Hakkasan

Certain grumpy local critics savaged this 43rd Street outlet of the famous London-based Hakkasan empire (there are 13 and counting) when it opened several years back, but repeated visits (mercifully, with our deep-pocketed hosts usually footing the bill) have softened our attitudes a little. The windowless maze of a space remains a challenge and the menu is baited with a variety of up-sold dishes with gullible high rollers in mind (whole Peking duck with Tsar Nicoulai caviar anyone?). But the selection of Cantonese dim sum is the best in the vicinity, by far, and so is the crisped, un-fatty non-caviar variety of Peking duck, which the chefs pre-carve in little candy-sized slices, and serve with all the trimmings, on a snow-white plate.