Jeepney

Jeepney combines the flavorful flair of superior joints in Queens with the East Village’s punk puckishness. It can often shill its fare with too much gimmick, as with its annual balut-eating contest to see who can down the most fertilized duck eggs (a recent record was 37 in 5 minutes). Or its Instabait “Kamayan” group dinners on banquet tables. But there are also homey touches of authenticity, like the Rice Krispies garnish on ube shakes or its adobo of the day. Ambitious, playful cocktails — especially the seasonal sangria — slick the bridge from brunch to bar scene. And while the burger is usually a boring call at restaurants where it’s not a centerpiece, here it makes sense, drawing on the American influence of its native, Spanish, and U.S. fusion cuisine: a longganisa patty made with skinless sausage, Kewpie-Maggi aïoli, and banana ketchup, all served on challah with a side of kamote fries.