NYC – Favorite Restaurants in Chelsea

Thought it might be easier to list some of my favorite restaurants by location as people usually ask me for recommendations for one or another part of town (of course, I still have my overall favorite list in another post with more lengthy descriptions).  This is the first and will follow with other neighborhoods I frequent.

• Chelsea Market – 75 9th Avenue – the old Nabisco factory covers an entire block has been transformed into a upscale food court, fish market, butcher, wine store, bakeries and kitchenware haven. Most days it is mobbed with tourists, but it is still a spectacular dining hall, where you can get a whole steamed lobster, Cambodian hero, , San Diego-style taco, or farm-to-table meal at a sit-down restaurant, lunch counter, or wine bar.
• Del Posto – 85 10th Avenue – Bastianich Italian Palace.  Glamorous, expensive, and very good (food and wine).  Make reservations at the bar for a more casual, and a la carte, experience.  My husband and I love this restaurant and usually go there to celebrate our anniversary yearly.

• L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon – 85 10th Avenue – Joël Robuchon (unfortunately he passed awa in 2018) was a master craftsman of beautiful, whimsical bites of modern French cuisine. This beautifully designed venue still serves the same wonderful food.  Christophe Bellanca has been the long-time chef and is one of the most creative I have been privileged to experience.   I had eaten multiple times in their London restaurant but never NYC for some reason.  Just this week I decided to dine there and the food was better than I remembered.  All I can say is WOW!  Not only is the food amazing but the service and atmosphere is just as first rate.  Not stuffy or stiff, it has a relaxed vibe (with most reservations at the very large bar with the chef cooking in the middle).  We were lucky to get adopted by the Sommelier and he gave us a kitchen tour and an introduction to Chef Bellanca (he was charming, warm, and friendly).  An example of some of the courses below (and don’t skip the bread basket!!!)

• Momofuku Nishi – 232 8th Avenue – David Chang’s Italian / Korean hybrid restaurant with dishes so creative you can’t believe they are that yummy.
• Morimoto – 88 10th Avenue – Massaharu Morimoto’s NYC restaurant with beautiful modern decor and creative dishes.  Chose the Omakese and leave your decisions in the chef’s hands.
• Sullivan Street Bakery – 236 9th Avenue – began in SoHo, moved to Hell’s Kitchen, and now opened another bakery in Chelsea.  This one is larger, with a place to eat their wonderful Roman-style pizzas (including potato and zucchini toppings), pastries, creative panini’s …
• Sushi Seki Chelsea – 208 W 23rd Street – another excellent Japanese restaurant, though atmosphere is lacking a bit, where you need to order the omakase.

• Toto – 85 10th Avenue – Boston chef and owners – Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette’s tapas bar offering 60 traditional and modern tapas dishes.  Don’t miss the octopus or the killer cocktails.
• Ushiwakamaru -362 W 23rd Street –  chef owner Hideo Kuriba, is excellent.  The sushi bar is the place to sit, but no matter where, order the (you guessed it) omakese.