Eastern Standard (Boston)

This past summer I was in Boston for client events and loved everything about it- having a car, driving down the adorable Newbury Street and staying at Hotel Commonwealth, a luxury boutique hotel located in downtown Boston. The room alone was impressive- complete with a lounging area, a king sized bed, and a large bathroom.
We hosted the welcome dinner at the restaurant adjacent to the hotel, Eastern Standard. The restaurant was completely accommodating for our large group. For our group of 20 we decided not to do a private room but the restaurant was still able to create a custom menu for us that featured a specialty cocktail, designed specifically for our program. [MAP to Eastern Standard]
Our menu included a variety of appetizers served family style- like calamari and flatbread, calamari. For our entrees everyone could choose one of three options, I forget all the other choices but I had the seared salmon served on a bed of vegetable ratatouille.
And again we were given a few different choices for dessert something chocolatey (forgetting at the moment), Pumpkin Bread Pudding and Angle Food Cake.
Going to Boston any time soon? I definitely recommend staying at Hotel Commonwealth and walk to the nearby Eastern Standard restaurant.

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.

The Smith

Opened in 2007, The Smith quickly become an East Village hangout serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day. Opened by Glenn Harris and Jeffrey Lefcourt, owners of Corner Table Restaurants, who also owns Jane, an American bistro in Greenwich Village. All Corner Table Restaurants are committed to using local, natural, organic and sustainable ingredients.Located on 3rd Ave. between 10th & 11th Streets, The Smith offers seven amazing menus- one for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, drinks, Sunday brunch, drinks and delivery. I recently visiting The Smith for dinner and drinks with a few friends. The dinner menu has a great variety, definitely offers something for everyone from Mac + Cheese to Chicken Pot Pie. The menu is divided into six sections- Starters, Main Courses, Salads & Sandwiches, Steaks, Pasta and Sides. I ordered the Mediterranean Salad and really liked it but everyone else loved their entrees as well which included the Pork Chop (served with crispy potatoes, baby portobellos and bacon bordalaise) and Diver Scallops (served with asparagus, leeks, truffled, spring pea puree).
Also noteworthy are the drinks which included Muddlers, Fancy Cocktails, Long Pours, Bourbon/Whiskey, Draft and Bottled Beer. I loved both the Belini and the Blood Orange Mimosa.
The open atmosphere, casual classic American menu and late night hours reminded me of Cafeteria. (The Smith is open until midnight on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, 1am on Wednesdays and Thursday but open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.) FYI: Reservations are accepted and you may need them for dinner but not really needed for breakfast or lunch.

La Palapa

While strolling around the West Village with my brother on a Saturday evening we came across La Palapa, an adorable Mexican restaurant with a lively bar, a large dinning area and best of all, outdoor seating. The West Village location (6th Ave. between 21st & 22nd St.) has three custom drink creations; Fresh Lime & Pomegranate Juice Margarita, White Hibiscus Sangria and Michelada (a beer cocktail). I love white wine and love sangria so ordered the White Hibiscus Sangria, which, I have to say, was not the best white wine sangria I've ever had. It was refreshing but not great. We started our meal with their delicious homemade guacamole and chips. The menu featured four different entree-sized salads, even one that includes grilled cactus. I ordered the Ensalada De Palmitos Y Aguacate (hearts of palm, avocado, tomates and mixed greens with fresh oregano vinaigrette) with a side of black beans. They even have a main entree specifically for vegetarians, Plato Azteca Vegetariano- two potato taquitos with guacamole, salsa, rice tortilla, grilled cactus paddle and black beans.
La Palapa is a great summer spot and I definitely recommend it. Apparently there is another one in the East Village- at St. Mark's Place & 1st Ave.

L'Orange Bleue

L'Orange Bleue is a Moroccan restaurant on the corner of Broome and Crosby Streets in NYC. And it's hard to miss with it's royal blue exterior and outdoor seating.A few girl friends and I met for a Sunday afternoon brunch. The prix-fixe menu is $12.95 and includes orange juice, mimosa, coffee and a choice of special brunch dishes like different types of eggs, sandwiches, crepes, and salad.
Besides brunch L'Orange Bleue offers fun evening events like Monday Drums with live Brazillian bands playing every Monday night at 8:30pm and again at 10pm. Monday Drums prix-fixed menu is $35.

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.

August

August restaurant in New York's Greenwich Village is a hole in the wall that's definitely worth visiting. We found this quaint little spot after searching New York Mag's Restaurant list using Critics' Pick and Bistros. The menu is a mix of European foods ranging from Mediterranean to Northern European and changes seasonally since they use local ingredients. There was a nice variety of meat and vegetarian dishes and thankfully most dishes, like the Lemon-Ricotta Gnocchi, can be made to order to accommodate for vegetarians, etc. This past weekend one of the specials was a vegetable spread that included a spring pea and fava bean salad, fava bean puree, ramps and three fried Morel mushrooms.
Besides the food, I loved the rustic feel of the restaurant. The front of the restaurant only has about ten table tops while the back of the restaurant is in a glass-covered courtyard with greenery all around. We sat in the back which I definitely recommend, especially during the hot summer months ahead. August is open for brunch, lunch and dinner and is located in the heart of Greenwich Village at Bleecker & Charles Streets (map).
Click HERE to learn about August's Executive Chef Terrence Gallivan.

Elmo

Elmo is somewhat of a one-stop-shop, it's a place for New Yorkers to have brunch, lunch, dinner or even cocktails. A friend and I stumbled into Elmo on a rainy Sunday afternoon for brunch and were quite impressed with the extensive late morning menu. I found it difficult to choose between the Roasted Tomato Soup, the Toasted Granola and the Tropical Fruit Salad. I opted fro the Tropic Fruit Salad, served with a side of fresh yogurt. I've looked at Elmo's dinner menu as well and the dishes sound amazing from the Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Beet Salad and the Spinach Ravioli. I haven't seen Elmo's cocktail menu but judging by the bar at the front of the restaurant I'd bet they can serve up some pretty tasty drinks.
Located in Chelsea at 156 7th Ave (btw 19th & 20th Ave)

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.

Cowgirl

I first heard about Cowgirl while on the Sex and the City tour in July, it's the place where Carrie and Miranda run into Aidan and Steve having lunch together.
It's a cute place and offers great outdoor dining in the warmer months but unfortunately the food was sub par. If you order right it's good place for comfort food but I ordered the Cowgirl Citrus salad from the Specials menu and it was definitely nothing special. Two of my friends ordered the Texas Veggie Trio (a cup of veggie chili, a side salad, a baked potato and a warm piece of cornbread served with sour cream, jack and pico de gallo on the side). It was a nice variety of food but they both commented that it really wasn't worth $15.

I liked the rustic feel of the restaurant and loved the idea of the little roadside General Store inside which sold candies, t-shirts and other knickknacks. Cowgirl would be a great place to meet friends at the bar and sip on the fresh fruit margaritas, cleverly served in mason jars.

I've heard that Cowgirl is a great brunch spot, if you've ever visited for brunch leave a comment below to let us know what you thought.

Located at 519 Hudson St. (at 10th St.) and open everyday- Mondays-Thursdays until midnight, Fridays and Saturdays until 2am and until 11pm on Sundays.

Avra Estiatorio

I had always been interested in trying Avra Estiatorio, a large Greek restaurant on 48th St. between 3rd and Lexington Ave. The space is huge, would be a great spot for groups, and the courtyard off to the side of the restaurant makes me think Avra would be a fun place to try in the summer time for some outdoor dining.The menu features a wide variety of Greek food, the meal starts off with two small dishes, one filled with olives, another filled with hummus and a basket of bread. To go along with our hummus my friend and I ordered the Kolokithi- traditional crispy zucchini and eggplant chips. For dinner we both ordered Greek Salads, of course my favorite part of the salad were the large slices of feta cheese and crisp tomatoes.
Reservations can be made at OpenTable

The Cat & Fiddle

Sitting outside in the courtyard at The Cat & Fiddle is the perfect spot for a casual drink in LA. Walking under a stone arch way into the courtyard makes the setting even more enchanting and creates the perfect hide-away for celebs who want to go unnoticed.
There is live jazz on the patio every Sunday from 7pm to 11pm and a Fish and Chips special all day long every Monday.
Located at 6530 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, CA

Urth Caffe

My final stop during my two weeks in LA was at Urth Caffe on Melrose Ave. Recommended to me by a friend who knows me well, which was even more obvious when I arrived at Urth, saw the great outdoor seating and read over the menu. It was exactly the kind of place I'd want to go to on a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles with its patio seating and vegetarian-friendly menu that features mouth-watering dishes that are good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With so many great salad options I decided to go with The Tostada sald (minus the fried tortilla shell)- a chopped salad served in a friend toritilla shell with grilled veggies, on a bed of black beans and organic romain lettuce with house salsa, guacamole and monterey jack cheese. My friends at the Urth Quesadilla and the Panini Roasted Turkey (Urth butter roasted turkey breast with Jarlsberg swiss cheese, grilled on a poppyseed crusted honey wheat bread and served on a whole grain mustard sauce).
Of course we finished with an aray of Urth's famous desserts including the New York Cheesecake, Banana Bread Pudding, the Deep Dish Apple Pie and the Chocolate Crown Cake.

Mercadito Grove

Mercadito Grove is a Mexican tapas restaurant located on 7th Avenue between Grove and Barrow Streets in the West Village. This is a great summer spot with outdoor seating perfect for interesting people watching and a vast list of exciting drinks including various mojitos, margaritas and cervezas.

To start we ordered the Guacamole Sampler which included orange guac, traditional and mango. The fruit in the guacamole made the spicy dishes a little more refreshing. My friend ordered the Pollo Tacos- four small tapas-style tacos topped with a sliver of avocado- and loved them. I had the Ensalada Verde (without jicama and queso). It was spicier than I would have liked and the quesco may have helped with that but I left most of the salad on my plate but made sure all of the chips and guacamole were eaten. = )

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

Loft Bar and Bistro

Downtown San Jose is lined with nice looking restaurants and bars but I think I choose one of the best, Loft Bar and Bistro. Located on 90 Second Street this two story restaurant with outdoor patio seating is the perfect place for near for a small group of big parties celebrating birthdays, etc.

I ordered two appetizers, sun-dried tomato and garlic soup followed by the tomato and mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with the balsamic dressing, it was not pure balsamic vinaigrette, instead it was kind of creamy. My friends had two delicious looking meals- the chicken parmesan and the grilled, pesto-crusted salmon.

Pane e Vino Restaurant

(791 Lexington Ave; between 61st & 62nd)
This little Italian restaurant on Lexington doesn't offer outdoor seating but they did have floor-to-ceiling windows that were open on a sunny Friday evening for dinner. It was great to almost be outside sipping wine and enjoying one of my favorite dishes- Caprese di Bufala con Peperoni Arrosto (buffalo mozzarella with roasted peppers, tomato & basil).
Even though my meal was an appetizer, the entrees looked good. Someone sitting across from us ordered the grilled salmon- she and her friends all liked it. The specials included many fish dishes, such as swordfish.
This is definitely a good place to go for a relaxing dinner. (Although I don't think our waiter was very happy with our small orders.)