Morimoto

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***** (5 stars)

Morimoto offers an upscale sushi experience at a surprisingly reasonable price. The dining room is elegantly trendy, and although large, sounds treatments keep it from being deafening.

Sushi and sashimi are top notch. We had the omikase, which is different than other restaurants I’ve been to, because the emphasis is not on sushi or sashimi (although there is a course of each) but rather cooked foods. We particularly enjoyed the smoke from the burning herbs that accompanied the scallop, and the lovely wagu beef.

Service was efficient, and the wine prices, while not inexpensive, offer a number of nice selections that aren’t exhorbitant.

Morimoto
88 10th Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-8883
http://www.yelp.com/biz/morimoto-new-york

Bull & Bear Steakhouse

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**** (4 stars)

This prototype for the Bull & Bear Steakhouses at other Waldorf Astoria hotels has history on its side. The dark woods and faux candlelight harken back to an earlier era, as do the large steaks and generously caloric side dishes.

Cut from the same cloth as the dozens of moderns steakhouses, the Bull & Bear manages to be unique simply through authenticity. Its unusually shaped bar is a particularly good spot to gather for a drink or to watch the stock ticker, as so many generations before have done.

Bull & Bear Steakhouse
540 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10022
(212) 872-4606
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bull-and-bear-steakhouse-new-york-2

Wild Ginger

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**** (4 stars)

This small restaurant offers amazingly good sushi, plus a variety of other pan-Asian dishes. We loved everything we tried, including several creative rolls. The Thai Basil Beef was the best I’ve encountered, as was the hot and sour soup. Particularly creative was the salmon skin salad, which was (different from its menu description) tossed with greens and a touch of spice, making it more Vietnamese or Thai than Japanese. The dinner ambiance was fairly intimate, although I understand it is bustling at lunchtime, and with good reason.

Wild Ginger
212 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 218-8828
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wild-ginger-brooklyn

Gotham Bar And Grill

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***** (5 stars)

“Bar and Grill” is a bit of a misnomer here, as this is truly a fine dining restaurant. The kampachi sashimi is among the best I’ve had, and the roasted cauliflower appetizer was absolutely amazing–complex and delicate at the same time.

True, I did have a New York strip steak for dinner, but it was really the only item I’d describe as coming from a grill. It was an excellent steak, by the way, with a thick char and coated with a sticky Bordelaise.

There is a solid if somewhat pricey wine list.

Service is professional yet friendly.

The one caveat: The place is LOUD. There isn’t really a quiet corner where you can hide from it, so be prepared or go at an off time, if there is one.

Gotham Bar And Grill
12 E 12th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 620-4020
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gotham-bar-and-grill-new-york

Jean-Georges

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***** (5 stars)

For more than a decade we’ve been coming here, and it remains our favorite restaurant in New York. The dining room is elegant and uncrowded, a rarity in the city.

The food is delicate, complex, and constantly evolving. The best deal in the city is lunch at Jean George, where you can assemble your own multi-course meal or choose a tasting menu for a fraction of the price of dinner.

The wine list pricing is excellent, and there is a nice selection of high quality wines by the glass or even half glass, making it easy to assemble your own wine pairings.

Service is professional, friendly and knowledgable, and even though we’re probably outnumbered by the staff, it never feels overwhelming, just perfect.

Jean-Georges
1 Central Park W
New York, NY 10023
(212) 299-3900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jean-georges-new-york

54 Below

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**** (4 stars)

This is a excellent intimate live music venue. Acoustics are very good, and there is a pretty good lighting system as well.

The majority of the seating is at long tables pointed toward the stage, so some seats tend to be faced away from the performer, and those seated in the first few slots (and I do mean slots) may find the lighting in their eyes. A few booths along the back provide the most comfortable seating.

Food is adequate. The french fries were excellent, and the Caesar salad was fresh. The ratatouille shepherd’s pie was a bit disappointing. There’s a nice selection of moderately priced wines.

Service is friendly and unobtrusive.

54 Below
254 W 54th St
New York, NY 10019
(866) 468-7619
http://www.yelp.com/biz/54-below-new-york

L’Espalier

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***** (5 stars)

The wide range of reviews of this great restaurant on yelp indicate that it’s either quite inconsistent, or that it is attracting a lot of diners who may not be accustomed to fine dining.

I find the reviews that mention “stiff” service particularly puzzling. The service we experienced was professional, and yet extremely friendly. We engaged out server, his assistant, the maitre d’ and our sommelier in conversation, and all were extremely personable, and shared anecdotes and opinions with us.

I noted one reviewer who thought the food unremarkable, then revealed that dinner consisted of a salad and a rib eye. Seriously? Why have that dinner at this restaurant, even if it is possible?!

We had the chef’s tasting menu for a leisurely lunch that lasted almost three hours. Each course was a thing of beauty, and many of the taste combinations were inspired. Considering the ingredients (three courses included caviar, one included foie gras) the price was amazingly reasonable.

The matching wine pairing was actually more expensive than the food, but it was also worth it. Each wine was of excellent quality (for example, a Meursault and a Ch. Suideraut Sauternes) and a great match to the food.

The dining room is refined, quiet, and offers nice second floor views out onto Boylston.

All in all, this is one great restaurant, and I highly recommend it.

L’Espalier
774 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02199
(617) 262-3023
http://www.yelp.com/biz/l-espalier-boston

Grannan’s Seafood Restaurant

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**** (4 stars)

We had a great mid-afternoon meal here on Canada’s Thanksgiving Day. The restaurant is divided into a variety of spaces, including a cozy upstairs room and a downstairs patio. Service was very friendly. The seafood chowder was the best (and richest) I’ve ever had, and the lobster poutine, although unconventional, was delicious.

Grannan’s Seafood Restaurant
1 Market Square
Saint John, NB E2L 4S6
(506) 634-1555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/grannans-seafood-restaurant-saint-john

Le Bistro By Liz

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**** (4 stars)

We had a nice Sunday brunch at this lovely bistro. It has a light, open and airy feel due to all the windows, and the solarium at the front. Service is very friendly, and the menu combines traditional French dishes with more traditional brunch foods. Both the onions soup and the breakfast skillet were excellent. And brunch comes with a free drink, so it’s a good deal.

Le Bistro By Liz
1333 S Park Street
Halifax, NS B3J 2K9
(902) 423-8428
http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-bistro-by-liz-halifax

Murphy’s Cable Wharf

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**** (4 stars)

We had a nice afternoon snack here on the semi-enclosed patio. Protected from the wind, but  open above, it’s a great way to enjoy a brisk day. The lobster dip was a generous serving, and mostly lobster.

There are a lot of similar menus in this touristy area, but you can’t beat the view at the end of the pier this restaurant sits on.

Murphy’s Cable Wharf
1751 Lower Water St
Halifax, NS B3J 3E4
(902) 420-1015
http://www.yelp.com/biz/murphys-cable-wharf-halifax