scene: Awkward collection of rooms that are light filled and pleasant, if not in an odd color scheme; Almost every table is a banquet or booth, which is nice; cramped bar area when you first walk in
sip: wine
savor: smoked trout; quail; salmon
sit: with patient people who have tolerance for cold food and snotty waiters
spend: $$
address: 72 West 69th (between Columbus and Central Park West)
scene: civilized but not stuffy; minimally done dining room with soft-ish lighting and a buzz from all large open kitchen populated by cute men
sip: wine- there is a focus on Mediterranean wines that could encourage taking a shot blindly and trying something new; or you can stick to old standards, they say there are bottles from $25, so...
savor: hummus; eggplant; lamb; scallops; the breads
sit: people who like to share food; parents or out of towners who want to check out Lincoln Center; suitable for a business dinner
scene: Survival of the fittest... or hungriest. Find small groups and weekend couples galore!
sip: Did I mention the Bloody Mary menu with 10 variations?
savor: Not one thing, even the macerated fruit with mint, sounds bad to me. The Monte Cristo can change your life, and they hand old Alka Seltzer at the door for a reason...
sit: Apparently there's a downstairs room with a communal table, but the group that went down there right before had the highest pitched voices ever. The upstairs room is tiny, and the seats at the front are key on a nice day.
scene: Cozy front room with private nooks for larger tables; larger back room with retractable roof for al fresco dining in the summer and fireplace dining in the colder months; tables in the bar area get a little loud and a decent amount of traffic walking by
sip: mainly italian wine list; don't expect much help from the waitstaff with the vino, but each wine has some descriptive wording below for you to better figure out what you want
savor: hot stuffed peppers; trofie al proscuitto; Dora's meatballs; chicken
sit: this is a great date place, and also good for large groups
spend: $$
address: 240 West 14th Street, between 7th and 8th
scene: Downtown cool - local foodies who are both fashionable and in the know mixed with some special occassion diners
sip: Enticing cocktail list (Mas Champagne, please), and an extensive wine list hitting all sorts of budgets
savor: Not too many misses... Fresh seasonal offerings, Yellowfin Tuna l’Occidental, Steamed Zucchini Blossoms, Pan Roasted Salmon
sit: The main dining room is where you want to be above the roof off to the side. Bring a date, parents, or your significant other for an impressive birthday/anniversary
scene: Prime Real Estate to watch the show that goes on every night in MPD; inside is brick walls, generic
sip: Tequila rocks; the sangria and margs are too sweet and clawing
savor: Guac...
sit: With friends who like chips and salsa and share an ironic jaded view of what goes on in MPD; possibly pervy dudes to like to watch girls strut by in Serena Van der Woodsen-sized dreses
scene: noisy noisy bi-level space that features bar/lounge seating upstairs; vibe is lively and usually full of large tables, because the food is so conducive to sharing; look is slightly industrial
sip: they have a number of specialty cocktails, The Strawberry Fields is amazing, as is the Cucumber Vanilla Cosmopolitan and the Pink Grapefruit Mint Martini
savor: French Onion Soup dumplings; everything from the Brunch Menu- especially bacon egg and cheese sliders, the baby benedict and the huevos Rancheros soft tacos
sit: groups are best, lots to share; I have been here on a date, and it was not a bad choice, but the soup dumplings are awkward to eat if you don't the person well or want to appear dainty; the best stuff here, like most places, is not good for you, so I suggest going with guests that you are not afraid to eat in front of; it is also one of the most established and biggest restaurants on the LES, so it is a good spot to take people who might not be so familiar with that area- it just gets very LOUD
spend: $$$
address: 99 Stanton Street (between Ludlow and Orchard)
scene: Gorgeous grown up dining room, in airy shades of blues and whites; less formal front room with prominent raw bar display and ample room to sidle up the bar
sit: For lunch, its great for a business meeting or a special occasion get-together; the location lends itself to after-work cocktails, and similar Corporate people get togethers; there is a large menu features both seafood and meat, and I am fairly confident that any Finicky Fiona could find something yummy here
spend: $$$$
address: McGraw Hill Building 1221 Sixth Avenue, enter on 49th Street between 6th and 7th
Pants at a Glance
