TABLE FOR ONE: FEDORA

If you ever meet Gabriel Stulman, the owner of Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey's Grocery, and the new redo of Fedora, the first thing you'll notice is the man's beard. You can't miss the thing. It's unique, interesting, fantastic, and quite memorable-just like his new spot Fedora. 

I've stopped into Fedora (a restaurant that has been in the West Village for some time, and has just recently been taken over and redone by Mr. Stulman) a bunch of times in the last few weeks, because I have fallen in love with the place. The people, the food, and the vibe, are all amazing. It's a neighboord joint, with a laid back vibe and terrific food. If you haven't been yet, you need to go to experience it for yourself. If the vibe at the bar doesn't hook you, then Chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly's cooking surely will. 

My first time there I started with a special of blood sausage ($10) with green beans, and a shallot-sherry vinaigrette. I rarely eat blood sausage, but the flavor and texture of this dish had me craving more. 

I'm not one to pass up fried chicken- I love that bird! And you shouldn't pass up the one offered at Fedora either. This playful dish ($23) served with the claw, comes with mustard greens, sriracha and cucumber. The touch of Asian flavors, and juicy, delicious meat, had me moaning with love. It was addictive and excellent.

A side of roasted brussels sprouts ($8), with black bean sauce and bacon was truly wonderful. Another Asian accented dish that had me congratulating myself for ordering it. You should order it too.

End with the warm madeleines ($10), with honey citrus sobayon, and your meal will be complete. You will be satisfied, happy, and checking your calendar for your next trip back.

So definitely stop by Fedora soon, one of my new favorite NYC restaurants. I'm sure you'll love it too. Feel the vibe, eat the food, have a drink, and look out for that beard, it'll be an experience you'll want to repeat. (Also, good to know- they serve a late-night menu til 2am-the pork and rock shrimp sandwich is kick-ass and fabulous!)

Fedora
239 W. 4th St. (bet. 10th and Charles)
New York, NY 10014
646-449-9336

www.fedoranyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: WALL & WATER

I don't go to, or dine in the Financial District often. It scares me down there. It's very desolate at night. As of late though, the Financial District has been having a boom, in terms of residential apartments, and of course, restaurants. As the resident magician of the Andaz Wall St. (I perform around twice a month there), I have been lucky to see this boom first hand. I have also been able to dine at the restaurant three flights up in the hotel, called Wall & Water. I should mention these aren't your normal flights, these are three flights up beautifully designed white staircases. 

The space is spacious and elegant, designed by the famed Rockwell group. The food is local comfort food; reinvented classic dishes, while maintaining traditional cooking methods. I've had three meals here, and all were excellent.

Chicken liver paté ($15), served with sweet and sour onions, and brioche is delicious.

The mac and cheese ($23) at Wall & Water is awesome! Strascinati pasta, Cato Corner "Bloomsday" cheese, and seasonal mushrooms. The addition of the mushrooms gives the dish a great earthiness, I had never encountered with mac and cheese. It's a memorable dish you need to try!

As a true lover of cheese, on my second visit I ordered the cast iron melted cheese ($14). "Brigid's Abbey" cheese, garlic, and tomato toast. This was a cheese orgy in my mouth, and I loved it!

Grilled skirt steak ($30), gets a touch of Argentina (where chef Maximo Lopez May hails from), and is served with sweet peppers, onion, and sundried tomatoes. This was a fabulous steak dish. All the veggies were fresh as can be, and added a great sweetness to the dish. The steak, perfectly cooked, was juicy and wonderful.

So if you find yourself all the way downtown, and don't know where to eat, check into the Andaz Wall St. Walk up those white steps, and head to Wall & Water, you'll be happy you did.

Wall & Water
75 Wall St. (inside the Andaz Wall St. Hotel)
New York, NY 10005
212-699-1700

http://www.hyatt.com/gallery/wall&water/

TABLE FOR ONE: FRANKIES 570

The "Franks", Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli have the magic touch. Their Frankies Spuntino restaurants (as well as their Prime Meats and Cafe Pedlar) are fan favorites. Everyone loves them! I had not had the pleasure of eating at any of their establishments until a few weeks ago, when I grabbed a quick bite at their latest spot, Frankies 570, in the West Village. And after my first visit I could see why their spots are hits. It's a great neighborhood spot to dine on seasonally-inspired Italian fare.

Sicilian white anchovy crostini ($4), was superb and delicious. Beautifully dressed with olive oil, it was bites of anchovy heaven.

Cavatelli ($18) with Faiccos hot sausage and browned sage butter was my kind of pasta dish. Excellent. Perfectly cooked pasta, with juicy and tasty sausage, this dish was a winner, and had me craving more.

So for a good Italian neighborhood joint, Frankies 570 hits the spot.

Frankies 570
570 Hudston St. (and 11th)
New York, NY 10014
212-924-0818

www.frankiesspuntino.com

TABLE FOR ONE: CIANO

Chef Shea Gallante's (Cru) seasonal driven Flatiron Italian restaurant Ciano is really good. Walk into this dimly lit joint, and feast on some wonderful fare.

The bread is served with a truffle butter that is so orgasmic and amazing, I almost proposed on the spot. Actually, I did ask this butter for its hand in marriage, but unfortunately, marrying butter in NYC is still illegal. 

Roasted veal meatballs ($18) served with creamy white polenta, with herbs and truffle pecorino, are delicious, tasty, and sexy. I sopped up every last bit of this sauce and polenta with my bread.

Pappardelle ($18) with duck bolognese, oregano, and pecorino di noce, is excellent. Another great dish whose sauce I did not let go to waste. More sopping and devouring. It did my body good.

End your meal with Ciano's cookie plate. It's uniquely exceptional.

So have a wonderful meal at Ciano, grab a glass of wine, and dive into that truffle butter. You might fall in love, and that is all you need.

Ciano
45 E. 22nd Street (bet. Broadway and Park)
New York, NY 10010
212-982-8422

www.cianonyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: COMMERCE

The restaurant Commerce in the West Village is a great restaurant. It took me three years to dine here, but it was worth the wait. It's a bustling, festive joint, with really good contemporary American fare from chef Harold Moore. Tucked away on the charming Commerce Street, it's perfect for a date, or grab a seat at the bar like I did two weeks ago, and have a magical night!

Commerce is proud that they bake their breads in-house, my bartender was enthusiastic about it. And well, they should be. It's an addictive assorted breadbasket, tough on one's diet!

Summer vegetable fricasee ($16), with truffle and poached egg was absolutely wonderful. The flavor so perfectly balanced and soothing. A must order.

Korean inspired Berkshire pork chop ($29) with rice cakes and a kimchi apple salad is awesome. Juicy and succulent meat, a truly delicious dish.

You must end your meal with Commerce's coconut cake. I'm not a huge fan of coconut, but the bartender insisted I order it. They are supposedly famous for this cake, and a large framed review of the cake from New York Magazine when you walk in solidifies this fame. After one bite, I saw what all the hype was about. It's amazing. Perfect texture, not too sweet, just right. It's a huge slice of cake, and I shared the slice with the two couples who sat next to me, and they too after hesitation, couldn't stop eating it. It was like a drug. Order it.

So for a great night in the West Village stop by Commerce, culinary magic awaits.

Commerce
50 Commerce St.
New York, NY 10014
212-524-2301

www.commercerestaurant.com

TABLES FOR ONE: ZABB ELEE AND BODHI TREE

Two powerful Thai restaurants await you in the East Village. Zabb Elee and Bodhi Tree are both great, but you must be a fan of powerful, flavorful, and downright spicy food. After meals at both these spots, my eyebrows were sweating, and my mouth was numb. I actually don't like being overpowered by spice, but maybe I'm just wimpy. For an authentic experience you can't go wrong with either of these joints. Just make sure you can handle the heat!

Zabb Elee's Som Tom Muazuar ($9), papaya, shrimp, bbq pork, rice noodle, and long bean is a flavorful medley of power. It's an experience to eat, and very spicy. Pair that with some spicy sauteed morning glory ($7), and you're in for one hot night!

Bodhi Tree's shrimp pumpkin dumplings ($5), steamed shrimp dumplings topped with coconut pumpkin sauce are unique and fabulous. A must order. Bring on the heat with their Bangkok Minced Pork Basil ($11), minced pork, string beans, with original basil chili sauce. Add a fried egg and live on the wild side. Either way, your brow will sweat.

Zabb Elee
75 2nd Ave (bet. 4th and 5th)
New York, NY 10003
212-505-9533
www.zabbelee.com

Bodhi Tree
58 3rd Ave. (bet. 10th and 11th)
New York, NY 10003

212-677-5199

TABLE FOR ONE: TERTULIA

Seamus Mullen has opened up the perfect tapas joint in the West Village. Tertulia, which means a regular, informal social gathering, is the name of Chef Mullen's (previously of Boqueria) latest spot, and after my first trip there, I'm craving more. As their website states, the word "tertulia" is used to describe a gathering of friends marked by great conversation, food and drink. This is my ideal dining vibe, and Tertulia delivers. I dined alone a few weeks ago, which was fabulous, but try to bring friends, so you can share more of Chef Mullen's wonderful Spanish fare.

Start with the tosta matrimonio ($9), a toast with black and white anchovies, slow roasted tomato, sheep's milk cheese, and aged balsamic. Anchovies never tasted so good. The sweetness of the tomatoes balanced the saltiness of the anchovies. The sheep's milk cheese, soft and delicate. These were some perfect bites.

Another fantastic toast is the tosta huevo roto y jamon Iberico ($10), a toast with crushed egg, potato, and Iberico ham. Your Spanish take on bacon and eggs, executed deliciously. I loved this dish!

Arroz a la plancha ($16), Calasparra rice, snails, wild mushrooms, celery, fennel, and Iberîco ham, was a medley of awesomness. Slightly crunchy, flavorful, and tasty as can be.

So the next time you and your friends are looking to have a "tertulia", head to Tertulia, Spanish tapas heaven awaits.

Tertulia
359 6th Ave (and Washington Pl.)
New York, NY 10014
646-559-9909

www.tertulianyc.com

TABLE FOR ONE: GRAND SICHUAN

Chinese food in NYC is abundant. You can usually find me down in Chinatown grabbing my Chinese grub. But, there are three non-Chinatown restaurants I admire and order from often that are great: Szechuan Gourmet, Wu Liang Ye, and Grand Sichuan. 

There are mulitple locations of Grand Sichuan, and their newest location on Restaurant Row (46th St., bet. 8th and 9th) is great. My most recent meal there was delicious. 

I'm a sucker for pork soup dumplings. I crave them. The crab meat and pork soup dumplings ($6.95) at this Grand Sichuan are really nice. They aren't the best I've had, but they sure do a body good. Order them.

I like to experiment often. There is a part of the menu at this Grand Sichuan named "Free-Thinking Dishes," which surely intrigued me. I ordered something called "Dongbu Pork" ($14.95), which was basically pork belly, that I chose to be cooked Sichuan style, and Shanghai style. What came out was two pieces of pork belly, one on the sweeter side, and one on the spicier side. It was a unique dish, that was tamer in flavor than I expected, but still perfectly cooked.

So for fabulous Chinese fare in the Theater District, stop by Grand Sichuan. Your Chinese cravings will be answered.

Grand Sichuan (Times Square)
368 W. 46th St. (bet. 8th and 9th)
New York, NY 10036
212-969-9001

www.thegrandsichuan.com

TABLE FOR ONE: IL BUCO

If you never met me, then you might not know that I am a famous Entertainer (magician/comedian). I am the Foodie Magician! My signature "Foodie Magician" trick, is guessing people's favorite restaurants! It's mainly NYC restaurants, for I am the NYC Foodie, but I can guess your favorite restaurant from any city in the world to be honest. Well, it's not a guess, it's mind-reading! I can read your mind! :) So, as I do this feat of mentalism, there are many times people will think of restaurants that I have heard a lot about, yet never tried. It has been my journey as of late, to discover these favorite restaurants that people have been thinking about, and trying them out for myself. One such restaurant the people think of often is il Buco. 

il Buco is a charming, very rustic Italian restaurant, on Bond St., that charming, cobblestone street, that separates NoHo from the East Village. I love all of Bond St., from its cool restaurants and modern buildings, mixed with that old warm charm of New York.

il Buco is the perfect restaurant for a date, or to dine alone, as I did two weeks ago. The food is spot on delicious.

Kale has been hot this summer. Many restaurants are utilizing this awesome vegetable. il Buco's Cavolonero ($15), Tuscan black kale, garli-anchovy-lemon vinaigrette, filone croutons, and Reggiano is great! If you are a fan of kale, order it. If you are a fan of salads, order it. It's a heavily dressed salad, but that lemony salt flavor hits the right notes.

A mezzi rigatoni ($24) with pork sausage, broccoli rabe, and pecorino was fabulous! The type of pasta dish I dream about. I devoured this beautiful baby in moments.

I was pretty full after these two dishes, but am glad the waiter talked me into ordering il Buco's Panna Cotta all' Aceto Balsamico ($12), "cooked cream" drizzled with 10-year balsamic vinegar. This is a light dessert, the cream a touch of sweetness, counterbalanced by the acidity of the balsamic. It's a unique pairing, but works so harmoniously, and I loved it! A superb ending to a fantastic meal!

So for that rustic Italian charm, il Buco is the perfect spot. When you go, I'm sure I'll know, and I know it will be magical.

il Buco
47 Bond St. (bet. Bowery and Lafayette)
New York, NY 10012
212-533-1932

www.ilbuco.com

TABLE FOR ONE: OMEN

My Soho friends have been raving about the Japanese restaurant Omen to me for a while now. Nestled in on a quiet Thompson street block, this spot is almost hidden away. My meal here was really good, but not cheap. There is a quiet authenticity about this place, which is nice.

A Kampai uni shot ($13), with a quail egg, served in a lemon cup was fantastic. If you are a fan of uni like I am, order one, you'll be happy! 

I of course ordered their namesake Omen ($19), homemade udon noodles, served with vegetables, seaweed, sesame seed, and Japanese broth. These noodles had the most perfect delicate texture and consistency, and were very pleasurable. I must say though that $19, seems a bit pricey for just noodles, and I'm still confused how they could charge so much. But, if money is no object, then go for it!

Omen
113 Thompson St. (bet. Prince and Spring)
New York, NY 10012
212-925-8923