Restaurants in New York City
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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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Schiller's Liquor Bar
The combination of eclectic bistro fare and warm, brassy decor is a large part of Schiller's allure – the other element is the Rivington St location, a great place to sit with a cold beer on a hot day. The wine carafes are generous, portions ample, and the food – steak frites, Cuban sandwiches, baked chicken and glazed cod – reliably good.
reviewed
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Bridge Café
It's been around for more than two centuries and is still one of New York's best insider eateries. If you don't mind a possible ghost sighting, Bridge Cafe's slow, ambling brunches and happy, hearty dinners are perfect for you. The dishes are far more modern than the decor - fresh ingredients and locally produced cuts of beefsteak, fish and poultry.
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Wallse
Before you start wondering what Austrian food is, exactly, try the spätzle with braised rabbit, mushrooms, peas and tarragon. It may not answer your question, but you'll no longer care. Pair it with a sour cherry strudel and pistachio ice cream dessert, and life is complete. Classic European food tastes its best in neighborly places like Wallse.
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Il Buco
This magical nook is a real charmer – it boasts hanging copper pots, kerosene lamps and antique furniture, plus a stunning menu and wine list. Sink your teeth into seasonal and ever-changing highlights like white polenta with braised broccoli rabe and anchovies, homemade pappardelle with a mélange of mushrooms, and a succulent Dijon-crusted lamb chop.
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Odessa
Ukrainians have a long history and still a strong presence in the East Village, hence the existence of several (though rapidly disappearing) pierogi joints – including the famous Odessa.
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Romanian Garden
For fresh meaty meals straight from Transylvania, this family fun spot delights the local Romanian community with polenta with cheese and sour cream, c iorba de burta (tripe soup), and some mean masarmale ( stuffed cabbage), followed by moist doughnuts with jam (and yes, sour cream) for dessert. It’s two blocks north of the subway.
reviewed
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Flying Cow
New in 2009, the Flying Cow makes a fine addition to the Williamsburg dining scene, with its mix of delectable tapas dishes, fresh garden pastas, grilled seafood and steaks and daily specials (like codfish and smoked eggplant). There’s ample sidewalk sitting and the cozy interior has obvious charm with pressed-tin ceilings and flickering candlelight.
reviewed
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Q
Hangawi
Sublime, flesh-free Korean is the draw at high-achieving Hangawi. Leave your shoes at the entrance and slip into a soothing, zenlike space of meditative music, soft low seating and clean, complexly-flavored dishes. Show-stoppers include the leak pancakes and a seductively smooth tofu claypot in ginger sauce.
Organic and gluten-free options add to the holistic vibe, while the $20 prixe-fixe lunch is good value. Book ahead for dinner.
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Maya Mexican
Newly renovated Maya's now looks something akin to an 18th-century Mexican hacienda, and the decor perfectly complements the powerful, mole-infused dishes. Chef Richard Sandoval's menu has, among other things, corn masa with oaxaca cheese and chile poblano rajas, seviche halibut, marinated filet mignon, and chunky, rich guacamole as a side.
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Regional
Cuisine from 20 Italian regions can be sampled in a series of small plates, or you can hone in on a particular favorite - pizza from Naples, for example - and get your starters, wine and dessert from that region. The name gives the gimmick away, but Regional is on to a good thing. The pastas - filled with cheese and veggies and/or spicy meats - steal the show.
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Lavagna
Dark wood, flickering candles and a fiery glow from a somewhat open kitchen help make homey Lavagna a late-night hideaway for lovers. But it's laid-back enough to make it appropriate for children, at least in the early hours before the smallish space fills up. Delicious pastas, thin-crust pizzas and a few eclectic mains, such as rabbit ragout, are standard fare.
reviewed
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Flame Diner
Some people get the appeal of Flame; others don't. It's a classic New York diner, meaning nobody's going to fawn over you as they take your order. The menu's huge and kind of quirky – shrimp linguine? – but the kitchen does a fine job with fat omelettes, juicy burgers, fries, tuna melts and oozing grilled cheeses, all the requisite dishes for a diner experience.
reviewed
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Fette Sau
Dry-rubbed, BBQ-craving Brooklynites descend en masse to the ‘Fat Pig,’ a cement-floored, wood-beamed space (formerly an auto body repair shop) that dishes up ribs, brisket and pastrami. Everything is smoked in-house and there is a range of accompaniments, but don’t miss the burnt-end baked beans ($6), which are peppery, not-too-sweet and chock-full of meaty bits. There’s a good choice of bourbon, whiskey and beer.
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Eleven Madison Park
An art deco wonder often overlooked in this star-studded town, Eleven Madison Park is welcoming enough to bring children into fine dining, and delicious enough to please even the most discerning diner. Dishes include muscovy duck with honey sauce, wild salmon with horseradish crust and fennel risotto, halibut mi-cuit (half-cooked) with carrots, and seasonal surprises.
reviewed
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BLT Market
It's in the Ritz-Carlton on Central Park, but aside from that, you might as well be back on the farm. All the food at BLT Market mimics the decor: clean, fresh and changing with the seasons. On a recent visit, chef Laurent Tourondel's organic menu featured seasonal squash and black cod, smoked trout with a cilantro and avocado puree and roasted Hudson Valley duck.
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Blue Ribbon Sushi Brooklyn
This warmly lit restaurant is a Brooklyn standard-bearer, delivering a long list of delectable Japanese specialties such as spicy blue crab rolls, gently-steamed shumai dumplings and raw whitefish served with scallions and cucumbers and doused in mustard miso. The menu changes regularly, but one standard feature is the excellent fried chicken – a good bet for the sushi intolerant. Blue Ribbon is crazy-popular: be prepared to wait for a table, especially on weekends.
reviewed