In addition to several great art exhibits (the Vermeer at the Met and the O’Keefe at the Whitney) and being with our son who had just been named Executive Chef at Cru (5th Ave. and 9th St.), we also fit in some exceptional meals.

Masa (Michelin 3 stars)
This continues to be the finest Japanese and sushi restaurant in the United States. The toro with caviar, blowfish (intestines, liver, skin, and meat tempuraed on the bone), sea urchin risotto with white truffles, and Japanese Omi beef were all remarkable. These courses were then followed by a mixture of 24 outstanding sushi and seaweed roll courses. We always sit at the beautiful Japanese hinoki wood sushi bar where Masa himself is in charge along with 2 or 3 talented assistants. Nick was ours and did an amazing job that night. It is a rare treat of theater, flavors, and the finest and freshest of ingredients.  10 Columbus Cir, New York, (212) 823-9800, masanyc.com

11 Madison Park (New York Times 4 stars)
This restaurant has been in the stratosphere since Swiss chef Daniel Humm took over several years ago. The Taste of Autumn menu featured a wonderful sun choke veloute, a sea urchin cappuccino with peekytoe crab, a slow cooked Dover sole, a delicious suckling pig confit with plum chutney, and an herb roasted venison with ginger bread puree. The atmosphere is captivating with the towering ceilings and lofty branches and flower arrangements, yet tables are wonderfully private with great views and ambience.  11 Madison Ave, New York, (212) 889-0905, elevenmadisonpark.com‎

Alto (Michelin 2 stars)
With a menu featuring a nice variety of interesting Italian specialties, we enjoyed a special parmesan risotto with white truffles, polenta with cock’s comb, pig trotter ragu and toma di rocca cheese, maccheroni pasta with lamb sausage and dandelion greens, tagliatelle with braised veal ragu, and duck and foie gras ravioli with melted butter, sage and red wine jus. The rooms give a sense of intimacy yet drama in the main dining room with three walls of towering wine racks all filled with wine bottles (most of them are empty). 11 East 53rd Street, New York, (212) 308-109, www.altorestaurant.com

Per Se (Michelin 3 stars)
The restaurant cooked a special 17 course tasting menu for us. Every course was memorable with delightful sauces, including such standards as oysters and pearls (tapioca with Israeli caviar), white truffle infused custard with a ragu of black winter truffles, their amazing foie gras preparations which included quail in a jar stuffed with a farcie of duck foie gras, as well as a poulard in crust with slow roasted beets and veal seared with a crispy sweetbread and chanterelle mushrooms. We had a very special Sunday lunch, and the room and view are stunning with dramatic windows overlooking Columbus Circle, Central Park, and the beautiful sky line of New York.  10 Columbus Cir, New York, (212) 823-9335‎, perseny.com