The Lambs Club

Geoffrey Zakarian’s clubby gem is a throwback to New York’s fine-dining heyday—a place built for conversation and a languid meal. While chefs around town focus on being seasonally nimble, the veteran toque labors hard to create signature dishes, working and reworking until each one’s a keeper. Timeless expense-account fare includes lushly marbled foie gras torchon served with pureed quince and Concord grape jam, and a supple pine-nut–encrusted lamb saddle cooked optimally pink from end to end. While homey sweets—like hard-as-rocks butter-pecan profiteroles—were less enticing, Sasha Petraske’s serious cocktails (including one of the city’s best White Russians) offer an inspired end to a meal. Sip on your drink while listening to live jazz in the mezzanine bar on Wednesday evenings or at Sunday brunch.