Gramercy Tavern

Supposedly the best NYC restaurant and one of the renowned in the country. Indeed a tavern decor with comfort classiness. A warm welcoming feeling as you walk through the rustic furnishings. Nothing over the top or pretentious. Surely it was an over the top urban bill for a rustic setting. But the wait staff was highly knowledgeable and attentive. Food and service were impeccable.

Details were on every dish; playing with the palate. I found many inspiriting ideas. Gramercy is the reason why aspiring chefs go to culinary school, so that they can work for the best and emphasize the importance of technique and combining skills to creativity. Instructions were embedded in every dish and carefully executed.

Two person for the three course selection, $82:

Handmade Pappardelle beef ragù and scallions

Smoked Trout sunchoke purée and pickled onion vinaigrette

Rack of Pork & Braised Belly baby turnips and Adirondack blue potatoes

Tilefish Cauliflower and Heirloom Beans

Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding cacao nib ice cream

Coconut Tapioca passion fruit & coconut sorbets, passion fruit caramel and cilantro syrup


Pro: Ask as many questions, it comes with the steep bill.

Con: Expect to fork out two Benjamin’s on a dinner pre fixe for two. (And that's modest)


Gramercy Tavern 42 E 20th St New York, NY 10003 (212) 477-0777

Le Cirque

Dined in the cafe, and with high expectations come very high disappointments. Perhaps service is top notch in the dining room but certainly not in the cafe during Restaurant Week. I dislike how restaurants discriminate their patrons during Restaurant Week. Since when does ordering from the prix fixe menu make you inferior and thrown in the secondary “bourgeois cafe room”? Certainly I felt like a lesser citizen. Aside from the non- existent high caliber five star service, the food was weak. Yes, I said weak. The dishes were a miss. The creme brulee was mass-produced; an unsatisfying piece of supposedly goodness.

I was not excited nor thrilled by the place (though, I was impressed by the many different utensils). Most of the time, I was looking forward to the check. Le Cirque is fancy yet boring. It’s for the desperate middle aged who hasn’t made his/ her first million; envying and trying to fit in with high society. Its pretentiousness extends as far as those celebrity head shots hanging by the hall to restroom.


Le Cirque : 150 E 58th St New York, NY 10155 (212) 644-0315

Dokebi

If you're in Bklyn and craving for Korean BBQ or just Korean, head to Dokebi in Williamsburg. It’s the only Korean restaurant in the neighborhood, hence crowds and waits are often. Very good for groups of friends to eat and chat. Unlimited kimchi and sides, though tiny in portions. Roomy wooden bench seating on the right hand side of the restaurant. There's a bar at the back of the restaurant, lots of space to hang around.

Food:

Seafood scallion pancake was small not much seafood plus not as crispy.

Nakji Bokum (spicy, baby octopus, veggies & noodles) on a sizzling plate (14): Ruby red dish and spicy. Good amount of octopus to balance the heat. Well sized portion. Repeat: Spicy.

Bibimbahp choice of toppings, served w/ vegetables, fried egg and chili sauce over rice with beef (10): typical fried rice but with a sizzling stone bowl for $2 extra. You do get a sunny side up egg, where the yolk is still smooth. Other than that, its fried rice.

If you can't make it to K-town, try Dokebi. Food here is more carefully prepared, though less flamboyant and bustling than K-town.



199 Grand Street (between 1st St & Bedford Ave) Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 782-1424

Marlows and sons

A European feel with all the imported goods displayed as you dine by them. After dining here several times, it is always consistent and rarely disappoints. I always find myself ordering their pressed sandwiches and raw oysters. Known for their oysters, and the demand for them, they are usually fresh. The scene is hip and yup, and everything in between. The young who come to socialize over wine and olives and the young at heart comes to simply enjoy a quality meal. Portions are more than modest but the award goes to the food. Food is not throw into a dish, everything here is well thought out and prepared. Their toasted baguette, a major plus.

Con: Rubbing elbows; very very easy to ease drop. Busy most of the time: wait time.

Pros: Servers have extensive knowledge of the menu. Good place to bring a casual date. Social scene and well prepared dishes.


Marlow and Sons. 81 Broadway Williamsburgh Brooklyn 11211 (718) 384-1441

Nicky's Vietnamese sandwiches

Briefs:

On the go, grab yourself a $5 sandwich. The classic, with a choice of spicy or not--of course I go for the spicy and it was indeed spicy (later heartburn). Despite the unexpected heat, I enjoyed it. The baguette was toasted and the minced meat and pickled vegetables were satisfying. No complaints. It’s not something that will stuff you but you will finish it and feel like it was just right. I wasn't as impressed about the pork sandwich compared to the classic.

Pros: Crispy baguette, can dish out the hot spice

Con: More like a take out. Decor can be better.

Nicky's Vietnamese sandwiches: 311 Atlantic Ave. (btwn Smith & Hoyt) Brooklyn, NY 11201 718-855-8838 CLOSED MONDAYS

Bread

Briefs:

Italian made to disappoint. My crispy polenta was buried with welted mushrooms. My polenta was soggy. Despite the poor plating, the polenta was not cooked to any where 'crispy.' It was a heavy plus salty dish. To add salt to injury, melted fontina was slewed on top, making the dish look tacky and very salty. Did I mention it was salty?

As we were about to leave, the people behind us were pleasant Italian tourists, and I wonder if the food ruined their pleasantness.

Cons: There isn't a schooled chef in the kitchen. Questionable dishes and flavor.

Pros: Large glasses for water, good ambiance, dine in the very back of the restaurant.

Bread: 20 Spring St New York, NY 10012 (212) 334-1015

Hope & Anchor

Briefs:

One of the first restaurants to open up in Red Hook, and prides itself for that. The menu ranges from burgers, sandwiches to bistro entrees. The dishes jump from diner food to semi-gastro-pub; on top of that, there are international specialties i.e. samosas, spring rolls, etc. I get skeptical when a restaurant tries to run the gamut on multiple genres. And, I am almost always right when I say: be skeptical. There are rare exceptions—if the chef has the culinary expertise to lead the expedition or simply driven by passion. But Hope & Anchor’s came out short. The multiple cuisines were not a success.

CONS: The lack of depth in the sophisticated dishes
PROS: More room/ space at the back, bar food, enjoy drinks with friends, stick to diner food


Hope & Anchor: 347 Van Brunt St. (At Wolcott St.) Brooklyn (718) 237-0276