MY LIST Part I

I am compiling a list of places I've eaten in the last 8 months or so to provide friend sand readers with some eating choices for the spring and summer. The restaurants below are in no particular order (the list isn't complete) althought most of the ones in this post have left my belly with happy memories. The pricing indicates the general cost of appetizer, entree, dessert, tax, tip, and a reasonable amount to drink. When i say reasonable I mean a beer or two at places like Caracas and a moderatley priced bottle of wine at some of the nicer restaurants. Obviously the prices will vary.


26 seats—A tiny restaurant (there are really only 26 seats) serving moderately priced French bistro fare with a very reasonably priced wine list. The duck confit is really good. They also have a couple of outdoor seats. Cost= $30-$50 168 Ave. B bet. 10th & 11th Sts.)

Caracas Arepa Bar—Caracas, in addition to being the capital of Venezuela, is also a small and really good restaurant in the East Village. Just about everything on the menu is good and cheap. It’s usually best to split a couple of the appetizers and then have anywhere between one and three arepas depending on how hungry you are . A great palce to go before a night out in the east village.
Cost=$15-30 93½ E. Seventh St. (bet. Ave. A & 1st Ave.)

Momofuku Ssam Bar—Creative and delicious korean inspired food. Ssam bar has been growing in popularity ever since it opened up so it tends to be very crowded. If you hace some time to kill however, the food will be worth the wait. Drop in if you really love eating pig (I really love eating pig) or offal or if you want to simply have a delicious meal in which you can sample and share from any one of a number of small plates. They are also open till 2 so it’s also a good place for late night snacking.
Cost=$25-$75 (it widely varies depending on how many small plates you get. Each one ranges in price from about $9 to $25 dollars. 207 Second Ave.
(13th St.)


Annisa—Annisa means ‘woman’ in Arabic and this restaurant is headed by female chef Anita Lo and is staffed with 95 percent female servers. The asian inspired food is creative and tasty and the quiet, fairly laid back ambience make this restaurant a quaint place to enjoy a nice, relaxed meal. I also liked the fact that they tailored the tasting menu to our likes and dislikes and gave something a little different to each person at our table.
Cost--$75-$125 dollars. 13 Barrow St. (bet. 7th Ave. S. & W. 4th St.)

A Voce—A new restaurant that exemplifies the concept of ‘Haute Italian.’ Stop by for the duck and foie gras meatballs or any of the delicious pastas or entrees. The fresh Sardinian ricotta on toast (not on the menu) is also one of the best side dishes in the city and is not to be missed. It seems like mediocre to a little better than ok Italian places are all over the city and A Voce is a nice departure from that paradigm. Of course, you need to pay for it.
Cost--$75-$125 41 Madison Ave. (26th St.)

WD-50—A haven for adventurous diner’s. Wylie Dufresne’s (his initials are WD sand the address is 50 Clinton street, hence the odd name)standout on the lower East side serves creative and original new American cuisine. To date, this was definitely one of the best and most thought provoking meals I’ve had in this city. To get the full experience, order the tasting menu, or if you have a sweet tooth you can get a 5 course dessert tasting for just $35.
Cost—Tasting menu is 105 with wine pairings for 55 and the dessert tasting is 25 for three course or 35 for five. Otherwise it fits into that $75-$125 range. 50 Clinton St.
(bet. Rivington & Stanton Sts.)

Union Square Café—Danny Meyer’s long lived union square restaurant still serves excellently prepared seasonal dishes in a classy and friendly environment. Like any other Danny Meyer restaurant, Union Square Café is a place where you know you can expect good food, good service and a nice ambience. They also have a very extensive wine list. If you’re looking to save some money, it’s a nice place to try for lunch too.
Cost--$100-$125 21 E. 16th St. (bet. 5th Ave. & Union Sq. W.)

Tabla—This Danny Meyer Restaurant, situated in an old bank, combines new American and Indian food, placing it in a iche almost by itself in this city. Tabla is a great place for people who love the foods and spice used in Indian cuisine but also really enjoy fine dining. They also have a bread bar where you can enjoy Floyd Cardoz’s cooking and delicious breads at a fraction of the cost.
Cost—Tasting menus with wine pairings are about $130 while a regular, three course meal with wine should cost you about $110. Meals at the bread bar run in the $25-$50 dollar range. 11 Madison Ave. (25th St.)


Aquagrill—This West Village mainstay offers supremely fresh fish and a very extensive oyster bar. It also has outdoor eating making it a prime place to enjoy a light spring or summer lunch or dinner. There’s something really appealing about the thought of sitting outside eating fresh fish and drinking white wine and Aquagrill is a place that can offer all three. A definite must go for seafood lovers.
Cost--$60-$100 210 Spring St. (6th Ave.)

Gordon Ramsay at The London Hotel
This restaurant is for those who enjoy a very proper fine dining experience and ‘snobby French food’ (I enjoy snobby French food). The food was perfectly prepared, but the hushed gray environment lacked any life whatsoever. The cheese tray and the bon bon trolley were outstanding and probably the two most memorable parts of our meal. For the money, and at Gordon Ramsay you’ll need a lot of it, there are better dining destinations in the city.
Cost—$125-$250 The London NYC 151 W. 54th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Aves.)


L’Impero—Despite the odd and somewhat difficult to reach Tudor City destination, L’Impero’s high end Italian cuisine is really impressive. The menu offers a slew of different prix fixe options with the $64 dollar four course dinner being one of the best values in the city. My friend and I were also able to split our courses and the kitchen was perfectly happy to divide and plate each selection. To date, I’ve never had a better simple pasta than the spaghetti and tomato sauce I had at L’Impero. (NOTE: HEAD Chef Scott Conant will be leaving soon.)
Cost—$50-$125 45 Tudor City Pl. (bet. 42nd & 43rd Sts.)

Eleven Madison Park
A classy and expensive establishment that offers French inspired New American fare and boasts what New York Magazine calls the best pig dish in the city. The food is good and accessible for everyone and the wine list is really impressive. A place to go if you’re taking someone you’re trying to impress. Or better yet, go with someone who’s trying to impress you.
Cost-$100-150 although the 11 course tasting with wine pairing will be about $250 11 Madison Ave. (24th St.)

Little Owl
One of my current favorites for NYC dining. Every meal here makes you feel warm and special. The Little Owl serves Mediterranean inspired New American and offers one of the best, most delicious pork chops you will ever have. The only negative is that its become near impossible to get a reservation at a normal dining hour (there are only 28 seats) although I do hear that they save some tables for walk ins. If you find yourself waiting there’s a good chance that the generous staff will comp you something for your troubles. Cost-$50-$90 90 Bedford St. (Grove St.)

PO—a former Mario Batali restaurant serving Italian food in the west village. Po’s food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as good as several other Italian restaurants I’ve been too. If you find yourself eating there it’s not the end of the world but know that you could have made a better choice.
Cost--$50-$90 31 Cornelia St. (bet. Bleecker & W. 4th Sts.)

Boqueria—A new and buzzing Tapas restaurant just uptown from Union Square. You can split one of the many Tapas offerings, have a main course or split some of their paella. Boqueria’s food is pleasing and soulful and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried. The no reservation policy makes table hunting fair game and means you might have to wait at the bar and try one of the many Spanish wines on the list.
Cost--$40-$70 53 W. 19th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.)

Alta-Tapas style Mediterranean served in a chic but cozy old townhouse environment. The food is creative (perhaps creative to a fault at times) but overall very solid. A nice pick for a date or to sit at the bar and grab a few bites.
Cost--$35-$75 depending on your appetite 64 W. 10th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.)

Azafran—Tapas gone wrong in my opinion. Although the setting is nice, the food was not. At first bite it might seem ok, but when compared with bites from some of the other Tapas places in the city, this one is clearly a miss. Only go here if you are in the neighborhood and about to collapse from starvation.
Cost-$45-$75 77 Warren St.(bet. Greenwich St. & W. B'way)

Lupa—They pack in diners like sardines at this west village Mario Batali restaurant. The cured meats, sides and pastas are great but might fill you up before your main course. Overall, Lupa provides a solid meal at a very reasonable price.
Cost-$50-$80 170 Thompson St. (bet. Bleecker & Houston Sts.)

Chikalicious—They only serve desserts at this tiny little spot in the east village. You can sit at the bar or go to a table to try one of the exquisitely prepared and presented desserts from a menu that changes weekly. If its your first time, sit at the bar so you can watch the chefs as they prepare what is going to be a memorable little dessert. They don’t take reservations are extremely popular so be prepared to wait if you show up during prime dining hours.
Cost--$15-$30 203 E. 10th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Aves.)