Digest

Momokawa's been on our radar for its small plates: sashimi, fish cakes, clam ramen, and more. But hounds have had little to say about two of its specialties, sukiyaki and shabu-shabu.

Until now. Lau recently weighed in on both of these Japanese standards, finding them to be worthy versions. He reports that Berkshire pork sukiyaki—thin-sliced meat, simmered at the table with vegetables, tofu, and glass noodles in a concentrated broth seasoned with soy, mirin, and sugar—is very tasty. Beef shabu-shabu—the hot-pot variant in which slices of meat are briefly swished (hence the dish's onomatopoeic name) in boiling broth—is another winner. It's served with noodles, a heap of vegetables, and sesame and ponzu sauces for dipping.

Rounding out Lau's dinner: creditable renditions of simmered kabocha (winter squash); house-made tofu; sautéed ginger pork; satsuma age (fried fish cake, a past hound favorite); and tender, buttery gindara saikyo (miso-marinated grilled black cod). Service is friendly and the clientele is mostly Japanese, but the restaurant's access—downstairs to the basement, then upstairs to the above-street-level dining room—is somewhat baffling.

Momokawa [Kips Bay]
157 E. 28th Street (between Third and Lexington Avenues), Manhattan
212-684-7830

Discuss: Momokawa – Unappreciated Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

Yo-Burger reminds some Bronx hounds of a certain crazy-busy fast-food chainlet from Manhattan. "Yes, it's totally a Shake Shack rip-off," says BronxBree. "But it's still really good. Good-quality Shake Shack–style burgers and tasty fries. Sweet potato fries too." You can also get first-rate shakes and choose your frozen yogurt toppings.

In some ways, Yo-Burger might even be too much like its fast-growing inspiration. Just two months after it opened, the lines at peak hours rival Shake Shack's. "They even went to the trouble of over-salting the meat just like Shake Shack!" says District 10. "Actually, the fries are way better than Shake Shack's. All in all, it's a pretty nice spot, and I'd much rather those guys have my money than Danny Meyer."

Yo-Burger [Bronx]
3726 Riverdale Avenue (near W. 238th Street), Bronx
718-708-6828

Discuss: Riverdale Restaurants

Dense, rustic, Bavarian-style rye breads are among the specialties at Landbrot Bakery & Bar, which michelleats says is worth seeking out. The namesake Landbrot ("country bread") has a hint of caraway. The Berlin brot is a bit sour with a touch of honey aroma, "magical" when served with an aged raw goat's milk Gouda. "Just make sure you have good teeth (or good dentures)," michelleats advises, "since that crust is quite sturdy."

But Landbrot, which opened its West Village flagship last month and has a Lower East Side café/bar on the way, is not about bread alone. Chowhounds recommend the Linzer cake, Berliners (jelly doughnuts), bear claws, rhubarb coffee cake, pretzel rolls (plain or topped with Gouda), and an apple strudel that michelleats calls "out of this world"—moist and loaded with apple, raisins, nuts, and sweet spices. Arrive earlier in the day and you're likely to have lots of choices. kathryn dropped in around 4 p.m. and was too late for the Berliners. Timing was also an issue for katzimmer: "While I could not be more excited about the free-pretzel-with-your-beer happy hour, my pretzel was a little stale when I got it around 6 p.m."

Landbrot Bakery & Bar [West Village]
137 Seventh Avenue S. (between W. 10th and Charles Streets), Manhattan
212-255-7300

Discuss: Landbrot Bakery