The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week

A shrimp cocktail from Hellbender Nighttime Cafe.

With Eater editors dining out sometimes several times a day, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don’t want to keep any secrets. Check back weekly for the best things we ate this week.

March 4

Shrimp cocktail at Hellbender Nighttime Cafe

Is anyone surprised the new spot from Rolo’s is already a hit? Hellbender, a cocktail bar, opened last Thursday with a queso-filled food menu and a big crowd. You won’t want to miss the Oaxaca cheese “mozzarella sticks” or greasy queso fundido, served in a cast iron skillet. But you’ll also need something to cut the fat. Try the excellent shrimp cocktail, one of the finest I’ve had ($18). It’s made with raw shrimp, pico de gallo, and grocery store-grade Clamato. My only complaint? That there aren’t more tostadas on the side. They come from the excellent Sobre Masa Tortilleria, where the bar’s chef, Yara Herrera, once worked. 68-22 Forest Avenue, at 68th Road, Ridgewood — Luke Fortney, reporter

Red date meatball soup at Red Sorghum.

Red Date Meatball Soup at Red Sorghum

You may associate dates with the Middle East, but the sweet red dates (also known as jujubes) used in this excellent soup have been cultivated along the Yellow River for 4,000 years. Red Sorghum’s menu is loaded with Hunan and Sichuan dishes, but this homestyle soup ($21) stood out. The broth is made with rich chicken stock and the meatballs with ground pork, and a fried egg lurks in its depths while goji berries float on top. Every spoonful is smooth and soothing, and one bowl can be shared by three or four diners. 28-03 Jackson Ave, near 42nd Rd, Long island City — Robert Sietsema, senior critic

Tofu banh mi, corn spring rolls, and summer rolls with chickpea char siu.

Summer roll chickpea char siu at Sen Saigon

Sen Saigon began as a stand at the vegan food festival Vegandale. Now, husband-wife duo An Nguyen Hawks and Erik Hawks have opened their first restaurant in Chinatown. The small order-at-the-counter spot has a few communal tables and serves a Vietnamese menu that is not only vegan: There are plenty of options for those avoiding gluten, soy, and nuts. Rather than lean on pre-made mock meats, the team goes the extra mile to make theirs themselves, most evidenced in the summer roll with a chickpea char siu filling ($10.75, two rolls per order). I would come back for a quick lunch in the area. 150 East Broadway, near Rutgers Street, Chinatown — Emma Orlow, reporter