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One of the true pleasures of dining out in New York City is the excessive variety of international food. You can eat your way through France, Italy, China, Russia, and more, without having to take a long trip outside of the city. Here are five stellar restaurants for those who enjoy decadent global cuisines.
The following is courtesy of Lawlor Media Group, their clients and friends.
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FRENCH – FRENCHETTE
A restaurant created by former Keith McNally’s veteran top chefs, Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, Frenchette is a modernist or “neo-bistro” offering modern French cuisine. Given the owners’ track record working together at Daniel, Balthazar, and Minetta Tavern, it was no surprise that Frenchette was a sure-fire hit as soon as the doors opened. The menu is a beautiful combination of French delicacies with a twist. The soupe de poisson, Provencal-style lamb stew, and cote de bouef hobnob alongside Spanish tortilla with trout roe and spaghetti with bottarga.
The restaurant is divided into two sections. In front and on display to the street is the bar lounge with elegant Art Deco curves, where diners can grab a cocktail while waiting for their seat or just to relax, with the main dining room in the back, designed with a modern take on the classic brasserie look.
Frenchette
241 West Broadway
New York City
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ITALIAN – FRESCO BY SCOTTO
Popular family-run Tuscan restaurant, Fresco by Scotto Restaurant has served delicious, fresh, seasonally-inspired Italian food since November 1993. It’s well known for the power broker’s lunch and and the star-filled entertainment industry dinner. Fresco by Scotto is owned and operated by the Scotto family—Marion, Rosanna, Anthony, Jr., and Elaina.
Known for its superb lasagna and outrageous pizza, Fresco By Scotto serves some of the finest Italian appetizers and entrées. The beef meatballs filled with fontina, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and provolone are served with whipped ricotta and mascarpone and are light, flavorful, and based on an old family recipe. Fresh homemade pastas, including whole-wheat pappardelle with duck and wild mushroom ragù and cavatelli with sausage and broccoli rabe are as good as you’ll find anywhere. For your entrée, try the dry-aged prime rib fiorentina, which is perfectly seasoned, nicely seared, and wonderfully flavorful.
The quaint yet elegant space can host private and corporate events from 20 to 100 people. The Tuscan Room, which holds 20-50 guests, is located on the second floor of the restaurant, and is perfect for any occasion. The smaller, more private Rose Room can accommodate 15 to 25 guests and is enclosed with portable screens.
Fresco By Scotto
34 East 52nd Street
New York City
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PAN-ASIAN – TAO DOWNTOWN
TAO Downtown offers a distinct sense of arrival and discovery and is the first TAO venue where guests descend into a multi-level space. Designed by Rockwell Group, the subterranean restaurant located in the heart of Chelsea is intended to look and feel as if it has been there for decades and only unearthed recently to reveal the artifacts within. The Quan Yin statue sits atop a koi pond, acting as the anchor of the main dining room. A floor-to-ceiling patterned screen frames the Quan Yin and accentuates the statue’s hands, which represent her ability to render assistance. Through 3D projection mapping technology which utilizes animation to create visuals such as flowing waterfalls and growing moss, the Quan Yin is brought to life right before your eyes.
TAO Downtown offers a menu of signature dishes that include offerings from sea, sky, and land, such as crispy snapper in the sand, Peking duck, and Wagyu rib-eye teppanyaki. Guests can also enjoy an updated selection of sharable plates, ranging from house-made dim dum and traditional yakitori skewers to an assortment of barbeque, tempura, and small plates. Desserts include a giant fortune cookie with white and dark chocolate mousse, and lemongrass crème brulee.
TAO Downtown
92 9th Avenue
New York City
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RUSSIAN – RUSSIAN SAMOVAR
Owned by Roman Kaplan and managed by his daughter Vlada Von Shats and her two sons, Michael and Nicholas, this upscale establishment offers some of the finest authentic Russian cuisine in New York. Located in the Theater District, Russian Samovar boasts a 19th-century feel, complete with picturesque green and red shades and Russian folk prints.
Aside from its authentic Russian dishes, it is known for its 26 flavored vodkas prepared in-house, including ginger, horseradish, lemon, and cranberry. Delectable appetizers include beluga and osetra caviar, blinis filled with salmon or caviar, the assorted fish platter (in-house cured salmon gravlax with dill, smoked Atlantic salmon and smoked butterfish), vol-au-vent (a wild mushroom puff pastry), traditional borscht, a pate Russe laced with brandy, and pelmeni stroganoff, veal or chicken with sirloin tips in a creamy mushroom sauce. The signature entrees, however, have put Russian Samovar on the culinary map. House specialties include shashlik Karski (rack of lamb marinated in Georgian spices), beef stroganoff, veal pojarksi (ground veal and breast of chicken cutlets), chicken Kiev and pelmeni (veal, beef and chicken dumplings).
Russian Samovar
256 West 52nd Street
New York City
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AMERICAN STEAKHOUSE – BOBBY VAN’S “THE ORIGINAL”
Bobby Van’s has earned its place as a venerable New York dining institution, thanks in part to a continued commitment to cooking techniques perfected years ago by the founding fathers of New York steakhouse cuisine. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Bobby Van’s grew from its original home in Bridgehampton to their first New York location near Grand Central Station “The Original,” and now includes a repertoire of fine restaurants that offer the refined style of a classic New York City steakhouse.
Bobby Van’s a la carte menu features favorites such as crispy calamari, lemon pepper shrimp, and Maxie’s meatballs for starters and veal Milanese, Chilean sea bass and New York sirloin steak for entrées. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of dining options outside of prime beef and seafood, including supremely-prepared pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and freshly tossed salads. To accompany the meal, diners have a choice of delicious sides, which include cauliflower carbonara, thick cut applewood bacon and sautéed mushrooms.
Bobby Van’s “The Original”
230 Park Avenue
New York City
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PHOTO CREDITS
Lead-In Image – Fresco By Scotto ©Fresco By Scotto.jpg
Other images courtesy of:
- Frenchette ©Alex Staniloff.jpg;
- Fresco By Scotto ©Fresco By Scotto.jpg;
- TAO Downtown ©Warren Jagger.jpg;
- Russian Samovar Interior ©Russian Samovar.jpg; and
- Bobby Van’s The Original ©Bobby Van’s.jpg
