Description
Terrance Brennan's flagship restaurant opened on the Upper West Side in 1993, right across from Lincoln Center. Its stiff vibes are reminiscent of a ball-gowns-and-tails era, where fine dining is the only way to eat out. But shove all the affronts aside and quickly turn to the cheese carts that roll by offering dozens of varieties. Pick from rare delicacies, funky rarities, old favorites, and stinky blocks. Once the arbiter of New York cheese plates, Picholine got a makeover after 13 years in business. Brennan maintained a dedicated to fromage but turned the menu into a choose-your-own prix-fixe meal. Pick from appetizers, fish, meats, and pastas, and find some old dishes as immortalized as the cheese plates: sea-urchin panna cotta and olive-crusted lamb saddle. --Jessica Goodman
