AlmondClamorous but warm, with a rosy glowing bar and an eclectic yet reasonably priced American menu, Almond is a haven for these nervous times. Feel […]
10 DowningThe endless delays at the seemingly jinxed 10 Downing dulled my expectations. That’s why an early tasting of the food—carefully cooked and jumpi […]
VaiVai slipped quietly into its modest space on West 77th, quickly winning fans for its savory oval pizzettas.
CompassIn yet another premature midlife crisis, Compass has redesigned itself for the third time and emerged looking good.
The Haute-est CuisineWhat are the most important restaurants of the past 40 years? The assignment asked for ten; I asked for a dozen. Being a food writer, I meant a […]
Socarrat Paella BarPaellas and fideuas (baked rice and baked noodles for two) and simple tapas—toasted tomato bread, griddled squid, an unassuming brandade, chunks […]
Yerba BuenaThe spiffing up of Avenue A takes a giant leap with Yerba Buena’s ambition. Just hatched, the kitchen quickly grooving, it’s already winning reg […]
Sheridan SquareChef Franklin Becker inherited a dysfunctional work-in-progress when Gary Robins vanished from Sheridan Square.
DelicatessenThe crowd skews young and pretty at Delicatessen in Soho, a lively new comfort-food initiative from the folks at Cafeteria. And what a surprise, […]
ConvivioMichael White and partner Chris Cannon bolted the door at L’Impero for two weeks and invented Convivio.
MatsugenClearly, Jean-Georges Vongerichten is betting our town’s noodleheads will be moved by the esoteric creations of Japan’s entrepreneurial Matsushi […]
Hundred AcresThere is no mule tethered to a lamppost out front of Hundred Acres. Beyond that, Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman (Cookshop, Five Points) have gone […]
Wildwood BarbequeFaux smoke and applied grime above Wildwood’s raucous 50-foot bar and a bold mix of rustic barn siding with industrial iron want to suggest that […]
BenoitAlain Ducasse’s need to be embraced by New York has a real chance for fulfillment at Benoit once he whips the kitchen up a bit.
Padre FiglioI was put off by an old-fashioned lack of focus in an early visit to Padre Figlio, Antonio and son Mario Cerra’s velvet-swathed emporium not far […]
TetTet is the most ambitious effort yet from Saigon-born Steven Duong, who won neighborhood hearts when he opened Nam in Tribeca soon after 9/11; O […]
La RuralLa Rural, an Argentine bistro named for the annual livestock show in Buenos Aires, looks a lot like its predecessor, Pampa. Same imported Argent […]
Madaleine MaeUpper West Siders did not hesitate to chew out Jonathan Waxman’s uneven efforts early on at Madaleine Mae.
CommerceIf splendid food comes first, with points for local-idol sightings, we’ll write off the painful din at Commerce.
Mia DonaExpect standing-room only at Mia Dona, given Donatella Arpaia’s East Side groupies, the impassioned fooderati fans of her chef-partner Michael P […]
South GateJumeirah Essex House has found a skilled veteran in chef Kerry Heffernan, now turning out his signature gougères in the new South Gate space.
Smokin’ QI couldn’t wait to check out the St. Louis–style pork ribs at Smokin’ Q, wrenched from the embers of a failed kosher steakhouse by an optimist n […]
FioreIn no time at all we zoom over the Williamsburg Bridge to the charmingly rustic Fiore, with its spiffy service and enticing Italian home cooking.
Amore for EveryoneIt’s not the greatest Italian food ever (nor the cheapest; $2.75 for an appetizer?). But at Orsini’s, the tables are meant for people-watching.
2nd Avenue DeliThe reconstituted 2nd Avenue Deli on a quiet side street is a bittersweet triumph—a mere sliver of the landmark it once was, minus the Molly Pic […]
Chop SueyFatty Crab’s hustling impresario Zak Pelaccio is still fine-tuning his Pan-Asian riff at Chop Suey as our foursome settles into the glass-wrappe […]
DovetailIf there is cachet in having an entrance even the average Mensa candidate can’t find, the new Dovetail has it.
Crave on 42ndComing after “I’m not your bitch, bitch” fame on Bravo’s ‘Top Chef,’ chef-consultant Dave Martin’s new “think bistro, dine casual” restaurant, C […]
The SmithIn no time at all, East Villagers have discovered the Smith with its good, honest el cheapo grub. Not to be confused with Nevada Smith’s across […]
Shelly’s TradizionaleThe grand scheme to turn Shelly’s Tradizionale into an Italian fish house celebrating the Tuscan seashore has been officially launched.
DéviThe team that created the brilliant and refined tasting menu at Dévi that quickly became a smash hit is back, having bought out the boss.
Irving MillIrving Mill seems to be flaunting the genes of Gramercy Tavern in the autumn-farm-stand pumpkin display at the door, the vintage touches of its […]
PamplonaPamplona is chef-owner Alex Ureña’s bow to reality. Ureña, his passionate celebration of molecular cooking in this same modest space, didn’t pay […]
ToloacheToloache is an earnest Mexican bistro yearning for the big time. Hand-painted tile, silver lanterns, white tablecloths, runners reciting the det […]
FiammaLured from his five-diamond (AAA) cocoon at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, new chef-partner Fabio Trabocchi delivers complex dazzle at Steph […]
Accademia di VinoAccademia di Vino could be just what the neighborhood was waiting for: a comfy, laid-back spot to order a few $4 antipasti, a seriously al dente […]
Southern HospitalityProbably you Justin Timberlake fans will haunt Southern Hospitality hoping to spot your crush sipping Mountain Dew in a back booth of this raffi […]
L’ImperoIn Manhattan’s spring shuffle of three-star toques, Fiamma’s Michael White now reigns in departed chef Scott Conant’s three-star kitchen at L’Impero.
OceanaIt wouldn’t be disappointing if Oceana’s newest chef, Ben Pollinger, were a recognizable disciple of his mentor, the driven and passionate Chris […]
Park Avenue SummerNo surprise at all that Park Avenue Summer feels so summery—shiny white panels glowing, tall reeds and grasses dividing the room in a smart Avro […]
Aurora SohoA glance at the menu reveals the grand ambition of Aurora Soho. Summer truffles indeed. A generous scattering of the lightly scented fungus pave […]
ProvenceWith its new wardrobe of sunny Provençal prints and the magical vernal blooming of its sheltered garden, Provence at the age of twenty has never […]
Prime Burger CaféUpdating Old Homestead’s sidewalk seating with a nip and a tuck to pass it off as the new Prime Burger Café is clearly a bid to make the 1868 la […]
Landmarc at the Time Warner CenterLandmarc’s vast, stylish, upscale lunchroom in its fuzzy infancy is already a lure for shoppers and hungry cooks finished scrubbing down other k […]
