Country, New York

I've eaten at Country, Jeffrey Zakarian's restaurant in the Carlton Hotel, a number of times since that's usually the hotel I stay at while in NY. I hadn't been particulary impressed until this trip when, while waiting for my car to JFK, I decided to grab a quick bite at the bar. I ordered the clam chowder which is served ceremoniously by the waiter who pours a small carafe of clam broth and heavy cream into a bowl filled with freshly cooked clams and small chunks of smokey bacon. Enough said. Even better though was the Tuna Pizzette, an open-faced tuna sandwich with alternating strips of sourdough bread topped with sashimi-grade raw tuna on half of the pieces and what must have been olive oil-poached albacore on the others. All of this was garnished with thinly sliced, slender long French radishes, some fresh greens and a little fleur de sel. Now that's a tuna sandwich.

Country
90 Madison Ave (at 29th St)
(212) 889-7100