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Flatiron neighborhood restaurants (and newcomers this year) ABC Kitchen and Nuela both had entrees included in the Best 15 Dishes of 2010 by restaurant critic Sam Sifton of the New york Times.

For Jean George’s ABC Kitchen (35 East 18th Street between Broadway and Park), it was Chef Dan Kluger’s Black Sea Bass that grabbed Sifton’s attention and made the list.

At Nuela (43 West 24th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue), the Arroz con Pato, which is basically a paella with a duck breast, duck egg, foie gras, duck confit and of course rice and vegetables, won over Sifton.

You can see all 15 dishes and play audio reviews at www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/29/dining/20101229-year.html.

Recently opened neighborhood restaurant Nuela (43 West 24th Street, Between 5th and 6th Avenues; www.nuelany.com) was apparently the site of a rapper and Law & Order star Ice-T’s new year’s eve bash, which also featured ‘American Idol contestant Antonella Barba, Kenya Barris from ‘America’s Next Top Model, Tamra Barney of ‘The Real Housewives of the O.C., and Jon Gosselin’s ex, Hailey Glassman according to PopEater.

Nuela opened Monday (43 West 24th St. between 5th and 6th Avenue.) serving up South American cuisine after literally years of anticipation from restaurant junkies and neighbors who walked passed by the long-standing Nuela sign. For a first night, even without alcohol on the menu, the place was running very professionally both up front and out of the kitchen. They had their act together.

The menu runs from ceviches, to bocadillos, to larger platos, and the standouts were flavorful and fresh ceviches (the hamachi with sour orange, basil and garlic as well as the tuna with Thai influences were both very good) as well as the churrasco with chimichurri sauce and the brisket arepas bocadillo.

Pricing of the ceviches and bocadillos seems within reason but some of the platos seemed pricey (crab at $32) if the goal is to keep the place full every night. It’s just slightly out of reach to get the locals in on say, a Tuesday. That being said, while not the traditional 3 courses, a meal of ceviches and bocadillos and maybe a drink would more than please busy New Yorkers for a mid-week dinner.

Here is a first look at the (blurry) Nuela menu, which soft launched yesterday. Included are both the Ceviche menu and the main menu. Nuela is located at 43 West 24th St. between 5th and 6th Avenue.

Nuela restaurant (43 West 24th St. between 5th and 6th Avenue) has its soft opening tonight, without alcohol, but with a 20% discount on the menu, according to a tipster. Get an OpenTable reservation.

Eater reports that after 2 years of rumored openings, South American restaurant Nuela (43 West 24th St. between 5th and 6th Avenue) will open Monday with Chef Adam Schop at the helm. You can even get an OpenTable reservation. Recommend on Facebook Tweet about it Tell a friend Related Posts:Nuela to extend their restaurant week [...]