Keens Steakhouse

Perhaps there are three ways in which you are familiar with mutton:

1. As chops on hipster faces.
2. In the phrase "mutton dressed as lamb." (See, your 55-year-old neighbor with the impressive collection of thigh-high boots).
3. As the only thing greater than true love according to Miracle Max.

For those who have been to Keens Steakhouse, mutton (basically the teenager of the lamb/sheep world) is perhaps that much more familiar to you. Though the restaurant stopped selling it some time ago, it is still listed on the menu, and they will serve you something close enough for your $45 (lamb aged approximately ten months).

However, mutton is only one notable element of the storied chophouse. The history begins in London with the Lambs Club, a famous theater and literary group. Its New York branch manager was Albert Keen, a theatrical producer who opened Keens in 1885. It was equipped with a pipe room, in which men would smoke thin-stemmed clay pipes, and the Pipe Club roster reportedly contained over ninety thousand names, including Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, and Teddy Roosevelt. The club was for men only, until 1905 when actress (and reported inamorata of King Edward VII), Lillie Langtry, took Keens to court, won, swanned into the restaurant wearing a feather boa, and ordered the mutton - as any twentieth century actress dating the married King of England would.

Today, Keens still has the feel of an old gentleman's club given the rich wood throughout its rooms, leather-cushioned chairs at white linen-topped tables, framed faded portraits, and the occasional bust and moose head. Also, since Keens owns the world's largest collection of churchwarden pipes, thousands are hooked to the ceilings throughout the restaurant.

And yes, this is a restaurant after all, so what are we eating for unsurprisingly hefty prices? Meat lovers will be pleased to find "dry-aged on premise" USDA prime grade porterhouse, New York sirloin, T-bone, lamb chops, beef short ribs, and eight to twelve ounce portions of filet mignon in addition to the aforementioned mutton chops. Pescatarians will be happy to note the menu includes oysters, Maryland crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, jumbo lump crab cocktail, Dover sole, pan-seared Loch Duart salmon, and two to six pound steamed Maine lobsters. Vegetarians are not to worry either, for Keens serves four types of salad, five preparations of potatoes, and several side dishes from creamed spinach to carrots with brown butter to sauteed escarole to roasted cauliflower and a few other prepared vegetables along the way. You'll want to stay away from the parmesan brussels sprouts, though, unless you're the kind of vegetarian who eats bacon.

So head to Keens for grandpa's birthday, for your not-so-bright son's acceptance to law school (phew), or for a seat at the bar to spy on that one hipster's blind date with your 55-year-old neighbor. If they don't find true love, at least they can enjoy the one thing greater.

Keens - 72 West 36th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues

Bacardi Party

On Sunday, December 12th, I attended an event sponsored by Bacardi rum, and there's no reason why I should keep that information to myself. Well, the glaringly obvious reason is that this is a blog about restaurants, and the event took place at the Angel Orensanz Foundation (a synagogue turned art gallery and event space), but bartenders from around this great city competed for cocktail greatness, and I think that's something we can all get behind...especially you booze hounds.

It was the New York leg of the Legacy of the Cocktail Competition (the first two having been in Dallas and Chicago) in which twenty-three bartenders were required to use seven ingredients to create a new Bacardi Superior Rum based cocktail. The three winners advance to the national finals in Miami, Florida in February, and the best of the best goes on to represent the USA in the global finals in Sitges, Spain in April.

So which hometown kid shall we cheer on to win it all? Our three New York winners and contenders are Brian Matthys of Tribeca's restaurant, Compose, with his "Head in the Clouds," Roberto Fuentevilla of the Lower East Side's tiki-themed bar, Painkiller, with his "El Alcalde Daiquiri," and Tomas Delos Reyes of the Meatpacking District's Boom Boom Room at The Standard Hotel with his "Downtown." Since it wasn't made clear what ingredients comprise these various cocktails (besides rum, of course), you'll have to swing by the bartenders' respective establishments to find out. Sounds like a fun night to me! That is, if you have the time, deep pockets (a dinner at Compose reportedly costs $100 to $150 for a ten-course tasting), and the clout to get in (the Boom Boom Room has seen the likes of Madonna, Jude Law, and Donna Karan, while Compose serves only 10 diners per night with 20 more guests permitted at the bar).

While the competition took place on the main level of the space, press enjoyed a tasting of three rums in the mezzanine. The first was Bacardi Anejo, a mixable rum aged for up to three years and available for approximately $16 per bottle. The second was Bacardi Solera, a single-barrel sipping rum aged in oak casks and available for $20 to $23 per bottle. The third was Bacardi Reserva Limitada, and sorry folks, but this one's not yet available in the US. Aiming for a twelve-year target, this rum is a blend of ten through sixteen year old rums, and it may currently be purchased in Puerto Rico, St Maarten, Bermuda, Aruba, Barbados, and the Bahamas for $100 to $150 duty free.

"Why can't we get it here?!" you scream during the night as you awaken in a cold sweat. The answer is that a lot of aged product does not exist, as the tropical climates in which Bacardi is produced lend to faster evaporation and maturation. With a six to ten percent loss in the first year of aging, you are basically left with an empty barrel twenty years down the line - or so said the Bacardi Brand Master Apprentice conducting the tasting, and I chose to believe him, figuring you do not earn a title like Brand Master (apprentice or not) for spewing lies.

Now that we must wait to see who is the ultimate cocktail competitor in the finals of the Legacy of the Cocktail Competition, we should kick back with mojitos, pina coladas, mai tais, or whatever other rum based drink tickles your fancy. If you book a flight to St Maarten in order to try the Bacardi Reserva Limitada, you should probably know that I prefer a window seat.

Frank Restaurant (and Vera Bar)

Like so many worthwhile restaurants in New York, Frank Restaurant draws crowds willing to wait seemingly endless minutes (sometimes 60 whole ones) for a seat and (if all goes according to plan) a meal. As is the case at petite-yet-popular Tartine, Tomoe, Tia Pol, and even restaurants that don't begin with "T," you can sometimes breeze in and get seated right away. It is wise, however, to brace yourself for a wait, as one is never completely out of the question. Hey, when the food is good, the wine is flowing, the price is moderate, and the vibe is congenial, you sometimes put up with the hassle...or you only go for lunch on holiday weekends when most people are out of town. Options!

Frank Restaurant opened in 1998 with 29 seats and soon expanded to include Vera Bar; a space with a custom bar (at which customers may eat as well as drink), additional small tables, and one large table at the back of the room able to accommodate 20 people. The expansion ultimately resulted in one bustling venue comprised of two rooms and a fenced-in portion of sidewalk out front that can be used for dining as well. Vera Bar is where patrons may feel crammed during peak dining hours, as the stools at the bar back up to the nearby 2-tops against the opposite wall of the slim space, and those waiting for seats stand betwixt the twain. The second room of the restaurant is where we find the open kitchen and small tables whose surfaces are wrapped in what seems to be brightly colored and patterned contact paper - you know, the stuff with which you covered your textbooks back in Junior High (but with more pictured fruit).

Both rooms are snug yet cozy with details like chandeliers, exposed brick, tin kettles on shelves, and mason jars topped with small antique lampshades. Most noteworthy, however, are the decoratively framed chalkboards. Here is where you find the specials of the day, and if you are lucky, those specials will include the luxuriously creamy burrata cheese served over ripe tomatoes. Which brings us to the food in general, which is tasty, hearty, and tasty some more. Frank Restaurant serves the kind of Italian food one might expect to be prepared by an Italian grandmother. Since Frank Prisinzano, the owner, uses recipes in the restaurant perfected by his Italian grandmothers, this makes sense. His paternal grandmother, Elvira (mmhmm, Vera for short), is represented on the menu by way of her lasagna and calves liver, while his maternal grandmother, Carmella, is responsible for "Carmella's slow cooked gravy" on the sausage and meatball hero. Their guidance, combined with Frank's culinary education, result in simple dishes made with quality ingredients - throw in a glass of wine, and it's not a bad day.

So the wine? They're not screwing around here. Over 500 bottles of Italian wine are available (as well as one selection from the Napa Valley - but it's from Italian-American Francis Ford Coppola, so it gets a pass). Some are available by the glass, some by the bottle or half-bottle, and some by consumption. Huhwhat? This means that you may drink however much of the bottle as you would like and then pay only for that which you poured. If you drink half a glass, you pay that small fraction of the bottle's price - if you drink three quarters of the bottle, you pay for three quarters of the bottle. The staff is able to make suggestions according to your tastes, and the "Frank's Choices" list steers you toward some of the best values. All in all, there is a good chance you will not be disappointed; though if you are, the menu (at last check, anyway) said something to the effect of the staff being willing to drink that which you won't.

Go to Frank Restaurant (and Vera Bar) when your out-of-town guest asks to eat where the locals eat, when it's cold outside and you think "Uncle Tony's Gnocchi" is just the kind of stick-to-your-ribs dish to warm you up, or when you are on your way home after the late shift at work and need a filling meal at a late hour (the restaurant is open until midnight on Sunday, until 1am Monday through Thursday, and until 2am Friday and Saturday). Be sure to bring cash, as that is the only form of payment accepted, and feel free to make a reservation if you have 8 to 18 people in your party, as one won't be accepted otherwise. If you don't want to wait for a table and don't want to leave your apartment at all, they will bring the goods to your door if you are within their delivery area - let me know if you intend to do that during peak dining hours, and I just might come over to join you.

Frank Restaurant (and Vera Bar) - 88 2nd Avenue, between East 5th & 6th Streets

Good Earth Winery

When you dine at an Italian trattoria, what might you drink? Si, bella - vino italiano! When eating at a Greek taverna, which wine might be your first choice? Probably one from Athens, Santorini, or Thessaloniki. So what wine do you choose when you go out for Indian cuisine? Uh...something from New Zealand or California, I guess.

So, you may have noticed Indian wines aren't a big thing here in the US of A. Well, allow me to introduce you to the one with which I have some level of familiarity: Reader? Meet Good Earth Winery.  Good Earth Winery? Meet reader. I think you are going to get along just fine.

My friend's father (Hi, friend! Hi, her father!) started this winery a short time ago in the Nashik region of India, which (if the interwebs are to be believed) is sometimes referred to as the "wine capital of India." Its wines were ready for introduction to Mumbai one year ago and have just launched in the US this month. I have, of course, heard about the venture from my (vaguely) aforementioned friend, but her (also vaguely) aforementioned father invited me to a tasting of the first vintage at Tabla last week (Tabla, as you may remember, avid reader, was briefly mentioned in this post a couple weeks back). I was honored to attend, and I have news to report: it's good stuff! Would have made for some awkward interactions with said friend afterward if it wasn't, huh?

Three wines were available from the 2008 vintage: Basso and Brio (two reds from the Concerto collection) as well as Aarohi (a white wine from the Raga collection). Now it's time for a breakdown (like the girls at 3:04). Basso is made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and aged in oak barrels; Brio is made from Shiraz and also aged in oak barrels; Aarohi uses Sauvignon Blanc grapes and ferments in stainless steel.

I am by no means a wine critic, sommelier, steward, or snob, but I can say with the utmost certainty that these were great. Getting paired with delicious offerings from Chef Floyd Cardoz didn't hurt their case either. (Oxtail ragu over mashed potatoes, mushrooms on polenta, and hamachi tartare? Yes, yes, and well, I was allergic to an ingredient in that last one, but it looked tasty too). When it comes to wine, I am predominantly a drinker of dry whites. I ultimately found the medium bodied Aarohi to be grassy and interesting in a good way. I'm looking forward to trying it again with seafood, as Good Earth Winery recommends enjoying a chilled glass with salads, prawns, and fish. Considering how infrequently I opt for red, I am happy to report I thoroughly enjoyed the medium bodied Brio and bolder Basso. Both had a hint of smokiness, but the Brio was a little spicy, while the Basso was more complex (encompassing pepper, fruit, and an overall smoothness). Surprisingly (to me alone), the Basso may have been my favorite of the night.

When it comes down to it, you don't have to eat food and drink wine from the same country during a meal, and, let's be honest, you don't have to pair wine with anything at all - an evening at home with some bottles and buddies works just as nicely. However, if you are itching to try Indian wine, it is nice to know that you may soon have the opportunity to do so at a restaurant near you. Selections from Good Earth Winery are also now available at several wine shops throughout Manhattan. Rumor has it they may sell for less than $20 a bottle, so whether you drink it with Indian, Austrian, Moroccan, or Swedish food, it is a sound choice all around.

Levain Bakery

In a city not hurting for bakeries, it sometimes takes a gimmick to get noticed (see Crumbs' enormous cupcakes or Magnolia's old-fashioned vibe - though don't get me wrong, I ain't mad at those joints either). However, Levain Bakery doesn't offer tricks so much as unique options, and those options are damn good. Ok, so they have cookies the size of softballs, but I promise there is more to this place than that.

In 1994, while Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald were training for an Ironman triathlon, they determined a good way to curb their constant hunger was with gigantic cookies. The women opened Levain on the Upper West Side in 1995 and have been selling six-ounce mounds of awesome ever since. The cookie exteriors are crispy, while the interiors are soft, and when eaten straight from the oven, they are a pleasantly gooey mess. The four varieties include walnut chocolate chip, dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and oatmeal raisin. They cost $4 each at last check, and all were buttery enough to grease through the bag in which they were sold.

Maybe cookies aren't your style though (weirdo), so there are other reasons to swing by. The bomboloncini (not to be confused with the Gipsy Kings' breakout hit Bamboleo) are certainly worth a trip. They are essentially jelly donuts but are baked instead of fried and filled with tangy raspberry jam instead of miscellaneous red gel. Dusted with powdered sugar, the bomboloncini are a stellar combination of sweet, sour, and delicious.

Other baked selections include scones, olive herb semolina, ciabatta, cinnamon brioche, Valrhona stuffed sourdough, pizza-esque breads topped with the likes of artichoke and gruyere, blueberry muffins, and sour cream coffee cake. Levain cinnamon buns (served only in the morning) have been featured on Oprah, and former NYTimes restaurant critic, Frank Bruni, has waxed poetic on their baguettes with butter and jam (also typically a morning treat). The aforementioned cookies have been featured on various television programs and even won a Throwdown on the Food Network against Bobby Flay. Bottom line, you won't be disappointed - unless you order coffee, and they sell you lukewarm swill, which happened to me once, as these things sometimes do.

Levain Bakery is located on West 74th Street off the corner of Amsterdam Avenue. It is a tiny space down a few steps from the sidewalk, and there is little room in which to maneuver before hitting the display case. The ultimate goal is to reach this case to place your order, so that's not necessarily a bad thing. Behind the counter, you see the bakery in motion, as trays of cookies and other goodies are pulled from the oven before thine eyes. You may choose to revel in the appetizing aromas by eating on a stool by the counter below the window, but odds are you'll want to get the hell out of every other customer's way and eat elsewhere in peace. There's a bench outside if you can't wait long to find that peace...and by "find that peace" I mean "eat your cookie."

Stop by Levain for lunch when you have a hankering for something savory (hi, chive and goatcheese sourdough pizza), or swing through when you need to bring something sweet to a party (four cookies can probably sate eight to twelve people), but be sure to go early before they sell out of particular crowd-pleasers (bomboloncini, I'm looking at you). It must be noted Levain's goods are not cheap, but at least you get some pretty sizable, freshly baked bang for your buck (leftovers are donated every evening to charities). There is a second Levain location in Harlem and a third out in East Hampton, though the Hamptons outlet is only open seasonally (usually from July through Labor Day). Here, they sell rustic fruit tarts not available in the city, but I guess everyone's gotta have a gimmick.

Levain Bakery - 167 West 74th Street, between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues
Levain Bakery - 2167 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, at West 117th Street
Levain Bakery (East Hampton) - 354 Montauk Highway, Wainscott, New York

Brunch, Part 3 - Splurge Edition

It is time once again to talk about that cherished New York past time - brunch. (Click here for brunch post numero uno and here for la deuxieme. Also, feel free to be impressed by my foreign language skills in that last sentence). Today's theme is splurging. Now, you can certainly leave the following two restaurants having paid a reasonable amount, but you will most likely walk away thinking, "What did I just do?" The sizable entrees are sufficient to get you through the day, but odds are you won't stop there. Hey, when brunch sirens call, (snacks, baked goods, sides, desserts, and cocktails), nobody blames you for giving in to temptation. Well, maybe some people do, but I would never. [Insert high-five here].

1) Cookshop - 156 10th Avenue, at the corner of West 20th Street

Cookshop feels both industrial and warm. What appears to be a polished cement floor is topped with wood tables sporting white surfaces and straight-backed chairs. This, along with a metal encased light hanging over the bar area, gives the room a modern edge. The cranberry banquettes, wall-mounted chalkboard, and potted plants (not to mention the tree in the center of the room) soften that edge. Then there are the impressive floor-to-ceiling windows that serve as the barrier to both 10th Avenue and West 20th Street - if the coffee doesn't wake you up, all that natural light certainly will.

So what do we have here? Pancakes and egg dishes (Cookshop Scramble, I adore your over sized biscuit, your silken eggs with creme fraiche and caramelized onions, and the option of smoked salmon) will run you $12-$15. However, you might want to start your meal with a snack ($5-$11). Say, deviled eggs or sunchoke soup? But you also like the sound of those baked goods - pecan sticky buns, banana bread, a currant scone. Mayhaps a bakery basket for $12? How about sides ($3-$6)? The white cheddar grits are too good to pass up. Will you have room for dessert ($7-$9)? For a coffee cream donut, you make room. You haven't forgotten about cocktails though, and at this point, what's another $12? After a potent strawberry caipirinha, you probably won't mind at all.

When can you indulge? According to the restaurant's website, brunch is available Saturday and Sunday from 11am until 3pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but you'll be better off making a reservation beforehand. Here's a helpful hint, friends - if you have an opentable account, you can make a reservation mere minutes before heading over (provided they still have room). When you arrive, you'll find patrons waiting for a table at which they could have already been sitting if they had just gone online first. Suckers.

2) Freemans - End of Freeman Alley off Rivington Street, between Bowery & Chrystie Street

First off, Freemans is in a unique location on the Lower East Side. With no real address, you find it by first going to Rivington Street between Bowery and Chrystie Street. When you come to an alley about halfway down the block, turn into it and walk to the end. This will lead you to a country style, wood-and-glass door beneath a web of strung-up lightbulbs. It's hard not to feel like you're in on a secret here, and depending on your mood, it can all feel a little magical. Once inside, however, it's all hipsters and taxidermy - but in a good way.

Sitting next to plaid button-downs and Keds while under stuffed geese and antlers, it's time to get down to business. Main dishes include frittatas and sandwiches, pancakes and waffles, which come in at a reasonable $10-$14. You know you're not going to stop there, though. First off, there are Devils on Horseback ($6) and salad options ($10-11), but I'm personally going to order the hot artichoke dip with crisp bread ($10). It is so good that if it wasn't such a waste, I'd want to rub it all over myself - especially after it cools down. (Awkward pause). Brunch may not be complete without a side of thick-cut bacon ($4) or stone-ground cheddar cheese grits ($5), but what about dessert? Don't mind if I do. I'll order the hot chocolate brownie, while you get the bananas foster with rum butterscotch sauce (both $9). We'll wash it all down with Stumptown coffee, and, sure, let's get finely crafted cocktails. They're $12 unless you go for something straight up off the extensive liquor list. I like to mask my mid-day booze with juice and various accoutrements, but to each his own (and other cliches).

According to their website, Freemans is open for brunch on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10am until 4pm. They only accept reservations for parties of six or more, so if you can't wrangle that many reliable dining partners, your best bet is to walk in with a small group and be prepared to wait. Parties will not be seated until all are present, so tell that one friend who's always late an earlier time than need be, or just cut him out of the equation altogether. Sounds harsh, but there's excessive dining to be done, and that artichoke dip waits for no man.

Zampa

Zampa is a glorified wine bar. Don't get me wrong, wine bars are pretty glorious to begin with - what with their romantic ambiances and airs of refinement even as you get completely schnockered - but Zampa takes the idea a step further by offering a somewhat substantial, Italian-based menu. Here, you can still order enough vino (by the glass, half bottle, or full bottle) to make your date question whether or not you have a drinking problem, but you may save enough face to wrangle a second date by soaking up the booze with a full meal. It will probably be touch and go though until you do.

In addition to mere olives, cheese, and charcuterie plates, Zampa offers several varieties of crostini, panini, antipasti, and...(sadly, not rhyming)...entrees. On a given night, the smaller plates may include fennel and baby arugula salad with orange and parmigiano, roasted shrimp with cannellini, or broccoli rabe. Larger dishes might include oven poached salmon, roasted pork loin, or lasagna bolognese. The crostini are pleasantly heavy on the toppings (such as chicken liver and vin santo, white bean and duck proscuitto, or fresh ricotta with roasted peppers), and the panini are satisfying for their $10 price tag. Desserts are available too, and if the chocolate hazelnut cake is there the night you are, you should just go ahead and order that. Unless you have a nut allergy - in which case, buddy, you should know better.

The wines at Zampa are predominantly Italian, though something unexpected might sneak onto the menu every now and then. You may also order beer or seasonal cocktails - both, if you've had a rough day.

Everything may be enjoyed at the bar, which zig-zags on the left of the room toward the kitchen at the back, or at one of the side-by-side tables, which run the length of the room on the right. The bar is equipped with tall chairs, and table-seating is comprised of one long banquette and many Eames bucket seats - appropriately named on account of their shape and their ability to contain water. I learned this the night a dining companion knocked an entire ice-cold glassful into my lap, and the water effectively pooled beneath me. Yes, inquisitive reader, my jeans were indeed equally effective at sopping it up like a sponge.

Perks of Zampa include takeout, catering, special events (groups of 10 or more require a price-fixed menu, though cocktail event and tasting menus are available for larger parties as well), and (if the website is to be believed, since I haven't personally tried this...YET) Zampa will create a picnic basket for you. Say whuuuuh? I know! It includes six antipasti of your choosing, two beverages, assorted biscotti, the basket, and a blanket. The basket and a blanket? The basket and a blanket. Additionally, you may enjoy prosecco and a crostini while the staff pack it all up.

So head in to Zampa (located about a block from dell'anima) when you and your girls need to gripe about your day over a bottle or three of Verdicchio, when you and your boys want to get the night started before invading the Meatpacking District, or when you're walking by and become intrigued by the segmented pig displayed on the window. My Italian is rusty (read, I've never studied Italian), so "zampa" may or may not mean "animal's foot," and this artwork therefore may or may not make sense. Like your date at the beginning of this post, however, I shall remain noncommittal.

Zampa - 306 West 13th Street, between West 4th Street & 8th Avenue

Union Square Cafe

Twenty five years ago this month, a twenty seven year old Danny Meyer showed up in the New York restaurant scene. You know, the guy who (along with his partners) went on to open Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard, The Modern (as well as Cafe 2 and Terrace 5) within the MoMA, the relatively new Mailalino, the closing-at-the-end-of-the-year Tabla, and the expanding phenomenon that is the...(pause for effect)...Shake Shack. It all had to start somewhere, and that somewhere is Union Square Cafe.

Mr. Meyer's restaurants fall under the umbrella of his Union Square Hospitality Group, and the name alone gives a clue as to what it is like to dine at his restaurants - the staff is hospitable. Duh. From friendly hostesses to a waitstaff that actually consults the kitchen when you say you have a food allergy, you get the impression everyone is happy to help. Whether or not that's true, I don't know, but I'm fine with the smoke and mirrors.

Ok, so you're here. What can you expect? Well, the Union Square Cafe is a deceptively spacious restaurant comprised of several sections. Upon entering, you stand beneath a soaring ceiling and approach the hostess stand. The main dining room is to the left of this area down a short flight of steps. Back on the entry level, there is space beyond the long bar where tables are tucked around different corners and nooks. Finally, there is a mezzanine at the very rear of the restaurant, which overhangs one of those aforementioned nooks. Framed pictures decorate the main dining room, while a watercolor mural creeps up the back wall toward the mezzanine. The whole space is tied together, however, by hunter green trim. It's the kind of green women named Celerie, Bunny, or Dale have used to decorate the smoking rooms of the husbands they've outlived named Field, Burton, or...Dale. All in all, it's a space that's both casual and buttoned-up. Though jeans may be worn anywhere in New York these days, men might reach for khakis first.

Ok, you're seated and hungry. What do they have? Well, it's predominantly American food with Italian nuances. Thanks to the convenience of the restaurant's location to the farmers' market in Union Square, the menu varies from day to day. You might, however, expect the likes of a puree of cauliflower soup with brown butter and walnuts. Honeycrisp apple and escarole salad with toasted walnuts, rosemary and pecorino. Pan-seared sweetbreads with crosnes, cippolini onion, and a concord grape emulsion. Then there's the pasta, which comes in half and whole portions and may include ricotta gnocchi, saffron pappardelle, butternut squash tortelli, or duck raviolini. Entrees cover grilled pancetta-wrapped shrimp, New Zealand venison loin chop, smoked shell steak, and grilled swordfish with caponata and arugula.

The menu also includes a section called "Weekly Classics," where a different dish is the special each night of the week. Stop by Monday for the Maine lobster and sweet corn risotto with oven-dried tomatoes. Thursday brings the rib-eye for two. Saturday is your night if you are a pork chop fan. No matter what night you go, though, save room for dessert. Greenmarket plum upside down cake with spiced rum ice cream? Yes. Flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel sauce? Sure. Mint semifreddo with brownie pieces and milk chocolate sauce? Can I get a vat of that to go? No? Then we're fighting.

Make a reservation at Union Square Cafe for lunch or dinner, though walk-ins may try their luck for an open table or a spot at the bar. You will want to plan ahead, however, for your son-in-law's birthday, that business meeting with the St. Louis office, or your aunt's visit from Connecticut. Hey, Bunny's got a hankering for some lamb chops.

Union Square Cafe - 21 East 16th Street, between 5th Avenue & Union Square West

il Buco

Il Buco is an Italian/Mediterranean restaurant in NoHo, and it is the epitome of the adjectives so often used to describe places to which people want to return - cozy, rustic, and charming. Illuminated by candlelight and inventive chandeliers, chock full of worn wood, and decorated with hanging copper pots and stacked bottles of wine, the restaurant is a warm haven on a bitterly cold night and an equally enticing establishment on a sweltering summer's evening. You should feel free to swing by on more temperate spring and autumn days too, as it doesn't take extreme weather to enjoy the restaurant's ambiance and more-than-decent food. I promise.

Initially opened as an antique shop in 1994, the space evolved into an enoteca and then a full-fledged restaurant garnering attention from noted food critics and publications. What's important, however, is not the praise of the public and self-proclaimed "foodies" (um, does that word make anyone else cringe?) but that you like it. I mean, I do, so you should too. Right? Sure!

The appetizers (including imported olives in wild fennel flowers and fresh rosemary, a selection of cured meats, and a fried duck egg with salted cod, capers, and truffles) are tapas-style and intended to be shared. Of course, you don't have to go halfsies on your cauliflower and gorgonzola croquettes, but how will you finagle a taste of your friend's Hawaiian king prawns in Trapanese coarse sea salt if you don't give up at least one bite?

Pasta and risotto dishes are hearty and may include pappardelle with chanterelles, fava beans, hyssop, and parmesan or gnocchi with peas, housemade pancetta, mint, and ricotta salata. Entrees cover fish (poached halibut with baby carrots, artichokes, garlic scapes, turnips, and meyer lemon aioli), chicken (Milanese style with a twist), pork (slow-roasted), and beef (grilled ribeye with pan-fried potatoes, spicy marmalade, and cayuga blue cheese).

However, il Buco's menu changes from time to time on account of market availability and freshness. The restaurant's website indicates the chef and owners take pride in acquiring their meat and poultry from local farms, using produce grown from sustainable farming practices, and purifying their water via a Dual-Flow water carbon filtration system. So if the bison carpaccio isn't an option on the day you stop by, rest assured something environmentally conscious and satisfying should show up in its stead.

Il Buco is open for lunch and dinner and accepts walk-ins, though you'll want to make a reservation when you can. They also accommodate private events thanks to a 20-seat wine cellar, a 20-seat chef's table facing the open kitchen, and the willingness to make the entire 70-seat main dining area available to your guests. Please note, parties of 14 or more may be asked to partake in a price-fixed menu.

As for that wine cellar, it features recessed alcoves, is lined with approximately 200 wine bottles from floor to ceiling, and is lit by sconces on its brick walls. Additionally, like every interesting New York establishment, it is equipped with its very own legend; it was apparently the inspiration for Edgar Allen Poe's story, "The Cask of Amontillado." Now, the eerie tale imbued me with a sense of claustrophobia when I first read it many moons ago, but I would still attend a dinner party in the room that served as inspiration - as long as I make sure to stay soberly alert and to keep bricks and mortar away from my nemesis.

Head over to il Buco with your immediate family for your brother's birthday, with that girl who's way too young for you yet seems so mature on account of her European upbringing, or with an extended group of friends for that one buddy's going-away party. There's a good chance you'll leave thinking, "I liked that place. It was cozy, rustic, and charming."

il Buco - 47 Bond Street, between Bowery & Lafayette Streets

Wallse

There are nights that call for a slightly upscale dining experience, but you've had your fill lately of French cuisine, Italian indulgences, and all shades of Asian infusions. You're thinking European elegance is the right move, but how many times can you go for a bistro, a tapas restaurant, a cafe? Well kids, this is the night you opt for Austrian fare and make a reservation at Wallse. Tell you more? Why, I'd be delighted.

Wallse is one of three restaurants from Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner - Cafe Sabarsky on the Upper East Side and Blaue Gans in Tribeca are the other two. (Sidenote: his wine bar, The Upholstery Store, is two doors down from Wallse, and Cafe Kristall should be coming to SoHo this winter). After having worked in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and New York (with David Bouley and then as executive chef at Monkey Bar), Chef Gutenbrunner opened Wallse as his first New York restaurant. This venture earned him two stars from the New York Times in 2004 and one star from Michelin each year since New York restaurants have been eligible for such an honor. Located on a quiet West Village corner near neighborhood hot spots like The Spotted Pig, Perry St, Barbuto, and myriad wine bars, Wallse both fits in (regarding ambiance and quality) and stands out (thanks to its unique cuisine).

The restaurant is comprised of two rooms, the first of which is equipped with a bar. The floors and seats are black, the walls and tablecloths are white, fresh flowers and plants fill the large windows, and the standout design element is the collection of paintings adorning the walls. Over-sized canvases loom over diners, demonstrating Gutenbrunner's desire to marry art and food; an integration which was the impetus to situate his Cafe Sabarsky in the Neue Galerie along Museum Mile.

So how's the food? Not too shabby. You'll find words like spatzle, goulash, wiener schnitzel, and kavalierspitz on the menu. You'll find ingredients like sour cream, cucumbers, lingonberries, and celery root throughout the dishes. Most importantly, you'll find balanced, tasty options like an appetizer of marinated pork loin with smoked eel and prunes, an entree of olive oil poached wild striped bass with sweet pepper marinade, or a roasted veal chop with spinach and chanterelles. Vegetarians won't go hungry either thanks to selections like potato ravioli with chanterelles and potato-chive broth, artichokes and spring root vegetables in a light basil sauce, and side dishes of creamed spinach and potato-cucumber salad.

Of course, to partake in this distinctive experience, it's going to cost a bit more than your average potato salad and apple strudel. At last check, appetizers ranged from $12-$19, entrees were $22-$42, and desserts were $9-$12. Side dishes were available for $9, and Austrian and German cheeses ran about the same. You may also opt to create your own tasting menu by selecting four courses for $75 or six courses for $98, as long as the whole table is on board.

So make a reservation when you're itching for something new, you finally got that promotion at work, and your handsome Viennese boyfriend is longing for a taste of home...assuming anyone at home went to culinary school at the age of 15 like Chef Gutenbrunner and can make a meal just as delicious.

Wallse - 344 West 11th Street, at the corner of Washington Street

No. 7 Sub

The most basic of meals might be a sandwich and soda - unless you're picking it up from No. 7 Sub, in which case your lunch just got straight up cray cray. Broccoli with fresh mozzarella, thai basil pesto, and fried lemon? Roast beef with chimichurri, hummus, and potato chips? Speck with brussel sprouts, pickled blueberries, and mayo? What's happening? I'm scared!

Shhh, lamb. It's ok. Have a sip of the hibiscus ginger ale and relax.

Located in the somewhat recently opened Ace Hotel, the even recentlierer opened sandwich shop is from the same team that brought you Brooklyn's No. 7. Since they are alums of the French Culinary Institute and the respected kitchens of Jean Georges, The Modern, and Perry St, you might trust that these chefs and pastry chefs know what they're doing. Then again, you might not, but that's on you and your trust issues.

The bread is baked off-site in a bakery in Crown Heights, which was opened solely for the purpose of making No. 7 Sub's bread and the syrups for their homemade sodas. Soda flavors include berry-lime rickey, maple cream, and the aforementioned hibiscus ginger ale. They are subject to change, however, just as the sandwich options (some available for breakfast too) come and go on the chef's whim.

Also available are half moon cookies, which are similar in concept to New York's black-and-white cookies though with a chocolate cake-like base and frosting instead of icing (psst, Colgate students of the past, present, and future - they're just like those found at The Barge). No. 7 Sub also offers special half moon flavors on occasion such as brown sugar.

So, it must be stated there is no place to sit in No. 7 Sub. Given all the patrons standing in the small area, reading the menu options posted over the counter, and ordering from the cashier, it's not the worst thing to have to enjoy your meal elsewhere. Thankfully, the lobby of the Ace Hotel is right around the corner, or the tables by Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building are a few blocks south. Come winter, outdoor seating will not be my first choice, but lamb, perhaps you're made of heartier stock than I.

No. 7 Sub - 1188 Broadway, between West 28th & West 29th Streets (in Ace Hotel)

Myers of Keswick

Hey, so you know how you're a British ex-pat? Not a lot of you? Oh. Ok, remember how you followed that punk band around England for two years in the 90s while working on-and-off in a Dr. Martens store and making jewelry out of safety pins? None of you? Right. Well, you've had tea before, yes? Phew. Then you are familiar with goods and food enjoyed in merry old England. Several posts ago, I mentioned I had quite a bit to say about a few more-special-than-your-average-deli delis, so this next one should appeal to anyone seeking York in New York - Manchester in Manhattan - the West End in the West Village - and other plays on words. This is Myers of Keswick - a place that offers British food, bold claims, violent yet charming advice, and Molly the cat. Read on.

Opened in 1985, Myers of Keswick is a shop that sells homemade as well as boxed, canned, bagged, and wrapped food to be eaten elsewhere, as there is no seating inside. The deli case displays the likes of pork pies, Cornish pasties (pronounced "pass-tees"...says the American), scotch eggs, sausage rolls, and curry lamb pies. It is also where they keep their bangers, pork/leek/ginger sausage, black pudding, Irish bacon, and Cumberland sausage. According to the store's website, "These are the only authentic Cumberland sausages made in the USA." That is a statement I cannot verify, but I applaud the immodesty.

The floor to ceiling shelves contain beans, peas, biscuits, teas, crisps, juices, condiments, sodas, baking products, soups, jams, candies, cereals, and basically anything else you might desire. Brands include Heinz, Branston, Weetabix, McVitie's, Sarson's, Baxters, HP, Vimto, Cadbury, and on and on. If you have trouble finding what you want, just ask the staff. On one occasion, when I inquired after toffee and digestive cookies, the man behind the counter correctly inferred I would be making banoffee pie. With his delightful English accent, he suggested which cookies to use, quelled my fears of boiling cans of condensed milk, and advised that when it comes to making the crust, I should, "Kill it with buh-uh." Of course, "buh-uh" meant "butter," and of course, I repeated that phrase to anyone who would listen for the next four days.

Upon entering Myers of Keswick, you will find a black and white tiled floor, that deli case to your left, those stocked shelves to your right, refrigerated items behind glass and wood cabinet-style doors at the back of the room, items like mugs, t-shirts, baby onesies, and flags behind the counter, and Molly the cat lounging around. You may have already heard of Molly, seen her on tv, or read about her in such publications as the New York Times. In the Spring of 2006, she managed to trap herself in the wall for two weeks, drawing crowds of concerned cat-lovers, pet psychics, members of the media, and ultimately, rescuers. I don't even want to know what she ate in the walls to survive, but I am sure it was less appetizing than the shop's chicken and mushroom pie.

So head over to Myers of Keswick when you are hungry for a scone (available in plain or raisin, with or without clotted cream and jam), when you want homemade mince pie at the holidays, or when you are feeling nostalgic for those days of punk in pub basements. Still no on that last one? Fine.

Myers of Keswick - 634 Hudson Street, between Horatio & Jane Streets

Don Peppe

I have been going to Don Peppe since before I was born. My parents enjoyed substantial Italian meals there while my sister sat in a high chair, and I was in the womb. We have returned over the years for many huge lobsters, numerous stuffed artichokes, myriad baked little neck clams, and countless pounds of pasta. Decades later, a meal at Don Peppe is still delicious.

Located near Acqueduct Racetrack and the long-term parking of JFK International Airport, Don Peppe is a no frills Italian restaurant in the South Ozone Park section of Queens. A glass door leads to the long, glass-enclosed waiting room facing the street at the front of the building, and a second glass door opens into the one brightly lit dining room. The tables have linens, the floor is carpeted, the metal-backed chairs have plastic-cushioned seats, and the menu is posted on the back wall. The ambiance is not exactly sultry, but you do not go to Don Peppe for romance unless you are having an affair with garlic.

Don Peppe is a family style restaurant in every sense of the term. The portions are enormous and intended to be shared, while most of the tables are filled with laughing, bickering, celebrating, criticizing relatives. Additionally, over the years, fathers and sons have worked side by side in the kitchen as well as within the waitstaff.

So what's drawing the crowds? The food. It is just red sauce, southern Italian fare, but it is good. And by "good" I mean "GOOD." And by "GOOD" I mean "It is so consistently amazing, I want some right now and don't know what to do with myself." What I can do for now is tell you about it and revel in the memories - which is unsurprisingly not as satisfying as going and eating, but I'm tough and will get through this.

There is the string bean salad with tomatoes and red onion, stuffed peppers, and seafood salad comprised of fresh mussels, clams, and scungilli. There's the linguine with white clam sauce loaded with garlic, plump clams, and more garlic. There's fillet of sole oreganata. Chicken scarpariello with sausage, peppers, and onions. Shrimp marinara. Lobster fra diavolo with mussels and clams over pasta. Broccoli rabe. Veal piccata. Beef brasciola. Even the simple capellini with marinara sauce has flavor for days.

The waiters will not rattle off specials, but if you ask what is in that day or peek in the glass case separating the dining room from the kitchen, you may discover some items that are not listed on the menu. If you see baby eggplants stuffed with bread, olives, and tomatoes, order it - they are tangy and tasty. If you hear they have salmon or red snapper in addition to the usual fillet of sole, order it - Don Peppe does fish better than most seafood restaurants. If you are debating between two entrees, order them both - you will want to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Beverages include water (bottled or tap), soda (by the glass or pitcher), wine (house red and white are available in unlabeled bottles), and beer. Note, no liquor. Come dessert time, there is cappuccino and espresso to accompany your Italian style cheesecake (ricotta, not cream cheese), tartufo, fruit sorbet, or cannoli. "But I'm stuffed," you protest. No, there's always room for a cannoli.

So here's the scoop - Don Peppe is cash only. They do not accept reservations except for parties of about ten or more, but even then, they will break down the table if you are not on time. They are open every day except Monday for both lunch and dinner, but the earlier you arrive, the better, as tables fill up quickly. You know what else goes quickly? That cheesecake I mentioned, which is not even available every day. As for parking, there is no lot, but street parking is available. Also, though the dress code is casual, hats are not to be worn in the dining room, and this policy is surprisingly enforced.

So round up the troops and show up hungry, as there's much eating to be done. Go with your extended family for your niece's graduation, with those family friends whose lawn you used to run around in your bathing suit, or for your own birthday with forty six of your closest friends. Small parties are easily accommodated, but the more people you have at your table, the more dishes you can justify ordering. Just sayin'.

Don Peppe - 135-58 Lefferts Boulevard, Queens, at the corner of 149th Avenue

Brunch, Part 2 - Wait-Your-Face-Off Edition

Heading into the weekend, it is time for the next installation of noteworthy brunch spots (click here for Part 1). Because some restaurants are wildly popular and therefore draw large crowds willing to stand outside for upwards of an hour, today's theme is the waiting game (bonus points to anyone who busts out those dance moves in line). Some people say good things come to those who wait - others will argue, "I can't stand around in the rain for an eternity watching other people through the window enjoy their meals. I'm cold, hungry, tired, and my feet hurt from these stupid shoes. In the time I stood here starving, I could have made coffee and eggs at home, and it would have cost me less money than the taxi ride down here." Or, you know, less specific rants. For those who are willing to stick it out, here is what you can expect once inside these brunch hot spots.

1) Prune - 54 East 1st Street, between 1st & 2nd Avenues

Prune is a small restaurant with limited seating on the Lower East Side. Tables are crammed next to one another, and it takes careful maneuvering not to knock over your neighbor's water glass as you shimmy through to your seat. Well, "careful maneuvering" or "a smaller ass than mine." The western wall's weathered wood framed mirrors, the small tiles of the floor, and the front windows' capacity to open to the sidewalk create a charming, homey atmosphere in this otherwise bustling restaurant.

However, patrons are not here to admire the long bar leading to the open kitchen or to decide if the hanging light fixtures would look appropriate in their own apartment. They are ready to eat unique dishes and make a selection from the pleasantly varied bloody mary list. Now, there are options on the menu that may be found most anywhere else (I'm looking at you, eggs benedict and huevos rancheros), but Prune is the place to try coddled eggs with chicken, grilled handmade lamb sausage with oysters, or butter-crumbed eggs with spicy stewed chickpeas and flatbread. Oh, you wanted a large dutch style pancake cooked in the oven with blueberries that essentially amounts to your own personal cake? Prune has that too. It is also the restaurant for at least ten different bloody marys incorporating ingredients ranging from fresh fennel to beef bouillon to smoked chipotle peppers to baby white turnips to clam juice to beef jerky (used as a swizzle stick). The bloodies are additionally served with a beer chaser.

According to the restaurant's website, brunch is available both Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am until 3:30pm. Considering reservations are not an option, your best bet to be seated sorta-kinda-almost-reasonably-promptly is to go with only one other person. Tables of three are hard to come by, and any party over four might as well bring snacks for the wait, since you won't be eating inside any time soon.

2) Clinton St. Baking Company - 4 Clinton Street, between Houston & Stanton Streets

The popularity of this once-bakery has led to its expansion into a full on restaurant serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. The room has a coffee shop feel given the banquette seating, dessert display, and sundae glasses lining shelves by the coffee pots. Swinging double doors leading to the semi-visible kitchen recall suburban diners, while sections of exposed brick wall are reminders you are in downtown Manhattan.

Brunch menu items include a buttermilk biscuit egg sandwich with tomato jam and cheddar, brioche french toast with caramelized bananas and roasted pecans, and potato pancakes with smoked salmon, lemon creme fraiche, chopped egg, and dill. The real draw, however, is apparently the wild Maine blueberry pancakes (though banana walnut are available too) with warm maple butter. They have been revered across the internet and by my buddies alike, and they were even a subject of one of Bobby Flay's Throwdowns on the Food Network. I would personally rather satisfy a sweet craving with Clinton St. Baking Company's strawberry layer cake or blondie sundae (with salted caramel sauce? oh hellzzz yeah), but to each his own (and other cliches).

According to the restaurant's website, brunch hours are Saturday from 9:00am until 4:00pm and Sunday from 9:00am until 6:00pm. The restaurant will not deliver during this time, but it accommodates take-out orders. As expected, Clinton St. Baking Company does not take reservations for brunch, and expected or not, they only accept credit cards at dinner. Thankfully, if you want to try those pancakes but do not want to pay for them with cash, they are available all day everyday and not solely at brunch.

Grape and Grain/Against the Grain

There is a restaurant in the East Village, which is really a wine bar and a separate annex offering craft beer. What? Well you see, first there is Grape and Grain, a wine bar that serves dinner seven nights a week and brunch on the weekends. Then there is Against the Grain, which is a sliver of a bar next door serving nibbles and brewskies. Yes, you may order wine and beer at both venues, but the more extensive list of vino is available from the former, while the full list of light, white, pale, amber, dark, and darker beers is found at the latter.

Grape and Grain is a small establishment equipped with an L-shaped bar and several sturdy wood tables. Seating is a mix of mismatched stools, wood chairs, benches along the walls, and pillows in the front windowsill. Ornate little chandeliers hang from the pressed tin ceiling, which help to illuminate the votive lit room. The close quarters, dim lighting, and exposed brick walls add up to all shades of snug and cozy. The pan European food, flowing wine, and increasingly loud conversations mean all sorts of satisfaction and happy. The menu here includes appetizers (such as white bean dip with spiced pita chips), cheese, sandwiches (including brie and ham with whole grain mustard and tomato), pizzas (eight different varieties), and dessert.

Against the Grain is situated just on the other side of the building's residential entrance in an even smaller space than that of Grape and Grain. One raised table runs down the center of the narrow room toward the minuscule bar at the rear. Wooden stools abound, as do hooks on which patrons may hang their belongings. Exposed bulbs and votive candles provide the room's light, while a ledge runs along the left exposed brick wall that is adorned with rotating collections of art. According to the restaurant's website, Against the Grain is ideal for groups of twelve to thirty people, though smaller parties should have just as much fun. The menu here includes charcuterie plates, beer steamed cockles, and beer sausages as well as limited options from next door (why yes, I would like a meatball pizza with caramelized onions, thank you very much). The waitstaff hustles between the two venues delivering food and clearing plates, so at times, the wait is long, and the service is harried. That's ok, though - you have your drink and your date to amuse you in the meantime.

So head over to Grape and Grain with that small group who is conspiring to set that one friend up with that other friend. Down the line, you can all celebrate their engagement by reserving the main table at Against the Grain.

Grape and Grain - 620 East 6th Street, between Avenues B & C
Against the Grain - next door

Fried Dumpling

On a street in Chinatown you have probably never walked sits a wee eatery unremarkable for its ambiance, service, and selection. The square footage is minimal, the counter staff is brusque, and the menu is seven items long - a generous tally considering three items are beverages, and one is just a frozen version of another. Yet, you still need to know about this place. With the location comes charm, with the experience comes laughter, and above all else, Fried Dumpling might be the greatest value in Manhattan.

The menu is displayed on the glass window facing the street, and it reads like so:

Fried Dumpling - 5 pieces - $1.00
Fried Pork Bun - 4 pieces - $1.00
Soy Bean Juice - Small $0.75 - Large $1.50
Hot & Sour Soup - Small $1.00 - Large $2.00
Frozen Dumpling - 30 pieces - $5.00
Coffee - 1 cup - $0.50
Tea & Milk - 1 cup - $0.50

I mean...what? If you were to order everything, and large sizes at that, it would only cost $11.50, and you would burst from overindulgence - not to mention indigestion, as those thirty frozen dumplings probably wouldn't go down so easily. It is therefore possible to have a satisfying meal at Fried Dumpling for under $3.00, beverage included.

Now to be honest, the dumplings are not the best I have ever had given my preference for a thinner dough. However, they are by no means the worst, as that title has been reserved for a certain joint (that shall remain nameless) out on Long Island. Also, it turns out I hate warm soy bean juice, but for $0.75, it was worth trying. It was not, however, worth carrying around all day and trying again later after refrigeration...and then for a third time after adding a sweet green tea powdered mix...but we'll chalk that up to determination...and stupidity.

So next time you are in Chinatown, stroll south on Mott from Canal, and turn right when you reach Mosco Street. You will find Fried Dumpling situated on this narrow street that slopes gently west toward Columbus Park. Given the limited counter seating, you might opt to eat your purchase in the park, hustle it back to your office, or devour it on your way to tell your friends about the great deal you just found. Those who used to enjoy Fried Dumpling's now-closed location on Allen Street should be happy to learn their dream of tasty, cheap-ass, greasy food lives on.

Fried Dumpling - 106 Mosco Street, between Mott & Mulberry Streets

Tia Pol

Allow me to take you on a guided tour of Tia Pol, an authentic tapas restaurant worth the hike this far west in Chelsea. I'll ask that you please proceed single-file and keep large purses tucked by your sides, as we will be navigating through narrow quarters. In the off-chance you disturb a patron, he may growl but would be unlikely to strike. If, however, you obstruct his path to the pinchos morunos (juicy, tasty lamb skewers), we here at Fresh Pepper will not be held responsible for the carnage.

Right then. On your left you'll find the wood and marble bar. Here, you may order beer on tap, wine from the all-Spanish list, or an entire meal comprised of small plates (sandwiches are available at lunch, and egg dishes make the menu at brunch - more on the food when we reach the back room. Please hold your questions until then). Perch on one of the mismatched stools, and be sure to check out the daily specials scrawled on the chalkboard. You may enjoy a welcomed breeze in warm weather, as the entire glass front of the establishment can be opened to the sidewalk. In colder weather, people waiting for seats will cram in this area behind you along the brick wall and will mentally will you to eat faster.

As we come to the end of the bar, you will take note of the raised tables to the left. You sit on the high bench along the wall or on one of the backless stools while enjoying your meal in this area. That banging you hear is the bartender brewing fresh espresso. You will either get used to it, drown it out with your own chatter, or know to ask for another table next time.

Alright folks, a few more steps further into the restaurant brings us to...(drumroll for no reason)...this section. Here we find more small tables and stools to the right, perfect for serious heart-to-heart conversations as you dine face-to-face with your mother, brother, lover, significant other, or, you know, buddy. To the left is the kitchen. Peer through the opening in the wall to catch a glimpse of hard-workers working hard.

Anyone who needs the restroom will take this opportunity to go now. It is through this door on the left, and you will find it to be surprisingly spacious and delightfully clean. Everyone else will kindly direct their attention to the alcove where larger parties can be accommodated more comfortably than at the options up front.

Now, if we are all ready, please follow me into the back room, and be sure to mind the step. Here, there is plenty of seating for everyone at the several long tables, which are sometimes used communally for multiple parties when the restaurant is at its busiest. Settle in on the chairs with backs, because I am about to let you in on a little secret (which actually isn't a secret at all, but sometimes I like to be dramatic for no reason, as you may have noticed from that earlier drumroll): The food at Tia Pol is great.

Sometimes the food at tapas restaurants has a commercial feel to it. They offer croquetas which may or may not have come from a box, patatas bravas, a tortilla with egg, potato, and onion, and then there is usually a bowl of mixed olives and/or almonds. Now, that is all well and good (and offered at Tia Pol too), but thankfully Tia Pol realizes there is more to Spanish cuisine than that. Here you will find sweet peppers filled with potato salad and topped with imported white tuna (piquillos rellenos de ensaladilla rusa), a fava bean puree with beyos cheese on toasted bread (montadito de crema de habitas con beyos), razor clams and cockles (navajas y almejas), chorizo finished with sherry (chorizo al jerez), and unexpectedly addictive fried chickpeas (garbanzos fritos). Soups, salads, cheese plates, and cured meats make the menu too, as does a selection of desserts that cover more ground than just the expected flan. It is also wise to pay attention to the daily specials, as this is where you may find gems like flash fried peppers with sea salt and indulgent bone marrow toast.

Lunch is when the menu is more limited but includes sandwiches of crispy squid, serrano ham, pork loin, and chorizo with chocolate. Yep, chocolate. Lunch is available Tuesday through Friday from noon until 3:00pm. The weekends are the time for brunch (11:00am until 3:00pm) when chocolate couples with churros, serrano ham pairs with watercress and a poached egg, and a croissant is warmed a la plancha and served with orange marmalade and sweet cadi butter. Is it wrong that I could maybe eat that butter straight with a spoon? Probably. Not to worry, new friends, I won't. Probably.

Now that we have reached the awkward butter-confession portion of the tour, it is time for us to part ways. Be sure to make a reservation for your next meal at Tia Pol, as you have surely observed seats are fairly limited and customers are not. Come back with that scruffy professional before catching a show at the nearby UCB Theater, on date night with your girlfriend of four years, or by yourself when you are craving juicy, tasty lamb skewers so badly, you could physically harm anyone who obstructs your path to them.

Tia Pol - 205 10th Avenue, between West 22nd & West 23rd Streets

Lupa

Lupa is a Mario Batali restaurant. You know Mario from his television appearances, his cookbooks, his kitchen products, and maybe even from a mention on your favorite blog (ahem). You may have been to his wine store, you may have seen him and his ever-present orange footwear at Chelsea Market, you may have even been to one (or six) of his restaurants. You might therefore also know that Mr. Batali often partners in his endeavors with Joseph Bastianich, and there is no exception in the case of Lupa. Mr. Bastianich has had a hand in Batali's seafood restaurant, Esca, in his 3-star triumph, Babbo, and in several other projects throughout New York, Las Vegas, and California. Also partnering at Lupa are Jason Denton (of 'ino, 'inoteca, and Batali/Bastianich's Otto) and Chef Mark Ladner (sous-chef at Babbo's opening and yet another Otto contributor). All of which is to say, Lupa's owners know a thing or two about Italian restaurants, and thankfully, at Lupa, it shows.

For starters, the food is prepared well. Sadly, the same can not be said for every Italian restaurant throughout Manhattan. Basics like pasta are often overcooked, drenched in sauce, or they arrive cold at the table. Mercifully, Lupa's pasta dishes are al dente, flavorful without being overworked, and hot. The style of the food is Roman, as the restaurant's full name is Lupa Osteria Romana. According to the restaurant's website (and Italian speakers the world over), "Osteria Romana" means "Roman Tavern," and "Lupa" means "She-Wolf." Parenthetically, you have no idea how badly I want to crack a Shakira joke.

The menu is divided into categories: verdura, carne, insalata, pesce, primi, secondi, and piatto del giorno (aka, vegetables, meat, salad, fish, first courses, entrees, and daily specials). A good portion of the menu is written in Italian, but a glossary on the back will help in the deciphering process as will the waitstaff, who are typically friendly and engaging. The food may be shared family style, or you may opt to hoard a selection from one of the above mentioned categories for yourself - hey, if you can annihilate an order of house made coppa cotta by your lonesome, who am I to say otherwise?

The restaurant is divided into two rooms, both of which are casual yet polished. The front room is packed with wood chairs at dark wood tables, approximately 9 stools at the bar to the left, and a large wine hutch anchoring the right wall at the rear of the space. The floors are ceramic, the walls are a rusty orange color, and the noise level is lively. Pretty much exactly what one might expect of an Italian trattoria. Arched doorways lead to the smaller back room in which the tables have cloths, cushioned banquettes line the wall, and a chandelier coupled with wall sconces provide the light. This back room may seem more serene than the front at first glance, but the noise level and energy in the space depends largely on the patrons at any given time.

So let's talk particulars. Reservations are highly recommended for dinner, though you may have some luck strolling in without one for lunch. The food is moderately priced considering the quality, but there are ways to pay less than what you might otherwise expect. Lupa offers "Roma Mezzanotte," which is a late night price-fixed menu for $26* per person. It is available Sunday through Thursday from 10:00pm until midnight, and it includes three courses (antipasta, pasta, and dessert) plus a glass of wine. The regular menu is also available during this time.

Lupa also hosts events from time to time which showcase a particular seasonal ingredient, method of cooking, holiday tradition, or region of wine (Bastianich is an owner of several wineries; one of which includes Batali as a partner. Not surprisingly, Lupa's wine list is extensive.) A good way to learn about upcoming events is to visit the restaurant's website and/or join their mailing list. Additionally, you may host your own private event, as Lupa is equipped to accommodate up to 80 guests (up to 30 guests at dinner or the entire restaurant at lunch). It should be noted that any party larger than 6 at lunch or dinner is required to partake in a price-fixed menu option rather than dining a la carte.

So next time you are hungry like the wolf, grab your favorite she-wolf and head over to Lupa for an evening in Roma without ever leaving New York, New York. (I couldn't resist.)

Lupa - 170 Thompson Street, between between Bleecker & Houston Streets

UPDATE - The price has increased. I repeat. The price has increased. Lupa's Roma Mezzanotte will set you back a cool $3 more than before at $29 per person. We can storm the streets in protest, OR...pay it. Yeah, just pay it. Occupy Lupa sounds like too much of a headache to organize.

Lamazou

This was initially intended to be a post about several more-special-than-your-average-deli delis, but I realized I had more-rambling-than-your-average-blurb to say about each. Without further delay, it is time to discuss the first of the few: Lamazou and all its amazingness.

Lamazou used to present itself as a cheese shop - and it is. With a rumored cheese cave in the basement and a display case full of camembert, epoisse, comte, robiola, cheddar, reblochon, brie, smoked gouda, manchego, herbed goat, gorgonzola dolce, vacherain, stilton, havarti, and so much more, it certainly covers the cheese spectrum. However, as indicated by Lamazou's relatively new sign out front, there is more to this gem than a lactose intolerant's nightmare. It now additionally and appropriately advertises itself with words like "sandwiches," "catering," and "gift basket."

For starters, there's the meat. A refrigerated case behind the cheese display houses a large enough assortment to slake your thirst for various cured proteins for years to come. From spicy sopressata to garlic sausage, serrano ham to proscuitto di parma, mortadella to genoa salami, roast beef to bresaola, french ham to chorizo, there's something for every taste. More of a poultry fan? They offer honey turkey, roast turkey, smoked turkey, grilled chicken, and buffalo chicken.

"Yeah, but I can get a turkey sandwich anywhere," you say.
"True, but how about smoked duck breast? Venison pate? Truffle liver mousse?" I retort.
"Ew," you say.
"I just meant they have more than your typical corner bodega. Feel free to order whatever makes you happy," I explain.
"I see. Let's never fight again," you say. And we lived happily ever after.

Beyond the cheese and meat, Lamazou also offers salads, Mediterranean selections (such as tabbouli, humus, babaghannouj, and stuffed grape leaves), grilled vegetables, marinated vegetables, cole slaw, tuna fish, smoked salmon, and egg salad laced with strong roquefort (Something that is better to know beforehand than to be surprised by after the first bite. I promise).

All of the above options may be combined in whatever manner you see fit to make hearty sandwiches on a variety of freshly baked breads (including baguettes, ciabatta, pumpernickel rolls, multi-grain rolls, sliced rye, and semolina) with or without dressings, garnish, or condiments (such as horseradish, cornichons, pesto, or simply lettuce and tomato). Suggestions of well-crafted Lamazou sandwiches may be found on Lamazou's website, and they (as well as any other sandwich you create) may be ordered as a half ($4.90-$5.95) or whole ($7.75-$9.99) portion. Lunch specials are offered from 11:00am to 3:00pm, which include soup (selection changes daily) and a sandwich. Grab a Pellegrino from the refrigerator, a box of dried apricots near the register, and don't be surprised when your coworkers ask, "Wheredja get that?" (I don't know why they're asking so inarticulately either).

Maybe you are not interested in a vast cheese selection, meats from around the world, or enough vegetarian side dishes to keep your crunchy visitor from San Francisco sated. Maybe you would like some imported goodies to remind you of your trip to London (Hob Nobs, Ribena, and Heinz Salad Cream, perhaps), to recreate your favorite Parisian crepe at home (a jar of Nutella, bien sur), or to finish off that antipasti plate you are planning for dinner (tuna stuffed olives should do the trick). Lamazou offers shelves upon shelves of gourmet delights from tea to caviar to jam to truffle oil to biscuits.

So stop by this sliver of a storefront when you are hungry for a meal on the go (as there is no seating at Lamazou). Send a thank you to your in-laws after a weekend at their country home (from the gift basket menu or by filling a hand-picked decorative basket hanging over Lamazou's counter with whatever you think they would like best). Drop hints at your next office meeting the boss would prefer a catered Lamazou lunch for her birthday over whatever the jerk from three cubicles over was just suggesting (you know she thinks he's an idiot anyway).

Lamazou - 370 3rd Avenue, between East 26th & East 27th Streets

Mizu

So he says to me, he says, "Hey! Fresh Pepper!" Though you know it sounded like "Peppah."
And I'm like, "Word?"
He goes, "I'm ten blocks south of Mishima, and I ain't tryin' to walk for no sushi."
So I'm like, "Oh yeah?"
And he's all, "Yeah! What you got?" But it comes out like, "Challenge!"
With my brightest Colgate smile, I go, "Mizu, homes!"

I hope you enjoyed my entirely fictional and unnecessarily affected dramatic sketch. The moral of the story is: there is a Japanese restaurant in Gramercy called Mizu, which is worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood. The food is fresh, the service is prompt, and the atmosphere is a touch trendier than the previously discussed Tomoe and Mishima.

Whereas the other two restaurants are sparse in their decor, Mizu's design elements include exposed brick (along one wall), slate tiles (along another wall), and illuminated rice paper (throughout the room and most noticeably in a palm frond formation on the ceiling). Even the wood-framed glass door and floor-to-ceiling front windows are ornate in that each panel is comprised of multiple glass panes in varying geometric shapes. However, plastic tabletops, plastic-cushioned metal chairs, and exposed air conditioning units render the overall feel of Mizu casual. The loud crowds and music are contributing factors as well.

So how does Mizu measure up against my sushi restaurant test? The california roll was $6.50 at last check, which indicates prices are not particularly low. Regular rolls range from $4.00 (cucumber roll) to $8.00 (tuna/avacado/caviar roll) with an average of $6.00. Special rolls range from $6.50 to $15.00 with an average of $11.00. This is by no means outrageous, but it is not a bargain either. As for my spicy scallop roll, they have one, it is tasty, and it costs $9.00.

I recommend Mizu for one of those fun Thursday nights that feels like a Saturday after several after-work flutes of champagne at the aptly-named Flute across the street, for a double date with that couple who both wear fedoras on a regular basis, or for lunch with your nephew - he's already in the neighborhood and unwilling to walk the ten blocks to Mishima anyway.

Mizu - 29 East 20th Street, between Broadway & Park Avenue South

Perry St

First things first - Perry St is indeed located on Perry Street, but its entrance is around the corner on West Street. This information should save you the inconvenience of walking into the lobby of the building's residential section, and it should save the doorman of said section from redirecting yet another disoriented diner. You're welcome.

So yes, the restaurant is located on the ground floor of a Richard Meier building - a building comprised of swanky multi-million dollar condominiums, one of which is home to Perry St chef/owner, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Needless to say, the restaurant is not too shabby a space. From the outdoor slate tiles by the mini infinity pool-esque water feature, one enters through the glass vestibule into a sleek space of muted tones and minimalist decor with industrial touches. The host/hostess stand is in front of you, the lounge is to the left (beyond which is the coat check), the bar is to the rear, and the L-shaped dining room is to the right.

The lounge area is outfitted with barely-plush couches, leather benches, and knee-high tables under dangling filament bulbs. In the main area, diners sit on white leather banquettes and armchairs at rectangular tables or around high-backed rounded banquettes at round tables. Light in the main room is provided by shaded floor lamps arching over tables and by the sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows through which one spies the Hudson River beyond the West Side Highway. Glare is tempered by lightly colored sheer shades, which complement the dark chocolate carpet, light gray cement pillars, and varying hues of wood throughout the room.

Like at other Vongerichten restaurants throughout and beyond Manhattan, you can ultimately count on a great meal with attentive service. Dinner at Perry St will be a smidge more casual than his namesake at the Trump International Hotel & Tower at Central Park West. That's ok, because the prices are a smidge lower accordingly. The atmosphere at Perry St will be less ornate than his Spice Market in the Meatpacking District - less boisterous than the ambiance at Mercer Kitchen in Soho - less stodgy than the nuances at JoJo on the Upper East Side - more refined than the cafe-like touches at Nougatine back at Central Park. That's ok too, because it seems the point of Perry St is a return to basics, in which attention is predominantly focused on the food.

The food at Perry St is American at its core with French and Asian influences. The meal starts with an amuse bouche from the chef, usually a soup, which varies with the season. From there, you may order a la carte or from the price-fixed menu. The restaurant offers a $26 lunch and a $38 dinner, both of which are three courses (two plates and a dessert; additional plates are $13 each). The dinner promotion is offered between 5:30pm and 6:00pm as well as after 9:30pm everyday except Saturday.

Appetizers at Perry St include the likes of a beet salad with goat cheese and champagne mango vinaigrette, crispy poached eggs with caviar and vodka cream, and sweet chili crab dumplings with cilantro and sugar snap peas. Entrees include slowly baked arctic char with white asparagus and basil vinaigrette, fried chicken with a spicy pea puree and pickled onions, and braised rabbit with lemongrass and ginger sweet corn. The desserts are artfully composed as well. At one point, there was a chocolate mousse with crystallized violets on the menu; at another time, white chocolate and meringue with yuzu sorbet.

So make a reservation at Perry St for your favorite forty year old who would prefer a quiet birthday celebration if you must celebrate this new decade at all, for your date with the woman you are finally ready to introduce to your friends (maybe meet them afterward for cocktails at the Jane Hotel five blocks north), for lunch with Calvin Klein and Nicole Kidman who were rumored to live upstairs (in separate apartments, of course) at one point or another. That is, if you actually know them.

Perry St - 176 Perry Street, at the corner of West Street

Table d'Hote

So you know how Le Grainne Cafe was this casual French bistro? Well Table d'Hote...isn't. Yes, it is French, and no, they will not turn you away in jeans and sneakers, but it is less "Let's grab a crepe," and more, "I'll have the seared salmon with accompanying roasted shallot risotto and greens."

Thankfully, the ambiance is not pretentious. On account of the small size of the room, the hutches that serve double duty as decoration and wine storage, the framed drawings of fruit and women lining the walls, the wood chairs with straw seats, the half curtains covering the bottoms of the windows, and the restaurant's location on a quiet side street on the Upper East Side, Table d'Hote is neither bustling like Paris nor decadent like the Riviera. Instead, it feels more like the countryside - cozy, inviting, and informally elegant.

The menu is divided into firsts and mains, but the mains are further categorized into tasting and entree portions. Although smaller than the entree sizes, the tasting portions are not exactly small. On a recent visit, I ordered a bowl of cauliflower and blue cheese soup (a special appetizer that day) and the tasting size of the quail. The plate was loaded with rosemary and ginger stuffing, swiss chard, and a well seasoned bird. The waiter explained the entree size would have come with the same amount of stuffing and greens but with two birds instead of the one. My order was the appropriate size for my appetite, but perhaps it would not have been sufficient for someone who had skipped the appetizer - for someone who had sadly worked through lunch that afternoon - for someone who had not just consumed the beer I had just consumed at the Central Park Boathouse.

As is fitting of a delightful restaurant on the Upper East Side with quality food, a suitable wine selection, and attentive service, the prices are moderately expensive. However, price-fixed menus are available at brunch, lunch, and dinner, so it is certainly possible to enjoy a reasonably priced meal - rendered all the more enjoyable and somehow more scrumptious by the reasonable price.

So head over with that out-of-towner who asked to visit the Guggenheim, that couple you and your wife met while wine tasting in the Hamptons, or your partner of 35 years. If you are gamblers by nature, you can go to the fewer-than-30-seats restaurant without a reservation. Though a craps shooter in casinos, I am less of a risk taker when it comes to dinnertime and suggest calling ahead.

Table d'Hote - 44 East 92nd Street, between Madison & Park Avenues

Bubby's (aka Bubby's Pie Co.)

A few years ago, I had jury duty in the triangle below Canal - more or less cryptically known as Tribeca. When we broke for lunch on the first day, I hoped to find a spot more casual and less expensive than those in the area with which I was already familiar (such as Thalassa, Nobu, and the now closed Chanterelle). I found Bubby's.

As the name implies, Bubby's serves the kind of food grandmothers across the nation may be proud to claim as their own. The website labels the cuisine "American cookery," so a breakfast dish like Gina's Huevos Rancheros may resemble your abuela's in San Diego, the matzo ball soup at lunch may remind you of your nana's in Brooklyn, and the authentic pit barbecue at dinner might compare to your grandmama's in Austin. The menu also includes salads, sandwiches, burgers, pancakes, mac & cheese, and side dishes like hush puppies, collared greens, onion straws, baked beans, and mashed potatoes with chicken gravy.

Bubby's is located on the southeast corner of Hudson and N. Moore Streets. Its floor to ceiling windows allow for a sun-filled room during the day and prime pedestrian watching during the night, as Bubby's is open 24 hours, 6 days a week, and until midnight on Mondays. The main room is spacious with caddies of condiments on wood tables by wood chairs and banquettes across the wood floor. This room is adjacent to Bubby's bakery where all of the restaurant's desserts are homemade and have been since its opening in 1990, when a pizza oven was used to bake pies (noooooow "Bubby's Pie Co." is starting to make sense, huh?).

Lines may be long at weekend brunch, and dishes may cost more than expected overall. Some will declare it is worth it - some will kvetch it is not. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, you have the option of loving/hating/remaining indifferent at the Tribeca location or at the one down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass - more or less cryptically known as DUMBO.

So treat that director whose work wasn't particularly well received at the latest Tribeca Film Festival, that cute potential juror who spent the past two days dreading being called into that side room, or your kids who hate grandma's meatloaf but are willing to eat Bubby's bacon-wrapped variety.

Bubby's - 120 Hudson Street, at the corner of N. Moore Street

Mishima

I have three basic tests for sushi restaurants:

1. Is the california roll more than $5.00?
2. Is raw scallop on the menu?
3. Would I eat said scallop here?

Here is the reasoning:

1. Although I do not often order california rolls, they are a solid standard by which to measure overall price reasonableness of a restaurant. If a fluff item of vegetables and imitation crab costs more than $5.00, the legitimate fish will probably hit the wallet harder than necessary.
2. Scallops are not offered everywhere, and they do not need to be. However, when I am looking for something more than a spicy tuna roll, it is lovely to know the establishment provides interesting options. "Interesting" is subjective, and I would agree there are more off-the-beaten-path choices than this particular one; however, this is a basic test, and something as extreme as poisonous blowfish is not required to pique my interest. Also, I think scallops are tasty, so lay off me, bub.
   
3. The availability of raw shellfish does not automatically mean I will eat it. The combination of the restaurant's cleanliness and reputation for quality goes quite far in this regard.

How Mishima measures up:

1. The california roll was $5.00 at last check. I would forgive an increase to $5.50 considering how well the staff has treated me in years past (a free dish of edamame here, rushed delivery there), but I am not trying to give the management any silly ideas.
   
2. Scallops? Got 'em! Other menu items include both lobster miso soup and clam miso soup in addition to the standard tofu miso soup. Appetizers cover basics like shumai, gyoza, and negimaki while also including nasu-shigiyaki (eggplant with miso paste and ground chicken) and goma ae (spinach with sesame sauce). As for entrees, yes, there's sushi and udon noodles, teriyaki and tempura, but there's also una don (boiled eel on rice) and, at times, hamachi kama (which is Japanese for "yellowtail collar" and probably also for "crazy delicious").
3. Not only do I feel comfortable eating the scallops here, I am compelled to order at least one spicy scallop roll upon every visit. This may have something to do with the spicy mayo sauce, which is preferable in my opinion to the chili flakes/paste/oil used elsewhere, and which is all shades of yum. Now, I am not going to say Mishima is the absolute best Japanese restaurant in Murray Hill, but I am going to note several others have come and gone from this neighborhood over the years while Mishima has remained a constant. Take from that information what you will.

Mishima is noticeable on Lexington Avenue thanks to its three black awnings with simple white lettering. One spans the ground floor picture window and door, while the other two are anchored above the restaurant's second story windows. After stepping down from the sidewalk to the entrance, you have the option of sitting in the narrow downstairs area at one of the tables along the mirrored wall or at the sushi bar. Otherwise, you may choose to sit at the second sushi bar upstairs or at one of the tables in this brighter, larger space. The food and sake taste the same in either location, so don't agonize over the decision. Chances are you will be seated wherever there is room, as the restaurant is typically busy during peak lunch and dinner hours.

So go with that Long Islander who drove in via the Midtown Tunnel and doesn't want to sit in any more traffic, that coworker who spills the best gossip about your other coworkers, or that recent graduate who is living out College 2.0 in one of those Murray Hill "dorms." Run it by your own checklist, and let me know what you think.

Mishima - 164 Lexington Avenue, between East 30th & East 31st Streets

Le Grainne Cafe

Bonjour mes amis! Aujourd'hui nous parlerons d'un restaurant francais. Pamplemousse ananas framboise. Which translates to: Hello friends! Today we're going to talk about a French restaurant. Grapefruit pineapple raspberry. (Sure, those last three words are nonsensical here, but they were fun to say).

Said restaurant, Le Grainne Cafe, is a casual, bustling spot on the northwest corner of 21st and 9th. It is one open room filled with tables, tables, an open kitchen, and tables. Upon entering through the glass and nicked wood door, one has the inclination to maneuver past the table in the doorway, over to the right, where there's enough room by the hostess stand to get in every waiter/waitress' path and accidentally bump the diner's chair at that corner table in the window. Thankfully, the hostess hustles you to a seat promptly, so the next party can squeeze in and jostle each other in their attempt to get out of everyone's way.

In true Manhattan and Parisian form, the tables are close to one another so as to fit as many patrons as possible. This means sitting close to strangers on the wood banquette near the window to the left or on wood and plastic woven chairs at paper-covered tables stretching down the center of the room to the back wall.

Yeah, it's a tight fit, but that does not mean Le Grainne Cafe is without its charms. For starters, little chalkboards advertising sweets lean against the painted pressed-tin walls. Decorative roosters (a symbol of France - check out the crest on the National Team soccer kit) perch in windowsills. Old school posters are classic nods to a land where museums line the Seine, the Cote d'Azur sparkles at sunrise, coffee is strong, swimsuits are small, and most sandwiches are smeared with butter. France. I'm talking about France.

Some sandwiches get the butter treatment here as well (saucisson beurre and jambon beurre to name two). Other French dishes include the croque monsieur (toasted ham and cheese), moules (various preparations of mussels), crepes (both savory and sweet), escargots (in their shells, Pretty Woman style), and onion soup, bien sur. A variety of salads, sandwiches on toasted baguettes speared by a sprig of rosemary, quiches, and side dishes (ratatouille, anyone?) are offered, as are some entrees that stray from the expected options - fettucini carbonara, various risotto dishes, and linguini with spicy shrimp to name a few. Classic desserts (including tarte tatin, mousse au chocolat, and creme brulee) are to be enjoyed as you linger over your cafe au lait, cintron chaud (fresh squeezed lemon, honey and hot water), or rhum lait chaud (spiced rum, milk and honey). Le Grainne Cafe also provides a full wine list, fruit juices, sodas, and label-free bottles of tap water.

Le Grainne Cafe is one of those great neighborhood spots, where you know you'll be satisfied for breakfast (when croissants and egg options are available), lunch, or dinner when you just can't think of anywhere else you would rather go that day. Proximate to Chelsea Piers, the Highline, and the art galleries tucked all around the area, it draws those from beyond the Chelsea borders as well. Need a quick bite after success at the driving range? Want an espresso to energize you for that elevated park stroll? Feel you deserve a nutella crepe after staring at who-knows-what by who-knows-who to express are-you-kidding? C'est le cafe pour vous! Pomme de terre bibliotheque singe. (This is the cafe for you! Potato library monkey).

Le Grainne Cafe - 183 9th Avenue, at the corner of West 21st Street