Corner Shop Cafe

Situated at the corner of Broadway and Bleeker St. the Corner Shop Cafe is cute and has everything you'd want from a New York cafe- specials written on chalkboards, happy hour and a menu full of lite fare. I was excited to see all of the salads listed on the menu and debated between the summer special Watermelon, Feta & Mint salad and the Pear & Arugula salad. So I asked our waitress for her opinion and she looked at me with a blank stare saying that she hadn't tried either one but that the watermelon salad looked good. I decided to go with the watermelon salad and was underwhelmed by the watermelon chunks sprinkled with feta cheese and the load of mint leaves on my plate.
Our waitress failed earlier when we asked for her recommendation on the wines. I may have to give this little cafe another try because I have heard good things about it but was totally not impressed by our slow waitress who had seemingly no knowledge of the cafe's menu.

Have you been to Corner Shop Cafe? If so, leave a comment and let me know what you thought.

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.

Peasant

Some time last year I was lucky enough to dine at Peasant, a Soho hotspot located on Elizabeth St. and Spring St. Peasant has the same sort of modern rustic feel as Stanton Socialwith exposed brick giving it that intimate touch but somehow it also feels very exclusive and chic. The food at Peasant carries on the rustic setting with artisan bread and hearty-sounding entrees like the mushroom gnocchi and four types of wood oven pizzas.
Interesting fact I read on NYMag.com was that Peasant's Italian cooking method uses fires fueled by different fruit woods and Hardwood charcoals. It's definitely a great spot for friends or on a date as it is a bit romantic.

Salt

Salt is an intimate Soho restaurant serving seasonal American cuisine to patrons seated at communal tables. The stark white tables and accents are the perfect contrast to the exposed brick walls and the wood beams on the ceiling. The menu is designed to allow diners to customize their dinners by selecting a protein plus two sides or they can play it safe by ordering a pre-designed "chef's entree." Protein options include Salmon, Grilled Dorade Royale, Duck Breast and Hangar Steak. As a vegetarian I was more impressed with the sides which included Braised Leeks, Braised Brussel Sprouts, Sauteed Eggplant, Braised Fennel, Wilted Spinach, Baby Root Vegetables, Yukon Gold Potato Puree and Parsnip Puree.
Instead of ordering a protein and two sides from the menu I ordered three sides and an appetizer- the Braised Brussel Sprouts, Parsnip Puree and the Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Mushroom, Truffle Essence. FYI: The brussel sprouts were probably the best brussel sprouts I've ever had.
Located at 5 MacDougal St (near King St)
Besides dinner, Salt now serves lunch Monday-Friday and weekend brunch starting at noon.
Reservations can be made on OpenTable.com

Mercer Kitchen

Mercer Kitchen is a New York hot spot inside the Mercer Hotel in Soho headed by famed chef Jean-Georges. My favorite detail about the restaurant is the bubble glass ceiling above the lover dining room where patrons can watch passersby walk across the roof that doubles as the Soho sidewalk outside the restaurant.One of my roommates and I surprised our other roommate by taking her out for drinks and appetizers at Mercer Kitchen for her birthday. I ordered a delicious seasonal cocktail that was a concoction of champagne and apple cider. Other fabulous sounding drinks on their drink menu include the Kumquat Mojito, Champagne Passion, Ginger Margarita and the Vodka Thyme Lemonade.
For our appetizers we shared the Butternut Squash Soup with black trumpet mushrooms, Shaved Fennel Salad and the Roasted Market Beets with goat cheese- all of which were amazing. The menu is full of other creative dishes that would satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Located at 99 Prince St. (at Mercer St.); reservations are highly recommended and can be made via OpenTable.

Salt

Salt is an intimate restaurant in Soho specializing in seasonal American food. The menu at Salt is unique in that it allows diners to customize their dinners by picking one protein and two sides. The available proteins include Alaskin King Salmon, Whole Grilled Dorade Royale, Marinated Hanger Steak and a Long Island Duck Breast. My meal consisted mostly of sides which were amazing, especially the Braised Brussel Sprouts and Parsnip Puree.
If patrons aren't crazy about the "Protein + 2" set up, there are several "Chef's Entrees" to choose from like Roasted Cod, Braised Romain Lettuce, Mushroom Fricassee, Pancetta, and Truffle Broth and more.
Salt is located at 58 MacDougal St., near King St. And reservations can be made via OpenTable.

Soho Park

Soho Park is a restaurant inside a space that looks like a greenhouse in the middle of Soho (on Prince St. and Lafayette). It's a perfect little neighborhood spot for any meal of the day- Mon-Saturday they're open from 8:30am until midnight and on Sundays from 10am to 8pm. I recently stopped into the restaurant for lunch on a rainy afternoon while shopping in Soho. Situated inside a greenhouse this spot is perfect for any weather and still lets you feel like you're outside.
Not only does their menu offer tasty comfort-type food but it also features wine, beer, and handmade sodas and shakes. On the rainy, chilly spring day I had the bowl of Roasted Tomato Soup without croutons but asked for shredded cheese on the side and it was no problem!
Soho Park also has unique events Wednesdays through Saturdays, check them all out here.

Nolita House

This is a great spot for brunch, lunch, and happy hour!

I didn't have the Mac & Cheese but it looked fantastic and got rave reviews all around.

Also those who had the French Toast gleamed with excitement when the waiter served it and throughout the meal.

The Nolita House is conveniently located at the tip of Soho at 47 E. Houston Street. You can make reservations online at Open Table, check out the menus before hand and more!

BOOM

The live music at this Soho restaurant is accompanied by a fabulous menu, offers a great menu, live music and both red and white sangria. I definitely recommend the Nizzarda salad, one of Boom's Classic Signature Dishes Organica salad. They are also known for their Classica bruscette. Located at 152 Spring St. (near West Broadway).

Check out the post on Socialight:

Antique Garage

Antique Garage is a quaint restaurant in Soho with a glass-paned garage door in the front, exposed brick walls, a bar in the back and warmly lit chandeliers all around the restaurant. I ordered the Arugula Salad while two of my friends shared the appetizer sampler which was a nice way to try the hummus, which was good but the eggplant salad had too much of a smokey flavor. Tying the name back into the dining experience, each of the entrees are served on mismatching antique-looking china.