"When you need an interesting date night, stepping into The Consulate in Midtown feels like entering a sleek spy movie, with its two-tiered dining room, dramatic lighting, and walls of eclectic gold-framed art. (The James Bond-themed bathroom doesn’t hurt either.) A rotating menu—shifting every 90 days to spotlight a country or region like South Africa or Thailand—add to the intrigue. Despite the frequent menu changes, the food here is consistently great. And staples like the crispy, herb-coated okra and tomato-rich jollof rice are always worth ordering." - nina reeder, juli horsford, demarco williams, jacinta howard