Trois Mec......Helloooooooooo LA!

I am a taken by tonight.  I haven't blogged in 4-ever but tonight I had to.  I have dined in LA and gone to the heaven that exists here in this wonderful city.  Trois Mec.  A restaurant in a former pizza parlor reminds me of one of MY ABSOLUTE favs in Brooklyn....Battersby.  Google that my friends.   This is the kind of place you take your sweetheart.  It is just that good. We did a 6 course that is unique to every night.  I highly recommend my foodies friends.....

More blogging to come.  Helllllloooo LA!!!!

XO,
The Foodie Chick

Spice it Up!

My fellow foodies, it would be a crime for me to not reveal my go to spice source. Now please, commit this to memory!

Penzey's is based in Wauwatosa, WI (try saying that 5 times fast) and has several retail locations. Manhattanites, you can visit a small stall at the Grand Central Food Market. Florida friends, go to Winter Park as the store is huge and they often give you freebies. Oh and make sure to get on their mailing list! If you can't get to a retail site, you can always order online :)

Now, if I was on a deserted island and could take one spice with me from Penzeys, it would be the Fajita Spice. I use it on EVERYTHING. Chicken, fish, shrimp, even in a dip I make. The best part is that the ingredients are all natural and there isn't too much salt. If you gave me one more spice to take, it would be their Sunny in Paris spice. This jazzes up any dish. I mainly use it in eggs and omelettes but have tried it in Chicken Salad and it came out really nice. The spice is a blend of shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill, basil, tarragon, chervil, and bay leaf. Give it a go and let me know how you use it! I am always looking for a new way to use my Sunny spice!

Happy Spice Shopping!

Penzeys Spices
http://www.penzeys.com

Run for the Border....

I recently went to Empellon, a seemingly cozy Mexican spot in the West Village. My friend Laura offered it up to the group as a place we should try. And try we did. We arrived and were told by the very bothered hostess our table would be ready soon. So, like any other starving diner, we bellied up to the bar and ordered a drink. 10 minutes later, our table was still not ready. We ended up in the worst place at the bar. I was in the middle and constantly had to duck servers with trays of food. Strike ONE. Finally, our super model by day, hostess by night, came over and said our table was ready. We were taken to the back of the restaurant. When I say back, I mean back. It was the "you aren't cool enough to be in the front room" section where folks like us sat. I think secretly we were all happy since we were away from the hoopla in the main dining room. At the end of the day, we were here to visit with each other and eat delicious food, or so I thought.

Our waitress came bouncing over and asked us if we wanted chips and guacamole. We said, sure, we would love that and also please being us the wine menu. We promptly got our guac and chips from a food runner that told us he was day #2 on the job. Our waitress finally came over with a wine menu. We asked her for a bottle of Barbera. After 15 mins of chatting and eating, we had no wine. Our waitress finally came over and told us that she was out of the barbera and what else would we like. We punted and ordered something similar. At this point, we were salivating for wine. Finally we got our wine. Note this was after a good 30 minute wait. Our bubbly, bouncing server came back and asked for our order. We decided to try the short rib sopas and then order three different kinds of tacos: spinach, steak, and lobster.

Our sopas were tiny. Smaller than a sand dollar. The short rib was average, not bad but certainly not fantastic. Two bites and they were done. And I think 3 were 15 bucks. Wayyyy too pricey. But this didn't outrage us like the lobster. 10 minutes or so later, the food runner on day #2 came over with all sorts of food. We were ready to dive-in but realized we didn't order scallops or pork. Where could our food be? It turned out the table next to us ordered all this lovely food. So we gave it up and waited for our tacos. 5 minutes later our server took our chips and guac. Why she took them we don't know as we still had chips and guac left. So off the chips and guac went with a frown from all of us. Less than 5 minutes later another server delivered our tacos. After switching tacos so we each had a taco, we started munching. Spinach was OK. Not great but OK. I felt like the tacos were half filled with stuff. Where was the rest of the filling? The real atrocity was the lobster. $42 bucks for 3 tacos. And the meat wasn't even lobster meat!!!! It was crayfish. STRIKE TWO. I can't believe these people at Empellon thought we wouldn't realize this!!! I did. Had I not been starving I would have sent this back but we were hungry and we didn't realize the imposter meat until after. The taste of the lobster a.k.a crayfish was so so. Slightly fishy and drowned in tons of butter. Our last taco was steak. They always say you leave the best for last and we indeed did this with our steak tacos. They were filled with the right amount and had the nicest marinade. Absolutely lovely. But again, who can really screw up steak tacos?! After we finished, our re-fried beans and crema appeared from the day #2 food runner. He tried to give us the food and then take it away. It was the strangest exchange as he couldn't understand what was going on with our table. STRIKE THREE. The final blow came when we got the bill and we realized we spent $42 bucks on crayfish. Because of all the waiting and insanity, we called the manager over and complained. He took our bill and knocked our wine off the menu. This was a nice gesture but was made miserable by our no longer bouncy waitress. She was PISSED. She handed us our bill and said not one word. We paid and left her 18%. We could have left less but decided it wasn't exactly her fault. So we paid and got up to leave. As we walked out, the front room filled with cool people was like a lounge with people draped all over the chairs. Nobody was there to eat. People were there to be seen and look like they were eating. And this pretty much sums up Empellon. Go there if you want to be seen, but don't go for the food. It stinks!

5 minutes or less...

Dear Manhattan Friends,

Please check out these places:

The Dutch--SOHO

Ciano (been 5x times and still love)--Park Ave South

Bell, Book & Candle--West Village

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed The Dutch. I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did. Call for a resi NOW. Ciano is amazing. I have ordered off the menu and been happy. I have also ordered the pasta tasting menu and loved. You really can't go wrong. If you go, get the meatballs. TRUST ME! Bell, Book, & Candle is a little gem in the village. Food is really good and consistent. The space is inviting...great for a birthday party. Best part, you won't spend a fortune!!!

Review coming soon: Empellon. A new west village Mexican!

BBQ Gone Bad

I love BBQ. While my home state of Florida isn't a hotbed of great joints, I have spent a few finger lickin' good nights at some great BBQ places in the US. [ Shout Out to County Line in Austin,TX]. I could call myself a full on BBQ critic with the amount of time I have logged thus far :) Trust me on this.

A few years ago, I was so excited to learn that New York City had drank the Southern Kool-aide and some great pitmasters were headed my way. Many came, and many conquered. One of the great names that came our way was Pat & Gina Neely. You might know them from their Food Network Show which I happen to watch often on the weekends. So when I found myself doing a double movie header and needing a place for dinner near 62nd and 1st, I called upon Pat & Gina to feed me. It went something like this:

We walked in to the restaurant and were overcome by the smell of smoke. Cigar smoke to be precise. I asked the ladies to seat us outside. The outside was so crowded and tight. We sat down, our waiter came over and we ordered. We split a wedge salad, and then I ordered the brisket and my pal Clarissa ordered the pulled pork. Less than 10 minutes later, our entrees appeared. Clarissa said you the server, where is our salad. He said, "Oh, I forgot." So he asked us if we wanted and we said forget it. So we started to eat our mains. My brisket was tender and flavorful. I enjoyed the slight spice. The pulled pork on the other hand was dry and in need of sauce. Sadly, our waiter didn't appear so we had to eat before it got cold. Halfway through my meal, Clarissa asked me if I noticed mold on my okra. I looked, and viola, I saw mold. I couldn't eat anymore. Without asking, the manager appeared and asked us how we liked our meal. He looked 16. I said it was OK. Clarissa said, you are being way too nice. I said, I won't come back so forget it. Not worth a fight. Next thing we noticed was the man behind me talking to his girlfriend (at least I hope it was) in a very sexy tone. I can't even tell you what he said. Suffice to say, you would be blushing too :) Finished with our meals, we paid and vowed not to come back.

I plan on writing Pat & Gina Neely a note. They need to know. The best part of the night was seeing DRIVE with Ryan Gosling. Loved the movie. I even bought the soundtrack.

My words of caution, eat BBQ carefully.....

Spring has Sprung!

OK, so I admit I have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus. First off, it was a cold, dark winter and I spent some serious time on the sofa. I did flex my cooking muscle a bit and made some interesting meals. Some I will make again and some I will retire. My latest invention involves chicken, lemon pepper panko, and of course, my sprouts. I love them so much!

Now that spring has sprung, I am back in full dining mode. I recently went with a large group to Ciano. WOW. WOW. WOWSER. It was awesome. I was a bit skeptic when I arrived - the front of house wasn't on its game. Once everyone arrived, we were taken to a private room on the 2nd floor. It was perfect. Wine all over and cozy. I started with the famous meatballs. Oh how much I want them again! Perfect size. I next had the burrata with toasted bread and an onion jam. Again, a great dish that was a perfect size. My final course was the veal with a veggie ragout. Lovely and I am not a huge veal fan. Nice size, not too much. I opted for another glass of wine for dessert! Overall, lovely. A great meal that is worth every penny.

Ciano, 45 East 22nd Street, (212) 982-8422.

Molte Bene!

Delicious Danji

I have worked in Midtown for over 12 years now...and I have always been on the West side. Consequently, I have hit almost every restaurant in a 10 block vicinity and have some battle scars to prove it. Recently on a review of the Dining section of the Times, I discovered a little Korean fusion joint that had just opened.

Danji is located on 52nd street between 8th and 9th ave...quite an unassuming block. I recently had the pleasure of sampling this place with a friend who was also up for a new dining adventure. The menu is a blend of modern and traditional plates that are meant to be shared. We ordered the pork belly sliders, the skirt steak, the rock shrimp tempura with flying fish roe, and the stir fried vermicelli with beef and veggies. The pork belly sliders were my favorite. Super spicy (my nose ran) but so lovely. The moist pork belly was served on top of a perfectly grilled brioche bun. 3 bites and it was gone! The rock shrimp were good, not the best ever. The skirt steak was tender and had the perfect blend of Korean spices...I wish they gave us more! The dish I wouldn't order again was the vermicelli. Too many noodles and not enough beef. We were much too full for dessert....sorry readers!

The prices were a little high but the food is definitely worth it! During the week you might not have a problem getting a table but book a resi on the weekend for sure!

Wise words from the U.S. Food Administration

A friend of mine from Florida posted this on her Facebook profile and I had to have it. It is so simple...

A Steeler Superbowl

Here we go Steelers, here we go! Here we go Steelers, here we go! OK, I had to say it one more time, actually twice before I let it go for the year. So sad for the loss, but I know they will work hard and be great next year. I had the lucky fortune of going to Megan's house for the great game. Megan and her boyfriend extraordinaire served quite a feast. 3 kinds of wings with blue cheese, chips, salsa, delicious chocolate chip cookies with peanuts, and the best bloody Mary's ever. Our friend Sarah made a spinach dip to remember. Apparently it was a Paula Dean recipe that I am hot to get! She is one of the best cooks I know and she gives all her dishes a farm to table feel. She never sacrifices flavor!

Congrats to Green Bay...

Stepping out during my January hibernation...

I am really optimistic that 2011 is going to be a great year for everyone. As I continue on my foodie adventures this year, I am going to challenge myself to get healthy while never sacrificing flavor. Food with flavor and taste does not need to be bad for you! Since the New Year, I have had a few dining adventures worth telling you all about...

Riverpark: Tom Colicchio's new place on 29th and 1st ave. I went twice over NYC restaurant week. My first trip was an A+. I went with a dear friend and lucked out to get a nice table by the window. For starters I had the pork belly and it was out-of-this-world! Served with a Korean BBQ sauce and pickled veggies, it was absolutely lovely. Perfect size! I decided to channel Miss Piggy a little longer and I ordered the pork chop with a brussel sprout-apple hash and parsnip puree. Every bite was better than the next. Not too much food either. We paired our meals with the Claud La Chapelle Merlot/Cab blend. So nice and very affordable. We ended our meals with a cheese plate...and this was no ordinary cheese plate! Riverpark served 3 different cheeses - Meadow Creek Grayson, Cayuga Blue, and a Ossau-Iraty Vielle. Each piece was paired with pear jam, quince paste and honeycomb. I highly recommend!!!

The Lamb's Club: Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's new place on 44th between 6th and Bway. This place wasn't on my radar at all until I had a lunch date there. The menu is a great example of how you can serve many different palates. I had the Chicken Cobb Salad with maytag blue cheese, tarragon, and tomatoes. The dressing was lite yet creamy. I am not a bacon and avocado on salad kinda girl so I held both and it didn't compromise the salad at all. Truly a delight. I hope to try for dinner one evening!

I have also hit a few of my regular haunts....Kefi, Houston's, and Company. If I wasn't so carb conscious I think I would eat pizza for every meal. I love it, especially when it is dressed up with something unusual;)

Here's to hibernating in this cold weather! Lucky me has a little Florida sun in the near future to get excited about!

Recent Adventures

I just came back from my first Nascar race in Darlington, SC. I must admit, I was hesitant. I had no idea what to expect but was comforted by the fact that I was surrounded by my co-workers. Much to my surprise, I really liked it! The people watching was FANTASTIC. The cars and drivers were impressive, and the Southern BBQ hit the spot. All in all, happy I did it once in my life!

I haven't had a bad dinner in NYC in a long time. Make that a really long time. Recently, I went to Fig & Olive on 63rd and Lexington with a friend. We started with an assortment of crostini. Upon first bite, I realized the bread was 1/2 stale, 1/2 yuck. Totally gross with a capital G. The toppings were flavorless and ice cold. Imagine eating freezing cold pesto! If that wasn't bad enough, we both ordered pasta dishes. I had the penne with shrimp, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic. My friend had the mushroom pasta. Both dishes had ZERO taste. It was basically a bowl of pasta with a few cherry tomatoes and some cilantro. The shrimp weren't even deveined. I didn't eat but one bite. My friend tried to eat her pasta but also felt that it was tasteless. We gave up on our dinners and ordered another glass of pinot!

Question to my readers....should I have complained? Sent it back? Asked for it to be taken off my bill?

Stuck

Dear readers,

I have been M.I.A. I know, don't get too upset. Life has been busy! I have surfaced though and want to begin anew. Lots of things have happened since my last post! I am considering changing my subject matter to focus on things besides food...yes, I love to write about food but it isn't exactly good for the hips if you know what I mean:)

I want to thank all my dear friends who have given me guidance on this project and have given me tons of positive support. You all made the negative people go away!

I'll be back real soon,

The Chick, formerly known at The Food Chick.

Goodbye 2009...Hello 2010!

2009 proved to be a great year for the foodie chick. I met a few awesome chefs like Cat Cora, Marcus Samuelsson, Sara Moulton, and Wolfgang Puck. I went to several foodie events like the Big Apple BBQ, NY Mag's Taste, and the Village Voice Taste. I dined at a number of wonderful places and also some places I wish I could ask for a food refund!

The creation of my blog was something I always wanted to do. About 99% of my readers like what I have to say and read me when I post. There are a few who have not embraced the foodie chick but as my mom says, you can't please everyone. So here is my toast goodbye to 2009!

Best meal in 2009: The River Cafe in London. Not only was the company top rate, the food and ambiance was awesome. Every bite of my meal was amazing and I am hot to trot to return.

Most over-priced meal of 2009: Per se in NYC. The good thing is that I wasn't paying and was someone's guest. The service was a 10 for sure. I could have fallen out of my chair and someone would have been there to help me immediately. The food was good, don't get me wrong, but $245 per person is outrageous. Sorry Thomas Keller.

Best cheap eat of 2009: Super Duper Weenie in CT. I am really not a hot dog kind of gal but the whole presentation of the dogs and the delicious fries that accompany them was perfect. Runner up cheap eat would be The Red Onion cafe in Vero Beach that serves the best, most unique sandwiches ever.

Best Pizza of 2009: House Pizzeria in Austin. Their potato, goat cheese pizza is to die for. A recent review in Bon Appetit magazine confirms what I already know. Total YUM!

Honorable mentions in 2009:

The Grey Horse Tavern, Bayport, NY: farm fresh deliciousness here!

Akasha, Culver City, CA: really good new American food and I can say this after my boss and I both fell ill after our meal. Try it!

Corsino, NYC: small Italian plate heaven.

The Tides, Vero Beach: one of my favorites. The fresh fish is delicious.

Grand Harbor Beach Club, Vero Beach: new menu, new chef has made this a great lunch spot.

As for home cookin' in 2009, a shout out to Sarah Bloodsworth for her meatloaf. AMAZING. I have the recipe if anyone wants it:) Also, a shout out to Erica Schmidt for her basil shrimp pasta. What an easy yet delicious dish.

I am not a dessert person but if I had to call out something I would say the Crumbs cupcakes Peter and I feasted on this past summer. We had red velvet with a cream cheese frosting and then a pumpkin/chocolate that was amazing.

Well foodie friends, off to 2010! Here is what you can look forward to:

-Recipes that are healthy yet tasty

-Cooking gadgets

-Video chats with chefs

-New travels!

Cheers and as Julia Child would say, Bon Appetit!!

Ay Jalisco: La Comida Era Mala

For my readers that don't speak Spanish (I don't either), la comida era mala means the food was bad. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my family visited one of the Ay Jalisco Mexican restaurants in our town. I had actually been asking to go here for years but my mother refused claiming it was run by a Chinese family that knew nothing about Mexican food. I have no earthly idea where she got that from but suffice to say, she changed her mind when she heard a neighbor rave about the food. The restaurant was designed to look like a mariachi band gone wild. Lots of flare and color all over. I liked it. We were seated in a cozy booth toward the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. Our server immediately came over and greeted us and gave us menus and the obligatory chips and salsa. The chips were great. Crispy and just enough salt. The salsa was spicy but could have been chunkier and less soupy. We all ordered something different. Mom tried the chicken fajitas. Karin had the veggie burrito and I ordered the skirt steak tacos. My tacos were served on a plate with refried beans, guacamole, and rice. The steak was really fatty and not at all what I expected. The corn tortillas broke apart so I couldn't really eat them as tacos. The rice was really cold and the guacamole was so so. Karin said her burrito was OK. Passable but nothing she would jump up and down for at all. Mom's chicken fajitas looked great but they were drenched in oil and were lukewarm.

I really had high hopes since there are several locations and they always seem crowded. Perhaps the one at Miracle Mile just isn't a good one? I guess I will just have to cook Mexican food in Vero for now :) Luckily, I have Penzey spices to help me!

Bottom line: Skip Ay Jalisco at Miracle Mile. If anyone tries another location and likes it, please let me know. For now, I will stick to cooking Mexican food myself when I visit!

3 Cheers for Corsino

I hit the new restaurant jackpot a few Friday night's ago. I went to a place called Corsino that is owned by the guy who did 'inoteca and 'ino. I can't remember the last time I was so excited by a restaurant! Not only was my company top notch, but I also got 1,000 points on Open Table! The West Village location makes for a cozy spot on a chilly Friday night. We started with a glass of Montepulciano while perusing the menu. We decided to order a medley of things and share. First to the table was the assortment of crostini. We had the brussel sprouts and pecorino, the butternut squash and garlic, ricotta and honey, shrimp and arugula, and basil pesto. As I learned that evening, a crostino is a smaller slice of bread that is crispy. We liked all of them but my favorite was the brussel sprout and pecorino. I thought the pecorino would be grated into the brussels but in fact it was under everything. Lovely! We then feasted on baked ricotta with toasted ciabatta. A nice mid course before our cheese plate. Cheese is always a treat indeed. We ordered a selection of Italian cheeses that were served with a spicy jam. While I love cheese, I think I could have skipped this course and ordered more crostino! The superstar of the meal was hands down the Heritage Brisket Meatballs with tomato and pecorino. 3 GIANT meatballs that were just taking a nice tomato bath waiting to be forked by me! As a compliment to the GIANT meatballs, we ordered a side of their brussel sprouts and butternut squash. Both lovely but if I had to pick I would go with the brussels!

Bottom line: Corsino is such a nice addition to my rolodex of restaurants. I love everything about the place. The value, the food, the atmosphere. Everything gets a 10 from me. Families will be comfortable too as the back part of the restaurant has several 10 person tables. Foodie Chick readers, I highly, highly, highly recommend.

www.corsinocantina.com

I Love America's Steel City

My parents are both from Pittsburgh,Pa. I was born there and lived in the North part of the city till I was about 5. The city was built by my great grandparents. I think everyone my age can say their elders had a hand in shaping Pittsburgh. The city is a true melting pot of different people and cultures. While my parents loved their steel city, they had one too many winters and decided it was time to hit the road and go South. Fortunately, my grandparents and cousins remained in Pittsburgh so I had the opportunity several times a year to go back and see them. My grandparents took great care of me and my younger brother Fritz when we came for the summer. My gram cooked 5 nights a week with Friday and Sunday's off. She was such a funny cook. She was a product of the great depression so we never bought anything without a coupon and she recycled every Ziploc bag 3-4 times before it was so gross looking I had to pitch it or fear being poisoned. Once when my gram was not feeling well she asked me to stop at the store and buy a few things. I came home and handed her the receipt and change. She told me I paid too much for the tuna and I bought the wrong mayo. So, we got in the car and headed back to the store and she returned these items. I was mortified. Absolutely mortified. I said, "gram, you are so cheap. It's less than a dollar that you will save buying the other brand." She fired back telling me a dollar is a dollar and we are getting it back. When I was 15 I didn't really appreciate this at all. 20 years later, I get it. I wouldn't do it but I understand:) I digress....

I recently went to my city of birth to see my cousins Liz and Rachel. Liz is a mom who has two kids, Jack and Sam, that I adore. I picked Halloween weekend on purpose as I wanted to trick-or-treat with all the kids. I also picked this weekend as it was my cousin Rachel's 39th birthday. In celebration of her big day, we went to a wonderful little bistro called the Point Brugge Cafe. Nestled in a little neighborhood on the East side of the city, Point Brugge serves up inventive fare in a cozy little brownstone. We started with pomme frites with a basil mayo that was to die for. Delicious with a capital D! We also ordered their crab cake to share that was paired with a spicy tartar. Also, awesome. I ordered the cuban sandwich as my entree. Can't say I was a fan. The sandwich was not pressed enough and I expected more garlic in the mayo. I was disappointed but relieved when my cousin Liz gave me a piece of bread to soak in her mussel pot. She made the best order of us all with the red curry and cilantro mussels. The sauce for the mussels was dynamite. I would go back there just for it! The birthday girl had a grilled cheese with red pepper that was tasty and my cousin Noel had a pesto shrimp sandwich that was lovely. I think I had bad order luck. But....we toasted Rachel with some champers so all was just peachy.

Bottom line: Check out Point Brugge for their good beer list and yummy pomme frites. Stay away from the cuban sandwich my friends. Go for the mussels and ask for extra bread!!

www.pointbrugge.com

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I have been MIA way too long. Good reasons though: 1) I was swamped at work and couldn't bear to turn on my computer at home after a long day at the office. 2) Because I was "over" eating out so much and had to take a break and 3) my wallet needed some relief!

Now, the show must go on!

I had an absolutely AMAZING dinner at Keste. For those that read other food blogs and follow the local restaurant beat, you will know that Keste was rated the #1 pizza place in NYC. If I told you I knew Keste was awesome before NYC did you all wouldn't believe me. But I knew months before that Keste was the pizza destination of Manhattan. All thanks to my cousin Liz from Pittsburgh. As it turns out, the owner of Keste is a man named Roberto Caporuscio who hails from a town outside Naples. Roberto moved to Pittsburgh years ago and opened up a shop in Bellevue, PA. My cousin Liz found Roberto's place and instantly became hooked. So when Roberto decided to pack up and head for the big apple, he naturally emailed his best customers and told them to come see him on Bleecker street. Naturally, Liz forwarded his email to me and then I was in the know! My mom recently came to see me and we went to Keste for dinner one evening. There were a few of us and we all ordered different pizza's. In hindsight, I think my friend Alicia had the best looking pizza--and I know it was tasty as she didn't share a bite!!! Below is her sausage and broccoli rabe pizza that was cooked to perfection:

Bottom line: Keste is a great deal in our city. Cheap wine and delicious pizza. Great for kids! They don't take reservations so make sure you are OK waiting!

www.kestepizzeria.com

Top 5 Cheap Eats in NYC

Cheap and New York City don't really work in a sentence. If you said this to a random person on the street, they would probably laugh deep from their belly and think you were crazy. But here is the thing foodie chick readers, cheap DOES exist in Gotham. Let me clarify my idea of cheap. Buffets don't count. They are a big NO in my book. Yes cheap, but scary and gross. Also, I am not going to count the endless array of cheap salad shops, chipotles, pret a mangers, etc, etc, etc. They don't count in my book. Here is how I define cheap: delicious food with good ingredients and a nice wine list all under $25 bucks per person for dinner. This can be accomplished! I assure you! Here is my current list of cheap eats:

1) 'INO --> I have been coming here since they opened. Its the kind of place you always want to go back to time and time again. I have taken loads of friends here and even my dear mom who gave it two thumbs up. What I like so much about 'ino, is the hominess of the space, the awesome staff who always remembers me, and the most delicious food. I can't go here without always starting off with a glass of proseco. For $8 bucks a glass that is a steal. Depending on my company, I either have their antipasti plate or their Italian cheeses. Both are served with sullivan street bread and cost $12 bucks. If I don't have antipasti or the cheese, I definitely order bruschetta. Their butternut squash is divine as is their pesto. 1 bruschetta costs $3 bucks. I always order a panini except I doctor it up a little. My favorite is the mozzarella, basil pesto and pepperonata with caramelized onions added. SOOO good. Each panini is only $11 bucks. I am always too full for dessert but they have some very nice options including toasted bread with nutella! So, proseco + 1 bruschetta + a panini = $22 bucks!

www.cafeino.com

2) 'INOTECA --> This is owned by the 'ino people. I remember when I was at 'ino and they told me they were opening this place. I thought they were brilliant to do so. Considered one of the first restaurants that helped make the LES a dining destination, 'inoteca has been packing them in night after night. One of my favorite dishes, a shaved brussel sprout salad, is currently off the menu but I am hopeful it will return soon. When it was on the menu, it was around $8 bucks. 'Inoteca also serves proseco that is a must for anyone who likes the bubbly. My absolute favorite item on the menu is the "lasagnette di melanzane". Basically, this lasagna has no noodles and is made of eggplant and has onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and parmesan cheese. I must tell you all that nobody makes a better melanzane in the city. I have ordered at many other fine establishments and have been utterly disappointed. Gemma to name one place that massacred such a lovely dish. 'Inoteca charges $12 bucks this entree. Ok, so I am a little over the budget with my order here. Proseco + brussel sprout salad + lasagna = $32 bucks. If I didn't have the bubbly I would be on the mark with a buck to spare! I have been here so many times that I have ordered practically everything on the menu. My other favs include their meatballs, the wagu beef panini, bruschettas, rice balls, mozzarella in carrozza, brick chicken, and their beet salad. You won't be disappointed here at all. Go at off times as prime time dining can make you wait a long time for a table.

www.inotecanyc.com

3) Alta --> I wish I could take complete credit for finding this place. But I can't. My friend Laura is responsible for finding this cozy hidden restaurant tucked in an adorable West Village townhouse. The menu is comprised of small plates that range from duck to pizza to cheese to potatoes. There is probably something on the menu for everyone. What is best is to go with a big group of people so you can try a bunch of different things. My absolute favorite is none other than the crispy brussel sprouts with fuji apples, crème fraiche, and pistachio nuts. I also love the fried goat cheese in lavender honey, the catalonian flatbread with mushrooms and cheese, the bacon wrapped dates and olives, and the Ricotta Parmesan Gnocchi. The wine list is equally impressive with lots of choices that don't break the bank. Depending on what you order, you could keep it at $25 or you might go a little over but it is well worth it. It should come as no surprise that I am a huge Top Chef fan and recently I saw Padma dining at Alta! Unlike 'Ino and 'Inoteca, Alta takes reservations and is GREAT for a group of people. Be warned that they only take cash and American Express!

www.altarestaurant.com

4) Kefi --> This Greek taverna made me like Greek food again. There are a lot of high end Greek restaurants in NYC but the cheap options weren't so good until Kefi arrived...or came back depending on how you know the place. The restaurant comes from the dynamo chef Michael Psilakis who has taken our city by storm. His high end Greek restaurant, Anthos, is one of the best in the city. He recently opened a Gastro Pub called Gus & Gabriel on the UWS that needs to work out some kinks still. Kefi on the other hand, is a well oiled machine that cranks out delicious food at the most affordable prices. Opened at a new location on the UWS, Kefi serves Greek food for both lunch and dinner. The Greek salad is delightful. Not your typical take but rather an inventive re-creation that puts the D in Dill. The spread selection includes tzatziki, eggplant, red pepper, and fish roe all served with perfectly baked pita bread. The Chicken Souvlaki sandwich with tzatziki on pita bread is really nice and a good value as it comes with a side Greek salad and chips for $11.95. The sheep's milk ravioli with brown butter is heavenly as is the sheep's milk dumplings with a spicy lamb sausage. All are priced in the low teens. Kefi also serves great fish dishes with lots of fresh herbs like the grilled swordfish with tomato, olives, and cauliflower. On a recent visit I had the hanger steak with broccoli rabe and it was awesome. Perfectly cooked and so full of flavor. The wines by the glass are so reasonable for NYC ---$6 bucks for a nice house red! Kefi is great for all occasions and party sizes. They do take reservations and they are on open table! Kefi will definitely fit in your budget.

www.kefirestaurant.com

5) Otto --> Who doesn't like pizza, cheese, and wine? Otto began the pizza revolution that has taken over NYC and is taking over America. The idea of serving pizza in a nice setting with an extensive wine list was the brainchild of none other than Mario Batali . On many occasions I have popped into Otto and Mr. Orange clogs himself was sitting at a table stuffing a pizza in his mouth. Otto is where I began my love affair with truffle honey and coach triple cream goat's cheese. Otto is also where I have seen tons of celebs like Holly Hunter, Michael Moore, and Spike Jonze. Otto is also very special to me as a dear friend of mine who has since passed away loved it too. My go-to pizza at Otto is the goat cheese with whatever vegetable they are pairing with it. I typically also order some of their cheese so I can get the truffle honey. It's all about the honey! I also like their balsamic marinated brussel sprouts (duh) and their eggplant caponata . If you don't like a pizza on the menu they will make you whatever you like...but I doubt you would have that problem! Otto also serves a few pasta dishes but they are really small servings and haven't been good in the past. Stick with the pizza. Otto takes reservations and can be really busy so book well in advance. Otto also has wine classes that are really fun. Check out their website for more info! The pizzas range between $7 - $14 bucks and all the pastas are around $10 bucks. The starters vary but you can get the brussels for $4 bucks! Otto is definitely affordable and keeping to $25 bucks is easy.

www.ottopizzeria.com

Bottom line: Check out all these places and let me know what you think. I love them all for different reasons. Eating in NYC doesn't have to be so hard! In a few months I will revisit my list and give you an update! Happy [cheap] Eating!

5 min Review: Socarrat Paella Bar

Who would have thought that NYC had its very own paella bar! I certainly did not until my friend Laura suggested it for dinner one eve. Located in Chelsea, Socarrat is a shoe box size restaurant that serves all sorts of tapas items and several different kinds of paella. We started with the pan tomaca (toasted bread, fresh tomato, olive oil), patatas bravas (spicy potatoes, garlic aioli), and a very gooey eggplant dish that jiggled a lot. The pan tomasca was delicious but the portion was minimal. The patatas bravas were also yummy but we didn't get as much as I would have expected for the $. The eggplant salad was just OK. There was no zip which is perhaps why it was a special starter and not a regular on the menu. The centerpiece of the dinner was the paella for three. We played it safe and had the "Paella Socarrat" which featured chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, cuttle fish, green beans, mussels, and cockle clams. When our server presented us with our dinner, she told us to let it sit for 5 minutes so the rice could cook longer. We did and then we dove in head first! My first bite was glorious. A little rice and a piece of shrimp. All seasoned perfectly. The dish was generously salted but not too much. I can't recall the last time I had such good paella! My friend Emily who was with us said that this paella was as good as what she got in Spain this summer!

Bottom line: Definitely worth a visit. The paella is moderately priced but skip the starters as they are definitely over priced. Also, if you go with a group of 4 or more, ask for the front table in the window!

socarratpaellabar.com

5 min Review: Permanent Brunch

Last weekend my friend Alicia organized an outing to see Still Life at the Lucille Lortel theatre. We decided to have brunch before our play and Alicia let me pick the place. I read about Permanent Brunch a few months ago and put on my short list of places to check out. We met on the early side since they don't reservations and we were a party of 5 which can be hard to seat. After waiting about 40 mins, we were seated at a front table meant for 4! Oh well, we squeezed. We had water immediately from the busboy and menus but didn't see our server for a good 10 mins. Finally, we all ordered. I had scrambled eggs with whole grain toast and herb new potatoes. Sarah and Lauren had the same thing. Alicia had buttermilk pancakes with a fruit sauce on the side. Martha had the baked eggs with a short rib ragu and duck fat fingerling potatoes. We also ordered up a sampler from their bacon bar and these special donuts called zeppolis. If I told you we all got our food at the same time I would be lying. Alicia had her pancakes a good 5 mins before I got my food. Martha's baked eggs came last. About 10 mins after Alicia's pancakes. The zeppolis came out as a starter. The bacon came out between the scrambled eggs and the baked eggs. A total cluster. We asked for syrup. Didn't get for 10 mins. We asked for ketchup. Didn't get for 5 mins. Coffee? We didn't get for 30 mins!!! I actually asked a busboy for a cup. Because our food came out at random times, we couldn't wait to eat together as cold eggs are gross. The food was good. Not great but good. But not worth suffering through the terrible service. On a positive note, the space was really cool and they have this ipod station where you can hook up your device and then play guest DJ. The concept is cool too, heck we all like eating breakfast food at dinner! But get your act together!!!

Bottom line: Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Glad I tried but not rushing back. Perhaps going at an off hour would be better instead of during prime brunch hours. Visit at your own risk.

thatstheticketblog.blogspot.com (read Alicia's blog for the play review)

www.permanentbrunch.com