Welcome to Year in Eater 2020, Eater’s annual ritual to praise the past 12 months. In the last days of 2020, Eater NY will post questions about the New York City restaurant scene last year, with responses from food writers, photographers, chefs, restaurant owners, businessmen and even some local lawmakers who helped support the industry through this extremely difficult year. Now, we ask: What was your best restaurant meal in 2020, to take away or have dinner on site?
Kat Kinsman, senior editor, Food and Wine: I’m not sure if that counts because it was sort of a random treat, but Ari Miller brought a bunch of Frizwit cheese steaks from Philadelphia to feed a bunch of us who were cleaning up a restaurant deeply and they turned my knees to justice. Locally, there is a restaurant called Domo Taco that I ordered and never went to. There was one night when I was alone for dinner and I sat at the coffee table with his Japanese nacho dumplings, five-spice pork tacos and frozen margarita, while watching The End of the F *** ing World and feeling like a human being for the first time in a long time.
Keith Powers, NYC Council member: I had a lot less dinner this year, but I had a really good dinner at Oiji, in the East Village, and good winter cocktails at Hutte, a new pop-up restaurant on the Upper East Side.
Clay Williams, food photographer and co-founder of Black Food Folks: My wife and I only had two occasions to leave after the blockade. Once at Gramercy Tavern and once on our anniversary in Haenyeo – both were incredible and made us miss a “real” dinner. In addition, we prepared Oxalis and Jeepney meal kits, which were wonderfully crafted and looked very special.
NYC editor Tae Yoon Thrillist: There’s a roast chicken dish – Pollo Nanni il Valetto – from Mark’s Off Madison that I still think about often. It comes with a sauce that is absolutely divine, I could do some pictures for breakfast.
Priya Krishna, food writer and author of the best-selling cookbook Indian: In January, Woldy Reyes and Lani Halliday held a Kamayan banquet in Ferris, where all the food was placed on a long table and eaten in community. I met so many wonderful people and all the food was so bright and vibrant. When I think of meals that remind me of the joy of dining out, I think of that one.
Victoria Lee, co-founder of a non-profit organization Welcome to Chinatown: Jing Fong’s dim sum is the best it has been this year. They also have a Jasmine Tea Lager imported from China that is only available there. Jing Fong takeaway is a staple for our team leadership meetings.
Brad Hoylman, New York state senator: The Thanksgiving dinner kit at Loring Place was phenomenal. The turkey may have been the most tender I have ever eaten and the pecan pie was truly memorable.
JJ Johnson, chef and founder, Fieldtrip: My birthday dinner with Tren’ness Woods-Black and Nikoa Evans at Le Bernardin.
Connie Chung, chef and co-owner of Milu: Red Hook Tavern. We were looking to go and the stars never lined up for our free time and making a reservation. But because of COVID, they started to deliver and we took the opportunity. Incredible burgers, delivery or not! And really delicious salads to accompany, to make the meal at least “healthier”, ha!
Gary He, writer and photographer, author of Astrolabe Newsletter: Early-stage outdoor dining at Momofuku Ko. They offered their tasting menu at half the normal price with just the hits, and it completely destroyed my body and made me forget about this year-old garbage fire for a few hours.
Mimi Sheraton, food writer, critic and cookbook author: A roast pigeon with kids and perfect oysters at the Beatrice Inn.
Nikita Richardson, senior editor of the team, NYT Food: About a month ago, I sat in the freezing cold and enjoyed the most delicious Mexican meal I had eaten in Wildair in a long time, courtesy of Fabián von Hauske Valtierra and his sometimes The Güeros pop-ups. This Milanese pie, my God.
Emma Orlow, writer for New York Times, Bon Appétit and Eater: Eating with friends I hadn’t seen for a long time on the Buddha Bodai billboard. In addition, all the travel picnics I took at the park this summer were especially joyful.
Vanessa Pham, co-founder, Omsom: I never thought I would say that … but they were tater tots. Not any old tater tots though. The little honey butter tats topped with labneh and seaweed seasoning from Nowon in the East Village are to die for. Go there for kid-friendly and upbeat hip-hop, stay for decadent Korean-inspired soul food.
Eric Adams, president of the Brooklyn neighborhood: I love the saffron stew from Ital Kitchen BK.
Carlina Rivera, NYC Council member: Atoboy was a great dining experience abroad. As for take-out food, at the beginning of the pandemic I was definitely looking for comforting food like most people. I was particularly fond of the delicious Pinks Cantina pasta, which included a chopped cheese burrito and loaded quesadilla that were definitely repeated favorites.
Joanne Kwong, president of the Pearl River Mart institution in New York and Pearl River Mart Foods: My best meal at the restaurant wasn’t exactly about the food, although it was delicious, it was more about a feeling of comfort. Our first outdoor family dining experience was at the City Diner on the Upper West Side. Since my children were young, we went to brunch after Chinese school every Saturday, often meeting friends and neighbors. During the spring and summer, my kids said they couldn’t wait for the pandemic to end so we could get back to our normal routine of eating there every weekend. It was so good when we finally got back in October. And we’ve eaten there every weekend since!
Adam Friedlander, freelance photographer at New York Times, Eater, etc.: This is the most difficult question to answer … I will say that a meal that really excited me was at Tong. I have tasted different flavors from everything I have ever tasted. The goi neu (Isan style meat tartar) and the yum pla duk fu (catfish salad) surprised me. Bonus points for being literally across the street from my apartment!
Note: some responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.