Food
Best Braised Lamb Shank
Lawrence Scott
1363 First Avenue, near 73rd Street
212-396-4555

This year's revelation comes from an unknown hand in the remote reaches of the Upper East Side. That's what struck us with the first sweet, meaty bite of lamb shank from this seductive contender by Lawrence Scott (veteran of kitchen stints at the Crillon, Lucas Carton, and Ducasse in Monte Carlo). As pleasing to the eye as it is pleasing to devour, this hulking roast is caramelized yet properly moist, on herbed fettuccine, flaunting long plumes of radicchio, a costume worthy of Bob Mackie dressing Cher. At the risk of sacrilege, we think it surpasses even Bobby Flay's and Tom Valenti's Hall of Fame-worthy versions of the aforesaid appendage.