The New York Restaurants We Loved in February
If there’s one thing you must know about the people who work at Resy, it’s that we genuinely love restaurants. We love how they bring folks together. We love how they help us celebrate. We love how they help us get through tough times. We love how they’re there for us. (And a large majority of us used to work in restaurants, too.)
At Resy’s New York headquarters, our cold brew station conversation always revolves around where we ate. It’s a gold mine for sleeper hits and insider tips on what to order, when to go, and how to get in. So, we thought … why not share our love of restaurants with our fellow New Yorkers?
Here are a few of our favorite spots from the past month.
Resy Staffer Spotlight: Lala Liban
If there were a Resy staffer who knows everything there is to know about that under-the-radar spot that’s about to blow up, Revenue Enablement Manager Lala Liban would be it. She’s always got hot tips for where to dine, so we asked her to give us a look into her personal Resy Hit List of favorite New York restaurants.
A Taste of New York: Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi
First of all, the bangin’ playlist is so good. What I loved most about Tatiana is it’s an homage to New York City with fun plays on things like chopped cheese, but also representative of chef Kwame’s cultural background, with bold Caribbean and African flavors that typically don’t get the spotlight in fine dining. Service feels personable, and the atmosphere is great. Oh, and the portions are huge.
An Unexpected Favorite: Tuome
I do this dinner club with friends where each of us brings a different person every time, and we booked Tuome unexpectedly because they had availability on Resy — none of us knew anything about it going into it. But it was honestly the best dinner club restaurant we’ve ever been to. The snow crab noodle with dashi butter is one of my favorite dishes in New York.
Old Faithful: Fish Cheeks
I love Fish Cheeks for its consistency; they do some of the best seafood in the city. They have an amazing daily happy hour with a dozen oysters for $18. Pro tip: Ask for extra green sauce that comes with the oysters, and put it on everything. Oh, and they have great merch; I wear my Fish Cheeks sweater all the time.
A Taste of Home: al Badawi
My family is from Somalia and there’s only one Somali restaurant in New York called Safari (also very good), but the closest you can really get to Somali food is any food from the Middle East because of the similar spices we use, like cumin and coriander, and how we prepare lamb. Al Badawi has this incredible Palestinian lamb shank served over rice that brings me back to home.
The Sleeper Hit: Falansai
Go with a group and get the round table in the back. The dac biet set menu is such a good price for how much food you get and I love how casual they keep it: Everything is served family style — the best way to eat, in my opinion. The flavors are super fresh and bold; the whole fish was one of my favorite dishes of 2021 (you gotta eat the fish eyes for good luck!) and from start to finish there was not one dish that wasn’t exceptional.
Follow Lala on Instagram for her restaurant recs, and to participate in various food brackets and polls (cheese! restaurant chains! cereal!).
If you haven’t had a yubu tart …
Prepare to have your mind blown: It’s basically like receiving a hug in an inari pocket, filled with the most delicious toppings. I snagged a seat recently at DdoBar and opted to try their dishes à la carte (they also offer a $70, 13-course tasting menu). The sleeper hit was the earl grey soft serve. If you’re on the fence about ordering dessert here, just do it; you won’t regret it. I can’t wait to go back to try even more. The ambiance was casual, fun, and lively — it made for an excellent mid-week date spot.
— Danni Weiner, Premium Events & Experiences Manager
I’d been dying to go since it was “new” but …
It took me a while to score a Notify to Bonnie’s in Williamsburg. What I loved most about the meal was the service and the jiew yeem yao yu: I could eat a vat of that dish. The crispy squid and ranch hit every nostalgic taste bud of driving down the Florida coast; it was crunchy, creamy, pickled red onion perfection. I don’t have the words but I’m still craving it. Bonnie’s is worth setting all the Notifies for, and if I go back, I’d want to go with a group so I can sit at the round table with the large lazy susan and eat the entire menu.
— Tess Gostfrand, Senior Manager, B2B Product Marketing
I always find a taste of home …
At Nabila’s. I’ve been there at least three times and I always order a variety of their small bites there. My favorites are the fatayer, beef kibbeh, and sfeeha. The spices and flavor combinations are authentically Lebanese. I’d skip the vegetarian mezzes, and order the entrées because they’re comfort foods that take time to make at home, and are hard to find at other Lebanese restaurants in New York.
— Tania Bou Samra, Brand Design Lead
It’s BYOB so …
Dust off a nice bottle you’ve been saving, and head to al Badawi! I had a Sunday night dinner there a couple weeks ago and we ordered so much. I especially recommend the muhammara as a mezze. I love that it’s casual and easy to walk in, while still feeling special and exciting with incredible flavor. Sitting at the bar is fun because you can watch the flatbreads being made. Also, don’t shy away from over-ordering because it makes for amazing leftovers.
— Isabelle Andrews, Senior Product Manager
The food was so good here …
We ordered a second round. Brunch at Golden Diner is a must. That chicken katsu club sandwich is insane; it’s also a great option for fans of dinner for breakfast, or vice versa.
— Sami Lieberman, Senior Front-End Engineer
I’d been to dinner a couple of times, but …
This was my first time trying Win Son’s brunch menu, and it did not disappoint. Honestly, I loved everything about the meal. We ordered way too much food, and still finished it all somehow. The pan-griddled pork buns and beef roll were standouts, but (much like dinner) nothing was bad. And the one dessert option, tián miàntuán (fried sweet dough, golden sesame ice cream, and red rice condensed milk), is 100/10. If I had any advice to share, it’d be to get there early. They only take reservations for large parties of six or more, the rest is walk-in.
— Duncan Goodwin, Implementation Specialist
If I die young …
Bury me in Miss Ada’s sweet potato hummus. Each dish was more flavorful and mouthwatering than the next. We ordered the sabich, sweet potato hummus, babaganoush, shakshuka, and muhamarra. Miss Ada is great for sharing dishes, so I’d recommend going with a group. The restaurant has a casual feel to it and an enchanting garden for the warmer months.
— Brittany Levy, Product Manager
I always have the most electric time …
Eating at L’Artusi — it’s my favorite neighborhood spot. I live around the corner and use any excuse to visit the restaurant, whether I can get a seat at the bar, outside, or in their coveted dining room. A recent meal there was particularly special because I took my brother for the first time. He’s hard to please, but told me it was the best meal he’s had since moving to New York. If you have difficulty snagging a reservation when they release them two weeks out at 9 a.m., try to walk-in early and sit at the bar, or go for lunch on a weekday, and be sure to order the olive oil cake for dessert.
— Natalie Weil, Experiential Coordinator
Easily my favorite New York meal of the year so far …
And you only have until March 4 to check it out! Colby Rasavong’s residency at Fulgurances in Greenpoint will end by then, and his ever-changing $89 tasting (a steal, truly) is something else. Born in Alabama to Laotian parents, he spent almost a decade working under chef Sean Brock in Nashville, and his food is a joyful blend of it all. Pro tip: Split the (excellent) wine pairing with a friend. And consider yourself blessed if you’re served the congee with black trumpet mushrooms.
— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer
Valentine’s Day …
At Ingas Bar in Brooklyn Heights. We feasted on mini latkes with caviar and crème fraîche, hanger steak, and raspberry olive oil cake. I loved how laid-back everything felt — they have brown paper table toppers instead of fussy white tablecloths — and an accessible natural wine list. Sitting at the bar is an equally lovely experience, so I’d advise folks not to be afraid to walk in here, too, if reservations are limited.
— Annie Lindahl, Product Manager
It felt incredible to be …
Back at a sushi omakase counter again. I felt like intimate dining experiences like sushi counters were squashed by the pandemic, not to mention how scarce date nights are when you become a new parent, so it was such a treat to dine out for an early Valentine’s Day dinner at Kissaki UWS. The chef clearly paid attention to what we were enjoying and gave us additional bites at the end of the meal, customized to each of us, based on the oohs and ahhs we gave with each of the courses. One thing to note: They serve omakase at this location only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
— Sarah Showers, Software Engineer
This is a favorite place to take friends …
Whether they live in New York or are visiting because it’s such a unique experience. Astoria Seafood has every type of seafood you can imagine (sea bass, razor clams, calamari, and so much more). All of it is on ice, and you “catch” your meal with the bags provided. Then you hand it over at the counter and ask the chef to prepare it however you want — grilled, steamed, fried, baked — whatever you prefer. And they’ve got plenty of sides, too. Recently, a group of us from Resy’s product, B2B marketing, and enablement teams dined there, and it was so much fun.
Our advice if you go? Bring some wine (it’s BYOB and they’ll have cups and coolers for you). And be prepared for a wait and a busting atmosphere — this is a restaurant with character, and it’s walk-ins only. If you want to avoid crowds, aim to go there on a weekday or during off times. Oh, and get the calamari grilled, instead of fried.
— Ton Nguyen, Product Manager, and Felicity Lin, Senior Analyst, B2B Marketing
Be sure to save room for dessert …
At Razza in Jersey City. We loved sitting at the bar and enjoying just a bit too much pizza for two people on a Wednesday night — the funghi and pepperoni were my favorites of the three we ordered — but that salted caramel panna cotta made the dreamiest sweet end to a meal that also included their stellar meatballs and perfectly dressed kale Caesar.
— Jamie Goldstein, Resy Strategic Partnerships
Deanna Ting is Resy’s New York Editor. Some of her favorite recent meals took place at Txikito, Eyval, Masalawala & Sons, Chi, and The Wesley. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Resy, too.
