Upland: Mega-restaurateur Stephen Starr surprised professional diners when he brought on hip downtown chef Justin Smillie to run the kitchen at this Gramercy restaurant. It was a smart move — Smillie offers an interesting menu with choices for both people who like to play it safe and people looking for more edge to their food. Dishes include simple pastas like a bucatini cacio e pepe, a burger that President Barack Obama once deigned to eat, and a popular estrella pasta with sherry and chicken liver. Also of note: The restaurant’s Champagne list is one of the better values in town, with many bottles available for less than $100.