The latest vintage of Zagat's New York restaurant guide - with its familiar burgundy covers - was released Monday.
The pickings are more bountiful than ever in the 1998 Zagat Survey of New York City Restaurants: 1,933 places are included, compared with 1,820 last time. But the number of diners contributing their views to the survey dropped, from an all-time high of 18,006 for the 1997 guide to 17,182 for 1998.The new edition, which costs $11.95, adds new hot spots like Jean Georges, Balthazar, Patroon, Chez Es Saada, Payard Patisserie and Bistro and even Krispy Kreme. There are 276 new listings; 92 places from the 1997 book have closed.
For people who dine out regularly, the Zagat survey, which began as Tim and Nina Zagat's informal restaurant poll among their friends, has become more than a convenient directory: it is a necessity second only to a valid credit card.
Zagat has become a closely followed report card for chefs and restaurateurs, some of whom have complained over the years that the pithy comments that accompany the ratings (quotations from its citizen-reviewers) are too often selected to reflect the bias of the publishers rather than a consensus of the respondents.
Zagat insists that he and his staff provide a balance of positive and negative remarks and reflect the data accurately.
In addition to the New York City survey, Zagat has also just released the 1998 edition of "America's Top Restaurants" ($12.95), a one-volume roundup of the highest-rated restaurants in 41 cities and regions.
Zagat now covers 43 cities and regions. Many will have updated 1998 editions by the end of the year.
In the 1998 New York City Survey, the top honors for food went to Daniel, which edged out last year's leader, Aureole, by a fraction. These two places share a score of 28 (Zagat rounds off the raw numbers) with Lespinasse, Le Bernardin and Jean Georges.
But when food, service and atmosphere are combined, Lespinasse emerges as No. 1, followed by Les Celebrites and Le Bernardin. Le Cirque, now Le Cirque 2000, slipped from 27 in 1996 (when it was still in its old location) to 25.
With its inclusive, democratic approach to ratings, Zagat evaluations put the food at Nobu and takeout from Soup Kitchen International on a par, at 27. New York isn't the only city with an egalitarian bent: in Phoenix, Pizzeria Bianco was rated 29 for food, and evidently it offers pizzas worth a trip.
New Yorkers said they spent more per meal in the latest survey, an average $30.69, up from $29.28 in the 1997 book. For the moment at least, New York takes second place only to London as the most expensive city among those that Zagat covers.
But there's a Paris guide due out in the spring.