The November Hit List: Oxalis, Clara, Hojokban, and More

Since Oxalis opened five years ago, they’ve garnered plenty of acclaim for their thoughtful, inventive approach to fine dining, so much so that they received a Michelin star during their first year — and kept it every year since. But what’s most impressive about this restaurant is how partners Steve Wong, chef Nico Russell, and beverage director Piper Kristensen have quietly made the restaurant a cornerstone of the community, from hosting pop-ups and special events to becoming a COVID-era pantry supplier and raising funds for social justice.

So, when news broke out that Oxalis would close at the end of this year and relocate, we were sad to hear it, but also eager to see what Wong, Russell, and Kristensen do with the space as an all-day café next year. Until then, you’ve got until Dec. 31 to dine at what is, arguably, one of the most impressive — and special — fine dining spots in the city.

Ayat, the highly lauded Palestinian restaurant with locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island, finally has a location in Manhattan, meaning there’s now even more opportunity for you to try their rarely seen specialties and favorites, including mansaf, a rich lamb stew with fermented yogurt, and maklouba, a six-layer dish made with chicken, vegetables, and rice. The manaqish, a pizza-like bread topped with your choice of beef, cheese, or zaatar, is not to be missed.

Flavors from Ethiopia and Israel combine at this restaurant, a neighborhood fixture for nearly a decade, from chef and co-owner Beejhy Barhany, an Ethiopian Jew whose family has lived in East Africa, Israel, and the U.S. Tsion Café’s menu is very much a reflection of Barhany’s experiences, with sambusa, malawach, shashuka, and doro wat as particular standouts. If you decide to go, consider stopping by for brunch when you can order Addis eggs, spicy scrambled eggs with onions and jalapeños that get wrapped up in some freshly made injera.

Call (212) 234-2070 to make a reservation.

Parcelle chef Ron Yan is striking out on his own with this intimate spot where flickers from the wok in the open kitchen cast a warm glow on the dining room, which used to be home to Ming’s Caffe, a beloved Hong-Kong-style diner that closed earlier this year. Here, Yan’s cooking food that’s deeply personal to him, drawing from his childhood in Hong Kong and his time spent in Toronto, Austin, and New York. That means boiled peanuts, Typhoon Shelter-style chicken, and sweet-and-sour crispy sea bass. And don’t overlook the wine list, which was curated by Parcelle.

The restaurant is scheduled to open on Nov. 9.

Alums of Ugly Baby and Somtum Der are behind this new Thai restaurant where the spice levels are generally set to “Thai spicy” but also where you can, and should, give their “unconventional” takes a try. They include: “What the Hell fried rice,” vegan shrimp skewers, crab croquettes with tom yum puree, and basil yuzu ice cream for dessert. UnTable also offers weekday lunch specials for just $15 that include old-school pad Thai; deep-fried garlic pork over rice; green curry pork; and a vegan red curry.

Walk-ins only.

Chef Andrew Carmellini is behind many of New Yorkers’ favorite restaurants, from Bar Primi and Locanda Verde to Lafayette, and this restaurant — the first to bear his last name — marks his return to fine dining in the luxurious and elegant setting of the Fifth Avenue Hotel. The menu here blends French and Italian influences — everything from sole Normande and squab en croute to lobster cannelloni with Osetra caviar to veal tongue castelluccio.

Chef Diego Moya (June Wine Bar, Racines, Casa Mono, and Hemlock) leads the kitchen at this restaurant housed within the New York Historical Society and, much like the recent reopening of Delmonico’s in the Financial District, Clara draws on the city’s rich culinary history. That means leaning into dishes like Waldorf salad, lobster Newburg, and charlotte russe, and drawing on the city’s love affair with French food, as well as Chinese food.

Contemporary Korean cuisine is, arguably, the cuisine of the moment here in New York, and now the city is home to an outpost of Hojokban, a much-loved destination in Seoul known for its Korean soul food, like slow-cooked beef ribs, a truffle potato pancake topped with truffle mayo, and buckwheat noodles with perilla oil.

Hojokban opens on Nov. 9.

The other cuisine du jour in New York (once again) would be French, and this neighborhood spot more than punches above its weight when it comes to expertly executed fare that combines the best of the South of France and the U.S. of A. Don’t overlook the fougasse, whipped olive oil butter with smoked sea salt, or the socca served with littleneck clams, and a hefty American wagyu sirloin with leeks, foie gras, and sauternes jus.

When Chino Grande first opened in 2022, it was mostly known for their karaoke and rather eclectic menu (think lobster au poivre) and now, a year later, it’s embraced Chino Latino food under the direction of former Kimika chef Christine Lau. There’s everything from chorizo eggrolls and congee croquettes to pork wonton caldo and hot-and-sour mushu cabbage. Whether you sign up for a song, or just want to eat, it’s well worth a visit.

You won’t want to miss the O’Flair Food x Hungry.Shi pop-up devoted to comfort food that’s popping up at 390 Social in Park Slope on Monday, Nov. 13. Chefs and 2022 James Beard fellows Olushola Wadley and Shi Lin are joining forces to create a one-of-a-kind, five-course meal that fuses together their Afro Caribbean and Malaysian influences in the form of Asam laska-inspired mackerel crudo with pineapple, escovitch, and plantain chips; or coconut curry callaloo and chickpeas, served with aji verde and roti canai. Tickets are $95 per person and dinner starts at 6 p.m.