Fine Dining Report

RESTAURANTS

Our fine dining correspondent Lee Pitofsky eats tasting menus for breakfast. Here, some of his observations from a busy fall on the scene:

SU$HI FOR LE$S: In a city where sushi omakase prices keep climbing — with elite counters Noz, Sho, and Yoshino now roughly $500 per guest — there are still standout spots delivering remarkable value for much less. Two such places are operating 200 feet from each other in Soho:

Sushi Ouji ($129 per, above) and Sushi Ikumi ($220 per).

At Ouji, the chef’s obsession with rice is telling. He’s now on his 20th refinement of the shari. The meal begins with a cooked appetizer fish, followed by chawanmushi, then a decadent king salmon-don crowned with ikura, Hokkaido uni, and caviar. At least a dozen pristine pieces of nigiri follow before a closing miso soup and dessert. It’s an indulgent, well-rounded experience at a price that’s become anomalous in Manhattan.

Ikumi steps things up another notch, delivering a traditional, hyper-seasonal-ingredient-driven omakase with terrific techniques and sterling execution. Most seafood is flown in from Toyosu Market, the same famed market elite counters buy from, with the occasional cameo of buttery and tender abalone from Korea’s Jeju Island. Ikumi’s shari is a highlight — perfectly seasoned and tempered — and their shima-aji from Kagoshima (striped jack) ranks among my favorites. One of the final bites is their signature futomaki, a lavish “wide roll” filled with tamagoyaki and fatty tuna, and on a lucky day, topped with ikura and Hokkaido uni. It’s a microcosm of the value Ikumi offers, delivering all the crowd pleasers in one luxurious, decadent bite. Reserve Ouji and Ikumi.

THE MEATS: The legendary honey-lavender duck has made its triumphant return to the menu at Eleven Madison Park (Flatiron), as exquisite as ever. It arrives with a palpable sense of renewed energy in the dining room. The restaurant feels reawakened, its spirit invigorated.

The revival began on October 14 when — after four-plus years as a vegan restaurant — EMP debuted a fall menu with an option for guests to select their proteins for certain courses, including the iconic dry-aged bird. Maine diver scallops arrive with thinly sliced golden beets, grapefruit, and jicama, a composition as delicate as it is vibrant. Beurre blanc–poached lobster paired with squash and wilted kale is finished tableside with a rich cognac-lobster bisque (above).

But that 14-day dry-aged honey-lavender duck is the main event, served alongside daikon radish and a lush plum sauce. It alone is worth the price of admission. Reserve.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE: After nearly a decade as chef de cuisine at Gabriel Kreuther, Joe Anthony has partnered with Adrien Falcone, formerly of Bouley, to open Arvine (Greenwich Village). The result is a welcome addition to the city’s dining scene: casual yet chic, hyper-seasonal, and with a thoughtfully curated beverage program. Highlights from the surprising menu include a spicy grass-fed beef tartare with housemade Calabrian chili “gochujang” aioli and einkorn focaccia; kombu-baked diver scallops with smoked trout roe and Champagne sauce; and a tender Iberian pork chop, bone-in and served with fall fruit and brown butter-sage. Reserve. –Lee Pitofsky