Town:Rubenstein's pick also gets kudos for its bartenders.

Food
Best New Restaurant

Hal Rubenstein's Pick
Town
15 West 56th Street; 212-582-4445

Town glows like the movie set you've always dreamed of making your entrance into. Stunning, soigné, and oh so grown-up, lit like they knew you were ready for your close-up. Geoffrey Zakarian's food is miraculous in its ability to indulge till you swoon without imparting guilt. The only anxiety is over whether to devour dishes -- like risotto of escargots and truffles, or pan-roasted arctic char with Granny Smith apples -- in a heartbeat or savor them for hours. The smart staff will remind you that dessert is heaven. But they know bliss-out when they see it. No matter where you live, you may want to stay in Town forever.

Ouest:The tilt-a-whirl scene in Valentiville.

Adam Platt's Pick
Ouest
2315 Broadway, at 84th Street
212-580-8700

If this critic ever started his own restaurant, he'd feature short ribs and meat loaf, and possibly an artfully rendered dish of tripe. He'd serve chicken seared to a perfect crispness, lots of delectable smokehouse recipes (sturgeon, duck, salmon, etc.), and an elegantly chaste fish dish or two for evenings when he was feeling bilious. He'd hire a chef of supreme talent, who had been around long enough to feel comfortable in his own skin. He'd design a room that looked full but never crowded, and fit it with tall leather banquettes, a modest but carefully chosen stock of wine, and a bar built for dining. He'd situate this room in a neighborhood not known for culinary greatness and fill it with a grateful local clientele who worshipfully returned night after night. He might not choose a goofy Francophile name like "Ouest" for his new restaurant, but then again, nobody's perfect.

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