Forbes Travel Guide’s 59th list of worldwide recipients of star ratings was released on 23 February, 2017. This is the culmination of the magazine’s legendary selective approach to recognize the finest properties in the world that offer gracious, intuitive service. Baroque Access takes a look at which Manhattan restaurants made the 5-star cut
This year’s Forbes Travel Guide It List includes ratings of properties in 42 countries throughout the Americas, the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. There are plans to include the Middle East and Africa in 2018. Newly added destinations for 2017 included Bali, Barcelona, Bogota, Budapest, Cartagena, County Kildare (Ireland), Dublin, Kyoto, Lima, Lisbon, Manila, Melbourne, Monte Carlo, Munich, Osaka, Santiago, Seoul, St. Tropez, Sydney, Venice and Zurich.
The 2017 list included numerous first-time recipients, including seven 5-star restaurants and 22 new 5-star hotels. It also honored nine new 5-star spas… and that’s just the 5-star ratings. There are also establishments that received four-star ratings, and those that received a Recommended rating.
All the winners are invited to attend Forbes Travel Guide All-Star Celebration in New York City on 2 March, 2017. They will enjoy a selection of delectable dishes prepared by award-winning chefs who are culinary legends, including Mario Batali, Michael White, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, amongst others.
Here is the list of New York City’s finest 5-star restaurants:
· Daniel – Owned by Chef Daniel, this Relais & Chateux listed restaurant offers an elegant ambience, gracious service and delectable menus in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The award-winning French cuisine is inspired by the seasons and accompanied by internationally acclaimed wines.
· Del Posto – A refined, rich creation of chefs Mario Batali, Joe and Lidia Bastianich and partner/Executive Chef Mark Ladner, this fine Italian restaurant has achieved more acclaim than any other in the city. It offers the definitive Italian dining experience, and has numerous awards to prove it.
· Eleven Madison Park – This exceptional restaurant offers a seasonal tasting menu for lunch and dinner of between 8 and 10 courses. The menu focuses on local ingredients; some dishes are communal, whilst others are individual choices. The meal, which lasts approximately 3 hours, has a set price, which is all-inclusive (it excludes tax and beverages).
· Jean-Georges – This particular restaurant is the jewel in Chef Jean-George Vongerichten’s crown. The chef owns a number of restaurants but this one is renowned for offering the very best in fine dining. Dishes are exquisitely crafted dishes that marry French, American and Asian influences.
· La Bernardin – Originally Paris-based and serving only fish, this 3 Michelin-starred restaurant opened in New York in 1986. Ranked 24 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and with numerous other accolades, the restaurant is a force to be reckoned with in the gourmet world.
· Masa – Japanese-born Chef Masa apprenticed under sushi master, Sugiyama Toshiaki, at Tokyo’s well-respected Ginza Sushi-ko. He then followed a boyhood ambition to travel to the US and started a small, casual kitchen serving both traditional Japanese dishes as well as more Americanized staples. His next venture was this one, Masa, which first opened in Beverly Hills. Masa and Bar Masa, both opened in NYC in 2004. A sushi meal at this renowned restaurant is incomparable.
· Per Se – Opened in 2004, Per Se is Chef Thomas Keller’s famous New York interpretation of The French Laundry. It is Chef Keller’s second three-Michelin-starred property featuring his daily nine-course tasting menu and a nine-course vegetable tasting menu using classic French technique and the finest quality ingredients. An award-winning wine list of over 2,000 bottles complements the menu.