Feature
Dish and Tell
We asked our readers to spill the delicious details on what Winter Garden dishes they crave most frequently.
- Fred Lopez
Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup
Mr. J Hand-Pulled Noodle
The aroma of the beef noodle soup takes me back to China. It’s a combination of spices and fresh herbs that give the broth a deep, savory flavor. It’s not just about the noodles, but I do love being able to peek into the kitchen from the dining room and see the chef working his noodle magic for each dish.
– Kirsten Harrington
The Great Greek
Melitzanosalata
Right across the street from Bosphorus, Great Greek has this roasted eggplant salad that is creamy, has a little feta in it, a little garlic. To me, this is baba ghanouj on steroids. I have to stop myself before I blow up. Comes with fresh pita bread. That notwithstanding, I have a soft spot for Great Greek; during covid, they put up a table in front of the restaurant every Monday and gave—GAVE!—gyros away to all hospitality people who were not working.
– Blaine Nelson
Chicken Sis Kebap
Bosphorus
Marinated and grilled, I am hopelessly addicted to this chicken sis kebap. Or, as most people say, shish kebab. Bosphorus’s version seems simple enough, but it is ooooh, soooo tasty. Comes with rice pilaf and a pile of fresh carrots and beets.
– Blaine Nelson
Buffalo Beef on Weck
New York Beer Project
For Western New Yorkers this is a taste of home! For everyone else, Beef on Weck is thinly sliced, well-seasoned, juicy roast beef on a crusty kimmelweck roll—a fragrant bun made with caraway seeds and coarse salt crystals. On the side, you get a zingy horseradish sauce and a savory au jus for dipping. Everything you love about a French Dip, but with much better bread.
– Mark Schmidt
Lobster Macaroni & Cheese
The Tasting Room
I love lobster… I love pasta… and I love cheese, and this dish at The Tasting Room at the Edgewater Hotel satisfies my cravings on all fronts: the warmth, the texture, and the perfect taste never disappoint
– Jim Crescitelli
Chicken Salad Croissant
The Deli Downtown
I live for this sandwich; I could truly eat it every day. Every time I order it, I exclaim out loud, “This is the best!” I tend to favor a savory option over sweet, but the cranberries are balanced perfectly by the onion. The chicken portion is abundant, and its “wet salad” consistency binds the perfectly baked croissant halves. Just talking about it is making me smile. The Deli’s Chicken Salad Croissant genuinely makes my day better, every time.
– Tarin Scarborough
Steak Street Tacos
Tres Amigos
Ever in pursuit of taco perfection, my family loves the street tacos at Tres Amigos. The skirt steak is especially tender, the spices are spot-on, and the fresh tortillas are the best in the city. We have tried a lot of taco places in the past, but this is the one we visit over and over and over again
– Faresa Pasha
Avocado Smash
Toastique
All hail the avocado toast. Just when you thought the “it” dish lost its mojo, Toastique dials it up a notch. The avocado spread is made in-house and is simply delicious, with just the right amount of salt and pepper to make it flavorful. The toasted bread is perfectly crisp and adds a great textural contrast to the soft avocado. But it’s the sweet watermelon radish, slightly peppery micro greens and marinated tomatoes that make this dish sing. It's a tasty, satisfying, and dare-I-say nutritious dish.
– Jen Dixon
Sauce Society
Chef Paola Santagati
Any pasta lover will tell you that the best tomato
sauce is homemade — but what if it were homemade
by your Italian godmother and all you had to do was
pick it up? That’s Chef Paola Santagati, a local caterer (italiacuisineco.com) whose sauce of the month club is Winter Garden’s best kept secret. Her marinara is so addicting,I keep two jars on hand at all times.Technically, it’s not a restaurant, but what’s better than Chef Paola bringing the authentic Italian experience to your kitchen?
– Robert Pregitzer
Tom Ka Gai Coconut Soup
Thai Blossom
Whether it’s blistering hot outside or a frigid winter blast, Tom Ka Gai Coconut Soup is on regular weekly rotation. The push-and-pull tartness of lime juice, the contrast of creamy coconut milk, the lingering spice of lemongrass and chili, it’s the best version I’ve ever had anywhere, hands down. And Patcheree Cravens is simply the nicest, most humble woman you’ll ever meet. Go for the food, stay for the good company.
– Rebecca Lanterman Bradford
