Landmark Tavern

Until it closed last year, this was the oldest continuously operating bar in New York—a particularly unlikely distinction given its location in the industrial wasteland of midtown’s far West Side. Under new ownership, and after a major physical overhaul, the improved space—featuring white tablecloths and rich mahogany walls—is now much more than just an antique watering hole for off-duty grease monkeys. Aussie chef Bryce Cole brings an unlikely Asian touch to high-end pub grub. The food gets points for creativity but occasional deductions for clumsiness: The sausage-encased Scotch eggs come, incongruously, with a salad dressed with sesame and soy. It’s slim pickings for food in this part of town, however, and if you’re looking for dinner near the Javits Center, you’re not going to do much better than Landmark’s seafood tapas plate, or the roasted duck, an enormous portion that includes a succulent breast and leg, served with mashed potatoes and a totally unnecessary heap of warm Asian slaw.