Three Stars
Ouest (18)
We’ve had our fill of Tom Valenti’s braised short ribs, at last.
Oceana (25)
The new big-box venue looks too much like a hotel dining room.
Dévi (28)
Indian-food snobs miss the presence of Hemant Mathur in the kitchen.
David Burke & Donatella (31)
Donatella is gone, and Burke seems more focused on his other places.
Two Stars
Asiate (35)
Chef Nori Sugie’s departure was a loss.
Nobu (40)
It’s not a New York restaurant anymore; it’s an international chain.
Spice Market (42)
Six months is the maximum shelf life of hot meatpacking joints.
DB Bistro Moderne (44)
Still recommended, but could use a patented Boulud makeover.
Jewel Bako (45)
As fish stocks (and bonuses) dwindle, so does the interest in jewel-box sushi bars.
Applewood (46)
A fine neighborhood spot, but there are more current Brooklyn destinations.
’Cesca (47)
Valenti is no longer involved.
Hearth (50)
Still a top pasta spot, but Marco Canora’s Terroir wine bars have more energy.
Abboccato (51)
This worthy outfit has been overwhelmed by the haute-Italian tsunami.
Mas (farmhouse) (53)
Mrs. Platt still loves this romantic favorite. Her husband prefers a whole-hog dinner.
5 Ninth (54)
Zak Pelaccio has packed his knives and gone.
JoJo (55)
The most dated of Jean-Georges’s New York restaurants.
Sparks Steak House (57)
A worthy stalwart, if you’re on a pre-recession expense account.
Mary’s Fish Camp (58) The age of the urban lobster roll is over.
Pearl Oyster Bar (59)
See Mary’s Fish Camp.
Pampano (62)
On today’s budgets, we prefer Pampano Taqueria around the corner.
Artisanal Fromagerie and Bistro (63)
The French-brasserie bubble has popped, and the boutique-cheese bubble could be next.
Matsuri (67)
The Great Recession hasn’t been kind to mega-sushi joints.
BLT Steak (68)
The “LT,” as in Laurent Tourondel, is gone.
Bar Americain (69)
Bobby Flay seems to spend more time on TV than in his restaurants.
Teodora (70)
Solid Emilia-Romagna, but the menu is in a state of perpetual stasis.
Oriental Garden (72)
The last time we visited, the food was ordinary.
Swifty’s (74)
My mother’s friends adore it, but it’s more lost in time every year.
Mermaid Inn (75)
The new versions seem to have stolen attention from the original.
Kittichai (76) This once cutting-edge Thai joint has morphed into a standard hotel restaurant.
Peasant (77)
Endlessly imitated, but now slightly tired.
Blue Ribbon (79)
With ten outlets and counting, New York’s great Soho bistros don’t seem so special anymore.
One Star
Tía Pol (80)
The great tapas chefs Alexandra Raij and her husband Eder Montero have departed.
Barbuto (81)
Faux-Italian brasseries are everywhere now.
Taboon (83)
The bread is still fabulous, but the Hell’s Kitchen venue doesn’t hold up so well.
Pure Food and Wine (84)
There’s room for just one vegetarian joint in this avowed carnivore’s top 101.
Nice Matin (87)
A victim of the French-brasserie implosion.
iCi (89)
See “Nice Matin.”
August (91)
An original “market-driven” restaurant that no longer seems so original.
Al Di Là (92)
When it comes to nouveau-rustico Brooklyn Italian, we like the guys with the beards.
Gennaro (93)
Left behind in this era of “new” Italian home cooking.
The Grocery (94)
Almost everything on Smith Street now seems old.
’inoteca (95)
Gourmet panini are so six years ago.
Landmarc (96)
The wine list is recession-friendly, but the cooking could be better.
Grand Sichuan Eastern (Second Avenue) (98)
For better or worse, unchanged since 2006.
ChikaLicious (99)
The Platt girls prefer the cheaper “Dessert Club” offshoot across the street.
Café Sabarsky (100)
The coffee at the millions of new hipster-barista joints is almost as good, and (a little) cheaper.