[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

The fresh-pressed juice and smoothie cocktails at the recently opened Cocktail Bodega are meals in and of themselves, but its eclectic menu of international street eats is also worth a look. Designed by Roblé Ali of Bravo fame, the short menu is a whimsical melting pot of flavors from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Asia, all served up cafeteria-style in checkered paper and red baskets.

Fun dishes include the Cuban Sandwich Quesadilla ($9), the always reliable pairing of ham, pork, cheese, mustard, and pickles pressed together in a flour tortilla instead of the usual Cuban bread. The result is much less greasy than the typical Cubano sandwich, and just as tasty.

Bodega Wings ($7), typically an afterthought on most bar menus, are excellent here. Plump and juicy with plenty of meat, the wings have a spicy flavor with a hot, crunchy coating. The dish comes with a side of blue cheese sauce, but the wings are better on their own.

Curried Coconut Shrimp ($11) also had a lovely sweet and spicy flavor, but with only four shrimp to an order, the dish felt much skimpier than the other menu options. Caribbean flavors are quite popular here—the kitchen also offers Jamaican Beef Patties ($9) and Jerked Chicken Satays ($7), which look far more filling.

Spare Ribs ($2 each) came recommended by the bartenders, but the version that we tried was tough and chewy. It was the only dish not completely devoured.

Instead, finish out the meal with a side Waffle Fries ($5, pictured below), which are exactly as pictured: warm, crisp, and perfectly filling.

Cocktail Bodega

205 Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10002 (map)
212-673-2400
cocktailbodega.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

VIEW SLIDESHOW: Bar Eats' 10 Best New York Bar Bites of 2012

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Creativity behind the bar doesn't just extend to fancy cocktails and extensive beer and wine lists. From fancy finger foods to hearty booze-absorbing entrées, here are my most memorable bar eats from this year.

• Creamy Polenta from Saint Austere
• Oxtail Soup with Liver Dumplings from Fort Defiance
• Sausage Bread with Ricotta from The Wayland
• Prawn Dumplings at Madam Geneva
• Pork Belly Watermelon Salad at Sake Bar Satsko
• Ceviche Bar at Raymi
• Double Diablo Deviled Eggs at 508 Gastrobrewery
• Ahi Tuna Flatbread at Prospect
• Squash Blossom Quesadillas at Tequileria Maya
• Nutella & Goat Milk's Ricotta Pressed Sandwich at Huckleberry Bar

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Barraca, a newcomer to the West Village and sister restaurant to taperías Rayuela and Mocando, boasts late-night Spanish tapas and sangria until 3 a.m. daily. Chef Jesús Nuñez, formerly of the modern Spanish restaurant Gastroarte, takes a traditional approach to the cuisine here, offering items popular on most tapas menus such as Patatas Bravioli, Croquetas, Pan con Tomate, and Gambas al Ajillo.

But Nuñez, a former graffiti artist, has a playful side that comes out, even when his cooking palette is restricted to the most traditional of Mediterranean flavors. Take for instance his version of the Catalonia coca, a typical flatbread. His version of Coca de Pato Confitado ($11) is crispy and paper-thin, topped with delicate slices of duck confit, sweet roasted apples, and colorful pops of cherry tomatoes and baby spinach.

Huevo Relleno de Atun ($6) is the Spanish version of deviled eggs mixed with cooked tuna. Nuñez takes it one step further by adding béchamel, stuffing whole eggs with the mixture, then breading and deep-frying them. The final product resembles a creamy version of a scotch egg with tuna instead of sausage.

Other recommended dishes include the Pimientos de Piquillo ($10), bright red peppers stuffed with hearty oxtail stew, and the Coles de Bruselas ($8, pictured), a simple sauté of Brussels sprouts, fava beans, and Serrano ham.

If you've got room in the stomach and some extra cash in hand, Barraca's selection of paellas can be worth the splurge. Prices start at $19 per person, with a minimum of two orders per serving. The rice is flavorful and the seafood plump, but will it take you back to Valencia? The paella debate is much like the pizza one—never-ending—so best to order up a pitcher of sangria and take in the moment as is.

Barraca

81 Greenwich Avenue, New York, NY 10014 (map)
212-462-0080
barracanyc.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Opened just a few months ago in the heart of Fort Greene, Prospect already feels like it's been around for years, a familiar face in a neighborhood that's rapidly growing in the wake of the Barclay Center opening. The place has all the makings of the modern Brooklyn restaurant—reclaimed wood, local art, artisanal cocktails, plenty of locally sourced ingredients—but any presumption of pretentiousness is quickly wiped away with the warm greetings of a very friendly staff.

Prospect offers a separate bar menu, which (to its credit) is completely different from its dinner menu. The can't-miss dish is the Ahi Tuna Flatbread ($18), a texturally brilliant layering of charred crust, sundried tomato purée, heirloom tomatoes, red onions, warm but uncooked ahi tuna, and arugula. A pop of bright lemon mayo ties the whole dish together.

The Prospect Burger ($15) had all the makings of a good burger, but fell short of being a great one. Although requested at medium rare, the wagyu beef and short rib patty was cooked through and crumbled apart at first bite, rather than showing the coveted juicy pink center of a true medium-rare burger. All other elements, including the caramelized onions, cheddar brioche bun, and accompanying garlic Parmesan fries, were spot on.

The bar menu includes one larger vegetarian option: a refreshing Baby Head Lettuce Salad ($10) with shaved vegetables, organic eggs, and apple cider vinegar. During the growing season, much of the produce comes from the Brooklyn Grange, a 2 1/2-acre rooftop garden located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

If you're looking for lighter fare, snack on the delicious Truffle Deviled Eggs ($5), replete with a creamy yolk filling spiked with truffle oil and bits of cornichons. Other options include Spiced Almond and Olives ($6) as well as selection of Cheese and Charcuterie ($14/25) to be paired with Prospect's varied wine list, which features 12 wines by the glass.

Like most farm-to-table restaurants, the menu changes at the chef's whim, so expect changes as the seasons shift. The kitchen is open for dinner from Tuesday through Sunday, and has recently added Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Prospect

773 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (map)
718-596-6826
prospectbk.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

One of the hardest hit neighborhoods during Sandy, parts Red Hook have slowly been springing back to life, reopening restaurants and bars in bits and pieces. While places such as the iconic Sunny's Bar are still closed, others are open, albeit with limited services or menus.

The beloved dive bar Brooklyn Ice House is one such place, offering up their usual selection of booze (which includes the popular $5 Shot & Beer combo) alongside a limited menu of cheap pub grub. Luckily, they've been able to serve their famous Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich, an oversized slider of juicy shredded pork that you can top with their thick and spicy barbecue sauce. You can order one for $3 or two for $5.

The kitchen is also still serving their Ice House burger and veggie burger, but we recommend going for the Cheesy Pete ($6), a pair of classic gooey grilled cheese sandwiches made with inside-out hamburger buns. Add tomato or bacon to it for an even heartier meal.

We're longing for the day when Ice House can do chili again for their chili cheese fries, but in the meantime, the regular Fries and Sweet Potato Fries ($4) will do just fine.

In fact, a lot of items have yet to come back to the Ice House, including the Frito Pie, wings, and hot dogs. Some of the issues have to do with damaged kitchen equipment, others with food suppliers not being able to deliver products. But in true Red Hook spirit, all the prices have stayed the same in these tough times, meaning you can eat and drink for less than $15—and of course, afford to leave a hefty tip.

Brooklyn Ice House

318 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-222-1865

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Word got out quickly when Greenpoint favorite No Name Bar started "secretly" serving ramen noodles out of a tiny basement kitchen earlier this year. Now the still-nameless bar has swapped out its ramen menu for a Thai one created by a spunky woman named Nam who also runs Am Thai Bistro in Flatbush.

The noodle soups are still there, albeit with a new Thai direction. In the coming winter days, tucking into a fragrant bowl of Nam's Fishball Noodle Soup ($9) will be a warm welcome. The soup features fish balls, tofu and bok choy, with bright pops of lemongrass and coriander flavors in the broth. Just be sure to grab a fork to handle the awkwardly large flat rice noodles—they are a bit unwieldy for soup.

If you need something a bit spicier, try the Drunk Man Noodle Plate ($9), essentially Pad Kee Mow if you're familiar with Thai food. It's a better use of the flat rice noodles, which are sautéed with beef and vegetables in a tangy sambal-based sauce.

For pure Thai comfort food, nothing beats Basil Pork and Sunny Egg on Rice ($9), a classic crowd pleaser of minced pork sautéed with plenty of Thai basil and vegetables. Break the runny yolk and mix it into the rice and minced pork for a delicious, filling meal.

The dishes are well portioned for the price, but if you need extra food, order up a side of Bok Choy ($6), sautéed Chinese-style with oyster sauce and fried garlic. It's not your typical bar food, but you might be surprised at how well it pairs with a good beer.

Thai food obsessives should note that the level of spiciness on the menu has been tempered for the less chile-inclined, but the kitchen offers plenty of extra chili vinegar and sambal sauce to add to your dishes. If the weather is working in your favor, enjoy your food outdoors in No Name's beautiful backyard (one of the better ones we've seen in Brooklyn). To avoid the crowds, we recommend stopping by on weekend afternoons as you just might stumble upon a cool event, such as the fundraiser barbecue they held this past Sunday for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

No Name Bar

597 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222 (map)
(no website or phone)

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

With its huge barbecue platters, hefty burgers, and meal-sized appetizers, Waterfront Ale House unabashedly serves up the style of "go big or go home" classic American pub fare not suited for dainty eaters. Still, it's not the size of the plate, but the little touches that make good food great—and this longstanding bar has perfected just that.

Waterfront's Venison Chili Nachos ($17.95) are a great example. Venison chili with black beans sits atop a bed of warm tortilla chips melted together with jack and cheddar cheeses and garnished with tomatoes, olives, onions and pickled jalapenos. A dollop of dill sour cream balances out the meaty dish. The venison is meaty without being gamey, and best of all, the thick-cut tortilla chips hold their own from start to finish. If you want the chili on its own, you can get a crock ($16.95) served with rice.

Owner Sam Barbieri is a barbecue aficionado, and it's hard to visit Waterfront without finding yourself in front some form of grilled or smoked meat, such as the "Award Winning" Barbecue Spare Ribs (Half $18.95 / Full $27.95). The secret is in the sauce, a spicy, tangy concoction that makes you pucker with pleasure. Leave room for Waterfront's excellent sweet potato fries and spicy mustard slaw.

There's no room for small appetites at this pub, but if you're not feeling hungry, help yourself to free bowls of popcorn from Waterfront's popcorn machine. But be forewarned: you'll only last so long with the tantalizing smell of chili, burgers and barbecue lingering in the air.

Waterfront Ale House

540 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (map)
212-696-4104

55 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (map)
718-522-3794
waterfrontalehouse.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

One of the first cocktail dens on a stretch of Grand Street now flush with bars and gastropubs opening left and right, Huckleberry Bar has stood the test of time as a neighborhood favorite. Open since 2007, the bar has seen many incarnations of its drink and food menus, but the focus has always remained the same: seasonal libations and simple eats with a classic Americana flair.

The menu is a hodgepodge of sandwiches, salads and vittles that has evolved over time from a number of chefs. For a full meal, Huckleberry offers a variety of hearty sandwiches, such as the Braised Short Rib & Fontina ($11, pictured above) with peppers and onions on ciabatta, or the Ham & Beer Soaked Cheddar ($10), which has been a favorite on the menu since the beginning.

For smaller plates, the bar serves its dressed-up version of Pigs in a Blanket ($6, pictured), a spicy Italian sausage wrapped in puff pastry with a dab of grain mustard. Other good options include Bacon-wrapped Dates ($6) stuffed with gouda and a country-style Baked Mac & Cheese ($9).

Simple bar snacks include a variety of nuts, from boiled peanuts to roasted candied pecans, but for a heavy night of cocktailing, we recommend the fluffy Homemade Focaccia Bread ($4) served with extra virgin olive oil.

If there is room for sweets, don't miss the Nutella & Goat Milk's Ricotta Pressed Sandwich ($6, pictured), a dangerously good combo with just the right proportions of Nutella, ricotta and bread, or the Chocolate Panna Cotta ($6), another fan favorite, served with huckleberry jam, whipped cream and a bit of sea salt.

The bar gets notoriously crowded on weekend nights; we prefer the much calmer weeknights and weekend days for the best drinking/eating experience. In addition to their affordable $15 brunch special from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Huckleberry also hosts weekly Monday Night Movies, featuring free movie screenings starting at 9 p.m. Check the website for the monthly movie theme; this October the bar will show horror flicks all month long. Nothing like a whiskey cocktail to take the edge off The Exorcist...

Huckleberry Bar

588 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (map)
718-218-8555
huckleberrybar.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

While many bar kitchens start closing down after midnight, Macao keeps theirs going with a dedicated late night menu that runs until 3:30 a.m., ensuring Tribeca revelers the chance to fill their bellies with Eurasian fare before wandering home at sunrise.

The late night menu culls some dishes from the main dinner menu, including Kale & Bacalhau Salad ($13), a bright salad with kale, tomatoes and cucumbers dressed in a light peppercorn-Parmesan dressing. Although bacalhau typically refers to salted codfish (similar to Italian bacalao), in this salad the fresh fish was uncooked and unsalted—a tasty and unexpected surprise.

Other dishes on the late night menu reference classic Macanese dishes, including the popular Pork Chop Bun ($12), a typical street snack involving nothing more than a fried pork chop (often bone-in) and a fluffy bun. Macao's version features a slab of pork (also bone-in) that is juicy but slightly too thick for the sandwich. The concoction is unwieldy, but the chewy pretzel bun and accompanying salted egg yolk dip is a great update to this classic.

Crispy African Chicken Bites ($9), on the other hand, are a misnomer. The dish references the famous Macanese Galinha à Africana, chicken that is baked in a spicy chunky sauce with piri-piri chilies, five-spice powder, coconut milk, and peanut butter—all influences from Portuguese trading posts. Macao's version is essentially fried chicken nuggets with spicy mustard and vegetable and herb garnishes; it's not a bad dish, but not as good or exciting as the original.

Lastly, remember to save room for the Malasadas ($7), two Portuguese-style doughnuts filled with vanilla custard and dusted in sugar. The texture is not fluffy as a typical doughnut, but more crispy, a perfect foil to the sweet eggy custard inside.

Macao Trading Co.

311 Church St., New York, NY 10013 (map)
212-431-8750
macaonyc.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

Ceviche sampler. [Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Peruvian cuisine has a new haute home in Raymi, a cavernous restaurant and bar featuring modern interpretations of this multicultural cuisine, influenced by Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Andean cooking. Featured within the space is a separate ceviche bar serving a variety of seafood bathed in Peru's famous leche de tigre (literally "tiger's milk")—a blend of lime juice and spices that lightly cooks the fish.

Unlike other styles of ceviche, where the seafood marinates in citrus until the flesh turns white, Raymi adds it just before serving so the fish remains nearly raw. Each version features a unique blend of leche de tigre and spices, such as the corvina (a common South American fish) with habanero and cilantro; rock shrimp with aji rocoto (a common Central and South American pepper); and octopus with aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow pepper). Raymi offers bite-size samplings at $4 each (pictured above).

Tuna ceviche and fluke tiradito.

If a few bites don't satisfy the appetite, Raymi also serves full-size portions of ceviche and tiraditos, a style of raw fish similar to Japanese sashimi or Italian crudo. The kitchen takes creative license with these traditionally lowbrow dishes, serving up refined versions such as the Tuna Nikkei Ceviche ($18, pictured left) with white soy-yuzu, avocado, daikon, cucumber and nori; and the Fluke Classico Tiradito ($15, pictured right) with sweet potato purée, toasted corn and Thai chilies.

Chifles.

At Happy Hour (5-7 p.m. daily, Tuesday all night), Raymi offers a selection of affordable bar bites culled from their regular dinner menu. Start with a pisco cocktail and a bowl of Chifles ($4), fried plantain chips served with smoked huancaina, a creamy sauce made from cheese and aji amarillo.

Anticucho.

Other familiar Peruvian dishes include Causa ($4), a potato mash with a daily topping of seafood or vegetable, and a selection of Anticuchos ($5), grilled steak, chicken or shrimp skewers served with a variety of sauces. Among the offerings, the chicken anticucho (pictured) with sweet soy glaze and ginger-scallion sauce was one of the standouts.

Picarones.

Lastly, leave room for the Picarones ($4), Peruvian doughnuts made from a dough of squash and sweet potatoes. The light airy pastries are coated with miel de chancaca, brown sugar that has been darkly caramelized to a sticky and slightly bitter syrup.

Raymi

43 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010 (map)
212-929-1200
richardsandoval.com/raymi

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

With the distinction of being one of Manhattan's few brewpubs, the "gastro" part of 508 Gastrobrewery fittingly serves its brewery half with a menu of beer-friendly plates, including a selection of small plates perfect for bar dining.

The "Double Diablo" ($8), a pair of spicy deviled eggs skewered with a beer-battered fried oyster then topped with a pickled jalapeno, horseradish aioli and bacon crumbles, is a hefty flavor combo that calls for one of 508's hoppy IPAs. The oyster is fried perfectly—not too oily and barely cooked on the inside.

Grilled Octopus with Garbanzos ($14), sautéed with pancetta and dried fruits and garnished with mint and smoked paprika, is hearty in flavor, but still feels like a light dish, pairing well with one of 508's fruity Belgian-style ales.

The Slow Roasted Goat "Sloppy Joe" Sliders ($12) with rosemary mayo and jalapenos are a nice cross between sloppy joe and pulled pork, but made with goat, featuring tender, well-spiced meat and solid brioche buns. But at the cost of $6 per sandwich, the dish felt just slightly overpriced. A third on the plate would have made it a perfect bar bite.

Beer lovers can also take advantage of 508's beer pairing special featuring a selection of three courses, each paired with a in-house brewed draught beer, for $39. The special runs on Sunday and Monday between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm; menu selections are posted on the restaurant's Facebook page.

508 Gastrobrewery

508 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013 (map)
212-219-2444
508nyc.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

The tiny Sake Bar Satsko, arguably the de facto sake-bombing scene of the East Village, serves up a pan-Asian menu with bar bites ranging from the typical spicy tuna rolls to gyoza to edamame. Dig a little deeper and you'll find some unusually great gems, dishes that serve the antidote to one-too-many sake bombs.

Pork Belly Watermelon Salad ($10) is a must, with its generous helping of crispy slices of fried pork belly mixed with chunks of barely ripened watermelon. Aside from the elegant combo of salty-sweet-crispy-crunchy, slivers of ginger and a spoonful of pickled ginger juice (the same stuff they keep for the sushi) add a spicy sour kick to the already brilliant dish.

The large portion of Octopus Kale Salad ($12) makes for a healthy solo dish or as a side to share among friends. Chewy bits of sautéed octopus sit atop massaged kale (the greens are given a rubdown with a bit of oil and salt to tenderize the otherwise tough leaves) and dressed with a bit of lemon and garlic.

Although there are plenty of great eats on the menu, some dishes don't stand out quite as well as the others. The Asian Chicken ($10), deep-fried soy ginger chicken nuggets, came highly recommended by the bartender, but fell flat. The dish simply needed more flavor and salt.

Still, it's easy to see why this bar is so popular with the locals. Food and drink prices are more than fair for the portions received, and it's hard to leave this lively little dive without feeling full, tipsy, happy, or all of the above.

Sake Bar Satsko

202 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10009 (map)
212-614-0933
satsko.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Otherwise your prototypical speakeasy-style bar—weathered wood, marble bar, antique mirrors, suspenders—the warm summer evenings have made Hotel Delmano's coveted front patio one of the prime spots for some of the best people watching and cocktail imbibing in Williamsburg.

The bar menu is simple: seafood from the raw bar, charcuterie, cheese, and a few small plates. Start the evening with a glass of prosecco and some platters from the raw bar, such as the Snow Crab Legs ($14 for four), and take advantage of the fact that you're outdoors to get downright messy with the dish.

If you're armed with post-meal mints or simply unafraid of fishy breath, the tin of Portuguese Sardines ($11), accompanied by Saltine crackers, radishes, salt and mustard, makes for a great bar snack.

If the sardines are too strong for your tastes, the Ceviche ($11) is a milder alternative. Hotel Delmano's version is unfussy, made simply of whitefish, citrus, tomatoes and cilantro. The bar also offers non-seafood options such as a selection of charcuterie from Despaña and artisanal cheeses from Murray's.

Go early to take advantage of the best seating options and long daylight; the best patio spot is the corner table facing Berry Street.

Hotel Delmano

82 Berry St., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (map)
718-387-1945
hoteldelmano.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

Richard Sandoval's flagship, Maya, a longtime staple for upscale Mexican on the Upper East Side, recently rung in its 15th anniversary with an interior redesign and bar/lounge expansion called Tequileria Maya. Fueled by a wide selection of tequilas and fresh fruit margaritas, Tequileria Maya is a loud and lively space, a casual atmosphere perfect for happy hour snacking.

The menu of Botanas (snacks), priced at $4 each, includes a delightful Squash Blossom Quesadilla ($4), a fried pocket of corn masa stuffed with squash blossoms, poblano chiles, roasted corn and cheese. The final product resembles an empanada, but has a chewy (not flaky) consistency from the masa.

The same corn masa is used to make oblong huaraches and griddle-fried sopes, which are topped with cheeses, meats, and/or vegetables. Maya offers two versions, a Huarache de Carne with filet mignon and manchego (pictured above) and a Mushroom Huarache with wild mushrooms and goat cheese.

The kitchen offers a variety of tacos, such as the Al Pastor (a bit bland) and Chicken Tinga (delicious). The Taco del Dia on this visit was a flavorful braised short rib.

No drinking session at Tequileria Maya should be without a side of guacamole and chips—the kitchen offers a traditional version and three varieties. The Spicy Crab Guacamole ($18) was one of our favorites, topped with a generous helping of fresh crab dressed in smoky chile de arbol.

Happy Hour runs from 5-7 PM and 10PM-midnight daily, though specials extend mostly to drinks rather than food. For regulars, Tequileria Maya also offers free bottle storage for anyone purchasing a full bottle of tequila.

Tequileria Maya

1191 First Ave., New York, NY 10065 (map)
212-585-1818
RichardSandoval.com/MayaNY

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.

[Photographs: Nancy Huang]

For a bar that has no kitchen of its own—Madam Geneva shares one with its sister restaurant Saxon + Parole next door—this gin-focused cocktail den delivers a deliciously creative bar menu true to its vintage Singaporean style.

By far the best dish on the menu is the Prawn Dumplings ($10), a small bowl of plump shrimp dumplings in an addictive hot and sour broth. The soup sings with the classic flavors of Southeast Asia: lemongrass, lime, fish sauce, chiles. The spiciness factor is rather mild for those of us who enjoy the heat, but overall it's a good complement to the fruity and herbal notes of the bar's specialty cocktails.

Steamed Duck Buns ($10), pillowy rice flour buns filled with duck confit, have just the right amount of bite—not too mushy, not too chewy—though they could use more meat. The menu says hoisin sauce accompanies the dish, but a mysterious mayo-like sauce appears instead.

A platter of Forever Crisp Chicken Wings ($10) arrives smothered in a Szechuan-style sauce. It's the least elegant dish on the menu to eat (the sticky sauce coats your fingers), but the crunchy texture and spicy-sweet flavor is spot on.

The Spicy Singapore Laska ($12) has all the makings of a standout dish: ho-fun noodles (flat wide rice noodles), fresh crab meat, crunchy beansprouts, and hearty coconut curry broth... except on two separate visits the kitchen forgot to make the noodles for the dish. A prep chef's mistake, the bartender claims.

Though I'm a bit suspicious the second time around, the bartender gives us sheepish shrug and slings up a couple of refreshing summer drinks. After another order of prawn dumplings and duck buns, all is quickly forgotten.

Madam Geneva

4 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012 (map)
212-254-0350
madamgeneva-nyc.com

About the author: Nancy Huang, who comes to New York by way of Los Angeles, writes The Wanderist, a food and travel blog of adventures here and abroad. She loves noodles, subway maps, and word games.