I start from the negative side of the ledger regarding celebrity chef establishments and new and hot places. Actually, when I see them, I run in the opposite direction. That is why I appreciate Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill, because he is more interested in producing excellent results in one location than creating an empire. There are a few exceptions, and those exceptions unfortunately fuel the fury.

I also appreciate Eks who is an excellent source of advice and not afraid of spending her money to test the new places. Thanks. Anyone who has eaten many good meals, has also eaten many mediocre meals in search of the good ones.

Just FYI to clarify the issue of cancellation fees. Several high-end restaurants have no-show fees, and others have cancellation policies that require you to cancel between 24 and 72 hours in advance. But if you cancel within the policy (i.e., before the cut-off), there is never a cancellation fee even though you have to provide a credit card to hold the reservations. The fees are explained very clearly when you make the reservations. I got all the info on the EMP cancellation policy when I made my reservation there in the fall.

It's misleading to say any of these restaurants "charge" when you cancel.

I just re-read what I wrote above and want to clarify: While I had a good dinner last month at Lincoln, I was recommending it more for the OP, to suit his requirements. I've only had one dinner there, last month, and based only on that tiny sample, I thought that, for the price, I might have had better food elsewhere. I'd like to give it another try, though. Just did not want to have it seem that it was on my list of current "favorites," above.

EKS, I saw that there has been some news announcements about the NYC restaurant, so I guess there's no reason not to be more forthcoming. It's called Le Coq Rico.

Here's the link to their Paris original:
http://en.lecoqrico.com/

That's very interesting. I had an excellent meal at one of his restaurants in Paris and will look forward to news of this new spot.