A rising-star chef rekindles his love affair with intense Malaysian flavors, laid-back ambience, and challenging finger food.

The deliciously quirky cooking at the Queen’s Hideaway is worth seeking out.

Luz finds its Nuevo Latino niche somewhere between Manhattan flash and outer-borough authenticity.

Noodles and dumplings get dished up in seconds flat at two new Chinese spots.

The folks at Gnocco in the East Village have a simple plan: Offer better food for less by importing young (and cheap) chefs straight from Italy. Hope they can keep it up.

Way east in Chinatown, the pleasures at J.M. Family Noodle only start with the treasure-infused soup.

The Ottoman Empire may have seen better days, but as two new restaurants demonstrate, Turkish cuisine still wields far-reaching influence.

The modest sandwich -- underappreciated, underestimated, and, more often than not, underwhelming -- may have finally found a much-deserved savior.

Paradou
8 Little West 12th Street;
212-463-8345.

David Bouley may only have two restaurants in the city, but his kitchen has hatched inexpensive Bouley-influenced bistros all over town.