Adam Platt on Where to Eat, and the Myth of Anonymity

The annual "Where to Eat" year-end guide from New York Magazine has dropped, with Adam Platt's full rundown of all the most notable chefs, restaurants, and dishes. This year the critic has broken it down into the defining trends of 2013, among which are Southeast Asian food, French dining, and "the miraculous sushi renaissance." He says tacos are the new burger with the arrival of Mission Cantina, ABC Cocina and others, while restaurants like Alder, Estela, and Hanjan are turning bar food into a serious entree.

Trends aside, Platt also lists the five best chefs and the ten best new restaurants of the year (Spoiler: all five of those chefs show up on the restaurant list). Among those picks are Bryce Shuman of Betony, Daniel Burns for his work at Luksus, and Daisuke Nakazawa of the recently four-starred Sushi Nakazawa.

But as noted over the weekend, the real shocker of this issue has nothing to do with top ten lists and everything to do with Adam Platt's photo splashed across the cover:

At some length, Platt explains his decision to break from tradition and abandon the "the great anonymity charade." Restaurants know who all the critics are anyway, he argues, and it doesn't affect how he does his job, so he might as well make it common knowledge.

"So if you happen to spy a giant, slightly unkempt gentleman inhaling large amounts of food in the corner of a restaurant, you're entitled, I suppose, to go up and (politely) give him a piece of your mind. Who knows, it might even be Adam Platt out for an early-evening feed. And after he's wiped the sauce from his chin, he will nod sympathetically. Then he will tuck his napkin back into his collar and continue with his meal."