NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2013: Where to Go

Update: NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2014 Reservations Are Open. See our NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2014 Where to Go Recommendations plus receive AMEX Dining Credit.

NYC Restaurant Week for Winter 2013 is January 14 to February 8 (so 3 weeks, not just 1) and reservations are open now. I'm not too excited about this year's NYC Restaurant Week for a few reasons:

Price for dinner has gone up $3, from $35 to $38; lunch has increased a few cents, to $25
No AMEX statement credit offer this year
No British Airways Visa Michelin offer

My advice would be to only make reservations for lunch, at a restaurant you've been wanting to try anyway. I'll write some subsequent posts on other great places and dishes to try in NYC that don't participate in NYC Restaurant Week but where you can create a great date night or lunch for the same price or less. For example, Bar on Fifth at The Setai Fifth Avenue is a great deal with the current 40% off Yelp offer, and a quiet romantic lunch at Seasonal Restaurant and Weinbar is better than most other midtown Restaurant Week lunch options for just a few dollars more.

Still, our NYC Restaurant Week posts are popular so I thought I'd put together my top picks, including dish recommendations, for NYC Restaurant Week in Winter 2013.

1. Nougatine by Jean-Georges (Lunch)

While Nougatine is seen by many as the poor cousin of adjoining Jean-Georges, the restaurants share a kitchen, so typically you get food at similar quality to Jean-Georges, even if the ingredients are not quite as luxurious and the preparations a bit simpler. While Nougatine hasn't posted an official Restaurant Week Menu, I believe (and will confirm soon) that you'll have the same choices as on the current prix fixe menu, which goes for $32 per person.

Given the above, these would be my picks:

Appetizer: Tuna Tartare

Entree: Truffle Crusted Salmon or Roasted Capon and Black Truffle

Dessert: Jean-Georges Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2. Nobu (Lunch)

I've never been to Nobu, and certainly there are more elite places in NYC for sushi, but most reviews I've seen for Nobu's Restaurant Week lunch offering are quite positive, especially for the generously portioned black cod miso appetizer. I'd go with:

Appetizer: Black Cod Miso on Limestone Lettuce

Entree: Assorted Sushi

Dessert: Chef's Selection (no other choice offered)

3. Riverpark (Lunch, Dinner)

Despite its location in a sterile looking Alexandria Center office park, Riverpark is one of the best new American, farm to table places we've found. We love the very fresh preparations, many with ingredients grown right in Riverpark's own garden (you'll see it on the right as you enter), generous servings, creative fresh pastas, and in warmer weather, al fresco dining. In winter, try to reserve a table by the window with a view of the East River. As with Nougatine, no Restaurant Week menu has been posted, but I assume that the current prix fixe lunch menu is what will be offered, at a $3 discount to the usual $28 price. I'm not sure what the Restaurant Week dinner menu will look like, so my recommendations below are for lunch:g

Appetizer: Squid Ink Chitarra or Salmon Tartare

Entree: Roasted Salmon with celery root gand hen of the woods mushrooms or Pork Steak with red rice and bok choy

Dessert: Apple Tatin with cinnamon ice cream or Kumquat Tart with almond cream, vanilla bean sauce and fennel ice cream

4. Fulton (Lunch, Dinner)

Fulton is a bright spot in the otherwise rather desolate culinary landscape of the Upper East Side. Restaurant Week lunch is quite a good deal given the usual a la carte pricing of the dishes, so I'd definitely go for lunch if you can, rather than dinner. We've also enjoyed brunches here (try the lobster hash or lobster bendict), even though there's not a brunch option for Restaurant Week.

Appetizer: Grilled Octopus with potato, chermoula, cured lemon

Entree: Skate Wing or Fulton Burger (both are good choices)

Dessert: Warm Apple Tart with vanilla ice cream, ginger snap and raspberry coulis (no other choice offered)