Best Restaurants of 2012

courtesy of businessinsider.com

courtesy of businessinsider.com

 

courtesy of nytimes.com

courtesy of nytimes.com

This past week, Ryan Sutton, the restaurant critic for of Bloomberg News, reported that two of the city’s best restaurants of 2012 were right here in Brooklyn.  Andy Ricker’s Pok Pok Ny, in the waterfront district, and Blanca of Bushwick, surpassed the lot of restaurants that opened in Manhattan, Queens and Jersey City this year.  We find it interesting that these two eateries are extreme opposites.  Pok Pok is a casual and fun Thai food restaurant, where the family style entrees are under $20.  The staff at Pok serves up creative cocktails such as a “Yuzu-Honey Whiskey Hot Toddy” (isn’t that fun to say?) and a “Rhubarb Blush”.  They do not take reservations, and it is usually very crowded because the food is worth the wait.  Blanca is a 12 seat $180 per person culinary adventure, where Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca’s chef, serves 27 courses (wow!).  Mostly the menu consists of Italian food, but has hints of Japanese fusion.  Customers can make a reservation by calling on the first of the month.  They are open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday.  If you have eaten at either of these restaurants, what do you think?  Best restaurants of 2012?  Are there any others that should have been recognized as well?