THE BEST DISHES EATER EDITORS ATE THIS WEEK

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 weekly for the best things we ate this week.

Hot fried skate at Figure Eight

I’ve been meaning to try Simone Tong’s new Chinese-meets-Southern restaurant Figure Eight for some time — the menu has incredibly fun-sounding dishes, like shrimp cocktail with Chinese horseradish (a brilliant pairing) and mapo buttered grits (yes, it works). Our favorite dish was hot fried skate ($38). The chile crisp-infused batter had a fantastic crunch, and the skate held up and stayed tender. It was served with a buttermilk ranch, pickles, and a flaky sesame biscuit, for what might just be the most creative fish sandwich I’ve had. 18 Cornelia Street, between Bleecker and West 4th, West Village — Stephanie Wu, editor in chief

Bombay Gumbo at Onion Tree Pizza Co.

I’ll have to admit being disappointed by the fusion pizzas at Indian newcomer Onion Tree — the toppings were too restrained — but a few other dishes were fantastic, including a dosa turned into a waffle and this wonderful rendition of New Orleans gumbo with a Mumbai bent. The chicken broth was spot on, adding richness to the stew, and the added chicken thigh, crumbly homemade merguez, and prawns meant every spoonful had a different combination of flavors. The curry leaves were a nice addition. There was a sprinkle of basmati in there, too, but it could have used lots more. 214 First Avenue, at 11th Street, East Village — Robert Sietsema, senior critic

Short rib at Yoon Haeundae Galbi

I learned about Yoon Haeundae Galbi, like many of you, from the New York Times. In 2023, Pete Wells placed the restaurant 59th on his list of the 100 Best Restaurants in the city. I vowed to go back then, but never made it. So, when this year’s list came out, and Yoon Haeundae had moved up the list, I made a point to visit that week. Well, Wells was right about one thing: This has to be the best Korean short rib in town. The flavor is somewhere between a hamburger and a New York strip, with deep diagonal slashes against the grain ($57). And while the short rib was wonderful, it’s just one way to have a meal here: Almost everything we tried, from the banchan to the soybean stew, was a delight. 8 W. 36th Street, near Fifth Avenue, Koreatown — Luke Fortney, reporter

Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich at the Ark Bowl

I may not be good at bowling, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love it. Part of that, of course, is the hanging out in between turns. On a recent rainy weekend, friends and I stopped by the Ark Bowl, upstate in Arkville, New York, which specializes in barbecue. That felt a bit risky given that sticky hands and bowling balls don’t seem to mix, so we went instead for the more compact Nashville fried chicken sandwich ($15) — a solid snack when paired with a frosty beer. 42366 route New York 28, Arkville — Emma Orlow, reporter

2024-04-29T15:43:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd