Travel Reference
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had anywhere. But something's gotta give if you want to save room
for entrées like the flat noodles with braised rabbit, the grilled whole
branzino with potatoes, olives, tomatoes and feta, or the slow cooked
lamb shank on a bed of orzo. If it is humanly possible after indulging
in all of the above, don't miss out on the desserts, most notably the
walnut cake with maple walnut ice cream.
505 Columbus Ave (at 84
th
St.)
&
212/873-0200.
Reservations recommended.
Main courses $10-$20. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Tue-Thurs 5-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm;
Sun 5-10pm. Subway: 1 to 79th St.
Ocean Grill
SEAFOOD The Stephen Hanson/BRGuest
Restaurant empire (Primehouse, Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos, and
Fiamma to name a few) is vast, and sometimes the brawny restaurants
in the group can be a wee bit impersonal. But Ocean Grill, despite its
size, defies that generalization. Maybe it's because the restaurant is
across from the Museum of Natural History and feeds off that build-
ing's wondrous vibe? Or maybe because it is in the heart of the fam-
ily-friendly Upper West Side that Ocean Grill feels more like an
intimate neighborhood joint. And what makes Ocean Grill even
more special is that the always-fresh seafood, usually prepared with-
out too many frills, complements that relaxed good feeling. Like
other Hanson-run restaurants, there are numerous menu options,
including a touch of Asian in the preparation of the seafood, specifi-
cally Japanese, with a generous selection of house made maki rolls—
the creamy wasabi tuna is so good you will immediately forget any
mercury warnings you've read about. But if raw tuna terrifies you, try
one of the fish entrees such as the Chilean sea bass in a violet mustard
emulsion served with polenta fries, or any of the fish grilled with a
choice of sauces, such as black olive tapenade or a soy-ginger vinai-
grette, and sides such as bok choy or broccoli rabe.
384 Columbus Ave (btwn 79th and 80th sts.).
&
212/579-2300.
www.brguest
restaurants.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses: $20-$33. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-5pm; Sat 11:30am-4:30pm; Sun 10:30am-4:30pm;
Mon-Tues 5-11pm; Wed-Thurs 5-11:30pm; Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 4:30pm-mid-
night; Sun 4:30-11pm. Subway: B, C to 81st St.
Savann
MEDITERRANEAN The restaurant scene on Ams-
terdam Avenue in the low 80s is particularly volatile, but for over 9
years, Savann has survived on that difficult stretch of real estate
thanks to consistently top-notch food, personable service, and a
casual, low-key atmosphere. This is a neighborhood place with regu-
lars who swear by the food. Some favorites include the home-cured
gravlax, here served over a chickpea-scallion pancake in a flying-fish
