8 Winter Restaurant Week 2018 Reservations You Need to Make Now
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Mark your calendars: NYC Restaurant Week is back for its winter season, with reservations live as of this morning. A chance to try some of the city’s hottest dining spots for a fraction of the price, from January 22–February 9 participating restaurants will offer three-course prix fixe lunches for $29 and three-course prix fixe dinners for $42 (not including beverages, gratuities and taxes). To help narrow down the myriad options, we’ve highlighted our top picks from the 32 newcomers joining the Restaurant Week lineup for the first time.
Quality Eats
These hip Quality Meats spin-offs showcase updated steakhouse fare on their Restaurant Week dinner menus, with highlights including a hamachi tostada; grilled Nueske's bacon with peanut butter and jalapeño jelly; and bavette-cut steak. “Dressed Up Scoops” (mini sundaes) end the meal, with combinations like birthday cake and s’mores. The newer UES outpost is also doing lunch with a similar, but abbreviated menu.
M–F lunch, dinner; Sunday dinner (M–F dinner only at West Village location)
Loring Place
For lunch, check out this seasonal American kitchen from ABC Kitchen vet, Dan Kluger. To start, choose from plates like salmon crudo and roasted beets (pictured above), followed by mains like roasted black bass. Desserts include a take on a childhood favorite, Hostess cupcakes and apple bread pudding with ginger and date ice cream.
M–F lunch
Ortzi
Last spring, chef Jose Garces debuted an all-day Basque restaurant at the newly opened LUMA Hotel Times Square. On the Restaurant Week menu you’ll find signature cazuela dishes (named for the Spanish terra cotta cooking pots) like polluelo (red chile–braised chicken with grits) and paella Valenciana, plus traditional tapas like albóndigas (beef and pork meatballs) and patatas Asturianas (crispy potatoes with tomato jam).
M–F lunch, dinner; Sunday dinner
Momofuku Nishi
David Chang’s recently updated Nishi joins the Restaurant Week lineup this season with a renovated dining room and updated menu of modern Italian plates. Look for dishes like the famed cacio e pepe, roasted pork and vanilla panna cotta.
M–F lunch; Sunday lunch
La Pecora Bianca
Both the NoMad original and recently opened Midtown offshoot are participating in this season’s Restaurant Week, with nearly identical menus (save for dessert) showcasing locavore Italian fare and served up in chic settings. Dish highlights include starters like short-rib minestrone and roasted cauliflower, mains like tagliatelle Bolognese (pictured above) and desserts like cardamom panna cotta.
M–F lunch, dinner
Rice & Gold
At the Hotel 50 Bowery, chef Dale Talde serves up a modern Asian menu with playful takes on classic dishes in a sprawling space with graffiti art and industrial fixtures. You'll receive a dim sum starter (choose from shumai, mapo dumplings or candied pork buns), a main course option like smoked branzino and dessert.
M–F lunch, dinner; Sunday dinner
Babu Ji
Serving modern takes on Indian food from its recently relocated Union Square digs, Babu Ji’s Restaurant Week menu features several gluten-free and vegetarian options. Look for dishes like Colonel Tso’s cauliflower, chana masala (pictured above) and the cheekily named “Unauthentic Butter Chicken.”
M–F lunch, dinner; Sunday lunch, dinner
Suzuki
Sushi Zen alum Takashi Yamamoto presents beautifully plated, highly seasonal kaiseki (Japanese version of an upscale tasting menu) at the intimate Suzuki. Look for dishes like the housemade egg custard with dashi; miso marinated grilled chicken and a Kobe beef hotpot.
M–F lunch
