Canelé de Bordeaux from Petit Four (Photo courtesy Petit Four)
Canelés
$2.50 each at Petit Four
I am always in search of a perfect bite, a little something that delivers from the very start. The petite canelés at Petit Four — the Fan bakery from Donnie Glass of Grisette, Beaucoup and Jardin — are a flawless showcase of French pastry technique, with a crisp, sturdy outside giving way to a luscious, creamy center. The reward-to-size ratio here is massive. —Eileen Mellon
Chicken Adobo
$13 at Auntie Ning’s Filipino Food
The tangy, tender chicken adobo at Auntie Ning’s is one of the only restaurant meals I’ve had that feels truly home-cooked, in the best possible way. I opted for the bone-in version (less pretty but oh-so juicy), sitting atop a bed of flavorful rice with a side of lumpia. It’s a dish that hits the spot — no unnecessary frills, just filling and authentic. —Rachel Lee
Black Pepper Beef Short Ribs
$7 at Full Kee
On a stroll through the Fan, my fiancee and I bumped into close friends who were heading to a dim sum lunch with family. They kindly let us join in, and our lazy Saturday afternoon transformed into a communal feast filled with crisscrossing hands and a dizzying amount of shrimp. My personal highlight: a bowl of beef short ribs, tender and lightly sweet but with a sharp, peppery bite — as unexpected as the chance encounter that led us there. —Ryan Rich
