Bruni Announces Top 10 New NYC Restaurant Picks for 2008

December 31, 11:34 AMManhattan Food ExaminerMarlo Hunter

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Frank Bruni has announced his top 10 restaurant picks of 2008, as well as his favorite dishes.  The Times article is less-than optimistic about 2009's restaurant landscape;  Bruni expects several establishments to shutter.     Nevertheless, he does note that 2008 was the finest year for new restaurants in the city in years, siting his proclivity toward three star ratings (which he awarded to 7 new restaurants).  While Bruni focuses on 2008's exciting newcomers, he notes that his favorite meal of the year was his lunch at Eric Ripert's incomparable Manhattan culinary institution,  Le Bernardin.

Bruni's Top 10 New Restaurants of 2008:

1) Momofuku Ko (Chef David Chang)

2) Corton (Chef Drew Nieporent)

3) (TIE) Scarpetta (Chef Scott Conant)

4) (TIE) Convivio (Chef Michael White)

5) Dovetail (Chef John Fraser)

6) Matsugen (Chef Jean-George Vongerichten)

7) Adour Alain Ducasse (Chef Alain Ducasse)

8) Bar Boloud (Chef Daniel Boulud)

9) Allegretti (Chef Alain Allegretti)

10)Mia Dona (Chef Michael Psilakis)

Frank Bruni's Favorite Dishes of 2008:

"MOMOFUKU KO’S FROZEN FOIE GRAS David Chang turned a classic torchon into flakes piled high, like an incongruously fatty and liver-y Sno-Kone, over a brittle of nuts and a sweet wine gelée.

PERBACCO’S ROLLED PASTA WITH TRUFFLED ZABAGLIONE This rich symphony of speck, buffalo milk mozzarella, béchamel and more was the most wickedly indulgent of the inventive pasta dishes on Simone Bonelli’s new menu.

TOM: TUESDAY DINNER’S CRISPY PORK TROTTER By frying the trotter and pairing it with a beet-stained, pickled quail egg, Tom Colicchio came up with something akin to a dinnertime bacon-and-eggs for the most jaded epicures.

GOTTINO’S WALNUT PESTO The best spread for toasted bread since crunchy peanut butter, it combines walnuts with olive oil, thyme, Parmesan and a dab of sun-dried tomato, which Jody Williams wisely rescues from disrepute.

TERROIR’S PORK BLADE STEAK Like many peers, Marco Canora smartly turned to the Virginia farmer Bev Eggleston for pork, then made the additionally sharp decisions to broil this thin shoulder cut and dump arugula and Parmesan onto it.

CONVIVIO’S PECORINO POTATOES The side dish of the year, a crazily addictive midpoint between roasted potatoes and French fries, given a salty charge and an extra dimension by the right cheese.

BAR BOULUD’S CROQUES-MONSIEUR AND -MADAME Two timeless sandwiches get the reverence they deserve and a richness beyond the norm.

CORTON’S CARAMEL BRIOCHE It’s a dessert (with banana and passion fruit in the mix), a cheese course (thanks to Stilton), a breakfast (in its mimicry of syrupy French toast) and altogether wonderful.

ADOUR ALAIN DUCASSE’S CONTEMPORARY VACHERIN. The terrific pastry chef Sandro Micheli stages a riveting tart-sweet drama with layers of mango marmalade, passion fruit sorbet and coconut meringue."