New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [213]
Sparks Steakhouse.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | Magnums of wines that cost more than most people earn in a week festoon the large dining rooms of this classic New York steak house. Although seafood is given more than fair play on the menu, Sparks is really about dry-aged steak. The extra-thick lamb and veal chops are also noteworthy. Classic sides of hash browns, creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and grilled onions are all you need to complete the experience. | 210 E. 46th St., between 2nd and 3rd Aves., Midtown East | 10017-2903 | 212/687–4855 | www.sparkssteakhouse.com | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. | Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S to 42nd St./Grand Central .
Sushi Yasuda.
$$ | JAPANESE | Devotees mourned the return of namesake chef Naomichi Yasuda to Japan, but things are in able hands with his handpicked successor, Misturu Tamura. Here the sleek bamboo-lined interior is as elegant as the food. Whether using fish flown in daily from Japan or the creamiest sea urchin, the chef makes sushi so fresh and delicate, it melts in your mouth. A number of special appetizers change daily (crispy fried eel backbone is a surprising treat), and a fine selection of sake and beer complements the lovely food. Try to sit at the bar, which was hand-crafted by Yasuda out of imported Japanese materials. | 204 E. 43rd St., between 2nd and 3rd Aves., Midtown East | 10017-4713 | 212/972–1001 | www.sushiyasuda.com | AE, D, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. | Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7 to 42nd St./Grand Central .
MIDTOWN WEST
Big is the buzz in Times Square and neighboring hoods in Midtown West, where neon-lighted billboards, towering skyscrapers, and Broadway theaters play starring roles. But watch out for restaurant rip-offs in this urban-theme-park environment.
It’s true that tourist traps abound on the Great White Way, but fortunately you needn’t head far from Times Square to score a stellar meal. Just move away from the bright lights and unrelenting foot traffic that clogs the area. On calmer side streets and in adjoining Hell’s Kitchen there are excellent dining options for budget travelers and expense-account diners alike. Some of the best steak houses and Italian restaurants are here, and many eateries offer budget pretheater dinners and prix-fixe lunch menus to draw in new business.
Aureole.
$$$$ | NEW AMERICAN | An island of fine dining in the heart of bustling Times Square, Aureole is the second act of a New York classic from Charlie Palmer and his latest executive chef, Christoph Bellanca. From the street, a curved second-story corridor hosting the restaurant’s storied wine collection beckons. A welcoming front bar room serves a more casual, yet refined, menu with dishes like a cheddar-bacon burger dolloped with pickled ramp mayonnaise. The dining room, with its abundance of flowers, is the place to hobnob with expense-account diners and pretheater revelers alike. For dinner, starters like the sea-scallop “sandwich” topped with foie gras and passion-fruit coulis is a treat, and the $110 “parallel tasting” offers the menu’s greatest hits, with an optional wine pairing. | 135 W. 42nd St., between Broadway and 6th Ave, Midtown West | 10036 | 212/319–1660 | www.charliepalmer.com | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: B, D, F, M to 42nd St./Bryant Park; 1, 2, 3, 9, N, R, Q to 42nd St./Times Sq.
Bar Americain.
$$$ | BRASSERIE | Celeb chef Bobby Flay’s largest Manhattan restaurant is the soaring Bar Americain. The 200-seat two-story space looks like a dining room on a luxury liner (complete with a gift shop: you can purchase his many cookbooks in the front). This is not food for the faint-of-heart: Flay piles on the butter, cream, and endless varieties of bacon. Southern-inflected brasserie fare includes gold corn Johnnycakes with barbecued pulled pork and cranberry butter, smoked chicken with hatch-green-chili spoon bread and black-pepper