Salt & Fat (CLOSED)

Sunnyside native chef Daniel Yi has brought his fine-dining chops—earned at Sapa and Monkey Bar—back to the neighborhood with his New American restaurant, a proper date-night eatery in an underserved area. His eclectic menu leans on playful flavor combinations—some executed more cleanly than others. The fried chicken, which is brined, cooked sous vide in buttermilk, and seasoned with cayenne, paprika and garlic, is some of the best we’ve had in the city. But Crack ’n’ Cheese, featuring deep-fried potato gnocchi, sloppily sauced with béchamel and bacon, doesn’t live up to its habit-forming promise. Still, it’s easy to forgive a few average dishes at a restaurant offering so many charming extras: bacon-fat popcorn to start, and miniature Korean yogurt drinks served along with the check.