Paulie Gee’s and Xi’an Famous Foods Join Forces for One of NYC’s Only Chili Crisp Pizzas

Two beloved businesses — Western Chinese restaurant chain Xi’an Famous Foods and Greenpoint pizzeria Paulie Gee’s — are teaming up to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. According to an Instagram post from Paulie Gee’s on Wednesday, the pizzeria is making a special pie loaded with spinach, gouda cheese, ground lamb, and plenty of chili crisp from Xi’an Famous Foods ($21). The special will continue “until Xi’an stops selling the oil,” according to Paulie Gee’s owner Paul Giannone. “No other reason to take an absolutely delicious pie off the menu.”

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is once again dining out

Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo shared a meal in Midtown on Wednesday night, apparently to discuss “nothing political.” According to Page Six, the politicians were spotted at Midtown’s Osteria La Baia, a swanky Theater District restaurant whose grand opening Adams celebrated with a three-hour meal last November, prior to taking office. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office tells Page Six that the meet-up was fairly routine: “There was nothing political about the conversation, and the mayor stands by his earlier comments that the former governor should have stepped down, as he did.”

A sweet collaboration from Lloyd’s and Sweet Chick

Another collaboration to keep an eye on this month: Lloyd’s Carrot Cake, a decades-old Bronx bakery, is working with chicken and waffles spot Sweet Chick on two new menu items to kick off Black History Month. Through February 28, head to any location of Sweet Chick — there’s four across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens — to order pancakes inspired by Lloyd’s famed carrot cake, among the best in the city ($13). Carrot cake waffles are available at the Lower East Side location of Sweet Chick ($10).

Uncle Lou opens Uncle Lou in Chinatown

Grub Street profiles Louis Wong this week, a longtime business owner in Manhattan Chinatown who recently stepped out of retirement to open Uncle Lou’s. The restaurant, located at 73 Mulberry Street, near Bayard Street, opened in December, but “Wong’s longtime presence in the neighborhood makes it feel like an institution,” according to the publication. Expect a 200-item menu of mostly Cantonese dishes: oxtail casserole, honey walnut shrimp, braised pork belly, steamed fish, and more.