Rotisserie Romados
GO HERE: for chicken, the Portuguese way (a.k.a. roasted on a giant rotisserie), at the beloved no-frills Rotisserie Romados.
ORDER THE: combo platter, which includes any size chicken (whole, half, breast, or leg), a generous pile of Romados’ house-made fries nestled around the chicken so they soak up all the fat and juices, and a small green salad with mustardy dressing. While the chicken is the main draw, you’d be woefully missing out if you didn’t also order at least a half dozen pastéis de nata, Romados’ other specialty. The combination of flaky puff pastry and sweet, vanilla-scented custard filling baked until burnished and blackened in spots make these three-bite pastries treasures.
THE VIBE IS: low-key. There are only a handful of high-top tables, plus counter seating, and very sparse decor. But the service is polite and the line manageable, with a mix of hipster locals, tourists, and Portuguese families from the neighborhood.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day: Sunday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. All the food is packed in to-go containers, so if weather permits, walk a few blocks over to Jeanne-Mance Park for a picnic. Don’t forget the napkins.
—Claire Saffitz
