2025’s Eats in a Nutshell: My Beli Wrapped

Written by Brendan Gieseke

Late last summer—sometime during August—my friend and I were having dinner in one of the hottest restaurants in NYC. We’ve both lived in this city for our whole lives, but this was a sentimental meal for her. In just a few days, she was about to move to Taiwan for her gap year. So, in a way, this was a kind of “last meal.” But, over bittersweet conversations, a quick click from an iPhone shutter stopped me dead. My friend’s pictures of the restaurant’s delicious Thai cabbage wraps didn’t just go to any social media app. The photos were posted on an app I’ve never heard of before. It was called Beli. 

The app is simple. Every time you go to a restaurant, cafe, or food-related store, you indicate on the app that you went, putting the eatery into three categories: “I liked it”, “It was fine”, or “I didn’t like it.” Functionally, the app is supposed to rank all the places you’ve eaten, and while photos are optional, they’ve been a great way to document the memories from my food adventures! 

Unlike my friend, though, the summer’s Thai restaurant wasn’t as sentimental for me. A rising junior at the time, I still had more than enough time to enjoy the cuisines of NYC. Since downloading Beli on my smartphone, I’ve been able to connect with my city’s vibrant culture of food, putting every moment in my gustatory scrapbook. So, without further ado, here is my Top 5 Beli list of 2025!

5. Omen Azen - 9.4

Located in New York’s center of attention, SoHo, Omen Azen is a total showstopper. It takes Japanese food into a totally reimagined (yet still traditional) Kyoto-style cuisine. If your dictionary of Japanese foods is only filled with sushi, ramen, or mochi, you clearly haven’t seen one of the many layers of Japan’s cuisine, one of the layers which can be explored at Omen Azen. There are a few options that are all equally cool at Omen Azen, ranging from more traditional Japanese meal types (like soba), but intricate artworks of food are also a startling highlight. During my visit, I really enjoyed the well-flavored dishes as the tofu seeped into a deep but light soy sauce composition, blending together with the tofu’s unbelievable milky-softness. I loved the simpler things like the side dish (okazu), burdock, soft and delicately mixed with pickled cucumbers. The food is different from your typical Uber Eats Japanese cuisine, but it is a total gem for anyone seeking to try new foods.

4. Shabu-Tatsu - 9.4

This has been one of my top favorite restaurants since my childhood. It truly deserves my stamp of Japanese authenticity (I’m half Japanese). If you’re a fan of Korean BBQ or Chinese hot pot, look no further than Japan’s version of countertop gas stoves. Technically, this wasn’t a restaurant I tried for the first time in 2025, but it certainly kept the bar to make my top five list very high. Shabu Tatsu has many options for food and is located right in the heart of the city’s East Village, sometimes even referred to as “Little Japan.” They have a great selection of hot pot-style dishes like the traditional Sukiyaki. But my favorite is the assortment of thinly sliced wagyu beef and vegetable foods: Napa cabbage, shiitake, leeks, tofu… You have multiple packages that differ based on how many people you have eating with you, but the idea is the same. You have a communal pot filled with water, and when it’s at a simmering heat, you soak your food in the pot (usually a minimum of one minute for meats and up to three minutes for the veggies). The meal comes with two sauces (one peanut-based and one ponzu-broth-based), rice, spring onions, and radish to complement the food. The simplicity of the meal is deceptive, though. I think the beauty of the dish is that each ingredient feels stripped and allows you to appreciate its story and the existence of nature in curating food. In other words, each ingredient soaks beautifully into the water and really allows the product to be enjoyed as a blank canvas. Overall, it’s a great restaurant and a type of Japanese cuisine that everyone should try at least once in their life. 

3. Thai Diner - 9.6

I did a bit of foreshadowing for this restaurant here; it was the location where I first discovered and downloaded Beli. The restaurant only opened in February of last year, but, curated by successful restaurateur Ann Redding and her husband Matt Danzer, it has already become a frequent topic of conversation among NYC’s food enthusiasts. While one of the aspects that makes this restaurant special to me is the outing I had with my friend (and a later one with my parents), another is its unique approach to Thai food and cuisine in general. Truthfully, the restaurant is very dear to Redding: it blends the authentic Thai dishes her mother used to make with her desire for American diner-style foods—in part, influenced by her husband. One of the most obvious examples of this isn’t just ingrained in the furnishing of the restaurant (e.g., the traditional diner’s countertops become a shack or the retro lounge chairs become fun benches) but also in the juicy appetizers like the “Thai Disco Fries,” which redefine the boundaries between two different cultures. You could even go as far as to say that the restaurant shares a beautiful message about immigration and how one’s cultural foods can not only thrive in a new country but also merge with one’s new culture to blur cultural walls and allow people to appreciate multiculturalism. 

Overall, the restaurant’s philosophy was already something I craved, even making me ecstatic to try the restaurant after a long wait. And, if you couldn’t tell from my already-present enthusiasm for writing about this place, the restaurant’s top-notch food passed my test with flying colors. 

So, what were the foods that brightened my day? One of the dishes that made me verbally yell “whoa” after putting it in my mouth was the Stuffed Cabbage Tom Khaas. Oh my god. Filled with turkey, mushroom, and jasmine rice soaked deeply into a broth of coconut milk, galangal, and lime, the handheld dish tasted like the richest Tom Yum hugged by the freshest veggies! 

But if that wasn’t enough, the Mom’s Lettuce Wraps were also divine. Essentially, the idea is that you get a bunch of toppings (peppers, Thai herbs, sticky rice, shallots…) that you can merge with your choice of protein, nicely wrapping it into the lettuce. I chose the fried chicken and loved to pair it with every possible combination that was physically possible. But the real gem of the dish was the sauces. They tasted tangy and citrusy, further glorified when dipped into the mixture of Kala Namak and white salt you’re encouraged to use. At the risk of sounding poetic, I could genuinely see images of Doi Inthanon mountains, overwhelming not just my taste palate but also my vision. It truly felt that the dish was able to communicate its chef’s story and passion for food. While a bit cliché, the Pad Thai and Thai Iced Tea are also exceptionally good. It is also unique and strays away from being basic. 

2. Thai Villa – 9.7

Yes, I really do like Thai food. And, no, this is not the same one as restaurant number three. But, after coming to this restaurant at least three times, I can confirm that the ‘villa’ deserves the hype my fellow New Yorkers give it. One of my favorite things about the restaurant, even before the food, is the beautiful ‘homage to Thai’ decor, which brings the restaurant to life. The chandeliers are not basic. You see thousands of gold leaves sewn together, making the likes of upside-down tree chandeliers. The ambiance feels lively but in the best heart-warming type of way and never fussy or overwhelming. The coolest part—in my opinion—is how the restaurant has a balcony within. Accompanied by the stairs to get to the second level, the balcony is ornamented with straw, glass, and wood beams. It’s pretty and seats a few lucky diners—a fate that I haven’t been blessed with yet! 

Needless to say, the food is also mouthwatering. My go-to is the purple cabbage dumplings. They’re topped with peanuts, filled with juicy cabbage and pork, and sided with a savory but sweet dipping sauce. They genuinely do feel like magic in my mouth: I don’t go to this restaurant without ordering it. The coconut curry is another fan favorite. The creamy combinations of coconut, eggplant, and Thai basil melt colors in your head. But what’s more, the curry caters to that delicious paradox when your burning mouth pleads for no more spice but just can’t resist the flavor! After a spicy battlefield, though, the taro sticky rice at the ‘villa’ just hits a homerun. While I’m not Thai and can’t truly give the approval stamp, the restaurant’s food is an authentic delicacy that should be checked out. You already know I’m planning another trip here soon!

1. Peak Lounge Bar – 9.8

If it wasn’t the breathtaking view of the entire city that made you gasp for air, the level of thought involved in plating each dish should surely do it. As a “congrats, you finished sophomore year” gift, my parents took me out to this sensational restaurant-slash-bar, placed on the 101st floor of Hudson Yards. While the menu has a few high numbers, it is never without a respectful reason; each plate surpassed my expectations. The beef tartare, for example, reimagined the entire boundaries of what could be a meat-based plate. Combined with preserved maple leaves, blackberries, tangy jam, and fish-style mousse (I couldn’t identify what the mousse was made of), I learned about combinations that are beyond unexpected, in the best way possible. But the restaurant didn’t just rule the land; the seafood was incredible, too. The ahi and oysters were purely divine! And, while I can’t contest the beverages (no, I cannot legally drink alcohol), my parents’ drinks looked fun and refreshing. Topped with the ability to visit the Edge, the observation deck, and the lounge bar, it truly deserves its place on my Beli list!

Thumbnail Credit:

Brendan Gieseke