"Stepping into The Consulate in Midtown feels like you’ve entered the set of a sleek spy movie, with its two-tiered dining room, dramatic mood lighting, and walls filled with eclectic gold-framed artwork. (The James Bond-themed bathroom also helps.) Huge world maps hang on the walls, and the playlist matches the rotating menu, which changes every 90 days to focus on a new country or region. Despite these changes, staples like crispy, herb-coated okra and tomato-tinged jollof rice are always there, and always worth ordering." - jacinta howard, juli horsford, nina reeder