Rich, plush interiors set the stage for a modern American menu at Eighty One
Any doubts that the Upper West Side has finally arrived as a culinary locus can be pooh-pooh’d with the opening of this sleek modern American spot from Sea Grill vet Ed Brown. “Modern American,” the chef tells us, “is not Japanese, it’s not Italian, it’s not French, but it could be any of those things. It can be anything we want.” Here, Brown uses his global license to cull influences from Japan (wild scallops with Okinawa sweet potato) to Austria (pumpkin risotto with braised chicken wings), with an emphasis on prime ingredients and an austere approach. “When I was 23, I used to think, ‘How many more elements can I put on this dish to make it better,’” says the 44-year-old. “[Now] it’s, ‘How fewer ingredients can I put on this dish?’ It takes a lot of technique to put two ingredients on the plate.” Brown, who has lived on the Upper West Side for the last 17 years, is psyched to finally bring his cooking close to home: “Many of my friends have said, 'The Upper West Side needs a restaurant like yours.' And now it’s time—you’ve got Telepan, you’ve got Dovetail. And I’m proud to add to the collection.” 45 W. 81st St. between Columbus Ave. and CPW, 212-873-8181
Olana
The Hudson River Valley has been a popular place of inspiration for farm-to-table, greenmarket-driven chefs of late, but Al di Meglio is not simply following the trend. The Osteria del Circo and Le Cirque alum uses the landmark home of painter Frederic Edwin Church as the artistic jumping-off point for this upscale Italian-influenced American restaurant, which also showcases landscape artwork inspired by the Hudson River area itself. The seasonal menu even sounds upstate, featuring duck prosciutto, burnt-orange-and-goose ravioli, roasted rabbit, and an orange-and-licorice-lacquered duck. 72 Madison Ave. between 27th and 28th Sts., 212-725-4900
Five Guys West Village
Trans-fat may be history, but there's enough salt in this burger joint to make the Dead Sea feel like a drowning pool. After stomping Brooklyn and Midtown last year, this Washington, D.C.–based chain decamps to the West Village, where you'll find much of the same: fresh ground beef, Kraft American cheese and some basic toppings like pickles and jalepenos, all piled together as awkwardly as a cowboy riding the subway. Add hand-cut fries and peanut barrels while you wait, and somehow, it all works. 296 Bleecker St. at Seventh Ave. South, 212-367-9200
