Restaurants in New York City
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Mas
Chef Galen Zamarra draws heavily from the South of France (in old Provençal a 'mas' is a traditional stone farmhouse), from the solid and ornate oak front door right through to the earthy menu, which features beau soleil oysters, braised ribs, flying pig pork belly and wild nettle risotto. Mas is a great option for dining late at night.
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Nelson Blue
Good for a drink as well as a lamb curry pie, Nelson Blue is the only Kiwi pub in town. The wine list is heavy on New Zealand drops, a perfect match for standouts like zucchini and corn fritters, and green-lipped mussels in a curry and coconut broth. In true antipodean style, the vibe is friendly, laid-back and attitude-free.
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Zucco: Le French Diner
Swing by to grab a fresh, crispy sandwich pressed just right, served with white napkins and tiny wineglasses, or savor the deep, meaty flavor of the North African Merguez lamb sausage. Other French classics, along with the tin-pressed ceiling, include moules marinières, and grilled tuna à la Provençale.
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Dressler
One of Williamsburg’s top gastronomic destinations, the Michelin-starred Dressler serves a creative market-fresh mix of New American fare like crisp baby artichokes, bacon-wrapped monkfish and its famous oxtail ragout with herbed ricotta. The dining room is no less a work of art, with elaborately sculpted chandeliers, mosaic floors, a zinc bar and light box screens, all created by Brooklyn artisans.
A four-course chef’s tasting is available for $85. If the main restaurant is too rich for your blood, hit the bar: a short menu has specialties like peeky-toe crab cakes and a juicy grilled hamburger for under $16.
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Al Bustan
Al Bustan's does a brisk trade in delicious hummus and baba ganoush, as well as moudardarah (green lentils and rice pilaf), grilled lamb chops, ovals of ground beef stuffed with cracked wheat and deep fried, and other Middle Eastern fare. It's meze - the best way for a group to eat - is one of the most succulent in the city.
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Ceci Cela
Tiny and narrow, this French patisserie has all sorts of scrumptious treats: pains aux chocolats, chaussons aux pommes, pains aux raisins and brioches, to name but a few. There's also fruit tarts, pies and crème brûlée – all made with 'pure' butter, the chef says. There's space in the back to sit and eat.
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Omai
Serving Vietnamese delights in a romantic cubbyhole, Omai has cultivated a following for its wok-seared monkfish with peanuts, chili and basil served over sesame rice crackers, crispy rice crepes with shrimp, chicken and bean sprouts, and unexpected combos like grilled shrimp on sugarcane with angel-hair pasta and peanut sauce.
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David Burke & Donatella
It might look like a member of the Versace family decorated this lush red space, but the Donatella in question has no ties to any fashion empire - she and partner David Burke are strictly about food, like salmon with warm potato knish, pretzel-crusted crabcake, yellowfin tuna on saltrock and 'crispy and angry' lobster cocktail.
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The Orchard
The perfect restaurant for when you don't know what you're in the mood for, The Orchard claims no allegiance to any one cuisine but instead celebrates them all, from the humble Mexican street taco to tuna tartare and seafood risotto. The long, white room gets a glossy lift from candles, but is otherwise pleasantly nondescript.
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Lovely Day
Everything is just precious inside this affordable and funky nook, from the cozy red booths and bedroom-appropriate wallpaper to the lovingly prepared portions of Thai-inflected food. Coconut-rich curries, noodle dishes, papaya salad and spicy tofu squares create a fascinating harmony with the soda shop–inspired decor.
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Blaue Gans
Step inside chef Kurt Gutenbrunner's homage to minimalist Austrian cuisine and dive into some delectable kavalierspitz (boiled beef with horseradish), various wursts and, of course, yummy fried schnitzels. Kids get their own menu, and non-Austrian foodies can try delicate fish dishes, spicy soups, salads and pastas.
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Blt Steak
Any steakhouse that sets aside part of its menu just for mushrooms has a lot more going for it than meat - BLT's pays as much attention to its sides as it does the main attraction. The bar is a buzzy, playful place, and the warmly-hued restaurant very relaxing; perfect to digest your slab of porterhouse or big Kobe burger.
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Le Baobab
The small and handsome space, with portraits of African American leaders and a relaxed yet classy air, provides afternoon and late-night savories, including a tomato-based fish and cassava stew called thiebou diene and soupou kanja, rich lamb stew studded with fish and okra. It’s a nice and calm alternative to the Amy Ruth’s frenzy across the street.
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Market Café
An oldie but a goodie, Market Café is still a favorite local choice for the far west side. Its plain Formica tables and plastic booths don't exactly scream high-end, but stick around for the warm service, cool music and grilled gravlax, Atlantic cod, steak frites and pizzas and you'll see why it's a hipster hangout.
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Pearl Oyster
People line up for the lobster rolls and oyster rolls and the crowds keep getting bigger, even though Pearl Oyster has now expanded its space twice. The wine list is more detailed than the menu, which consists of fresh fish (catch of the day), Maine lobsters, clams, shrimp, scallops and thick-hearty New England chowder.
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Pies-n-Thighs
The menu here seems designed to soak up booze: fried chicken and a mean mac ’n' cheese. A fried chicken box ($13) includes cheese grits, collard greens or hush puppies. The best bet, however, is the chicken biscuit ($6), a puffy, fresh-baked biscuit stuffed with a fried breast and topped with hot sauce and honey.
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Soccarat Paella Bar
A cozy, narrow room dominated by a glass-topped communal table, Soccarat is famous for its heavenly, saffron-scented paellas filled with veggies, seafood and/or meat. Tapas are served too, but nothing compares to the rice. No reservations, but you can wait at the wine bar next door. Lunch is less crowded than dinner.
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Cocoa V
A vegan chocolate-and-wine bar.
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Caffe Reggio
An echo of old bohemia, this arty cafe is a visual treat of Renaissance paintings and marble-topped tables. Serving fresh pastries, panini, cakes, Italian milkshakes (try the 'delizioso') and delectable coffee since 1927, Reggio's says it invented the cappuccino. True or no, it's wildly popular, and busy all night.
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Chat N' Chew
Nonstatuesque models are welcome - they probably wouldn't be happy here anyway. It's all down-home comfort food, though of a generally high quality, like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and fried chicken; the onion ring loaf should be divided by a minimum of four people - who don't suffer from heart disease.
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Fleur de Sel
With the sea-scented aura of Brittany, where chef Cyril Renaud was born and raised, Fleur de Sel is a sensuous delight. Extensive wine choices and daily, seasonal dishes add depth and originality to the menu. Expect braised rabbit leg, sautéed fluke, almond-crusted halibut and a gorgeous ganache for dessert.
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La Taza De Oro
Keeping it real for more than three decades, La Taza de Oro has a long, functional countertop with barstools and plain tables that won't win any design awards. But the decor goes with the stomach-filling cheap eats like rice-and-beans, lechón asado, flan and more. Unpretentious, and very satisfying.
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Green Table
A treat tucked inside the Chelsea Market, Green Table uses only organic, local fare trucked in daily from upstate Satur Farms. All the meat, eggs and dairy products are from grass-raised, free-range animals and the many veggie options studding the menu will seduce you with their fresh taste. Menus change daily.
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Kanoyama
Providing no-fuss, no-muss sushi with fresh daily specials in the heart of the East Village, Kanoyama is a local favorite that has so far been overlooked by the city's big-name food critics (that might explain its unpretentious air). You can order sushi à la carte or in rolls, or choose from the many tempura plates.
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Alcala
A well-kept secret near the UN, you won't find a quieter backyard anywhere. It'd be a shame not to try the excellent Basque wines - they go so well with dishes like salted codfish salad with black olives, baby squid, meat cannelloni with truffle and béchamel sauce, and the obligatory seafood paella.
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