New York

In Hollywood, the most unstoppable teams are comprised of disparate but somehow complementary elements, a la Sneakers: a master hacker, a silver-tongued face man, and an expert in Sidney Poitier (played by Sidney Poitier). Coming off the big screen into your big mouth, Duane Park, opening tomorrow.

A chandeliered, southern-colonial manse of a joint, DP comes from an unlikely three-pronged partnership led by a one-time 80s Brit Pop band manager -- who, weary of babysitting immature drug addicts, decided to enter New York's service industry. The Louisiana-inflected grub comes from Partner #2, the former chef at Natchez: barbecued quail w/ black-eyed pea farro salad and grilled speck, red-wine braised short ribs, and trout wrapped in bacon (because you need more fish in your diet). Drinks-wise, DP's pouring cocktails (spritzer Italiano w/ Aperol and white wine, black pepper martinis), but their pride & joy's their globally sourced, small vintner list, sommelier'd by the most random partner, a former safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers -- a rare athlete who waited until after he retired to get into the juice.

DP's oddest feature: downstairs by the restrooms, there's a glass-enclosed shelf holding three stone eggs, a bottle of Woodford Reserve, and a bullwhip, with the admonition "Break in case of emergency" -- because the only thing that can stop an unstoppable team is...MacGyver?