Food purists, avert your eyes. The following edible creations combine well-known foods to create hybrids that are, depending on one's perspective, glorious or heretical. The combinations are sometimes logical: burgers and fries, for example, or doughnuts and ice cream. Sometimes, they're bewildering (say, fish and churros, or pastrami and egg rolls). Below, check out some of our favorite Frankenfoods, and where to get a taste—or at least an Instagram—of each. Cereal Bagel4300 Amboy Rd., 718-967-2299, Great Kills, Staten IslandThis Staten Island bagel shop doesn't think you should have to choose between two of the world's favorite breakfast staples—so they've combined them by topping their handmade bagels with cereals like Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles and Cap'n Crunch. Slather your bagel with cereal-infused cream cheese to maximize the breakfast flavor and the sugar buzz. Ramen Taco125 University Pl., 212-777-2495, Union Square, ManhattanYou needn't master chopsticks to enjoy this ramen remix. Ichiba's tacos (exclusively available on Taco Tuesday) contain ramen noodles both within their fried nori shells and tucked below their other fillings. Take a bite out of either the tonkotsu taco, with pork belly and kimchi slaw, or the poké version, with tuna, avocado and fish roe.Cruff139 1st Ave., 917-261-4904, East Village, ManhattanInventing new ways to eat ice cream—as a roll, between funnel cakes, wrapped in a waffle—has turned into an NYC pastime. At this aptly named shop, doughnuts are the latest ice cream-vehicle: made in-house, stuffed with the cold stuff and decked out with toppings like gummy bears, coconut and mochi. "Cruff" combines the words "cream" and "stuff," much as the treat itself combines a doughnut and ice cream.Burgrito173 4th Ave., 718-313-0877, Gowanus, BrooklynBurgers and fries are used to sharing a plate, but this mashup puts them in even closer quarters wrapped in a tortilla. Burgrito's namesake dish is a deconstructed bacon cheeseburger and fries, served up burrito-style. It's a real time-saver from having to use a separate hand for the fries.Fish Churros276 Smith St., 718-722-1069, Carroll Gardens, BrooklynWhen it comes to this mashup, think more free-form fish and chips than cinnamon-sugar-encrusted fish dessert. The savory snack, inspired by the traditional Welsh dish of roast hake, is made from salted hake trimmings that are piped out and deep fried churro-style, ready for dipping in tartar sauce.Everything Doughnuts154 W. 13th St., 212-229-0222, West Village, ManhattanThe everything bagel is a fundamental NYC food staple, and Flex Mussels owner Alexandra Shapiro has brought its signature seasoning—sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, garlic and salt—to our other favorite carb with a hole. The resulting creation has a fluffy, fried dough texture and a variety of cream-cheese-based fillings.The Original Ramen Burger13-13 40th Ave., 929-522-0285, Long Island City, QueensThe ramen burger got its start at Smorgasburg before moving to its current brick-and-mortar location in 2016. Its inventor, ramen guru Keizo Shimamoto, now serves the "OG" ramen burger—with angus beef, scallion, arugula and shoyu sauce—plus veggie, pulled pork and breakfast burger iterations at his Queens shack.Katz's Pastrami Egg Roll529 Hudson St., 212-792-9700, West Village, ManhattanA Brooklynite restaurateur and a dim sum chef came up with this appetizer, an arguably unholy union between a classic New York deli sandwich and a Chinese takeout staple. With a mustard dipping sauce and generous meat-to-wrapper ratio, this mashup does justice to the piled-high Katz's original.Broccoli Dog86 Allen St., 212-228-7732, Lower East Side, ManhattanChef Amanda Cohen's vegetarian riff on the hot dog is—fortunately—not a cylindrical hash of broccoli tucked in a bun. Rather, it's a grilled-and-smoked stalk that delivers the saltiness and textural snap that any worthy "dog" should, topped with a mustard-vinegar sauce and (broccoli) kraut to boot.Spaghetti Doughnut90 Kent Ave., Williamsburg, BrooklynWhile we don't anticipate that this nosh will edge out handheld stalwarts like the dollar slice, it is a clever way to make pasta more portable. Head to Smorgasburg to try some of the doughnut-and-spaghetti-pie combo's six flavor variations, including bolognese and carbonara.Uma-ritto64 Seventh Ave., 646-360-3260, Chelsea, ManhattanChef Chris Jaeckle has blessed NYC with this burrito invention that supersizes traditional sushi rolls and makes them travel-ready. There are now several places to snag a sushi burrito in the City, but you can get a taste of the original or build your own at Uma Temakeria.Mac and Cheese Spring Roll119 Seventh Ave., 212-414-1717, Chelsea, ManhattanAny successful 24-hour restaurant must excel in the category of late-night snacks. Cafeteria goes the extra mile with this cheese extravaganza, whose fried roll exterior makes it easy to eat—and dunk in smoked gouda sauce—utensil-free, while mimicking the satisfying crunch of a traditional baked mac and cheese.
