Wallsé

The Mario Batali of all things Austrian, Kurt Gutenbrunner still delivers his best work at this airy West Village corner perch that feels like a neighborhood hangout despite walls filled with Julian Schnabels (he’s a regular). His seasonally influenced menu hasn’t evolved drastically, rotating between haute takes on Austrian standbys—soft lemony spaetzle mashed up with corn, morels and rabbit; Wiener schnitzel with an eggy shell that peels off like a bread blanket; apple-walnut strudel—and more unusual fare (a hot, minty, creamless pea soup; a strudel-take on cod; strawberry granite with elderflower mousse). The wine list stands out for the city’s best selection of the pride of Vienna’s vineyards: Grüner-Veltliner.