BLT Market

Nothing beats the BLT restaurants from BLT Prime to BLT Market the service is impeccable and the food is amazing. Located on the corner of 59th and 6th Ave and within the fancy Ritz-Carlton.
Our lunch began with a complimentary plate of gourmet pigs in the blanket and a baguette of French garlic bread served in a rustic paper bag. The menu changes seasonally and all ingredients are grown locally. The mushroom soup which was poured at the table and deliciously light. It was hard to find a meatless dish so I ordered the one thing that didn't mention meat in the description, the beet salad however the moment it was set in front of me I could smell bacon. I immediately asked the waiter and sure enough there was bacon in the creamy dressing! They kindly took it back and brought me one with no bacon and no cream sauce.
We topped off our meal with a refreshing scoop of berry sorbet!

If you're not looking to drop $100 on a meal here I suggest you go for dessert or appetizers because the experience of the restaurant is the highlight of BLT Market. And I'd want every one of the paintings in the restaurant on the walls of my own home.

Bocca di Bacco

Having not seen photos of this new restaurant before going I was pleasantly surprised. The big decorated doors (yes, just like this photo) opened up to an exposed brick, full wine bar venue. There is plenty of wine on tap and a long table for patrons to share apps and vino. Even though I'm a big fan of sharing appetizers with friends. I definitely recommend staying for a full meal at Bocca di Bacco. My sister had pumpkin gnocchi while my mom ordered their homemade pumpkin ravioli. This was the second restaurant we went to during their week long stay in NYC and by the end of their trip this was their most memorable meal! The dessert menu was tempting with but my mom and sister were off to see Rent so we couldn't stay, if you get a chance to try the desserts at Bocca di Bacco please let me know how it is!
Warming: Bocca di Bacco only accepts cash and Amex.
But... you can make reservations at Open Table.

Gramercy Park Hotel

Having been to the Gramercy Park Hotel for drinks at the Rose Bar I knew I had to go back just to spend more time in luxury boutique hotel. I knew my parents would love the chic sophistication of the GPH's decor, designed by Ian Schrager, so I took them to Wakiya.
Located to the left of the lobby, opposite Rose Bar, Wakiya is amazingly sleek and serves a modern Chinese cuisine by Japanese celebrity Chef Yuji Wakiya. Our fabulous waiter recommended that we order our dinner according to traditional Chinese tradition, from cold to hot. From the menu, I recommend the Vegetable Dumpling, XO Omelet Fried Rice, and Field Green Salad. There are pictures of these and other things we ordered below.


Recommended cocktails at Rose Bar: the Long Berry and the Rose & Lychee Martini
Reservations for Wakiya can be made via Open Table

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!

Morandi

The food at this rustic Italian trattoria is truly unique from the appetizers to dessert. I definitely recommend the Carciofi alla giudea (fried artichokes with lemon) for an appetizer, Zucca in scapece (savory pumpkin with pine nuts and raisins) as an antipasti, Tortelli di zucca (pumpkin ravioli with sage and butter) for the pasta dish and Branzino alla luciana (whole sea bass grilled in a lemon vinigrette) for the fish dish. Stick around for dessert because the Pere al forno (bosc pears roasted in red wine with robiola) is not to be missed. However I do suggest ordering a side of noci (similar to vanilla) gelato because I didn't like the robiola cheese very much. Another tasty and beautiful dessert was Crespelle (warm crepe with vanilla gelato and berries).

We went before seeing a Broadway show so we dined very early, but I would recommend making reservations for about 7:30 or 8pm, that's when the crowd really started picking up.

Check it out ASAP- it's already been written up in New York mag and more so hurry up! It's located at 211 Waverly Place.

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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).

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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.

Dashing Diva

Make it a Girls Night Out on Wednesday and Thursday nights at Dashing Diva where they serve complementary cosmos while you're pampered with a pedicure complete with a rose petal filled tub for your feet, no whirlpools though as Dashing Diva Promises Superior Hygiene & Sanitation.
This pink-themed spa is great in that it offers a theme most nights of the week, check out what each of the 13 locations have to offer. (Locations include NYC, Brooklyn, North Carolina, California; the spas are even in far off places like Asia, Europe, and Australia). Plus, the prices are reasonable with manicures starting at only $12.

Alta

I was led into this Tuscan-esque tapas restaurant as a surprise for my birthday! Myself and three friends and I ordered several small plates to share. We ordered Fried Goat Cheese with lavender infused honey, Spinach Salad with dried cherries, toasted pine nuts and red onion, Smoked Mozzarella in shredded filo, tomato and red onion salad with caramelized balsamic, and finally the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Fuji apples, creme fraiche and pistachio nuts. I ordered Alta's Non-Classic (white) Sangria and it definitely wasn't a classic sangria, I was very tipsy much quicker than with most sangrias.

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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!

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.

Tamarind

This was my first experience eating Indian food and now I'm a huge fan! I ordered the Chana Pindi- a north Indian specialty of chickpeas cooked with onion tomatoes and pomegranate seeds. Yes, it was a bit spicy but amazingly delicious and filling. Most of the friends I dined with ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala- chicken tikka cooked in a tomato fenugreek sauce with Indian spices, which they loved. All the dishes were served in elegant silver dishes, as was the rice we ordered on the side to cool down our spicy dishes.
I definitely recommend making reservations for a weekend night at Tamarind (E. 22nd Street) as it was really crowded by the time we left. However, it wouldn't be a bad place to have to wait to be seated. The decor was crisp with white and beige hues which allowed for a nice relaxing meal.

Banc Cafe

This Murray Hill (30th and 3rd) hot spot is perfect for a drink during a game or an even out and about. No snobbery, pretty casual, friendly bar tenders, overall Banc has a chic appearance but an easy going attitude.

Kellari Taverna

I was truly impressed with this large Greek restaurant. Kellari Taverna is warmly lit with tall ceilings, a nice sized bar with oak barrels all around. I was pleasantly surprised by the waitstaff's knowledge of the cuisine and wine menu and the attentive service made me feel like I was attending their Grand Opening event. When I found out that this restaurant had been in NYC for 2 years I was blown away. I recommend the traditional Green wine, Assytiko produced by Boutari Estates in Greece (Vintage: 2002). And definitely start with the Saganaki (translation: flaming cheese) appetizer. Click here to see their menu but I also suggest the Patzaria salad.

Eatery

Eatery is a great brunch spot in Midtown West (53rd and 9th).Have a drink at he bar while you wait for a table. Once you're seated you're welcomed with a small bite of banana bread topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a little taste of nutella. The menu boasts some great sounding dishes like Santa Fe Sweet Potato Pancake and Homemade Granola with dried fruit. Whether you sit inside or out it's a fun place to meet up with friends for a weekend brunch.

Sundaes and Cones

After having dinner at The House and champagne at FLUTE my friend and I walked to Sundaes and Cones (10th St. near 3rd Ave.) where we had some fabulous ice cream!
With tons of flavors to try- some organic, some sugar free, and even soft serve frozen yogurt- it was hard to choose but I finally went with the fat free raspberry soft serve and the cookies n' cream ice cream. It was so good- creamy and smooth, just the way homemade ice cream should taste. I wasn't brave enough to taste the truly unique flavors like ginger, red bean or lychee even though they are recommended by Gothamist. A perfect way to end a casual night out in NYC.

FLUTE

After dinner at The House my friend and I walked to FLUTE, a champagne lounge in Gramercy (20th btw. Broadway & Park). I never knew there were so many different types of champagne, most of which lined the shelves above the bar. The dim lighting and plush sofas would be perfect for an after-dinner date, even though I was there with a friend we had a great time and ordered the Bellini Sampler. For each of the champagne samplers you could choose 3 different types to taste. For the Bellini sampler we choose the pear, mango and peach flavors. Pear was our least favorite as the taste was very subtle.

Apparently Tuesdays from 5-8pm it's Happy Hour at Flute. On our way out we also noticed a flyer announcing Champagne classes, it would be interesting to learn more about the varieties of champagne, I'll have to look into it.

The House

Not loving the menu at Casa Mono on Irving Place btw 17th and 18th my friend and I headed over to the quaint little restaurant called The House.

It's charming black and silver-themed decor is well lit with beautiful chandeliers. All the outdoor tables (3 of them) were taken so we sat inside on the main floor at a tall table with cushiony swivel chairs. We started our meal with the White Bean Hummus and Avocado Puree appetizer. For our entrees my friend ordered the Panino of Prosciutto di Parma with black mission figs, gorgonzola cheese and rosemary oil. I had the Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella di Bufala "Caprese" accompanied by a very refreshing lemon basil sorbet. The rectangular plate was decorated by a simple line of tomato water and basil oil. I loved this dish, I also added some balsamic vinegar which really added to the dish.

Sweet Lucinda's

For my sister's birthday I surprised her with cupcakes from the amazing Zionsville, IN-based bakery Sweet Lucinda's. It was so exciting to present her with a beautiful box full of delicious and gorgeous cupcakes that were designed especially for my sister's 15th birthday! The box was filled with an assortment of red velvet and white chocolate cupcakes with smooth buttercream frosting decorated with colored fondant. As an added bonus the talented baker, Courtney, added a bag full of colorful white chocolate-covered pretzels with sprinkles and a white chocolate cupcake-shaped lollipop. All of the treats were excellent! Surprising my sister with these fabulous treats was the perfect way to start celebrating the birthday weekend!

Orders can be placed by calling Courtney, find her contact info on her website: www.sweetlucindas.com. Sweet Lucinda's amazing treats can also be found all summer long at Zionsville's Farmer's Market.

Urban Taco

My one request during a family-filled weekend in Dallas was to try the latest addition to the chic Mockingbird Station scene, Urban Taco.

With its brightly-colored decor this upscale taqueria dishes up super tasty 'modern Mexican' cuisine. Restaurant proprietor, 24-year-old Markus Pinyero definitely knows what he's doing as he combines elements from his American and Mexican upbringing.

The delicious, homemade chips, with their intriguing spice bring out the best in the freshly-made, smooth guacamole. I suggest you wash it down with some of their signature drinks- a variety of margaritas, a sweet mojito, and much more.
Check it out: 5331 E. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 125; Dallas, TX 75206

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