Recaps

Here’s What Everyone Was Eating at This Year’s New York Taste

Lafayette's adorable pumpkin spice puffs.
Lafayette’s adorable pumpkin spice puffs. Photo: Melissa Hom

Last night, an all-star gathering of big-name chefs including Jonathan Waxman, Bâtard’s Markus Glocker, Bryce Shuman, Einat Admony, and Chad Brauze from Rôtisserie Georgette brought their best small-plates game to the Waterfront on Eleventh Avenue for the annual New York Taste gala. There were lobster tacos, lobster tostadas, and even lobster meatballs, and elsewhere it was all about comfort food, like A Voce’s slow-braised beef with fried polenta and the Monarch Room’s smoked pork shoulder with grits. The leaves are changing color and the days are getting chillier, of course, so there was also an abundance of fall flavors, such as gingerbread spices, sweet pumpkin crème, toasted pecans, caramelized apples, roasted acorns, and whipped duck liver. Here’s what the chefs served.

Lobster tostada from Bodega Negra.
Lobster tostada from Bodega Negra. Photo: Melissa Hom
Costata's amberjack crudo with Calabrian chiles.
Costata’s amberjack crudo with Calabrian chiles. Photo: Melissa Hom




Red Farm’s Kowloon filet mignon tart.
Photo: Melissa Hom

Red snapper crudo from Le Cirque.
Red snapper crudo from Le Cirque. Photo: Melissa Hom
A Voce's braised beef with fried polenta and bitto.
A Voce’s braised beef with fried polenta and bitto. Photo: Melissa Hom
Smoked pork shoulder with grits from the Monarch Room.
Smoked pork shoulder with grits from the Monarch Room. Photo: Melissa Hom
"Gobble Gobble" balls from the Meatball Shop with gravy and cranberry sauce.
“Gobble Gobble” balls from the Meatball Shop with gravy and cranberry sauce. Photo: Melissa Hom
Birdie cakes with salmon roe and jerk crème fraiche from Red Rooster Harlem.
Birdie cakes with salmon roe and jerk crème fraiche from Red Rooster Harlem. Photo: Melissa Hom
Center Bar's lamb shawarma pita
Center Bar’s lamb shawarma pita Photo: Melissa Hom
"Acorn and acorn" from Betony.
“Acorn and acorn” from Betony. Photo: Melissa Hom
Botequim's crispy roast suckling pig.
Botequim’s crispy roast suckling pig. Photo: Melissa Hom
The Writing Room's chicken liver mousse.
The Writing Room’s chicken liver mousse. Photo: Melissa Hom
Ensalda de thon with truffles and avocado from Toloache.
Ensalda de thon with truffles and avocado from Toloache. Photo: Melissa Hom
The Back Room's root beer cheesecake parfait.
The Back Room’s root beer cheesecake parfait. Photo: Melissa Hom
Barbuto's duck liver pate with crostini.
Barbuto’s duck liver pate with crostini. Photo: Melissa Hom
Roasted carrots with burnt honey, yogurt, and almonds from Little Prince.
Roasted carrots with burnt honey, yogurt, and almonds from Little Prince. Photo: Melissa Hom
Uncle Ning's red-cooked chcken from Yunnan Kitchen.
Uncle Ning’s red-cooked chcken from Yunnan Kitchen. Photo: Melissa Hom
Sweet-potato custard with pan d'epices and chestnuts from Nomad.
Sweet-potato custard with pan d’epices and chestnuts from Nomad. Photo: Melissa Hom
Octopus "pastrami" from Bâtard.
Octopus “pastrami” from Bâtard. Photo: Melissa Hom
Morimoto's king crab with tobanjan aïoli.
Morimoto’s king crab with tobanjan aïoli. Photo: Melissa Hom
Toro's uni sandwich.
Toro’s uni sandwich. Photo: Melissa Hom
Squash espuma with pickled Brussels sprouts from Recette.
Squash espuma with pickled Brussels sprouts from Recette. Photo: Melissa Hom
Red Kuri squash soup with parm and smoke ham cream from the Elm.
Red Kuri squash soup with parm and smoke ham cream from the Elm. Photo: Melissa Hom
Tao's Minchi lettuce cups and Portuguese egg tarts.
Tao’s Minchi lettuce cups and Portuguese egg tarts. Photo: Melissa Hom
Crispy pretzel pork and chive dumplings from Talde.
Crispy pretzel pork and chive dumplings from Talde. Photo: Melissa Hom
Bar Bolognat's smoked eggplant ravioli with feta sauce.
Bar Bolognat’s smoked eggplant ravioli with feta sauce. Photo: Melissa Hom
Kuzu chip with black truffle pate aligote from Bouley.
Kuzu chip with black truffle pate aligote from Bouley. Photo: Melissa Hom
Red Cat's potato-wrapped scallops.
Red Cat’s potato-wrapped scallops. Photo: Melissa Hom
Piora's squash with pistachio and truffle.
Piora’s squash with pistachio and truffle. Photo: Melissa Hom
Fennel atayef with salmon from Ilili.
Fennel atayef with salmon from Ilili. Photo: Melissa Hom
Gramercy Tavern's excellent apple bar with hickory cream and cranberry jam.
Gramercy Tavern’s excellent apple bar with hickory cream and cranberry jam. Photo: Melissa Hom
Braised pork belly Kakuni wth karashi mustard from Ganso Ramen.
Braised pork belly Kakuni wth karashi mustard from Ganso Ramen. Photo: Melissa Hom
Rotisserie Georgette's mighty pork dish.
Rotisserie Georgette’s mighty pork dish. Photo: Melissa Hom
Two words: Lobster meatballs. (From Ed's Lobster Bar.)
Two words: Lobster meatballs. (From Ed’s Lobster Bar.) Photo: Melissa Hom
Delightful chocolate lollipops from Wallsé.
Delightful chocolate lollipops from Wallsé. Photo: Melissa Hom
Petit cassoulet from Millesime with duck, sausage, and bacon.
Petit cassoulet from Millesime with duck, sausage, and bacon. Photo: Melissa Hom
Claudette's truffled hummus on flatbread.
Claudette’s truffled hummus on flatbread. Photo: Melissa Hom
Miso caramel apples from Park Avenue Autumn.
Miso caramel apples from Park Avenue Autumn. Photo: Melissa Hom
Juni's ash goat cheese with "upstate" chicken, oyster mushroom, and sedum.
Juni’s ash goat cheese with “upstate” chicken, oyster mushroom, and sedum. Photo: Melissa Hom
Duck confit taco with hoisin and jalapeño from Michael's.
Duck confit taco with hoisin and jalapeño from Michael’s. Photo: Melissa Hom

And, one more, a sweet lobster roll made by High Road Craft Ice Cream.

It's even got lobster caramel.
It’s even got lobster caramel. Photo: Melissa Zhang
‘New York’ Taste Food Photos