Esquire's Best New Restaurants List. »

mascarah:

I don’t agree with this (hate Sho, love Laconda Verde, like Corton, don’t love Marea) list entirely, but are some good national picks. I often forget that good food exists in the US outside NY & SF, but it DOES.

I’m excited to try Lemaire in Richmond, VA (my friend Michael developed this restaurant), Bedford Post Inn in Bedford, NY, Bottega in Yountville, Bazaar in LaLa land, Nopalito in SF, and Perla’s Oyster Bar in the lovely Austin Tx.

Shockingly (or not shockingly), not a single Chicago restaurant made the list — again. In my previous life, this irked me to no end. I don’t know if there are any new, amazing restaurants in Chicago that deserve to be included on this list. I do know, however, that Nopalito doesn’t hold a candle to Contigo or to Flour + Water.

That said, if I could, I’d probably eat the carnitas at Nopalito every day, if I could.