Surprise! Midtown East has one of NYC’s best new restaurants

By Steve Cuozzo
Monterey, a stunning new restaurant on E. 50th St., puts the magic back in Midtown East. A Deco-inspired, pastel playground for adult eaters that was only recently the drab-brown and tired Maloney & Porcelli, the bustling brasserie’s pretty, pink-and-blue palette and high-energy American menu have been luring in even the most committed downtown types.