Dos Caminos
373 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
212-203-1000

There's "never a dull moment" at Steve Hanson's "energetic" trio of "dressed-up" midpriced Mexicans; starting with the "made-at-your-table guacamole", the menu still "dazzles", while "knockout margs" take the edge off of "so-so" service and the "noise" kicked up by all those "singles and yuppies."

Blue Smoke
116 E. 27 Street
New York, NY 10016
212-447-7733

To "scratch the itch" for "pit BBQ", scoot over to this saucy Gramercy smokehouse and "pig out" on "meaty", melt-in-your-mouth" ribs and "must-have" sides; sticklers say the "city-esque" setup sends a "mixed message", but it "holds it's own" at "legit prices"; P.S. "sweet jazz' "beckons" in the club downstairs.

Power lunch with media brass or enjoy a relaxing evening out at New York's classiest "tavern". Owner Danny Meyer (also of Union Square Cafe fame) pairs delightful American cuisine with an impressive wine list in a moody, cozy setting dotted with fresh flowers. Combined with smooth, attentive service, the Gramercy Tavern remains a perennial favorite among New Yorkers. For more casual, less expensive fare try the Tavern Room.
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Feel as though you've been magically transported to Paris at this cozy and crowded Union Square French bistro. Drink your fill and enjoy three-star provencale fare while basking in the warm, charming atmosphere.
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Rustic charm paired with dynamite southern Italian fare make I Trulli a stand-out among the thousands of Italian restaurants in the city. A garden, wood floors and a fireplace add warmth to chef Mauro Mafrici's innovative cooking. Compliment your dinner with a rare Southern Italian wine from one of the gorgeous wine cabinets.
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The quintessential New York restaurant: spectacular, offbeat Tuscan-inspired cuisine, impeccably smooth service and unreasonably reasonable prices keep this polished jewel one of New York's most popular restaurants.
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Primehouse
381 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
212-824-2600

You have to admire Stephen Hanson for at least choosing his gimmicks carefully. You will find no weaponry dangling from the rafters of Hanson’s new steakhouse, Primehouse New York, and the menu is mercifully free of Kobe or Wagyu beef.
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To get to the generally excellent steaks, you must run the usual gauntlet of salad wedges, beef tartares, and seafood platters. Possibly the best of these pre-beef treats are little rings of fresh ciabatta bread, baked plain or with olives, and placed on the table on what look like upright paper-towel holders. They go well with roast Kumamoto oysters (drizzled with lemon and garlic) and the artisanally correct beet-and-goat-cheese salad (the chèvre comes from Coach Farm, upstate) tossed with green apples and pistachios. I liked the jumbo shrimps in my jumbo-shrimp cocktail, too, although the showy, tableside preparations of those other aged steakhouse totems (overgarlicked Caesar salad with what seem to be store-bought croutons, and a feeble steak tartare dressed with too few capers and a single measly quail egg) could have been better.

If you are looking for outstanding steak frites, you'll find nearly the best in town at this crowded, quaint Murray Hill bistro. Though the moderately-priced menu offers a fine, varied selection, beef is the real draw here for power lunches and leisurely dinners. In warmer weather enjoy alfresco dining on the sidewalk cafe.
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Indian fusion ignites the crowds at this sophisticated, earth-toned space. You can rely on smooth, well-informed servers and an impressive wine list to accompany your innovative, Indian-American dishes. Begin your feast with fresh nan and roti served right out of the oven at the Bread Bar while you take in the view out of huge windows overlooking Madison Square Park.
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