THE
BITMORE ROOM 290
Eighth Ave. New York, NY 10001
Cross Street: 25th Street
(212) 807-0111
Outstanding Chelsea supper club featuring Asian-inflected
fare in an elegant and seductive setting.
Chef Gary Robbins is at his prime and can't seem to miss.
He starts a fire with cayenne-tinged fennel-jicama salad
next to the bluefin tuna, then puts it out with the most
refreshing cucumber-ginger sorbet imaginable. A twinge
of heat shows up again in the mango sauce adorning meltingly
tender foie gras--another stellar starter. Most dishes
are so expertly balanced that they're revelatory: Rack
of lamb well executed and fork-tender; spiced duck breast
with pancetta and ripe figs is just right combination.
Must try desserts.
MATSURI
88 Ninth Ave. New York, NY 10011
Cross Street: 9th Avenue
(212) 243-6400
Down a steep set of stairs, a sushi bar hides at one end
of a dining room packed with attractive Meatpacking District
regulars. Sushi and sashimi are made with fresh fish,
but Chef Tadashi Ono's Japanese fare is the true draw:
silken yellowtail in bright yuzu pepper sauce, dotted
with wasabi; thin slices of raw Kobe-style beef adorned
with just a bit of mustard sauce; and a play on the traditional
sushi roll with chopped eel replacing rice and thin strips
of cucumber acting as nori. Among the large plates, sumptuous,
silky sake-marinated cod and whole fried sea bass stand
out.
