Clearing out the rest of my notes…
Grilled Lemongrass Short Rib Banh Mi Sandwich (Bunker, QNS)
with shiso, peanuts, pickled vegetable, mayo, cilantro, jalapeno, sriracha, and crab chips
Bunker is a Vietnamese restaurant located in the middle of nowhere. You can't go wrong with anything on its menu.
This appetizer is particularly delectable:
Traditional Banh Xeo (Bunker, QNS)
crispy vietnamese crepe, shrimp, bacon, egg, bean sprouts, lettuce
Num Pang is a Cambodian sandwich shop chain. You can't go wrong with anything on its menu either.
This sandwich is my favourite:
Roasted Chicken 'Chimi' Sandwich (Num Pang, NYC)
pickled apple, chili yogurt "mayo"
That the chicken is dark meat is one reason why.
Guacamole "Nam Prik Num" (Xixa, BKN)
avocado, roasted tomato, poblano, puffed rice, jicama, carrot
Oof. I should've looked up what "nam prik num" is (a Thai chile dip) before ordering this guac. It was a struggle to finish, chock-full of poblano, and injected with fish sauce and palm sugar, with no chips (or not enough puffed rice) to offset its gnarly flavour and texture. It's like a crudité from hell.
Two far more successful spins on Mexican food:
"Steak Tacos" (Xixa, BKN)
chilmole tortillas, roasted bone marrow, steak tartare, pepper marmalade
Corn Flan "Tamale" (Xixa, BKN)
blue crab, poblano-garlic cream, bell pepper
Jon's Current New York City Mexican Chip-Food Leaderboard
Chips
1. Empellón Taqueria, NYC
2. Taqueria Tlaxcalli, BRX
3. Mesa Coyoacán, BKN
Guacamole
Mesa Azteca, BKN
Nachos
Professor Thom's, NYC
Mesa Coyoacán also makes a mean steak quesadilla.
Middling curiosities:
Kimchee Carbonara (King Noodle, BKN)
bacon, doritos
Mapo Tofu Chili Cheese Fries (King Noodle, BKN)
american cheese
Pablo Escobar Hot Dog (Los Perros Locos, NYC)
salsa de piña, apple chipotle slaw, potato chips, kewpie mayo, dusting of "perico"
Popcorn Pudding (Sugar Freak, QNS)
Kugel Double Down (Scharf and Zoyer, BKN)
maple farmer's cheese, fried shallots, orange/apricot preserves
Shrimp n Grits (The Shady Lady, QNS)
andouille sausage, crispy hominy grits
The grits, as you can see, are curiously served as a crisp-on-the-outside rectangular block.
It reminded me of Chinese food.
Scuttlebutt Sandwich (Saltie, BKN)
hard-boiled egg, feta, capers, black olive, pickled vegetables, pimenton aioli
On paper, this vegetarian sandwich seems horrid, but it works!
Gold Stars
Eggplant Dip (The Dutch, NYC)
Pimento Cheese (Boxing Room, SF)
Lamburger (Landhaus, BKN)
custom blend of grass-fed lamb and pork fat-back, whipped sheep's milk feta, house-made harissa, grilled onions, and cilantro, on napoli bakery roll
Crispy Lamb Sandwich (Fritzl's Lunch Box, BKN)
yogurt, pickled beets, and onions, with spicy cilantro relish, on flatbread
Pollo Asado Taco (Los Tacos No. 1, NYC)
Jerk Chicken (Exquisite Delight, BKN)
Festival (Exquisite Delight, BKN)