Fodor's Expert Review Per Se

The New York interpretation of what many consider one of America's finest restaurants (the Napa Valley's French Laundry), Per Se is chef Thomas Keller's Broadway stage—set in a large, understated dining room with great views of Central Park. Keller embraces seasonality and a witty playfulness, and some dishes are world-renowned, such as the tiny cones of tuna tartare topped with crème fraîche or the "oysters and pearls"—tiny mollusks in a creamy custard with tapioca. The menu changes daily. Dessert service is a multicourse celebration of all things sweet, including a choice of 27 house-made chocolates. Service is sublime, as you'd expect. An à la carte "salon" menu is available in the front barroom, but let's face it: if you snag a reservation, there's nothing else to do but submit to the prix-fixe.