Recently, I caught up with globetrotting chef Jeremiah Stone from ISA in Williamsburg and asked him for his Restaurant Week picks. Restaurant Week in NYC goes from January 16th to February 10th this year, giving you 20 days to check out some of New York’s culinary best at great prices. Three course prix fix meals come to $24.07 for lunch and $35.00 for dinner. Plus, American Express is giving $20 back if you dine three times at participating restaurants. Here are our quick quips about each of his picks.
1. Ai Fiori – Worth the trip alone to have Bob Truitt’s desserts, one of the best in the city.
2. Apiary – Former chef of Veritas, Scott Bryan’s East Village restaurant is interesting and solid.
3. Bar Basque – The latest from China Grill management, with Chef Yuhi Fujinaga serving up Basque cuisine in a space-agey interior.
4. Boulud Sud– Daniel Boulud’s latest on the Upper West Side with a Mediterranean flair
5. Dovetail– John Fraser is a talented chef, putting out beautiful new american dishes comparable to any of the 3-4 stars
6. SHO Shaun Hergatt – Michelin starred SHO is an elegant fine dinning experience that often gets overlooked
7. i Trulli – Chef Patti Jackson handmakes a slew of pastas with high level expertise
8 . Toalache – A cozy spot for Mexican near Times Square with chef Julian Medina, formerly of Pampano and Zocalo.
9. Junoon – Modern Indian in a clean, sexy restaurant featuring organic and sustainably raised ingredients.
10. Gotham Bar and Grill – A classic, restaurant week is a good chance to try some of their most famed dishes.
If historical New York is more your thing, check out some of these picks from Elizabeth Abbarno, our events columnist:
Famous for foie gras and caviar, Petrossian is located in storied Alwyn Court building. Alwyn Court, designed by Harde and Short, was acclaimed for its architectural details when it opened in 1910. The interior courtyard of the building has a painted façade by Richard Hass. The building was designated a New York landmark in 1966 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The interior features of the Petrossian and just as impressive: Lalique crystal sconces, Etre mirrors, a Lanvin chandelier and bronze sculptures dating to the 1930s.
‘21’ was constructed in 1871-72 as part of a string of brownstones designed by Duggins and Crossman. It became the 21 Club during prohibition, when the infamous private ‘21’ wine cellar was created. The wine cellar at the ‘21’ Club remains one of the most venerable private dining rooms in the world. Known by many for the jockeys lining the balcony outside, the first jockey was donated Jay Van Urk, a loyal patron and horse enthusiast in the late 30’s. Many famous breeders and owners followed suit, and the jockey has become one of the symbols of the ‘21’ Club. Also, every President since FDR (except George W. Bush) dined at the ‘21’ Club.
Dining at L’Ecole will expose you to some of the greatest upcoming talent in the restaurant industry, as this is the restaurant of The French Culinary Institute. Students work at every station in the kitchen during their course of study at the institute.
Renown for its beef wellington, the historical claim to fame of this restaurant is its location. Located in an unmarked 18th century building, One If by Land, Two If by Sea is housed in what was the carriage house of one time vice-president Aaron Burr.
Michelle is the founder of Untapped New York and the author of The Art Spy (HarperOne, forthcoming) Secret Brooklyn, Secret New York Hidden Bars & Restaurants, and Broadway. michelleyoungwriter.com
