TABLE FOR ONE: VINEGAR HILL HOUSE

Sunday evening I stopped by Vinegar Hill House in Dumbo, Brooklyn, a restaurant I have read a lot about, and has gotten rave reviews. I don't go to Brooklyn nearly enough, and that is a shame, for there are many fantastic restaurants there. Vinegar Hill House is one those.

The one word that best describes this place and space is "rustic". It is rustic and charming, and so is the food. 

I started with the torta rustica ($11), a tart with sausage, salami, and ricotta. This was a very pleasant appetizer, I particularly enjoyed the homemade mustard and fresh field greens accompanying the dish too.

I rarely order chicken when dining out, but taking the bartender's recommendation I went with the cast iron chicken ($15). After my first bite of this bird, my first thought was, "wow, this is like butter." The meat was so juicy and tender, and wonderful, it almost melted in my mouth. Floating in some delicious juices, it was truly a fabulous chicken!

I ended my meal with their chocolate Guiness cake with cream cheese frosting which was really nice. It wasn't sweet at all, and just right.

So for rustic charm in a house that serves rustic fare, head to Dumbo, Brooklyn. It's about time you did.

Vinegar Hill House
72 Hudson Avenue (bet. Front and Water Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-522-1018

www.vinegarhillhouse.com

TABLE FOR ONE: AZUL

Oh Argentina, how I wish I could visit you. How I wish I could explore your cuisine, a cuisine I do not consume often. I know dreams come true, I know dreams come true. 

Well, if you guys are like me and desire to head to Argentina and dine on fabulous foods, I will help you save a lot of money by directing you to the fantastic Agentinian bistro, Azul, in the Lower East Side. This restaurant, which has been around since 2001, had escaped my stomach until last night, when I was able to do a little tasting, and realized the mistake I have made for 9 years, by not coming here sooner. Good things come to those who wait though.

Look up and you'll see hundreds of Argentinian magazine pages on the ceiling. Look at your table and you will see wonderful Argentinian fare. Start with a basket of warm Balthazar Bakery bread, and then forget about France for the night, and get ready to be welcomed to Argentina. 

A starter of fresh, homemade empanadas, one with beef and one with shrimp and corn are delectable. The sweetness of the fresh corn is wonderful.

Grilled octopus over potato, with onions and the tastiest Spanish paprika, is foodie heaven. Perfection. I licked my plate clean in less than two minutes (see pic).

Grilled veal sweetbread with pea and mint puree, sea salt and lemon zest, had such bold and unique flavor, my taste buds gave a standing ovation to the chef.

Ah, and then there is the fabulous meats served at Azul. All perfect and amazing. A lamb chop, skirt steak, and short rib, were so tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked, I wanted to take each cut of meat home with me and cuddle with them all night long. The meat talked to me and I spoke back, whispering sweet nothings. There were no awkward silences, no fights or arguments. It was the perfect relationship. My parents will surely be introduced soon enough.

And then there is dessert. Flan. Dulce De Leche Flan. Heaven on a plate. After one spoonful, I decided I wanted to take a bath with this flan, it was so darn good. Beautiful flavor and texture, a sweet rush of love fluttered in my heart. That flan totally completed me. A match made in heaven, and a stunning ending, to a tasty and dreamy meal.

So head down to the corner of Stanton and Suffolk in the Lower East Side, and get whisked away to Argentina. Sit back, relax, have a glass of Malbec, and let your Agentinian dreams come true.

Azul Argentine Bistro
152 Stanton St. (and Suffolk)
New York, NY 10002
646-602-2004
www.azulnyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: AKDENIZ

I hold the Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant Akdeniz very close to my heart. Not only is it close to my heart, it's close to my home. In fact, I live above it. This is a good thing though, for the food at Akdeniz is excellent! 

I have been consuming these Turkish delights since the place opened, and every meal has been great! Last night I decided to eat in the restaurant (as opposed to taking it upstairs to my apartment) for your benefit, so I could properly write about the experience.

An appetizer of Humus ($5.95), chickpeas & tahini paste seasoned with garlic and olive oil, was silky, creamy, delightful, and great! Served with some nice bread, it's hard to stop eating

I also ordered my favorite dish at Akdeniz, the Sultan's Delight, a classic Ottoman dish made with chunks of lamb over smoked eggplant puree. I love this dish! The lamb is juicy and tender, the eggplant puree is flavorful and wonderful. It's a fabulous dish I recommend everyone order!

End your meal with a superb rice pudding ($5.95) and all your Turkish desires will be satiated for the night!

Akdeniz is not only a great place to go for pre-theater, it's a great place to go any time. So for some of the best Turkish delights in town, Akdeniz is where you should call home, I know I do. And if you go, feel free to come upstairs and say hello, I'll show you some magic!

Akdeniz
19 W. 46th St. (bet. 5th and 6th ave)
New York, NY 10036
212-575-2307

www.akdenizturkishusa.com

TABLE FOR ONE: IPPUDO

Ahhhh..Ramen Noodles. Ramen Noodle joints have been popping up all over the East Village these last few years, my favorite for some time now has been Momofuku Noodle Bar. One of the most popular ones in all of NYC (and in the East Village) is Ippudo. So popular, we are talking a 2-hour wait for a two-top on a Friday night. 

I have been to Ippudo a bunch of times and have always been satisfied and happy with my ramen. This past Friday I went specifically to try their Akamaru Modern ramen, the dish I have read most about and that has gotten the most press. 

I started with an appetizer of Hirata Chicken Wings ($7), three fried chicken wings with Ippudo special black pepper sauce. These wings were fantastic! I loved the flavor of the sauce, and the wings were the perfect texture. Honestly, some of the best wings I have had, and will go back for some more real soon!

And then the Akamaru Modern ($14) came. 'The original tonkotsu' soup noodle with Ippudo's special sauce, miso paste and fragrant garlic oil; pork chashu, 1/2 seasoned boiled egg, beansprouts, kikurage & scallions This bowl of soup was a life changer folks. After one spoonful of the broth, the first word that came to my mind was "Phenomenal". There was something soothing and sweet and ethereal about it. I had not experienced this feeling in a bowl of ramen before. I did crave a tad more kick to the soup though, and when I asked for some hot sauce, shockingly, the waitress told me they charge $2 extra for their homemade hot sauce. I think that is ridiculous and unacceptable, and never heard of that practice, (it's not about the money, it's the principle). Lucky for me, I was able to save 200 pennies, because two gals sitting at my round communal table offered me some of their sauce! (Another thing to note was when the waiter took my order, he totally tried to "up sell" me and get me to order extra pork, and when I said "No Thanks," his jaw dropped and he made a screeching sound in shock! )

TABLE FOR ONE: LOS FELIZ

For some reason I have been eating more Mexican lately, not sure why. Maybe it's because there are some new spots that have opened up that are worth trying. One of these places is Los Feliz in the Lower East Side. This taqueria/taquileria not only has great food, but one of the most amazing extensive (over 150!) tequila lists in town, that you can pair with chef Julia Ballesteros' creative tacos.

Los Feliz is a mind-blowing space. A three floor tequila haven. The top floor is the most innocent, one floor below is darker and sexier, and the bottom floor is not only sexy, but beautiful, and sets the perfect vibe for your imbibing.

It doesn't matter what floor you consume these tacos on, for they are great. I had two types of tacos (two in an order). The barbacoa ($8) was slow cooked beef cheek in banana leaf, Mexican beer, tequila, oregano, and lime flavored roasted onions. I also had the Puerco ($8), braised pork, chili passilla, cotija cheese, corn, and pico de gallo. Both types of tacos were excellent! The meat had great flavor, and I loved how they were unique and not your typical run-of-the-mill tacos. After downing four tacos in less than 5 minutes (I timed myself) I couldn't stop thinking about coming back to try the rest!

So get your tequila and taco on at Los Feliz for one of the sexiest taqueria experiences ever. Tequila and tacos; sounds like a magical evening to me!

Los Feliz
109 Ludlow St. (bet. Rivington and Delancey)
New York, NY 10002
212-228-8383

www.losfeliznyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: KASHKAVAL

Monday night I stopped into Kashkaval in Hell's Kitchen, a gourmet cheese market and wine bar. My older sister had raved about the place and I wanted to see if her rave was warranted. It was! 

Don't be deceived by the market up front when you walk by. There is a cozy and quaint wine bar lurking right beyond that cheese case. There is a wide array of Mediterranean tapas, cheese and meats, and fondue!

For $12 I had a sampler plate of five tapas which came with pita bread. I ordered four spreads and grape leaves. The spreads were absolutely wonderful! The stuffed grape leaves with rice, onions, pine nuts, olive oil, and herbs, were fine, but I think I would have preferred another type of spread instead, for the spreads were simply brilliant! They were: spicy walnut pepper spread (with fire-roasted peppers, walnuts, oil, garlic, parsley), hummus (Chick peas, tahini, garlic, lemon, olive oil), red pepper spread (roasted red peppers, olive oil, garlic ), and baked beets (Beets, garlic, dill vinaigrette 

Fate was on my side this night, for I had been craving fondue for some time now, and low and behold, not only does Kashkaval serve fondue, they serve fantastic fondue! I went with the namesake Kashkaval fondue with kashkaval (a type of sheep milk cheese) and extra virgin olive oil. It is served the traditional way in a cast iron pot with French baguette, and was addictive and delicious!

Kashkaval is one of those hidden gems people should know about. For well priced Mediterranean tapas and fondue, I don't know another place like this in NYC. Get your wine, cheese, and spread on quick, before more people find this secret treasure!

Kashkaval
856 9th Avenue (bet. 55th and 56th)
New York, NY 10019
212-581-8282

www.kashkavalfoods.com

TABLE FOR ONE: THE MEATBALL SHOP

Last week I stopped by The Meatball Shop in the Lower East Side, the restaurant specializing in..wait for it..wait for it..you got it-- Apples. Just kidding, I know that was hilarious. 

The Meatball Shop is a hip and cool spot to get your meatball on. If you are drunk, it is open late to fulfill that meatball craving. The meatballs aren't too bad either.

The way you order is interesting. There are many different options and varieties of meatballs you can get, so you use a magic marker to check what you want. Not sure why this is necessary, for there is a waitress, but I guess it adds to the fun of the place. I took one of the servers recommendations and ordered the pork meatball with spicy meat sauce on a white hero (Il Forno baguette) with mozzarella cheese ($9). It was definitely a tasty meatball hero, although not mind-blowing. I wouldn't consider this a meatball hero you NEED to have.

A side of freshly milled polenta ($4) was fine and tasty too.

A peanut butter cookie with caramel ice cream sandwich ($4) was a sweet and great ending to a fine meal.

The Meatball Shop is definitely a fun spot, and fits in perfectly in the Lower East Side. So for those crazy lower east side nights, get your meatball fix at The Meatball Shop. 

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St. (and Allen)
New York, NY 10002
212-982-8895
www.meatballshop.com

TABLE FOR ONE: DBGB

Last week I had a meal at DBGB, Daniel Boulud's restaurant on the Bowery that focuses on sausages. I had dined there last year and was unimpressed by a burger I had eaten, and have been wanting to check out the sausages, for that is what the restaurant's main focus is. 

The place was packed on a Wednesday night, and I'm not sure why. I don't think the food is that great. I ordered the Beaujolaise sausage ($13) and the Vermont sausage ($15).

The Beaujolaise was a sausage with pork, mushrooms, onion, bacon, and red wine, lentils de puy. It was definitely tasty, juicy, and fine. 

The Vermont sausage was smoked pork and cheddar, with hash browns and red onion creme frache. I was not a huge fan of this one. 

For dessert I had the coffee-bourbon sundae ($9) with caramelized pecans, brownies, bourbon gelée, coffee tuile & whipped cream. It sounded good, but again, I was unimpressed with it, and my reaction after trying it was, "Eh." Did not do it for me, and I didn't even finish it.

DBGB is a fine place to have a glass of wine or a beer from their extensive beer menu. The place looks great with it's "Bowery Chic" decor. But if amazing Daniel Boulud cuisine is what you crave, I'd stop by one of his uptown restaurants instead. Something just doesn't click on the Bowery for DB on this one.

DBGB
299 Bowery (bet. Houston and 1st St.)
New York, NY 10003
212-933-5300

www.danielnyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: TRAVERTINE

Travertine is sexy. This new Nolita spot brought to us by the stunning Australian, Danae Cappelletto, and chef Manuel Trevino, is bringing sexy back, with a gorgeous restaurant and some tasty food.

A roasted bone marrow ($16) with horseradish gremolata, kumquat, and duck marmalade, black garlic crostini was unbelievable!

Beef carpaccio ($14) with roasted beets, mountain gorgonzola, aioli di manzo was delicious and addictive.

A signature pasta dish of garganelli ($17) with shiitake, brussel sprouts, and browned butter was delicious and perfect.

End with a Greek yogurt panna cotta ($9) with prosciutto caramel, red grapes, and honey pepper crostini and let the romance begin. (Unless you are dining alone, as I was, and in that case, have another glass of wine, get more buzzed, and entertain the staff and diners with mind-blowing magic and comedy.) 

Travertine
19 Kenmare St. (bet. Elizabeth and Bowery)
New York, NY 10012
212-966-1810
www.travertinenyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: GEORGIA'S EASTSIDE BBQ

Last week I stopped by Georgia's Eastside BBQ to get my fried chicken on. I love fried chicken and Georgia's ($14) has some of the best I have ever had. In fact, it was truly perfect! Splendid crispy skin, with juicy tender meat, I could not ask for a better fried chicken. A side of sweet collard greens and some potato skins were satisfying too. So, whatever side you're on, get yourself to the Lower East Side, to Georgia's Eastside BBQ, and get your fried chicken on too!

Georgia's Eastside BBQ

192 Orchard St. (bet. Houston and Stanton)

New York, NY 10002

212-253-6280

www.georgiaseastsidebbq.com