From Kung Fu Fighting to Downtown Dining, Hopefully

In lieu of a review this week, Pete Wells penned "Why Downtown Needs Diners Now," in which he embraces the culinary landscape in downtown Manhattan. He writes, "While other neighborhoods suffered more, downtown needs support now, too." Aside from physical damage brought by Hurricane Sandy Monday, October 29th, the ensuing power outage forced restaurants to throw out perishable inventory. "This is a big hit for businesses that get by on small margins," Wells notes, "and for workers who are often paid by the hour. A few places may not survive. All will struggle."

Wells describes the southern end of Manhattan as "the place where chefs come to think big thoughts, still, even with Brooklyn rising." It is there where you'll find "thinkers," "highly-distinctive voices," a "virtuosic manipulator of flavor and texture" in Paul Liebrandt of Corton, David Bouley, whose "mind won't stop whirring," and Annita Lo, a protege of Bouley's, who is guided at her restaurant Annisa by her "uncannily perceptive palate."

There is a unique charm and culinary talent enduring in restaurants south of 23rd Street. "Right now, these restaurants, the people who own them and, even more, the people who work for them, need us. And we need them. Downtown’s restaurants show us who we are." All told, the article lists 29 restaurants that exemplify the downtown experience. Perhaps now more than ever, any restaurant would be grateful to accomodate guests, but we thought we'd lay out those mentioned in the article for a quick reference on where you might go to do your part: