Food, Home and Style

Downturn Deals: Dining’s ‘Winter Specials’

Now appearing discreetly in leather-bound menus all over New York City: “winter specials,” which offer five-star dining at surprisingly reasonable prices.

We all know they’re just dressed-up “recession specials,” but upscale eateries don’t seem ready to embrace the R word yet. That’s fine. Whatever you want to call them, here are five of the best high-end meal deals in Manhattan.

Patrician food at near-plebian prices has long been available at Jean-Georges (1 Central Park West, 212.299.3900), where a two-course lunch will now set you back $24, reduced from $28. You didn’t think you could afford a watercress and sugar-snap pea salad in lemon-soy vinaigrette and skate with chateau chalon sauce, did you? Save room for the included petits fours–macaroons and homemade marshmallows that are cut tableside with a pair of silver scissors.

For a spicier atmosphere, head to Tabla (11 Madison Ave., 212.889.0667) for an ample $24 prix fixe lunch in the formal dining room or downstairs bread bar. Chef Floyd Cardoz blends authentic Indian flavors with bright, contemporary flourishes, from the chickpea and pear chaat salad with mint and tamarind chutneys, to the addictive saag paneer pizza.

The biggest bargain comes in the humble form of a soup and sandwich—but from Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th St., 212.477.0777). A mere $14 gets you locally sourced, seasonal fare from one of the most heralded classic American restaurants in the country. Whether it’s a house-cured ham and Shelbourne cheddar sandwich alongside a bowl of potato-leek soup, or smoked turkey and ramp aioli paired with a creamy sunchoke potage, these hearty meals will satisfy your palate in a way that Subway can’t even comprehend.

For a classic French dining experience, the petite but plush Fleur de Sel (5 E 20th St., 212.460.9100) offers a sublime three-course lunch for $29, seven days a week. There are few options for each course, but when it’s a choice between butternut squash soup with coconut foam and truffle oil or goat cheese and artichoke ravioli with beet-Dijon jus, you’ll be glad there’s not more to labor over.

When it comes to sweets, though, why wait for the end of the meal? Go straight for the three-course dessert tasting for $28 at P*ong (150 W 10th St., 212.929.0898), where pastry chef Pichet Ong toes the line between sweet and savory. If warm pumpkin cake with brown butter, cranberries and coconut sorbet, or chèvre cheesecake with yuzu curd, walnut cookie crumbs and Maldon salt doesn’t make your mouth water, you may need to see a doctor. And while it may seem indulgent to make a meal out of dessert, we all need a touch of luxury right now.

All the selections for the restaurants listed change frequently, so it’s advisable to call for the most current menu.