Epoch Times Dine & Unwind by Seth Holehouse

SUMMER

DINING

GUIDE INSIDE FINE DINING • COCKTAILS CRONUTS • TOP CHEF INTERVIEWS RESTAURANT WEEK TIPS & LISTINGS

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Inside SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Fine Dining, 4 For a Hidden World of Hard Work

ANDREW BURTON/GETTY IMAGES

Psychology 10 The of the Cronut Phenomenon

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

16 Cocktail Alchemy

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Week 33 Restaurant Tips & Listings

Chef Q&A’s 9 Patrick Rodemeyer

Executive Chef, Fishtail

13 Yuhi Fujinaga Executive Chef, The Sea Grill 14 Sunny Raymond

Pastry Chef, Union Square Cafe

18 Maria Loi Executive Chef & Owner, Loi 32 Alfio Longo Executive Chef, Circo COVER: GRILLED SUMMER LOBSTER POT PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH GIRNER , ALL OTHER PHOTOS SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

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Guiseppe Bruno at Caravaggio on the Upper East Side, one of the three restaurants he and his brothers own.

For Fine Dining, a Hidden World of Hard Work Determined to maintain quality, restaurant owners adapt, work longer, and sacrifice profits

By Ivan Pentchoukov Epoch Times Staff When the lights go out at Sistina restaurant, owner and chef Giuseppe Bruno gets into his car and heads to the wholesale markets at Hunts Point. It’s 3 a.m. and there are barely any cars on the road. The streetlights glow farther and farther apart. Bruno swings his Volvo SUV into each turn deftly, almost on autopilot. This is a trip he’s made more than 100 times in the last year. Bruno is 53, but looks to be in his forties. He is wearing a gray Villanova hooded sweatshirt over a long sleeve dress shirt. “After 12 hours of working with customers, this is a good time to spend alone,” he says, sipping from a large cup of coffee, the aroma filling the car. Bruno and his two brothers have owned Sistina, located on the Upper East Side, for 30 years. He is responsible for the menu, and in the early years he made trips to the meat and fish whole-

I had to go back to my roots. If you want to survive, that’s the only way to do it. Chef Guiseppe Bruno

sale markets all the time. They opened their second restaurant, San Pietro, in Midtown 23 years ago, and a third, Caravaggio, on the Upper East Side in 2010. Shortly after opening San Pietro in 1990, their business began to generate profits. Bruno stopped going to the wholesale markets and began to rely on distributors for his food supply, a lux-

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5 PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Fine dining at Atrium Dumbo, a French-inspired restaurant that opened late July.

ury he enjoyed for almost two decades. In 2008, the economic recession struck. Bruno saw his clientele dwindle by 15 to 20 percent. Meanwhile food prices climbed, sometimes at dramatic rates. Peeled Italian tomatoes went from $14 to $25–$28 a case. Italian pasta went from $35 to $55 per case. Meat, seafood, and produce prices were impacted significantly. The profitability of a restaurant is intricately connected to the state of the economy. Fluctuations in consumer spending, foreign exchange rates, and the cost of food, among other factors can immediately impact their bottom line. The scale of the economic downturn in 2008 was unmatched since the Great Depression. Full service restaurants like Sistina and San Pietro have a profit margin of no more than 3.5 percent, according to the National Restaurant Association. The falling revenues and the increased cost of food dealt a deadly

blow to many restaurants. Those that to his spot in the back of the lot. He survived had to adapt. doesn’t need to tell us which market, “The restaurant industry was a low as soon as the car doors swing open profit industry before the recession,” the smell of seafood amplified by the Andrew Rigie, executive director of summer heat and humidity is surpristhe New York City Hospitality Alliance, ingly strong. said. “After the recession they really The parking lot at the New Fulton had to look at and analyze Fish Market is lined with huntheir food cost, their labor dreds of trucks stretching Full service cost, and learn how to conalmost out of sight. Trucks restaurants have trol those, because every from all over the state and a profit margin of no more than penny really counts.” the country come for the For many restaurant seafood here, with an averowners, adapting meant age of 2 million pounds sold working more and making every day. That’s equivaless money. Among other lent to about 133 African elethings, for Bruno this meant cutting phants a day. out the food distributors and going to Inside the market, which is a the wholesale markets himself. 400,000-square-foot state-of-the-art “I had to go back to my roots,” Bruno refrigerator, Bruno pushes through the says. “If you want to survive, that’s the thick strips of plastic curtain and the only way to do it.” cold descends, making the fish aroma subdued and pleasant. Fish and Meat Markets Immediately, we have to dodge the Bruno pays at the gate of the market weaving car lifts and hand trucks. But and cuts through lanes of parked trucks no need to fear, the men here are pre-

3.5%

cision workers with wit as sharp as the knives they wield. The entire floor is a beehive of activity. People, waxed cartons, car lifts, hand trucks, fish hooks, and knives whirl about with electric and unceasing precision. “This guy here has the best tuna and swordfish,” Bruno says, pointing at the huge fishes as we walk the aisle. “This guy has the best shellfish. And this, this is the nicest guy,” Bruno says, shaking hands with a smiling young seller. Over the past year, Bruno has become an expert at shopping for seafood at the market. He can tell a superior piece of tuna from an average one by slight differences in color. “This fish was stressed out,” he said, pointing to a darker tuna filet. Returning to the market enables Bruno to bring better ingredients to his restaurants, while saving money. He cut 35 percent off his seafood costs after a few weeks of going to the market. Continued on Page 6

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Guiseppe Bruno selects fish at the New Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point. To save costs and keep quality high, Bruno goes to the market himself. Continued From Page 5

May 9–15,

BOSTON Not Just LADY CHEFS: Any (Mo ther’s) Day

But after a year of coming to the market every other day, Bruno, is beginning the feel the weight of 18-hour workdays. “The sacrifice,” he said, “is that you don’t have a life.” FOODIE NEWS 5 Best NYC BITE Vegetar S: ian Rest

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Tried and True Chef Jesus Martinez, owner of Alcala restaurant, has been going to the Fulton Fish Market almost every day for 28 years—first on Fulton St. in downtown Manhattan, and then at Hunts Point when the market moved. Sitting at a small table near the exit of his East Midtown restaurant, Martinez said he has also experienced a reduction in revenue since the recession hit. The most challenging part has been predicting how many people will come in on any given day. Before the recession, he could bet on 70–90 people sit-

When you worry about whether you are going to make it to the end of the month, you can’t concentrate on being creative. Chef Jesus Martinez

ting down at his restaurant every day. Now that number swings between 20 and 70, making it difficult to purchase fish, meat, and produce in the right quantities. If only 20 people show up, food will inevitably go to waste. As the profit margin began to shrink during the recession, Martinez used the senses he developed after 35 years of running a restaurant to adapt. He said he judges how much food to purchase depending on the weather. “I expect more people when it’s not too humid and when the weather is nice. When it’s raining or humid people want to stay inside.” Martinez said profits were never a determining factor for him—the work is his passion and he will continue regardless. He got up several times in the course of half an hour to bid his customers farewell, shaking their hands as they left the restaurant. A teal silk tie peaked proudly from under his chef’s coat, accenting a kind, round face and intent, light eyes. “The only thing that changed is that you begin to worry, and that’s not good,” he said. “When you worry about whether you are going to make it to the end of the month, you can’t concentrate on being creative.” Staying the Course The recession also meant longer hours, harder work, and lower profits for Avtar Walia, the owner of Tamarind and Tamarind Tribeca restaurants. “Our profit margin has gone down,” Walia said, describing the drop as “pretty significant.” Tamarind is known for its quality and has been listed among the best Indian restaurants in New York City for several years. When food prices climbed, Walia was determined not to sacrifice quality. Continued on Page 15

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Chef Q&A

Patrick Rodemeyer, Fishtail SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

One of my biggest rules is ask questions, and the biggest question is why? Why are you doing that? Why are we cooking something a certain way? Why is that on the plate? Patrick Rodemeyer at Fishtail, a David Burke restaurant, on the Upper East Side.

Patrick Rodemeyer, executive chef at David Burke Fishtail, is from Detroit, Mich. Previously he was chef de cuisine at David Burke Townhouse. He also worked as a chef on special projects at other David Burke restaurants, at Bloomingdale’s and at Kitchen.

wait a minute, where’s the dinosaurs? And there were no dinosaurs. So I was like, I don’t want to do that. I was infatuated with dinosaurs when I was a kid; I thought they were really cool. That’s what I wanted to do.

Q What did you want to be when

childhood memories of food?

you were growing up?

A I didn’t understand what an

archaeologist did, so I was convinced I wanted to be an archeologist, to dig up dinosaurs all day. I started watching “Indiana Jones,” and I was like,

Q What is one of your significant A Holidays, easy. Just the experi-

ence, it’s really similar to what we do. You prep all day and then you do service. You get up early. You season the bird and put it in the oven like Thanksgiving. Just the experience of working with my mom and whoever

else was around, that really resonated with me, and it taught me how to be really organized in the kitchen. My mom was a very frugal cook. She wasn’t a gourmand by any means, but we ate well. She had this dish called “Chicken Jolly Roger” and I have no idea why. It was basically a baked chicken pilaf. It was freaking awesome. It wasn’t a paella, but it got that crispy rice crust at the bottom of the casserole that you get in paella. As a kid, I remember thinking, I don’t know how you did that but I want that. We were never poor growing up, except when I was really little, but we

were never like the Trumps, living it up. I had three siblings, so for a while we had to feed a family of six on a single income while my mom was off work raising kids. And she was awesome at it. We had to go to the grocery store, we took turns, and she taught us how to plan it out using the circulars. Obviously this was almost over 20 years ago, but she would feed a family of six for a week for $200. I can’t get in and out of C-Town for me and my girl and our baby for less than $150. And I cook at home once a week, to put it into perspective—if I cook at home. Continued on Page 30

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The Psychology Behind the

Cronut Phenomenon

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PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

People want to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am hip and trendy by being a part of the cronut movement.

Kevin Grisham, professor of social science

www.TheEpochTimes.com Continued From Page 11

S’more: a vanilla custard ice cream core coated with crispy chocolate wafers Popularity is driven by numbers, and covered in a modified marshmallow. scarcity. I was the lucky winner and Ansel Ansel keeps the supply limited, which handed me his latest creation, with has helped on the local level, but now instructions to eat it quickly. In less bakeries around the globe are cop- than 60 seconds, the gooey creation ying and creating variations of the starts sliding down the willow branch. dessert. Pillsbury even got in on the This is a “must eat in less than five minaction, using their ready-to-bake crois- utes” kind of dessert. sant rolls. With his Frozen S’more, Ansel has figJohn Barajas, 49, from Houston, Texas, ured out how to close the door on the jumped in line with his two children at black-market, which has plagued the 6:20 a.m. on July 5 to bring his wife cro- cronut. People are selling cronuts on nuts in bed for her 50th birthday. Bara- Craigslist for $40 to $100. But, the Frojas and his family had made zen S’more is so perishable, them from an online recipe it requires a bakery visit. two days before, but they Pure marketing genius. decided to stand in line, Chef Ansel is creative not only to add to their New and business savvy, knowYork City experience, but to ing the perfect way to draw price of a cronut compare. people in. His pastry creon Craigslist “We are going to do a litations have an allure that tle taste comparison. A crocan suck in even those who nut throwdown,” Barajas said. know what he is doing. Professor Grisham noted that when Professor Grisham knows the psypeople begin to mimic a fad or trend, chology behind the cronut craze. He it makes it no longer unique. knows it is a fad that will, in all likeli“When you can find cronuts in places hood, end—or at least be “so 2013” a few like the Midwest—places you don’t see years down the road. Yet his academic something hip and trendy coming out mind cannot overtake his foodie stomof—that is when people start to lose ach, which craves the flaky layers, the steam ... because then they don’t see creamy filling, and sugar coated cronut. it with being cool anymore,” he said. “I think it’s funny. I have jumped into Will cronut copycats be the end of the fad myself, not just as a social scithis delectable dessert? Don’t count entist, but as a consumer,” Grisham Ansel out. His marketing skills are sec- said. He is visiting New York in October ond only to his pastry making. and already plans to visit Dominique On July 12, after waiting for nearly Ansel Bakery. two and a half hours, the chef appeared My advice to Grisham, and any other just minutes before the bakery doors cronut seekers: when you step out the opened. He approached me with a slip door, two cronuts in hand, a smile on of paper and asked me to pick a num- your face, high on the sense of accomber between one and 10. I chose five. plishment, and the blonde woman asks I was entered in a lottery for the first to buy your second cronut for $60—sell taste of his newest treat, the Frozen it. One is all you need.

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Chef Dominique Ansel deep fries a croissant-doughnut hybrid, known as the cronut, at Dominique Ansel Bakery on June 10.

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Chef Q&A

Yuhi Fujinaga, The Sea Grill SARAH GIRNER

Born in Japan and raised in Honolulu, executive chef Yuhi Fujinaga has studied under some of the most celebrated chefs in the world: Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai, at La Rochelle, where he honed his fine-dining skills; chef Christian Delouvier at Lespinasse; and with chef Alain Ducasse at Ducasse in the Essex House. When Ed Brown was establishing The Sea Grill as a top seafood destination in New York City, he appointed Fujinaga as his executive sous chef. Later, he became the Chef de Cuisine at Bar Basque before coming back to The Sea Grill.

Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A As I was growing up, I was influ-

enced by my father to become a pilot. My father was an aspiring aviator who always talked about jets and planes.

Q What is one of your significant childhood memories of food?

A I had many dislikes. Veggies were

my enemies. Now, I can’t live without them.

Q What is your approach or philosophy to cooking?

A My philosophy to cooking would be, let nature take its course. Seasonality in cooking is the key to mastering simplicity in cooking.

Q What’s your current favorite ingredient to play with?

A I really don’t have a favorite ingredient, but if I were to pick one that’s coming out soon, it would be heirloom tomatoes.

Q What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen in the kitchen?

A It was sort of really disgusting, but

seeing someone’s finger fly off the slicing machine. [Editor’s note: This incident occurred years ago. Chef Yuhi packed the finger on ice, brought the cook to the hospital, and the finger was reattached.]

Q When you’re not cooking, what do you enjoy doing?

A Spending time with my daughter. Q What’s an underrated/under-the-

Grilled Summer Lobster Pot from The Sea Grill

radar restaurant in NYC?

A I have two restaurants in mind,

both neighbors of each other: SakaMai and Yopparai. Both of them are very unique and special restaurants. They both are underrated.

Q What current trend do you find worthwhile?

A Small restaurants that are doing creative and modern gastropubs.

Q What trend do you find overhyped? A Burger joints.

SARAH GIRNER

The Sea Grill 19 W. 49th St. 212-332-7610 theseagrillnyc.com

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Chef Q&A

Sunny Raymond, Union Square Cafe ZOE SCHAEFFER

Sunny Raymond is the pastry chef of Union Square Cafe. Originally from Saint Lucia, she infuses her classic American desserts with Caribbean flavors. She is especially gifted with infusing chocolate with herbs—she gets high marks for her lavender-infused truffles.

ZOE SCHAEFFER

Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A It happened in stages. In preschool

we took part in pageants, we dressed up, had tea parties so I thought I wanted to be a princess, naturally. And then in high school, I was thinking along the lines of a lawyer or a teacher, or something like English literature. It wasn’t until I attended college, my second semester, I had to take a few maintenance classes, like repairing air conditioners and refrigerators, and we took stoves apart. And I noticed I loved using my hands, and I loved using equipment, I loved using tools. So I thought I’d be a repair lady or something. I loved opening up stuff and figuring out how stuff worked. I didn’t ever think I’d do pastry.

Chef Sunny Raymond

Q What is one of your significant childhood memories of food?

A My dad teaching me how to bake

and assemble my first cake, from the beginning to the end; how to trim and slice, and how to make an icing, and spread the icing on. I remember where we were and what we were wearing. It’s something that really stayed with me and from then on I knew I wanted to cook or be in a kitchen. He always preached we should choose a career or a trade using our hands, that way, we can always take care of ourselves, give us some level of independence. I think I was about 17.

Q What is your approach or philosophy to pastry/baking?

A A couple of weeks ago—this sums

it all up for me—I saw this quote from Jonas Mekas, a Lithuanian poet, artist, filmmaker, “If you ask me what art is, I would answer: it is a miraculous testimony of the intensity of a human moment.” Continued on Page 27

Chocolate caramel semifreddo

Lavender truffles

NATHAN RAWLINSON

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15 SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Giuseppe Bruno (C) is flanked by the Solasz family, who own and operate Master Purveyors, a fine meat distributor. Continued From Page 6 “If today you are serving A-class tomatoes and tomorrow B-class tomatoes, you are hurting yourself. The guest will not enjoy your dish,” Walia said. “When you are a fine dining restaurant, you cannot cut corners.” Sales remained steady at Walia’s two restaurants when the recession hit and recently began to climb. Quality First A five-minute drive from the New Fulton Fish Market is a stretch of refrigerated warehouses that house the city’s meat distributors. Bruno buys his meats from Master Purveyors here, the wholesaler used by Smith and Wollensky and Peter Luger, New York’s iconic steakhouses. Bruno said the owners, Sam Solasz and his sons Mark and Scott, were very helpful from the beginning. Bruno’s determination to maintain quality at all cost becomes clear here. Mark Solasz swings open the door to a dry aging room. The air has a milky scent blasted around by large fans. Solasz said that Master Purveyors is the only New York company that gets its meat unboxed and pays 10 percent more for its product to ensure that the gene pool of the animals is not compromised. As a result, Solasz said that their steaks win almost every taste contest. As we walk through the aging, processing, and refrigeration rooms, Solasz continues to show us Mater Purveyors’ uncompromising approach to quality. Meanwhile, Bruno grows quiet and trails off several times beholding with wonder the magnificent pieces of meat—a sign of a man devoted to serving exceptional food. Fresh Flowers One can’t help but notice the beautiful bouquets of flowers at Caravaggio. Bruno used to spend $2,000 to $3,000

a week for someone else to take care of the flowers in all three of his restaurants. Since the recession, he selects them and arranges them himself, spending only around $500 a week. The luxury of fine dining restaurants may lead one to believe their owners are leading comfortable lives. But behind the scenes, many restaurant owners struggle to provide the same quality of service under continuing economic pressure. Bruno, Martinez, and Walia, all hold their customers’ tastes in high regard. Though they were impacted by the recession to different extents, their determination to maintain quality is adamantine. “My customers eat at the best restaurants in the city,” Bruno said, adding that Yoko Ono is a regular and the likes of Robert De Niro have dined at his restaurants. “They are educated and they’ll be able to tell the difference.” Despite the restaurant owners’ worries, a bright future is ahead for the industry, according to Robert Seixas, director of education at the International Culinary Center. Seixas said that 2008 and 2009 were traumatic years for the industry with many restaurants folding in the face of economic pressure. Those that remained have had to look hard at their costs and adjust, Seixas said. For restaurant owners that have had to take on more work, “It goes back to cutting costs,” Seixas said. “In a way, if you’re an owner it’s even better to do it yourself.” The food industry has 500,000 more jobs nationwide today than it did prior to the recession and continues steady growth, outpaced only by the health industry. “It’s going to grow and grow and grow,” said Seixas, who is also a senior editor at Zagat. The outlook, he said, is “100 percent positive.”

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Top mixologists Thor Bergquist (L) and Xavier Herit at Experimental Cocktail Club on the Lower East Side.

Cocktail Alchemy Behind the scenes at Experimental Cocktail Club

By Channaly Philipp Epoch Times Staff

tep into Experimental Cocktail Club and Xavier Herit and Thor Bergquist will be sizing you up. What kind of mood are you in? If you are feeling indecisive, they’ll ask what your favorite spirit is. Shaken or stirred?—an inevitable question.

No, they’re not trying to pick you up. “We’ve been making so many cocktails we know more or less what fits you; it’s like being a tailor,” Herit said. Are you a Roll-with-the-Punches kind of person; or maybe you need a good Wimbledon Milk Punch? “Our job is not to sell what we think is best. It’s to find what’s the best fit for you.” But, If it’s midnight, and I’m sweating, I’ll give you a Wimbledon,” Herit joked.

The Alchemists A charming pair, Herit and Bergquist are both well-known for their mixology skills, having worked at eminent restaurants and bars for years. Herit, 35, from Paris, looks every inch the dapper Frenchman, decked out in a red bow tie, smart vest, and rolled up sleeves—a gregarious character who can’t help but crack jokes. Bergquist hails from New Zealand and

www.TheEpochTimes.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

A trio of potent cocktails mixed to perfection by famed mixologist Xavier Herit.

Our job is not to sell what we think is best. It’s to find what’s the best fit for you.

At Jeanne & Gaston’s, it’s Restaurant Week all year long

Xavier Herit

adds a slight rugged flavor to the duo, smiling brightly behind his brown shaggy beard with a tattoo on his left arm reminiscent of “Where the Wild Things Are.” The 27-year-old is the general manager at the Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC), while Herit is the assistant manager. “It’s a strange mix, right?” said Bergquist. “It’s like Laurel and Hardy,” said Herit. And it works—the cocktail bar is a destination, being at the confluence of Nolita, Lower East Side, and Chinatown. The location invokes memories of the speakeasy days—there is no sign outside, and there’s not much in the way of shops or anything else in its immediate vicinity. Inside, it’s 50 percent cocktail and 50 percent atmosphere, said Bergquist. The setting gives an intimate vintage

vibe and the ambiance is relaxed, in a casual-classy kind of way. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously here,” Herit said. The drinks at ECC are complex and layered, and the talented staff is always musing on the next taste sensation. “There’s a drink we have called the Wimbledon Milk Punch, created by Nicolas de Soto who left us not long ago, a dear friend of ours,” said Herit. “How he came up with this drink is, he is a big fan of tennis and he was at a Wimbledon game and was eating strawberries with whipped cream.” Making the cocktail is an intricate process—it involves clarified milk, as well as Hendrick’s gin, Batavia arrack, coconut water, strawberry purée, tarragon, Earl Grey tea, and a secret spice mix. Continued on Page 28

www.jeanneandgaston.com 212 W. 14th St. (Btw 7th & 8th)

212-675-3773

www.TheEpochTimes.com Maria Loi shares her passion for Greek food at her namesake restaurant, Loi, on the Upper West Side.

Chef Q&A

Maria Loi, Loi

aria Loi, owner and executive chef at Loi, comes from idyllic Nafpaktos, Greece. She has had a storied life, from laboring in tobacco fields to working as a lobbyist for multinational companies, before launching her culinary career. She had her own cooking show on Greece’s most successful morning TV program. She’s also authored several cookbooks, including “Ancient Dining,” on the occasion of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, and is involved in numerous philanthropic causes, especially involving youth.

Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A Actually, I didn’t have time to

think about what I wanted to be when I grew up because I was working very hard in the tobacco fields, and my wish was always to be by the seaside, which I had never seen before. This made me to want to become a fisherman, because I was always fascinated by the fisherman who came to the village every Saturday with the fresh fish and octopus.

Q What is one of your significant childhood memories of food?

A I will never forget the first meat-

balls that I cooked for my father when I was 7 years old. I still use the same recipe, and everybody loves it!

Q What is your approach or philosophy to cooking?

A Philosophy—it’s a Greek word!

I had to approach cooking from the Greek point of view. I am so blessed to have grown up in the countryside, where the pillars of the Mediterranean diet originate.

Q What’s your current favorite ingredient to play with?

A Well, there are many amazing

ingredients that come from Greece, but olive oil makes life taste better! I use olive oil in everything, even as a beauty aid for my skin and my hair!

Q What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen in the kitchen?

A There was this one time last year

my passion is overwhelming and infiltrates all facets of my life, which I love!

Q What’s an underrated/under-theradar restaurant in NYC?

A I can’t say that it’s under-rated

I’m so glad it’s now in the American schools.

Q What trend do you find overhyped?

A For me, I think that butter doesn’t

or under-the-radar, but one of my favorite places to go when I’m not at Loi is Salumeria Rosi, right near my restaurant on the Upper West Side.

have a place in our lives. I think recipes that call for butter are losing their luster, because the health benefits of natural fats and oils far exceed the “flavor” that butter gives dishes.

Q What current trend do you find

Loi

worthwhile?

A The yogurt trend, because it’s

208 W. 70th St. 212-875-8600 www.loirestaurant.com

tasty, healthy, and easy. I hope it’s not just a trend, but rather the beginning of a dietary institution, and

during Lobster Fest when Demetres brought us two cases of threepound live lobsters, and while signing for the delivery after checking the order, the lobsters escaped, and we had about 50 lobsters clawing their way around our counters and sinks! One of the interns almost fainted, but we managed to catch them all, and taught her the humane way to cook them—now they are her favorite protein to work with!

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Q When you’re not cooking, what do you enjoy doing?

A What do you mean, not cooking?

I cook in my dreams, and wake up and try out the new recipe to see if it works. I’m always talking about food, ingredients, cooking, techniques—

Sokolatopita, Maria’s Special Rich Chocolate Flourless Cake

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Chef Q&A

ZOE SCHAEFFER

Sunny Raymond, Union Square Cafe Continued From Page 5 Somehow I translated that into what I do, baking and food, and I just love having a story behind what I’m preparing. What motivated me, how I felt while I was making it, what I was thinking, and my vision of how I wanted the guests to receive it and eat it. I just love making something, and there is this story behind it all. I want everyone to feel the way I felt when I was making it.

Q What’s your current favorite ingredient to play with?

A Generally, it’s chocolate. But right

now it’s cherries. They’re great this year in the greenmarket. They’re perfect. Not too sweet, not too sour, perfect texture. I’ve been working with them so much I’m literally covered in red [from pitting the cherries]. I used them with a frangipane base, which includes almond flour. I feel like the pit of the cherry tends to taste a little nutty. We make a purée with it, and put the pit in there and you get that nutty flavor.

Q What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen in the kitchen?

A I don’t know if I can tell you that.

[Laughs.] I’m kidding. This kitchen is just so unusual. We have a really small pastry area back here, and I’m pretty tall. We had a really small range, and we’re cooking and I’m smelling something burning. I’m yelling, “Something’s burning, guys. Something’s burning.” Everybody’s looking around. And then I hear one of my staff scream. I was on fire. I had something in my hand and for some reason I knew if I put it down, maybe something hot, but my hands were occupied, and I’m screaming to throw water on me, so she grabs a really wet rag and starts beating me with it. And I just remember the rag hurt more than the flames themselves, and I told her to stop hitting me. Service stopped for a while. It was a bit embar-

rassing. We gave it some time before we could laugh about it. It just burned through the side of my pants, pretty much my pockets.

Q When you’re not cooking, what do you enjoy doing?

A I spend the first half of my day—

everybody thinks I’m crazy—at the gym, from 8 or 9 until 12 because I think it’s very important to take care of myself physically and mentally. It’s a really good way for me to release stress and also helps build up endurance, and that’s something, which is very important, working in a kitchen. I’m not trying to lose weight, I’m just trying to stay fit and healthy. The job is very demanding: the time, the hours on our feet. It helps, working out. And the second half of my day, it involves dragging my husband to T.J. Maxx. I love it there. You take away the toques, you take the dredged flour, I would consider myself a fashionista.

Pumpkin cheesecake

Q What current trend do you find worthwhile?

A Definitely sous-vide. I know it’s been

around for a while, that’s just one trend that I’ve gotten to appreciate—cooking food slowly in its own juices. You get better flavor, tenderness, and you’re preserving all that wholesome flavor and all

that wholesome goodness. And my best memory of a sous-vide dish is chicken I had at this restaurant—a four-star restaurant in New York City. I cut my knife through it, and it was literally like butter and it melted in my mouth. It was juicy and immaculate. It’s a memory that’s stamped, embedded, printed in my heart, and my stomach forever, I will never, ever forget it.

Q What’s an underrated/under-the-

radar restaurant in NYC you’d recommend that you like?

A A local diner or a local mom-and-

pop joint or the bakery across the street from your house or the bagel shop across the street from your house, I think these are so underrated, I guess because the trend is changing so much, and it’s all about who’s doing this and who’s doing that. If it’s not a three-star, a five-star chef running it, people won’t give it much thought or appreciate it as much as our deli guy. I think there are some diners that serve some really decent meals. I just remember being abroad and missing New York City and missing these small local places, just the simplicity of it. It doesn’t always have to be over processed or overthought or anything, just sitting down and saying, “I want a decent burger.” The bun doesn’t have to be from the best bakery or the meat doesn’t have to be from the best cow, just a decent meal.

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Continued From Page 17 The milk punch is beautiful, clear, light, and a golden color. When the milk is clarified, it loses the creaminess, but retains the flavor. “The complexity of the flavor is completely insane,” said Herit. “This drink takes two days to make. It takes two seconds to serve, so we love it when we’re busy.” Concocting Cocktails The 15 custom-made syrups ECC maintains are something any mad scientist would be proud of. “We do everything from scratch here,” said Herit. “Each cocktail requires a lot of preparation. ... There’s a lot of cooking, a lot of preparation. Lots of infusions.” The red beet and pomegranate shrub is crafted by juicing a red beet, blending it with pomegranate, making a syrup, and adding some yuzu vinegar. Herit said new creations often come from the evocation of a bartender’s memories or a combination of flavors that left a remarkable impression. “We get inspired from what we eat, what we see, what we smell.” “All bartenders here have their own influences and elements,” Bergquist said. “I know some of the bar staff are inspired by food and dining, and transfer those flavors into the spirit world, whereas, myself, it’s more from travel, seeing more cultures abroad and trying to implement that into drink format.” Bartenders are free to experiment with their own creations at ECC, but the approach is very team-based, said Bergquist. “As soon as you have a concept, you submit it and we work on it together, give each other insight and advice. It really helps the young bartenders grow up and learn our style of drinks—not that they don’t develop their own styles as well.” One example is the Stockholm Syndrome. Bergquist, whose heritage is Swedish, visited Sweden for the first time last year. “I really fell in love with a dish called pickled herring. And those combinations of dill, herring of course, a little bit of lemon lime, salt, and pepper.” Bergquist talked to his Swedish colleague to try and find the elements to recreate the pickled herring using aquavit, the Scandinavian spirit of choice. “He mistranslated and said it was dill and cumin, whereas in fact it was dill and caraway. So he built the cocktail around those two things. It was a lucky mistake.” Herit said, “Most of the ingredients

that you see on the list are also combinations that go well on the plate.” Take for example, the Milk of Sorrow, with Drouin Calvados, La Garrocha Amontillado sherry, Wray & Nephew overproof rum, pine nuts orgeat, lime juice, and angostura bitters. Still, as in fine cooking, Herit abides by a central tenet. “The rule, which is very important is know your classics. It’s like food,” Herit said. “You’ve got to know the dish from Escoffier before you start to make a dish from Daniel or JeanGeorge. You’ve got to know your base, how to make chicken stock in order to make a good sauce. I think the cocktail is the same thing. You’ve got to know your classics.” Herit speaks from experience. He was the head mixologist at Daniel Boulud’s for Daniel for seven years, where he crafted cocktails with exotic ingredients and created beautiful orchid flower ice balls in lieu of run-of-themill ice cubes. At Daniel’s, he said, there was incredible attention given to every detail, from the beginning apéritif, through the sixcourse meal, ending with the coffee. Herit made the move downtown to the ECC last May, when it opened. “I would even say that the cocktails are even more creative here and it’s another level again because this is the focus.” Balance and Taste These days, Herit likes to dabble with mescal and tequila. “This comes back a lot in the stirred drinks, or even shaken [drinks], by the fact that there are so many different kinds of aging processes. They are so different from each other. The smokiness of the mescal is a great tool to use. I think I like bitterness as well so I like to play a lot with amaros. It’s the favorite shot of the bartender, you know, a Fernet-Branca or an amaro. Usually if you ask a bartender to do a shot and you offer him a Fernet-Branca, he won’t say no.” “My philosophy is, no matter how experimental you go, how technical or creative you go, in the end don’t forget that sometimes the simple things are the best. I always come back by having a Negroni,” said Herit. “Don’t forget a drink has to taste good. Balance is the most important thing.” Experimental Cocktail Club 191 Chrystie St. www.experimentalcocktailclubny.com Open every day from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

TOP: Herit carefully pours a Wimbledon Milk Punch. MIDDLE: Xavier Herit (L) and Thor Bergquist talk cocktails. BOTTOM: Herit is the picture of concentration while straining Roll With the Punches 2.

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Mixing It Up

Our Story

Creations from Experimental Cocktail Club Stockholm Syndrome ECC Chinatown, Thor Bergquist & Alex Skarlen, 2012 Shaken and served on the rocks in rock glass. Linie Aquavit cumin & dill infused Fair Vodka lemon juice simple syrup Peychaud’s bitters pinch salt + pepper Garnish: lemon zest & dill garnish

PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Roll with the Punches 2 ECC Lower East Side, Thor Bergquist, 2013. Shaken and served on ice in a highball glass. Vanilla infused Plantation 5 rum oatmilk orgeat angostura bitters lime juice orange juice Guinness float

Wimbledon Milk Punch ECC LES, Nico de Soto, 2013. Bottled, served in a water glass with 2 cubes. Hendrick’s gin Batavia arrack Coconut water strawberry puree tarragon Earl Grey tea Niko’s spices mix clarified milk

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Having personally witnessed human rights tragedies like the Tiananmen Square massacre and the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong, and at great risk to themselves and their loved ones, a group of Chinese-Americans started publishing Epoch Times in the Chinese language in the United States. Some reporters in China were jailed, and some suffered severe torture before disappearing altogether. Integrity and truthfulness in reporting, together with covering stories that really matter, are the central tenets of Epoch Times. Epoch Times is now available in 35 countries and in 21 languages around the world. Our beginnings have instilled in Epoch Times staff an unwavering commitment to objective reporting and socially responsible business practices, as well as respect for human rights and freedom.

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Chef Q&A

Patrick Rodemeyer, Fishtail

Pan roasted Arctic Char with golden beats, quinoa, and greek yogurt

Continued From Page 9

Q What is your approach or philosophy to cooking?

A One of my biggest rules is ask

questions, and the biggest question is why? Why are you doing that? Why are we cooking something a certain way? Why is that on the plate? I have worked for some really talented people, but there were times when I felt that we were just putting things or doing things because it was hip. We’re gonna sous-vide this. Why are we sous-viding this? Because it’s sous-vide, or are we sous-viding because that’s going to make it better? [Editor’s note: Sous-vide is French for “under vacuum.” It’s a method of cooking food in airtight plastic in a water bath for longer than normal cooking times.] Why is that on a plate? Is it because everyone is talking about it on a par-

ticular food blog, or is it going to enhance the experience of eating something? A good example is the Greek yogurt they just brought out, we came up with a dish yesterday. I’m like, this is cool, but it’s astringent, I want just a kiss of fat. It’s a really healthy dish. It’s Arctic char, beets, and quinoa. Greek yogurt just goes across the board, it will add richness, it’s trendy, it’s healthy, it’s good, let’s go. That’s something I ask a lot of myself and my sous, is why. Why are you doing that? Why do you want to do that? Everyone is going to say seasonality, but I think hyper-seasonality is ridiculous. I’ve worked for people who say, ‘That’s not available for another three weeks.’ Also for the whole hyper-local thing, another chef once had a quote, ‘Hey, I can pick purslane from the cracks off the

sidewalk of my restaurant, and that doesn’t get more local than that, but it doesn’t mean I should.’ I can get a fig from Southern California that is far superior than any that grows on Long Island, and this is just an example, why would I buy a Long Island fig? I understand the green footprint, but be reasonable. Don’t run pumpkins in the middle of June and don’t sell Chilean sea bass. Those are two of my tenets, you could say. I just try to be realistic with the seasons. I do work closely with two different farmers who do happen to grow the best stuff. If it’s not good, I don’t buy it from them. Their donut peaches are out of this world, their beets are out of this world, and their greens are out of this world. I go to the farmers market when I can, which means about twice a year. Farmers email me what they’re pick-

ing, and that’s the next best thing for me. I live at this place. They pull up to the restaurant. They’re an old mom and pop couple and they’re amazing.

Q What’s your current favorite ingredient to play with?

A I have a current favorite ingredi-

ent that I suck at: chilies. I think I’m a little behind the curve, and I’ll admit that. I know Mexican is peaking especially with what Alex Stupak’s doing, and I know April Bloomfield opened a taco restaurant. But what I’ve learned is, there’s just an incredible depth to what they can do. I’m at an American restaurant. I work for a chef who made a name making American food. But I still found a way to incorporate five different chilies on my menu, and you’d never even know it. I like that a lot. Pasilla, guajillo, chipotle, jalapeño,

www.TheEpochTimes.com Astoria in general is getting this influx of talent. I’m not going anywhere, but if I were, I would open a restaurant there.

region of Xi’an. You’ve Danny Bowien doing this Sichuan thing, I guess. And you’ve got Cantonese. But there’s a recognition that it’s not just Chinese food. It’s freaking awesome. I’m thinking about going to Xi’an Famous tomorrow to get cold skin noodles and a lamb burger. I’ve eaten at Danny’s place numerous times and it’s never disappointed. Mexican food too, but the problem is that there’s only a handful of people doing it well. There have been people who have been doing it well for a while. Sue Torres with Sueños, she’s not new. It’s an established restaurant. Alex Stupak opening Empellón, and then opening the second Empellón. The guys at Carbone are trying to do it with Italian. You’ve got Michael White putting emphasis on that. This is a melting pot of the United States. It’s supposed to be, and I think it’s being recognized again. Fusion was so big, and it’s still out there, but we’re not in your face about it. One thing I love about the city is you can transport. One minute you’re at Macy’s, the largest department store in the world, the next you’re in the middle of Korea. You can’t do that in very many places.

Q What trend do you find overhyped?

A I do think it’s waning, but the

whole molecular [gastronomy] thing. I got way into it, I don’t want anyone who sees this to call me a hypocrite, but I think it’s time to let go. There are exceptions to that rule, and Wylie Dufresne without a doubt is one. Because he asks why. It comes back to that. Diver scallops, corn chow chow, and huitlacoche

Q What current trend do you find worthwhile?

and cascabel chilis; I’m always looking for ways to sneak them in. If you ate my scallop dish, you’d have no idea that there are four different chilies. They’re not there to make it a Mexican dish. I find that by adding a guajillo chili to your corn purée it goes through the roof. And by adding chipotle to a little vinaigrette of huitlacoche, which is Mexican corn smut ... it adds a hint of smokiness, and you don’t think it’s chipotle vinaigrette. It’s all about proportion and balance. If I could go back 10 years and still make the same money I’m making now, I’d go work at a few good Mexican restaurants.

Q What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen in the kitchen?

A I’ve been pretty lucky. I’ve never

world.

Q When you’re not cooking, what do you enjoy doing?

A Hanging out with my kid. I have

A I think New York’s always done

this, but I think there’s been a resurgence. I’m not a native New Yorker, we established that. Maybe this is naive, but I hope I’m right. I think there’s a renewed focus on the regionality of all Asian cuisine, but particularly Chinese cuisine. You’ve got Hunan, there is a prominent restaurant serving Hunan cuisine. You’ve got the guys at Biang! and Xi’an Famous doing food from the

a two-track mind. Rock ‘n’ roll and food. I love rock ‘n’ roll and by that I mean all music, almost to a fault. Another big thing for me which most chefs would think is preposterous, is I firmly believe in music in kitchens, especially during prep. I have an intern that stands out; he’s young. He gets excited because we’ll have theme days. This past Sunday was SoCal punk rock. The week before was reggae, the week before was Pink Floyd, the week before that was the blues, the week before that was outlaw country. Like everything. We eat out a lot. I have a lot of chef friends. I invite them into my home and I go visit them to hang out. Most important is hanging out with my daughter. Life sucks when you go two or three days without seeing the whites of your offspring’s eyes, and that happens. I’ll wake up, she’s in bed. When I get home, she’s fast asleep. It sucks. You get used to it because you have to, but it doesn’t get any easier. three color system will be used across

What makes City Sandwich the best sandwich shop in NYC?

worked for any shouty chefs. I’ve never worked for anyone with a serious temper. Thankfully that rubbed off on me, I’m not really much for yelling. When I worked at a restaurant as a cook, one of the new guys put a burning hot plate in the window, later that night the chef called him around The the other side of the pass and put a burnvarious pieces of collateral and signage, ing cast iron plate on the kid’s hands. a way to code the food on the menu. And he’s like, ‘Don’t ever burn me What’s an underrated/under-theagain.’ radar restaurant in NYC? Also imagine how great bright red, green Good, bad, or indifferent, the kid took it. There was no HR. I don’t know If Icould could give a nod to anything, yellow trays look! what I would have done. it would be to my neighborhood, It wasn’t third degree, but it was Astoria. I think Astoria is on the rise, pretty gnarly. It left a mark. I’m sure which is exciting and scary. it’s gone by now. It’s a true story, by Queens Comfort, which does the way. gnarly comfort food, it’s got a southI saw a guy sear a cut on a flat top ern kick to it. Real homey, BYOB. once. He cut his finger real bad and Queens Kickshaw. They have a great just went like that and cauterized it. program there. Great beer list. The BBQ We’re pirates, man, it’s a different joint on 30th Avenue Bareburger. Fogelson-Lubliner · City Sandwich · final identity presentation · 23 July 2010

Q A

The logo: Color

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and as or

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Chef Q&A

Alfio Longo, Circo

Classic Chinese & Asian Cuisine Enjoy delicious hot noodle soups, tasty bento boxes, fresh sushi rolls & sashimi, dumplings, exotic curries and pan fried noodles.

• Live Jazz music Thurs. - Sat. • $6 Cocktails during Happy Hour, 4-7 p.m.

*Gluten Free 792 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065 Tel: 212-421-7800 www.lilliandloonyc.com

Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A Since I was 10 years old, my idea

was to do something related to food and hospitality. I was always fascinated when my parents took me out to restaurants or hotels—for me it was a really important event. I chose and applied to the food and hospitality school in Montecatini Terme, where I started to learn all the aspects of the hotel industry, reception, service, and culinary. I decided to specialize in culinary and continue my school training in the kitchen to become a chef.

Q What is one of your significant A My grandmother is a great men-

ever seen happen in the kitchen?

tor. I was always around her, watching what she was doing, asking what is this, what is that? And still today when are together, she tells me, I tried this, then I tried to do that. We always talk about food with each other.

Enjoy the tender, mouth-watering dishes from Northern India. Slow cooked and masterfully spiced --they will make you feel like a Maharaja.

A delicious 4 course feast for only

$29.99

Q What is your approach or philosophy to cooking?

A My mission as chef is to make peo-

ple happy. Simplicity, good taste, quality are my ingredients. I use three, four ingredients, no more than five. I try to take authentic, traditional dishes, and try to elaborate a little bit for a modern touch. I don’t like heavy cuisine. I try to be light.

Q What’s your current favorite ingredient to play with?

A Here at Circo, we always have sea30 W 52nd St • (212) 541-7777 • www.bombaypalacenyc.com

tomatoes that are superb. With this base, we build a dish. Every [restaurant] that I’ve been, the product is extremely important. I really like searching for products. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s hard.

childhood memories of food?

Fine Indian Cuisine

COURTESY OF CIRCO

Alfio Longo, executive chef at Circo, was born in Germany and raised in Pistoia, near Florence, Italy. While working as a sous-chef at Uno Piu Ristorante in Montecatini, he came to the notice of Sirio Maccioni and his family, who invited Longo to join their restaurant group. Longo has worked in restaurants across the world, including in Italy, Macau, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Turkey.

sonal products in our choices. I have a seasonal menu insert that changes with the season. Asparagus, zucchini flowers, ... I just received some Jersey

Q What’s the craziest thing you’ve A It was at a beautiful five-star hotel

complex, with an Indian-American family to celebrate a wedding in Turkey, with a huge buffet, if you can imagine, for 600 people. There were people [cooking] from everywhere: three, four from France; three, four from Spain, from Morocco, from Spain, China, Japan, me with other Italians ... All this was happening in one big kitchen. It was crazy. There was bouillabaisse, sushi, ... The kitchen was very well-equipped!

Q When you’re not cooking, what do you enjoy doing?

A Sometimes I try to relax, bike

around New York City, swim, discover new things, and travel while I am working.

Circo 120 W. 55th St. New York 212-265-3636 www.circonyc.com

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How to Make the Most of Restaurant Week IT’S BACK. Savor a three-course prix-fixe lunch for $25 or a three-course prixfixe dinner for $38 (excluding beverages, gratuities, and taxes) during NYC Restaurant Week. Almost 300 of the city’s top restaurants are participating in the promotion, which runs through Aug. 16. Keep an eye out for the restaurants that extend deals through the summer. Here are some tips to help you navigate and enjoy the best of what Restaurant Week has to offer.

1 2

3 4 5 6

Restaurant Week is best if you want to try a restaurant your wallet normally wouldn't let you. Remember the prix-fixe prices exclude beverages, gratuities, and taxes. Decide on lunch or dinner and choose your day. Note that not all restaurants provide the Restaurant Week promotion for all meals on each day of the week. Saturdays are not included, and Sundays are optional for restaurants. Go for value. Research the menu before you decide. Sometimes restaurants offer a lower-value meal that doesn’t make it such a good deal. Menus are listed here: www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek

Authentic Spanish Tapas & Sangria 3 course pre-fix dinner $30.95

Book early. Best places to book are the official site (nycgo.com/restaurantweek) and Open Table (www.opentable.com). Call the restaurant if it’s fully booked, you may get lucky if there is a cancellation. Be patient. Restaurant Week is popular, expect wait times and lines, especially if you don’t book ahead. Use your Amex card if you have one. You can get $5 back on every $25 or more you spend at participating restaurants. Register your card here: nycgo.com/restaurantweek SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

“At Meson Sevilla you will experience the Traditional Flavors and Feel of Spain.” - Eats.com

New York’s most extensive menu of Spanish Tapas

Meson Sevilla Call, Come in or order online!

212.262.5890 • www.mesonsevilla.com

344 West 46th St. (Bet. 8th & 9th Aves.) NYC 10036

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Restaurant Week Listings

Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Hell’s Kitchen

Upper West Side

YELP rating Open Table rating

Upper West Side

A Voce 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd fl. (W. 59th St. & Broadway ) 212-823-2523 www.avocerestaurant.com/ avoce_columbus.html#/home

Italian French Chinese Greek

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

Alloro Restaurant 307 E. 77th St. (bet. First & Second Aves.) 212-535-2866 alloronyc.com

4.3

Andanada 141 W. 69th St. (bet. Columbus Ave. & Broadway) 646-692-8762 www.andanada141.com Atlantic Grill at Lincoln Center 49 W. 64th St. (at Broadway) 212-787-4663 www.atlanticgrill.com

Loi Restaurant 208 W. 70th St. (at Amsterdam Ave.) 212-875-8600 restaurantloi.com 4.3

Nice Matin 201 W. 79th St. (at Amsterdam Ave.) 212-873-6423 www.nicematinnyc.com

Bar Boulud 1900 Broadway (bet. W. 63rd & W. 64th Sts.) 212-595-0303 www.barboulud.com/nyc

4.2

Calle Ocho 45 W. 81st St. (bet. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-873-5025 www.calleochonyc.com

4.3

Ocean Grill 384 Columbus Ave. (bet. W. 78th & W. 79th Sts.) 212-579-2300 www.oceangrill.com Ouest 2315 Broadway (at W. 84th St.) 212-580-8700 www.ouestny.com 4.1

Cesca Enoteca & Trattoria 164 W. 75th St. (at Amsterdam Ave.) 212-787-6300 cescanyc.com

Rosa Mexicano at Lincoln Center 61 Columbus Ave. (at 62nd St.) 212-977-7700 www.rosamexicano.com 4.1

Dovetail 103 W. 77th St. (at Columbus Ave.) 212-362-3800 dovetailnyc.com 4.4

Ed’s Chowder House 44 W. 63rd St., 2nd fl. (bet. Broadway & Columbus Ave.) 212-956-1288 www.chinagrillmgt.com/restaurants -and-bars/eds-chowder-house Fish Tag 222 W. 79th St. (bet. Amsterdam Ave. & Broadway) 212-362-7470 michaelpsilakis.com/fishtag

Scaletta Ristorante 50 W. 77th St. (bet. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-769-9191 www.delmonicosrestaurantgroup.com/ scaletta Telepan 72 W. 69th St. (bet. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-580-4300 telepan-ny.com 4.3

The Leopard at des Artistes 1 W. 67th St. (at Central Park West) 212-787-8767 theleopardnyc.com 4.2

Upper East Side

Gabriel’s Bar & Restaurant 11 W. 60th St. (bet. Broadway & Columbus Ave.) 212-956-4600 www.gabrielsbarandrest.com

Haru Sake Bar 1327 Third Ave. (at E. 76th St.) 212-452-1028 www.harusushi.com/location/ newyork_sakebar

Isabella’s 359 Columbus Ave. (at W. 77th St.) 212-724-2100 www.isabellas.com

Park Avenue Summer 100 E. 63rd St. (at Park Ave.) 212-644-1900 parkavenyc.com

4.1

Shun Lee West 43 W. 65th St. (at Columbus Ave.) 212-595-8895 www.shunleewest.com

Bar Italia 768 Madison Ave. (at E. 66th St.) 917-546-6676 www.baritaliamadison.com Café Boulud 20 E. 76th St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-772-2600 www.cafeboulud.com/nyc

4.3

Parlor Steakhouse 1600 Third Ave. (at E. 90th St.) 212-423-5888 www.parlorsteakhouse.com

4.2

JoJo 160 E. 64th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-223-5656 www.jojorestaurantnyc.com Maya 1191 First Ave. (bet. E. 64th & E. 65th Sts.) 212-585-1818 www.richardsandoval.com/mayany 3.7

Nino's Restaurant 1354 First Ave. (bet. E. 72nd & E. 73rd Sts.) 212-988-0002 www.ninosrestaurant.com 4.2

4.3

4.2

4.1

4.5

Arabelle 37 E. 64th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-606-4647 www.arabellerestaurant.com

4.1

Nougatine at Jean Georges 1 Central Park West (bet. W. 60th & W. 61st Sts.) 212-299-3900 www.jean-georges.com/restaurants/ united-states/new-york/nougatine

Boulud Sud 20 W. 64th St. (bet. Central Park West & Broadway) 212-595-1313 www.bouludsud.com

Hospoda 321 E. 73 St. (bet. First & Second Aves.) 212-861-1038 hospodanyc.com

Atlantic Grill East Side 1341 Third Ave. (at E. 77th St.) 212-988-9200 www.atlanticgrill.com

4.1

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

Upper East Side

Lincoln Ristorante 142 W. 65th St. (bet. Broadway & Amsterdam Ave.) 212-359-6500 www.lincolnristorante.com

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

Café D'Alsace 1695 Second Ave. (at E. 88th St.) 212-722-5133 www.cafedalsace.com Carlyle Restaurant 35 E. 76th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-744-1600 www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/carlyle/ dining/the_caryle_restaurant 4.3

Circus Restaurant 132 E. 61st St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-223-2566 circusrestaurante.com 4.2

David Burke Townhouse 133 E. 61st St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-813-2121 www.davidburketownhouse.com 4.5

Fig & Olive - Uptown 808 Lexington Ave. (bet. E. 62nd & E. 63rd Sts.) 212-207-4555 www.figandolive.com Fishtail by David Burke 135 E. 62nd St. (bet. Park & Lexington Aves.) 212-754-1300 www.fishtaildb.com Fulton Restaurant 205 E. 75th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-288-6600 www.fultonnyc.com 3.6

Orsay Restaurant 1057 Lexington Ave. (at E. 75th St.) 212-517-6400 www.orsayrestaurant.com

T Bar Steak and Lounge 1278 Third Ave. (bet. E. 73rd & E. 74th Sts.) 212-772-0404 www.tbarnyc.com

Hell’s Kitchen Chez Josephine 414 W. 42nd St. (bet. Ninth & Tenth Aves.) 212-594-1925 www.chezjosephine.com 4.3

Ember Room 647 Ninth Ave. (bet. W. 45th & W. 46th Sts.) 212-245-8880 www.emberroom.com 3.9

Esca 402 W. 43rd St. (at Ninth Ave.) 212-564-7272 www.esca-nyc.com 4.1

Etcetera Etcetera 352 W. 44th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-399-4141 www.etcetcnyc.com 4.2

Hakkasan New York 311 W. 43rd St. 212-776-1818 hakkasan.com/newyork 4.2

KTCHN 508 W. 42nd St. (42 St/10 Av) 212-868-2999 ktchnnyc.com 3.9

La Silhouette 362 W. 53rd St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-581-2400 la-silhouettenyc.com 4.1

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Restaurant Week Listings

Hell’s Kitchen, Times Square, Midtown West

YELP rating Open Table rating

Times Square

Hell’s Kitchen Marseille 630 Ninth Ave. (at W. 44th St.) 212-333-2323 www.marseillenyc.com 4.1

Taboon 773 Tenth Ave. (at W. 52nd St.) 212-713-0271 taboononline.com 4.3

ViceVersa 325 W. 51st St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-399-9291 www.viceversanyc.com Bann 350 W. 50th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-582-4446 www.bannrestaurant.com 4.1

Times Square Aureole–Bar Room 135 W. 42nd St. (at Sixth Ave.) 212-319-1660 www.charliepalmer.com/ Properties/Aureole/NY 4.3

B. Smith’s Restaurant 320 W. 46th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-315-1100 bsmith.com/restaurants/new-york 3.8

Barbetta 321 W. 46th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-246-9171, 212-246-1279 barbettarestaurant.com

FireBird Restaurant 365 W. 46th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-586-0244 www.firebirdrestaurant.com

Inakaya New York 231 W. 40th St. (at Eighth Ave.) 212-354-2195 www.inakayany.com

Blue Fin 1567 Broadway (at W. 47th St.) 212-918-1400 www.bluefinnyc.com Bobby Van’s Grill—West 45th St. 120 W. 45th St. (bet. Sixth Ave. & Broadway) 212-575-2599 www.bobbyvans.com 3.9

Bobby Van’s Grill—West 50th St. 135 W. 50th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-957-5050 www.bobbyvans.com

3.6

4.1

Brasserie Ruhlmann 45 Rockefeller Plaza (at 50th St. & Fifth Ave.) 212-974-2020 www.brasserieruhlmann.com

Toloache 251 W. 50th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-581-1818 toloachenyc.com

3.8

China Grill 60 W. 53rd St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-333-7788 www.chinagrillmgt.com

The View 1535 Broadway (bet. W. 45th & W. 46th Sts.) 212-704-8880

La Masseria 235 W. 48th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-582-2111 www.lamasserianyc.com Natsumi 226 W. 50th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-258-2988 natsuminyc.com 3.9

Chom Chom 40 W. 56th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-213-2299 www.chomchomny.com

The Lambs Club Bar 132 W. 44th St. (bet. Sixth Ave. & Broadway) 212-997-5262 thelambsclub.com

Circo 120 W. 55th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-265-3636 www.circonyc.com

4.1

Victor’s Cafe 236 W. 52nd St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-586-7714 victorscafe.com

4.2

4.3

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 148 W. 51st St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-245-9600 www.ruthschris.com

Orso Restaurant 322 W. 46th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-489-7212 orsorestaurant.com

4.3

Palm West 250 W. 50th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-333-7256 www.thepalm.com Pigalle 790 Eighth Ave. (at W. 48th St.) 212-489-2233 www.pigallenyc.com

E&E Grill House 233 W. 49th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-505-9909 www.eegrillhouse.com

Ruby Foo’s Times Square 1626 Broadway (at 49th St.) 212-489-5600 www.rubyfoos.com

City Lobster & Steak 121 W. 49th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-354-1717 www.citylobster.com db Bistro Moderne 55 W. 44th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-391-2400 www.dbbistro.com/nyc 4.2

Midtown West

Restaurant Above 234 W. 42nd St., 21st fl. (bet. Seventh & Eighth Aves.) 212-642-2626 www.aboverestaurantbar.com

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

Brasserie 8 1/2 9 west 57 street 212-829 0812, 212-829-0821 www.patinagroup.com

Thalia Restaurant 828 Eighth Ave. (at W. 50th St.) 212-399-4444 www.restaurantthalia.com

4.1

Glass House Tavern 252 W. 47th St. (bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) 212-730-4800, 212-730-0546 www.glasshousetavern.com

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

Midtown West

4.2

Crossroads American Kitchen and Bar 1535 Broadway (bet .W. 45th & W. 46th Sts.) 212-704-8834

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

Times Square

4.3

3.9

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

4.2

Ça Va Brasserie 310 W. 44th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-803-4545 www.cavatoddenglish.com

Italian French Chinese Greek

Casa Nonna 310 W. 38th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) 212-736-3000 www.e2hospitality.com/ casa-nonna-new-york

Delmonico’s Kitchen 207 W. 36th St. (bet. Seventh & Eighth Aves.) 212-695-5220 www.delmonicosrestaurantgroup.com 3.8

Empire Steak House 36 W. 52nd St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-582-6900 www.empiresteakhousenyc.com 4.2

‘21’ Club 21 W. 52nd St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-582-7200 www.21club.com

Estiatorio Milos 125 W. 55th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-245-7400 milos.ca/restaurants/new-york 4.2

Frankie & Johnnie’s Steakhouse - 37th Street 32 W. 37th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-947-8940 www.frankieandjohnnies.com

Abboccato Ristorante 136 W. 55th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-265-4000 www.abboccato.com

3.7

Shula’s Steak House 270 W. 43rd St. (at Eighth Ave.) 212-201-2776 www.donshula.com 4.4

The Capital Grille Time Life 120 W. 51st St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-246-0154 www.thecapitalgrille.com 4.4

4.3

Ai Fiori 400 Fifth Ave. (bet. W. 36th & W. 37th Sts.) 212-613-8660 www.aifiorinyc.com 4.5

Auden Bistro & Bar 50 Central Park South 212-521-6125 4.2

Kellari Taverna 19 W. 44th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-221-0144 www.kellari.us 3.9

Petrossian 182 W. 58th St. (at Seventh Ave.) 212-245-2214 www.petrossian.com 4.2

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Restaurant Week Listings

Midtown West, Midtown East

YELP rating Open Table rating

Midtown West

Midtown West Maze by Gordon Ramsay 151 W. 54th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-468-8889 www.gordonramsay.com/maze

The Sea Grill 19 W. 49th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-332-7610 www.patinagroup.com The Strand Bistro 33 W. 37th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-584-4000 www.thestrandbistro.com

Molyvos Restaurant 871 Seventh Ave. (bet. W. 55th & W. 56th Sts.) 212-582-7500 www.molyvos.com 4.1

Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe 1 Rockefeller Plaza (W. 49th St. & Fifth Ave.) 212-262-7700 morrellwinebar.com

4.3

Todd English Food Hall 1 W. 59th St. (at Fifth Ave.) 212-986-9260 www.theplazany.com/dining/ todd-english-food-hall

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

Midtown East

Chin Chin 216 E. 49th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-888-4555 www.chinchinny.com

Le Colonial 149 E. 57th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-752-0808 www.lecolonialnyc.com

Cipriani Dolci 89 E. 42nd St. (at Vanderbilt Ave.) 212-973-0999, 212-973-9666 www.cipriani.com/locations/ new-york/restaurants/dolci.php

Le Perigord 405 E. 52nd St. (at First Ave.) 212-755-6244 www.leperigord.com

Midtown East

4.2

Norma’s 119 W. 56th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-708-7460 www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php Porter House New York 10 Columbus Circle, 4th fl. (W. 59th St. & Broadway) 212-823-9500 www.porterhousenewyork.com 4.3

Quality Meats 57 W. 58th St. (at Sixth Ave.) 212-371-7777 www.qualitymeatsnyc.com 4.3

Remi Restaurant 145 W. 53rd St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-581-4242 www.remi-ny.com

Amma Restaurant 246 E. 51st St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-644-8330 www.ammanyc.com 4.2

4.2

Aretsky’s Patroon 160 E. 46th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-883-7373 www.patroonrestaurant.com 4.4

Artisanal Fromagerie & Bistro 2 Park Ave. (at E. 32nd St.) 212-725-8585 www.artisanalbistro.com At Vermilion 480 Lexington Ave. (at E. 46th St.) 212-871-6600 www.thevermilionrestaurant.com 3.6

3.9

STK Midtown 1114 Sixth Ave. (at W. 42nd St.) 646-624-2455 togrp.com/togrp-stk-midtown/about 4.1

The Park Room 36 Central Park South (59th St. & Fifth Ave.) 212-371-4000 www.helmsleyparklane.com/ central-park-south-restaurants.php

3.8

Ammos Estiatorio - Grand Central 52 Vanderbilt Ave (45 st ) 212-922-9999 ammosnewyork.com

Bice Ristorante 7 E. 54th St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-688-1999 bicenewyork.com 3.8

Bobby Van’s “The Original” at 46th Street 230 Park Ave. (at E. 46th St.) 212-867-5490 www.bobbyvans.com 4.2

Brasserie 100 E. 53rd St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-751-4840 www.patinagroup.com 3.9

Café Centro 200 Park Ave. (at E. 45th St.) 212-818-1222 www.patinagroup.com

4.5

3.7

Darbar Grill 157 E. 55th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-751-4600 darbargrill.com

4.1

Rock Center Café 20 W. 50th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-332-7620 www.patinagroup.com

Club A Steakhouse 240 E. 58th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-688-4190 www.clubasteak.com Darbar 152 E. 46th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-681-4500 darbarny.com

4.1

4.3

Lexington Brass 517 Lexington Ave. (at E. 48th St.) 212-392-5976 emmgrp.com/restaurants/ lexington-brass

3.5

4.6

3.9

Benoit Restaurant & Bar 60 W. 55th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 646-943-7373 benoitny.com

Nino’s Tuscany 117 W. 58th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-757-8630 ninostuscany.com

3.9

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

Midtown East

4.2

3.5

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

4.3

3.8

Michael’s Restaurant 24 W. 55th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-767-0555 www.michaelsnewyork.com

The Russian Tea Room 150 W. 57th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-581-7100 russiantearoomnyc.com

Italian French Chinese Greek

Dos Caminos Third Avenue 825 Third Ave. (at E. 50th St.) 212-336-5400 www.doscaminos.com

Maloney & Porcelli 37 E. 50th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-750-2233 maloneyandporcelli.com 4.3

Megu Midtown 845 UN Plaza (E. 47th St. & First Ave.) 212-644-0777 www.megurestaurants.com Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C. 23 E Vanderbilt Ave. (at E. 43rd St.) 212-655-2300 www.michaeljordansnyc.com

3.8

Fig & Olive - Midtown 10 E. 52nd St. (bet. Fifth & Madison Aves.) 212-924-1200 www.figandolive.com

Mint Restaurant 150 E. 50th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-644-8888 mintny.com

Fireside 21 E. 52nd St. (bet. Fifth & Madison Aves.) 212-754-5011 www.firesidegrillandbar.com

Monkey Bar 60 E. 54th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-288-1010 monkeybarnewyork.com

HanGawi 12 E. 32nd St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-213-0077 www.hangawirestaurant.com

Montebello Restaurant 120 E. 56th St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-753-1447 montebellonyc.com

Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant 17 E. 48th St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-355-3345, 212-759-6774 www.hatsuhana.com

Morton’s The Steakhouse Manhattan 551 Fifth Ave. (at W. 45th St.) 212-972-3315, 212-972-3349 www.mortons.com/newyork

La Fonda Del Sol 200 Park Ave. (bet. E. 43rd & E. 44th Sts.) 212-867-6767 www.patinagroup.com

Mr. Chow New York - 57th Street 324 E. 57th St. (bet. First & Second Aves.) 212-751-9030, 212-644-0352 www.mrchow.com/restaurant-newyork-57th-street-menu-map

3.8

4.1

4.2

3.8

Lavo Restaurant 39 E. 58th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-750-5588 www.lavony.com

4.3

4.1

Le Cirque 151 E. 58th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-644-0202 www.lecirque.com

4.5

Mr. K’s 35 E. 76th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-583-1668, 212-583-1620 www.mrksny.com 3.8

Nippon Restaurant 155 E. 52st St. 212-688-5941 www.restaurantnippon.com 3.9

www.TheEpochTimes.com

Restaurant Week Listings

Midtown East, Murry Hill, Chelsea, Flatiron

Midtown East

YELP rating Open Table rating

Midtown East

Naples 45 1132 E. 61st St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-972-7001 www.patinagroup.com

The Capital Grille Chrysler Center 155 East 42nd St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-953-2000 www.thecapitalgrille.com

Opia Restaurant Bar Lounge 130 E. 57th St., 2nd fl. (at Lexington Ave.) 212-688-3939, 212-688-7819 www.opiarestaurant.com

4.3

3.4

The National 557 Lexington Ave. (at E. 50th St.) 212-715-2400 www.thenationalnyc.com

Palm One 837 Second Ave. (bet. E. 44th & E. 45th Sts.) 212-687-2953 www.thepalm.com

3.8

Tulsi 211 E. 46th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-888-0820 www.tulsiny.com

Palm Too 840 Second Ave. (bet. E. 44th & E. 45th Sts.) 212-697-5198 www.thepalm.com

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

4.2

Duo Restaurant & Lounge 72 Madison Ave. (bet. E. 27th & E. 28th Sts.) 212-686-7272 www.duonewyork.com

Rocking Horse Cafe 182 Eighth Ave. (at W. 19th St.) 212-463-9511 rockinghorsecafe.com

Hill Country Barbecue Market 30 W. 26th St. (bet. Broadway & Sixth Ave.) 212-255-4544 www.hillcountryny.com

Pera Mediterranean Brasserie 303 Madison Ave. (bet. E. 41st & E. 42nd Sts.) 212-878-6301 www.peranyc.com 3.8

Pershing Square 90 E. 42nd St. (at Park Ave.) 212-286-9600 www.pershingsquare.com

Rosa Mexicano at First Avenue 1063 First Ave. (at E. 58th St.) 212-753-7407 www.rosamexicano.com Rothmann’s Steakhouse 3 E. 54th St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-319-5500 www.rothmannssteakhouse.com

4.1

Murry Hill

A Voce – Madison 41 Madison Ave. (at E. 26th St.) 212-545-8555 www.avocerestaurant.com 4.2

Aldea 31 W. 17th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-675-7223 aldearestaurant.com Alison Eighteen 15 W. 18th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-366-1818 alisoneighteen.com

Villa Berulia Restaurant 107 E. 34th St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-689-1970 www.villaberulia.com

Chelsea

Shun Lee Palace 155 E. 55th St. (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.) 212-371-8844 www.shunleepalace.com

Crema Restaurante 111 W. 17th St. (bet. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) 212-691-4477 www.cremarestaurante.com 3.7

Eolo 190 Seventh Ave. (bet. W. 21st & W. 22nd Sts.) 646-225-6606 eolonewyork.com

Tao 42 E. 58th St. (bet. Park & Madison Aves.) 212-888-2288 taorestaurant.com

3.7 4.1

4.1

Les Halles 411 Park Ave. South (bet. E. 28th & E. 29th Sts.) 212-679-4111, 212-213-2065 leshalles.net Raymi 43 W. 24th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-929-1200 rayminyc.com SD26 Restaurant & Wine Bar 19 E. 26th St. (bet. Madison & Fifth Aves.) 212-265-5959 www.sd26ny.com

3.7

4.1

Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse on 5th 255 Fifth Ave. (bet. E. 28th & E. 29th Sts.) 212-532-7600, 212-532-7605 benandjackssteakhouse.com 4.3

4.2

La Mar Cebicheria Peruana 11 Madison Ave. (at E. 25th St.) 212-612-3388 www.lamarcebicheria.com/new-york

4.2

Asellina 420 Park Ave. South (at E. 29th St.) 212-317-2908 togrp.com/togrp-asellina 4.4

ilili Restaurant 236 Fifth Ave. (bet. W. 27th & W. 28th Sts.) 212-683-2929 www.ililinyc.com

3.9

3.7

Rossini’s Restaurant 108 E. 38th St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-683-0135 www.rossinisrestaurant.com

4.2

4.3

4.4

Bistro La Promenade 461 W. 23rd St. (at Tenth Ave.) 212-255-7400, 212-255-7450 www.lapromenadenyc.com

Sofrito 400 E. 57th St. (at First Ave.) 212-754-5999 sofritony.com

i Trulli Ristorante/Enoteca 122 E. 27th St. (bet. Lexington & Park Aves.) 212-481-7372 www.itrulli.com

4.3

3.9

4.2

3.9

The Americano 518 W. 27th St. (bet. Tenth & Eleventh Aves.) 212-525-0000 www.hotel-americano.com

Flatiron

Resto 111 E. 29th St. (bet. Lexington Ave. & Park Ave. So.) 212-685-5585 www.restonyc.com

Riverpark 450 E. 29th St. (btwn. East River & First Ave.) 212-729-9790 www.riverparknyc.com

4.2

3.7

Zengo 622 Third Ave. (at E. 40th St.) 212-808-8110 www.richardsandoval.com/zengony

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

Flatiron

The Red Cat 227 10th Ave. 212-242-1122 www.theredcat.com/redcat.html

Yuva Frontier Indian Grill 230 E. 58th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-339-0090 www.yuvanyc.com

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

Junoon 27 W. 24th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-490-2100, 2124142107 www.junoonnyc.com

4.2

Pampano Restaurant 209 E. 49th St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.) 212-751-4545 www.richardsandoval.com/pampano

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

Chelsea

Sprig 885 Third Ave. (at E. 54th St.) 212-249-4500 www.sprigny.com

3.8

Italian French Chinese Greek

Black Duck 122 E. 28th St. (bet. Lexington Ave. & Park Ave. South) 212-204-5240 www.blackduckny.com 3.8

The Hurricane Steak & Sushi 360 Park Ave. South (at E. 26th St.) 212-951-7111 thehurricaneclub.com 3.8

Zio Ristorante 17 W. 19th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-352-1700 www.zio-nyc.com 4.3

Blue Smoke - Flatiron 116 E. 27th St. 212-447-7733 bluesmoke.com/blue Bread & Tulips 365 Park Ave. South (at 26th St.) 212-532-9100 www.breadandtulipsnyc.com 3.8

Dos Caminos Park Avenue 373 Park Ave. South (bet. E. 26th & E. 27th Sts.) 212-294-1000 www.doscaminos.com 3.9

Periyali 35 W. 20th St. (bet. Fifth & Sixth Aves.) 212-463-7890 www.periyali.com 4.2

Pranna Restaurant 79 Madison Ave. (at E. 28th St.) 212-696-5700 www.prannarestaurant.com 3.9

Restaurant Week Listings

YELP rating Open Table rating

Gramercy, Union Square, Meatpacking District, West Village, Greenwich Village, NoHo, East Village

Gramercy

Union Square

Haru Gramercy Park 220 Park Ave. South (at E. 18th St.) 646-428-0989 www.harusushi.com/location/ newyork_gramercy

Barbounia 250 Park Ave. South (at E. 20th St.) 212-995-0242 barbounia.com

Mesa Grill 102 Fifth Ave. (bet. E. 15th & E. 16th Sts.) 212-807-7400 www.mesagrill.ctom

4.2

City Crab & Seafood Company 235 Park Ave. South (at E. 19th St.) 212-529-3800 www.citycrabnyc.com

4.3

Olives New York 201 Park Ave. South (at E. 17th St.) 212-353-8345 www.olivesnewyork.com 3.6

Craftbar 900 Broadway (bet. W. 19th & W. 20th Sts.) 212-461-4300 www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/ craftbar-new-york

Rosa Mexicano at Union Square 9 E. 18th St. (bet. Broadway & Fifth Ave.) 212-533-3350 www.rosamexicano.com

4.1

Giorgio’s of Gramercy 27 E. 21st St. (bet. Park Ave. South & Broadway) 212-477-0007 www.giorgiosofgramercy.com 4.2

Gramercy Terrace 2 Lexington Ave. (bet. Gramercy Park North & E.22nd St.) 212-201-2171 3.9

Maialino 2 Lexington Ave. (at E. 21st St.) 212-777-2410 www.maialinonyc.com

4.1

Steak Frites 9 E. 16th St. (bet. Fifth Ave. & Union Sq. West) 212-675-4700 steakfritesnyc.com 3.6

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

West Village Sant Ambroeus - West Village 259 W. 4th St. (at Perry St.) 212-604-9254 www.santambroeus.com

4.4

North Square Restaurant & Lounge 103 Waverly Place (at MacDougal St.) 212-254-1200, 212-260-1179 www.northsquareny.com Perilla 9 Jones St. (bet. W. 4th & Bleecker Sts.) 212-929-6868 www.perillanyc.com

SushiSamba 7 87 Seventh Ave. South (at Barrow St.) 212-691-7885 sushisamba.com

4.4

Yerba Buena Perry 1 Perry St. (at Greenwich Ave.) 212-620-0808 www.yerbabuenanyc.com 4.3

Betel 51 Grove St. (bet. Seventh Ave. & Bleecker St.) 212-352-0460 betelnyc.com Empellón Taqueria 230 W. 4th St. (at W. 10th St.) 212-367-0999 empellon.com/taqueria EN Japanese Brasserie 435 Hudson St. (bet. Leroy & Morton Sts.) 212-647-9196 enjb.com

Pó 31 Cornelia St. (bet. W. 4th & Bleecker Sts.) 212-645-2189 www.porestaurant.com Kin Shop 469 Sixth Ave. (bet. W. 11th & W. 12th Sts.) 212-675-4295 www.kinshopnyc.com 4.1

Gotham Bar & Grill 12 E. 12th St. (bet. University Place & Fifth Ave.) 212-620-4020 www.gothambarandgrill.com 4.6

Il Cantinori Restaurant 32 E. 10th St. (bet. University Place & Broadway) 212-673-6044 www.ilcantinori.com 4.5

Gusto Ristorante E Bar Americano 60 Greenwich Ave. (bet. Perry St. & Seventh Ave. South) 212-924-8000, 212-925-8055 www.gustonyc.com Perry Street 176 Perry St. (bet. Washington & West Sts.) 212-352-1900 www.perrystrestaurant.com

SushiSamba Park 245 Park Ave. South (bet. E. 19th & E. 20th Sts.) 212-475-9377 sushisamba.com

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

4.3

4.2

Parea Prime 36 E. 20th St. (bet. Park Ave. South & Broadway) 212-777-8448

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

Greenwich Village

Spasso 551 Hudson St. (at Perry St.) 212-858-3838 www.spassonyc.com

3.7

Bocca Restaurant & Bar 39 E. 19th St. (bet. Park Ave. South & Broadway) 212-387-1200 boccanyc.com

Italian French Chinese Greek

Il Mulino 86 W. 3rd St. (bet. Thompson & Sullivan Sts.) 212-673-3783 www.ilmulino.com 4.3

NoHo Indochine 430 Lafayette St. (bet. E. 4th St. & Astor Place) 212-505-5111 www.indochinenyc.com 4.1

4.4

3.6

Tamarind 41-43 E. 22nd St. (bet. Park Ave. South & Broadway) 212-674-7400 tamarindrestaurantsnyc.com 4.3

Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse 233 Park Ave. South (bet. E. 18th & E. 19th Sts.) 212-220-9200 www.vicandanthonys.com

East Village Kingswood 121 W. 10th St. (bet. Sixth Ave. & Greenwich Ave.) 212-645-0018 kingswoodnyc.com 3.9

4.1

Union Square

La Villette 10 Downing St. (at Sixth Ave.) 212-255-0300 lavillettenyc.com 3.8

Blue Water Grill 31 Union Sq. West (at E. 16th St.) 212-675-9500 www.bluewatergrillnyc.com

Lupa Osteria Romana 170 Thompson St. (bet. Houston & Bleecker Sts.) 212-982-5089 www.luparestaurant.com

4.2

Mas (la grillade) 28 Seventh Ave. South (bet. Leroy & Bedford Sts.) 212-255-1795 www.maslagrillade.com/home

Dévi 8 E. 18th St. (bet. Fifth Ave. & Broadway) 212-691-2100 www.devinyc.com 4.1

4.4

Apiary 60 Third Ave. (at E. 11th St.) 212-254-0888 apiarynyc.com 4.3

Butter Restaurant 415 Lafayette St. (bet. E. 4th St. & Astor Place) 212-253-2828, 212-477-0181 www.butterrestaurant.com 4.1

DBGB Kitchen and Bar 299 Bowery (bet. Houston & 1st Sts.) 212-933-5300 dbgb.com 4.1

Yerba Buena 23 Ave. A (bet. E. 1st & E. 2nd Sts.) 212-529-2919 www.yerbabuenanyc.com 4.4

Restaurant Week Listings

SoHo, NoLlta, Little Italy, Lower East Side,TriBeCa, Battery Park City, Financial District Park Slope, Bay Ridge, Long Island City, Harlem

Lower East Side

SoHo Mercer Kitchen 99 Prince St. (at Mercer St.) 212-966-5454 www.themercerkitchen.com Mezzogiorno Restaurant 195 Spring St. (at Sullivan St.) 212-334-2112 www.mezzogiorno.com 4.2

Osteria Morini 218 Lafayette St. (bet. Kenmare & Spring Sts.) 212-965-8777 www.osteriamorini.com 4.2

Savore Ristorante 200 Spring St. (at Sullivan St.) 212-431-1212 savorenyc.com 4.2

The Dutch 131 Sullivan St. (at Prince St.) 212-677-6200 thedutchnyc.com

3.8

Co-Op Food & Drink 107 Rivington St. (bet. Essex & Ludlow Sts.) 212-796-8040, 212-343-8074 www.co-oprestaurant.com

4.2

Lure Fishbar 142 Mercer St. (at Prince St.) 212-431-7676 lurefishbar.tumblr.com 4.1

Dos Caminos SoHo 475 West Broadway (at Houston St.) 212-277-4300 www.doscaminos.com

3.6

3.8

4.1

NoLlta Ken & Cook 19 Kenmare St. (at Elizabeth St.) 212-966-3058 kenandcook.com

3.9

Little Italy

4.4

3.4

Thai Continental Korean American Traditional

Financial District MarkJoseph Steakhouse 261 Water St. (bet. Peck Slip & Dover St.) 212-277-0020 markjosephsteakhouse.com 4.5

Mr. Chow New York 121 Hudson St. (at N. Moore St.) 212-965-9500 www.mrchow.com/restauranttribeca-nyc-menu-map

The Capital Grille Wall Street 120 Broadway (at Nassau & Pine Sts.) 212-374-1811 www.thecapitalgrille.com 4.3

4.1

TriBeCa

Nobu New York 105 Hudson St. (at Franklin St.) (212) 219-0500 www.noburestaurants.com/new-york

Cercle Rouge 241 W. Broadway (bet. White & Beach Sts.) 212-226-6252 www.cerclerougeresto.com

4.4

City Hall Restaurant 131 Duane St. (bet. Church St. & W. Broadway) 212-227-7777 cityhallnewyork.com Kutsher’s Tribeca 186 Franklin St. (bet. Hudson & Greenwich Sts.) 212-431-0606 kutsherstribeca.com

Battery Park City 2 West 2 West St. (at Battery Place) 917-790-2525

Tamarind Tribeca 99 Hudson St. (at Franklin St.) 212-775-9000 www.tamarind22.com 4.2

Thalassa Restaurant 179 Franklin St. (bet. Hudson & Greenwich Sts.) 212-941-7661 www.thalassanyc.com The Harrison 355 Greenwich St. (at Harrison St.) 212-274-9310 www.theharrison.com/harrison.html 4.2

Tribeca Grill 375 Greenwich St. (at Franklin St.) 212-941-3900 www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com/ tribeca_grill.php 4.1

Nobu Next Door 105 Hudson St. (at Franklin St.) 212-334-4445 www.noburestaurants.com/next-door Palm Tribeca 206 West St. (bet. Warren & Chambers Sts.) 646-395-6393 www.thepalm.com 4.4

Park Slope Benchmark Restaurant 339A 2nd St. (at 5th Ave.) 718-965-7040 www.benchmarkrestaurant.com

Bay Ridge

Atrio Wine Bar l Restaurant 102 North End Ave. (at Vesey St.) 646-769-4250 www.nycgo.com/venues/ atrio-bar-restaurant Blue Smoke - Battery Park City 255 Vesey St. 212-889-2005 bluesmoke.com/blue

Megu New York 62 Thomas St. 212-964-7777 www.megurestaurants.com

4.1

Grotta Azzurra Restaurant 177 Mulberry St. (at Broome St.) 212-925-8775 www.bluegrotta.com

Indian Vietnamese Asian Fusion Sea Food

3.8

Rayuela Restaurant 165 Allen St. (bet. Rivington & Stanton Sts.) 212-253-8840 rayuelanyc.com

4.1

Kittichai 60 Thompson St. (bet. Broome & Spring Sts.) 212-219-2000 www.kittichairestaurant.com

Pan-Latin Japanese Steak House BBQ/Southern

Sazón 105 Reade St. (bet. Church St. & W. Broadway) 212-406-1900 www.sazonnyc.com/homepage.htm

3.6

L’Ecole, The Restaurant of The International Culinary Center 462 Broadway (at Grand St.) 212-219-3300 www.lecolenyc.com

Mediterranean Spanish/Tapas American New Mexican

TriBeCa

4.1

David Burke Kitchen 23 Grand St. (bet. Sixth Ave. & Thompson St.) 212-201-9119 www.davidburkekitchen.com

Italian French Chinese Greek

The Greenhouse Cafe 7717 Third Ave. a(bet. 77th & 78th Sts.) 718-833-8200 www.greenhousecafe.com

Long Island City Water’s Edge Restaurant 401 44th Dr. (at East River) 718-482-0033 www.watersedgenyc.com

Harlem

Financial District Bobby Van’s Steakhouse - East 54th Street 131 E. 54th St. (bet. Park & Lexington Aves.) 212-207-8050 www.bobbyvans.com 4.1

Bobby Van’s Steakhouse & Grill - Broad Street 25 Broad St. (at Exchange Place) 212-344-8463, 212-344-1099 www.bobbyvans.com 4.3

Cipriani Wall Street 55 Wall St. (bet. William & Hanover Sts.) 212-699-4099 www.cipriani.com 4.1

Delmonico’s Restaurant 56 Beaver St. (at S. William St.) 212-509-1144 www.delmonicosrestaurantgroup.com/ restaurant 4.3

Haru Wall Street 1 Wall St. Court (Pearl St. at Beaver St.) 212-785-6850 www.harusushi.com/location/ newyork_wallst 3.9

Les Halles - Downtown 15 John St. (bet. Broadway & Nassau St.) 212-285-8585 leshalles.net 3.7

Red Rooster Harlem 310 Lenox Ave. (bet W. 125th & W. 126th Sts.) 212-792-9001 redroosterharlem.com 4.2

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