Trata

I have lived in the Upper East Side for three years and have walked past Trata many times but finally had the chance to try it on a recent sunny Sunday evening with my brother. This Greek restaurant is located on 2nd Ave. near 70th Street, has outdoor seating and offers a creative Greek menu with fresh fish, creative salads and wonderful desserts. I ordered a salad that I had never seen on a menu before with lettuce, watermelon and fried Greek cheese (maybe it's a summer special because it's not listed on the online menu). There was a minor issue with our meal though so we were given two complimentary desserts which were amazing. The first was Yiaourti- a dish with three scoops of chilled Greek yogurt each with different toppings. The first scoop was topped with pistachios, cherry syrup and honey; the second was topped with honeyed figs and the thrid was enhanced with honey, walnuts and quince. We were also able to try the Sokolata, a warm double-chocolate torte with seasonal berry coulis.
Outside of New York City, Tata can also be found in the Hamptons and will soon be in Roslyn, NY.
I am surprised to see that the restaurant is engaging in social media and has a dedicated Facebook Page.
Tata's rating on NYMag.com is only a 3.7 but what do you think? If you've dined here I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Mediterraneo

For quite some time I have been tempted by this Upper East Side's relaxed outdoor seating and finally had the chance to experience it first hand. On a beautiful Saturday evening a friend and I decided to enjoy the fresh air with a glass of crisp white wine and a fresh green salad. Mediterraneo seemed the best solution.Sitting outside really made the experience. The starters menu offered a long list of salads and several that were completely vegetarian (not vegan) which was nice to see. I ended up with the Insalata Arobaleno- fresh arugola with yello and red roasted peppers, grilled with zucchini and mozzarella.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Mediterraneo if you're looking for a quiet Upper East Side dinner outside.

Bistro 61

Bistro 61 is a modern bistro located on the corner of 1st Avenue and 61st Street.
The menu is a delightful combination of classic Provecal fare fused with inspiration from the Mediterranean coast. The menu changes throughout the year to include seasonal changes as well as daily changes to accommodate specials. One thing that was especially interesting to me was the option of a Children's Menu, a good idea for restaurants on the Upper East Side. I was completely impressed during my experience at Bistro 61 from the service to the food. I ordered La Tour de Betterave et Chevre Chaud (roasted beet and goat cheese tower with fresh mint and pine nuts) while my friend enjoyed the one of the most tasty gnocchi dishes I have ever had. He ordered the Gnocchi al Gorgonzola, a vegetarian gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce with spinach and roasted pecans. I was very impressed that three out of the four selections on the Pasta & Risotto section of the menu were vegetarian dishes.

Fig & Olive

A neighborhood go-to for great wine and delicious food. Subtly located on the Upper East Side on Lexington Ave. (btw. 61st & 62nd), Fig & Olive is a great place to grab a drink and appetizers. Good for a quiet night with a friend or a good date night.There are two other locations though, one on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street and the third location is in the Meatpacking District- 13th St. btw. 9th Ave and Washington St.
Siting down for dinner you are greeted by three different extra virgin olive oils from three different regions. Some Fig & Olive signature dishes include Couscous with Figs and Greek Yogurt. I personally love their cheese plates (naturally!) and their Manchego, Fig Spread and Almond Crostini, the Mushroom and Truffle Soup and the Fig & Olive Salad (figs, olives, tomato, shaved parmesan, manchego, gorgonzola dolce, goat cheese walnuts, green apples, 18 year balsamic fig vinegar dressing).

Fishtail by David Burke

With my sister and cousin in town over Valentine's Day weekend we wanted to try the famous Serendipity but given the popularity of the weekend for lovers and out of towners the wait was nearly three hours long! Realizing it wasn't worth us waiting three hours to eat dessert we walked around the 60's until we stumbled upon Fishtail by David Burke which I had heard had great desserts. Even though the restaurant is known for their innovative seafood dishes the desserts are just as innovative.
We walked in, sat at the bar and ordered three different desserts (my sister and I don't mess around when it comes to desserts!). It was hard to choose between the Caramelized Banana Tart (maple gingersnap ice cream and peanut dust), "Can o' Cake" (molten chocolate cake, baked to order with all the fixins), the Apple "Toffe Pudding" Tart with pomegranate sorbet, the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee and the David Burke's Cheesecake Lollipops served with raspberries and bubblegum whipped cream.
We decided on the Apple "Toffee Pudding" Tart served with pomegranate sorbet which was amazing, we also shared an assortment of three sorbets and topped it all off with the made-to-order "Can o' Cake," and the best part? They bring you the mixing bowl and the whisks so you can lick the batter while you wait for your dessert to be presented. And the presentation is definitely worth waiting for... they bring you the piping hot chocolate cake baked in a tin that they top right in front with toffee crumbles, chocolate frosting, and more!
So I can't speak for their food but as most things created by David Burke, I'm sure everything else is just as delicious as the desserts were!
Location: 62nd btw. Lex and Park.

Bottega Del Vino

A true Italian cafe in the heart of the Upper East Side, there are only two Bottega Del Vino restaurants in the world, one in Manhattan and one in Verona, Italy. Having studied abroad in Italy in college I have to say that walking into Bottega Del Vino did take me back to my Italian days. According to the restaurant's history, all the furnishings were imported from Italy, including the aged wood pillars, marble tops, etched copper and antique chandeliers. The restaurant offers a casual dining area for breakfast and lunch, a formal dining room, a private room on the lower level and an exceptional wine cellar.
I was impressed with the vegetarian items I ordered for lunch including the Caprese di Buffala, with real buffalo mozzarella, and the Carpaccio di Zucca (steamed butternut squash carpaccio with feta cheese, pine nuts and tomatoes). I liked the idea of the Carpaccio di Zucca but wish the feta cheese didn't totally cover the slices of butternut squash, it would have also been good with thin slices of Parmesan cheese.
It's a great cafe to stop into for lunch or dinner but just don't expected an inexpensive or speedy lunch.
Bottega Del Vino is located on the North side of 59th St. and 5th Ave, across the street of the iconic Apple store.

Saucy

Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 75th and York, Saucy is an unique establishment that features over 50 different sauces, each paired with an entree on the menu. The menu includes steak, seafood, organic chicken, pasta and tasteful appetizers like spicy hummus and a Mediterranean Salad.

Resting above the restaurant's 75 seats are tons of cloth sacks filled with spices and dried herbs from around the world. The mirrored ceiling throughout the restaurant allows guests to see the contents of the open sacks which include dried chili peppers, bay leaves, curry and more.
What I loved most was that Chef and owner Simon Mann was at the restaurant to welcome his guests, take their orders and make sure everything was prepared to their requests.

Vino

Vino is a new wine bar in the Upper East Side perfect for a glass of wine and a small bite. My friends and I ordered the fennel and orange salad and the beef lasagna along with a few glasses of Pinot Grigio and Chianti. Located on 2nd Ave. between 66th and 67th this little wine spot also offers outdoor seating perfect for New York summers.

There's no website yet but their number is 212-744-5370

Per lei

Small Italian spot on the Upper East Side with great outdoor seating is full of real Italians. I had the Perlei salad but there are a lot of other great-sounding dishes like the special entree pear, apple and goat cheese stuffed ravioli and the pumpkin soup topped with pumpkin seeds.Per lei puts a unique spin on traditional Italian fare by being housed in chic location marked by white walls and bright, Andy Whorhall-like paintings and a massive chandelier lit up in the center of the room.

Candle 79

I'm always impressed with vegetarian restaurants like Candle 79. The chefs use organic produce to create the most unique dishes. we started our meal with a glass of organic white wine. After giving us the wine the waiter placed 2 flat silver spoons with a spicy fruit medley. We ordered the heirloom tomato avocado tartar as an appetizer. For our entree we both ordered the chickpea cake- it was delicious and completely satisfying. With an array of organic desserts we chose the fruit pie. The featured fruit changes seasonally- this time of year it was apples with cinnamon and topped with a small scoop of dolce de leche ice cream.

*Plus Alanis Morissette sat right behind us!