NEW YORK CITY- A GASTRONOMIC DELIGHT

The invitation to journey through a discerning selection of the multi-ethnic city's 18,000 odd restaurants peaked my curiosity to a level of intensity that was hopefully promising. But Addie and those chefs charmed their way into my memory and my palette, and I hope they'll do the same for you.

GUASTAVINO'S, 409 East 59th Street (between First &York Avenue)

Sir Terence Conran's trademark dramatic flair espouses itself at this once cavernous tiled vault under the

If the cathedral ceilings and granite blocks evoke architectural instincts and home decor, browsing The Terence Conran Shop next door for furniture and housewares might net you some great discoveries.

SONO, 106East 57th Street (between Park & Lexington Avenue) www.sonorestaurant.com

The mood is Japanese, the food a blend of countries and cultures (France/New York/Japan/Middle East) - American-style fusion cultivated by popular restaurateurs Larry Goldenberg, Rita and Andre Jammet, and multi-talented Chef Tadashi Ono (his creations appear on the ceramic dishes he handcrafts himself). What sparkles here are taste, presentation and the unhurried pace, a rare combination for a New York dining experience (212-752-4411).

Chef Ono's four-course dinner menu is a kaleidoscopic attempt at pleasing and salivating guests to the extent that you become irresistibly charmed. The first course proffers cool and warm dishes, the main a choice of fish or poultry and meat. The Tuna (sashmi, avocado and Dijon mustard), Black Bass (sauteed, cherry blossom and vegetable consomme), Foie Gras (napoleon, soybean curd and duck rillette and a dessert tray by Christine Chang made a fan of me!

LOCAL, 224 West 47th Street (between Broadway & Eight Avenue)
www.localnyc.com

Franklin Becker is a fashion designer of food, a chef who creates fine cuisine with the artistry of a runway crowd-pleaser.

Following Local's "imaginative American cuisine - food with a focus" motto Becker confidently pursues his art without compromising taste. "The dishes have one central focus, and everything else supports that without any flavor deceptions," he reasons.

And he does this with flair and panache. Each rendition lands me in seventh heaven with exciting momentum that seriously tempts me to abandon my usual reserve on restaurant outings (read on, I did!)

The pagoda presentation of Ahi Tuna Tartare and Hamachi Sashimi (with avocado, mango, wasabi mayonnaise and tobiko), and Duck Confit Salad signal the beginning of a love-in with my salivary glands. Inevitably, I succumb to the Pan Seared Filet Mignon, followed by Australian Lamb Rack with Artichokes and Shellfish Hot Pot.

I can't resist Chef Becker's signature entree, Pan Roasted Sea Scallops, mounted on crabcakes and mouth-watering sweetcorn chowder - I'll even confess to devouring my friend's share, secretly rejoicing at religous restrictive diets.

Local's pastry chef Judy Schmitt complements Becker's eclectic menu with her scintillating repertoire of desserts. Who could resist Key Lime and Strawberry Dacquoise (Lime Reduction and Strawberry Jus), exotic Passion Fruit and White Chocolate Bombe (with fresh spring raspberries) or Tart Cherry Cannolis with Mascarpone Custard? And Warm Rocky-Road Cake (Chocolate-Peanut Brittle Ice Cream).

If you're a tea lover like me Local offers eight tea varieties (herbal, green, black and scented black) to enjoy with the desserts.

Dinner or lunch anyone? Call 212-921-2005.

RUSTIC, 242 Court Street, Brooklyn

The welcome is neighborly, the warmth genuinely appealing, extensions of chef Kenneth Johnson and his wood burning stove at Rustic (718-254-9375). And native Brooklynite Addie is at home!

Tasting Brooklyn could be infectious, so be forewarned. Irresistibly fresh-baked, the bread disappears, and we're ready for our soup du jour (bean). Wood roasted beet and artichoke salad with hazelnuts, goat cheese, arugula and truffle vinaigrette is truly Mediterranean. Likewise the tomato, mozzarella and pancetta fondutta with green olives, melting leeks and crostini makes us all wish we can either lure Johnson to our cities or make his recipes on a wood-burning stove. Even the flavor of the lemon sabayon tart with stewed berries and star anise lingers in my mind to this day.

I'm impressed by the extensive wine list at this small restaurant and wine bar, 25 available by the glass. Salut!

AQUAVIT, 13 West 54th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
www.aquavit.org

Scandinavian cuisine has catapulted from oblivion into the spotlight in New York City a la chef extraordinaire, Marcus Samuelsson. Passionately single minded about his craft, this 30-year-old is unquestionably the anointed chef supreme, having wowed the New York Times into bestowing their coveted three-star rating on his culinary grandiose.

Aquavit's locale (212-307-7311), once a Rockefeller family brownstone, has assumed a uniquely Scandinavian atmosphere, especially in the Atrium dining room where light streams through the six-story-high glass skylights.

Samuelsson excels with his tasting menu, his innovative style of preserving flavor, texture and aesthetic, bearing the influence of his childhood cooking lessons with his Swedish grandmother.

Maybe that accounts for the unpretentious names and unforgettable taste sensation this guest found refreshing. Rare Tuna and Shrimp, Sauteed Bass, Foie Gras Ganache, Poached Venison, Crispy Goat Cheese, Srawberry and Basil Salad and Lemon Filled Chocolate Cake, prompt descriptives such as magical, provocative and captivating.

If inspiration drives Samuelsson, his guests know they'll always be in for a treat. After all, it'll take years for the chef to exhaust his source of cookbooks and visit every museum and art gallery on this earth.

SWEET N' TART, 20 Mott Street (Chinatown)

Spencer Chan's invitation to enjoy a breakfast Dim Sum seems a rare combination, but if Addie Tomei says it's great I'm game! Ten dishes later finds me planning a return visit when next I'm in New York. Dim Sum starters - steamed seafood with asparagus dumpling, fried shrimp with mango, deep fried vegetable roll, Shanghai style pan-fried pork dumpling and scallion pancake, are all visually appealing and pleasing to the palette, in small portions.

The main course included orange flavored fried chicken and shrimp, sauteed vegetable with bird nest and bean curd, paper baked chicken, dried squid and scallop fried rice, tofu stuffed with fish, assorted pine nuts and vegetables and orange flavored chili prawns.

The wide selection of specialty drinks made from a combination of fruit and vegetable juices are a welcome change from the standard soda (pop) varieties. Spencer Chan knows how to intrigue his guests with names like First Love (carrot, apple, celery and ginger), With Your Kiss (banana and apple) and Hawaiian Escape (watermelon, mango and apple). There's even Titanic (watermelon, kiwi, banana and apple in Cream Soda), every one of these a dazzling array of colors and taste.