NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE

Three stars from the New York Times and two Michelin stars can’t be wrong. And neither can science. Reserve a table at molecular gastronomy masterpiece Corton to see these claims exemplified. Chef Paul Liebrandt offers a three-course prix fixe menu as well as a six-course chef’s tasting menu. The recipes are heavily informed by the Greenmarket aesthetic, meaning seasonal ingredients at all costs. When things like butter-poached wild striped bass with razor clam and pearl onion, uni crème with radish and Marcona almond or the terrine of foie arrive for your immaculate ingestion, revelry generally ensues. From the cocktail menu, try the Spencer:  Cîroc vodka, Lillet, grapefruit juice, candied grapefruit, or the Bitter Pumpernickel: Michter’s Rye, Antica Vermouth and Campari, or venture into a fortuitous wine selection; the restaurant is named after the premier wine-growing region in France after all. And their signature dessert takes the cake: A caramel brioche was topped with brioche ice cream, passion fruit “mayo,” and banana pâte de fruit.  We also appreciate the unstifling dress code: it’s of the few Michelin-starred restaurants in New York that won’t scoff if you arrive rocking those Dior jeans you’ve been itching to wear all week (provided you pair them with a smart blazer or overcoat).