The Orchard (CLOSED)

From the looks of the place, chef-restaurateur John LaFemina seems to be as gifted in the wood shop as he is in the kitchen: He designed the restaurant and built the blond wood tables and chairs—with nifty silver pull handles on the back—on his own. LaFemina’s menu is equally impressive. He tops crisp, wafer-thin flatbreads with toothsome ingredients like steak tartare, robiola cheese and dried cranberries, and adds vivid textures and flavors to the olive-oil–poached halibut with crispy black bean salad, potatoes, carrots and cilantro.