Restaurant Girl's 2006 Roundup

Best New Restaurant Picks for 2006 – A Year in Review

After a year of gluttonous feasting at some of NYC newest restaurants, I thought I’d offer a Restaurant Girl Roundup of the best and worst of 2006.  While the mega-restaurant trend of the Asian fusion sorts, has thankfully fallen flat, New Yorkers seem to be embracing the little guy.  The Buddakan’s of the city have taken a back seat to intimate newcomers with impossible to score tables, like Little Owl.  Equally, a new genre of genteel steakhouses are on the rise, as are tapas bars, small plate spots, and Asian street food chains.  Seasonal cooking continues to seep its way into Spanish, Italian, and even gastropub fare.  So without further ado, for better or worse, here are some of the top restaurants and trends (* indicates highly recommended):

Overall Top Eight Newcomers

1) L’Atelier De Robuchon
57 East 57th St., (212)350-6658

2) Little Owl
90 Bedford St., (212)741-4695

3) Sasabune
401 East 73rd St., (212)249-8583

4) Picholine
35 West 64th St., (212)724-8585

5) Russian Tea Room
150 West 57th St., (212)581-7100

6) Little Giant
85 Orchard St., (212)226-5047

7) Spigolo
1561 Second Ave., (212)744-1100

8) Chinatown Brasserie (dim sum)
380 Lafayette St., (212)533-7000

Top Five Dining Disappointments

1) Gordon Ramsay at the London (His bark is sadly bigger than his bite)
151 West 54th St., (212)468-8888

2) Buddha Bar
25 Little West 12th St., (212)647-7314

3) STK
26 Little West 12th St., (646)624-2444

4) BLT Burger
470 6th Ave., (212)243-8226

5) Meatpacking Madness (in general)

Mega-Asian Affairs

*Chinatown Brasserie
380 Lafayette St., (212)533-7000

*Morimoto
88 Tenth Ave., (212)989-8883

Buddakan
75 Ninth Ave., (212)989-6699

Buddha Bar
25 Little West 12th St., (212)647-7314

Japonais
111 East 18th St., (212)260-2020

Intimate Newcomers

*Little Owl
90 Bedford St., (212)741-4695

Cafe Cluny
284 West 12th St., (212)255-6900

Klee Brasserie
200 Ninth Ave., (212)633-8033

Trestle on Tenth
242 Tenth Ave., (212)645-5659

Goblin Market
199 Prince St., (212)375-8275

Quickly Multiplying

Mr. Chow Tribeca
121 Hudson St., (212)965-9500

Philippe (Mr. Chow copycat)
33 East 60th St., (212)644-8885

Megu Midtown
845 UN Plaza, (212)644-0777

*Frederick’s Downtown
637 Hudson St., (212)488-4200

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse – Tribeca
409 Greenwich St., (212)925-0350

Gari 46
347 West 46th St., (212)957-0046

Nobu 57
40 West 57th St., (212)757-3000

Genteel Steakhouses

*Quality Meats
57 West 58th St., (212)371-7777

Craftsteak
85 Tenth Ave., (212)400-6699

Porterhouse New York
10 Columbus Circle, (212)823-9500

*Kobe Club
68 West 58th St.,(212)644-5623

STK
26 Little West 12th St., (646)624-2444

Reinventions

*Picholine
35 West 64th St., (212)724-8585

Tocqueville
15 East 15th St., (212)647-1515

Tasting Room
264 Elizabeth St., (212)358-7831

*Le Cirque
151 East 58th St., (212)644-0202

*Russian Tea Room
150 West 57th St., (212)581-7100

Austrian-inspired Cuisine

*Cafe D’Alsace
1695 Second Ave., (212)722-5133

Klee Brasserie
200 Ninth Ave., (212)633-8033

Tapas

*Boqueria
53 West 19th St., (212)255-4160

Degustation Wine & Tasting Bar
239 East 5th St., (212)979-1012

Barca 18
225 Park Ave., (212)533-2500

Asian Street Food

Kampuchea Noodle Bar
78-84 Rivington St., (212)529-3901

Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 Second Ave., (212)254-3500

Dumpling Man
100 St. Marks Place, (212)505-2121

Bo Ky
80 Bayard St., (212)406-2292

Roll & Dough
135 West 3rd St., (212)253-2871

Pizza Joints

*Lucali
575 Henry St., (718)858-4086

Cronkite Pizzeria
133 Norfolk St., (212)375-1500

Krunch Pizza
980 Second Ave., (212)207-4122

Hotel Dining

L’Atelier de Robuchon
57 East 57th St., (212)350-6658

Gordon Ramsay at the London Bar
151 West 54th St., (212)468-8888

Check back in for Restaurant Girl’s Best & Worst 2006 Dish Picks…

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl

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