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

Don't let the name fool you: Jackson Heights' Rajbhog Sweets has some mighty fine savory bites on their menu. One of our favorites is their Samosa Chaat ($4.99), an inventive concoction of fried, smashed samosas smothered with thick chickpea curry, smooth yogurt, fresh onions and tangy tamarind, all topped with a liberal dusting of sev (crispy fried chickpea noodles). More

Hidden in the basement of a Midtown office building, Sakagura attracts sake aficionados and those looking for authentic Japanese dishes and top-notch service. And while the dinner menu can place quite a dent in your wallet, their lunch offerings remain surprisingly affordable. Sure, they have de rigueur bento box specials and the like, but what caught our eye was their Kakiage Tempura ($11), a spin on traditional tempura. More

Mile End's dinner menu is not for the faint of heart. A compromise among these hard-hitting carnivorous entrées and, well, a romaine salad, is the cod fritter falafel ($11), which gives traditional falafel a run for its money. Shaped like falafel, these cod fritters have a light, crisp crust (no grease!) with a flaky fish interior. You'll wish for plenty more in your order. More

The first bite is a mix of flavors and textures: the pipping hot clams rest over a cooling celery root remoulade—made even more flavorful thanks to capers, red onions and chives—and it's all cradled in a fresh roll, next to a refreshing side of slaw. Of course, the fried clams dominate the dish: these battered mollusks are crispy, crunchy and copious. Such roll overflow necessitates extensive utensil work, but, when each mouthful tastes this good, who cares if a knife and fork come to the rescue? More

If there is one place in the city that offers you fried food without the greasy guilt, it's the West Village's vegetarian Red Bamboo. One of their more successful meat substitutions is the Creole Soul Chicken. More

A standout from Karloff's comfort food menu are their hand-shredded potato latkes, accompanied by eggs, grilled veggies, sausages, or lox. More

[Photo: Jessie Pascoe] On a dusty stretch of Third Avenue in Gowanus, Draft Barn has been serving some seriously impressive suds (they have over 250 beers!) and unpretentious Eastern European grub. With sister locations in Sheepshead Bay and Brighton... More

Known mainly for their classic subs, Park Slope's Zito's Sandwich Shoppe also fries up some mighty tasty arancini ($5). Zito's lists Sicilian rice ball as a side dish, but these huge versions pack a carb-loaded punch. 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