What’s cooking in NY’s Upper East Side?

WHEN my wife and I moved to New York City 14 years ago, our friends were full of advice (some of it solicited) about the areas where we should focus our search for an apartment. Since most of our friends are foodies, their guidance was predicated less on rents and transport links than the quality and variety of restaurants.

Given the depth and diversity of dining options this great city has to offer, there was never going to be a consensus on the best place to look. But there was something approaching general agreement on the worst: the Upper East Side. The neighbourhood options, we were warned, would primarily be overpriced French and Italian restaurants.