and the holiday bars are popping left and right. One that did catch our eye: Grinchy’s, Roberta’s next-door tiki bar (in the OG Bushwick locale), which is officially taking Resys. Get merry.

There’s also an upcoming cocktail omakase experience ($100) for those who want to go deep on Don Fulano Tequila-based drinks in an intimate setting. It’s at Saint Tuesday on Sunday, Dec. 11, with room for 10 guests only. Get booking.

 

The Event Invite

It’s giving season and you’re cordially invited to a silent after-hours auction at nightlife destination Ponyboy on Thursday, Dec. 8. The charity event will benefit the youth-led nonprofit Techo and will run from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., featuring auctioned works from acclaimed artists, stand-up comedy, and DJ sets. RSVP here.

P.S. If you’re feeling the World Cup fever (and would like not just beer at 10 a.m. but great food, too), we have you covered.

 

The Splurge

Get cozy with a holiday wine dinner this Saturday, Dec. 10. Upland is throwing a soirée in its private dining room overlooking its cellar in honor of winemaker Celia Welch, a maestro of California wine with over 35 years of experience. The five-course menu with wine pairings is $325, save your spot.

 

From The Tipline

This just in: After French chef Antoine Villard’s A+ residency, Fulgurances is welcoming Nashville-based chef Colby Rasavong to Greenpoint, starting Dec. 6. The Alabama-born chef with Laotian roots worked under Sean Brock for nearly a decade, and will be testing out his brand of Laotian food before his own restaurant opening this spring in Nashville. Absolutely check it out!

Also, there are (somehow!) still tickets left for Lord’s first-ever guest pop-up! If you want to discover the cuisine of the Pyrénées (a mountainous region straddling France and Spain — read: foie gras sandwich, duck confit stew, grilled octopus, and so much more), book here and head to Lord’s on Sunday, Dec. 4 for the one-night-only à la carte dinner.

The bar at Arden in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Photo courtesy of Arden
The bar at Arden in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Photo courtesy of Arden

November 17-30

The Restaurant Rec

Masalawala & Sons, because Roni Mazumdar (and his father) and Chintan Pandya have done it again. Their latest restaurant is a treasure trove of old food memories and long-forgotten tastes, spanning decadent bone marrow scrapped on buttery pao rolls to a delightful Bengali fish roe snack that tends to sell out. (Pro Tip: the perks of a 5 p.m. Resy — put an order of macher dim in as soon as you walk in.)

Booked out for weeks on end when it opened in September, there are actual Resy slots available (!) for mid-December, if you’re not adverse to a bit of advance planning. But if you’re here next week, try your hand at a walk-in table, when New York’s bound to empty out.

 

The Drink Proposal

A perfect happy hour, courtesy of a Crown Heights gem. Head to Arden between 5 to 7 p.m. every day for their killer $23 combo: a smash burger, fries, and a beer. And if you’ve never been, here’s what to know (including what cocktails to order at happy hour).

 

The Event Invite

The World Cup is kicking off this Sunday, and if you’re looking to cheer on your team with some excellent bites and a fun crowd, there are some restaurants that’ll be streaming the games … Here’s our full list of spots.

 

The Takeout Move (Thanksgiving Edition!)

If you’re celebrating, hosting, or attending a Friends/Thanksgiving this year and dreading the prep … let your favorite restaurants do what they do best? (Note: A lot of pre-orders close this Sunday, so read the fine print and plan accordingly!) Some highlights:

53 is having an A+ pie sale, courtesy of pastry chef Lily Hu, benefitting one of our favorite NYC non-profits, Heart of Diner. / M. Wells has your meat pies on lock. / LaLou has the sweets. / Wayla is cooking a full Thai-inspired spread if you’re interested in a turkey marinated in red curry, coconut, and garlic (yum). / Hakata TonTon is going for hot pot kits this year. / The group behind Cadence is preparing a full plant-based spread for two (cauliflower Wellington, anyone?). / Frenchette’s got the whole French-ish shebang. / Leland’s got you covered on pumpkin pies. / And The Noortwyck’s pastry chef Ileene Cho is on pie duty, too.

And if you’re not feeling the holiday at all, Public Records is throwing an anti-Thanksgiving party next Wednesday, Nov. 23, plant-based tasting menu and live DJ included.

 

From The Tipline

This just in: Hand Hospitality flew in the original chef from Seoul to helm the 10-seat counter of New York’s OkDongsik pop-up. The Korean Michelin bib holder since 2018 is known for one dish and one dish only: an intensely flavored and rich pork bone broth, and you’ve got until April 2023 to check it out. (Pro tip: Want to keep up with the latest and greatest openings in New York? Head here.)

Inside The Nines, a cocktail bar in Noho, New York.
Photo courtesy of The Nines
Inside The Nines, a cocktail bar in Noho, New York.
Photo courtesy of The Nines

November 3-16

The Restaurant Rec

Dirt Candy, because if you haven’t had the fall menu yet, you are missing out, plain and simple. Amanda Cohen and her team take on harvest season like few others do, and the way they twist and turn vegetables over the course of five delightful and eye-popping courses (we’re still thinking about that mushroom crêpe cake) is something else. So, toast to their incredibly well-deserved Michelin star, let yourself be taken care of by the lovely staff, and if you can swing it, book a chef’s counter seat to watch the chefs at play. You won’t regret it.

 

The Drink Proposal

The namesake cocktail at The Nines, a boozy mix of reposado Tequila, mezcal, yellow chartreuse, passion fruit, and yuzu, best sipped at the bar under the careful eye of the jacketed bartenders, a briny olive in hand, as the live pianist bangs out the Peanuts theme, if you’re so lucky. (Can’t seem to get a Resy? Here’s how to get in.)

 

The Event Invite

It’s giving season, and if you’re looking to dine for a great cause, look no further than Cool World on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The Greenpoint brasserie will be cooking a one-night-only, three-course prix-fixe benefitting Food with Fam — a hyperlocal org that fights food insecurity in New York. Come for the $75 ticket at 5:30 p.m. or the heftier $150 ticket at 8 p.m. — both will offer the same menu, with the latter including an extra welcome cocktail and wine pairings. Save your spot.

 

The Takeout Move

It’s been a delight eating through the comforting New Mexican dishes of Santa Fe BK (read: this is the place to go for chile rellenos), but let’s not forget our first loves at Melissa Klein and John Watterberg’s cozy Williamsburg spot: the breakfast burritos, best grabbed on the go, and available every morning until 3 p.m.

 

The Birthday Parties

15 years in the industry is no small feat, and that’s the landmark a North Carolina standby has just achieved. We’re talking about Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, and on Nov. 15, chef and owner Ashley Christensen will be taking over her friends’ kitchen at Txikito in Chelsea for a $125 four-course feast of Poole’s iconic comfort foods. Get your tickets now and if you’re unfamiliar, know that they’re very famous for their macaroni au gratin (pic here).

Also, everyone go wish Oxalis a very happy birthday! Nico Russell’s excellent Prospect Heights gem turns four on Nov. 8, and though tickets have already sold out for their party (Notify away), now’s a great time to (re)visit and raise a glass — perhaps over their $150 carte-blanche menu, the $75 bar prix-fixe, or brunch, which is officially coming back on Nov. 27.

 

From The Tipline

Mark your calendars: Dame and Daily Provisions are combining mighty forces for a one-night dinner collab this Saturday, Nov. 5! Head to DP’s West Village location to try the fried fish sandwich and sticky toffee pudding cruller combo with a glass of wine. You may want to get in line before they open at 5 p.m. before they sell out.

Also in: A pizza pop-up coming up at Jack & Charlie’s featuring “Metro-politan” pies — a perfect hybrid of New York-style and Neapolitan pizza. Look out for Fonzie’s Pizza starting on Thursday, Nov. 10 from noon to 2 p.m. for takeout only.
Curry noodles at 11 Tigers in New York.
Photo courtesy of 11 Tigers
Curry noodles at 11 Tigers in New York.
Photo courtesy of 11 Tigers

October 20 – November 2

The Restaurant Rec

M. Wells, because we cannot think of a better hideaway on a chilly, autumn day. The reconverted garage digs are pretty cozy already, but it’s the kitchen that elates: smoked sturgeon chowder, heritage goat tagine, duck in a pumpkin, and perhaps the best onion soup in New York City (yes, truly) are but just a few of the excellent revamped bistro plates you’ll want to tuck into. Right this way.

Pro tip: And because it’s never too early to plan for Thanksgiving, note that M. Wells’ incredible tourtières (aka meat pies) will be coming back for the holidays, and they’re already available for pre-sale. You know what to do.

 

The Drink Proposal

The signature Sua Smash cocktail at East Village speakeasy 11 Tigers, because it’s pretty exceptional (think gin with yadong — a Thai herbal liqueur — green Chartreuse, muddled basil, lime, and chili). Heads up that the Japanese-Thai izakaya menu is very fun, too.

 

The Event Invite

There are still tickets left to what promises to be a stellar collaboration between two Thai superstars: Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya in Philadelphia is popping over at chef Hong Thaimee’s Greenwich Village restaurant, Thaimee Love, this Friday, Oct. 21 for a $120 nine-course Thai feast. Get your tickets before it’s too late (the second seating already sold out!).

Also on our radar: A Diwali brunch at Sona and a Filipino American Heritage Month feast at Essex Pearl on Oct. 23, a Diwali pop-up at Nura on Oct. 24, a seafood tasting at Clover Hill on Oct. 25, plus all of the Halloweekend events.

 

The Splurge

If you’re looking to celebrate and go all out, Tom Colicchio has you covered. His flagship restaurant, Craft, is currently offering an impeccable six-course menu of what’s best in season, and right now, that’s squash risotto studded with lavender granola and truffle, stuffed rabbit loin with pancetta and butter beans, and a rack of lamb, among other delights. $185/person for groups up to six.

 

The Takeout Move

The pancakes that have made Sunday in Brooklyn’s renown will soon be available to home cooks far and wide … Mark your calendars: Monday, Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m., a limited edition of the pancake mix with hazelnut praline is set to drop online.

 

From The Tipline

This just in: Upper East Side sushi destination Hiramasa is officially taking Resys for lunch! And in the Lower East Side, Anthony Mangieri is turning Una Pizza Napoletana into a proper Italian caffè on Saturday mornings (starting Nov. 5), featuring espresso, sweets, and more.