**** (4 stars)
I love the quick efficiency of this place, which handles a huge crowd without long waits. The BBQ is good, but not life changing. I agree the brisket is tender, but I’ve have much more flavorful brisket in the South. The sauces are good, though, so pile it on and you’ll enjoy some excellent BBQ.
Smoque BBQ
3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 545-7427
http://www.yelp.com/biz/smoque-bbq-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Finally, a good location! After years in low traffic, obscure spots, it’s nice the see The Dessert Lady back in Southwest Orange County, and this time in a spot that’s visible and fairly high traffic.
This is a much lighter and more welcoming location than the previous ones, although this one is mainly take-out. That’s fine, because I always felt like I needed a few people to help me finish one of her desserts. And of course there’s no such thing as just one; any visit requires a sampling!
I’ve actually never had anything here I didn’t like. As long as you’re not looking for something “light” you’ll be happy you tried it.
The Dessert Lady
7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 999-5696
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-dessert-lady-orlando-5
**** (4 stars)
Benoit is a traditional French Brasserie in every way: ambiance, food and service. Our favorites here include the charcuterie plate and the whole roasted chicken for two. Ironically, we’ve had the whole roasted chicken at Alan Ducasse’s thee star Michelin Louis XIV in Monte Carlo, and this one is much better! We avoid Sunday brunch, because they don’t have the same menu, therefore no roast chicken.
Benoit
60 W 55th St
New York, NY 10019
(646) 943-7373
http://www.yelp.com/biz/benoit-new-york
***** (5 stars)
This is my favorite after-theatre restaurant. Its dark and cozy ambiance is perfect for winding down after a show, and the period jazz piano player summons up the perfect soundtrack. The place oozes Paris in the 1920s, plus the food is top notch. On my latest visit I really enjoyed the pan seared Alaskan halibut in lemon sauce. The cozy table in the window offers the perfect intimate atmosphere, with music at just the right level for intimate conversation. And how wonderful to enjoy this caliber of food until 1am, so there’s plenty of time to relax.
Chez Josephine
414 W 42nd St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 594-1925
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-josephine-new-york
***** (5 stars)
This cozy little place is on 46th Street’s restaurant row between 8th and 9th. The fish is fresh and menu offerings are extensive. The sashimi sampler was generous, and the salmon tartare had a great sauce. We ate at the top rated Sushi Yasuda two days earlier, and Ocha was much better at a fraction of the price. Service can be a bit inattentive, but if you’re in no hurry it’s a great choice.
Ocha
350 W 46th St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 581-3198
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ocha-new-york
***** (5 stars)
This place is billed as New York’s most romantic restauran. We really enjoyed the ambiance of the place, which used to be Aaron Burr’s carriage house. The food was delicious, service very professional, and the piano player among the best I’ve heard. It’s divided into a number of intimate rooms, and most of the lighting is provided by table-top tapers, so it is, indeed very romantic. My barramundi had a wonderfully crispy crust, and the espresso souffle was light and airy. A glass of rainwater madeira was the perfect way to complete a perfect meal.
One If By Land Two If By Sea
17 Barrow St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 228-0822
http://www.yelp.com/biz/one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea-new-york
* (1 stars)
Many people think this is the best sushi in New York. I don’t get it. Most restaurants I’ve been to serve better sushi.
“Omakase” is where you put yourself in the chef’s hands and multiple specialties are served. I’ve had it in some highly regarded restaurants in Los Angeles. At one, special delicacies were flown in daily from Tokyo (they later were put out of business for selling endangered species). At another, plate after plate of tiny tastes were served, with each thoughtful ingredient contributing to an almost life-changing wonderment.
Not at Sushi Yasuda. Here, the omakase showed up as a platter of sashimi looking like it was cut up by an axe murderer. Nearly every fish had the soft, mealy texture of near-pudding, and it was all uniformly flavorless. Then a platter of sushi showed up. Same fish, now on crumbly rice. The final plate was a piece of eel sushi, also mealy. How do you even make eel mealy? At $357 for three, the biggest dining disappointment ever.
Sushi Yasuda
204 E 43rd St
New York, NY 10017
(212) 972-1001
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-yasuda-new-york
**** (4 stars)
I had the greatest meal of my life at Eleven Madison Park. I also had the second greatest here. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend their new format. There are still 16 complex courses, and the service is still masterful yet friendly. But the emphasis on theatre rather than flavor has taken it down a notch. Some courses seemed repetitive, and there were very few “wow” moments. I’d trade the table-side magic act (lame) and the carrot grinding for a few of those one-bite orgasmic wonders of the past.
The carrot course was actually one of the best. It offered a dozen ingredients to add to the freshly ground carrot. I selected mustard and mustard seed. If that sounds like haut cuisine, you need to get out more. And it would have been just as good if the carrot was ground in the kitchen rather than on a hand grinder clamped to the table.
Another theatrical course that was a bit more successful was the “picnic basket.” This was a fun idea, where you took ingredients out of the basket and set up your own picnic. The second best food came out of this. It was a freshly made soft pretzel with house-made mustard. There’s a theme here. Madison Park makes good mustard.
The various shellfish courses that started the meal were simply repetitive. And why did we have to all have the same meat course, when they were individually plated? Surely there are enough two ounce portions of lamb and duck in the kitchen to be able to mix it up?
Sadly, the great bottle of cognac that used to end the meal is also gone, replaced by a local apple brandy.
In short, Eleven Madison Park is still a good restaurant, but it is no longer THE restaurant. I’ll certainly go back… but not until the concept changes again.
Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010
(212) 889-0905
http://www.yelp.com/biz/eleven-madison-park-new-york
**** (4 stars)
This really authentic French Bistro is very popular with locals, but just a block off Broadway. Offering all the classic French dishes, well prepared and served in a cozy environment overseen by the owner, who made sure we were enjoying everything. Reasonably priced.
Le Rivage
340 W 46th St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 765-7374
http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-rivage-new-york-2
**** (4 stars)
We found this little sushi place just off Broadway after a show, and were quite pleased with it. Although it is a mini chain, it didn’t seem so, and it was worlds better than the tourist restaurants on Times Square. The decor is soothing, the fish is fresh, and the service was super-attentive. I would definitely return.
Haru Sushi
229 W 43rd St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 398-9810
http://www.yelp.com/biz/haru-sushi-new-york-2