At Isla, proprietor Diane Ghioto delivers a fantasy love letter to fifties Havana; at Canteen, the mood is as casual as a sixties suburban rec room's.

At clubby Del Frisco's, you'll pay top dollar for sublime steaks in a monumental midtown setting, but the cheesy service may leave you cold.

Tucked away in the cozy enclave of Tudor City, up-and-coming Italian monarch Scott Conant has begun a benevolent reign at L'Impero.

Las Vegas, Nev.; November 6–7

Fleur de Selm, 5 East 20th Street (212-460-9100)

Sure, the views of Central Park are great. But at Asiate, it’s Nori Sugie’s innovative Asian-fusion cuisine that’s really stunning.

True Italian warmth -- plus great pizzas and pastas -- is turning up in some very out-of-the-way places. Hal Rubenstein reviews Àpizz and Giorgione.

Macelleria, the meatpacking district's newest hotspot, has the low-key charm and easy dishes that made the area such a hit in the first place.

Mr. Chow
324 East 57th Street (212-751-9030).
Dinner, Monday through Sunday 6 to 11:45 p.m. Appetizers, $4 to $17.50; entrées, $24 to $32.50. A.E., D.C., M.C., V.
Sandro's
200 Ninth Avenue, near 22nd Street (212-633-8033).
Lunch, Monday through Friday noon to 3 p.m. Dinner, Monday through Friday 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday till 11:30 p.m. Appetizers, $6.50 to $12; entrées, $10 to $20. A.E. only.

If the over-the-top theatrics of Rocco’s reality show make you crave old-fashioned restaurant professionalism, the River Café hits the spot.