TABLE FOR ONE: YAKITORI TAISHO

I have been doing a lot of East Village dining lately, many Japanese joints as of late. I think the East Village is the best all round foodie part of NYC, and on St. Marks street you will find some great spots, many Japanese, open late, and serving some really good grub. One of these spots is Yakitori Taisho, a restaurant specializing in yakitori- grilled skewered meats. I had been here before, and stopped in two weeks ago at around 1am to grab a quick bite. There is an extensive menu, with plenty of different chicken parts to order on a skewer, ranging form $1.25 to $2.50 a skewer, a great bang for your buck! I ordered some chicken hearts, chicken liver, chicken skin, and bacon wrapped scallops, and it was all great! A special of kalbi with a sweet and spicy was really good too. I loved the sauce which had the perfect balance between hotness and sweetness.

This type of food is great for when you are drunk, but I was sober when I ate here, and it was great too! It's open late, so when you get that Japanese skewered meat craving, head on over to Yakitori Taisho, you'll be plenty satisfied. 

Yakitori Taisho
5 St. Marks Place (bet. 3rd and 2nd)
New York, NY 10003
212-673-1300

www.yakitoritaisho.com

TABLE FOR ONE: SOBA-YA

If you are a fan of soba noodles, then you need to check out Soba-ya in the East Village immediately. They do Soba right! 

I had been there before and stopped by again last month for some perfect soba noodles. The space is very Authentic Japanese, which transports you out of the East Village and into a Japanese Soba hut. The NYC Foodie loves the vibe! I sat at the bar and ordered an appetizer of Braised Pork Belly with Poached Egg in Soy Sauce-Based Broth ($10). This dish was warm, soothing, sweet, and delicious!

My Yamakake soba ($19), soy cured tuna with grated Mountain Yam was excellent. I dove into this bowl of noodles like there was no tomorrow. A slurp-worthy bowl of noodle heaven.

So get your Soba on at Soba-ya. Slurp the goodness and thank me after.

Soba-ya
229 E. 9th St. (bet. 3rd and 2nd)
New York, NY 10003
212-533-6966

www.sobaya-nyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: FATTY CRAB

One of my favorite restaurants in NYC is Fatty Crab. For powerful, flavorful Malaysian cuisine it surely hits the spot! I have been coming here for years, but it wasn't until last week, when I tried their signature chili crab dish. I will tell you that after consuming this dish, it has become one of my favorite NYC dishes. Just like the other dishes on the menu, this dish, with its fresh crabs, chili sauce, and white toast, has amazing flavor. Flavor that starts off with a touch of sweetness, then a level of spiciness that sneaks up on you, ever so gently, and beautifully. It's a fabulous dish. It did cost me $44, which is definitely pricey, so I recommend sharing the dish with someone else. It's also a very messy dish, so if you come on a first date, be prepared to get messy! I don't mind getting messy with food and flavors this delicious though; i would consider taking a bath in that chili sauce any day.

Fatty Crab
643 Hudson St. (bet. Horation and Gansevoort)
New York, NY 10014
212-352-3592
www.fattycrab.com

TABLE FOR ONE: FETTE SAU

Brookyln Barbecue Bites await you at Fette Sau. And these are some great bites! I stopped by Fette Sau two weeks ago, the hip and cool BBQ joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It reminded me a lot of my favorite NYC BBQ joint, Hill Country, in the fact that you pay by the pound. I like Hill Country a tad better, but if you are seeking good barbecue in Brooklyn, definitely hit this place up!

Since I'm trying to watch my weight, I decided to order a little bit of everything. From a succulent beef rib, beef brisket, a spicy pork sausage, and some nice hand-pulled berkshire pork shoulder, everything was finger 'lickin good! Don't forget to order a side of cole slaw, one of the best I've had; I truly loved the vinegar on it.

So, save your airfare to Texas, and head to Brooklyn instead, for some fine BBQ. Bon Appetit!

Fette Sau
354 Metropolitan Avenue (bet. Havemeyer and Roebling)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-963-3404

www.fettesaubbq.com

TABLE FOR ONE: ABC KITCHEN

Tuesday night I stopped into Jean-Georges' new ABC Kitchen located in the ABC Carpet and Home store. It was fully packed with people dining on food where Jean-Georges and chef Dan Kluger are "passionately committed to offering the freshest organic & local ingredients possible". 

It's a large, white space. Very modern and earthy, with wooden ceilings in the dining room, melding barnyard chic, or what I would call "rustic sleek". I took a seat at the beautiful bar up front and ordered two dishes.

My whole wheat pizza ($17) with clams, mint, parsley, and fresh chilies was fair. I did enjoy the kick the chilies gave to the pizza, but I would say that this pie was not memorable at all, and I would never order it again.

What was memorable, was the Akaushi cheeseburger ($21) with aged Bloomsday cheese, herbed mayo, and pickled Japanese jalapeños. Ladies and gentleman, I present you one of the BEST burgers in all of NYC! This burger was mind-blowing! (Akaushi is a Japanese Wagyu breed of cattle which produces beef that is richly marbled with fat and very tender and flavorful.)The meat was so juicy and flavorful, that after my first bite, I had a mini-orgasm. I blushed and teared at the same time. Fabulosity! The herbed mayo and pickled jalapeños were amazing too. They added more delicious and wonderful flavor to one of the best burgers I had ever eaten in my entire life. I still cannot get this burger out of my mind. Since eating this pattie of joy I have lost sleep, and have not been able to focus. I've been trying to focus, but brief images of this burger keep flashing in my mind. I think it is the reason I am still single. (Ladies, if we are ever intimate together, and I scream the name "Akaushi", instead of yours, please forgive me. It's not you, it's me...and that titilating burger.) The accompanying fries are fine too.

So, head on over to ABC Kitchen, you can do some shopping and grab some local, organic, fare. Order that burger, and leave with maybe a couch, but definitely your mind blown.

ABC Kitchen
35 East 18th Street (bet. Broadway and Park Avenue South)
New York, NY 10003
212-475-5829

www.abckitchennyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: SD26

Italian fare in NYC is abundant. There are so many places to choose from, and I like a lot of them. I shall be adding to my "favorites" list SD26. The restaurant San Domenico, had been on Central Park South for years, and recently relocated to across from Madison Square Park, into beautiful, expansive, and sleek digs. 

Friday night I stopped in to check out their new "Jazz In The City" in their winebar and lounge, happening every weekend in the Summer. Before the jazz, I decided to grab a meal in their large dining room. A smart move, for the food and service here is fabulous!

You cannot go wrong with a plate of any of the Salumeria at SD26; fresh, silky Prosciuttos, and other tasty meats that will practically melt in your mouth. 

If you are fan of sea urchin, and the NYC Foodie loves sea urchin, then you will love the sea urchin raviolini served with spicy scallop and cherry tomato ragu. These little, delicate pillows of joy, ooze the delicious flavor of sea urchin; the ocean on the tip of your tongue.

A special veal dish with mushrooms, cherries, onions, and toasted almonds, was truly ethereal. I never had that flavor combination before, very earthy, and very fabulous! I loved this dish!

Before you have dessert, try one of SD26's great cheeses. I had three cheeses, each from a different animal (goat, sheep, cow), and they were wonderful!

For dessert I had the chocolate hazelnut bar with orange emulsion, which came with a side of multiple orgasms! This dessert was out-of-this world! I love chocolate and hazelnut, so this was a dream come true! The side of citrus sorbet was fabulous and ingenious! I definitely moaned out loud after each bite!

So get your contemporary Italian fare on at SD26. Grab a glass of wine, sit back, and dine on great cuisine in sleek digs, that will make you smile, and want more. 

SD26
19 E. 26th Street (bet. 5th and Madison-across from Madison Square Park)
New York, NY 10010
212-265-5959
www.sd26ny.com

TABLE FOR ONE: HECHO EN DUMBO

New York City is not known for it's Mexican food. Although, lately, some new, good, and cool Mexican spots have been opening up (Cascabel, Los Feliz, Dos Toros, etc.), when people ask me where to get the best Mexican food, I usually tell them "California, Texas, or Mexico." Well another new and cool spot, Hecho En Dumbo, that has emigrated not from the West or South, but from Brooklyn, has opened up. Found on the new culinary hot spot that is The Bowery, this Mexican joint is great!

Cozy up to the hip bar up front, grab a table with a date or a friend, or do what I did and grab a seat at the open kitchen in the back, and watch the chefs create Mexican delights to tickle your taste buds.

I don't drink too much any more, but feel compelled to order margaritas at Mexican joints, and you should definitely order one or five at Hecho En Dumbo, they are fantastic! I started with their regular margarita ($11), 100% Agave Tequila Herradua Blanco, freshly-squeezed lime juice, Cointreau, and a dash of Cane Sugar, served on the rocks with a Salted Rim. Refreshing and perfect!

An appetizer of Picaditas de Jaiba ($7), a duo of stone ground Yellow Corn Masa medallions topped with shredded Dungeness Crabmeat, ripe Avocado, and a drizzle of Jalapeno Oil, was absolutely wonderful!

If you like pork, (and the NYC Foodie loves pork,) then definitely try the Carnitas Capechana ($16), chopped Berkshire pork cheek, ribs, porcelet skin and shoulder, served with house-made corn tortillas and a special tomatillo-avocado salsa. This was pork heaven. Tasty, crispy, piggy goodness! I think I "oinked" with joy after each bite!

For dessert, you can do what I did, and have another margarita. Try the Margarita Tamarindo ($12), Herradura Tequila Blanco, house-made Tamarind juice, and a dash of cane sugar, served on the rocks with a spicy Chile Piquin rim. You'll feel good, real good.

So, save your money on airfare, and head on down to the Bowery, have a few margaritas, and some fantastic Mexican grub at Hecho En Dumbo. Ole! Ole!

Hecho En Dumbo
354 Bowery (bet. Great Jones and E. 4th)
New York, NY 10012
212-937-4245
www.hechoendumbo.com

TABLE FOR ONE: LAUT

Malaysian goodies await you at Laut, a restaurant right near Union Square. I took myself there three weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised with their tasty offerings.

Laut's roti canai ($4), (a dish I always order at Malaysian restaurants because I love it so,) is good and a fine starter.

Nasi Lemak ($12), coconut rice, chili shrimp, chicken curry, pickled veggie, chili onion, anchovies, peanut, cucumber, a popular, authentic Malaysian dish, came out on a plate and at first looked boring. But, after mixing up all the ingredients together, what appeared, was a flavorful, powerful, and wonderful dish!

So, get your Malaysian on at Laut. Bringing a great cuisine to a cool neighborhood.

Laut
15 E. 17th St. (bet. 5th ave and Broadway)
New York, NY 10003
212-206-8989
www.lautnyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: TOTTO RAMEN

I dropped in the brand spanking new Totto Ramen in Hell's Kitchen the other day to check out their, wait for it, wait for it, ramen. This sliver of a restaurant which comes to us from the owner behind Yakitori Totto and Soba Totto, both great spots. 

I took my seat at the bar and ordered the Spicy Totto Ramen ($10.25), chicken based broth & original spicy oil (garlic, onion, shrimp & scallop) with sliced pork. The broth was great, although the noodles were not perfect (a tad undercooked). This is no Ippudo, but it is definitely a welcome addition to the Hell's Kitchen area. If you are craving ramen in Hell's Kitchen, slurp up a bowl of this goodness!

Totto Ramen
366 W. 52nd Street (bet. 8th and 9th ave)
New York, NY 10019
212-582-0052
www.tottoramen.com

TABLE FOR ONE: THE HARRISON

Tribeca is cool and sexy, and has some really great restaurants. From Locanda Verde, to Nobu, you can eat really well in this cool area of NYC. One great restaurant I stopped into for the first time last week is The Harrison, where chef Amanda Freitag is cooking up some really exceptional fare! This expansive space comes to us from Jimmy Bradley, owner of the always solid The Red Cat, and just like its sibling, The Harrison is solid. Great for a date, business dinner, or solo dining (as yours truly dined), it is a restaurant worth checking out.

I took a seat at the bar and was pleasantly served by their great bartender. An appetizer of char grilled octopus ($14) with fingerlings, feta, and fresh mint, is both refreshing and delicious. It was a great appetizer.

An English-cut lamb chop ($34) with rosemary, baby carrots, anchovy, and fennel, was unbelievable! This juicy hunk of joy is one of the best lamb chops in all of NYC. Perfectly cooked, wonderful flavor, it was a true delight to consume!

So head down to Tribeca and step inside The Harrison for a fantastic meal. Trust me, it's the cool thing to do.

The Harrison
355 Greenwich St. (at Harrison St.)
New York, NY 10013
212-274-9310
www.theharrison.com