Inside Park
109 E. 50th St.; 212-593-3333
Housed in the Great Hall of the Community House at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Inside Park feels like an old Rockefeller mansion, with its soaring 30-foot ceiling, stained glass windows and artisan details hand-fabricated by master craftsman Charles Wilkinson of Antico Effetto. The modern American menu is the handiwork of locavore chef Matt Weingarten (Savoy), an under-the-radar talent who finally seems to have found his place of worship.
Must-have meal: Selection of the charcuterie (like the Surrey ham with milled chestnuts, $7); East Coast oyster pan roast ($16); heritage-breed pork chop with mushroom fricassee and caraway dumplings (above, $28); and hand-stretched strudel stuffed with heirloom apples and almonds and drizzled with cider cream ($10).
Soundtrack: Music inspired by the Gatsby era: Django Reinhardt, the Moonlighters and Josephine Baker.
Hours: Lunch: Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner: Mon.-Sat., 5:30-10 p.m.
Corton
239 West Broadway; 212-219-2777
It’s not easy to put a legendary restaurant to rest, but Drew Nieporent is betting that avantgarde chef Paul Liebrandt (Atlas, Gilt) can calm the ghosts of Montrachet as he revives this TriBeCa jewel box as a modern French restaurant named for the largest area of Grand Cru in Burgundy. The space has been redesigned to feel bright, modern and spare, with leaf-embossed walls and soothing earth tones washing over the floors.
Must-have meal: Liebrandt’s menus ($76 three-course prix fixe, or $110 seven-course prix fixe) change regularly, but have included dishes like ocean trout ballotine with sake cream and sturgeon caviar and lamb with braised neck and ras al hanut with chocolate mint jus.
Soundtrack: The restaurant does not play music.
Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 5:30-10:30 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. 5:30-11 p.m.