The Village Voice's annual feeding frenzy known as Choice Eats returned for its 7th year with a brand new space that packed in nearly 3,000 food fanatics. The enormous new space at Basketball City didn't stop lines from forming at vendor stations but did help to ease some of the congestion felt in previous years, which goes a long way towards keeping one's sanity. The 84 restaurants on hand succeeded in their promotion of overeating—try as I might, I simply could not sample all of the food on hand. But what I did eat was, for the most part, excellent.
It's hard to pick favorites but there were a few standouts that deserve extra praise for the succulent offerings. If you didn't make it to last night's festivities—or even if you did!—I highly recommend checking out the brick-and-mortar versions of these superlative restaurants.
Broccoli Hot Dogs from Dirt Candy (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
DIRT CANDY: Considering her mastery of the vegetable, it's absolutely no surprise that Chef Amanda Cohen would create something that actually makes you giddy about broccoli. Her Broccoli Hot Dog with broccoli sauerkraut turned the stadium staple on its head while still pulling in the nostalgia factor when eating something in a soft split top bun. The deeply broccoli-flavored floret had a great chew while the veggie accoutrement added some crunch and a touch of tartness to the bite. Instead of the rote fries, Cohen served broccoli leaf "chips" coated in a salt and vinegar dust. Step aside kale—there's a new dehydrated snack food in town.
430 East 9th Street
Dark Men noodle soup from Tabata Noodle Restaurant (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
TABATA NOODLE RESTAURANT: The ramen boom shows no signs of slowing down and this Hell's Kitchen slurp shop turned out a strong contender for some of the best I've had, especially in the difficult cooking environment at these kinds of events. Their Dark Men noodle soup was packed with rich, roasted flavor from the black sesame paste used to bolster the broth. The slick of oil on top coated your lips in the way good ramen often does; the noodles were perfectly toothsome and the ground pork offered a nice kick of heat. Lovers of Tan Tan ramen should definitely seek out a bowl of this next-level sesame soup.
540 9th Avenue
Atomic Mac & Cheese from Queens Comfort (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
QUEENS COMFORT: It's built right into the name that what you eat at this Astoria joint will make you feel all warm and cozy inside. It might also set your mouth on fire if you're eating their Atomic Mac & Cheese, a devilishly spicy version unlike anything your mommy ever made. Traditional elbow noodles are enveloped in a healthy shot of cheddar and fontina plus what must be quite a bit of sriracha judging from the mouth burn. I'm not complaining, I can take the heat, especially when the whole mess is topped with some cooling ranch dressing. Lily gilding? Mayhaps. But still pretty freaking great.
4009 30th Avenue, Astoria
Smoked Brisket from Mable's (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
MABLE'S SMOKEHOUSE: I mean just look at that work of art right there—how could that not be incredible? If you eat meat there's no way you could be disappointed by paying this Williamsburg hall a visit. The brisket was fall apart tender with an incredible smoke flavor and will you please just look at that incredible crust? Best just to leave work and head over immediately; your boss will understand.
44 Berry Street, Williamsburg
Liver Pate from Distilled (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
DISTILLED: The mad geniuses in the kitchen at this haute Tribeca pub have created "crackers" made from chicken skin; it may sound a little bonkers but it works so well. The crackers have an intense chicken flavor and, while crisp, also have that luscious fattiness that makes chicken skin so incredible. Paired with the earthy, creamy pate made from chicken liver, it's like getting all the best parts of the bird. I watched as one skeptical diner went from fear, to confusion, to joy in the span of just 20 seconds. Similar skeptics should give this dish a try with one of the bar's glasses of heady mead.
211 West Broadway
Chicken 65 from Chandni Restaurant (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
CHANDNI RESTAURANT: If the bright red color didn't already give it away, this succulent chicken dish is spicy. It's less instant tongue-searing and more back of the throat peppery, with a slow creep that takes you by surprise. If heat isn't your scene, the excellent chicken tikka masala is a safe and delicious bet, as was their Chicken Biryani, a super flavorful rice dish flavored with spices and nuts.
13 West 29th Street
Honorable Mentions: Siberian style dumplings from Bear; Sausage, Jalapeno and Cheese kolache from Brooklyn Kolache Co.; Indian Sloppy Joes from Devi; Shanghai Dumplings from Mooncake Foods; and Burnt Ends from Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue.
