I don't go to, or dine in the Financial District often. It scares me down there. It's very desolate at night. As of late though, the Financial District has been having a boom, in terms of residential apartments, and of course, restaurants. As the resident magician of the Andaz Wall St. (I perform around twice a month there), I have been lucky to see this boom first hand. I have also been able to dine at the restaurant three flights up in the hotel, called Wall & Water. I should mention these aren't your normal flights, these are three flights up beautifully designed white staircases.

The space is spacious and elegant, designed by the famed Rockwell group. The food is local comfort food; reinvented classic dishes, while maintaining traditional cooking methods. I've had three meals here, and all were excellent.

Chicken liver paté ($15), served with sweet and sour onions, and brioche is delicious.

The mac and cheese ($23) at Wall & Water is awesome! Strascinati pasta, Cato Corner "Bloomsday" cheese, and seasonal mushrooms. The addition of the mushrooms gives the dish a great earthiness, I had never encountered with mac and cheese. It's a memorable dish you need to try!

As a true lover of cheese, on my second visit I ordered the cast iron melted cheese ($14). "Brigid's Abbey" cheese, garlic, and tomato toast. This was a cheese orgy in my mouth, and I loved it!

Grilled skirt steak ($30), gets a touch of Argentina (where chef Maximo Lopez May hails from), and is served with sweet peppers, onion, and sundried tomatoes. This was a fabulous steak dish. All the veggies were fresh as can be, and added a great sweetness to the dish. The steak, perfectly cooked, was juicy and wonderful.

So if you find yourself all the way downtown, and don't know where to eat, check into the Andaz Wall St. Walk up those white steps, and head to Wall & Water, you'll be happy you did.

Wall & Water
75 Wall St. (inside the Andaz Wall St. Hotel)
New York, NY 10005
212-699-1700

http://www.hyatt.com/gallery/wall&water/