Hakata Tonton

Pig’s feet are treated with near religious reverence at this West Village nook (the small, unadorned space’s most prominent feature is a black bar good for solo dining) specializing in small plates from the city of Hakata. Stews—such as the Hakata Tonton hot pot—become viscous and rich from the extraction of the trotters’ collagen, leaving your lips with a light, sticky coating. Tootsy worship goes a step further with grilled tonsoku (pig’s foot), which requires you to gnaw the charred knuckles clean of their gelatinous cartilage and skin. The bravest can venture to new heights, with options like raw (and strangely milky) veal liver sashimi, but don’t fear: the menu has plenty of more familiar options, including sushi and steak, for the secular among us.