This city has seen sushi bars, ceviche bars, tapas bars, topless bars, wine bars, piano bars, and noodle bars ... and now it has a hummus bar, which is what Nanoosh on the Upper West Side is billing itself as. I stopped in yesterday to sample a few of their nine varieties, and was impressed by the creaminess of the hummus with fava bean stew, and the spiced ground meat that topped the "hummus beef." Also on the menu: soups, Mediterranean salads and wraps. Word about the spreads will soon be spreading, as plans for Tribeca and the East Side openings are afoot.

How would you like your restaurant, madame? Well-done, done or just barely done? Seymour Burton, which replaces long-loved bistro Le Tableau, pretty much touts the fact that it is a work-in-progress, with decor that proudly shows its rough edges. But does the food pack the requisite punch to help our critic get over her reservations about wobbly chairs? Click through for the answer, plus read looks at Nizza, the new Magnolia Bakery on the Upper West Side, and more new and notable restaurants.

To say Michael Psilakis has a lot on his plate at the moment is an understatement. He mans the stoves at Michelin-starred Anthos; is in the midst of moving Upper West Sider Kefi and opening a restaurant with another concept in its place (though he's not giving details); and he's somehow finding the time to write a memoir/cookbook for Little Brown. We recently caught up with the refreshingly humble chef to discuss everything from what's on the menu at Mia Dona to whether his name will be on the awning at his next restaurant, a la his collaborator, Donatella Arpaia.

KS: The crispy rabbit at Mia Dona, which I'm calling "rabbit in a bucket," is finger lickin' great! What inspired that brainstorm?

Chef Michael Psilakis: We have an amazing, big bar at Mia Dona and I wanted to come up with some great bar snacks. Obviously wings fit into that category, but I wanted to take it to another level. I thought about working with rabbit instead of chicken, and we serve them with potato chips made from pickled potatoes and cucumber remoulade. It's a fun dish and it sells like crazy.

KS: I noticed pitchers of Pabst Blue Ribbon on the menu. Were you concerned about that being too lowbrow for the neighborhood?

Zak Pelaccio has been an unstoppable force ever since he emerged on NY's dining radar in 2003. After initial praise at Williamsburg's Chickenbone Cafe, he has since wielded his whisk at 5 Ninth and Fatty Crab, and has scored consulting gigs at 230 Fifth, Borough Food & Drink and most recently Chop Suey. The city's busiest chef was kind enough to chat with us  about his ubiquitousness, what he's up to next and who else in the culinary field has cool hair.

KS: How does consulting for a restaurant differ from being the in-house chef?

Chef Zak Pelaccio: Another word for "consulting" is "advising." Perhaps that adds a bit more clarity to the role. I offer advice to an operator as to dishes they may want to serve, recipes, etc. However, it is at the operator's discretion to accept that advice or not.

KS: What are some of the rewards of being a consultant instead of the in-house chef?

ZP: For me, the opportunity to consult came about during a point in my life where my personal life required greater immediate attention than anything else. Consulting/advising afforded me the ability to maintain a steady income while not being responsible for day-to-day operations and therefore spend some necessary time with my son through what was a difficult couple of years.

KS: What is your response to critics (i.e., Eater) who feel that you collaborate too much?

Can a restaurant's decor impede your restaurant experience so much that you have trouble enjoying the food? Granted, I don't get up to the Upper West Side to eat very often so perhaps Dovetail's dining room is just something I'm not used to. Browns and beiges dominate the color scheme, and the drab carpet doesn't do much to freshen up the space. Which is a shame, because the room distracted me from some of the bold combinations that chef John Fraser (formerly of Compass) is trying on the menu--blood orange hollandaise on scallops, bacon in bread pudding. Some of those dishes worked for me while others didn't, and you can find out which by reading the full review, and also our take on the Lower East Side's Cafe Katja and more new and notable restaurants.

What is it about big-name chefs that they incite such polar reactions to their restaurants? Is it a general (and understandable) reaction against franchising as they open multiple restaurants that they usually don't do much cooking in? Or is it just a general disdain for the celebrity-obsessed culture that's moved into every area of our lives?

After reading many middling reviews of Bar Boulud, Daniel Boulud's haute bistro on the Upper West Side, I went to dinner expecting to be disappointed. Instead, I had one of the best meals I've had in a while, including a decadently rich coq au vin that finally made me get why the dish is such a classic.

And, though, as many have stated, the service is a little hectic, to me it's overshadowed by the down-to-earth sommelier who not only didn't sneer at or request for a cheaper bottle, but even recommended a perfect, versatile red for six bucks under our target.

So am I nuts, or did everyone else go in with expectations that were too high? It was certainly miles ahead of a meal I had at the other Upper West Side press-getter, Dovetail, but that's a story for next week. Click through to read the review, plus take a look at our take on Williamsburg's Miranda and eight more new and notable restaurants.

Everyone is agog over the charcuterie at Bar Boulud, and with good reason. I was most enamored, however, of these escargots persillades, and not only for their pretty presentation. The tender, juicy snails are bathed in a blessedly un-oily garlic and parsley sauce. Stuffing one inside an accompanying potato croquette brings on one bewilderingly blissful bite.

You've gotta hand it to those "Top Chef" folks--the show has a decent batting average when it comes to chefs who go on to open their own restaurants. Harold Dieterle appears to have a bona fide hit with Perilla, Josie Smith-Malave has bounced around a bit before landing at Speakeasy, and now Dave Martin, he of the funny tics, has brought his truffled mac and cheese and scallops in vanilla bean cream (pictured) to Crave on 42nd. We already posted a bit on his fondness for wacky dish names, but how does the stuff actually taste? Click through to get our critic's take--plus read reviews of Community Food and Juice, a spinoff of Clinton St. Baking Company, Brooklyn African spot Korhogo 126 and seven more new and notable restaurants.

(Photo courtesy of Crave on 42nd)

You know how Hollywood likes to do everything in twos? Two killer asteroid movies or two movies about dueling magicians that come out the same year? Well, apparently the New York restaurant scene plays by the same rulebook. The Smith and Smith's opened around the same time, and while the Smith seems to be grabbing the lion's share of press (and our review will be coming shortly), Smith's seems to be the one that's taking its menu a little more seriously. Read our critic's take, plus looks at the second Mermaid Inn location, a Caribbean vegan haven in Williamsburg and more new and notable restaurants.

(Photo courtesy of Smith's)

Don't be fooled by the baby face. Chef John Fraser is anything but green, already having worked at the French Laundry, Snack Taverna (which he opened) and Compass (which he rescued). On the weekend after this one, he's launching a new spot, Dovetail, on the Upper West Side, and if the draft menu is any indication, this could be an adventurous addition to the neighborhood. On offer: Dishes like blanquette of goat and an Indian-spiced rack of lamb with burnt lemon jus, plus and extensive list of 25 sherries and afternoon tea service.