Blue Water Grill - an upbeat seafood restaurant with something for everyone

Ooooooo the dessert at this place. That's what stands out - the caramelized banana ice cream tower - loads of vanilla ice cream in a hazelnut shell with toasted marshmallow sauce. Sounds disgustingly sweet, right? Well it was but it was amazing! Moment of silence. 

Blue Water Grill is a BR Guest restaurant (Dos Caminos, Wildwood bbq, Blue Fin, etc etc), but it is, in my opinion, a step above in terms of quality of food and elegance. It's a place you could bring your parents, your boy/girlfriend, a group of friends, your best friend, a client - it's basically just a very standard, pleasant, versatile restaurant with a menu item for the most or least picky person. It has a positive feel - well dressed people, a lot of activity, lots of cocktails, and even a section downstairs that plays live music. You can order off the sushi menu or the standard menu, and along with the "simply grilled" section where you can be as specific as you want about what fish and sauce you want to eat, there are a ton of composed entrees to choose from. My mom, sister and I started off with a salad and a special lobster sushi roll - both were tasty and satisfying, but nothing out of the ordinary.  For their entrees, my mom and sister had the ginger soy lacquered chilean seabass, which I severely regretted passing up for the sake of being different. 

The chef cooked the fish perfectly to give it a melt in your mouth, buttery texture and a wonderfully mild miso taste. I practically devoured my mom's. I had a special halibut entree that was over-seasoned and overzealous in terms of ingredients and mixed flavors. Overall, this place is a solid staple for a night you don't want to think to hard about where you're going to eat for a place with a large menu of filling & tasty options, a fun but sophisticated feel, and overall good drinks and service. I give it a 4. 

Address: 31 Union Sq W @ 16th street

Website: http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/blue_water_grill_new_york/index.php

Centro Vinoteca - go for the Italian tapas!

I live a block away from this place, have been dying to go, but it wasn't until I was running around one night STARVING looking for Italian food that I decided to finally try it. Have to say, was a little disappointed with the spotty service, but the stand outs were the interesting, diverse menu, the comfy, cushiony booths and the hip yet unpretentious vibe. And, I saw Leah from Top Chef working the kitchen! I have been back again since my first visit, and my general view on the place is that it's a fun place to go if you want an upbeat ambiance and salty, interesting food. A bons: unlike most italian restaurants, with small plates and a ton of light appetizers, Centro allows you to eat lightly if you're in that sort of mood. 

Most dishes I tried were pretty salty, to be honest, but I would still go back again. I love the fact that it has small plates - I love italian food, but I am reluctant to go to Italian restaurants because I find you can't leave without feeling bloated or stuffed. The small plates allow you to taste a variety of things and are on the lighter side. I ordered the special "piccolini" - fried trumpet mushroom croquettes that oozed when broken with a fork. They were perfect for topping on bread. The eggplant piccolini was not memorable - don't order it. On both of my visits I also enjoyed the chanterelle, romanesco cauliflower & asparagus salad - it's rare at an italian restaurant that you find salads composed with more than 1 or 2 ingredients. The chanterelles were a bit dry and salty, but it was a good hearty but healthy appetizer. The grilled spicy sausage and stracchino pizzetta, on the otherhand, was a disappointment. How do you screw up pizza?? The crust was too thick, and the whole thing was in need of some moisture or tomato sauce to balance out the dryness and saltiness. I'm not complaining about the size of it, but it's far too large to eat as an appetizer without sharing. The seared scallops with lentils & bacon, on the otherhand, saved the night - the bed of lentils was rich, creamy, and flavorful and the perfect side for the simple yet well seasoned scallops.  The pastas were also a standout compared to the other dishes - the squid ink tagliatelle with cockles, rock shrimp and chilies (5) was delicious and light - don't fear the squid ink, it just makes the pasta black. 

Ambiance is sometimes everything for me, and I really like the feel of this place. The windows, soft booths, good music, and attractive people put a twist on typical New York, homestyle italian restaurants. I wouldn't go looking for the best food here, but if you lower your expectations appropriately, you'll have a good time. Overall, I give Centro Vinoteca a 3+ in terms of food, but a 4 overall. 

Address: 74 Seventh Avenue South @ Bleecker

Website: www.centrovinoteca.com