My annual end-of-summer drive back to New York City from the East End was full of flavor as Top Chef winner and restaurateur Harold Dieterle accompanied me on the road trip.
First we hit Della Femina (99 N. Main St., East Hampton), where Dieterle had one of his first cooking jobs, followed by La Fondita (74 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett) for an authentic taqueria vibe and a cold beer.
Queens is Dieterle’s favorite spot for great Szechuan Chinese, at Spicy and Tasty (39–07 Prince St., Flushing). Next, we dropped in at SriPraPhai (64–13 39th Ave., Woodside) for crispy watercress salad and a glass of spicy Mekhong over ice. We detoured to Brooklyn, where Dieterle used to live, and stopped in at Cafe Steinhof (422 Seventh Ave.) for spaetzle and schnitzel, and Ali’s Roti Shop (337 Utica Ave.) for curried goat.
When we toured Manhattan, the first stop was Minar (5 W. 31st St.) for amazing Indian takeout—a find for which he credits his wife, Meredith Davies. We feasted on authentic saag paneer and lamb vindaloo before ending at Dieterle’s Greenwich Village eatery, Perilla (9 Jones St.).
