Valentine's Day dinners can be a lot of pressure, I'm sure. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the holiday asides from it's an excuse to eat some chocolate, which I'm also not the biggest fan of. I was pleasantly surprised by the price fix menu at La Follia, unfortunately for me it was comprised of slight "V-day" variations of their normal menu, and I can't return until perhaps next year for what was quite possibly the best truffle polenta of my life.
The restaurant is split into two parts, so it makes the ambiance a little calmer, and quieter. I don't enjoy having to yell in order to articulate a point in my conversation. The wait staff was attentive, and the runners quickly brought the food out. Maybe again, because it was a pre-set menu with limited dining options, but let's chalk it up to the wonderful runners out there. There are steps leading into the kitchen, which I think can only spell catastrophe for the staff, but everything managed to go fine, with food placed on the bar and then brought over either by a runner or waitstaff.
The restaurant itself is warm, without being overdone. They have small plates of meats and cheeses, and the menu includes some health conscious items as well as a lighter take on some Italian classics. So grab your significant other, or a friend, and walk over, enjoy the evening together and get a new spin on an old food.
WHAT TO BITE? The polenta, $8 and whatever you do, try the truffle fries.. your dining companion will be jealous, $5.
Showing posts with label Romantic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romantic. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mermaid Inn, 96 2d Ave (btwn 5th and 6th)
I came to The Mermaid Inn for the first time with a friend who sadly I've lost touch with, but who I will always think of whenever I dine here. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the restaurant is split in half with a few steps and a narrow hallway, with the front of it being a typical "New England Seafood Restaurant", while the back is reminiscent of a glass covered version of a typical crab shack in Maryland.
The food is standard, no frills New England serving everything from catfish to salmon, shrimp to escargot (including a few dishes for non-seafood diners such as short ribs and roasted chicken). The atmosphere is always loud enough to keep dining companies occupied, but quiet enough for conversation. In the summer, they open the windows in the back and the front so it's fantastic for Second Avenue people watching, which is my personal favorite. They also do not put any endangered fish on the menu, which you have to respect them for. Your meal will end with a fortune telling fish (like a mood ring, but in the shape of a thin plastic fish) and an espresso-sized cup of chocolate pudding, since they do not have a dessert menu. You'll walk away with meal that is healthy, the chef pulls the reign in on his use of salt, which few in New York seem to do these days, and for seafood, wallet friendly.
WHAT TO BITE? Happy Hour and a Half, $1 clams, or if you're dining in the evening try the Rainbow Trout, $23.
The food is standard, no frills New England serving everything from catfish to salmon, shrimp to escargot (including a few dishes for non-seafood diners such as short ribs and roasted chicken). The atmosphere is always loud enough to keep dining companies occupied, but quiet enough for conversation. In the summer, they open the windows in the back and the front so it's fantastic for Second Avenue people watching, which is my personal favorite. They also do not put any endangered fish on the menu, which you have to respect them for. Your meal will end with a fortune telling fish (like a mood ring, but in the shape of a thin plastic fish) and an espresso-sized cup of chocolate pudding, since they do not have a dessert menu. You'll walk away with meal that is healthy, the chef pulls the reign in on his use of salt, which few in New York seem to do these days, and for seafood, wallet friendly.
WHAT TO BITE? Happy Hour and a Half, $1 clams, or if you're dining in the evening try the Rainbow Trout, $23.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Caffe Buon Gusto, 236 E. 77th (btwn 2nd & 3rd)
After studying abroad, one of my traveling companies and I would get lonesome for the relaxing evenings we had overlooking Rome and eating mountains of pasta. Such moods would often lead us to Caffe Buon Gusto, where you can compliment any pasta with any sauce (much like the famed Pastarita Pizzerito "chain" in Italy). The food is fantastic, the atmosphere at both locations is relaxing, and the service is always wonderful... especially when your dining companion attempts to set you on fire.
Often times I'll complain that restaurants in New York try to cram in too many tables. Then I remember that life is a business, and they need to serve more customers. Caffe Buon Gusto is a small restaurant, where the table generally consists of a bread basket, candle, oil and vinegar, your plates and glasses and not an inch of visible tablecloth. Now, the delicious bread basket has a fatal flaw. No, not that it magically gets refilled, but because they line it (or at least that day they did) with a paper napkin. Well folks, I'm pretty sure you can see where this story is going. Candle + paper napkin + small table + fearful friend = blow it out in the direction away from fearful friend and closer to me. Needless to say, we all had a great laugh after and were returned a bread basket (napkin free) and continued our evening.
While I have only ordered a non-pasta entree once, I hear that when you have it delivered (as many of my fellow classmates in law school did) they provide you with your entree, a side of pasta, a small salad and bread for the same price. Pretty fantastic, I think. What I go for however, is the pasta. It's pasta here, not macaroni. The other day I caught myself saying I never had good carbonara in the United States. I think I might have tricked myself into remembering this falsehood because carbonara is so deliciously bad for you. But when in Rome (or the Upper East Side), one can indulge in a fresh pasta complimented by a lavishly rich sauce, or any of their other numerous sauces (my flaming dining companion loves their pesto). You can also add on some protein to the pasta dish, I go for the sausage. If a seemingly endless bowl of pasta isn't your thing, try one of their delicious eggplant dishes (they do the trifecta: parmigiana, rollatina or bolognese). And you'll most certainly want to leave room for dessert. Great for a date, or an intimate dinner, but I wouldn't go here with a terribly large party unless you plan on renting out the place.
PS - This location only takes Amex so, Visa and Mastercard holders, stop bye the ATM first.
WHAT TO BITE? Carbonara over your choice of fresh pasta, $11.95
Often times I'll complain that restaurants in New York try to cram in too many tables. Then I remember that life is a business, and they need to serve more customers. Caffe Buon Gusto is a small restaurant, where the table generally consists of a bread basket, candle, oil and vinegar, your plates and glasses and not an inch of visible tablecloth. Now, the delicious bread basket has a fatal flaw. No, not that it magically gets refilled, but because they line it (or at least that day they did) with a paper napkin. Well folks, I'm pretty sure you can see where this story is going. Candle + paper napkin + small table + fearful friend = blow it out in the direction away from fearful friend and closer to me. Needless to say, we all had a great laugh after and were returned a bread basket (napkin free) and continued our evening.
While I have only ordered a non-pasta entree once, I hear that when you have it delivered (as many of my fellow classmates in law school did) they provide you with your entree, a side of pasta, a small salad and bread for the same price. Pretty fantastic, I think. What I go for however, is the pasta. It's pasta here, not macaroni. The other day I caught myself saying I never had good carbonara in the United States. I think I might have tricked myself into remembering this falsehood because carbonara is so deliciously bad for you. But when in Rome (or the Upper East Side), one can indulge in a fresh pasta complimented by a lavishly rich sauce, or any of their other numerous sauces (my flaming dining companion loves their pesto). You can also add on some protein to the pasta dish, I go for the sausage. If a seemingly endless bowl of pasta isn't your thing, try one of their delicious eggplant dishes (they do the trifecta: parmigiana, rollatina or bolognese). And you'll most certainly want to leave room for dessert. Great for a date, or an intimate dinner, but I wouldn't go here with a terribly large party unless you plan on renting out the place.
PS - This location only takes Amex so, Visa and Mastercard holders, stop bye the ATM first.
WHAT TO BITE? Carbonara over your choice of fresh pasta, $11.95
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Convivio, 45 Tudor City Place
I can't even imagine eating an eleven course tasting menu. How do diners not run out of room at Eleven Madison? After trying Convivio's four-course prex fixe, I was definitely down for the count. Roll me home (fortunately you can because Tudor City is on a hill!)
When you first walk into Convivio, the bar and lounge area is replete with deep colors and draped in velvet. You expect Dracula himself to be dining there. But then you turn right to the hostess stand into a bright room, crisp linens, silver chargers and bucket seats. The waitstaff is dressed in white and accented with orange cuff links and ties. Why do I recall what my waiter was wearing? Because he was the most intriguing waiter I've ever had. He was knowledgeable (not annoying), attentive (but not hovering) and most of all he was patient with our questions.
I'd recommend what to eat at Convivio, but when I went to do just that for my parents, I realized the items on the menu were seasonal, and had already shifted to the next palate. Everything was well prepared, perfect portions and delightfully seasoned.
WHAT TO BITE? The prex fixe, $62. Be adventurous.
When you first walk into Convivio, the bar and lounge area is replete with deep colors and draped in velvet. You expect Dracula himself to be dining there. But then you turn right to the hostess stand into a bright room, crisp linens, silver chargers and bucket seats. The waitstaff is dressed in white and accented with orange cuff links and ties. Why do I recall what my waiter was wearing? Because he was the most intriguing waiter I've ever had. He was knowledgeable (not annoying), attentive (but not hovering) and most of all he was patient with our questions.
I'd recommend what to eat at Convivio, but when I went to do just that for my parents, I realized the items on the menu were seasonal, and had already shifted to the next palate. Everything was well prepared, perfect portions and delightfully seasoned.
WHAT TO BITE? The prex fixe, $62. Be adventurous.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)