9 Bites to Watch Out For in NYC

I don’t usually keep track of how many different kinds of flora and fauna I eat over the course of a day, but I’m pretty sure I achieved my most biodiverse meal ever at the Village Voice’s 10th anniversary Choice Eats tasting event. This year, the Voice curated more than 50 restaurants and eateries from throughout the five boroughs to strut their most fabulous, fascinating fare for a hard-partying crowd of eaters and drinkers. In the span of two hours, I ate jellyfish, elk, lamb, watercress, ramps, crickets and much more. Here are some of my favorite dishes and where to find them.

1. Smoked Elk Heart Taco from Kaia Wine Bar
Upon entering the festival, I was seduced almost immediately by a table of exquisitely plated tacos. Employing the ‘eat first, ask questions later’ method of tasting, I took a large bite of one. I was nearly knocked back by the intensity of flavor—spicy and smoky and piquant all at once. The meat was firm and flavorful in a way I couldn’t place. “What’s in this?” I asked the woman behind the table. “This is our smoked elk heart taco with ramp salsa and peri peri sauce,” she said. Elk. Heart. I’d never had elk before, let alone the very heart of the beast. It turns out I’m a fan.

2. Cricket Tostada from Chavela’s
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
Crickets may be the future of protein. They are also, I believe, the future (and past and present) of deliciousness. Atop Chavela’s tiny tostadas, they provide a pleasant, crunchy snap.

3. Elote from Horchata
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
Horchata’s take on elote doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. But with incredibly fresh, sweet corn and no shortage of salty cheese, they serve up an superb version of a classic.

4. Jiggly Jellyfish Salad from Nom Wah Nolita
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
Nom Wah’s jellyfish salad taught me that these soft-bodied drifters are as luminous in your mouth as they are in the dark open ocean. Firm on the tooth, the shreds of jellyfish were not slimy as I feared. With crunchy sesame seeds and peanuts on top and spicy watercress beneath, the dish is a collage of varied yet complementary textures.