Eats & Quiet
By Lee Smith
It was a nice gesture of solidarity when the World Economic Forum shifted its annual gathering to New York City from its usual site in Davos, Switzerland. But already we're hearing wistful whispers from some who plan to attend the conference at the end of January and say they will miss the Swiss ski resort's quiet charm. They lament that they often can't tell whether their dinner partner said "four milling daughters" or "40 million dollars" in Manhattan restaurants where the tables are inches apart and the music is set on stun.
Not to worry. After tireless research, TIME Global Business has identified three quiet, handsome and tasty haunts, one of which is sure to fit your tastes:
CELLO 53 East 77th Street (212-517-1258). A music and film company that failed on this site several years ago left behind three soundproof rooms, which the restaurant has turned into private dining quarters. The staff is large and attentive, the decor elegant and understated; the fare is classic French haute cuisine.
Our waiter began by lifting the glass dome off a tray that held a truffle the size of a child's fist and inviting us to sniff. The aroma was seductive, but we passed on the $75 appetizer with truffle shavings. Instead I had seared Ecuadoran shrimp and braised lentils, followed by grilled ahi tuna on a bed of chorizo piperade and honey-pepper sauce. Both dishes were excellent. My companion began with scallops and figs and followed with a perfectly seared cut of roast venison.
Dinner is prix fixe only: three courses for $75 or five courses for $95. There's an extensive wine list but with only a few bottles at $50 or less. Cello is open for dinner Monday to Saturday, lunch Wednesday to Saturday. Jackets are required for men.
AQUAVIT 13 West 54th Street (212-307-7311). The entrance to this restaurant in a Renaissance-style townhouse is a few steps below the sidewalk and marked with only a small sign that is easy to miss. Once you're inside, it sheds its modesty.
When making your reservation, ask for a table in the atrium, a space that soars up eight floors. Along one wall is a gentle, 20-ft.-high waterfall. Mobiles that suggest flying kites hang from the ceiling. A good conversation starter: Nelson Rockefeller owned the townhouse, and it was here in 1979 that he suffered a fatal heart attack in the arms of his mistress.
Aquavit's fare, primarily seafood and game, is Scandinavian, but the preparation and presentation are distinctively Chef Marcus Samuelsson's, acquired on a career journey that has carried him to Paris and through Latin America. Many dishes are served on a block of translucent glass that looks like ice. One is tuna accompanied by horseradish sorbet, colder and more crystalline than the traditional horseradish in cream. Among our other favorites were a soup of sea urchin, seared foie gras and watermelon; and hot smoked arctic char with octopus, mushroom, buckwheat ragout and duck consomme.
The three-course prix fixe dinner costs $68. The list offers several dozen good wines for less than $60. Aquavit is open every day for lunch and dinner. Wear a jacket for the atrium; the cafe is more casual.
LE GIGOT 18 Cornelia Street (212-627-3737). This pleasant bistro recalls the Greenwich Village of the 1950s. Proprietor Pamela Decaire's staff is friendly, and the simple decor is an American's idea of what a French bistro should look like, including a Dubonnet poster and caricatures of chefs at work. Le Gigot is the place to bring the business associate who craves informality.
The food is basic but nicely prepared. I started with half a dozen oysters in a mignonette sauce and followed with lobster tail atop a bed of risotto. Both dishes were fine, as were the asparagus soup and rack of lamb my companion ordered.
Our tab for food ran $86. The short wine list includes decent bottles for $24 to $50. Le Gigot is open for lunch and dinner every day but Monday. American Express and cash only. You needn't whisper, but you could--and you would be heard.