Yetnal Tongdak

It’s fine to eat out solo. Sometimes you just want to enjoy a meal without hearing your buddy lament about how they’re only using their Equinox membership twice a month. But definitely bring all your friends to Yetnal Tongdak, a Murray Hill, Queens restaurant known for its Korean fried chicken (they also make jokbal)—in particular the barely seasoned, “old-fashioned” whole bird, which is fried without batter so all the crispiness is in the skin. This minimalist preparation is rare in NYC, and we love it, but the glazed soy-garlic wings are even better: juicy on the inside, and subtly seasoned. Eat them right away at one of the few tables in a space that's otherwise unremarkable—except for a big picture of a chicken watching people eating fried chicken. Awkward.

photo credit: Kenny Yang