Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
Where to Dine
A
ttention, foodies: Welcome to your mecca. New York is the best
restaurant town in the country, and one of the finest in the world.
Other cities might have particular specialties, but no other culinary
capital spans the globe as successfully as the Big Apple.
RESERVATIONS
Reservations are always a good idea, and a virtual necessity if your
party is bigger than two. Do yourself a favor and call ahead so you
won't be disappointed. If you're booking dinner on a weekend night,
it's a good idea to call a few days in advance if you can.
But what if they don't
take
reservations?
Lots of restaurants,
especially at the affordable end of the price range, don't take reserva-
tions. One of the ways they keep prices down is by packing people
in as quickly as possible. Thus, the best cheap and mid-price restau-
rants often have a wait. Your best bet is to go early. Often you can
get in more quickly on a weeknight. Or just go, knowing that you're
going to have to wait if you head to a popular spot; hunker down
with a cocktail at the bar and enjoy the festivities around you.
1 Financial District & TriBeCa
VERY EXPENSIVE
Chanterelle
CONTEMPORARY FRENCH One of New
York's best “special occasion” restaurants mainly because, well, they
treat you so special. The dining room is a charmer with floral dis-
plays and an interesting modern art collection. Tables are far enough
apart to give diners plenty of intimacy, something rare in many New
York restaurants these days. Your server will work with you on your
choices, pairing items that go best together. The French-themed
menu is seasonal and changes every few weeks, but one signature
dish appears on almost every menu: a marvelous grilled seafood
sausage. The wine list is superlative but expensive. Still, you don't
come to Chanterelle on the cheap—you come to celebrate.
2 Harrison St. (at Hudson St.).
&
212/966-6960.
www.chanterellenyc.com. Reser-
vations recommended well in advance. Fixed-price lunch $42; a la carte lunch
