Jaunted

5. Cafe Boulud: This classic French restaurant from celebrated chef Daniel Boulud was a reservations we've gunned for every Restaurant Week, and this time we actually got it. Won't you follow us into a bastion of foie gras and duck breast? Here, the average regular main course is $35, but we're getting a 3-course lunch for $24.07. If we took all the available reservations, then rest assured there's always his Bar Boulud and DBGB Kitchen & Bar also participating in Restaurant Week. (Serving weekday lunch only with Restaurant Week menu).

4. Blue Smoke: Like it or not, the hottest place to head for BBQ right now is not the illegal grill on your fire escape; it's Blue Smoke. According to TimeOut New York, the menu includes "traditional St. Louis spareribs, Texas salt-and-pepper beef ribs, Memphis baby backs and Kansas City spare ribs," which makes sense since the chef behind the place—Danny Meyer—is a St. Louis boy. (Serving weekday lunch and dinner and Sunday lunch and dinner with Restaurant Week menu).

3. The Modern: Believe it or not, The Modern was our first restaurant week meal, back just after it had been named top restaurant in world for that year by some publication. It was buzzing then and it's buzzing now; smart interior design inspired by its location inside the Museum of Modern Art helps things out as well. If this is your first time in NYC, go for The Modern since you can bunch it in with a visit to MoMA. (Serving weekday dinner only with Restaurant Week menu).

2. The Restaurant Week truck: This is something new for this Restaurant Week, and although it doesn't involve reservations, it does require perseverance and patience. Jumping onboard the food truck trend, they're bringing selections from the kitchens at Delmonico's, 21 Club and Tribeca Grill to a movable feast. Pay very little for the niblets, served to you from the curb and with locations changing daily. The truck will make rounds weekdays only from 11am to 2pm, January 25 through February 5. To keep tabs on the truck's location, visit NYCGo daily or just follow them on Twitter for updates.

The Breslin

1. The Breslin: You know, it's a great thing that we've already been here twice so that we leave more reservation spots open to those who haven't yet. The Breslin is the freshly opened gastropub restaurant inside Manhattan's most talked about hotel (right now), The Ace, and its cuisine is inspiring some talk all on its own. Think thrice-cooked fries that have been named best in the city, a beef tongue sandwich with lentil soup, a lamb burger with cumin mayo, lots of meat and a dessert of chocolate donuts that perfectly melts in your mouth. Get on this reservation today or you won't get it. (Serving weekday lunch only with Restaurant Week menu).

If you're curious...in addition to booking Cafe Boulud, we also scored reservations at Nobu, Lure Fishbar and Boudain's Brasserie Les Halles.

Related Stories:
· NYC Restaurant Week [NYCGo]
· Three Restaurants to Help You Get Over the Closing of NYC's Tavern on the Green [Jaunted]
· Restaurant Week Travel [Jaunted]

[Photos: NYCGo]