Best of New York 2009 • Eating

• Allegretti

  46 W. 22nd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-206-0555

  �Bouillabaisse is from Marseille, but soupe de poisson belongs to Nice,� says Alain Allegretti, who would know. The Niçois chef cooked around the Côte d’Azur before decamping for New York, where he has established a beachhead for his native brand of coastal cooking. �I have the famous Mediterranean poissons des roches flown in especially,� he says, revealing the secret to the success of his deep-amber-hued soup, the thing responsible for its authentic aroma, texture, and rich flavor. The gastronomic ritual starts once the soup arrives: The traditional dried croutons, rubbed with oil and garlic and anointed with the garlic-and-saffron mayo called rouille, are placed in the soup, then finely grated Gruyère cheese is sprinkled over the top. �I make two versions of rouille, the authentic garlicky version and one mild,� says the chef. �So many diners found the garlic too strong.�

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  More Neighborhood Feasts From Adam Platt's Where to Eat 2009

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