Run by Lima native and chef Alejandro Rojas, who goes by Alex, Jora has been running strong for 10 years. I sat inside with a friend, though there’s an outdoor patio ideal for sipping cocktails on a warm summer day.

Chef Rojas gave us a thorough rundown of the menu, and I began to notice a pattern. He would identify one dish as being the way that one would eat it in Peru and follow it with a very similar dish that he would describe as a modern variation on the classic. Following his lead, we ordered the Nikkei tuna ceviche, the ceviche clasico, the veal heart and hanger steak anticuchos, the pastel de choclo (a creamy custard-like cornbread “pudding”), the causa croquettes, the grilled corn causa and a trio of empanadas.

While waiting for our plethora of dishes to come out, we grabbed a cocktail, the majority of which are pisco-based. Similar to brandy, the grape-derived liquor is the national spirit of Peru.

As we sipped, plates that looked like paintings began to come out. The menu recommends diners order family style, and as each dish was placed on our table, that concept made total sense. The portions here are large enough to share without being overwhelming.

The causa croquettes immediately stood out to me, mainly because fried food was simply calling to me after a few sips of my boozy cocktail. Three blocks of panko-breaded fried potato puree with aji amarillo sat in a base of huancaina sauce, a spicy Peruvian cheese sauce, with a sprinkling of plump crispy corn kernels and olive dust. The fried potato squares are topped with a creamy smoked chicken salad and finished with bright green herbs. This spicy, salty dish is ideal for pairing with one of Jora’s many pisco cocktails.

The other causa dish ordered was the grilled corn causa, arguably the prettiest plate of the evening. The vibrant purple potato puree had an Asian flair with sesame and togarashi mayo.

The tasting of empanadas included lomito (beef stir-fry), aji de gallina (chicken) and choclo (quinoa and mozzarella). The pastries were topped with powdered sugar. Rojas explained that topping empanadas with powdered sugar is the typical Peruvian way, giving just a kiss of sweetness to an otherwise savory bite.

Anticuchos, a popular Peruvian street snack, are typically made with veal heart, which Jora offers, but a hanger steak variety is on the menu as well. I tried both, and the traditional veal heart won my vote.

But when it came to the ceviche, where I tried both ceviche clasico (made with fish, lime, toasted corn, red onion and cilantro) and the more modernized Nikkei tuna ceviche (made with yellowfin tuna, wonton crisps, jicama, lotus, yuzu and sesame leche de tigre), the modernized tuna ceviche blew the traditional out of the water. The sesame perfumed the table, enticing our senses before we even dug in. My friend and I collectively agreed that the Nikkei tuna ceviche was the best bite of the day … until we had dessert.

Despite being stuffed silly, it was my friend’s birthday, so dessert was a nonnegotiable. Along with two espresso martinis, we ordered a coffee-infused tres leches, with the natural bitterness from the coffee complementing the generally cloying dessert. But, the dish I will come back for time and time again was the lucuma ice cream with rainbow fig cookies. The ice cream is made from the lucuma fruit, which is dry on its own and therefore often offered in a powdered or juiced form. It has strong notes of caramel, sweet potato and even avocado. It almost reminded me of a papaya-avocado hybrid, but in ice cream form. The dense ice cream with the chewiness of the caramelized fig cookies and crunchy colorful sprinkles made for one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long while. It also further proved that Jora’s exceptionally beautiful plates of food have flavors to match.

• Address: 47-46 11th St, Queens, N.Y. 11101
• Phone: (718) 392-2033
• Hours: Monday-Thursday 12 p.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 12 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
• Prices: Ceviches/Causas $16-$26; Piqueos $5-$21; Mains $24-$32; Sides $6-$9; Sweets $5-$10
• Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Revelie only just opened last year, but it seems the secret might be out already. I walked in around 1:30 p.m. on a Wednesday and was lucky to snag the last booth in the small space. To enter, you must pass through a red curtain.

The vibe immediately feels like a classic diner: cushioned bar stools, tiled floors, with condiments and salt and pepper shakers on every table. The lunch offerings are simple, with soups, salads and sandwiches like croque monsieur — a grilled ham and Swiss sandwich that often also comes with a Mornay sauce — croque madame (a monsieur with a fried egg on top) and a BLT.

The menu also includes some veg-forward sides like haystack zucchini and sweet potato fries, two types of burgers (one classic and one green chile) and mains like moules frites and hachi parmentier (the French version of shepherd’s pie).

I ordered a large spread: a patty melt, lobster roll, warm goat cheese salad, French onion soup and the leek vinaigrette. When I told my server of my choices, he gave me the gold star of approval and told me that had I not ordered the patty melt, he would’ve made sure I did. He also noted that the fries here are addictive, so I threw in an order of those, as well.

I started with the French onion soup. As I dug into the cheesy crouton to get to the broth, and started to wonder if I’d ever get there. They do not shy away from the cheese in the French onion soup here, something I’m certainly not angry about. It could possibly be the longest cheese pull in the borough of Manhattan, and I’d happily put my money on it if such a competition were to ever arise. The broth is fragrant, salty, and on the thinner side. There were noticeably fewer onions than past French onion soups I’ve consumed, and it seemed almost as though they’d melted down into the broth, creating the ultimate flavor bomb. The gooey cheese, soaked soggy bread, and aromatic broth made for one hearty layered soup.

The leek vinaigrette topped with hazelnuts is simply melt-in-your-mouth. But the warm goat cheese salad won my heart for the veggie of choice. It might not sound like a game changer using warm goat cheese instead of cold crumbles like most spots do, but in doing so, Revelie takes a basic salad and adds depth and texture — and the kind of comfort that can only come from eating warm cheese.

Sticking with the cheese theme, it was time for the patty melt. As the waiter set the plate down, I witnessed cheese oozing from the sides, confirming my theory that cheese reigns at Revelie. My advice? Get a side of crisp, crinkle-cut fries to make a little DIY cheese fry. The patty melt, served on sourdough rye, is loaded with onions, beef and (to reiterate) lots and lots of cheese.

The lobster roll, which is available for lunch or dinner, is served with golden house-made potato chips on the side. I added some crushed chips to my roll for a little extra texture.

For my inevitable return to Revelie, I’ll make sure to plan for a Friday to try the sole francese, a blue plate special that looks most tempting.

• Address: 179 Prince St, New York, N.Y. 10012
• Phone: (212) 696-1917
• Hours: Monday-Tuesday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Wednesday-Friday 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Prices: Breakfast $12-$26; Lunch: Soup & Salad $14-$32; Appetizers $13-$21; Burgers $17-$21; Mains $28-$34; Sandwiches $18-$21; Omelette All Day $21; Sides $6-$9; Dinner Mains $28-$34; Rotating blue plate specials $26-$36
• Takeout available, walk-ins only.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

“I was going to text you the same thing,” he quickly responded.

The dip that continued to live rent-free in our heads was the spicy feta dip from Amali, a small Mediterranean restaurant on E. 60th St. in Manhattan. The neighborhood haunt certainly feels like a true hidden gem, with a small sign and an easy to miss entryway, but I sure am glad I found it.

Our meal started with complimentary koulouri, a circular-shaped bread completely covered in sesame seeds, served alongside a tangy, herb-forward whipped feta butter. While looking over the menu with a hefty appetite in tow, my dining partner and I realized we could go one of two routes: shareables or stick-to-your-own-lane. With dips galore, a competitive selection of fresh pasta, and too many tempting mains to narrow down, we agreed that shared plates were the correct route for Amali.

Upon seeing the spicy feta dip on the menu, I wasn’t particularly interested and was considering the spring pea labneh instead. It’s one of my favorite cheeses, with a tanginess similar to Greek yogurt but a consistency thick enough to remind you you’re eating cheese. But our server highly encouraged us to go for the spicy feta dip instead, so I trusted his advice.

It looked like a big schmear of cheese with bright green jalapeños on top, served with grilled bread. I don’t think there was even a speck of food left on our plate by the time we were done. We quite literally wiped it clean, and our conversation quickly halted after our first bite. The pistachios added an earthiness to the salty cheese, and it was rounded out with a subtle sweetness from the honey. The dip alone is reason to return to Amali, but our meal didn’t stop there.

We also got oysters and a sunchoke salad. It’s not every day you see sunchokes on a menu, and it should be noted that you might not see them when you visit Amali; the menu rotates seasonally. Regardless, sunchokes are one of my favorite root vegetables, falling perfectly between the lines of creamy and sturdy. The addition of pomegranates brightened the heavy, starchy veg, and were executed with such care that they made me feel I could trust in any veg Amali serves. The oysters, which were four bucks a pop, were salty and plump, and it felt quite appropriate to be slurping down aphrodisiacs in such a dimly lit establishment. Fetch me a martini while you’re at it, too.

For mains, we split fresh cappelletti and lamb with baby turnips. The cappelletti was heartily stuffed with shredded short ribs and meticulously plated. The lamb was perfectly pink inside, creating a tender, buttery cut of meat. Speaking of butter, the roasted baby turnips it came with had a pretty similar texture to room temp butter — soft enough to cut with a spoon, but still with a toothsome chew.

And what’s a proper date night on the Upper East Side without dessert? We went for the Basque cheesecake. With its signature burnt top and decadently creamy, airy body, it was so smooth that my friend compared it to creme brûlée.

Amali’s atmosphere matches its cuisine. It possesses an unpretentious elegance that feels modern but somehow still old-school New York. It can be tough to find a good eatery in this area, but Amali is a friendly reminder that if you look hard enough, there are true hidden dining gems everywhere in New York City.

• Address: 115 E 60th St., New York, N.Y. 10022
• Phone: (212) 339-8363
• Hours: Monday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10:30 p.m.; Thursday-Friday 12-3 p.m. and 5-10:30 p.m.; Saturday 12 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Prices: Prices: Mezze: $14-$54; Appetizers $4-$32; Fresh pasta $28-$38; Entrees $32-$56; Entrees for Two: $110-M/P; Sides $14; Lunch Sandwiches $22-$26; Lunch Salads: $26-$34; Simply Grilled $26-M/P
• Takeout and delivery available; reservations accepted

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Established in November 2019 with a location in the East Village, Nowon’s popularity allowed owner and Chef Jae Lee to open a second location in Bushwick. Constantly on a hunt for a good burger in New York, Nowon was recommended to me more times than I can count for their “legendary cheeseburger,” made with two smash patties, roasted kimchi, pickles, onion, kimchi special sauce and American cheese ($21). Chef Jae tells me the inspiration behind it was a Big Mac.

Motivation to try the burger would be the reason I finally made it to Nowon, but the other dishes would end up standing out just as much, if not more. I arrived at the sprawling Brooklyn location and met with Chef Jae, who confirmed Nowon is named after a district in Seoul. We get into a deep talk about Korean-style pizza. Nowon’s Bushwick location inherited a wood-fired oven from the location’s previous Italian restaurant, and instead of getting rid of it, Chef Jae incorporated pizza in the menu, similar to the kind he ate growing up. Mental note made: must order pizza.

The menu has a nice mix of American-style dishes, maybe even slightly Italian-influenced, all with a signature Korean twist. I ordered the whipped ricotta toast, Nowon fried chicken, broccolini a la “Caesar,” “chopped cheese” rice cakes, honey garlic butter extraordinary tots, Kinda Korean Margherita pizza, and the legendary cheeseburger. While I initially decided against it, it seems like the best way to get a taste of Nowon’s innovative menu is to go for one of their “mixtapes” tasting menus. For $39 a person, you can get a five-course meal, and for $49 a person, you can get a seven-course meal.

I started with the whipped ricotta toast and the broccolini a la “Caesar.” The bread used for the ricotta toast was soft, and the whipped ricotta was luxurious. The addition of the chili oil on top added just enough texture and crunch, with a subtle hint of heat. The broccolini was speckled with something crunchy, which Chef Jae confirmed were candied anchovies. Now that’s a salad I can get behind.

Everything I ate at Nowon was stellar, and choosing a favorite dish seems like an impossible feat. But if I had to narrow it down, it’s got to be the chopped cheese rice cakes. Chewy, tubular rice cakes, or tteok, are loaded with gooey, meaty ground beef, completely covered in Parmesan, and sprinkled with some jalapenos. It’s certainly not the lightest dish, but it’d be a mistake not to leave room for this fusion of Korean bar food and New York’s favorite bodega bite.

The burger is a thing of beauty. Before trying it, I could understand why it’s so popular just by looking at it. It looks almost cartoonish, perfectly stacked on a sesame-studded bun. The taste rose to the level of its good looks. The addition of kimchi is what makes it a true standout.

The pizza was equally exciting. The dough is made with rice flour, giving it a nice chew, and the sauce has a hint of gochujang, giving it a nice layer of depth and heat. Instead of olive oil, Nowon uses scallion oil, adding a slight zing. It’s piled high with burrata, and Chef Jae explains tofu and burrata are actually quite similar. They’re both often served cold, they’re both the same color, and they both have a soft texture. And since tofu and gochujang are a common pairing in Korea, he didn’t see why burrata wouldn’t sub in for soy. I can confirm; he’s onto something here.

Overall, the vibe of Nowon is light, fun, and relaxed. It’s a great place to grab a drink and split a few bites with a friend, and is an inarguably modern take on Korean-American pub fare with flavors up to match.

• Address: 436 Jefferson St, Brooklyn, N.Y. and 507 E. Sixth St., New York, N.Y.
• Phone: (718) 971-9636
• Hours: Monday-Thursday 5 p.m.-11 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Saturday 12 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-11 p.m.
• Prices: “Mixtapes” Tasting Menu: E.P. (5 courses) $39, The Classic (7 courses) $49; Starters $13-$21; Classics $11-$27; Wood-Fired Pizza $20-$26
• Takeout and delivery available; reservations accepted.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

A friend who lives in the Brooklyn neighborhood told me about Little Grenjai. The eatery is on the smaller side, in typical New York fashion. I take a seat near a window, situated right next to the coffee counter.

I start off with the crab rangoon. The crispy pastry filled with a creamy crab concoction is the Thai equivalent of the mozzarella stick — by which I mean it’s a greasy starter that won’t change your life, per se, but will also rarely let you down. The ones at Little Grenjai started my meal off on the right (crispy and slightly greasy) foot.

Chef Trevor Lombaer, who hails from Chicago, insists I try the holy basil pork stir fry, or pad kra pao. Twist my arm, Chef. But the elephant in the room is, why is a dude named Trevor from Chicago cooking up Thai food in Bed-Stuy?

Turns out, his wife and co-owner, Sutathip Aiemsaard, would have a bit of influence on that. Years back, Lombaer booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok to learn about Thai cuisine. There he met Aiemsaard. It was love at first sight — or, in this case, at first bite, since the couple fell in love over holy basil pork stir fry. They continued to travel around Southeast Asia and eventually all over the world.

After globe-trotting, they settled in Bed-Stuy. They tell me they wanted Little Grenjai in this neighborhood specifically because they felt Bed-Stuy needed it. While it took a long time to find the space, they weren’t willing to compromise on location by opening the restaurant anywhere else.

Fast-forward to the present, and here I am, trying the dish they fell in love over. It comes out with a fried duck egg, with crispy edges and a perfectly gooey golden yolky center. After one bite, I think, I could probably fall in love over this dish, too. It’s spicy, fragrant, and the little kicks of vinegar from what Aiemsaard refers to as “crack sauce.” It’s made with fish sauce, lime and chili, and it cuts the fattiness of the pork nicely.

I happened to visit Little Grenjai the day they added pad thai to the menu. Though rarely my first choice when eating Thai food, I had to try theirs. I added shrimp, and it was indeed a satisfying dish, with chewy noodles, crunchy spiced nuts, succulent shrimp, and no shortage of scallions or bean sprouts.

A dish that’s a merge of the couple’s identities and a true symbol of their love is the krapow smash burger, which is available only for lunch. They have innovatively taken all of the elements of the holy basil pork stir fry pork and put it between sesame buns. I was admittedly skeptical when I heard it had a blend of both beef and pork, but that burger is a fusion dish I would endorse for president of all fusion dishes. It has great heat with the addition of a Thai-inspired giardiniera, fresh basil and American cheese to tie it all together.

I went in for lunch, but their dinner menu offers alternative dishes, like a crispy sea bass with sour mango salad ($36) and a grilled, dry-aged pork chop ($48).

As I got ready to leave, completely stuffed, I had just one more question for the charming couple. What does “Little Grenjai” mean?

“’Grenjai’ means to be compassionate and considerate. But ‘Little Grenjai’ is kind of poking fun at that concept, because we’re only a Little Grenjai,” Aiemsaard says with a smirk. “My kitchen, my rules.”

• Address: 477 Gates Ave, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216
• Phone: N/A
• Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:45 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:45 p.m.
• Prices: Lunch $8-$17; Dinner $4-$48
• Takeout available; reservations accepted for dinner

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Opened in 2016 by Chef Dawa, who was born in Tibet but raised in Nepal, and her father Ngodup, Dawa’s is a plant-filled oasis serving up modernized takes on traditional Tibetan cuisine. The menu is separated into American dishes and Himalayan-inspired dishes, and while there are plenty of tempting offerings on the American side, the Himalayan-inspired menu easily outranks it.

For example, sure, the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich on the American menu sounds great, but why not go for Jhasha Khatsa instead? The dish consists of chicken that’s been marinated for 12 hours in ginger, garlic and soy sauce, then battered and deep fried. It’s served with fermented chili paste gravy and a steamed whole wheat bun.

And hey, who doesn’t love a good pancake? While the American side of the menu offers homemade pancakes with berries and syrup, the Himalayan side offers black lentil pancakes (bara) with their chicken sekuwa dish, a Nepalese BBQ-style chicken.

I popped in on a Saturday afternoon and opted for two dishes from the Himalayan menu: the chili cauliflower and the familiar, beloved momo. For the momo, I was given the option of a filling of either chicken or beef, and I opted for chicken. Don’t expect your Jackson Heights styrofoam-packed street food-style momos here.

Dawa’s plating of these dumplings, in a tomato fenugreek broth topped with fresh herbs, is almost too pretty to eat — keyword: almost. The broth is bright, silky and refreshing, almost like a gazpacho. I don’t usually opt for chicken as a dumpling filling because it is often dry, but the chicken here was anything but and quite tender.

My server had warned me the chili cauliflower was spicy. While I’m often warned of spice, I seldom find it true, though admittedly it takes a five-alarm fire to set my internal sirens off. When the dish came out, it certainly looked spicy with its bright red complexion along the battered pieces of cauliflower, but the heat was subtle and came on like a slow burn. The cauliflower was accompanied by big, chunky vegetables in a broth that reminded me of a chili-spiked tomato sauce. On the side, there was sticky purple rice that had a slight funk to it. While I ordered the momos due to sheer familiarity, this is the dish I would return for again and again.

I’m already pining my return to try their thenthuk, a hand pulled Tibetan noodle served in a beef bone marrow broth with spiced fermented soybean chili paste, and riki kur, a sherpa potato flatbread served with a green chili spread.

While you can stick to what you know with grass-fed beef burgers, chicken wings and even a kale salad, you’d be remiss to not order something less familiar, especially from a cuisine that generally gets overlooked. My advice is don’t go alone like I did. Grab some friends, order an array of dishes to get a proper sampling of the menu, and share them among each other, ideally with a cocktail in hand from their bustling bar menu.

• Address: 51-18 Skillman Ave, Woodside, NY 11377
• Phone: 718-899-8629
• Hours: Wednesday-Monday 12 p.m.-10 p.m; closed Tuesdays
• Prices: American Dishes $2-$30; Essential Goods $6-$15; Sides $5-$7; Himalayan-inspired dishes $10-$20; Small bites $7-$13; Dessert $8-$11
• Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Veering slightly from the traditional recipes, the brigadeiros at Brigadeiro Bakery come in a wide variety of flavors, like pistachio, dulce de leche and banana cinnamon. You can still get the classic chocolate brigadeiro, and after trying several of these pop-in-your-mouth sweet treats on various occasions, my vote for my favorite still goes to the OG. Hey, maybe it’s just nostalgia from my trip, but the milk chocolate is an ode to life’s simple pleasures. It’s almost like a cake pop without the cake — a chocolatey, sprinkled-covered frosting pop, if you will.

Brazilian-born Mariana Vieira is the woman behind bringing such a specific treat to New York. Hailing from Bauru, she studied culinary arts at Anhembi Morumbi in São Paulo before making her way to the States. She would often bring people brigadeiros as a gesture, and the reaction was positive across the board. This inspired her to start a blog about the treats, which would eventually lead to her first large order. Vieira got a call in 2012 from Macy’s to place an order of 1,000 brigadeiros. That was the catalyst for turning her hobby into an official business.

Fast forward to December 2014: Brigadeiro Bakery is born. While there’s no denying the star of the show is Vieira’s rotating range of brigadeiros, they also serve up yet another Brazilian specialty: pão de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread. The incredibly fluffy and soft bread comes absolutely loaded with sharp Brazilian cheese. Naturally gluten-free, pāo de queijo is made with yucca flour and has a nice stretch and toothsome chew. You can get the buns on their own, but for a real cheese overload, get a pāo de queijo cheese sandwich, where the bread is sliced in half and filled with even more creamy, tangy cheese.

There are a few different ways to try brigadeiros here. You could go for a slice of brigadeiro cake, where you can choose from flavors like classic chocolate or their super moist carrot cake (which is all prepped in a blender). For a fix on a chilly day, the brigadeiro hot chocolate is a must. While brigadeiros are naturally already quite sweet, the hot chocolate can only be described as over-the-top decadence. The rim is made with a thick “frosting,” which, true to form, is covered in sprinkles. If you need something to balance all the sugar you’re bound to consume in your visit, the bakery also makes their own coffee blend and serves a variety of tea and Brazilian sodas.

Address: 156 Sullivan St., New York, NY 10012

Phone: (917)-328-2571

Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Prices: Brigadeiros start at a minimum of three per order for $7.50; Cake slices and jars $9; Boxed brigadeiros $36 to $124; Whole cakes $90; Pao de queijo $3.50; pao de queijo sandwich $5.50

Takeout and delivery available; no reservations (limited seating). Delivery available nationwide on GoldBelly.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations:

Tucked just underneath the Pulaski Bridge entrance from Brooklyn to Queens, Manetta’s, established in 1992, remains a family-run staple in what has undoubtedly become a trendy neighborhood. I knew Manetta’s was a gem the day I moved into my new apartment nearby. I peered through the windows and saw families, undistracted by cell phones, gathered around tables spread generously with big plates of pasta and pizza. Upon entering, I saw a display of Italian products available for sale, like anchovy paste, handmade cookies and trofie pasta.

That first time in, I ordered carbonara to go. As I took breaks from unpacking, I found comfort in those chewy, unctuous noodles, coated in the eggy, cheesy sauce.

I’d continue to order from Manetta’s again and again over the years, but it wasn’t until I was moving away that I would finally dine in at my most beloved neighborhood takeout joint.

I didn’t hesitate to order the sausage and broccoli rabe pie. I’d enjoyed it years before, but I needed to know if it really was better in-house, as I’d been told. I also ordered the trofie pesto and pappardelle della nonna, which boasts homemade pasta and a porcini mushroom ragu.

The ‘za came out first, and when I took a bite, I could confirm that it was definitely better in-house. The cheese blended so seamlessly into the dough that it almost tasted like butter on bread. With thick, caramelized slices of garlic throughout, I had to physically stop myself from eating it all, only because I knew I had pasta on the way.

One of the initial reasons I was drawn back to Manetta’s was because of their trofie, a pasta varietal that’s wildly underrated. The tightly wound spirals have origins in Liguria and are most commonly served with pesto. That makes sense since pesto is from Genoa, Liguria’s largest city. Manetta’s knows not to mess with tradition. When the trofie came out, I noticed dabs of what looked like cubed butter on top of the pasta. I went to touch one, and when I felt the sponginess, I knew instantly it was fontina, a light buttery cow’s milk cheese.

The fresh pappardelle, which is made in house, has that signature chew of fresh pasta. Loaded with meaty mushrooms in a marsala-like sauce, the dish gave me the vibes of eating a vegetarian version of wild boar ragu, popular in Tuscany.

What’s a good sendoff meal without dessert? The ricotta cheesecake at Manetta’s is made by RoseAnne Manetta, one of the two sisters who run the joint. (The other, Lisa, helped advise me on what to order.)

The orange zest brightens the dense creamy cake. Despite how much I managed to consume before dessert, I almost wiped the plate clean. If plain ricotta isn’t your thing, there is a selection of rotating cheesecake flavors available on special, from blueberry lemon to pumpkin.

When I talk about my favorite restaurants in New York, I don’t often mention Manetta’s. That’s not because I don’t cherish it but because, to me, it was just a neighborhood joint. But as I wave goodbye to my home for the past several years, one that saw me through law school and so many career changes and life phases, I find myself reflecting on the places that served me comfort. And whether it came from a pizza box, a black takeout container, or at a table bathed in the sunlight, I could always find comfort at Manetta’s.

Address: 10-76 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101

Phone: (718) 786-6171

Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 3:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.; closed Sundays

Prices: Appetizers $12 to $19; salads $9 to $14; entrees $18 to $36; parms $19 to $26; pizza $14 to $21; pasta $18 to $26; fish $25 to $30; contorni (sides) $4 to $12

Takeout and delivery available; Reservations accepted, encouraged on weekends

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Akara House stands out amid the mainly Trinidadian restaurants surrounding it. There was a Nigerian flag hanging outfront and a sign that read “Nigerian restaurant,” pointing me to the right place.

Upon walking in, I was greeted by owner Funso Akinya. The space is tiny, bright and fairly no-frills. A few walls are painted with colorful mural-like artwork. There is enough space for five people to eat inside, and even that makes it quite crowded.

Akara House is an entirely vegetarian establishment, as akara is a naturally vegan dish. The word “akara” comes from the Yoruba word for “pastry.” (Nigeria has over 300 ethnic groups who speak more than 500 languages, with Yoruba among the three largest.)

It’s made with ewa oloyin, or Nigerian honey beans, and Funso tells me that, to his knowledge, they’re the only Nigerian restaurant in New York that starts the process from scratch.

They boil the Nigerian honey beans, then peel and mash them into a light, slightly gritty paste. The entire process takes four to five hours.

The mashed akara is shaped and fried before being piled high onto a sandwich with a plethora of toppings. Between a pillowy soft potato bun, you’ll find the fried akara nestled within plantains, avocado, onion, tomato, cucumber, mayo and cheese. Open that jaw wide, because it’s a fat bite.

I couldn’t wait to dig in, but true to my nature, I first asked if they had anything spicy to add to the sandwich. Funso gave me a side of Akara House’s homemade hot sauce.

One bite in, I looked at Funso and said, “This reminds me of a vegetarian Filet-O-Fish!” He laughed, and said that reaction is common. Ironically, Funso’s first job upon moving to New York City from Nigeria in 1998 was at McDonald’s.

The fresh vegetables on the sandwich add a necessary crispness, and the American cheese, which can be subbed for a vegan slice, brings it all together.

If fried sandwiches aren’t so much your thing, you can go opt for some moi moi and jollof rice instead. The moi moi, which is a soft steamed bean pudding, certainly doesn’t disappoint. However, I personally prefer my Nigerian honey beans in fried mock Filet-O-Fish form.

• Address: 642 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216
• Phone: (929) 610-3732
• Hours: Monday 12 p.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Wednesday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Closed Sundays
• Prices: House Veggie Burgers & Meals $10.50-$22; Sandwich Toppings $.50-$1; Smoothies $6-$7.50; House Sides $5.20-$11
• Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

No Fork was opened by Veton Sinani in June 2021. Following in the footsteps of his father, who ran restaurants for 40 years back home in Kosovo, Veton began helping his dad at just 12 years old. His eyes light up as he tells me about working with his father, particularly when he mentions a special sauce on a type of sandwich that could be found only in Kosovo. When he came to New York at the age of 21, he kept searching for that sandwich and its familiar sauce to no avail.

That search sparked a new dream — to open the first U.S. spot to serve his favorite Kosovar sandwich. Veton tells me it was important to him that he establish the business in the Bronx because he felt the community would support it. And because his location is so close to Arthur Ave., he added pizza to the menu.

After hearing the excitement in his voice as he recounted No Fork’s history, I simply couldn’t wait to try the store’s signature sandwich. It’s served hot, with toasted bread stuffed with smoked beef prosciutto, mozzarella and that signature house-made sauce. At $12.99, it’s a steal; it’s massive, filling and served with fries.

Despite being jam-packed with toppings, the sandwich is a light bite while still being incredibly satisfying. The sauce immediately reminds me of the special sauce from In-N-Out; it’s the same color, has a slight tang, and is versatile enough to put on just about anything savory.

I wanted to try other menu items, so I ordered a sausage pide — a traditional Turkish flatbread — and the Fork-et About It pizza, made with beef sausage, beef prosciutto (there are no pork products served here), mushrooms and mozzarella. I am a sucker for pide and hadn’t had one since my Istanbul trip back in 2022, so out of all of the dishes I ordered, I was most excited about this one.

Luckily, it lived up to my expectations. The pide at No Fork is a cheese lover’s dream. The dough is crisp, and it’s topped with tons of salty hunks of feta, stringy melted mozz and a healthy sprinkling of oregano.

As for the pizza, don’t expect a classic Italian pie by any means. The crust is thin, crispy and completely covered in sesame seeds, which add a nice nuttiness. I may or may not have shamelessly eaten a slice out of the box on my subway ride home.

So if you’re a curious cat like me, and you, too, have ever wondered, “What do people eat in Kosovo?” a visit to No Fork in the Bronx is in order.

• Address: 612 Crescent Ave, Bronx, N.Y. 10458
• Phone: (347) 654-5807
• Hours: Saturday-Thursday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-12 a.m.
• Prices: Sandwiches $10.99-$12,99; 12-inch pizzas $10.99-$14.99; Samuna $10.99-$12.99; Turkish pide $10.99-$11.99; Sides $3.99-$7.99
• Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to Kaitlyn with your recommendations at nomannomad.net@gmail.com.