NYC’s Tastiest Winter Stews
Chefs can’t seem to get enough of classic comfort foods nowadays, from crispy-skinned Roast Chicken to Mashed Potatoes and Mac & Cheese. And now that it’s winter, restaurants are turning their attention towards highly refined (but no less soul-satisfying), slow-simmered stews – from the Toulouse-style Cassoulet at Mountain Bird in Harlem to the Blanquette de Veau at Le Philosophe in NoHo and the rustic Wild Boar Spezzatino at Bar Corvo in Brooklyn!
Mountain Bird's Cassoulet
As the name suggests, this new Harlem restaurant specializes in poultry of all sorts, from a Moulard Duck Duo and Turkey Leg Goulash to a section called “Head to Toe,” where patrons choose from a selection of unusual bites, like a Chicken Combs Cutlet with Honey Mustard and a Duck Heart on a Garlic Herb Roll. But if you’re really looking to chow down on fowl, order the special Mountain Bird Cassoulet; a meaty assortment of Turkey Sausage and Bacon, Duck Leg and Gizzard Confit, and Chicken Coxcombs, cooked down low and slow with Spanish Onions, Young Carrots, and tender White Beans.
Read MoreLe Philosophe's Blanquette de Veau
This charming French bistro is committed to modernizing obscenely rich, butter and cream-laden warhorses, like Tournedos Rossini, Duck a l’Orange, and Lobster Thermidor. Chef Matthew Aita (formerly of Jean-Georges and Daniel) even manages to add a certain lightness to Blanquette de Veau (a traditional, white sauce-slathered ragout), in which the Veal Breast, Carrots, Radishes and Potatoes arrive nestled in a reduction that owes just as much to Lemon Juice, Celery Salt and Chilies as it does Veal Stock, Egg Yolk and Crème Fraiche.
Read MoreUncle Boons' Curry
Two former Per Se cooks serving regional, affordable Thai food? We were fans of Uncle Boons from the get-go. And any one of their dynamic, flavorful, and sinus-clearing Curries are ideal for warding off the winter chill, like “Khao Soi Kaa Kai,” Northern Style Golden Curry with Egg Noodles, Chicken Leg and Coconut Milk, “Kanom Jiin Jaa,” Red Curry over Rice Noodles with Kabocha Squash, Steamed Egg and Pickled Mustard Greens, and “Massaman Neuh,” Boneless Beef Ribs with Potato, Red Onion, Peanuts and Green Peppercorn.
Read MoreBar Corvo's Spezzatino
This younger, hipper little sister to the revered Park Slope trattoria, al di la, serves many of the dishes the original is known for (like Malfatti, Chittara Neri, and Farro Salad), with subtle substitutions and tweaks. And in essence, Bar Corvo’s homey Wild Boar Spezzatini, an Italian beef stew, is the perfect counterpoint to its predecessor’s famed Braised Rabbit, cooked down with aromatics like Roasted Baby Turnip, Carrots, Celery and Red Onion and served (like the Rabbit) over melting Polenta.
Read MoreThe Cleveland's Cioppino
What’s not to love about that San Francisco specialty, Cioppino, fresh-off-the-boat Shellfish deposited in a bowl of Tomato and White Wine-based Broth? And we’re really digging the spicy Seafood Stew at The Cleveland in Nolita; think Mussels, Scallops, Shrimp and interestingly, even bouncy little Chickpeas, all cooked together with chunky, Chile Pepper-tinged Tomatoes.
Read MoreChina Blue's Lamb Stew
This new offshoot of the Michelin-starred Café China concentrates on the cuisine of Shanghai (its sibling is devoted to peppercorn and chile-laced Sichuan fare). Look for regional staples, like Smoked Carp Suzhou Style, Radish and Clam Soup, “Lion’s Head” Meatballs and a fragrant, cumin-dusted Lamb Stew, served family-style from a sizzling clay pot.
Read MoreNortheast Kingdom's Coq au Vin
A highly traditional French dish (literally, its roots are traced all the way back to the reign of Julius Caesar), Coq au Vin is generally made with stringy Rooster, slow braised into suppleness with Burgundy Wine. But at this forage-to-table spot in Brooklyn (where the owner gathers many of the ingredients used from the woods, valleys and farms upstate), they serve Pastured Chicken instead, dotted with Mushrooms and deposited on a bed of creamy Polenta. Besides, this is one of our favorite comfort food havens come winter.
Read MoreTortilleria Nixtamal's Pozole
Pozole is often classified as a soup, but when the beloved Mexican dish comes jam-packed with savory goodies, like the version at Queens favorite Tortilleria Nixtamal, we say it eats more like a stew. Their clean-tasting Pork Broth is merely a jumping off point for hunks of fatty Pernil and pearls of chewy Hominy (maize kernels treated with lye), and do-it-yourself garnishes include Raw Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Oregano, fresh Lime and of course, a pair of crispy Fried Tortillas, made on site in the bustling, adjoining factory.
Read More
Check out My Book – Try This
