Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to eat roasted guinea pig in Flushing, Queens. Oh, is that not how the Statue of Liberty poem goes? Either way, New York’s melting pot is reflected best in its culinary offerings — from 99 cent pizza to the tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park. If you've exhausted your Seamless queue and Yelp recommendations, that means it's time to venture outside of your comfort zone. Take a look at our list of the weirdest, craziest, most insane dishes in New York City, and gird your stomach. It's going to be a mouthwatering ride.
What: Ramen Burger
Where: Smorgasburg
If you have yet to know (or taste) NYC's famed Ramen Burger, here's the 411: Keizo Shimamoto made this food fantasy a reality through a little inspiration from his dual cultural heritage — Tokyo born and California raised. Although simple in execution, a ramen bun with burger interior, the public has gone wild for these savory sliders. If you're interested in joining this cult following, stop by Smorgasburg this Saturday for a bite.
Smorgasburg, Williamsburg, East River State Park, 90 Kent Avenue (at N. 7th)
Photo: Courtesy of Ramen Burger.
What: Katz's Pastrami Egg Roll
Where: RedFarm
How do you take a New York institution, like Katz's Deli, and turn it on its head? By wrapping its staple food up in an egg roll. The rich appetizer is just one of the standout dishes serving up a fresh take on dim sum. Guests line up nightly to order the Jewish-Chinese mash-up, as well as RedFarm's other quirky dishes, like filet mignon tarts and Pac-Man dumplings that are almost too cute to eat.
RedFarm, 529 Hudson (between 10th and Charles Streets); 212-792-9700.
Photo: Via @redfarmnyc.
What: Broccoli Hot Dog
Where: Dirt Candy
Dirt Candy's broccoli dogs are far from the only quirky item on the menu. The Lower East Side spot has been making headlines for chef Amanda Cohen's inventive use of vegetables, from a kale matzo ball soup to onion chocolate tarts. But her broccoli dog is in a class of its own for actually managing to taste like a hot dog, which is far more than a lot of soy or tofu dogs can claim. The dog is primarily a long stalk of broccoli that manages to somehow have the snap and flavor of our favorite ballpark franks, making it as mind-bendingly weird as it is tasty.
Dirty Candy, 86 Allen Street (between Grand and Broome); 212-228-7732.
What: Everything donuts
Where: Flex Mussels
We’re patiently waiting for doughnuts to become the cupcakes of this era in NYC eating. Flex Mussels is doing their part with these puffs, which are covered in everything-bagel seasoning and seeds. Oh, and mirroring jelly doughnuts, a curl of scallion cream cheese on the end alerts you to the stuffing therein. Why choose between two balls of dough when you can have the best of both worlds?
Flex Mussels, 154 W. 13th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues); 212-229-0222, and 174 E. 82nd Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues); 212-717-7772.
Photo: Via @brunchboys.
What: Monthly special
Where: Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings
Their standard pork and veggie dumplings are little pockets of heaven, but it’s the announcement of a new special on the first of every month that breaks out the lines of East Villagers. The choices of Cubano (pictured) or cheeseburger could easily be a gimmick, but the carefully crafted recipes are standouts in their own right. A chicken parm dumpling, stuffed with organic chicken and mozzarella and dipped in tomato sauce, is so wrong it’s entirely right.
Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings, 179 Second Avenue (between 11th and 12th Streets); no phone.
Photo: Via @thirdculturefood.
What: Trotter pancakes
Of all the euphemistic terms for foods that would make a 6-year-old diner throw a tantrum — sweetbreads ain’t so sweet, kid — none is more adorable than trotter, as in what a pig trots on, as in pig feet. This new Brazilian-Latin American restaurant serves up those little footsies in a pancake, with ancho pepper BBQ sauce and aioli to help you forget what you’re eating.
Cozinha Latina, 37 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-889-7739.
Photo: Courtesy of Cozinha Latina.
What: Radish spaghetti
Where: Dirt Candy
Chef Amanda Cohen’s whole M.O. is to prove that vegetables can be the star of the meal, not relegated to side status. This dish is a strong opening statement for the prosecution, with rainbow-bright colors and innovative use of radish in all its forms (including, cheekily, horseradish flavoring).
Dirt Candy, 86 Allen Street (between Grand and Broome Streets); 212-228-7732.
Photo: Courtesy of Dirt Candy.
What: Onion carpaccio
Where: Atera
Any one of the eighteen dishes on Atera’s tasting menu is a gorgeous little miracle, with painstakingly arranged blossoms or sublime rings of vegetables. Pretty enough to be a painting is the onion carpaccio, a wispy suggestion of onion that resembles a hot-air balloon in flight on your plate. This level of artistry is what you’re paying for—it’s why you come to New York!
Atera, 77 Worth Street (between Church Street and Broadway); 212-226-1444.
Photo: Courtesy of Atera.
What: Calf’s Brain Cream
Where: Takashi
The whole point of going to Takashi, aside from the actually enjoyable food, is the shock and awe of the menu, which lists beef tongue, testicles, and every other squicky item you can imagine that might be pulled from a cow. The brain cream, however, is next level: It comes in a toothpaste-style tube, with an accompanying dish of black caviar. We dare you!
Takashi, 456 Hudson Street (between Barrow and Morton Streets); (212) 414-2929.
Photo: Courtesy of Takashi.
What: Chorizo Ice Cream
Where: Oddfellows
Leave it to the masterminds at Oddfellows to concoct a pork sausage-flavored ice cream. The chorizo-caramel combo brings you the best of both sweet and savory worlds, and is made with real sausage. So don't be shy, give your tastebuds a run for their money.
Oddfellows, 175 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-599-0556; 75 East 4th Street (between Bowery and Second Avenue); 917-475-1812.
Photo: Courtesy of Oddfellows.
What: Burrata Soft Serve
Where: Dominique Ansel Kitchen
Just when you thought we'd found a way to put cheese on everything, Dominique Ansel, the magical genius behind the cronut, introduced cheese-flavored ice cream. It's not just EZ Cheese in a cone, of course. DA is tres sophistique. This 'scream is burrata, as in, the cheese your mouth waters for at every single Italian restaurant.
Dominique Ansel Kitchen, 137 Seventh Avenue South (between Charles and West 10th streets); 212-242-5111.
Photo: Courtesy of Dominique Ansel Kitchen.
What: Golden Opulence Sundae
Where: Serendipity 3
When the giant chalice of frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3 is indulgent enough for your liking, go hard with a sundae that contains dessert caviar, imported Parisian candies, Venezuelan cocoa, and 23 carats of edible gold leaf. It may cost $1,000, but the restaurant swears they sell at least one a month.
Serendipity 3, 225 East 60th Street (between Second and Third avenues); 212-838-3531.
Photo: Courtesy of Serendipity 3.
What: Korean Fried Chicken
Where: Talde
Top Chef contestant Dale Talde has made a small restaurant empire in Park Slope, where his trademark is creative Asian flavors. The big crowd pleaser at his eponymous outpost is the Korean fried chicken, which is perfectly battered with a generous dollop of spicy sauce.
Talde, 369 Seventh Avenue (between 11th and 12th streets), Brooklyn; 718-916-0031.
Photo: Courtesy of Talde.
What: Jerk Grilled Corn
Where: Miss Lily's
The adorably bright Jamaican love shack that is Miss Lily ’ s puts a Caribbean twist on every dish, and a prime example is the corn cob side. “ We char the corn on a hot grill, turning it for even cooking, then brush on our jerk mayonnaise, before tossing it in roasted coconut flakes and serving with lime, ” says Chef Adam Schop . If your mouth didn ’ t water with that description, check your pulse.
Miss Lily’s , multiple locations .
Photo: Courtesy of Miss Lily's.
What: Live Octopus
Where: Sik Gaek
Octopus is a key item in the Mediterranean diet, and you probably stopped being freaked out by the little tentacles in your calamari basket a while ago. But, what if the octopus was freakin’ alive when it was dropped on your table? You’ll have to hike out to Woodside to watch the thing get boiled in front of you, but it’s definitely NYC bucket-list material.
Sik Gaek, 49-11 Roosevelt Avenue (between 43rd Avenue and Queens Boulevard), Queens; 718-205-4555.
Photo: Courtesy of Sik Gaek.
What: Masala Mac and Cheese
Where: S’MAC
No, there is nothing more delightful than a restaurant dedicated to mac and cheese. Except maybe the playful portion sizes — nosh, major munch, mongo, and party! — and the ingenious variations, like Buffalo, Cajun, and Parisienne. The most boundary-pushing is the Masala variation, which blends warm Indian spices with all that gooey, cheesy goodness.
S’MAC, 345 East 12th Street (between First and Second avenues); 212-358-7912.
Photo: Courtesy of S'MAC.
What: Kangaroo Loin
Where: Burke and Wills
Go ahead and name some Australian things. Vegemite. Hot surfer guys. Kangaroos! Burke and Wills is one of the most wonderfully sophisticated Aussie-inspired places in the city, where you can dine on this kangaroo loin under a glass roof. Sorry, cuddly marsupial friends.
Burke and Wills, 226 West 79th Street (between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway); 646-823-9251.
Photo: Courtesy of Burke and Wills.
What: Chapulines Taco
Where: Toloache
The three locations of Toloache offer wonderfully unique Mexican food—sides of avocado fries, a bone-marrow quesadilla—but the coolest dish has to be the chapulines taco, a traditional filling of little toasted grasshoppers. It looks freaky, but it tastes crunchy and generally wonderful.
Toloache, 166 East 82nd Street (between Lexington and Third avenues); 212-861-4505.
Photo: Courtesy of Toloache.
What: Smoked Whole Goat Neck
Where: Ducks Eatery
Not all barbecue joints are created equal. Ducks Eatery gives you the requisite hickory-smoked wings and ribs, but there is also a duck confit waffle and the most adventurous, an entire goat neck. It’s for two, of course, and is accented with bing cherries and coconut rice.
Ducks Eatery, 351 E. 12th Street (at First Avenue); (212) 432-3825
Photo: Courtesy of Duck's Eatery.
What: Strawberry-Cinnamon Glazed Berkshire Baby Back Ribs
Where: Traif
The fascinating treatment of the ribs at Traif has a lovely story to go along with it, from a time chef Jason Marcus traveled to Vietnam in 2002. "Being lovers of all things spring roll, [my friend and I] went to a restaurant that night honoring the month-long spring roll festival,” he says. “They had a special dish that caught out eyes: ‘strawberry-honey ribs.’ The dish sounded different but, exactly why I came to Vietnam — for inspiration.” He experimented with Vietnam spices and strawberry before stumbling on this “simultaneously comforting and exotic” dish.
Traif, 229 South 4th Street (between Roebling and Havemeyer streets), Brooklyn; 347-844-9578.
Photo: Courtesy of Traif.
What: Pez Globo
Where: Toro
Everything is good when fried and with a squirt of lemon. The most fun dish at this tapas restaurant is the pez globo — crispy blowfish tails sprinkled in Moroccan spices like cumin. There are loads of other small seafood dishes on the menu, so slip this one into the mix, and don't tell the scaredy-cat picky eater at your table.
Toro, 85 Tenth Avenue (at 15th Street); 212-691-2360.
Photo: Courtesy of Toro.
What: Pickled Mussel
Where: Take Root
Everything about this Carroll Gardens spot is cozy and special, from the minimal seating (12 people!) to the artfully-arranged American plates. Their most interesting dish these days is the pickled mussel, served with mustard seed and mustard flower, which Chef Elise Kornack says was inspired by memories of Nantucket. "My mother and I would collect mussels together along the jetty and bring buckets-full back to the house to steam and eat," she recalls. "Often I would eat them with heirloom tomato salad and dip the mussels in the vinegar left behind once the tomatoes were finished. This dish is my homage to those summer nights."
Take Root, 187 Sackett Street (between Hicks and Henry streets), Brooklyn; 347-227-7116.
Photo: Courtesy of Take Root.
What: Salted Caramel Chicken Fingers
Where: Sticky's Finger Joint
The ultimate bar food gets an upgrade at Sticky's, which is dedicated to nothing but chicken fingers. Of course, that hardly means they’re boring, with Mexican-, Japanese-, Chinese-, and Italian-style delights to choose from. But, the most out-of-the-box dish is the salted caramel fingers, which are coated in crushed pretzel, dipped in salted caramel, and sprinkled with salt.
Sticky's Finger Joint, 31 West 8th Street (at Macdougal Street); 212-777-7131.
Photo: Courtesy of Sticky's Finger Joint.
What: Lox Rice Bowl
Where: Shalom Japan
As you may have guessed from its name, Shalom Japan is one of those restaurants that fuses two totally incongruous cuisines and cultures. Our favorite example is the lox rice bowl, which combines smoked fish, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, and rice. Sort of like a sushi roll, but in a bowl.
Shalom Japan, 310 South 4th Street (between Keap and Rodney streets), Brooklyn; 718-388-4012.
Photo: Courtesy of Shalom Japan.
What: Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata
Where: Norma’s
Bring your very best brunch posse to Norma’s, an opulent mecca for fancy breakfast foods housed in Le Parker Meridien. The pièce de résistance is the zillion dollar lobster frittata, which boasts 10 ounces of caviar and a $1,000 price tag. "We wanted to create something decadent and over-the-top," says executive chef Emile Castillo. "Our menu is all about fun and different, and the zillion dollar frittata is just that. Plus, it's delicious."
Norma’s, 119 West 56th Street (between Sixth and Seventh avenues); 212-708-7460.
Photo: Courtesy of Norma's.
What: Huarache de Nopal
Where: The Black Ant
Chef Mario Hernandez traveled to the city of Tepoztlan last summer and was inspired to grill some cactus. "I met a sweet lady named Doña Chavela who has the most amazing fruit and vegetable stand where she sells a delicious cactus mushroom stew used for the filling in quesadillas," he explains. Comprised of cactus pad, figs, asadero cheese, and marmalade, the dish is "crispy, fresh, light , spicy, sweet and salty." In other words: "All flavors that a chef strives for in a dish!”
The Black Ant, 60 Second Avenue (between 3rd and 4th streets); 212-598-0300.
Photo: Courtesy of The Black Ant.
What: Foie Gras Doughnut
Where: Do or Dine
Your days are numbered, cronut. The hippest pastry hybrid in town is officially the foie gras doughnut at Do or Dine, a punk-rock outpost in Bed-Stuy. The richness of the duck takes well to the sugary fried dough, but really, what doesn't take well to sugary fried dough?
Do or Dine, 1108 Bedford Avenue (between Lexington Avenue and Quincy Street), Brooklyn; 718-864-2290.
Photo: Courtesy of Do or Dine.
What: Mapo Tofu Chili Cheese Fries
Where: King Noodle
It's always fun to plop different junk on top of french fries. King Noodle innovates with their unique Asian poutine. "The dish is a combination of two Sichuan specialties — Mapo tofu and stir-fried potato slivers, the latter of which is like a pile of tiny, thin cut french fries cooked with Sichuan peppercorns," they explain. "We wanted to be able to reference some of our favorite dishes while making the atmosphere fun and pub-like. Enter: cheese." Indeed!
King Noodle, 1045 Flushing Avenue (at Vandervoort Place), Brooklyn; 718-456-6543.
Photo: Courtesy of King Noodle.
What: Chocolate Chunk Pizza
Where: Max Brenner
Right this way, choco-holics. Max Brenner is the haven for all things chocolate (drinks, ice cream, desserts), and it has pretty great "normal" food as well. Their chocolate pizza combines the two, making for what the restaurant calls "the epitome of the Max Brenner experience."
Max Brenner, 841 Broadway (between 13th and 14th streets); 646-467-8803.
Photo: Courtesy of Max Brenner.
What: Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ice Cream
Where: Oddfellows
Many of the rotating ice cream flavors at Oddfellows seem to make zero sense; it's like they're basically daring you to taste them. Chef Sam Mason tried an olive oil ice cream in Spain and never forgot it. "I always wanted to do it as a flavor because I love the taste of it, but also because the texture of olive oil ice cream is unique," he says. "It pairs perfectly with a lot of our other flavors as well, especially some of the citrus sorbets we've done."
Oddfellows, 175 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-599-0556; 75 East 4th Street (between Bowery and Second Avenue); 917-475-1812.
Photo: Courtesy of Oddfellows.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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