Andy Battaglia

Brooklyn, N.Y., chef Justin Warner blends the upscale and ordinary in 'fine diving' menu items. This article ran in the Dec. 17, 2012, issue of NRN. Subscribe today. 

New York favorite thrives on continuous reinvention

Operators turn down the lights, turn up the flavors for late-night guests

Restaurant chains cultivate curiosity, bulk up sales with indulgent offerings

Serving familiar, satisfying food lures diners during good and bad economic times

Avant-garde presentation sets stage 
for dramatic dishes, resilient ringmaster

“Leaves a little bit to be desired.” That’s the verdict that Mike Rotondo remembers most from a fateful run of focus-group testing conducted by Tropical Smoothie Café in early 2008.“We got rave reviews, [for our...