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FACT^&COMMENTDECEMBER 31, 20 192019 Restaurant Review Cont.abcV with Jean-Georges—In vogue with vegans, vegetar-
ians and everyone else who craves creative, appetizing
plant-based meals.
Al Vaporetto—Venetian fare that will have you floating on
a sea of satisfaction.
BEAUTIFUL BURGERS: Au Cheval / BK Jani / Café
Altro Paradiso / Corner Bistro / 4 Charles Prime Rib
/ The Happiest Hour / Jeepney / J.G. Melon / Minetta
Tavern / Shake Shack.
BEST BBQ: Fette Sau / Hill Country / Hometown Bar-
B-Que / John Brown Smokehouse / Mighty Quinn’s.
Bistrot Leo—Close your eyes and the fantastic food will
have you thinking you’re in Paris.
Brasserie Cognac East—Classic French brasserie serving
sublime traditional fare, with 50-plus cognacs to choose
from. Vive la France!
Café Centro—Ideal
Midtown locale for a
fine breakfast.
Canal Street Oys-
ters—The fresh oys-
ters (13 or so varieties
on offer) deliver on
their plump, briny
promise, and the
wine list is a wine-
lover’s delight.
Cote—A “scene” restaurant in the Flatiron district, this
Korean steak house offers all kinds of steak, from hanger to
110-day-plus aged cuts, cooked for you at your table’s grill.
E.A.T.—Thank heavens this excellent old-world deli never
changes.
The Fulton—Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s first seafood
restaurant, occupying two glass-enclosed floors on the tip
of the pier at the new South Street Seaport development, is
a real catch.
GupShup—“Hip” and “cool” are not usually associated
with Indian eateries, nor are bold-toned, multicolored
walls. Best of all is the creative menu offering a delightful,
delicious evening.
Lamalo—Fans love the $25 Daily Spread, which starts
with a colossal piece of laffa, a blistery Middle Eastern flat-
bread strewn with savory spices, and is followed by many
small, sensational dishes from a rotating menu. All of these
keep coming until you tell them to stop.
L’Amico—Created by the world-renowned Laurent Tou-
rondel, this eatery offers uniquely prepared Italian fare,
especially impeccable pizzas.
La Vara—A cross-pollination of Moorish, Jewish and Span-
ish cuisines may sound like the end result of a culinary
shotgun wedding, but this hot spot puts out an arresting
array of unfussy comfort food with a Mediterranean twist.
L’Avenue—This new, eye-popping, two-story (one floorSPECIAL
evocative of a lodge, the other a night club) restaurant at
Saks is infinitely more than a place to grab a bite while
shopping. The menu is filled with such enticements as a
luscious lobster pasta and a spicy Thai beef filet with a sa-
vory ginger-sesame dipping sauce.
Le Jardinier—
Steeped in the luxu-
ry food traditions of
France and Japan,
chef Alain Verzero-
li’s offerings are al-
luring. The desserts
are sensational.
Llama San—Pe-
ruvian-Japanese
is definitely a new
category for us, and, happily, this fusion fare is fabulous.
Marc Forgione—Tribeca’s dimly lit, hearty commissary
for connoisseurs with big wallets. Worth a visit just for the
lobster festooned with chili sauce served over Texas toast.
Milk Bar—Be prepared to wait on long lines to enter this
huge haven on Broadway for heavenly desserts that you
can precisely personalize.
PIZZA PERFECTION: Bleecker Street Pizza / Di Fara
/ Emily / Joe’s / John’s of Bleecker Street / Kesté /
Lions & Tigers &
Squares / Nu-
mero 28 Pizzeria /
Prince Street Pizza
/ Roberta’s / Rubi-
rosa / San Matteo
/ Scarr’s Pizza.
The Polo Bar—Fine
setting for first-class
food and drink.
Uncle Boons—Get a culinary high on this version of Thai
fare in a supercool, seductive setting.
Wayla—This way cool Lower East Side eatery serves up
delicious, self-described “Homestyle Thai Food” in a casual
yet stylish setting.
HUDSON YARDS:
Hudson Yards Grill—Perfect American brasserie in the
midst of Hudson Yards’ recently opened, dizzying 20 new
restaurants and food shops. Michael Lomonaco’s entry has
something for everyone, all at reasonable prices.
Mercado Little Spain—Famed chef José Andrés’ panoram-
ic tribute to the multifaceted glories of Spanish cuisine. Go
and sample!
Momofuku Kāwi—Located in the Yard’s farthest inner
reaches, Kāwi goes all the way on Korean influences, espe-
cially the kimbap.
Wild ink—The setting is sleek and modern, the menu stim-
ulating. The perfect finish: pineapple upside-down cake.Cote: Korean BBQHudson Yards Grill:
Hasselback potatoesWayla: Pork meatballs
in crispy noodles