Pants at a Glance
scene: Dark wood, large bar, candlelight; neighborhood Italian place with class and comfortsip: Fully revamped cocktail listsavor: Picolo Piatti menu, especially the gnocchi, porchetta sandwich and the branzinosit: With a date; with a friend from the neighborhood; by yourself at the barspend: $$address: 1471 Second Avenue (between 76th and 77th)phone number: (212) 744-1100website: www.spigolonyc.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Old-school luncheonette with a hip twist; counter-seating only, a tv and lots of beers sip: Any number of beers; sochu and sake savor: Burgers burgers burgers! Try a Classic and the Spicy Mexican, for the full range of burger-bilitiessit: Totally okay to go by yourself for a lunch time bite; but more fun to grab a friend to share and have some brews spend: $address: 529 Broome Street (between Thompson and Sullivan)phone number: (917) 639-3089website: www.blacktapnyc.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Bright and full of natural light; there is a counter for ordering and a mostly open kitchen where the magic happens. Casual chicken chicsip: Free Boylan sodas with sandwich purchase; milkshakes, wine and beer! savor: Fried chicken; fried chicken sandwiches; loaded fries; fried chickensit: Alone or with a group for a casual mealspend: $address: 28 East First Street (off of 2nd Ave) phone number: (212) 228-0404website: www.blueribbonfriedchicken.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Bi-level space with a white washed farmhouse, wood floors and candlelight vibesip: speciality cocktails, reasonably priced winesavor: meatballs; "the sandwich", pastasit: With your honey; with a group to share lots of dishes; with your parents for an early dinner spend: $$address: 325 Boweryphone number: (212) 220-9100website: www.barprimi.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Large, light wood counter and brick walls that allow a view of some of the chef action; elegant, clean space but not stuffy or over the top; there is a small private room downstairssip: Sake, wine, beer, prices are not terrible savor: Omakase or Kaiseki, decisions, decisionssit: With your friend who is an adventurous eater; someone in from out of town that you want to impressspend: $$$$address: 47 East 12th Streetphone number: (212) 228-6088website: www.shukonyc.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: A blink if you miss space, with an open kitchen, blond wood bar with stools, and that's itsip: cold teas, beer, possibly some sakesavor: RAMEN, RAMEN, Gyozasit: Who cares? Just get your face into that bowl and don't pull it out until you are finished; your guests will understandspend: $address: 70 Kenmare Streetphone number: (646) 613-7522website: www.ramen-lab.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Muy Caliente! This is THE place to see and be seen... sip: The Anti Histamine, Paloma, or your favorite type of tequila on the rocks with a side of "sangrita" savor: Everything you possibly can! Do not miss the Chilaquiles, Smoked Salmon Tostada, or Quesadillassit: Beat the rush and snag a seat in the front bar room, or if you are lucky enough, a table in the back spend: $$$address: 35 East 21st St, btw Broadway and Parkphone number: (212) 913-9659 website: cosmenyc.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: A downtown, trendy mix of business men, thirty-something women, and "hip" parents; I can foresee some bridge and tunnel on the weekends, but all around great vibesip: Decent cocktail list, but we prefer our meat with a dirty martini or glass of red savor: Deviled Eggs, Spaghetti Aglio e Oilo, Bowery Steak, Cheeseburger sit: Try to snag a cushy booth along the side of the room, or banquettes in back as they are defintely sexier than the tables in the middle of the hustle and bustlespend: $$$address: 9 East 1st Street, right off Boweryphone number: (212) 460-5255website: http://www.bowerymeatcompany.com/
Pants at a Glance
scene: Under the sea, under Grand Central; Quintessential old New Yorksip: There are some wild martinis available, as well more classic options like wine and beersavor: Oysters (duh); Fried clams; Oyster Pan Roast, everything! sit: By yourself; with your parents, from out of town or in town; spend: $$address: Lower Level, Grand Central Terminal, 89 East 42nd Streetphone number: (212) 490-6650website: www.oysterbarny.com
Pants at a Glance
scene: Minimal and downtown, Alder is intrinsically cool without any special effortsip: Fancy cocktails, some of which have umbrellas; wine, beer, etcsavor: Pigs in a blanket; shrimps on shrimp; I imagine the rye pasta with pastrami sit: Definitely a place to chat with a friend and casually nibble and discuss how good the food is in between catching up spend: $$address: 157 Second Avenuephone number: (212) 539-1900website: www.aldernyc.com
Pants at a Glance
