Upper East Side

CAFÉ D'ALSACE
1695 Second Avenue (88th Street), (212) 722-5133
The list of beers is at 120 and counting at this new spot, which is a French brasserie in just about every aspect but size: with 60 seats it's more like a bistro, with a slightly Art Deco feel. Mr. Roussel is originally from Brittany, but he knows something about Alsace, judging from his tarte flambée (onions and bacon), potée (bean soup) and choucroute made with pork, duck or seafood.

Cafe Sabarsky
1048 Fifth Ave., 10028
at 86th St.
212-288-0665
Mon, 9am-6pm; Wed, 9am-6pm;Thu-Sun, 9am-9pm; Tue, closed

Food
1569 Lexington Avenue (100th Street), (212) 348-0200.

Tokubei 86 ($$$)
Japanese, Sushi
314 E 86th St, New York 10028
Btwn 1st & 2nd Ave
Phone: 212-628-5334
Sushi delivery.

UPPER EAST SIDE (No. 2)
Instead of Geisha, try Sasabune

Yes, Geisha is a crowd-pleaser—assuming you like bar scenes, celebrity chefs (Eric Ripert collaborated on the menu) and Japanese origami, costumes and flowers on the walls. Consider instead Sasabune (401 E 73rd St at First Ave, 212-249-8583)—which panders to no one. Chef Kenji Takahashi discourages children at the bar, won’t make spicy tuna rolls, and restricts soy sauce use. Your options are: omakase or go somewhere else. Diehards at the sushi bar especially love the sweet sea urchin.

UPPER EAST SIDE (No. 1)
Instead of Sushi of Gari, try Tsuki

Now that Sushi of Gari has become a minichain—a third location opened in Hell’s Kitchen in October—fans of experimental sushi might want to head to Tsuki (1410 First Ave between 74th and 75th Sts, 212-517-6860). The spare room, with scattered wood tables and chairs and a six-seat sushi bar squeezed in back, may lack Gari’s breathless hordes, but it dispenses similarly inventive morsels, such as seared toro topped with sweet, briny sea urchin, and slick raw octopus dabbed with tart pickled-plum paste.