DUO Restaurant & Lounge, New York

Garnering praise from the Wall Street Journal for delicacies and decor and from the Wine Enthusiast for libations, the sister-run kitchen of DUO Restaurant & Lounge delicately fashions contemporary American dishes. Fava beans cuddle up to dried-fruit chutney and thyme-enriched madeira jus atop the organic, free-range chicken breast, which may inspire spontaneous crowing. Pearl onions and pearl couscous lie in savory strings across bordeaux-braised short ribs, and moist slices of red velvet cake come decadently slathered with cream cheese icing.

Ever meticulous, DUO's owners hand-placed each Swarovski crystal upon the walls to create the perfect ratio of sparkle to glitter. Massive paintings of sultry-eyed subjects gaze over the dining room as patrons sink into the silvery upholstery of the plush banquettes.