In early November, I finally had the chance to go to NYC. Since I discovered Sinatra’s New York, New York, and binging HIMYM in junior high, I became obsessed with the so-called never-sleep city. However, it’s not its tall buildings or multicolored lights that make me excited to go. It’s the chance to dabble in the diverse food scene.

New York City’s culinary scene is something else. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. As a rich melting pot of diverse cultures, it seems that there’s something for everyone and everything. It’s part of what sets this place apart.

Now, if you’re Indonesian traveling with your mom, you’d probably have encountered this same problem: with every cuisine and flavor in the palm of your hand, all she wants to eat is white rice and fried egg (can’t blame her, though!).

So, we made a deal: I could pick the restaurant of my choice once a day.

The thing is, I’ve been pulling the “what would you recommend?” card every time I visit one — and it has yet disappointed me. Here are two of my favorites:

My first destination in the city had to be the renowned David Chang’s Noodle Bar. Having been open for 18 years, the Asian-American restaurant’s ingenuity shines through its explorative yet straightforward approach. Their menu is a piece of folded paper printed on both sides, with only five noodle options, a couple of appetizers, and several ala-carte banchan.

For a noodle restaurant, the tables are unusually plain. There are no condiments or sauces present; only a box of tissue. I, for one, see it as a sign of the restaurant’s confidence. Food is thoughtfully crafted here, hence no flavor adjustments are ever necessary.

My brother ordered a conventional choice: the Garlic Chicken Ramen. I, however, don’t see Momofuku as a place to test out the classic. So instead, I asked the waiter for his go-to on the menu. “The spicy cold noodles have always been my favorite!” he said, so I agreed.

After 15 minutes, our meals arrived. In a clean white bowl, the mount of noodles hides below a handful of toppings and a delicate-looking onsen egg.

The noodle wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be (I’ve eaten a soba noodle served with literal ice cubes before). It’s not visually spicy, either. There is no red sauce, no slice of peppers. By the naked eye, the bowl looks ordinary and ‘tame’.

But in line with everything I see from Momofuku, though the dish appears simple, its flavor is anything but. Its coldness delays the spice from immediately striking. After a few seconds, the intense heat starts to build up and makes your nose run a bit. The silky yolk then coats and mellows the spice a skosh, making it a fiery yet comfortable-enough bowl to finish.

The toppings are also deceptively basic, yet each serves an essential function. The meaty Sichuan sausage makes for a satisfying forkful, the aromatic Thai basil lifts the dish, and my favorite component, the peanuts, add the needed crunch and smokiness.

Personally, the dish sparks familiarity. But behind its unassuming comfort, the bowl holds delightful surprises that made you willing to plan another trip back next year just to relive the experience once more.

Address: East Village 171 1st Avenue., New York, NY 10003, US

Price: $19 / ~ Rp 300.000

A few weeks before I flew to New York, I had coffee with my coworker who used to live in NY. More than anything, she told me to visit a specific bagel shop called Russ & Daughters. Having been around for a hundred years, it would also be sacrilegious to miss such an iconic spot. So, the morning before flying home, I made sure to give them a visit.

The colorful selections of cheese spread, cured fish, and accouterments greeted you from behind the clear counter. With so many Jewish delicacies hardly ever found in Indonesia, it made me feel giddy. Like a kid in a candy store!

Despite arriving 20 minutes after they opened the door, the store was already packed. Each customer was served by one counter person who would individually take care of your order.

I asked for The Classic with pumpernickel bagel as my colleague suggested, but requested the counter guy to build the rest of the sandwich just as he would have it himself. He glanced at me with an unsure look for a second but quickly realized I was just an obnoxious tourist trying to have their first real New York bagel as it should be.

He muttered, “Cool, ok!” and so he prepared it behind the counter, slicing each lox by order with a long-narrow fish knife. Later on, he handed me the neatly wrapped sandwich:

“The Classic, pumpernickel, toasted, scallions cream cheese, capers, raw onion. There you go!”

The bagel itself is unlike any I’ve had before. Its exterior is crisp, but when bitten, it has a chewiness that fights a little bit when you first sink your teeth into it. The salmon are buttery and fresh with a tint of fishiness and smokiness. The scallion cream cheese the guy chose is also a nice balance to the salinity of the fish and brined capers, although I found the amount a little insane.

Overall, the sandwich is stinking delicious. I don’t know if I can call it the perfect breakfast sandwich, as it leaves you with a fishy breath and fingertips. But, I understand how this classic has becomes the ideal choice for New Yorkers to set the right mood and start their day.

For me, the charm of Russ and Daughters is the establishment itself. Standing strong for generations, their dedication and love for the craft is something that can be presently felt in the shop’s atmosphere as well as in each component. In fact, the experience stays with me so profoundly that I pocketed their menu flyer and brought it home, 16 thousand kilometers away.

Address: 179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002, US

Price: $17 / ~ Rp 267.000

At the end of the day, I am a big believer in food being the universal language. It is by far the easiest (and tastiest way!) to connect with new people and cultures. And just like language, it’s ever-evolving, and it is always personal. The way people relate to food is largely shaped by their own upbringing; so they ‘spoke’ with different accents, conveying different things. When someone shares their story on food, most likely they share their history and memories with you, too.

By putting trust in the restaurant to serve whatever they enjoy most from their own place, it feels as if I am visiting someone's home and enjoying a meal that's interwoven into their daily life. It lets me connect and get a taste of these new places’ way of life, value, and culture in a single bite.