APPETIZERS & SOUP
Mozzarella Bar Misto ……………………. $30
Bond 45 (154 W. 54th St.)
Cheesy in the best possible way is this abbondanza of buffalo, burrata, fior di latte and cremosa, with some prosciutto, roasted peppers, eggplant caponata and fava beans to punctuate the creamy bites.
Zucchini carpaccio ……………………….. $10
Fig & Olive (808 Lexington Ave.)
Zucchini has never been lovelier than these wafer-thin slices drizzled with sublime olive oil and lemon and sprinkled with Parmesan and toasted pignoli.
Squash blossom filled with spicy braised pork and ricotta ……. seasonal
Bar Americain (152 W. 52nd St.)
Bobby Flay playfully tucks pork and cheese into crisp squash blossoms bathed in black pepper vinegar sauce – a treat equal parts sweet, pungent and fiery.
“Juicy” Shao Leung pork dumplingsfilled with pork and chicken stock …$8
Mainland (1081 Third Ave.)
The best new dumpling in town tucks the fresh stock inside seashell-shaped, wheat flour envelopes; so delectable they don’t need any sauce or dressing.
Spicy lobster soup with celery ravioli ………………………….. $10
Thor (107 Rivington St.)
Powerfully aromatic, herbal brew as redolent of the Mediterranean as of Austria, which provides much of the inspiration for Kurt Guttenbrunner’s menu.
ENTREES
LUNCH
Hot dog ………………………….. $6
Chino’s . (173 Third Ave.)
A menu special, the juice Kobe hot dog on a rice bun is spiked with hot mustard.
Roast Pork Italian ………. $8
Tony Luke’s (576 Ninth Ave.)
Leading the pack of Old Philly-style sandwiches -including cheese steak – at this South Philly transplant is a two-fisted constructionof lean, thin-sliced pork piled on a golden hero roll.
Borscht salad …………….. $7
Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction (34 Avenue A)
This fab redux on granny’s signature is a riot of colorful refreshment featuring a creamy and crunchy combo of flavors and textures. Adrizzle of beet soup spices upthe salad.
SEAFOOD
Sauteed hake and langoustine with Napasour kraut ………………….. $26
Aquavit (65 E. 55th St.)
Masterpiece from chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Nils Loren is compelling enough to make you stop wondering why crustacean and a cod-like fish go together; the crunchy cabbage tickles the tongue and diced chorizo’s
subdued sweetness is parried by tart Swedish vinegar.
PASTA
Casoncelli filled with veal and veal tongue …… special
Alto (520 Madison Ave.)
Scott Conant achieves a near French mood with the ravioli-like shells in vivid capon broth, a striking complement to the veal
Bucatini with eggplant ..$10
Agata & Valentina Restaurant (1513 First Ave.)
Not your everyday pasta dish, spaghetti-like strands of al dente bucatini are bundled inside thin blankets of rolled, sautéed eggplant, sauced and baked undershaved ricotta salata.
Lasagna carnevale …….. $18
Ama (48 MacDougal St.)
Sunday-night special from chef/partner Turbirio Girardi stands out for absolute freshness of all elements.
MEAT
Blue-foot chicken …… $65 for two
Craft (43 E. 19th St.) and Carlyle Dining Room (35 E. 76th St.)
Amazingly moist and deep-flavored, the California-bred replica of France’s famous Bresse chicken is presented whole at the table and tastes even better than it looks
Crunchy rabbit ………… $31
Perry Street (176 Perry St.)
Labor-intensive tour de force from Jean-Georges Vongerichten rolls loin inside leg; sequential poaching, breading and pan-frying yield a dish of extraordinary rich flavor and surprisingly light tactility.
DESSERTS
Lemon Napoleon …. (part of prix fixe)
The Modern (9 W. 53rd St.)
A starburst of papaya, pinepaple, mango, blood orange and passion fruit between crackling wafers.
Creme Catalana …………………………. $7
Barca 18 (225 Park Ave. South)
Besting flan, brulee and gelato is this airy construction of foamy vanilla custard, caramel and ice cream under a fragile brulee crust.
Crepes ……………………………… $4-$6.50
CyberCafe (250 W. 49th St.)
After fleeing her popular kiosk, legendary crepe genie Madeline Bernard resurfaced in the most unlikely of settings, turning out her tender, crisp and fragrant Brittany classics plain or gilded with sweet or savory fillings.
Cheddar-chive biscuits with sea-salted maple honey butter ……………… with meal
BLT Fish (21 W. 17th St.)
Sweet and mildly pungent with voluptuous mouth-feel.
BREADS
Toast ………………………………………………. $3-$7.50
Blue Ribbon Bakery Market (14 Bedford St.)
Simple is superb when it means thick rafts of stellar bread topped with various toppings.
COCKTAILS
The Punt é Mas Fizz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16
Audrey Saunder’s Pegu Club (77 W. Houston St.)
A bubbly, slightly bittersweet mix of punt é mes, sweet vermouth and champagne, served up.
The Gold Rush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16
The Double Seven (418 W. 14th St.)
A swoon-worthy mix of bourbon, honey, and lemon juice, shaken and served on the rocks.