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 for the best things we ate this week.
Stars is the new, very tiny addition to the East Village, courtesy of the teams behind nearby sibling restaurants Claud and Penny. And the stars (ahem) of the snacky menu are the deviled eggs ($8). The adorable halved stuffed eggs are topped with spiced and poofy star-shaped pommes souffles, which adds a touch of cohesion and artistic flair. The wines are impeccable, unsurprisingly, since it’s from the team behind Claud. My server poured me a festive, bright glass of Austrian white wine, Salon Helga from Josef Totter. The space is so small — it used to be a location of fast-casual Mexican chain Tacombi, which explains the centerpiece 12-seat horseshoe bar, but people can stand around the perimeter of the walk-in-only room. 139 East 12th Street, at Third Avenue — Nadia Chaudhury, deputy dining editor, Northeast
A new Thai spot, from the folks behind the shuttered Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Pata Cafe in Queens, has opened in the West Village. Chef Sunisa “Susan” Nitmai is turning out an escargot that’s stellar, served with betel and makrut lime leaves ($38). And go ahead and start with the pork blood larb, a spicy salad laced with pork, toasted rice, chiles, and lime ($20). The room, from Bangkok-based Ith Interior, is wild, like being in outer space. 117 West 10th Street, at Greenwich Avenue, West Village — Melissa McCart, lead editor, Eater Northeast
Although the weather this weekend was forecast to be on the damper side, I was on a mission to get my hands on Bar Snack’s spice bag ($18). The spice bag, an Irish fast-food dish often found at Chinese takeout restaurants, has occupied a good part of my brain recently, but hasn’t entirely broken into the American bar menu canon. With a group in tow, I wandered into the bar just a few minutes after opening to secure a midday Guinness and the spice bag. The spice bag shows up in a Bar Snack-branded paper bag, with the fries, peppers, and fried chicken tucked into a parchment parcel inside. I’m sure the rest of the bar could hear us tearing into the bag and flipping the parchment to expose the treasure inside, with an immediate chorus of “oohs” and “ahhs.” It’s just a matter of time before other bars pick up the spice bag (I hope). There may not be many better bar snacks than spiced, crispy chicken and fries dunked in curry sauce. 92 Second Avenue, between East Fifth and Sixth streets, East Village — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
There wasn’t an empty table when I walked into Cecchi’s, and nearly all of them had something in common: a bowl of oversized onion rings ($18). I decided to follow the crowd, and the side was a perfect match for my roast chicken and the burger my friend ordered. They arrived piping hot, with a buttermilk coating that was super-crisp without being the least bit greasy, with hints of garlic and thyme. The Vidalia onions were soft and sweet, but retained a little crunch. They were so delicious that even the restaurant’s owner, author Michael Cecchi, couldn’t resist sneaking one off our plate when he strolled by. 105 West 13th Street, near Sixth Avenue, West Village — Beth Landman, contributor, Northeast