It’s time we see our neighborhoods through different eyes. Just as much as we feel a certain smugness to bypass the Starbucks and use our dollars to support independent coffee chains, or when we decide to take the time to search for a product at local shops instead of letting Jeff Bezos gain from our need for near-instant gratification, now is the time to prioritize supporting black-owned businesses in your neighborhood and throughout the borough. 

According to @15percentpledge, 21% of black-owned businesses have predicted that they will not be able to survive the pandemic, when just 5% of white-owned businesses don’t think they’ll be able to stay afloat. Beyond the disproportionate way that this virus is ravaging the African-American community, their businesses need our support more than ever. Check my ongoing list of black-owned businesses below. Take a bike ride to another neighborhood. Explore the amazing entrepreneurs and their ideas that became brick-and-mortar spaces that make this city what it is. And make sure it will stay that way when the pandemic ends and we vote for leaders and legislation that will change the inequalities in our city and society.

For more amazing resources, check out the stories and profiles on Black-Owned Brooklyn and this super extensive list from Brooklyn Mavens.

Williamsburg + Greenpoint

Brother Vellie’s – Shoes and accessories, handcrafted in Brooklyn. @brothervellies

Celsious – modern, eco-conscious Laundromat – eco-friendly and hip laundromat (in other words, this is the place you’ll likely finally have that laundromat city romance start) celsious.com

Williamsburg Music Center – amazing jazz club that feels like old New York again. wmcjazz.com

Stuart Cinema – charming little cinema and cafe, on West! @stuartcinema

Action Burger – @action_burger

Taste of Heaven – BBQ, maybe from heaven.

Branch Patty – at Artists and Fleas, but for now, delivery! @branchpattyny 

Bushwick

Bushwick Grind – the best way to beat the grind. @bushwickgrind

Papa Rozier Farms – all-natural beauty products, from Haiti to Brooklyn @paparozier

Brooklyn Blooms – floral shop, with delivery to brighten your quarantine space. @brooklynbloomsnyc

Sally Roots –  @sallyroots

Bunna Cafe – The best damn Eithiopian I’ve found in this city, @bunnacafe

28 Scott Vintage – @28scottvintage in Bushwick  – include quote/photo from owner     

Bunton’s World Famous – where to see and be seen yet feel right at home. @buntonsworldfamous

Ethel’s Club – a private club and network for people of color. @ethelsclub

Crown Heights

The Bergen – Seafood, burgers, wings – plus the owner survived COVID-19 thebergenbk.com

Ras Plant Based – organic vegan Ethiopian Eatery @rasplantbased

Black Nile Seafood & Soul Food – @blacknilerestaurant

Nurish Cafe– vegetarian and vegan-friendly food inspired by West African cuisine nurishbk.com

Ital Kitchen – all-natural Caribbean classic fare @italkitchenbk

Bleu Fin Bar & Grill – @bleufinbargrill

Brooklyn Suya – brooklynsuya.com

Cafe Rue Dix – French-Senagalese cuisine @caferuedix

The Crabby Shack – where getting crabs is fun again! thecrabbyshack.com

Prospect Heights

BCakeNY – detailed custom cakes! @BCakeNY

Cheryl’s Global Soul – @cherylsglobalsoul

333 Lounge – @333.lounge

Cheryl’s Global Soul – Comfort food from around the world. @cherylsglobalsoul

Natural Blend – @naturalblend

Ode to Babel – Amazing cocktails, delivered @odetobabel

Fort Greene

DanceAfrica, part of BAM Brooklyn since 1977 #BAMDanceAfrica

Bati Ethiopian Kitchen – batikitchen.com

Imani Caribbean Kitchen– go for the family meal, for 4, then find 3 friends… or, don’t. @imani_bk

Peaches Hot House – Their second location, still easily the best southern food I’ve had this far north. @peacheshothouse

Bed-Stuy

Cafe on Ralph – @cafeonralphave tropical vibes from st. Lucia, feels like a vacation

Happy Cork Wine & Spirits – @happycorkbrooklyn

Make Manifest Community Space – Retail, Co-Working, Co-Creating, Creative Hub – @makemanifestbk

Spiked Spin– Hip-hop cycling puts Soul Cycle to shame. @spikedspin

Peaches Hot House – easily the best southern food I’ve had this far north. @peacheshothouse

Cake Boi –  @cakeboishop

Bed Vyne Wines and Cocktails –  Bottle Shop and Cocktail Bar @bedvyne

Brooklyn Blooms – fresh flowers tdelivered to brighten up your quarantine space. @brooklynbloomsnyc

Park Slope

Bk9 Restaurant – Food from Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti @bk9restaurant

Bleachers Sports Bar – until we have sports again, let’s at least have burgers, beers, and wings @240bleachers

Negril Brooklyn– curry goat and rum punch are actually a match made in heaven @negrilbk

Sugarcane – sugarcanerestaurant.com

Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Palooza Kitchen – Caribbean food and stews – “With each bite, you will experience a kind of sinking in, as if you were the one yielding to the dish.” paloozakitchen.com

De Hot Pot – Trinidad spot! theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/de-hot-pot

Mangoseed– Caribbean and wood-fired pizzas @mangoseedbklyn

& Sons – IT’S A HAM BAR and my new favorite spot in the borough. Get some charcuterie and cheese and wine and head to the park. https://andsonsnyc.com/

Daleview Biscuits & Beer – plus fried chicken and waffles biscuitsandbeer.nyc

East Flatbush 

Footprints Cafe – Afootprintscafe

Suede – Rum punch and Caribbean food @suedenyc

And outside of Brooklyn…

For inspiration outside the borough, seek out @cardsbyde to make some beautiful sense out of all of this.

Deciding to spend an afternoon at one of this city’s world-class museums likely transplants you into a neighborhood you’re unfamiliar with, and thus with a food scene that could lead you into that familiar, debilitating state of hungry panic. Facing a few hours of invasive art and information on an empty stomach seems jarring but where the hell do people eat on the Upper East Side? Admittedly, this is when I can be tempted to get a hot dog from the cart outside of the Met and enter feeling noticeably uncultured and likely with mustard on my shirt.

Don’t let this happen to you. I’m helping you pick out the best lunch spots near all of the city’s museums so you can leave with a newfound knowledge of culture and history, and the confidence to find a damn good restaurant in a new neighborhood.

Han Dynasty in the Upper West Side

The best way to prepare yourself to conceptualize the explanation of millions of years of natural history and evolution, and to understand just how the hell these massive creatures inhabited our planet, you must invigorate your senses before entering.

Han Dynasty’s UWS location is quite different than their original, hole-in-the-wall LES spot, but the flavors are the same, and you’re way more likely to get a table. This authentic Szechuan outpost by way of Philly is serving some of the boldest Chinese food in the city, and it’s just a 10 minute walk from the Museum of Natural History. Don’t be turned off my it’s massive size or the number of “ladies who lunch” around you. This is the UWS. Everything is bigger and bitchier, but noticeably not lacking in taste.

What Not to Miss

Dan Dan Mian

If this is on a menu, it’s on my table. Han Dynasty’s version is just spicy enough with peanut and minced pork, and I was still thinking about it even as I stared into the glassy eyes of a wild boar right at the museum later.

Dumplings in Chili Oil

Spicy and oily is what you come to expect from a Szechuan lunch, and walking it all off in a massive museum is what you’re about to do. So don’t shy away from these floppy little dumplings because of their appearance. Besides, you’ve been meaning to work on your chopsticks skills anyway, and this dish is just slippery enough to be up for the challenge.

Spicy Crispy Cucumbers

Admittedly we got these to keep things nice and cool, and even with an “8” on the Han spicy scale, they did the trick. They’re more sweet than spicy and just what we needed in between dishes.

Mapo Tofu

I’m a sucker for a good mapo tofu, and I never mind a mediocre one either. This dish didn’t wow me, but the spicy sauce and slippery tofu was satisfying and a good balance to the meat dishes on the table.

Dry Pepper Style Chicken

When you eat at Han Dynasty, getting an entree is a must. I didn’t know what to expect with the description of this “thrice-fried” dish, but it was surprisingly not greasy. This was a fantastic entree choice.

Please note that we ordered way, way too much food. However, even with five dishes on the table and enough leftovers for lunch the next day, our bill was unexpectedly cheap. Plus the free hot tea and (maybe) a slight hangover tempted us away from any lunch beers, keeping the bill under $60.

Plan on this guy accompanying you at the museum.

How Not to Miss It

Service here is fast, so you can expect to spend no more than 45 minutes even if you order 4-5 dishes.

Han Dynasty is located at 215 W. 85th Street in the UWS (and the original NYC location is at  90 Third Ave)

And, admittedly, my favorite thing about this place is the way the website reads “handynasty”… 

The Museum of Natural History is a 12-minute walk from the restaurant. 
Plan to spend about 3 hours here. Highlights include a very real look at climate change and what the city is doing to help prevent it, a collection of expertly taxidermied animals that were a “gift” to the city back in 1930, and, obviously, the dinosaurs. 

I found myself wandering around Gowanus on a rainy day in February with a friend, attempting to quell our curiosity about what exactly it means to designate something a superfund site, and to ignore the slight stench that permeated the misty air that might tempt our appetites into submission. We were hungry, and curious about the area, and stumbled upon a tiny little oasis somewhere on 3rd avenue that caught our attention. 

We settled into a bright booth in the window, admittedly with our cameras and notebooks at the ready. We had intended to explore the neighborhood with no direction- “a day with no plans”, we’d said, desiring instead to let the neighborhood and its residents speak to us. 

And what Gowans unknowingly said to us was, “You’re about to have a Michelin-star lunch.”

And not knowing or intending this made this experience all the more riveting. We giggled with the server about the cocktail list, which was boldly all mezcal-based, before deciding to each indulge in one… because when you intend to have no plans, a 1pm cocktail feels like it’s right on time. 

We chose a few dishes to share – the tuna tostada, the remolacha tostada, the turkey tinga tacos. And as our chosen dishes began arriving and our little booth filled with the scents and flavors of Oaxaca, we knew that this unintentional lunch was about to have a permanent spot on our must-eat list.

Here’s what you can’t miss at Claro, other than the fact that it’s so warm, approachable, and inviting, you’ll have no idea it has a Michelin star until, perhaps, you’re at home the next day doing a bit of research for a piece you’re going to put on your blog.

Tostada de Remolacha

In my quest to lean towards a plant-based diet, I’ve found myself intentionally ordering dishes that I would often pass up. How good can a beet really be? Chef TJ Steele won’t hesitate in answering that question. A beet can be something sacred when fire-roasted to perfection and sitting atop a handmade tostada, accompanied by some unlikely yet welcome new bedfellows- guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro, and some sort of creamy white binding agent who seemed to be present to keep the band together. This is a great way to start your meal.

Tostada de Tuna

Now before you say, ‘another tostada??’ just stop, and don’t. Tostadas are the Mexican answer to canapes, and thus intended to eat and be shared freely and repeatedly. Plus, Chef Steele handmakes all of his tortillas, so even if they weren’t wearing fancy hats, I’d have multiple. This one looked like a work of art, but one that we had no qualms destroying immediately. What was listed on the menu as accompanying our perfectly rare tuna was “pasilla oaxaqueña, cara cara, chicharrón” none of which sounds like, or tasted like, it was fished out of a superfund site. This must be on your table.

Turkey Tinga Tacos

Sure, a tinga is a tinga, right? That’s like saying a Beatles album is a Beatles album, or a walk in the park is just a walk in the park. It isn’t. You know this. And once you take one bite of this surprising turkey tinga, it’s going to be hard for you to go back to your familiar chicken tinga tacos. And that’s a little sad, but trust me, it’s how it has to be. These saucy little numbers need to be  on your table and then in your mouth.

My only regret is that we didn’t order either of the mole dishes, and I suppose that the charming, leaf-covered patio wasn’t open (again, February…) However, the approachable atmosphere and unbelievable flavors we experienced at Claro will have us coming back way before patio season. 

Claro is located at  284 3rd Avenue

Follow them here, then go there.

Ramen may seem to be an unlikely choice for a mid-summer dinner, but something about a salty, savory bowl started to sound like just what we needed as we traversed through a “severe” New York City summer storm, trapped on the bottom level of the ferry. Sunkissed and tipsy, we biked back from the LIC landing and parked our bikes outside of Mu Ramen, the one soupy spot in the city we hadn’t sunk our faces into.

As I fought with my persistently finicky bike lock, a fortuitous woosh of 7-train wind gust blew my dress nearly above my head. I laughed and jumped off the grate only to see a beautiful Asian woman slightly behind me, laughing.

“I’m so sorry,” I told her. “It’s a bathing suit!”

“No,” she said. “That was so Marilyn Monroe. So iconic.” I felt better but still not exactly Marilyn as she held the door open for us. “I’m Mu,” she extended her hand to introduce herself, although she already knew way too much of me. 

“Holy shit,” I said, realizing I’d just mooned the owner of perhaps the most famous Ramen spot in the city. I mooned Mu. 

I sat my slightly ashamed ass down in corner table, next to my partner and ramen enthusiast boyfriend, as Mu handed us menus and politely poured us water. 

She noted a few of her favorite sakes, pouring us a taste and toasting with both of us while walking us through the food menu. Considering that this was our first time and knowing that Mu was about way more than just your average Spicy Pork Miso (of course, there’s a time and a place for all different types of ramen, but here we wanted something more…) we settled in two adventurous starters and a bowl each.

And after an hour-long, sake-infused flavor adventure that I never thought possible in Long Island City, I’ve bared it all below in my list of everything you shouldn’t miss at Mu Ramen. 

Okonomiyaki

This just-fancy-enough scallion pancake was elegantly topped with smoked trout and drizzled with a foi gras syrup that was achieved a perfect balance between sweet, savory, and memories of my last trip to France. You need this on your table. 

Tebasaki Gyoza

I am nearly at a loss for words. These “chicken wings” have the bones removed and then foi gras inserted in their place, delicately breaded with brioche and lightly fried and served to you upon a plate that arrives at your table and says “these are clearly not chicken wings”. Whatever it is, they are one of the best bites in the city. Do not pass this up. 

Pork Tonkatsu

The most traditional bowl on their menu which is why, inevitably, it’s a must-order. Kind of like those people who measure the worthiness of a by-the-slice pizza shop but getting a plain cheese slice, everywhere they go. I am not those people, but I like talking to those people about their research. This was far from plain cheese slice and also, world’s apart from the other tonkatsu I’ve had in Brooklyn. Creamy but not overbearing, topped with rich pork belly and a slew of other fancy accouterments that did not disappoint, and let’s just say that dizzying little fishcake nearly had me fall out of my seat. 

Chicken Shio Ramen

Chicken ramen has never been my go-to, mostly because it always feels like fancy chicken noodle soup and vaguely reminiscent of the fake coughs and pleads to stay home from school. But this bowl came highly recommended from Mu herself, and it didn’t disappoint. A rich chicken-based broth topped with truffle paste and with delicate folds of ham subtly submerged beneath, it’s somehow one of the best bowls I’ve had in the city. And I didn’t have to pretend to be sick in order to get it.

My only regret? Not getting the dry-aged short-rib burger. It was on special and something that I wish, somehow, we had room for. 

The other part of the story that you need to know is that Mu started as a pop-up in the back of a nearby bagel shop and soon developed a cult following. After receiving a very flattering yet also jarring review in the New York Times, they were forced to shut down due to the arguable illegality of the venture, much to the very vocal chagrin of their followers. Thankfully, the exposure and reactions were just the push they needed to commit to a permanent location, but this humble spot in LIC still feels a bit clandestine. There’s no sign outside, just a funky red and white light fixture jutting out from a brick wall. A few humble tables line the wall and the open-kitchen feels almost like a deli counter, or, perhaps, a bagel shop. And it’s still cash-only, making it still feel unestablished and perhaps a bit anti-proletariat.

These are the ramen renegades, and every bowl and plate they serve feels like a courageous victory.

We left sake-tipsy and immensely satisfied, and I realized that maybe, being a little cheeky before dinner might be my new move. 

Mu Ramen is located at 1209 Jackson Ave in Long Island City.

There are certain expectations you have when entering any eating establishment or glorified watering hole in North Brooklyn. It will be cute. It will feel charming. It will have clever lighting, it will feel thoughtful, it will make you want to sit, and stay, and have a drink and a small plate, or three. It will be all of these things because if not, honestly, it will never make it. If a place doesn’t feel well thought out and “unique” it will not grab our coveted attention. 

And then there are certain places you walk in that you can tell aren’t playing the same game. They’ve subscribed to no algorithm. 

They greet you with a warm, genuine, “Buona sera!” even though you are neither Italian nor in Italy. There are photos and wine bottles covering nearly every surface of the walls, enveloping you with a warm history of vintages and memories within these walls. There is a leg of Spanish jamon sitting on the bar, ready and waiting to cure any small plate craving you’ve got.

This feeling is inimitable. It’s genuine. And it surprises me still every time I walk into Have & Meyer. And probably because they aren’t trying to be anything else. They are an Italian wine bar owned by Italians, with only Italian wines on the menu. All available by the glass, because they have no desire for that by-the-bottle-only pretension. They want to invite you into their space, to help you navigate their rather intimidating wine list, to let you try wines until you settle into one that suits you, and to make you feel at home… if home, of course, was a small town nestled in the Tuscan hills and not this concrete jungle of a city.

I should mention, also, that all of the wines on the list are natural or biodynamic. And this is not because they’re trying to be trendy. It’s because they believe in the original, non-industrial method of winemaking, and want to support those winemakers who do the same. And this does come with a bit of a pricetag, but know that that extra $2 is helping an Italian vintner keep his family tradition alive and the wine in your glass alive and well too. 

If you need help imagining said farmer, as you sip, take the time to read the stories on the back of the menu. “The Farmers’ wines you are about to relish are not simply made by winemakers that respect. They are made by nonconformist, defiant mavericks that we are proud to call ‘artists’, apostates, and rebels for whom “respect the Earth” is not a marketing claim, but a way of life.” What follows is an evolving list of impactful anecdotes that will make every sip feel more profound, and the pricetag less painful.  

Find yourself here on a date or on your own. Trust the friendly Italian staff to help you navigate the menu. My recommendations? Choose a funky orange wine and a portion of jamon for one, or two, or three, regardless of how many you are. Sit and sip and appreciate this untouched and rather hidden gem in the middle of trend-hungry, misguided Williamsburg.

Have & Meyer, you give me something to believe in. 

Find them at 103 Havemeyer St.

Follow them at @haveandmeyer

Keep up with their events calendar at haveandmeyer.com

There are those places that do always execute their mission perfectly, simply, consistently, and flawlessly, and somehow without much…. well, fanfare.   This gem of a restaurant located in NoGreePo (yep, that’s North Greenpoint. I’ve renamed the neighborhood) is the lovechild of three Sardinian natives who have created a menu and experience that is reflective of their homeland. Naturally seductive, deceptively simple, and an experience that ignites all of your senses, it’s like a tiny island paradise that you don’t want anyone to find out about, yet you find yourself bringing up again and again in social settings.   

Stepping into this Italian outpost on Manhattan Avenue immediately gave me that feeling of walking into a chic yet locale cafe anywhere in Europe. I wanted to feel less like a newcomer and more like I belonged in this stunning, charming space; the chic, modernist interior, the casualness of communal farm tables, and the charming little half-moon bar were beckoning to me.    I understood immediately why I’d heard this place was perfect for special occasions, and then found myself coming up with any occasion in my head to return- my upcoming half-birthday (are quarter birthdays a thing?), the half- and whole-birthdays of people I know without them being present, sunny days, mostly sunny days, hours that I think could make a little happier, or just running out of wine at my apartment.     

After sitting at the bar for a while, I noticed that the staff at Le Fanfare greet most customers by name, offering them a hug and a genuine smile before catching up on where the conversation last left off. It was clear that I wasn’t the only one coming up with any excuse to return.  

I learned that part of this feeling of community is because the staff there, most of whom have walked the floor or for over a year (which, in NYC restaurant years is basically a decade), work hard to make you feel right at home, while also never missing a beat with service. If you’re lucky enough to get a seat at the marble bar on a particularly busy night, you’ll observe the delicate dance that a family of people have been engaging in nightly for months on end, together – the blind pass-off of a dirty plate, the sharp knife that appears just seconds before your hanger steak lands, how your wine glass never seems to empty, the mysterious hand that swoops in to decrumb your table while you’re mid-conversation and wondering, from whom was this hand? and how? and the smiles and laughs you see pass between this family that are necessary to keep the whole machine running so flawlessly, night after night.     

What I’m trying to say is, it feels good being here. On top of that, it tastes damn good too. Their Sardinian-inspired menu is built from traditional recipes with a distinctly modern update and painlessly localized sourcing. The magic here is in the details – the roasted vegetables are showered in savory bottarga, the homemade pasta delicately dances upon the plate with sauces that neither overwhelm nor speak softly, the main courses are like the unexpected encore to an already unforgettable performance. 

Although it’s hard to misstep on this menu, but here’s what we feel shouldn’t be missed at Le Fanfare. 

Roasted Asparagus

What can asparagus become that you wouldn’t expect? Showered with a dusting of bottarga, a Sardinian dehydrated fish row that adds a perfectly seafaring salinity, you find that your familiar stem vegetable suddenly tastes exotic. It’s accompanied by a bright 6-minute egg, a bold European move to see such an item as part of a dinner plate that will make you immediately aware that your American taste buds need a bit of a wakeup call. Make sure this is on your table. 

Grilled Octopus

Yeah, yeah, ok. You don’t want to eat something smarter than you. Cool. Have you ever eaten eggs when you’re so hungover you have trouble getting them into your mouth? … I rest my case. Ordering the octopus should not be considered a glory-less surrender by an oceanic creature that has more limbs and perhaps synapses-per-minute than you do, but instead a very worthy homage to this seafaring beast. The post-mortem ceremony for this magnificent creature is a thoughtful marinade, an invigorating blanching, a resplendent grilling, and finally a dirgeless processional to your table. Take. Eat. It would truly be a sin to ignore such a sacred, smart sacrifice.

Spaghetti Neri

You know what you don’t do when you’re dining at a restaurant owned by 3 Italian island natives? You don’t skip the dish that is a thoughtful amalgamation of everything I imagine life on Sardinia to be. Savory, seductive, pleasantly fishy and with just and just enough spice to make you feel alive, this is the closest you can get to experiencing Mediterranean life in Brooklyn. And trust me, that’s something you need to make happen. 

Sweet Potato Agnolotti

Think you’ve had your fill of filled pastas? These hand-folded, delicate little pillows will change your mind. The sweetness of the filling plays elegantly along with an earthy saffron oil, nutty cheese and bright citrus zest, and it was my favorite of the pastas here.

Hanger Steak

It’s a bold move to choose a land-grazing dish when tempted to immerse yourself in the marine influence, but consider this a sort of deconstructed surf-and-turf, and thus a must to accompany the octopus and Spaghetti Neri. Arguably, Pat LaFrieda’s cuts can’t disappoint, but this dish is meticulously crafted with a house-concentrated cipollini onion, a black garlic sauce that seems to cut right through your own bullshit, and a marinade that you can only imagine feels like a revitalizing dip in the sea. Don’t skip this, it’s one of the best steaks I’ve had in Brooklyn.

Cannoli (and a capuccino)

I’ve never liked cannoli. It just doesn’t do it for me… until I had this light, handmade dream of a dessert. Gone were my notions of thick, crusty, dense cannoli, and here to stay was the lingering memory of the perfect end to a meal I didn’t think could get any better. At the end of the evening, this is the most sensible option. Just take it from a rather infamous New Yorker; “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”  (as a note, we weren’t offered any guns.)    

(Stay tuned to read about our exploration of Le Fanfare’s new natural wine program)

Le Fanfare a breath air in a sea of restaurants that are more concentrated on their image than creating an experience. It’s seductive and inviting, familiar and comforting. And it’s a place I’ll find myself coming back to, often. Besides, my quarter birthday is just around the corner…

<3L.

Stepping inside of Bun-Ker in Bushwick feels like following an unmarked path down an from a postcard you were handed by a questionable looking guy on a street corner in Hanoi. The closer you, the more you feel like this must not be the way, there’s nothing here, and then behind some metal container walls you discover what you thankfully realize was a really good move.

Bun-Ker is aptly named. Occupying what feels like a reinforced shelter, it’s naturally-lit, funky and pleasantly unpristine, which is to say is juxtaposes those painfully Instagrammable Southeast Asian destination restaurants that have been popping up recently. Bun-Ker is unconcerned with your feed and more concerned with feeding you. The decor is genuinely quirky, with a tiki-esque bar that somehow emerges from the space with its fringey thatched roof, mismatched multi-colored metal barstools, and a chalkboard of drink specials that you will immediately respond to. The dining space is playfully discordant, with bright picnic tables and mismatched chairs, and thickly shellacked eating surfaces that have tiny little treasures stuck inside them that feel as if they contain some sort of secret message just for you, and just for the person who sat there before you too. Hanging paper lanterns illuminate the space when natural light isn’t pouring through multiple skylights. 

There are no table settings, just with c-folds and chopsticks stuffed into a recycled jar on the table. The servers and staff are more concerned with their love of the food and experience than the steps of service, which is refreshingly inimitable. Maintaining a distinctive street-food style, the approach to service is genuine yet simple, which only helps to not distract you from what’s actually happening here. Which, of course, is so damn good Vietnamese food.

What Not to Miss

The Beef Noodle Soup

There’s a reason why you’ll notice most patrons in Bun-Ker face down in a deep soup bowl, making satisfied slurping sounds. Soup is what they do best here, and the Beef Noodle Soup was spicy, savory, and everything we needed to dive into on a February afternoon, yet also something I can see myself not hesitating to get into in the middle of summer. It’s a smart, and not overly-indulgent move to add the oxtail to this. Just trust me.

The Oxtail Hash

This is on the Brunch menu which is confusing when you’re also handed the lunch menu at the same time. Don’t get confused, just order the oxtail hash. It ended up being my favorite dish on the table.

Grilled Lemongrass Wild Shrimp

This noodle dish came with 5 huge, perfectly cooked shrimp atop a pile of cold vermicelli noodles with some shiso and charming little crab spring rolls. Which left me in that funny predicament of sharing something so coveted with only an odd numbered availability with your partner. I let him have the fifth, which must have made up for any fight we’ve had in the past month (…right?). While we both felt like the noodles could have used a little more flavor, the shrimp and crab were enough to keep us digging in. 

What I know we missed out on…

Any Banh Mi Because I feel like this city is infested by mediocre banh mi, I can tell this one was full of flavor, authenticity, and absolutely no bullshit. Go for the lunch special – you get a selected banh mi, small soup, and taro chips for $15, Tuesday through Friday.

Bun-Ker is serving some of the most authentic Vietnamese street-style food on a setting that is just hip and unpristine enough to make you feel like you’re wandering through a market somewhere in Vietnam. The food, flavors, and experience is the closest you’ll get to it without a 15 hour flight, yet the setting and approach make you feel right at home somehow in this bunker of an eatery in far Bushwick. 

Find them here and at 99 Scott Ave.

Tues-Wed 12pm-10pm

Fri-Sat 12pm-1am

Sunday 12pm-10pm

Oh and they also have dance parties that you need to be a part of. Follow along here for updates.

Here’s the thing about Taiwan. It’s far away. So far, actually, that the longest straight domestic flight in the world is from New York to Taipei, 16 hours straight. A flight so long that you physically age during it, and, perhaps if you drink a bit too much before the flight,  your feet swell up like balloons and you’re unable to fasten your sandals for the next two days while touring around the city. Or so I’ve heard.

Here’s the other thing about Taiwan. Once you taste the flavors there, you become a bit frenzied about having them again. My fervor for pork buns post-Taiwan shamelessly led me to dusty brown-bag laden windows in Chinatown, my need for shabu-shabu had me sinking into grade-pending spots in Flushing, twice. But nothing quite brought me back to the crowded-yet-savory breakfast markets in Taipei, the late-night hot-pots of Kaohsiung the I’m-not-going-to-ask-why-this-is-on-a-stick markets throughout the streets of Taichung. 

Until I happened upon an unassuming yet profound victory in Bushwick. Win Son is a hip, unpretentious, and unbelievably savory discovery on Graham Avenue dedicated to purveying the addictive flavors of Taiwan and doing it so well, you’ll have to pinch yourself between savory soup slurps to know you’re still in Brooklyn and that your sandals are still on.

Here’s what not to miss, and how not to miss it, at my favorite find this side of the South China Sea.

Marinated Cucumbers 

The better answer for when you feel that i-need-a-salad-in-my-life pull, this saucy, garlicky, cilantro adventure topped with fried scallions is addictive. Order these first. $6

Dou Jiang You Tiao

What I wouldn’t do to have this savory soup as part of my regular morning practice. I first discovered such an experience at a breakfast market in Taipei and have been dreaming of waking to it ever since. It’s only on the Brunch menu and will make you understand every opportunity we aren’t taking in the US with morning soups, or soy milk, or spoons in general. Choose the savory, although I have no doubt the sweet is probably amazing too. $7

Sloppy Bao

Once you get a sense of the flavors of Taiwan from these first two dishes, you’ll be ravenous to have them stronger, better, faster, stronger, and next. The sloppy bao is all of this wrapped up not-neatly in a brave little steamed bun. It’s the bao you’ve been dreaming about. $11

Pan Griddled Pork Buns

This may seem like overkill considering the insistence upon ordering the sloppy pork bao, but just trust me when I say it’s not. This dish comes with 6 fairly humble buns smothered in fried shallots, green onions, sesame and some magic sauces that you’ll eat so fast you’ll forget being nervous that they’re too hot and also your own name. You’ll forget your own name. $11

All of this, with two of those magical cans of Taiwanese beers, cost us $50. Meaning it was the perfect way to satisfy my tasteful nostalgia for the flavors of the Pacific island while still maintaining my sandal-fastening integrity. 

Go. Fast. Because all you are about to do is Win, Son!

159 Graham Ave

Tuesday through Sunday, 5:30-11pm.

Saturday and Sunday for lunch 11-3pm.

We all are familiar with the New York minute. But what about the New York hour? What happens if we multiply this notorious “minute” by 60?    

We get a formerly familiar measure of time that is hustled, frantic, fleeting, and coveted. So the way we decide to spend such hours is important. Add into that equation a plethora of top-rated restaurants and a lack of time and a culinary appetite for adventure and therein lies the ultimate omnivore’s dilemma, nearly every night.  

I’ve found that the best way to solve it is to make a buffet out of a neighborhood. Plan to embark on a food-based happy hour exhibition that allows you to sample one emblematic dish from multiple destinations so that your dinner decision can be made with more confidence. Also, it’s really fucking fun. I’ve left you some breadcrumbs first through Greenpoint. Get a little taste of it below.

Greenpoint Fish and Lobster Happy Hour | Greenpoint

A fish counter with a penchant for service, this white-tiled silvery-scaled spot on Nassau Ave offers oysters for $2, beer and cider for $5, wine and cava for $6 and a full, freshly caught menu a la carte. And it makes me want to remind you that $1 oyster promotions are completely unsustainable. Places that are still offering this deal regularly are likely getting oysters from places that are farming them in a way that destroys the delicate and necessary ecosystem. So stop expecting and seeking them. At Greenpoint Fish, their passion is seeking the most responsibly harvested seafood possible, and their specials are based upon whatever there was a surplus of at the market that day. Meaning you’ll get a briney, fresh, and salty-esque exploration of the best in season, sustainably. We got 2 of each of the 3 in abundance that night, plus a couple glasses of rose. This only set us back $11 each and set us forward to embrace the remainder of these sacred hours. Their happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 2-6pm, Saturday and Sunday 4-6pm. Find them at 114 Nassau Ave.

El Born, Greenpoint | Happy Hour

The idea for a food-based happy hour crawl was based upon a trip I took to San Sebastian, where every Thursday night they have a self-guided, walking tapas-tour, each bar in the city offering one signature dish that comes with a glass of wine. Thus it was only fitting to hit my favorite Spanish restaurant in town as part of this piece. Their happy hour tapas menu lets you choose from 10 offerings (including a personal paella) plus beer, wine, sangria or vermut for $5. Plus I heard through the fermented grapevine that they’ll be introducing a Tapas Tuesday deal that will leave you with unlimited tapas for a very limited budget. Update coming soon.  

For tonight, we chose a tortilla espanola and the croquetas del dia (each for $5) and a house-made sangria, leaving satisfied and hispanophiled for $10 (plus tip!) each. Their happy hour (and so many other nightly deals) runs Monday through Friday, 3-7pm. Find them at 651 Manhattan Ave.

<

div>

Alameda, Greenpoint | Happy Hour

Alameda is the Spanish word for an urban orchard or charming tree-lined street, and this hidden gem on Franklin feels as mystical and natural as if it was grown out of the neighborhood’s natural environment and its inhabitants needs. With an ovular bar that instinctively brings people together, an imaginative cocktail list that draws you in, plus a Monday-Friday beer and a burger deal that lets you experience the best burger (and requisite worst beer) in Greenpoint for just $12, this is a place that hardly needs incentive to keep you coming back.  

Although the burger is hard to refuse, we opted instead for the oysters with a refreshing cucumber mignonette ($2 each) and a couple of tequilas on the rocks for a total of $13 each (plus tip!). The added bonus was the poured-on-site polished concrete bar, the art-deco inspired molding, the back-lit and enticing shelves of spirits and the always personable service that was hardly reflected (thus aptly tipped upon) by the meager check. Their happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 5-7pm. Find them at 195 Franklin St.

Le Fanfare, Greenpoint | Happy Hour

The atmosphere at this Italian spot in North Greenpoint feels like it should be saved for special occasions; the long communal farm tables dotted with fresh flowers makes it nearly impossible to imagine yourself and 35 very good-looking people celebrating with endless bottles of wine and big, warm plates of pasta and salty charcuterie, seductive glances and warm toasts and enough laughter to make you not even mind that the silk dress you saved just for this occasion is now dotted with marinara sauce because you’ve never been this happy at a dinner ever in your life. Just you know, as an example. However, the service, menu, and happy hour deals will remind you that you should be coming here often and making any day feel like an occasion. Every flavor combination is exquisitely curated; never too much yet deeply satisfying, it’s delicate and pure and memorable which is just the way I imagine life on the island of Sardinia to be. Their happy hour menu gives you a taste of their best starters, which is the perfect way to wet your appetite for the homemade pastas and decadent entrees on the menu.

We couldn’t help ordering something unabashedly seafaring with the mussels and also went for the stone-ground polenta to keep us grounded in some down-home Italian comfort. For $12 each we had a wine and our selected small plate while sitting around the charming round marble bar and gazing out of their floor-to-ceiling glass entryway at snippets of life passing through our favorite area of the neighborhood. Their happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 5:30-7pm. Find them at 1103 Manhattan Ave.

Naked Dog, Greenpoint | Happy Hour

The last stop on our happy hour tour took us to a quiet corner on West Street and into one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in the area. The Naked Dog is fairly unassuming; rustic-chic interior, excessively pleasant staff, unique lighting selections and an overall feeling that makes you want to stay for a while. This feels nice. This is comfortable. This seems homey. And then the food arrives and you take your first bite and you desperately feel the need to disrupt the comfort and serenity and grab the person next to you and say, what the fuck is happening right now? They are serving some of the best dishes in Brooklyn in a completely unassuming atmosphere. And their happy hour deal lets you sample the best of these flavors for just $5 a dish. We went for the burrata, the meatballs, and the fried calamari. We opted for a happy hour cocktail each, one gin-based and one tequila-based to keep our bases covered. Our 3-plate and 2-drink special put us back $12.50 each (plus tip). Their happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 5pm-7pm. Check the hours and menus here then find them at 47 Java St.

What Not To Miss

The Wedge Salad

The Mozzarella Sticks

The Burger 

Any Dessert

And Beer

Frosty mugs. Really fucking frosty. Frosty enough to etch your initials into it before you drink it. Frosty enough to make you second guess that it’s a Bell’s Two Hearted that you’re sipping on. Twice. Get a beer, any beer.