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with modernist furniture. In the front is an informal and less-expen-
sive cafe, while past a long bar is the dining room.
After the move, if anything, the food has improved. The smoked
fish—really all the fish—is prepared perfectly. I often daydream
about the herring plate: four types of herring accompanied by a tiny
glass of Aquavit, distilled liquor not unlike vodka flavored with fruit
and spices, and a frosty Carlsberg beer. The hot smoked Arctic char
on the main a la carte menu, served with clams and bean puree in a
mustard green broth, is also a winner. Most fixed-price menus offer
a well-chosen beverage accompaniment option.
65 E. 55th St. (btwn Park and Madison aves.).
&
212/307-7311.
www.aquavit.org.
Reservations recommended. Cafe main courses $9-$32; 3-course fixed-price meal
$24 at lunch, $35 at dinner; main dining room fixed-price meal $39 at lunch, $82 at
dinner ($39 for vegetarians); 3-course pre-theater dinner (5:30-6:15pm) $55; tast-
ing menus $58 at lunch, $115 at dinner ($90 for vegetarians); supplement for paired
wines $30 at lunch, $80 at dinner. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Sun-Thurs
5:30-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 5:15-10:30pm. Subway: E, F to Fifth Ave.
BLT Steak
STEAKHOUSE/BISTRO Steakhouses are
often stereotyped as bastions of male bonding; testosterone-fueled
with red meat and hearty drinks. But BLT (Bistro Laurent Touren-
del) Steak breaks that mold in a big way; on the night I visited, I
noticed more women—slinky and model-like—chomping on thick
cuts of beef than men. That doesn't mean men can't also enjoy the
beef here; served in cast-iron pots and finished in steak butter with a
choice of sauces—béarnaise, red wine, horseradish, and bleu cheese,
to name a few. The signature is the porterhouse for two (at $70!), but
I recommend the New York strip or the short ribs braised in red
wine. Both can be shared, which may be a good idea, especially after
devouring the complimentary popovers and sampling an appetizer
such as the tuna tartare or a side of onion rings or creamy spinach.
Even after sharing one of the meats, you might not have room for
the chestnut-chocolate sundae or peanut-butter chocolate mousse,
and that would be a shame. This is not a restaurant for intimate con-
versation; even the music was muffled by the din of the diners.
106 E. 57th St. (btwn Park and Lexington aves.).
&
212/752-7470.
www.bltsteak.
com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $24-$39. AE, DC, MC, V.
Mon-Fri 11:45am-2:30pm; Mon-Thurs 5:30-11pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-11:30pm. Sub-
way: 4, 5, 6, N, R, W to 59th St.
Country
FRENCH/AMERICAN Stunningly elegant and
urbane, there is really nothing country about Country. And that's
not a knock. Gorgeously designed by David Rockwell, the restau-
rant's centerpiece is the 200-square-foot Tiffany skylight dome that
