"This place feels like an out-of-town chef’s one-night pop-up in the East Village, where the unusual dishes don’t seem to fit the surroundings. Mountain Bird’s East Harlem location is fixed (although it is inside of a catering company), but the experimental French food feels a little bit surprising in a space that looks like the dining room of a bed and breakfast in Cape Cod. You’ll find a rotating menu of unusual dishes, like lamb with potato-corn flan, and a friendly staff that’s always happy to answer questions about the menu. If you live in Harlem or on the UES and are tired of your usual dinner rotation, this spot is a fairly radical changeup." - bryan kim, matt tervooren