Phillip Tang, East by Northeast

Having cooked at chef-owned spots Hungry Mother, T.W. Food, and Lumière, it's no surprise that Tang would create a deeply personal restaurant. His debut, East by Northeast, has remarkable clarity (Taiwanese- and Chinese-inspired cuisine) as well as a mission (serve sustainable meat and produce). The results? Unpretentiously delicious. RUNNER-UP Robert Sisca, Bistro du Midi