Laser Wolf Brooklyn

On the roof of the Hoxton hotel, Laser Wolf grills over open fire in the manner of an Israeli shipudiya, a skewer house, with the whole of the Manhattan skyline spread out past the terrace rail. Servers in Hawaiian shirts keep the mood light, and on a warm evening it is hard to think of a better table in the borough.

You choose a grilled main and the table gets the rest: about a dozen small bowls of salatim around a plate of garlicky hummus and warm, soft pita. The whole trout and the half eggplant with amba are the standouts from the grill. Mix your own arak at the table, and leave room for whatever sweet thing arrives at the end.