44 & X Hell’s Kitchen

This stylish Theater District restaurant’s name looks more like an algebraic equation than an address, which is fitting, because new chef Julio Fauce has perfected the restaurant’s formula of reinventing American classics. Buttermilk-fried chicken comes with a chive waffle, and a blue-claw crab fritter is served with tomato-tarragon fondue. Hearty horseradish-crusted halibut plays it straight with mashed potatoes and braised artichokes.