[Photo: Kathy YL Chan] The pastry board at Union Square Cafe could be a meal of its own. Sunny's Pastries ($9) consists of four different creations on any given day. One visit brought tender banana and maple walnut muffins... More

A day spent wandering Chinatown can wear you down fast, and the obvious fuel of some starchy dumplings may put you to sleep more than fuel you up. Times like these demand a concentrated chunk of protein—and there's no better answer than jerky. More

Take juicy, slightly spicy white fish, put it on a soft squishy bun, and you've got a more than decent grilled fish sandwich ($10). More

Pars tends to play it safe. There's an in-house belly dancer named Valeri, according to the website, but she only comes out on Saturdays. The menu offers a strong selection of proteins, but mostly in the form of kebabs. Some boldness appears in the decor, via white-washed walls adorned with sparkly vests and caps, lamps bedecked in intricate beadwork, and a long bench covered in woven cloth. Perhaps keeping it mild is a political strategy as much as a culinary one here. More

Ever made a traditional Peking duck? Turns out it's a pretty involved process, requiring not only multiple steps but multiple days, cooking apparatuses, and spices. The end result: an incredibly crispy, juicy bird that's seriously delicious. Come along with Serious Eats's own Carey Jones as she learns how to make Peking Duck. Chef Brian Ray of Buddakan gives us the grand tour. More

Starting today, you can get your fix at King of Falafel and Shawarma Express on 53rd Street and Park Avenue. More

Literally cake in a (mason) jar. It's a little cheesy, but still so much fun. More

Sobakoh's Agedashi Sobagaki ($7), fried soba dumplings, are described as this on their menu: "fried soba gnocchi stuffed with ground chicken served with light sauce, ground Japanese radish and Japanese scallions on top." More

[Photos: Maggie Hoffman] Walk into Sanur on Doyers Street and you'll probably think, as I did: "That's it?" A steam table, a cash register. Advertising "economical breakfasts" such as nasi lemak for $2.50 ($2.50!) and "3 items over rice"... More

Here dessert is a $16 three-course "meal" of an amuse, choice of dessert, and petit fours. More