Stefan: I don't know about "best" but if you eat spicy food, there is a superb Szechuan restaurant in midtown called "Wu Liang Ye." It is not fancy- in fact, it is a bit of a dump, but it is clean enough, and the food sparkles. You must make a reservation- if you call, ask for Herman, the manager, and use my name, Bill Hart. If you want lobster, you must reserve that in advance, and I recommend doing so. The menu I would have is razor clams, szechuan dumplings, either cold or dan dan noodles, capsicum chicken, a lobster dish, some fried rice and snow pea leaves or string beans with bamboo shoots (if they are out of snow pea leaves). They have a lot of exotic dishes on the menu, and you can feel free to experiment, but those dishes are tried and true-- I've eaten there many, many times over the years.
If you want an elegant lunch, you might try to book at the Modern in MoMa, and ask for a seat in the dining room facing the sculpture garden This is one of Danny Meyer's restaurants, and though I don't think it is in the very highest tier of restaurants based solely on food, it is very, very good, the service is usually exceptional and the setting is very refined.
If you want an elegant lunch, you might try to book at the Modern in MoMa, and ask for a seat in the dining room facing the sculpture garden This is one of Danny Meyer's restaurants, and though I don't think it is in the very highest tier of restaurants based solely on food, it is very, very good, the service is usually exceptional and the setting is very refined.