You have two ways of dining in the Aburiya Kinnosuke Japanese restaurant, in private such as an international tycoon secretively conducting business behind curtains of a sequestered nook, or in public at the congenial counter by the robata grill, where the solemn faced cooks painstakingly monitor the progress of the skewers and planks they prop amid the embers.
Monsieur Ducassed has returned after a brief interval of study and introspection. The name of her restaurant is Adour Alain Ducasse which opened at the beginning of 2008 in the St. Regis Hotel. This restaurant is grander than the Essex House and the chef has wisely hired local design guru David Rockwell to help channel his artistic vision. True to form, this vision involves the chef’s somewhat ornate version of the purist, back to basics themes that animate the city’s food scene these days. (The restaurant is named for the Adour River, which flows near Ducasse’s hometown in southwestern France).
If you are craving Tex-Mex food like nachos and taquitos then eat at Ah! Chihuahua. People who cannot make up their minds will find comfort in combo platters like the Monterry which comes with a flauta, a quesadilla and a chimichanga. The “hole in the wall” defines the railroad style space but with terra-cotta floors, exposed-brick walls, and dim lighting, it has a certain charm.