This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan talks to Time Out Food and Drink Editor Bao Ong about what it takes to make a restaurant great, how he puts together “Best of” lists, and then gets some recommendations for great places in New York City and beyond. Plus, our longest Recalculating yet!

“Bao Ong edits and writes about all things culinary, everything from restaurant openings and chefs to reviews and trend stories. Bao started his career as a newspaper reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press before moving to New York to attend culinary school. While training in the kitchen, he started blogging for one of the first major food blogs (RIP, The Strong Buzz) and worked for restaurant critic Gael Greene. Before Time Out, Bao was with Bon Appétit, where he was the research editor. He previously was the Weekend Fare columnist for The New York Times covering culinary events around the city and has contributed to Serious Eats, Travel + Leisure, Newsweek, Condé Nast Traveler and Gotham magazine, among others. When Bao isn’t dining out or cooking, he’s obsessed with tennis and plays competitively on a few leagues and the occasional tournament.”