Gilt

Chef Paul Liebrandt started his career as a wild experimentalist, incorporating baby bottles, blindfolds, and even naked women into his meal presentation. His tenure at Gilt is expected to be less terrifyingly avant garde, but the place is still worth a visit for expertly prepared dishes such as oysters in black truffle sauce and Scottish langoustine -- and for the off-chance that Liebrandt will revert to rebellious form and stir an old lady's crab bisque with his urbane British danglies.