Ma Peche

Ohhh David Chang. You just keep on getting better and better! I actually had no intention of visiting Ma Peche until my colleague proposed it as an idea for a client dinner. The fact that we didn't have a reservation made me nervous, but we were pleasantly surprised by the exceptionally accommodating host upon arrival. We put in our name, requested a table for 8pm, and they eagerly put us in their book, happy to make it happen. Sure enough, we came back at 8pm after getting manicures, and were seated after 5 minutes. From the beginning Ma Peche impressed.

The vibe at Ma Peche is very laid back, but in a modern way. Light wooden tables, stiff, uncomfortable chairs, high, white-walled ceilings, and bright lighting give it a very sophisticated, classiroomy feel. The waiters are all very young, chummy, and evidently passionate about the food they're serving. You can tell that everyone there, waitstaff and customers alike, all feel privileged to be a part of the Ma Peche experience.

Considering we were taking out clients, the sky was the limit with our menu choices - my favorite type of dining experience! We literally picked everything that caught our eyes on the menu, and it ended up being a complete success. And for this reason (and because I'm lazy), I'm going to describe everything we ordered in list form:

1. Squid salad with scallions, peanuts - light with bright, citrus-y flavors
2. Beef tartare, soy, scallions, mint - not my typical appetizer choice, but the accompanying shrimp chips were tasty
3. Asparagus salad with crab and egg yolk - perfectly al dente aspargus with a creamy yet delicate crab dressing
4. Pork ribs with lemongrass caramel - one of my favorites, crispy fried pork that falls off the bone
5. Huge scallops, seared with brown butter, lime, pea shoots - gigantic scallops, perfectly cooked and buttery
6. Rice noodles, spicy pork, sawleaf herb - the oddly shaped noodles, crispy on the inside, were not at all what I expected but a nice surprise. The fleks of pork added great flavor and texture to the dish
7. Short ribs with carrots and spaetzle - another hit - melt in your mouth cubes of short rib with a light yet flavorful broth
8. Fried calamari with scallions and fish sauce - a vinagary delicacy, I could eat a whole bowl!

Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of the food, but I did get a chance to take photos of two equally stellar sightings: Neal Patrick Harris and Mark Summers, who were dining together amongst a large group of young men and one woman. After a cocktail and a glass of wine, I couldn't resist asking for a photo upon their exit. Success! They were both incredibly nice, and pleased to take a photo with their fans (especially Marc Summers, Double Dare blast from the past). If you are dying to see food photos, though, don't fret - about every blog out there is filled with Ma Peche slide shows - check out Grub Street for a sneak peek.
The experience didn't end with dinner, of course, though for the unmotivated it normally would. Ma Peche doesn't serve dessert in the main dining room. This, to me, is a huge setback. I don't want to get out of my chair to get dessert, because that's when I realize I'm too full to actually eat it. Ma Peche gives you two options - take dessert to-go from the Milk Bar that welcomes you upon entering with bright neon lights, or sit in the quiet upstairs lounge and order. We opted for the latter and pre-ordered four of the famous freshly baked Milk Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies, which take 10 minutes to bake. These were absolutely incredible, and washed down with a cold glass of milk, brought me more back to my childhood than Marc Summers and the classroom like setting did combined. Pure bliss. Warm, doughy, chocolatey, chewy cookies. We also ordered the Candy Bar pie, which is the perfect combo of salty and sweet, chocolate and caramel, hard and smooth textures.

Overall, Ma Peche was awesome and scored especially high on food and service. The host even left us with his card so we could give him a heads up on our future visits. He may regret that, because I will definitely be making this place a stop when visitors come to town!

Grade: A-
Address: Mezzanine of Chambers Hotel, 15 W 56th St between 5th and 6th
Website: www.momofuku.com/ma-peche/

Marea

Marea Marea Marea. Everyone talks about Marea. Now I understand why! I rarely venture up to the Upper West Side but upon reading another review of the place, I felt compelled to give it a shot. Most importantly, one of my best friends was in town, and after a weekend of eating solely bagels, chips, bean dip and sangria, we were looking for a delicious and hearty meal.
Marea is a sophisticated spot, but it's versatile. You could dress up to go here, but you could also, like I did, wear Jeans and a nice top and feel comfortable. You can tell that every detail in the surroundings was very carefully chosen, down to the utensils and place settings. It's really a beautiful place, and the food is amazing. Below is a picture of Sophia, me and Sara, obviously really excited about our meal.
The servers wowed me from the start. Not only did they come around immediately after we placed our order with a wide selection of breads in a basket, but they brought an amuse bouche of delicious cubes of raw salmon to the table. I love freebies, especially when they involve seafood and are delicious. GOOD ONE MAREA!

I could have ordered everything on the menu, and being the indecisive person I am, it took me about 10 minutes of interrogating the waiter to finally decide. Thankfully I loved every bite and left without regrets. We started with the Chickpea and Seaweed Fritters, which were fried doughy goodness, and sardines, which I didn't touch. They have a great selection of little sharable bites, so I definitely plan to try something new next time around.

I am rarely wowed by pasta. To me, hot carbs with tomatoes and oil and a few other random ingredients is hard to mess up. Bur Marea's lobster ravioli with salmon roe was incredible. Ravioli especially tends to be dry, over or undercooked, but this ravioli was not, and the ratio of filling to pasta was perfect - rather than skimping on the filling, as most restaurants do, Marea literally stuffed these little dumplings to the brim with lobster goodness. The best part of the pasta, though, was the light buttery cream sauce. I could have made a meal out of this and the bread, along with the salmon roe that bursted with flavor with every bite. This ravioli may have been some of the best I've ever had.
I expected to be disappointed by the next pasta dish I tried, but fortunately I was wrong. The spaghettini with bone marrow and squid, which Sophia ordered, was up there with the ravioli. Such a rich, intense meaty flavor really deepened the flavor of what could have been a bland tomato sauce, and surprisingly coated the squid perfectly. I was in pasta heaven.
For my actual main course, I ordered the swordfish, which was delicious as well. Simple and delicate, it was the perfect main dish to follow the rich marrow pasta.
And of course, for dessert, we ordered the Gianduja with cocoa nib crem, hazelnut chocolate, and fior di latte gelato. Eating this after having consumed two bottles of wine, I have to say I wasn't in the best state to fairly judge, but, it was awesome. And as if I wasn't filled to the brim already, the waiter topped us off with a selection of hand crafted chocolates that I devoured. AND THEN, as we were leaving, they handed us a lemon poppy seed muffin for the morning. I told myself that I wouldn't be able to eat again until the next evening. Of course that was a lie, and the lemon poppy seed muffin turned out to be the perfect breakfast meal.

Thanks Marea - you get an A in my book (but please move further downtown if you can).

Grade: A
Address: 240 Central Park S
Website: www.marea-nyc.com

Maialino

Maialino - another Danny Meyer spot in the Gramercy area, but with an Italian twist. As I've said in past posts, aside from Shake Shack, Danny Meyer's restaurants never blow me away. They're a safe bet - good for family outings, business dinners, formal dates - the food is solid and never fails, but it rarely merits a distraction from the conversation. Maialino runs along this typical Danny Meyer theme, but offers some of his best dishes I've tasted. And like all of his restaurants, the interior is absolutely stunning. Eclectic modern art adorns the brasserie-esque space, and though the wooden chairs and checkered floor emphasize a casual, laid back feel, the stunning flowers and long black bar preserve its sense of sophistication. The waitstaff, also common to all Meyer establishments, is excellent as well. There is an abundance of servers catering to each table, though not overbearingly so, and they glide by with beaming smiles - so much that I could have been convinced I was outside of New York City. With an extensive, well rounded menu, exceptionally accommodating waitstaff, a gorgeous, airy interior, and a view of the lush Gramercy Park, it seems like Maialino is a New York establishment with an infinite lifespan.

The meal started off with a bang - the bread came out before we ordered! I hate places that like to gauge the size of your order before deciding on your allocation of bread. The basket was filled with a good variety of Italian breads - all crusty and salt free, aside from the thin breadsticks. We then started off with the crostini di piselli e fave - four pieces of ricotta smothered thin crostini with a generous pile of bright green pea and fava bean puree. The flavors in this dish were reminiscent of spring... vibrant, and fresh. I loved it, nd the light dusting of parmesan on top rounded out the mild flavors of the ricotta and pea mixture perfectly.

The pasta course was a tough call for me, but after summoning the waitress'S advice, I opted for the bucatini all'Amatriciana, a thick hollow spaghetti with a hearty bacon-onion tomato sauce. The pasta was surprisingly light, as the guanciale was sparse and subtle. The noodles themselves were dense and al dente. Overall, it was a very simple yet well-executed and flavorful dish.

New York Magazine voted Maialino for best roast chicken in New York city, so in spite of its renowned namesake dish (maialino is suckling pig), we went for a crispy roast chicken and the waitress's other recommendation, the Pesca Spada, or swordfish. The roast chicken actually could have been one of the best I've had in New York. Flattened to a uniform thickness, it wasn't served as a typical Italian roast chicken, but it had tons of flavor of the drippings and skin, and was utterly tender, white and dark meat alike. The chicken is served in solace on a white plate amidst thin layer of juice; the clean presentation really encourages the diner to appreciate its quality.

The swordfish, also in true Roman style, was a very straight forward yet solid dish. The fish was dense, as to be expected with swordfish, but had a little more of a tender give that I liked. The wild mushroom bunch and fennel on the side were excellent - obviously sauteed in both oil and butter, they seemed like an indulgence more than a healthy side.

The dessert options all seemed quintessentially Roman and delicious - simple cakes dolloped with creams, tarts, tartufo, and gelati. Considering we had a $200 gift certificate (thanks to my wonderful team at work!!!), we ordered both the gelati, which consisted of pistachio, fior di late, and chocolate, and the rasberry tart. I loved the tart - it wasn't overbearingly sweet as tarts and pies so often are. In fact, it was a bit on the sour side, but along with its side of unsweetened creme fraiche, it formed such a unique combination. The gelati were delicious, though the chocolate was a bit more intense and dark than I like for ice cream. Melted onto a biscotti, though, it tasted just fine!

I feel very fortunate to have had a reservation on a Thursday evening at Maialino. The chicken was definitely the highlight of the night, and alone probably enough to bring me back, but I wouldn't be hugely disappointed if I never returned. I mean, there's always the 20 other sceney-impossible to get a table at-celebrity chef-italian restaurants in the city I could try! Still, the Danny Meyer sighting mid-meal is a thrill I could only find at Maialino :)

Grade: A-

Website: www.maialinonyc.com

Address: 2 Lexington Avenue at 21st Street

Corton NYC

Corton has been praised as one of the best new restaurants in New York City, but based off of the descriptions of its delicate and refined food, it didn't strike me to be a potential favorite. While it may seem like I only dine at expensive, snooty places, I don't. I've just had a lot of reasons to dine at special occasion restaurant recently (birthday, new job, etc.). In fact, going to Corton wasn't even my choice - it was my manager Eileen's choice, since she and my two other managers kindly offered to take me out to celebrate my birthday. And in retrospect, I am SO glad we followed her suggestion!

The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous - with a white, pristine, Japanese-zen feel, and background noise so low you could almost hear a pin drop, it felt more like a wellness center than a typical New York restaurant. But everything about the restaurant coincides. The food is clean, beautifully and perfectly presented and combines pure, fresh, simple ingredients to create intense and complex flavors. The service is subtle and impeccable as well - calm yet attentive, and not overzealous in the slightest. Quite an artful place.
The *only* complaint I would have about the restaurant is that they do not allow photos of their food. Out of snobbiness or respect for their guests (I was sitting a table away from Matt Lauer), Idon't know; nonetheless it made me discouraged to write this blog. However, with constant flashbacks of the wonderful food I consumed at Corton, I couldn't help but distribute a stellar review to my (3) avid fans.

I and the rest of my group opted for the three course meal - along with 2 amuse bouches, a delicious selection of bread rolls (with two types of butter and fleur de sel), the various accoutrements the come as surprises with each dish, and a chocolate truffle and macaron tasting, it was more than enough food. To start, I ordered the "From the Garden" salad. While it sounds dull, it was probably the best, most inventive and artful "salad" I've ever tasted. Bright and beautiful young vegetables with edible flowers doused the plate on top of hidden of root purrees and flavored oils. Really light and clean, but totally satisfying. We also decided to split an "in between" course that was incredible - "Early Spring," which consisted of four separate plates: a scallop, sweat pea ravioli, a delicate crab salad, and a beautiful piece of rare quail. Of course I'm butchering the image of each course with poor descriptions, but you should know that each plated dish was as beautiful as food could be - a painting on a plate, with complimenting colors, textures, heights...it was almost surprising that it tasted as good as it looked!

For my main course, I had the halibut with morel mushrooms. Of course, it was perfectly cooked, light, comforting, and wholesome, but the best part about it was the heavy portion of freshly cooked green risotto served in a steel pot. I also managed to try the Angus beef, which was actually a hearty size. At that point in the meal, I was perfectly full (not only off of food, but off of probably close to a sweet bottle of Pouilley Montrachet burgundy), and felt so fortunate to have had one of the most intricate and spectacular meals of my life with three of the people I most admire.

Dessert followed the trend of the rest of the food - it was pure goodness. I ordered the "gold bar," which is Corton's version of a dense yet creamy, chocolate caramel layered cake. If I were to return, I would order a dessert with less intensity considering all of the wine and collectively-rich food I consumed, but no complaints in retrospect.

Grade: A+
Address: 239 West Broadway @ North Moore
Website: www.cortonnyc.com

Daniel

It's 10.28pm and I just returned from a truly memorable dining experience at Daniel. My fellow foodie friend, Erin (a.k.a Ketel 2), and I sat down to our table at 6.15pm. Yes, we sat for four hours - but dining at Daniel revolves around so much more than just food. It's about service, experimentation, conversation, gluttony, luxury...just about everything I love in life! Truly indescribable, and on a entirely different level than most restaurants I've tried.

The setting is absolutely stunning: ornate, yet subtly so. Gorgeous, bright red fresh flowers adorn the space, surrounded by smooth oak vaults of aged wine, and long glossy columns supporting the adorned vault ceilings. Round tables evenly disperse the dining room, each with exceptional views spanning the entire restaurant - not one bad seat in the house. In fact, the host positioned Erin and me in a somewhat remote corner of the restaurant, but we could still view the mastery of the servers collectively tending to each table.

Before even attempting to decide on my main course, I was forced to choose a cocktail. With a long list of intriguing and never-before seen ($20+) cocktails, I decided to follow the advice of our (one of five) servers and have a famous white cosmopolitan made with St. Germain Elderflower Liquor, Lime Juice, and White Cranberry Juice. The long stem glass came holding a tennis-ball shaped ice cube enclosing a vibrant purple flower. The cocktail itself went down a little too easily, and reminded me of a subtler, more natural version of a starburst fruit candy. I loved it.

The waiter was amazingly accommodating, and upon inquiring about the wine, he brought out three tastings of three whites. We played a guessing game, and he asked me to pick my favorite without revealing the names of each. Considering the seemingly stuffy surroundings, I appreciated his light heartedness. His warm humor, along with the friendliness of the other waiters, proved to me that Daniel is a step above the rest of the fine dining establishments in New York - though the food and service is refined to a T, the staff and surroundings are warm, comforting, and playful. "Daniel is very much about experimentation, and trying something new..if you don't like it, send it back, or throw it in my fave" one of our waiters joked.

As you can see already, there are many steps to the dining experience at Daniel. After ordering our drinks, we were given a beautiful amuse bouche a la lemon grass. Three tiny tastings of unexplainable lemon grass dishes gave Erin and I an idea of the remarkable journey to foodie land we were about to take.

And as if that weren't enough, Mr. Bread-melier came out with a basket of 7 selections of bread - french baguette, sourdough baguette, rustic sourdough slices, butter rolls, olive rolls, parmesan garlic rolls, and seven seaded loaf. Between Erin and me, we were able to try almost every type of bread. The bread, along with cold french butter, made my entire experience at Daniel worth my while.

After bread service, and about 45 minutes through the meal, we were ready to order. The servers were receptive to our requests for suggestions, and their decisiveness was refreshing. Per their recommendations, I ordered the Maine Peekytoe Crab Salad, split an extra course of the Artichoke Raviolini in Saffron sauce with clams, squid, and cuttlefish, and decided on the Black Sea Bass with Syrah Sauce for my main. The crab salad was served in rolls of thinly sliced apple, and a lightly sweet granny smith apple dressing. The gorgeously plated dish was light and refreshing, with bursts of different flavors and textures.

The raviolini was a seafood lovers heaven - tiny green ravioli with generous portions of mussels and squid lay amidst a velvety saffron seafood broth, with stunning organic flavors.

I even snuck a taste of Erin's foie gras...velvet in my mouth!

Picking one fish dish among the four listed was definitely a feat, but I was very happy I decided on the bass. The mysterious syrah sauce tasted more like a salty, rich caramel sauce, and while it sounds uncomplimentary, it accompanied the simple, delicate white fish just perfectly. The crispy potato parmentiers adorning the plate were also delicious.

Erin's Duo of Wagyu beef was also delicious - the short ribs were like butter and the filet was perfectly cooked.

The dessert course could have been a meal (or two) in itself. Of course I skipped the entire 5-item long "Fruit" section and went straight to the "Chocolate" section. Erin ordered the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache with caramel ice cream, while I had my "go-to" dessert: warm chocolate cake (aka Warm Guanaja Chocolate Coulant) with milk sorbet. Both were exceptional, and as expected, beautifully plated. The chocolate cake came out as a mini bundt, and upon being punctured, oozed out with hot chocolate liquid - just as a molten chocolate cake should!

Erin's dessert was my favorite - with a thin, crunchy, somewhat salty peanut butter layer and a mound of dense chocolate mousse, it tasted similar to what I would imagine a sophisticated candy bar to taste like.

In addition to these two desserts, the staff brought out a dessert on the house for my birthday (thanks to Erin!): the Coconut Lemongrass Soup with poached Pineapple and Coconut Rum sorbet. Not necessarily my dessert of choice, but I could still appreciate it for its beauty, creativity, and summery flavors.

And then...as our buttons bursted, we were given a dish of petit fours. And then, warm Madeleines. And then...a chocolate truffle course. Of course I had to taste a little bit of everything, but at that point I was so full it was hard for me to truly appreciate the flavors of each.

Once I thought the night couldn't improve any more, Erin 2 decided to ask about the private dining space, called the sky room. The sky room sits adjacent to Daniel Boulud's office, and directly above Daniel's kitchen. The room has glass windows, so the special party of four reserving the space can watch every move of the kitchen staff as they glide through an 8 course meal. Fortunately, Erin's interest led to one of the servers encouraging us to take a look, so upon finishing our meal and signing the bill, we were escorted a la VIP to the kitchen. While the private space, with a big window overlooking the kitchen, was awesome, it was the kitchen itself and the art and dance occurring inside of it that truly amazed me. The focus and determination in the eyes of each chef was breathtaking - to see a team of people, so driven and so dedicated to their work and the flavors and beauty of the plate after plate was truly inspiring. I could have stayed and watched for hours. The fact that each chef was a good looking french man may have played a part as well :)

Dining out for me, regardless of where I go, is an experience in and of itself. It's like going to see a show, or going to see a baseball game, or taking a hike with your family. It's an experience that allows you to interact, engage company, activate your senses, bond with your loved ones, bond with new friends, and release whatever tension you have built up inside. But dining at Daniel...not only is that an experience, but it is truly an EXPERIENCE. An Experience with its own definition; an Experience in its own right. And you must experience this Experience to know what I mean...and believe me, it's worth it.

Grade: A+
Website: www.danielnyc.com
Address: 60 East 65th Street between Park and Madison

Babbo

My favorite Christmas gift this year was a gift from my dear friend Carolyn: a gift certificate to Mario Batali's famous Italian restaurant, Babbo. I couldn't wait to use it...but considering tables are next to impossible to reserve there, I had to wait four months to do so. Thankfully, my kind boss knows Mr. Batali, so I was hooked up with a Thursday night reservation at 6.15pm - ideal compared to the other (if even available) choices of 5pm or 10.45pm.

I decided to take my fellow food lover Sonia, and we counted down the seconds leading up to the event. Sonia is not just a regular Babbo customer, though; considering Mario Batali religiously and exclusively uses her father's olive oil, Da Vero, she is basically a celeb at the establishment. I had to embarrass her upon entering by revealing the fact that Da Vero's daughter was in the house, and very glad I did - they basically bowed at our feet and even sent out a delicious freebie. Oh, the life of excess and hangin' celebs...doesn't get much better than this.

Bottom line is that Babbo's ambiance is cozy and wonderful, its service is attentive and friendly, and its food is delicious. I have to say that though Babbo's menu is more varied and extensive than that of Lupa, Mario's other Italian restaurant, the quality of food is on par. That said, I think Babbo is a better and more popular establishment because of its gorgeous, upscale interior...you really do feel special when sitting amidst the warm, living room-esque surroundings.

Now, the food. I love surprises, and fortunately, the waiter brought out a small serving of chick pea bruschetta to start off our meal. It was much appreciated and definitely tasty, but nothing to rave about.

After a few sips of an incredibly stiff French 75 cocktail and the best glass of buttery, golden Italian chardonnay I've ever had, we started with fettuccine with housemade pancetta and asparagus. With the overwhelming list of incredible pastas, deciding was not a simple task, but our waiter recommended choosing one with seasonal ingredients. The pasta was, of course, amazing. Though it was served on a butter sauce, it was surprisingly delicate and light in flavor - the asparagus was very subtle, and the pancetta, much more like thin crisp pieces of bacon than thick cut fatty chunks of meat, added the perfect textural variety that the soft noodles and asparagus needed. A classic spring dish.

One of my favorite dishes of the night was not featured on the menu, and came out on the house: fresh mozzarella di bufala served with sauteed ramps and charred italian bread. The dish sounds simple, and it was, but its simplicity served a purpose by allowing the quality of each individual ingredient to shine. The mozzarella was milky and soft, perfect to smash on top of the grilled bread and layer under the salty ramps. Loved it!

For my main, I ordered a seasonal special: sauteed swordfish with sweet peas, morel mushrooms, and an incredibly delicate broth poured tableside. The fish was perfectly cooked - skinless, yet seared to a crisp on both sides. No salt needed - wonderfully seasoned, and some of the softest, most delicate sword fish I've tasted.

Sonia ordered very well, also - a beautiful duck with radicchio and house made pancetta. Both the breast and the leg of the duck were served, and I was stunned at the light, crispy-crackle-ness of the skin. I am not an avid duck fan, but I can accurately profess that this duck dish was out of this world.

To finish off our wonderful meal, Sonia and I shared a cheese plate of tallegio, triple cream cheese, and pecorino (I think). Though a light serving, it was just enough to top off a night of buttery chardonnay, buttery pasta, and buttery fish...or should I say Olive-oiley? Either way, the food was glorious, and I'll be back as soon as I feel so inspired to bug my boss for hook-up or dine out at 5pm on a Monday.

Grade: A

Address: 110 Waverly Place between 5th and 6th avenues

Website: www.babbonyc.com

Union Square Cafe

I've been to Union Square Cafe a few times, and have never been wowed by the food, which disappoints me for a variety of reasons. For one, foodies rave about this place. Secondly, the service is impeccable - waitstaff is friendly and efficient, which would be a perfect match for incredible food. Lastly, after reading his autobiography, I came to respect and admire Danny Meyer both as a chef and entrepreneur, so I really want to be in love with his food (fortunately I swoon over Shake Shack). Sadly, after this weekend's visit with my parents, my perception of his first NY restaurant didn't change much. It's not that the food isn't good; it's generally tasty, well seasoned and simply prepared. It's just that it doesn't stand out or impress. I have trouble remembering what I ate during each visit, which enough of an indicator that it probably wasn't worth remembering. That said, Union Square Cafe does serve a very specific purpose incredibly well, more so than any other restaurant in downtown New York: it has a calming, sophisticated, unpretentious ambiance that is perfectly fitting for family or a group including a multiple generations. It's a crowd pleaser - young people love it for the perfect cocktails and well rounded food options, mature adults appreciate it for the tolerable noise volume level, good service, and un-intimidating, comprehensible menu. Another plus for groups: they have large round tables, a rarity in the cramped spaces of most NYC restaurants.

The standout of the meal I shared with my extended family last Saturday was the berkshire pork lasagna with ricotta and English Pesto pea sauce that my grandmother ordered - though rich and flavorful, it was surprisingly light and delicate. The restaurant also offers the option of ordering a half portion of all of its pastas, so she was able to order just enough to satisfy her hunger. My mother's giannone chicken, served atop a parmigiano bread pudding and grilled maitake mushrooms deserves praise as well. The chicken was perfectly crisp, juicy, tender and subtly salty, and the bread budding tasted as decadent as and similar to a fancy macaroni and cheese. However, it must be noted that my sister ordered the same dish, and found a few pieces that were on the verge of raw...definitely not cool for chicken, and definitely not acceptable at a long-standing, revered restaurant like Union Square Cafe.

After tasting what looked best on the table, I finally focused on my own dish: seabass served with broccoli raab and morel mushrooms. It was no doubt delicious, but not a stand out among other fish dishes I've tasted elsewhere.
Dessert fortunately pleased me, as always. The flourless chocolate cake was dense, chocolatey, and rich, and was served with a salted caramel sauce that brought a simple dish to a whole new level. The waitress also brought out a complimentary cookie plate, so on the dessert front, I was totally satisfied.

My parents absolutely loved Union Square Cafe. I enjoyed it as well. I always have an overall pleasant experience at Union Square Cafe, but as I said before, it's lack of wow-ing food erases it from my brain as potential options for my friends and me. However, it's the perfect place for out of town visitors, or for a manageable and relaxed dining experience amidst the hustle and bustle that is New York City, and I'm sure I'll visit again in the future.

Grade: B
Address: 21 East 16th Street between 5th Ave and Broadway
Website: www.unionsquarecafe.com

Balthazar

I can confidently say that Balthazar is one of my all time favorite New York City restaurants. With such bustling energy, a beautiful, aristocratic-brasserie setting, bright lights and constant action, it's so quintessentially Manhattan, and I thrive off of its pulse. The food is equally thrilling - with a something-for-everyone menu and a list of to die for desserts, one really can't complain about its menu options.

Balthazar impresses tourists and locals alike, so I decided to bring my New York native father and my California dreamin' mother for their first night on the town. They, like I and the rest of our group, had an amazing experience. Though my parents would have appreciated a lower volume level, they adapted to Balthazar's vivacity quite quickly, and were soon enough yelling over the noise to boast about their dishes. And, our Argentinian server was an angel - on a packed Friday night, she accommodated every one of our requests, gladly took back a cocktail that was not to my liking, and served desserts on the house without explanation. Considering the extreme difficulty in scoring a Balthazar reservation, the place is surprisingly unpretentious, which is best demonstrated by the incredibly friendly wait-staff.

First thing's first: Balthazar's bread is melt in your mouth, as is its cold french butter. The bread is as fresh as bread can be - cool, soft, and dense - a great indication of Balthazar's food quality as a whole. Deciding what to eat was the toughest part of the night, but I narrowed it down to my sister's favorite frisee aux lardons salad, a chicory salad with warm bacon shallot vinaigrette and a poached egg, and the grilled brook trout with warm spinach and lentil salad. The bacon salad was just about as decadent as a salad could be, and with a perfectly poached egg and crispy pieces of bacon, could be a perfect meal for brunch.

The grilled brook trout was a good light, basic choice, but nothing spectacular. However, I don't blame the chef for my lack of interest; I blame my decision making skills. I was hoping for something a bit more flavorful, but the trout came out exactly as described on the menu: grilled, simple, and light.

My mother loved her boulliabase (one of the specials); Sonia seemed thrilled with her roasted leg of lamb; my sister described her pumpkin ravioli as "heavenly"; and my dad was more than overwhelmed by the quality and deliciousness of his duck confit (see smiles below).

Unfortunately, my Eli's steak was undercooked, but the waitress's profuse apologies and willingness to bring him a new one made up for the damage.

The desserts were more than just the "icing on the cake." Oh my. They were nothing short of incredible. The profiteroles with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge poured table-side, the warm chocolate cake with white chocolate ice cream, the perfect pot de creme...these all remain in my memory as some of the best, most well-executed desserts I've had in New York. I'd return just for dessert and go home a happy camper.

My family is a tough crowd to please, so leaving a restaurant complaint-free is quite a rare occurrence. Balthazar seemed to master the art of becoming a Bellsey favorite, however, which means that for every future NY family gathering, I'll be on the phone to book a reservation before it's too late. Wish me luck!

Grade: A

Location: 80 Spring Street between Broadway and Crosby

Website: www.balthazarny.com

Rayuela: LES Latin American fare

I've only heard great things about this Nuevo Latino restaurant, interestingly enough hidden on an insignificant block in the Lower East side, and after tonight's meal I can understand why. Its food is inventive, enlivening, and filled with flavor, its ambiance cool, collected, and modern; the plentiful drink options are vibrant and eclectic; and the service, from what I could tell, is seamless. Its uniqueness is best represented in the first sight upon entering the space: a young sprawling tree bursting through the roof of the first floor. With all of these attractive qualities, I was surprised to see Rayuela practically empty until about 8pm, but I can understand that its swank and spunk feel make it more of an appeal to the younger, more adventurous nocturnal crowd.

Crowd or no crowd, I sincerely enjoyed every dish at Rayuela, because each contained an element of bright and invigorating flavors so quintessential in Latin America cuisine, and so representative of Latin American culture.

Before diving into the dishes we ordered, I have to give special praise to Rayuela's complimentary serving of bread. I've always said a restaurant is only as good as its bread. While this usually doesn't apply to Latin American spots, which typically serve tortilla chips (or nothing) to curb the appetite, I was ecstatic to learn that it applied to Rayuela. And it wasn't enough that they served bread; they served the most delicious, moist, dense and cheesy breads I've ever had...served hot out of the oven. This little nugget of dough accompanied by chilled sweet cream olive butter is worth being sold as an appetizer on its own. Or even a main! I'd go back just to have another.
For our actual appetizers, we actually didn't order any ceviche, and they had quite a variety. Instead, we shared the special: spicy guacamole mixed with tomatoes, crab, and shrimp, which couldn't have been more simultaneously light and luscious. The chips were even worthy of praise - crispy, salty, and light, they were a perfect side to the rich and creamy avocado dip.
We then split two refreshing, tasty ensaladas: Cangrejo con Esparrago with jumbo lump crab meat, white asparagus, spinach, tomatoes and bacon in a grapefruit ginger vinaigrette, and the Pera Peral with spice and rioja wine infused pear, watercress, la peral cheese, toasted walnuts and a guindilla-agave vinaigrette. Both were light, citrusy, and flavorful, and I was particularly and pleasantly surprised by the generous portion of crab in such a dainty salad. Another wonderful and easily sharable appetizer was the Jalea: a mix of tempura seafood with mango-aji amarillo aioli, served with red onions and yucca fries. While I would have appreciated a larger share of my favorite part, the yucca fries, the meaty pile of delicately fried seafood in the center of the plate was a fair distraction.
For my main course, I ordered perfectly: grilled chilean seabass with a delicious sweet corn mash and a chorizo-salsa verde salad. The seabass was perfectly velvety, buttery and flakey; it practically melted in my mouth.

I couldn't resist ordering the arepas con queso as a side dish, and I am glad! Dense, subtly sweet, and creamy, they were a delicious partner for the light fish. Also notable was the Asian style Paella, or paella de coco with lemongrass, coconutmilk, shrimp, calamari, scallops, octopus, manila clams and peas, which basically looked like a fiesta on a plate. The grilled beef tenderloin was also well liked by all. Essentially, every dish was an inventive mix of contrasting yet complimentary flavors that brought me straight back to warm nights in Brazil (though I've only experienced a few). Party on a plate (above)
The dessert list was not as enticing as the main menu, but considering my sweet tooth I couldn't resist. Most delicious was the Chocolate Cortazar, a white, bittersweet and milk chocolate mousse, with mate ice cream and both chocolate and macadamia sauce. Desserts rarely surprise me with new flavors, but this particular one brought to life an unfamiliar, yet delicious sweetness - similar to honey but with more of a nutty flavor, which I assume was the "mate." The overall dish was scrumptious and deceptively light after a load of savory food. The other desserts we ordered were, while beautifully plated, not too exciting as they didn't involve ice cream or chocolate...and close friends know about my passion for those two things.Despite the scarce amount of appealing dessert choices, and an overly sweet and practically fruitless sangria, I had a great experience for Rayuela and would be back there again in a heartbeat. Whether just to have an inventive cocktail and a tasty appetizer, or to have a fun night with a group of friends, Rayuela is an awesome choice in a fun area - a posh restaurant positioned perfectly before a night out in the not so posh Lower East Side.

Grade: A-
Location: 165 allen street between rivington & stanton
Website: www.rayuelanyc.com