5 Places to Eat During NY Restaurant Week 2013

Feb

5 Places to Eat During NY Restaurant Week 2013

Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to eat great dishes for a bargain. At its best, it’s an opportunity to dine out at some of NYC’s most outstanding eateries for a fraction of the price ($25 for three courses at lunch, $38 for dinner).

We are to help you on choosing the top 5 place to eat during NYC Restaurant Week. So if you’re totally excited to try the Malfatti with Braised Suckling Pig at Maialino, or more interested in the Bouchot Mussels with Spicy Tomatoes and Breadcrumbs at Perilla, better make those reservations asap! The Restaurant Week has its end today, February 8th.

So let’s go straight to the point, because you must be starving!

Café Boulud
It’s so hard to settle on a restaurant to dine at any day of the week, nevermind during Restaurant Week, when the chance to dine haute and cheap is so rare and precious. Seize the opportunity to sample the eclectic, globally inspired cooking at Daniel Boulud’s elegant eatery, which is tucked inside the elegant Surrey Hotel on the Upper East Side. Not that Daniel Boulud’s not enough, but Gavin Kaysen, who represented the U.S in the Bocuse d’Or (kind of like the culinary version of the Olympics), is the executive chef at Cafe Boulud and tirelessly creative. Expect to be surprised and satisfied with luxe ingredients and Kaysen’s refined touch. On the menu this week is a Country Duck Pate with Quince Chutney and Rutabaga Mustard, Olive Oil Poached Flounder with Salsify and an Everything Bagel Crust, and a Meyer Lemon Curd with Meringue, Dacquoise, and Mimosa Sorbet.

Junoon
There’s a lot more to fine dining than just Modern American, French, and gussied up Italian. Take Junoon in the Flatiron District, which offers upscale interpretations of Indian dishes and flavors. Forget the take-out Indian you might be thinking of (sludgy Saag Paneer and cardboard samosas) and rethink the cuisine altogether. This is a grand stage to discover a whole new side of curries and tandoor cooking. The spices at Junoon are blended in-house daily in the downstairs spice room by the handsome chef, Vikas Khanna, who has a way of turning everyday dishes, like Vegetable Pakoras, into something extraordinary. While dishes like Lobster Tandoori with confit artichoke and fried chickpeas typically command $36, Restaurant Week provides the perfect opportunity to indulge without breaking the bank. Dishes like Piri-Piri Shrimp, Lamb Kholapuri with Star Anise and White Poppy Seeds, and Coconut Rice Pudding with Dates, Candied Almonds, and Ginger Ice Cream are all seriously tasty… and thanks to Restaurant Week, wallet friendly too.

Perilla
You won’t find Harold Dieterle’s newest venture, The Marrow, among the list of Restaurant Week participants, but you should definitely jump at the chance to check out (or revisit) his breakout eatery, Perilla, which participates in the food week. The first winner of Top Chef, Dieterle really made a name for himself with this West Village eatery, focusing on unpretentious comfort food, like Spicy Duck Meatballs, and Chicken and Egg Fricassee.

Kittichai
We’ve always admired chef Ian Chalermkittichai’s modern Thai cooking at Kittichai, an eye-catching eatery in the boutique Soho hotel, 60 Thompson. Items like Prawn Cakes with Long Beans and Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, and Chiang Mai Chicken Curry Noodles with Pickled Mustard Greens are available during lunch service. Look also for Duck Confit Salad with Micro Herbs and Lychee, Braised Pork Cheek with Spiced Palm Sugar, Steamed Buns and Truffle Powder, and for dessert, a Coconut Crème Caramel topped with a Coconut Tuile.

Ai Fiori
Ai Fiori is an elegant spot, tucked inside the Fifth Avenue Setai, with a menu that pivots around the French and Italian Riviera (sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?). It’s the kind of eatery you might reserve for a special occasion or an expense account if any still exist. That is, unless it’s Restaurant Week! Where to begin? For just $25, you’ll get a taste of Ai Fiori’s Butternut Squash Soup with Pickled Delicata Squash and Brown Butter or Country Terrine, before settling into the Pan-Roasted Chicken with Chanterelles, Fregola and Hen Jus.

Address and Contacts:

Café Boulud
20 E 76th St., Btwn 5th and Madison Aves.
(212) 772-2600
danielnyc.com