Standout restaurants, including the spots listed in our Guide, are reputed for signature dishes that catch the eye of fans and the food industry crowd alike. But some of these establishments also have off-the-menu items that stay under the radar. That is unless you’re a plugged-in regular or friends with someone who is clued in. Ordering these dishes makes you feel like you’re in on something, so we're pulling back the curtain and spilling a few secrets.
A roast beef sandwich is also the hush-hush item at Major Food Group’s The Grill. Available at lunch, the group’s co-founder and co-chef Rick Torrisi created the hearty option and says that it's comprised of seven ounces of prime rib, caramelized onions, beefsteak tomato, fresh horseradish, and in-house made steak sauce—all of which are tucked into a sesame roll.
At Soho's Italian seafood-centric hotspot Principe, one of the most sought-after items is an off-the-menu bread course, featuring a multi-grain piatti that's served with Calabrian chili oil and goat butter. Here’s an insider tip: ask for the "triple dip” with Calabrian chili oil, goat butter, and, depending on the night, either pickled anchovies in oil or olives and 'nduja. “Occasionally we get creative and add a fourth accoutrement. It’s not always available, but if people ask, they may be in for a pleasant surprise,” says Principe’s managing partner Tony Carson.
Toro tartare is the “shhh” item at Oceans in Union Square. David Schneider, vice president of operations for the restaurant, says that it’s a fatty raw tuna dish that the chefs are always ready to offer—that is, until they run out. Here, finely diced toro is presented in a bowl and resting on a bed of crushed ice that’s surrounded by ponzu sauce. The fish is topped with a layer of crème fraiche and caviar and accompanied by crispy wonton crackers.
Further downtown in the West Village, Nadav Greenberg, the executive chef at the Michelin-Starred Israeli hideaway Shmoné, says that a lamb kebab entrée is in his back pocket and can be enjoyed by anyone who asks. He makes it with lamb leg from the inner leg fat of the animal that he grinds and combines with parsley, onions, spicy peppers, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper, all of which he shapes into a kebab. The meat is grilled over charcoal and served with tahini, grilled tomatoes, onions, and sumac. “It has a beautiful crust on the outside from the charcoal but is soft in the interior,” says Greenberg.
So, which of these off-the-menu dishes do you want to try first?
Hero image: Max Flatow
