Grilled Fish, New York

Paintings and decorative anchors dot the blue and yellow walls at Grilled Fish, where chefs dazzle diners with painstakingly crafted seafood dishes just a stonefish's throw from Madison Square Park. The dinner menu teems with edible treasures such as garlic and white-wine-laced mussels, seafood stew, and fisherman's sampler—a meal of fried calamari, fish, shrimp, hand-cut fries, and a flash-cooked compass. A forthcoming beer and wine license will add an extra kick of flavor to Grilled Fish's meals, which are the main raison d'être for the cozy dining room, the seasonal outdoor seating area, and any offsite table that bears the eatery's catered or home-delivered fare.