STATEN ISLAND, NY – Want to eat out in New York City but are tired of the same old places?
Choosing a new restaurant to try can be difficult, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a place you’re not even sure you’ll like.
Luckily, the Michelin Guide inspectors are there to help you, as they travel around the country all year round to sample all kinds of cuisines.
The Michelin Guide New York 2024 was published earlier this summer and features eight new additions to the Big Apple, offering a wide range of diverse cuisine.
The new additions bring the total number of Michelin inspector-recommended restaurants in New York City to 399, including the following five right here on Staten Island: Enoteca Maria in St. George, Sagara in Tompkinsville, and VINUM, Lakruwana and Seppe Pizza Bar, all located in Stapleton.
The new additions illustrate the diversity that makes New York City one of the world’s greatest cultural melting pots, with restaurants specializing in Korean, Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine.
Here’s a look at the eight new additions and what diners can expect, according to Michelin experts.
Café Carmellini
Cuisine: Contemporary
“Andrew Carmellini’s return to fine dining takes place at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, a former Gilded Age gem now revamped as a sleek NoMad stomping ground. The dining room exudes a sumptuous nostalgic ambience with wood-plank floors, curved sapphire-blue velvet seating and caramel-colored leather seating. The open kitchen conjures up dishes that smell of the Mediterranean, like the crab millefeuille, a neatly arranged tower of tender waffles and sweet crab meat in a golden Meyer lemon sauce. Scallops Cardoz is a heartwarming composition dedicated to the late chef Floyd Cardoz, featuring beautifully seared mussels with a turmeric-tinged and warmly spiced coconut milk sauce. The squab en croûte combines rich and rosy breast meat and seared foie gras in a thin layer of batter.”
Coqodaq
Cuisine: Korean
“It’s very hard to get a table at this hip spot. (Pro tip: Get to the front of the line if you can’t get a reservation.) All the effort is worth it, because the atmosphere at this Korean chicken joint is just great. There are other dishes on the compact menu, but you’re here for the chicken. Available as a “bucket,” which includes chicken broth as an appetizer, followed by two waves of different types of gluten-free chicken with house-made sauces, plus cold perilla seed noodles. Finally, a yogurt soft serve completes the meal. Stick with the bucket to get a reasonable bill, but if you splurge and add caviar and extras, the bill quickly mounts. Cocktails fit the theme, but the star is champagne, with a nice selection of offerings by the glass as well as full and half bottles to suit every budget.”
Corima
Cuisine: Mexican
“On the edge of Chinatown, Chef Fidel Caballero doesn’t hold back. Whether you’re sitting at the kitchen counter enjoying the sophisticated tasting menu or ordering a la carte in the lively dining room, the cuisine is a uniquely original and bold tribute to Mexican cuisine. If anything, there has to be an order of sourdough tortillas somewhere on the table. These tender, perfectly grilled slices of Sonora wheat and chicken fat, served with recado negro butter, will entice you to return. And even better, this won’t be the only course worth coming back for. Dishes like lobster nicuatole, black cod with salsa veracruzana, and sweetbreads with bitter almond foam leave lasting impressions. You’ll find Mexican spirits and natural wines at the bar.”
Four Twenty-Five
Cuisine: Contemporary
“Jonathan Benno and Jean-Georges Vongerichten are behind this elegant restaurant, named after the address of the elegant building it is located in. Flooded with natural light, it is stunning yet understated. The menu draws inspiration from everywhere, from Italy and France to Asia. Dishes like the foie gras with blood orange compote, served with warm, spiced madeleines, have great flair and show serious cooking skills. Even a plate of asparagus is made special thanks to creamy avocado slices and a tangy vinaigrette. The meal ends with a teardrop-shaped chocolate cake that hits every level with black cardamom cream, tonka ganache and buckwheat caramel, and marzipan ice cream.”
Fox Face Nature
Kitchen: Creative
“Point Judith octopus sliced into thin noodles, marinated in green aguachile and garnished with crispy pig ears? Steak tartare, but made from the loin of a kangaroo, served with a cilantro-carrot purée and Sardinian flatbread? There are few rules at this laid-back East Village spot, which has no problem taking risks. The eclectic menu sources its ingredients locally, pays close attention to the seasons and does what it pleases. Case in point: a recent dessert of a delicate white asparagus gelato with pink peppercorns and grilled strawberries. Try to sit at the long bar that lines the narrow space, where you’ll find a genuinely friendly waiter and maybe even one of the owners. Wines are carefully selected and reasonably priced.”
Kanyakumari
Cuisine: Indian
“Named after the city at the southernmost tip of India, this compact but modern restaurant with a lively atmosphere aptly puts the regional cuisine of South India front and center, with an emphasis on seafood. The cuisine is as bold as you’d expect, with a depth of flavor. This cuisine puts its own spin on the tried and true. Case in point? Mussels koliwada. It’s a dish traditionally made with fish, but here mussels are deep-fried in a spicy, red-colored rice flour batter, then served with a chilli dipping sauce. If the server recommends the slow-cooked Black Gold beef, order it. It’s incredibly tender beef rib, dressed with Madras onion rings, crispy curry leaves and tiny green chillies. A nuanced fish curry is complemented by the ghee rice.”
Tolo
Cuisine: Chinese
“Chef Ron Yan is making a splash with one of Chinatown’s most exciting restaurants in recent memory. Just across the street from Seward Park, you’ll find a finely-tuned menu that highlights a number of familiar Chinese dishes, all prepared with style and sophistication. Think tender beef shank under a refreshing herb salad or perfectly fried tofu cubes dusted with salt and pepper. A must-try is the golden-fried branzino served in a fantastic sweet and sour sauce. A unique feature here is the wine list – it’s serious business, with a long, thoughtful list and Zalto glasses to boot. With so much to order, your small table fills up quickly and the small dining room fills up quickly. That’s all part of the charm.”
Green Fresh
Cuisine: Japanese
“This sunny, white-walled cafe in Long Island City doesn’t look like a serious restaurant. It looks like the kind of place you’d grab coffee with friends or pull out your laptop at a communal table. But with the backing of Kanoyama’s longtime chef, the kitchen is not to be underestimated. The classic shio ramen is a must-try, the broth fragrant and rich with smoky, charred cha shu slices and crispy bamboo shoots. Thin slices of sushi salmon laid over a mound of warm rice with scallions and topped with poppy seed ikura are also a source of light comfort. Dessert is sure to set social media feeds alight: fluffy, tall, wobbly soufflé pancakes that are light as air, not too sweet, and impossible not to finish in a few big bites.”
