Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: August 5
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.
Guatita at Okey Sandwich & Grill
Upon hearing that a recently opened stall in DeKalb Market served cuy — the Ecuadorian guinea pig that’s something of a national dish — I raced over there, only to find they didn’t have it at the moment. Instead, I picked guatita ($17.50), a yellowish stew of tenderized cow tripe and potatoes. One of the secrets of its mellowness is roasted peanuts in the sauce, and the yellow color is the result of lots of turmeric. Rice, fried sweet plantains, and a scoop of ripe avocado accompany the stew. This lovely dish made me forget what I’d come for in the first place. 445 Albee Square West, near Fulton Street, Downtown Brooklyn — Robert Sietsema, senior critic.
Batata hara at Sawa
The move at Sawa, a Lebanese restaurant in Park Slope, is absolutely to go with a group so that you can order as many dishes as possible. Every table should start with dips and appetizers, which range from bright green salads to larger shareable dishes. The stand-out was the batata hara ($12), a starter of fried potatoes served with a bracingly sharp garlic dip. The entrees are much larger, but equally fantastic (the whole daurade fish was my favorite). But it’s the garlic dip I keep thinking back to — it’s not for the faint of heart, but I’d put it on anything. 75 Fifth Avenue, between St. Marks Avenue and Prospect Place, Park Slope — Stephanie Wu, editor-in-chief.
Bluefin Tuna at the Aviary Kinderhook
I’m not accustomed to seeing tartare of any variety served intact like this. Then again, so much of my experience at this gem of a restaurant tucked into a bucolic stretch of the Hudson Valley was, delightfully, unexpected. The bluefin preceded golden potato korokke with togarashi, plump Maine mussels simmered in red curry and coconut milk, and the most flavorful heritage pork katsu I’ve ever tasted. The beet-red slab of fish ($26) was showered in flaky sea salt and served aside edamame and fennel tossed in a bright calamansi Kewpie vinaigrette. Serving it this way showcased the fish’s buttery texture much better than if it were, say, cubed or sliced thin. The Aviary is where this beautiful hamlet in the Hudson Valley comes to congregate. The Aviary Knitting Mill, 4 Hudson Street, Kinderhook, New York — Nat Belkov, design director.
Amish chicken at Matilda
Hotel restaurants rarely scream exciting food. But Matilda, from the Wildair team, inside the Henson hotel, has lots to linger around for. Leading the kitchen is Jonas Offenbach, who worked for the team in Manhattan, and first moved upstate to run Day June Luncheonette — which serves cheddar pancakes and breakfast wraps down the street. Among the savory entrees at Matilda, is the Amish chicken with scallions, koji, and chicken jus ($45, built for two to share) — a super juicy poultry dish that’s sure to be ordered at every table. Desserts are also can’t miss. 39 Goshen Road, Hensonville, New York — Emma Orlow, reporter.