Cena by Michy

If lack of popularity was ever a problem at Michelle Bernstein's namesake restaurant, it isn't anymore. The 55-seat dining room at Cena by Michy fills to capacity with loyal fans throughout the week. The almost-iridescent purple-blue hue that once lined the ceiling and floor has been stripped away, along with the white tablecloths and ornate chandeliers. The menu also received a face-lift. Half-portion options were axed and vegetable offerings vastly expanded. Still, the fare doesn't stray far from Bernstein’s refined, homestyle comfort zone, and many classics remain. Her sweetbreads — a nod to her Argentine heritage — are creamy nuggets repurposed into tacos with a funky huitlacoche cream and pickled cabbage. Her iconic short ribs are still culled from a center-cut 18-ounce portion braised in a hearty stock of calves' feet and lamb bones. The liquid is reduced to a lip-smacking, savory demi-glace that sauces the plate. It arrives atop an ever-changing root vegetable purée that one night featured earthy celeriac and sunchokes. The $39 price seems extreme for the secondary cut of meat, but it’s the lengthy preparation that pushes its cost into the dry-aged realm. “I don’t make that much on it, but I have to have it on the menu,” Bernstein says.