TABLE FOR ONE: MARKET TABLE

Last night I had dinner at Market Table in the West Village. Market Table is brought to us by the guys who brought us The Little Owl (Gabrielle Stulman and Joey Campanero), one of my favorite new spots to open up last year. The chef is Mikey Price, who used to cook at the Mermaid Inn.

This restaurant is interesting for when you walk in, you first enter a general goods store where you can purchase items, the dining room is past this little store. It is a large corner space with large windows where you can look out onto Carmine and Bedford streets. It's not an overly fancy place, I felt very casual and comfortable. The lighting was just dim enough for romance, but not too dark where I couldn't see my food.

I took a seat at the bar and perused the menu. The menu was not too large, about seven appetizers and seven entrees, and some sides, which was fine for me. I decided to get the Crispy Calamari appetizer and the Braised Lamb Shank entree (this was Erin the bartender's recommendation.)

The Crispy Calamari ($9) came with white anchovy, lemon, and a chili mayo. I thought the calamari was fine, nothing too special. I did enjoy the white anchovy and lemon a lot though. I never had fried anchovy or lemon before, and they were great. The anchovy gave the dish a great saltiness to it, and the lemon was a great palate cleanser and really opened up my taste buds. I thought it was a great touch.

The Brasied Lamb Shank ($20) came with gouda gratin, greens and rosemary jus. First off, I need to point out that this is a great deal. Twenty dollars for lamb is unheard of at fine-dining establishments in NYC, and I was pleasantly surprised with the price. The lamb was tender, and fell right off the bone, which was nice, although it could have used some more flavor and seasoning. I enjoyed the gouda gratin, greens and rosemary jus that came with the lamb though. It wasn't an overly complex dish, the sides were simple but all went well together. 

Market Table is one of those neighborhood spots, like the Little Owl, which serves very good, straight-forward food, that keeps people coming back. I wasn't blown away, but, I do plan on going back.The casual environment, good food, and good prices are truly appealing.

So for a very good, casual meal in the West Village, Market Table would be a great choice.

Market Table
54 Carmine St. (at Bedford St.)
New York, NY 10014

TABLE FOR ONE: KINGSWOOD

A few weeks ago I went to a semi-new restaurant on a small stretch of West 10th street in the West Village called Kingswood. The reason for going there was to write a review for a website based in London. I was very happy for the opportunity.

Kingswood is an Australian restaurant that comes to us from the folks behind Ruby's, an Australain spot in Nolita. I walked in to a bustling restaurant. There were large windows up front by the street, with some tables by them with diners. The centerpiece of the restaurant was a large copper square bar that was pretty busy. Past the bar was a large open space with many tables filled with diners, including one large wooden communal table. I asked if they had a table for one, and the owner knew right away I was from the website and had a table ready for me. (The website is focused on doing things on your own, and the owner of the website had previously met with the owner of Kingswood.)

When I dine out alone, sometimes I like to dine at the bar and other times I like to dine at a table. They are two totally different experiences. I was given the table next to the large wooden communal table which was filled with a party of around ten gals. In fact, one of the gals was sitting in the seat across from me at my table, chatting with one of her friends. I of course told her she could stay, but after two minutes she left. (On a side note, one of the gals at the table next to me had met me over a year ago waiting in line (yes, i was doing magic) at Tomoe Sushi, a great and popular sushi spot on Thompson street in the West Village) This was a great beginning to the meal. Nothing like girls and grub for a single twenty-something! 

I first decided to order one of their Australian beers. As I sat there waiting for my beer, the one striking aspect of the restaurant I noticed was that it was loud. It was extremely loud, and the acoustics were horrible. This is not a place I'd want to take a date for an intimate dinner. I was there to review the place for a website that caters to doing things on your own, and I was not sure if I would want to dine here alone again. If I did, I would definitely choose the bar. These were all thoughts going through my head before I even ordered my food. 

My main focus when dining out is the food, of course. I ordered the scallop appetizer and the Parmesan crusted Rack of Lamb entree, as well as a side of the truffle fries.

The scallop appetizer was a very good dish. It came with a carrot puree and some citrus. I loved how the sweetness of the carrot puree and the citrus contrasted each other. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and had a nice char on the outside, but were tender. 

The parmesan crusted rack of lamb came with tomato orzo and seasonal greens. This dish blew my mind-but not in a good way. Although the lamb was nicely cooked, and the parmesan crust gave it some nice saltiness, I was completely perplexed about what the tomato orzo was doing there. The tomato orzo did not go well with the lamb at all. (Orzo is pasta that looks like rice) I thought it had no reason being on the plate, I did not understand this dish. Maybe it is common in Australia? I'm not sure. But, it was not a good compliment to the lamb at all.

The side of truffle fries were ok. They came with a truffle aioli on them, and they were somewhat crispy, but I can't say I loved them.

Would I go back to Kingswood? Maybe. I think it could be a good place for groups. And I would want to try some more of their food, for I have heard some good things, especially about their burger, which seems to be popular. In fact, it could be the ideal place for a burger and some beer, and maybe getting drunk with Australians. But just remember, you might lose your voice talking to them, trying to talk over everyone else in the restaurant.

Kingswood
121 W. 10th Street (at Greenwich Ave.)
New York, NY 10011

TABLE FOR ONE: ALLEN & DELANCEY (closed)

Last night I decided to go to the new one-month old restaurant in the Lower East side, where its name is its address: Allen & Delancey.
I walked in to find a dark restaurant lit with an abundant amount of candles and walls of exposed brick. It had a modernized gothic feel to it, but in a sexy way. 

There is a bar up front, with the main dining room in the back separated by a small hallway. I walked past the bar to the Hostess station to see if there were any seats available. I noticed an open table and asked one of the hostesses where she thought I should eat. She recommended the bar where "Heather would take good care of me." I like being taking care of, and also like making conversation with everyone who works at a restaurant (and eats at a restaurant too) so the bar was where I sat. 

I started out with a Manhattan. I figured a stiff drink would be a good way to get the night going (it was 10:30pm). I was excited to check out the menu, for the chef, Neil Ferguson was plucked from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in midtown, a reputable dining destination in NYC.

After perusing the menu and inquiring with Heather what her favorite dishes were, I eventually made the decision to go with an appetizer of Skin Roasted Spanish Mackerel with bacon gnocchi, and apple cider vinagrette ($15). For my entree I chose the Moulard Duck Magret with turnip confit, buttered radishes and foie gras.

The highlight of the meal was actually the bread. The bread is baked in-house, and I was given a plate of one sage and bacon roll, and one regular roll, along with a side of butter. Both rolls were warm, and fluffy, and absolutely delicious. The butter was amazing as well. It was extremely creamy, which I liked. It was one of the best plates of bread I have ever had. 

The Spanish Mackerel appetizer was a very interesting dish. The combination of flavors were unlike any I have encountered before. Mackerel is a very "fishy" fish, so the bacon gnocchi and apple cider vinagrette were used to counteract that fishiness. The fish was well cooked, but the dish to me only works when you combine all three elements on one forkfull. I will admit I am not a fan of apples, so that might have been a turn-off. But the bacon gnocchi were not what I expected either. In fact, I was having trouble locating which was the gnocchi and what was apple. I wish the gnocchi had stood out a little more. I was still pleased with the dish and the use of unusual flavor combinations, I just wasn't blown away.

The Moulard Duck Magret was yet another dish with unusual flavor combinations. The duck was presented in the center of the plate cut into many slices. It was perfectly cooked, and nice and juicy. I never had turnip confit or buttered radishes, and both were fine. They were interesting compliments to the duck, and the dish had a very "Autumny" feel to it, but I can't say I loved it. It was something different though, and I love trying new things and experimenting. The best part of the dish though was the foie gras. There was a small piece of duck foie gras at one side of the plate, really not the focus of the plate at all. What made the foie gras so great was it was topped with toasted almonds. It gave it some great texture, as well as some added flavor, and I loved it.

I was too stuffed for dessert, although they all looked interesting, with again some unique flavor combinations, such as one dessert that came with olive oil ice cream!

So, if you are looking for a sexy dining experience, with good food with unique flavors, Allen & Delancey would be a very good choice.

Allen & Delancey
115 Allen St. (and Delancey!)
New York, NY 10002

TABLE FOR ONE: LUPA

Saturday night I decided to go to Lupa, one of the Italian restaurants in Mario Batali's empire. I got there at 10:15 and it was around a 45 minute wait til I got seated. I've been wanting to head to Lupa for some time now, for I heard great things. Now, I don't know if I'd recommend waiting 45 minutes for pasta, but Lupa doesn't disappoint.

It's a nice medium sized restaurant, with a rustic and casual feel to it. I started with a special of sliced Copa -pork shoulder ($12). They have a guy in a "meat" station next to the bar who slices many different types of fresh meat. The Copa came in 10 thinly sliced pieces. It was very fresh and delicate, and went nicely with a red wine I had.

I had been craving to try the pasta at Lupa, so I went with a special of Orecchiette with pork sausage and broccoli rabe ($22). This pasta dish was great. It was the most al dente pasta I have ever had. It was dressed with olive oil and had a nice kick to it from crushed red pepper. It was definitely a perfect pasta dish.

For dessert I tried the Lupa Tartufo ($8), which came with hazelnuts and hazlenut ice cream. It was a big ball of chocolate surrounding the hazelnut ice cream on top of some chocolate sauce. I love chocolate and hazelnut together, so of course I loved this dish. It was the pefect ending to a great little meal.

Lupa is a great place to grab some wine and some non-fussy Italian food. It's worth the wait.

Lupa
170 Thompson Street

New York, NY 10012

TABLE FOR ONE: EL QUINTO PINO

Last night I decided to go to the one-month old Spanish tapas spot El Quinto Pino. El Quinto Pino comes to us from Mani Dawes and chef Alex Raij, the crew that brought us Tia Pol, one of the best tapas joints in NYC.

El Quinto Pino is small. It is sparsely decorated with some mirrors on one wall, with some seats up against the wall, and a semi-circular curved small bar, with the kitchen behind the bar. The food and drink menu are written on two chalkboards behind the bar. The tilings on the wall behind the bar resembled the patterns of your grandmother's couch. You don't come to this spot for the decor. You come for the great authentic Spanish tapas.

I took a seat at one end of the bar. There were only a handful of people inside, which surprised me, for I thought it might be packed, because Tia Pol is always packed. I was happy it wasn't packed, for it gave me more time to converse with the bartenders. 

I asked Veronica, one of two bartenders what her favorite dish was, and she told me it was the shrimp. I asked Matt, the other bartender what his favorite dish was and he said the braised meat sandwich. Not feeling shrimp- at the moment- I went with Matt's suggestion. I also went with the Victory Pilsner beer they had on tap.

The sandwich ($7) came out on hot and crispy bread. The meat was braised pork shoulder. It was a really nice sandwich. The flavor was really nice and the meat was well seasoned. After enjoying this tasty little sandwich I was contemplating if I should get the garlicky shrimp too. And like a mindreader, Matt comes over and asks me if I wanted the shrimp too, I of course, obliged. And I am so happy I did.

This "garlicky shrump" ($9) dish is a great dish. Four shrimp come out in a broth. It's a simple dish, but the broth had such a great flavor I loved the dish. There was a little kick to the broth, which I enjoyed, and found out was from the addition of sirancha (not sure of spelling) peppers. These are hot vietnamese peppers which gave this Spanish dish a touch of Asia. The dish came with two pieces of warm crispy bread which was perfect for dipping in the broth.

Of course, I ended up doing magic for everyone in the restaurant, which was awesome. That was a good thing too, because an Australian couple sitting next to me had ordered some crispy cracklings, which thanks to my amazing magic and winning personality, they let me try. The cracklings were delicious. The perfect bar snack.

After eating great food, and entertaining and chatting with great people, the restaurant gave me this very homey vibe. Its the kind of restaurant I love. Non-pretentious, cozy, friendly, great food, and with no dish over $15, a great bang for your buck. It is a great neighborhood joint, but I would travel from other neighborhoods for the El Quinto Pino experience. And I will, for I live in Midtown, and it is in Chelsea, an I plan on coming back often. 

So for great tapas in a friendly environment in NYC, El Quinto Pino is the perfect little spot.

El Quinto Pino
401 W. 24th St. (at 9th Avenue)

New York, NY 10011

TABLE FOR ONE: TAILOR (this restaurant has closed)

Last night I decided to check out the new restaurant Tailor in SOHO. Tailor comes to us from the former pastry chef at WD-50, Sam Mason. WD-50 is the most experimental restaurant in NYC, and was the location of one of my greatest dining experiences in my life, so I was definitely excited to check this place out.

Tailor is located on a block away from all the commercial craziness that is SOHO. I knew the address was 525 Broome st., but I did not see any sign or number. What I did see was a large wooden door that I assumed was the place. Luckily for me, I was right!

There is a dining room on the first floor and a cool lounge downstairs. I took a table in the dining room, which was simply decorated, with dim brown/beige colors, and one wall of exposed brick. The mood was modernized 1800's. 

In the back right corner of the restaurant is a service bar with a window, but no glass. I have seen open kitchens before, but rarely do you see an open bar. In other words, yes, most restaurants have bars, but this was a "Service" bar, meaning this is where the drinks the diners ordered were "created". Not a bar with stools, etc. I found this quite interesting, almost if they wanted to highlight the drinks. And, well, the drinks here should be highlighted.

The cocktail list was created by mixologist Eben Freeman, and it's an amazing list. I started with the "Blood and Sand" ($14)- scotch, sweet vermouth, red bach. This was a great drink. The balance between alcohol and flavor was perfect. There was just a touch of saltiness to the drink that I enjoyed. 

The menu at Tailor consists of one side labeled "Salty" and the other side labeled "Sweet". For my first encounter, I decided to get one dish from each side. 

From the "Salty" side I went with the Pork Belly with miso butterscotch and artichoke ($16). This was an amazing dish. The balance of sweetness and saltiness was perfect. The pork belly was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and absolutely delicious. The miso butterscotch was interesting. I thought it had a chance to be too sweet, but in fact it was the perfect compliment to the pork belly. The artichoke was perfectly cooked, and gave a nice added texture to the dish. It was also beautifully presented. The colors on the plate were very appealing. This was a memorable dish.

After this dish I ordered a cocktail called "Good Ol Boy" ($12); bourbon, smoked coke, and preserved lemon. This was a nice drink as well. I look at the cocktails at Tailor as dishes themselves (they cost just as much too!).

From the "Sweet" side of the menu I had the Soft Chocolate with sesame ice cream ($12). This dish was also beautifully presented and tasted great. The sesame ice cream was a refreshing compliment to the soft chocolate. 

Another aspect of Tailor that should be highlighted is the service. The service was extremely good. It seemed they had many more servers then needed, but that works to the diner's advantage, because there is someone always there to take care of you. 

(They also walked around with two types of bread-raisin and olive- I had both, and both were very good.)

I definitely plan on coming back to Tailor to try the other dishes on the menu and to try more of their great cocktails. So, for great drinks, and memorable food, Tailor is the perfect spot.

Tailor
525 Broome St. (between Sullivan and Thompson)
New York, NY 10013

TABLE FOR ONE: WAKIYA (this restaurant has closed)

Tonight I decided to get my first taste of 3-day old Wakiya, the new Chinese restaurant opened in the Gramercy Park hotel. Wakiya comes to us from celebrity chef Yuji Wakiya who is a Japanese chef famous in Tokyo for his gourmet Chinese. The management team comes to us from the Nobu empire.

The place is very sexy, dressed in red and black. It is another addition to NYC's wave of gourmet Chinese, think Buddakan, Chinatown Brasserie, and Mr. Chow Tribeca. I walked in and decided to sit at the bar, which was empty. I expected it to be hopping for it is the latest "hot spot" in town, so I was surprised, but glad that I would be able to enjoy my meal with plenty of elbow room. I also expected to see some celebs, but the only popular peeps I saw were the co-owner of "hot spot " club Tenjune, Mark Birnbaum, celebrity chef of famed NYC restaurant Le Bernadin, Eric Ripert, and some politician whose name I could not recall, with a table full of women.

I started out with a Lucky beer. This is a Chinese beer I have never heard of or tasted before, and it came in a cool Buddha shaped bottle. It was light and fine. I just wanted a taste of what Wakiya had to offer. And luckily for me they had a cold appetizer called Nine flavors of Wakiya ($12). This dish came with nine small tastings of parts of dishes that were on the menu. And when I say "tasting" I mean just one bite-I like this though, cause it is a nice tease and allows one to explore the menu without ordering too much. The nine flavors were--green fava bean, shitake puree, uba mushi, creamy lemon shrimp, tonsu seabass, shrimp scallop fish cake, bang bang chicken, wagyu beef, and sticky rice w/chinese bacon. The stand out flavors were the bang bang chicken and the wagyu beef. The beef was tender and succulent and pefectly seasoned. And the bang bang chicken was in a sauce that was at first sweet and then became spicy as it lingered in my mouth. I loved this flavor. They have a full cold appetizer of this, and I plan on ordering it on my next visit.

I also tried the Shanghai Soup dumplings ($10). They were similar to other soup dumplings I had, although at first I thought the meat inside could have used some more flavor. But when I got to my fourth and last dumpling, the dish grew on me and it was a soothing appetizer. 

After contemplating for a while I decided to try one more dish; the Sizzling Rice cakes ($16). The waiter brought over a bowl with some crispy rice cakes and then poured a steaming soup filled with vegetables and meat over it. This was totally unexpected. The dish was ok. I had to wait a tad to eat it at first, for it was so hot, and I burned my tongue on my first bite. I liked how there was a lot of stuff in the dish, from chinese string beans, and trumpet mushrooms to shrimp and chicken. They definitely didn't skimp on anything. But, the flavor of the dish was lacking a whole lot. There was no kick, no wow factor whatsoever. And I've had similar dishes at places like Ollies for half the price. Too label the dish Sizzling Rice Cakes is a mistake too, for once the rice cakes are covered with the soup, they soften, and almost were non-existent, and not the main focal point of the dish.

The thing is, knowing that Mr. Wakiya is a critically acclaimed chef, I did expect to be wowed. I wasn't. At least this time. I'm sure the kitchen still needs to work out some kinks, for it is still very new. I do intend on going back, and seeing what else Wakiya has too offer. The menu looked great and had some interesting looking dishes that I look foward to having. So, like those soup dumplings, I do hope Wakiya eventually grows on me. I would say, if you are looking for a sexy dining destination to take a date, Wakiya could be a good place. I'll let you know after my next visit if it grows into a great place.

Wakiya
2 Lexington Ave, at 21st St. (inside the Gramercy Park Hotel)

New York, NY 10010

TABLE FOR ONE: PERILLA

Last night, I decided to get my introduction to the new West Village restaurant Perilla. Perilla comes to us from the season one winner of "Top Chef"- Harold Dieterle. I had actually met Harold, (along with The Little Owl chef Joey Campanaro) at Momofuku Ssam (my favorite NYC restaurant) a few months ago, where during a night of drinks, food, and magic he told me about this new restaurant he was going to open. So, I was very excited to check out a place that went from a mere vision to a completed dream.

The space is located on a cool West Village block hidden away from all the commotion on Bleeker street. It is not overly decorated at all, it is simple and looks fine. I can sense this definitely being a new popular neighborhood spot; a bigger version of The Little Owl.

I sat at the bar and perused the menu over a nice glass of Beaujolais ($8). The menu is American Nouveau with Asian influences. It all looked great. For my introduction though, I just went with two appetizers: the Thinly Sliced Raw Hamachi with cucumber salad, cilantro, tomato water, and yuzu ($14), and the Spicy Duck Meatballs with okinawa yam dumplings, water spinach, quail egg and natural jus ($11).

The Hamachi dish was refreshing and very nice. The cucumbers gave a nice crunch to compliment the fish. Although I did need a knife to cut smaller slices of the fish, I really enjoyed the dish. I could definitely eat something like that for lunch everyday, and feel good and healthy about myself.

The Meatballs were really good as well. There were very small, and pretty darn cute I must say. What made this dish was the flavorful natural jus that I would just about soak anything in. This was a delicious and perfect appetizer.

I actually did give in and talked myself into trying a dessert. I went with the Smoked Chocolate Cake with kaffir lime ice cream and mango chutney. I really enjoyed this dessert. The cake was not too sweet, although I didn't taste any real smokiness, but then again, I was on my fourth glass of wine (switched to a Pinot Noir ($13) ). But, what made this dish fantastic was that ice cream. It had a great kick to it, and tasted great.

I definitely look foward to returning to Perilla in the near future and try everything else on the menu. This "Top" chef seems to know what he is doing and definitely deserves that title. Perilla gives me one more reason to move to the West Village asap.

Perilla

9 Jones St. (between Bleeker and W. 4th)

New York, NY 

TABLE FOR ONE: THE WAVERLY INN

Monday night I ended up going to dinner at new celebrity "hot spot" The Waverly Inn. I was there a week before for a glass of wine, when 5 minutes after I ordered, P. Diddy and his girlfriend and bodyguard walked in, 5 minutes after that Ivanka Trump left, and 5 minutes after that Amy Poehler from SNL and her husband Will Arnett from Arrested Development had left. I knew this was the spot I belonged at. In fact I stayed after the place had closed and entertained the chef and hosts with some amazing magic.

It is a very cozy and quaint place. There is a nice bar area when you first walk in, with the dining area in the next room. I'm sure on any given day if you take a peak inside this room you will see various celebrities and "power" players dining on some good, satisfying food.

In fact, I was seated right next to the entryway, but the only celebrity I noticed was me. Well, actually later on in my meal I had a nice conversation with actress Erika Christensen, although I was wasted, so I don't exactly remember what I said.

Instead of bread to begin the meal my waiter brought me a basket of two biscuits and some creamy butter. These biscuits were excellent; soft, warm, and perfect. In fact they were the best biscuits I have ever had!

For my appetizer I tried the Tuna Tartare with avocado and dijon emulsion. It was excellent. Fresh with perfect flavor, and I even detected a slight hint of egg, which I thought was great.

For my entree I had the Braised Short Ribs with celery root puree. Now, short ribs are getting very popular on many menus around NYC, these were very good. Nice and tender and my celery root puree was the perfect compliment to the meat.

The only downside of the Waverly Inn was the end of the meal. For dessert I had the chocolate cake. It was boring and really not that good.

So, for some great celebrity sightings and very good satisfying food the Waverly Inn is a perfect little spot. Like I always tell people, biscuits and Diddy always make for a great meal.

The Waverly Inn
16 Bank St. (at Waverly Pl)

New York, NY 10014

TABLE FOR ONE: IZAKAYA TEN

Last Wednesday I had a meal at Izakaya Ten, a new Japanese small plates restaurant that recently opened on 23rd Street and 10th Ave. It inhabits what was previously the Korean-French restaurant D'or Ahn, which happened to have been one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I was sad to see it had closed, but intrigued to see what filled it's space.

The interior is almost the same- except it looks much worse. There is a bar up front and tables in the back. But, what was once sleek and modern, now looks worn and thrown together. The lighting was dim, and I was not impressed with the lack of decor or mood the place now had.

I decided to order three small plates from the specials menu. The first was raw octopus marinated in wasabi ($5). The dish was slimey but I enjoyed the kick the wasabi gave it. It was definitely a peculiar dish, and I'm always a fan of exploring and experimenting.

The next dish I tried was the Japanese sausage ($5). The plate came with three sausages and some mustard on the side. The sausages were juicy and tasty. The skin was just slightly crispy. They reminded me of a mix between a hot dog and kielbase. They definitely made for a nice snack.

The last dish I had was the marinated kimchee with pork belly ($8). The dish was very good. The kimchee was perfectly cooked, the pork belly was slightly over cooked, but when I mixed the two, the combination was perfect. Just the right amount of flavor and tenderness.

Izakaya Ten is definitely no D'or Ahn. But, it's a nice little neighborhood spot to get some decent Japanese small plates for a not a lot of money. I'd definitely go back and try other dishes. I'm always a fan of getting the most bang for your buck.

Izakaya Ten

207 10th Avenue (at 23rd Street)

New York, NY 10011