How to describe Le Bernardin? Sumptuously subtle; understated elegance; thoughtful, layered flavors with demure presentation. While you may well see chef Eric Ripert on the pages of the food world’s glossiest of the glossy, you won’t find him skipping out too often on his day job. And it shows.

Heavy on the fruits of the sea, Le Bernardin’s disarming discretion on the plate is even more awe-inducing when it deconstructs itself on your palate. Flavors unfold, one by one, as if Ripert was turning the pages on a good book and introducing characters.

Chefs like Daniel Boulud, Ed Brown, Tony Bourdain, and Michael Psilakis agree that Le Bernardin is one of New York’s best and brightest, while writer Josh Ozersky and restaurateur Drew Nieporent agree that for expertly prepared and always inspired seafood (demurely divided on the menu into Almost Raw, Barely Touched, and Lightly Cooked), Ripert’s culinary talents are hard to beat.