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At first glance over the menu, I thought we'd write about a few sandwiches from Mediterranean/Middle Eastern sandwich shop Taboonette and leave it at that. But after tasting said sandwiches, we went back and ordered just about the whole menu. The takeaway? Union Square has an awesome new casual food option. More

Here's a four-stop afternoon-into-evening walking and eating tour for you and your tourist that shows off the full range of the food and drink around the Empire State building. It includes a new hot spot, a tiny hole in the wall, and a champion of high class carnivory. In other words: the New York your guest really wants to see, but doesn't know to ask for. More

Saro Bistro is as personal a restaurant as you will likely find in New York in 2012, the singular vision of Eran Elhalal. In a ćevapčići-sized room, Elhalal serves "the cuisine of long lost empires." For him, that's the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman-inflected Balkan comfort food his grandmother (whose nickname graces the restaurant) served him while growing up in Israel. It's a complicated, delicious backstory, and one he's happy to share. More

Vegan Divas (also home to carrot cake and doughnuts ) recently launched an e-commerce site, and what better way to celebrate than with a slice of this Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake? More

A perennial brunch favorite, (their pancakes have won more awards than some Olympic athletes!), Clinton Street Baking Co. continues to hit Southern-style comfort food out of the park thanks to their focus on simple and flavorful American dishes. But it's not all batter and syrup at this darling of a LES spot: their lunch and dinner menus have savory standouts that give their all-day breakfast items a run for their money. More

Dickson's uses the real stuff to make its Slim Jakes and flavored jerky ($15 / half-pound). More

In addition to breads, pastries, and sausages, German newcomer Landbrot offers an array of house made sandwiches. More

The foam is excessive and a little silly, but that aside, Frozen Banana Souffle ($12) is a dessert you'll want to order at Tocqueville. More

Koreatown, the block of 32nd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, is a densely packed smorgasbord of Korean food. With restaurants lined up side by side and stacked on top of each other, the competition for your stomach and your wallet is intense. You can choose from Korean cafeterias, tiny kimbap joints, Korean-Chinese restaurants, multi-level eateries with elaborate waterfalls, and on and on. And among that glorious hodgepodge, you find Korean bakeries stuffed with over-the-top sweet and savory specialties. If you want to understand what makes a living, morphing fusion cuisine, Paris Baguette is a good place to start. More