Best of New York 2014 • Eating

• Estela

  47 E. Houston St., nr. Mulberry St.; 212-219-7693

  There hasn’t been this much fuss made over a ricotta dumpling since April Bloomfield unleashed the great gnudi craze on Manhattan exactly a decade ago. And why not? The gnocchi at this posh Nolita gastrobar are pillowy and fluffy and light enough to eat with your spoon. They’re served in a pool of broth tinged with just the right amount of sharp-edged Pecorino. And then there’s the vegetables (peas in summer, mushrooms in winter, etc.), which give this sinfully rich dish an almost virtuous feel.

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