Delicious snacks on sticks to try in NYC

There are several reasons that Tao’s glitzy downtown bistro has outlasted so many of its fellow clubstaurants: there’s the undeniably sexy 400-seat dining room anchored with a brightly-lit statue of the divine Buddhist goddess Quan Yin (say a prayer for good fortune!), a regular crowd of well-heeled diners, and the restaurant’s proximity to the nightlife-loving Meatpacking District. Of course, there’s also an eight-page menu of pan-Asian crowd-pleasers that include sushi rolls, barbecue platters, and single-portion dim-sum items to share. While some of these tend to skew pricey, don’t miss the the tender miso-glazed, falls-off-the-skewer Chilean seabass satay. Cooked to perfection, the fish is tender and moist, offering sweet and salty flavors in its caramelized marinade.

In Japanese cuisine, omakase is a phrase that signifies trust between the diner and the chef, often in reference to a set dinner tasting menu of sushi and sashimi prepared by a sushi master. At this long-standing Tokyo comfort-food import in Chelsea, the chefs apply the principle of omakase to their fancified takes on yakitori, or the grilled chicken skewers typically served in Japanese izakaya pubs as drinking fare. Dare to be adventurous? Let the chefs at Ootoya select your trio of yakitori for a special surprise treat. You never know what you’ll get, but with good fortune on your side, potential options include tukune (marinated chicken meatball) momo (chicken thigh), and a standout kawa, or chicken skin that’s been stretched out and griddled until chewy.

Vietnam is world-famous for its street food skewers. In many Vietnamese cities, you can find street vendors hawking meats, ranging from chicken and beef to crab and oysters, all over the sidewalk on small coal grills. Bia, a northern Vietnamese gastropub in Williamsburg, taps into this fun part of Vietnamese street-food culture with these classic lean pork skewers that are flame-kissed then dressed with fresh lettuce and tangy pickled carrots. The secret ingredient is a seasoning of anchovy extract, often used in Vietnamese cooking to accentuate meaty flavors. Want to raise a glass to good fortune in Vietnamese? Say: “Mot, hai, ba, yo!”

Come for the hot pot, stay for the skewers. The Flushing, Queens outpost of this Chinese chain highlights the cuisine of Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in the north of China known for its distinct, prominent use of dairy products, mutton, lamb, and even camel. Hotpot is another centerpiece of Inner Mongolian cooking, usually complemented by a selection of flame-cooked meats. Start off your DIY soup feast with a standout side of the spicy Mongolian lamb skewers. The street-style skewers are shellacked in a traditional blend of spices that include salt, cumin, and chili powder, and the premium, charbroiled meat arrives perfectly tender on the stick after cooking on the open flame. Can’t handle the spice? Lucky for you, you can tame the mouth-searing heat with a tall glass of Kirin Ichiban beer.

At Blue Ribbon’s izakaya, or Japanese gastropub, on the Lower East Side, find a trussed-up selection of kushiyaki; the skewered and grilled meats and vegetables typically served as drinking snacks at blue-collar establishments. The star dish in the selection is the skewer of sea scallops, a longtime crowd favorite that serves the shellfish cooked to a pleasantly bouncy texture and cloaked in a glaze of savory, rich miso butter. Don’t forget to get a side of sake for your Kirin—an overflowing glass is a Japanese symbol of good fortune.