Walle Restaurant & Lounge

Named for co-owner Wally Chin (of Chin Chin), not for the animated movie, Walle is a sleek and elegant new spot in Midtown featuring creative American-Chinese cuisine. Chef Chris Cheung, an alum of Monkey Bar, has a sure hand with hybrid dishes such as liquid foie gras bao buns and Asian-spiced baby back ribs paired with macaroni and blue cheese. The burger gets a good twist here too, the seared Kobe and Angus beef blend sandwiched in scallion pancakes. Plates—including a fun, diverse pupu platter—are meant to be shared. Solo regulars and couples fill the chic bar for discounted drinks at happy hour and prove unable to resist indulging in snacks like lobster dumplings and Berkshire roast pork buns.