For most of my formative years, my Black father was gone on deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. This, plus the fact that he had fractured relationships with a handful of family members, meant I grew ...

Robert Sietsema is the former Eater NY senior critic with more than 35 years of experience covering dining in New York City. The “oohs” and “ahhs” follow dum biryani ($19) as it bobs across the room.

Writer Olivia Gyapong explored family and culture through a curry goat recipe. Collage by Moy Zhong. Photography courtesy of Olivia Gyapong and Shutterstock. For most of my formative years, my Black ...