Chez Napolean

Chez Napolean is tiny, eclectically decorated, and a bit romantic. They churn out a long menu of legit French dishes. Entrees average $24, a full meal here is not going to be super cheap. For me, the service kinda feels like you are a guest in the home of a French matriarch who is stern but has a heart of gold.


I am a sucker for garlicky escargot, and tend to order it when I see it. Here 6 of them came in individual little ceramic containers.

My entree, canard a l'orange, was really delicious. Thee duck was moist on the inside with just a hint of orange flavor and the outside was crisp and glazed with the orange sauce. Normally I am not a huge fan of orange and meat, but it definitely was done right here. It came with a nice helping of wild rice.

I ate a lot of the bread that came at our table during the longish wait for our food and I knew I had to save room for dessert so I took practically half of my main dish home and it made for a hearty breakfast.

Make sure to order your dessert souffle at the beginning of the meal to give it time to be made fresh. Ours came with a booze filled grand marnier sauce, that only added to the major wine buzz I had going on.

A much better French dining experience than the neighboring Tout va Bien.


365 W 50th

Cacio e Pepe: lots of cacio, too much pepe

It was another night where outdoor dining was essential and luckily we didn't have to wait long to score an outdoor table for 2 here on a Saturday night. The waiter swayed me in my decision to order the signature dish- cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper). It is served to you from a giant Parmesan bowl, hello photo op. The pasta mostly tastes of the warm cheesiness that blankets it. The other main element of the sauce was large pieces of cracked pepper, this was a bit different for me. Biting into a piece of peppercorn is usually something one tries to avoid, but here it used to add a spiciness to cut the cheese (teehee). I see what they were trying to do here and I knew what I was getting myself into when I ordered it, but it was just not something I could get myself to completely enjoy. But I really did like the texture and taste of the homemade pasta and cheese sauce, how could I not. I wondered about that huge cheese bowl, what do they clean it out at night? You can't exactly throw that in the dishwasher. We were informed that each order of cacio e pepe is served from one cheese bowl that they replace every 3-4 days. The sausage and pork over polenta was quite good. I do love polenta and theirs took on the porky flavor and made it extra tasty. I plan on coming back here to enjoy more flavorful Italian pasta in a relaxed setting and next time I need to try out some appetizers.

182 Second Ave.

Room Service: Thai'ed up in a pretty package

When I first passed by this place I thought it was some kind of new lounge. When I found out it was just ANOTHER 9th avenue Thai place I was disappointed. But the few reviews out about the restaurant were glowing, so I figured it couldn't hurt to check it out. This restaurant opened here in March and its other location is in Chelsea. The place is gorgeous: grey scale walls, classy moldings, a perfectly gaudy gaudy chandelier right in the middle, a cow print bar, vintage mirrors all around, and an entrance with huge glass windows and white door.  Maybe that sounds weird all together, but trust me, it worked. The Detox cocktail made me feel healthier as I sipped it; its an organic vodka cocktail with ginger, pomegranate, honey, and cucumber. Another cocktail on the menu is Redbull vodka, however they claim they use the original redbull that originated in Thailand. I am not a redbull expert, so I didn't taste too much of a difference, but its a cool idea. The menu has a lot of options, with standard dishes you would expect from a Thai restaurant along with more creative choices from what they call the "eat like a bangkokian" section. I normally like to pick something more interesting over pad thai, but Room Service offers the standard version and the bangkok version which is actually wrapped in an egg crepe.  A note at the bottom of the menu suggests adding on sun-dried shrimp, a typical bangkok snack. How could I resist that? The Room Service Pad Thai is presented beautifully and comes with regular shrimp (good), scallops and mussels (not as good) along with noodles that benefited from the hot sauce dotted along the side of the plate and th mango shreds on top. I really liked the sun dried shrimp, they are briny and have a fun texture, like some kind of shrimp jerky. The Bangkok pumpkin chicken curry had the perfect level of spiciness, but I would have liked to taste more pumpkin instead of just a standard curry taste. 

 I would love to come back here for dinner as well as for the lunch special. One last noteworthy element of this place would be the flashy/sexy  ethnic garb of the staff, they match the pretty plates and interior. 

690 9th Ave

Dovetail: Supper Suppa

Dovetail's Sunday Suppa was really close to perfection. Easy to get to from the C train, and right around the corner from Shake Shack. The space is romantic but not distracting. We started with cocktails in the little bar area: a nicely prepared Manhattan and a lemon basil fizzy cocktail for me. They started us with cheesy cornbread that I liked very much and an amuse of salmon wrapped horseradish pannacotta. Even though I hate salmon, I liked this little bite, especially the creaminess with the spicy kick added. For my suppa app I ordered the gnocchi w short rib ragu and hot damn was it banging. The gnocchi were incredibly soft with a slight crunch to the outside. The ragu held its own and added a balanced meaty flavor. The beef tartare appetizer... well lets pause for a second, beef tartare conceptually is a little scary, at least carpaccio is nice and sliced for you so you don't have to stare at a lump of raw meat... anyway, I tried it and I wanted more and the slaw and candied kumquats were unexpected matches for it.
For the main I went with the duck goulash. My only criticism is that the cavetelli in it were undercooked, very unfortunate because it would have been perfect if that were not the case. The flavor of the goulash was bold and I couldn't even put my finger on what the hell they made it with. This was probably one of the only times that I could not come close to finishing my meal in a prix fix setting- the portions are usually small enough that even little me can dispose of all they place in front of me. Not the case; I got a doggy bag and they are so classy and clever that they gave me a coat room style ticket so I wouldn't have to be bothered with it and I could pick it up at the end of my meal. We had an excellent bottle of wine that the serious sommelier lady helped us choose. The butterscotch pudding with bbq chip somehow worked for the dessert course. Unfortunately I was barely able to make a dent in my chocolate mousse (balanced out by orange marmalade thing)- I felt like a criminal letting all that dense gooey chocolatyness go to waste, but what could I do, I needed to fit in my little dress. I should not have eaten that second helping of corn bread.

The Sunday night deal is well worth it. Despite very overlookable snafoos like a missing bread plate, the service was top notch. I felt they treated me like the classy broad that I am. They even sent us on our way with little containers of peanut butter granola.


103 W 77th St

Sweet Emily's

I really really hope this new restaurant makes it! The food is an amazing value, especially given the location. The decor is classy and the lighting is sexy. Saying the service was attentive would be an understatement; there were few others in the restaurant. I started with the margarita with jalepenos and strawberry (inspired by the Death and Co Fresa Brava?) which was strange but in a good way. They start you off with a mini cornbread. The bacon mac and cheese appetizer was almost spot on; the texture was great but the inside was a bit cold and I did not taste much bacon. The main courses are really noteworthy and average a mere $15. I ordered the shrimp and grits, both were prepared exactly as I hoped they would be. The tilapia entree had the perfect crust and tasted very fresh. There was unfortunately no room for dessert, next time. The place is just so darn inviting that we ended up moving to the couches at the bar area for a post dinner drink where I enjoyed the tartness of the blackberry mojito. I was sad to see so many empty tables at this restaurant. I hope they fill up (hint hint go eat there tonight), I am rooting for them!

321 W 51st St

Kyotofu

Cocktails and desserts are the way to go here, no matter what time of day. Its fine to have cake in the morning if it comes with green tea and is made out of tofu. The savory food I have experienced have not totally been worth it, either too tiny or not so pleasant tasting. But moving on, the cocktail menu is creative. I love the signature Kyotofu with raspberry, mint, and white sesame shochu and I am sure it tastes even better when its half-off during the happy hour. The famous miso chocolate cake is perfectly complemented by the bitter green tea cream, it shocks your palette. The dessert sampler is a really great and adorable thing to share with your boo. We had the 5 item dessert brunch selection with rich chocolate souffle cupcake, a unique cheesecake, the soothing sweet tofu, the odd anmistsu which is most likely a dessert they eat on mars, and the perfect choc and vanilla soft serve with mochi. It was a great combination of flavors. The place can be a little expensive but many items are worth it. although we were advised otherwise, the teas could easily be shared if you are only interested in a cup or two. The space is pretty and they have a clean looking open kitchen. If I were a guy, I would take my dates here.


705 9th Ave

Orso Restaurant

Dinner:
Also had a great time. We got a pizza appetizer, which was very good. I think I pissed the chefs off, forgetting they don't substitutions, hopefully they didn't remove the arugula and switch it with spit. For the main course I had the pappardelle with wild boar ragout. I was wildly impressed with the home made pasta; it was so wide and smooth and felt absolutely amazing in my mouth.

The service here is good... but a little strange, its hard to put my finger on it. Everyone is maybe too friendly- pulling your table out when its not always necessary, too many people greeting at the door, I don't know... Also a little on the pricey side, but it is restaurant row. Still, its a really great restaurant for all times of day.


Brunch:
Had a lovely sunday brunch here. The place is kind of hidden, so look out for the stairs and tiny sign. The bubbly waitress encouraged us to break bread over the table and make a mess. Cute, but trying the white bean dip was made more difficult without bread plates. I had the grilled pugliese bread with poached egg, prosciutto, and fontina with a white wine sauce. I thought it was amazing and the epitome of the perfect brunch item. I am not a scrambled egg or omelet lover and tend not to go out for breakfast or brunch too often. I loved the way the crispy bread soaked up all the flavors. It was not at all weird that there was a shallot-white wine sauce on my brunch plate. Others ordered the frittata and the salmon and were happy with them. The dishware is adorable. Am looking forward to returning for dinner.

322 W 46th Street

Ninth Avenue Vintner

This place has everything that is delicious in the world. 5 stars purely for the beer, cheese, and food store on the right side bc I think the wine store is a little pricey.

They have an amazing beer selection with 10% off when you buy 6. Its worth it to pick up the fancy beers considering what they would charge for them at a bar.

The back area where they serve food is a little like Narnia. You make your way through the aisle of beer and cheese and suddenly you find yourself in a land where moderately priced gorgeous sandwiches filled with the freshest ingredients await you. Take a cold bottle of beer and they will pour it for you, or go for a glass of wine. They throw in some nuts and dried fruit to accompany your sandwich or pannini. It is perfect for a casual meal that is healthy and delicious in an unexpected environment.



669 9th Ave

Cha-An: open sesame

Clearly if you come here you must have the black sesame creme brule. It is as good as everyone says it is. My friends ordered some unimpressive dim sum; so I suggest sticking with tea, sake, and dessert. There are some very reasonably priced sakes and (although on the expensive side for hot water and leaves) flavorful teas to please everyone. The early gray chocolate mochi was so tasty and different, but really intense, so it is a good thing to share.
There isn't a wait before 630 on weeknights. Yes cash only, yes hilarious and amazing ladies bathroom. Oh, if you remember to ask, there is a weeknight happy hour special that gets you a few tiny but delicious snacks with an order of an alcoholic drink.

230 E. 9th St

Ivo & Lulu

I can't relate to any of the negative reviews about the service here. Yea, the place is tiny, but privacy is overrated. Two of us were there around 730 on a Friday and there was plenty of space (we had a reservation) but by 8 it was starting to fill up.
We ordered the escorgot as an appetizer, but for some reason the adorable waitress heard mussels. She apologized, they were on the house, and then sent us the escargot. Turns out the mussels were way better anyway. The sauce was addicting, whereas the sauce for the escargot was overpowering and salty.
Our delicious bread was refilled for us. The waitress uncorked our byo wine- no corkage fee, how can you not love that.
The smoked duck was perfection with a smokey, bacon tasting skin, tender meat, and well balanced sauce.

558 Broome St

Uncle Nick's Ouzaria Greek Tapas

Fire is fun, cheese is always good, and flaming cheese is just beautiful, I had to order the saganaki even though it pained me to compute the caloric intake. I also really enjoyed my calamari in garlic sauce: extreme garlic action, the kind that makes your pores smell like garlic for a few days- yum yum yum. The grilled swordfish was a little plain. We had a nice bottle of Greek wine. It might get a little pricey if you try to fill up on the smaller dishes; the larger entrees are priced fairly though one may not fill you up on its own. Its a cute place even though the tables are on top of each other. The service was very fast and we even got complimentary shots of dessert wine.


749 9th Ave

Perbacco: cheese creme brulee dream

The place is so cute I felt cuter by being there. The tiny place was packed, but my party of 2 was able to get a seat quickly, maybe due to the snowy night. The place is packed; your neighbors will hear your coversations. We learned the couple next to us requested their dishes without cheese and wanted to order a bottle of Port- weirdddooos.

I came for the Parmesan creme brulee and was not disappointed. It really was a beautiful thing with the intensely cheesey flavor, burnt cheese top, and balsamic reduction to balance it all.
I enjoyed the semolina gnochi and fried sage leaves, although the accompanying lamb ragu was not that special. The portion size and price was very fair. The menu does a great job at offering main dishes that range from very affordable ($14) to more expensive. The menu is less friendly for the calorie minded, as my dining companion noted. Service was attentive and never pushy.

234 E 4th Street

Bar Carrera

Very lovable little establishment. You can't help but enjoy the way it is decorated. The tiny dining room opens at 7, so we sat at the bar, and as it was early, the place was not at all crowded. We enjoyed a carafe of cucumber sangria, normally I am a red sangria person, but this was refreshing and different. The strawberry sangria is also delicious, also not your typical sangria with the fruity and clove-ness of it. A 15 dollar carafe is 4 full glasses, its a really great deal. It made me happy that this place served a drink with coke and red wine, that my friends always make fun of me for loving. One bartender was easy on the eyes, but kind of a dodo and didn't seem to know much about anything, and on another occasion the bartender was much more fun and intelligentWe ordered a simple chorizo tapa and a more interesting one of bread, queso, jamon, almond spread, and a raisin vinaigrette that brought it to a different level. The egg in a blanket tapas (truffled egg, jamon, manchego, brioche) is outrageously amazing- even though it was 6 dollars for one bite. The portions are tiny, but its a good environment to relax and reminisce of vacationing in Spain.

La Vineria

Came here to celebrate a much improved LSAT score. Great neighborhood place with nicely prepared food. For a sit down Italian restaurant- it really is not expensive. We were lucky we were only two- we got seated immediately on a Saturday night. Others in larger groups had to wait (unfortunately they crowded around the front of the tiny restaurant, where our table was located) Excellent service and pleasant ambiance besides the people waiting, it does make a great date. According to the recent Times review they make their own pasta, and that was what drew me in. I enjoyed the pasta with veal sauce and would recommend it as a perfect balance between choosing from their meat dishes or getting pasta. They have also been awarded for their wine list, we were lauded for our choice of red- La Planeta, which went well with the meal.


737 9th Ave