1) The Egg at Le Bernardin
155 W. 51st St.; 212-554-1515
Foodies and regulars know about this famous French restaurant’s secret eel dish, but many are unaware of The Egg. Such ignorance isn’t bliss, in this case, because the milk chocolate pot de crème served inside an actual eggshell (and topped with caramel foam, maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt) has to be more delicious than any plate of slimy seafood. Engineered by executive pastry chef Michael Laiskonis during his time at Tribute in Detroit, the dish soon became a favorite among his loyal following in New York when he served it gratis as a pre-course to dessert. Other diners may know about it because it’s featured in the restaurant cookbook “On the Line: Inside the World of Le Bernardin.”
2) The Lambcetta at Bar Blanc Bistro
142 W. 10th St., 212-255-2330
Time is of the essence when it comes to Sebastien Ziip’s lambcetta — lamb belly that’s been cured and spiced — served with fresh linguini, Parmesan cheese and egg yolk ($15). “It’s quick to make during service, but the lambcetta itself takes about three to four weeks to make.” In fact, that’s why he doesn’t keep it on the menu. “It’s just hard to stay ahead in terms of making sure there would be enough for everyone who wanted it.”
3) The Quesadilla at El Café
1230 Fifth Ave.; 212-831-7272
Created on a whim to fulfill unexpected demand on the museum restaurant’s opening day, this Oaxacan cheese-filled classic quesadilla ($3) is favored by regulars such as Amanda Ernst, who says, “I can never get enough cheese, and the quality is really unparalleled.” While chef Marc Spooner also loves it, he left it off the menu because it doesn’t fit as well with the restaurant’s overall style. “We try to do a bit more pan-Latino dishes,” he says.
4) The Rib Eye at Nobu
105 Hudson St., 212-219-0500
Those who desire less surf and more turf should ask for the rib eye at Nobu, which first appeared as a special two years ago. It’s served with an array of dipping sauces (wasabi pepper, balsamic teriyaki and anticucho) for $5 an ounce. “I’ve always loved a good steak and have a slight obsession with aged beef,” says chef Ricky Estrellado. “The rib eye is an impressive dish from sheer size alone, and to me it encompasses the true meaning of family style.”
5) The Croque Madame at Park Avenue Winter
100 E. 63rd St., 212-644-1900
The toasted ham-and-cheese dish garnished with black truffles and a fried egg ($35) was originally on the menu last winter, but since variety is essential to the restaurant’s seasonally changing menu and decor, the dish disappeared. Regulars, however, continue to order it, and executive chef Craig Koketsu is happy to make it for them. “When I go out to brunch, I always order one of two things: pancakes or croque monsieurs, because I believe they are both indicative of the quality of the kitchen. I then became obsessed with putting a croque madame on the menu as a dinner option. The addition of truffles made it an even more suitable winter meal for our tony clientele.”
6) The Bacalhau a Bras at Aldea
31 W. 17th St.; 212-675-7223
Chef George Mendes admits that as a kid, he “couldn’t stand the smell” of this traditional Portuguese dish that features scrambled eggs with salt cod, crispy potatoes and black olives. “Then when I started cooking, it grew on me, and now it’s one of my favorite ingredients to work with,” he says. In fact, it was once on Aldea’s special chef’s tasting menu, which is most likely how diners know to order the dish, which costs $19 a la carte.
7) Bacon Appetizer and Seared Foie Gras at Primehouse
381 Park Ave. South, 212-824-2600
* Outshine your steak-eating companions by asking for the adobo braised pork belly bacon appetizer (inset, $12) served with South American slaw. Chef Brian O’Donohoe conceptualized the dish because diners often asked for plain slabs of bacon with their steaks. “I think the old-school steakhouse clientele look for it when they come here,” says O’Donohoe, referencing Peter Luger, which includes a bacon app on its menu.
* The seared foie gras appetizer with black trumpet mushrooms ($16) is another favorite that’s not on the menu — at least as its own dish. “We have it on the menu as a ‘steak addition’ — just the foie itself. But people asked for it as an appetizer about 10 times per week, so we use some already existing preparations to make it a finished dish [when they ask for it],” says O’Donohoe.
8) The Milkshake at Quality Meats (pictured)
57 W. 58th St.; 212-371-7777
This ($8) milkshake brings all the foodies to the yard. Made with homemade ice cream, including flavors such as mint fudge chip, coffee-and-doughnuts and vanilla bean, pastry chef Cory Heller started serving it at lunch after diners began asking for a shake with their Quality Meats hamburger. (Blame it on the success of Shake Shack!)
9) The Lardo at Resto
111 E. 29th St., 212-685-5585
This strip of cured pig fat from the very rare Mangalista pig, which general manager Jame C. Mallios notes, “was originally reserved for members of the Hapsburg royal family,” is served gratis with grits and farm eggs to special friends only. “It hasn’t been on the Resto menu because there are limited numbers [of essential ingredients],” says chef Robert Hellen, who only serves it when he’s in the kitchen and friends are in the house. “It’s one of my projects that keeps me sane.”
10) Canard a La Presse at Daniel
60 E. 65th St.; 212-288-0033
Sometimes, ordinary duck just isn’t enough, which is why fine diners at Daniel know to preorder the canard a la presse a full two weeks ahead of time. The advance ordering is required due to difficulties procuring the California-bred bird, and is also the reason why the dish-for-two ($55/per person) isn’t on the regular menu. It’s worth the wait though, as an antique press is brought to the table to extract juices from the carved duck bones, before being poured over the meat and served with hazelnut potatoes, sautéed black trumpet mushrooms and wilted spinach.