Empire of the Incas (Danbury, CT)

Closeup of the Ceviche Mixto

Danbury is amazing. I'm not sure what socio-economic forces have been at work to bring such a diverse mix of food cultures to the area, but whatever it is, I like it. There's great Vietnamese. There's good Salvadoran, Mexican, Indian, Korean -- and, evidently, good Peruvian, as well. Not bad for a town roughly one one-hundredth the size of New York City.

Neta Check-In (New York, NY)

Softshell Crab Kara-age

On a recent evening, I was finally able to return to Neta to follow up on my first excellent, but all-too-brief, meal. This time around, I crossed my fingers that the Little One would last, took the plunge, and requested omakase. The hostess sat us before the personable co-chef-owners Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau, who were hard at work at the counter, flanked by around ten sous chefs, hands and fingers ceaselessly moving even as they chatted with us.

There are two omakases available: a $95 version and a $135 version. My convive and I opted for the condensed ($95) omakase experience, thinking it would take about an hour or so. The meal turned out to be rather the opposite of condensed, with twenty courses in all of often mind-blowingly good food. Fortuitously, the Little One fell asleep somewhere in the middle of the meal so we were able to finish.

BLT Burger (New York, NY)

The Classic

BLT Burger is not hip. Not at all. Among a certain set, admitting you like BLT Burger is akin to admitting you like Applebee's, Carmine's or a Bobby Flay restaurant: You will lose all foodie street cred if you do. The New York Times ripped it a new exit some years ago, when chef Laurent Tourondel first opened this restaurant. (Tourondel has since parted ways with the BLT Restaurant Group, which owns BLT Burger.) But gosh darn if this place ain't got some Sarah Palin-like charm. You don't want to like it... but it's difficult not to just a little bit.

Wong Check-In (New York, NY)

Hakka Pork Belly With Taro Tater Tots

Its decor is heavy on the salvaged elementary school chairs and desks, but Wong's menu is about as far from school cafeteria fare as you can get. The food is clever, well executed, and sophisticated.

At a recent dinner, my convive and I ordered four appetizers, a main and a dessert to share. It was an ungodly amount of food for two people, but our dishes really showcased the kitchen's range of talents.

First up were the Scallops: Crispy Duck Tongue, Cucumber, Jellyfish, a dish that's been on the menu since the restaurant first opened in September 2011.

Recette Check-In (New York, NY)

The Tell-Tale Heart... of Beef Carpaccio

At two-and-a-half, Recette is no spring chicken by NYC restaurant standards, but boy oh boy has it aged well. I wouldn't be surprised if Chef Jesse Schenker were in the running for at least one Michelin star.

Recette strikes the perfect balance between innovative and familiar, refined and comfortable. Ingredients are exceptional. Plating is beautiful. The wait staff, many of whom have been with the restaurant since it opened, are just lovely -- sincerely nice people. I really think Recette must be one of my favorite restaurants in the world, not just New York City.

One of the most common complaints I read about the restaurant is that the portion sizes are too small to merit the prices. Justin and I are moderate eaters, not particularly light ones, and we've found the restaurant's three plates per person suggestion to be a fairly accurate guideline. One's sense of value is subjective, but to me, the excellent ingredients and the artistry of preparation justify the pricing.