TABLES FOR TWO.

MORIMOTO AND BUDDAKAN -- 80 Tenth Ave., between 15th and 16th Sts. (212-989-8883); 75 Ninth Ave., at 16th St. (212-989-6699)--In January, just before making his Manhattan debut with these two supersized eateries, the Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr boasted to the Times that "Morimoto will be far more interesting than any restaurant New York has ever seen." Well, maybe, if New York hasn't lately visited Megu, or En Japanese Brasserie, or even Del Posto, just across the street. It is true, though, that Starr has something special in the Teddy-bear-like Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, more mascot than chef, who makes nightly rounds in his eponymous restaurant to scattered applause and blinding photo flashes.

How much Morimoto actually contributes to putting food on the plate is unclear, but the kitchen deserves praise. The Japanese-fusion menu has its low moments: a tuna-pizza appetizer paired oddly tasteless, almost mushy fish with an unappealing anchovy aioli. But there's a wonderfully tender ten-hour pork, set into a warm, salty congee, and a custard of briny tofu made tableside, accompanied by a delicate lobster sauce. An entree of ishi yaki buri bop, yellowtail and rice cooked, with a tiny egg, inside a hot bowl, makes each plump and sticky kernel of rice pop with flavor. It's nearly enough to distract one from the cold, glittering surfaces: the ...