Delicious Comfort Dishes Guaranteed to Get You Through Winter
Had about as much as you can take of winter? Well, we’re not quite out of the woods yet. But instead of desperately counting the days until spring, why not pass the time pleasurably, by enjoying the best of what the season has to offer? Namely, the cozy vegetarian Hot Pot at the recently relaunched Dirt Candy, the intensely comforting Cassoulet at the new Brooklyn bistro, Le Fond and we can go on. Check out our favorite Comfort Foods this winter…
Dirt Candy
Newly expanded into a significantly larger space, Amanda Cohen has supersized the all-veggie menu at her popular, Dirt Candy, as well. So in addition to old favorites like Broccoli Hot Dogs and Jalapeno Hush Puppies, you’ll also find meat-free comfort food creations such as a Cabbage Hot Pot; a bubbling broth accompanied by lotus root, kimchi, radishes, ginger, and noodles crafted from leaves of cabbage.
Read MoreSantina
Who would have thought that the simple and utterly rustic Guanciale e Pepe would become the standout, signature dish at the Major Food Group’s newest venture, Santina? Mario Carbone is ingeniously dressing Japanese, short grain rice like pasta in several, tasty iterations. In this case, it’s rice tossed with tons of cheese, plenty of black pepper, and salty nubbins of smoky guanciale.
Read MoreRamen Lab
You’ll forget that it’s under 20-degrees outside when you step into Ramen Lab’s tiny, steamy and smoke-wreathed 10-seat space. And you’ll almost welcome the gusts of frigid air from the constantly opening and closing door once you bury yourself in one of the two bowls of unimpeachable, no-frills ramen; either the Torigara Shoyu with chicken stock, chicken fat, pork chashu and fish cake, or the vegetarian XO Miso, flavored with oolong tea and butter, and topped with bean sprouts, scallions and chives.
Read MoreKang Ho Dong Baekjong
This first Manhattan outpost of this Korean BBQ spot is currently one of the hottest tables in town, packed with serious food celebs such as David Chang (the chef is a Momofuku vet), Danny Bowien, and Anthony Bourdain. So if you manage to snag a seat, go for broke with the full Beef or Pork Combo, a mammoth cook-it-yourself spread of various cuts of meat, as well as steamed egg, corn and cheese, onions, kimchi and beef brisket-soy bean paste stew.
Le Fond
Nothing screams winter like the classic French dish, Cassoulet, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better iteration than at the charming Greenpoint newcomer, Le Fond. Creamy cannellini beans are simmered with tomatoes, whole grain mustard and chicken stock, and crowned with diamonds of confited Rohan duck legs, fennel-scented housemade pork sausage, and roasted Berkshire pork belly. When in the dead of winter, take solace in this incredibly satisfying classic.
Read MoreJune Wine Bar
The small plates are way better than they need to be at this sultry new wine bar, which boasts an extensive menu of natural, organic, and ideal-for-winter reds. That’s because they’ve been developed by beloved Brooklyn chef, Tom Kearney (of Farm on Adderley and Nine Chains), and run the gamut from Slow-Baked Carrots with Roman gnocchi and Pork Meatballs with nigella seed polenta to Duck Rice with golden beets and Brioche with reblochon cheese and caramelized onions.
Read MoreThe Finch
Longtime Roberta’s chef, Gabe McMackin, is behind this wonderful New American neighborhood spot, located in a restored, 100-year-old townhouse in Clinton Hill. And his hearty entrees are entirely interesting, without being overly fussy or complicated, such as Trout with spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes and apple cider sauce, Bay Scallops with snails, einkorn wheat and mushrooms, as well as Amish Chicken paired with smoked bread pudding, cippolini onions and greens.
Read MoreKao Soy
You’ll want to order the namesake dish at this Northern Thai-inspired eatery, currently giving the authentic fare at nearby Pok Pok a real run for its money. Made with soft egg noodles swimming in an umami-rich red curry, the Kao Soy is finished with a smattering of crispy noodles, slivers of battered, fried papaya, and a duo of tender chicken drumsticks.
Read More
Check out My Book – Try This
