This season brought us many new restaurants from existing chefs and restaurant groups building their empire. It seems like every week a new place is opening to add to the list…

***Ciano
Italian
Flatiron

House made pizza bread with mouthwatering truffle butter are the perfect way to start a meal off right at Ciano! Perfectly cooked and beautifully seared, the Nantucket bay scallops ($18), are adorned with hazelnuts, brussel sprouts, and hubbard squash mostarda. For one of the tastiest meatballs I’ve had try the roasted veal meatballs ($18) with herbed creamy white polenta and truffle pecorino. Decadently rich, the homemade potato gnocchi ($28), swims in a sauce of  black truffle butter, aged parmesan and sage. Beautiful Tuscan touches and friendly staff lend itself to an extremely pleasant dining experience! This is a great new addition!

**Riverpark
American
Murray Hill

Off the beaten trail and through a building lobby you find Tom Colicchio’s newest endeavor. The burnt flour fettuccine($12/18) with cauliflower, pecorino and bread crumbs is wonderfully robust while still remaining light and delicate. Delicious diver scallops ($26) with hen of the woods, pear, butternut squash and kale chutney are well cooked and show off their luscious texture. Finish the meal off with a lovely chocolate tart ($11) with salted caramel. It is off the beaten track, but the food, atmosphere, and well priced wine list make it worth it, especially if you live in the area!

Bill’s Bar and Burger
Hamburgers
Midtown West

As you would imagine this new BR Guest burger joint is simply mobbed with tourists and hungry midtown lunchers. Start off with the delicious boneless chicken wings ($7.50) tossed in Frank’s Red Hot. The classic with american cheese ($7.50) is a tasty burger. But more importantly do not leave without having a cookies and cream shake ($6.95). It might change your life…

Atlantic Grill at Lincoln Center
Seafood
Upper West Side

Much larger than its UES sibling, it still maintains that BR guest friendly service and consistent good food. The butternut squash ravioli($12/22), brown butter, ricotta, aged balsamic. And of course this seafood haven can be relied upon for fresh and flavorful fish any day! They have a nice array of tarts ($5) for lunch dessert in particular the chocolate tart with salted caramel is quite nice.

Osteria Morini
Italian
Soho

Yet another addition to the Michael White empire and the most casual of his restaurants. However, this one falls a little short.  The overbearingly loud acoustics and the fact that you are basically dining with the people next to you create an atmosphere that is not for all. Stick with the pastas if you go, in particular the Cappelletti(truffled mascarpone ravioli $19) or the Tagliatelle(with ragu antica and parmesan $17) both are wonderfully cooked and flavored and remind you why it is people love Michael White!

What: Dim Sum Go Go

Where: 5 E Broadway (Btwn Catherine St & Chatham Sq)

Why: Delicious dumplings that are inexpensive! Dumpling lovers this is the place to try! Beautifully thin dough shells that are generously stuffed with bold flavors.  Make sure and try the duck dumplings and the fried pork dumplings.

There are great restaurants and great dishes. Sometimes they don’t always go hand in hand and a little suggestion is needed! So for the monthly roundup these are great dishes to try if you find yourself at one of these restaurants or even in the area!

Tia Pol
Chelsea
Start the meal with an amazing salad, ensalada de alcachofa, salad of fried artichoke hearts and white asparagus with a creamy lemon vinaigrette. Then layer the delicate and nicely salted serrano ham atop the crunchy pan con tomate. They don’t take reservations and the space is very narrow so be advised. It’s great if you can snag a seat at the bar!

Eataly
Flatiron
Depending on the time of day it can be a madhouse at this Italian market/multiplex. Grab a seat at Il pesce  and try the whole fish al forno. It’s a simply roasted whole fish of the day with garlic and herbs. Fresh and light.

Maialino
Flatiron
Already a fan of dinner at the bar, I recently experienced brunch at Maialino, to which I am now also a fan! Warm sun from the park lights the dining room and delightful service abounds. Be sure and get a hot chocolate to warm you up. For something hearty and on the sweeter side get the ricotta pancakes (shown above). They are light and fluffy with a hint of lemon baked in. Or try the frittata of the day.

Maialino hot chocolate

Pipa
Flatiron
Enjoy the hundreds of hanging vintage chandeliers from next door’s ABC Home while you sip on delicious sangria! It’s easy to fill up on the yummy charcuterie and cheeses or sample the patatas bravas and croquetas!

Locanda Verda
Tribeca
Ahhh, the beloved Locanda Verde. Since this hot spot opened all I hear is why haven’t you been yet? Well, at long last I was lucky enough to dine here and let me tell you it was worth the wait! It’s not a hype, this place is amazing! Start with the mozzarella crostino with eggplant & pesto on prosciutto bread ($8).  We had a special ravioli of the day filled with fontina and drizzled with truffle oil. The ravioli literally melted in your mouth. For a fun and delicious take on a hero you must try the Broccoli Rabe Sausage Grinder ($17). This meaty sandwich is adorned with fresh ricotta and comes together on wonderfully fresh bread.  The Fire-Roasted Garlic Chicken for Two  ($22 per person) is also quite nice. Go for the food but enjoy the fun atmosphere and knowledgeable service!

Milos

There are great restaurants and great dishes. Sometimes they don’t always go hand in hand and a little suggestion is needed! So for the monthly roundup these are great dishes to try if you find yourself at one of these restaurants or even in the area!

The Smith
East Village
Start with an order of the Beer battered string beans ($7) for the table, yes they are as sinful as you are imaging but they are quite tasty!  For a comforting meal try the flavorful chicken pot pie ($18).

Gottino
Greenwich Village
Delicious cheeses and crostini are the way to go at this charming wine bar. The atmosphere is lovely with a large marble bar and small garden out back. I just wish the service was a little friendlier and engaging!

SEO's udon

SEO
Midtown East
The handmade udon is especially light and floats in a delicate broth. Great mid-town lunch spot with a charming back room zen like garden.

Milos
Midtown West
If you are in the area be sure and take advantage of the 3 course prix fixe $24 weekday lunch special! It’s one of the best midtown lunch deals with large portions and everything bursting with flavor.  Particularly good is the Mediterranean Meze plate which consists of 3 different dips, a small piece of spinach pie, olives and peppers. Be sure and spread the dips onto their wonderful crusty bread. For a lighter appetizer try the tomato and feta salad. For a main course you can’t go wrong with the grilled Honjake Salmon adorned with sweet organic beets. The Karidopita (walnut cake) is fine but its the homeade honey lavender ice cream that really stands out.

Bar Boulud
Upper West Side
You can’t go wrong with the croque monsieur ($16) or the moules frites.

L'Artusi

L’artusi
West Village
Everything is fantastic at this West Village gem! Start off with the paper thin beef carpaccio($14) adorned with croutons of rye crisps and a drizzle of horseradish cream.  Make sure to indulge in their decadent pastas. One is better than the next. The special pasta always tend to be delicious and the tagliatelle with white bolognese ($18 ) is creamy and rich. The meats are also bursting with flavor especially the niman ranch pork chop($20 ). With a crispy succulent outside and a juicy tender inside, this chop is served with pancetta and potatoes. For brussel sprout lovers (actually anyone!) be sure and get the side dish ($8), they are intensely cripsy and the melted pecorino adds a fantastic salty bitterness.

Motorino

There are great restaurants and great dishes. Sometimes they don’t always go hand in hand and a little suggestion is needed! So for the monthly roundup these are great dishes to try if you find yourself at one of these restaurants or even in the area!

Motorino
East Village
All the pizzas are delicious at this Neapolitan style pizza lovers dream! The crusts are slightly charred but still doughy in consistentcy. The ingredients are fresh and bursting with flavors. If you have not tried this tiny East Village spot you definitely should! N.B. they also have an array of salads and antipasta along with beer and wine.

Gramery Tavern
Gramercy
The main dining room is prix fix but the front tavern is an a la carte menu first come first served basis. Try the delicate Sea Basswith rainbow swiss chard, pine nuts and sweet onion sauce. For a heavier dish have the smoked Kielbasa accompanied with fingerling potatoes, sauerkraut and grain mustard.

Bar Maialino

Bar Maialino
Gramercy
It’s way more fun to eat in the front Bar Room at Maialino where you can order from the main menu or some cicchetti (small snacks). Start off with the deliciously freshCapresewith goregeous heirloom tomatoes.  The Lasagnetta, a beautiful laying of spinach pasta and bolognese sauce is both delicate and hearty. The Pollo alla Diavola (from the main menu) is not to be missed, a half chicken with black pepper and pickled chili. The skin is crispy and the meat is tender marinating in a flavorful sauce with a definite kick!

Bar Pitti
Greenwich Village
Always a bustling scene at this village hot spot, try and snag a seat at one of the outside tables and enjoy the tasty pasta dishes! The Pappardelle alla Fiesolana is incredibly decadent with smoked bacon, cream, tomatoes & parmigiano and the special burrata with tomatoes is fabulous.

Market Table
Greenwich Village
A village favorite of this savant. Try the creative and delicious beef carpacciowith french fry salad, parmesan, egg, and dijon sauce. The Black Angus strip steak is nicely adorned with corn and sweet onion home fries and juicy burst tomatoes.

The Shop's Greek Salad

The Shop at the Andaz 5th Avenue
Midtown East
The concept at this newly opened restaurant in the Andaz Hotel is gathering the best of NYC. They are using Murray’s for their cheese, Sullivan Street street for bread, Katz’s for pastrami…you get the idea! A few tasty items include the Chicken Schnitzel Milanese with Hudson Valley greens and lemon and the greek salad with tangy feta. Be sure and finish off the meal with the Ronny Brook farms chocolate ice cream, it has a wonderful strong chocolate cocoa flavor without being overwhelmingly sweet!

Ippudo

There are great restaurants and great dishes. Sometimes they don’t always go hand in hand and a little suggestion is needed! So for the monthly roundup these are great dishes to try if you find yourself at one of these restaurants or even in the area!

Ippudo
East Village
Start with the Fried Chicken Wings!  Beautifully crunchy on the outside these delightful wings melt in your mouth with a hint of spice. When it comes to the ramen choices there are a few. Try the Akamaru Modern  (the original tonkotsu’ soup noodles with Ippudo’s special sauce, miso paste,fragrant garlic oil, slices of simmered berkshire pork, cabbage, onions, kikurage & scallions). This particular broth is a great choice because it’s bursting with flavor and yummy accoutrements.

Momofuku Ssäm Bar
East Village
It’s hard to go wrong with any of the following dishes at this no-reservations East Village favorite from the David Chang Empire. The stuffed quail served with sticky rice and shititakes is beautifully cooked and swims in a broth of greens that absorbs wonderfully into the rice. Served on hearty country bread with wasabi mayo the blackened bluefish sandwich has that wonderful blackened taste right off the grill. The seasonal pickles (an assortment of pickled vegetables) offer a nice taste to contrast all the spice.

Momofuku Ssäm Bar

Back Forty
East Village
For the perfect summer dinner get the Grilled Trout. The meat is so tender and flaky with just a touch of seasoning!

Avoce
Midtown West
For dessert get the Bomboloni alla Toscana. These delightfully fluffy and rich tuscan doughnuts literally melt in your mouth. Word to the wise, avoid dipping them in the chocolate sauce. Yes it may look fabulous but it’s quite bitter and steals focus from the doughnuts, trust me you don’t need it!

Alto
Midtown East
Sampling from the restaurant week lunch menu the garganelli bolognese and the coconut panna cotta are both wonderful. The pasta is incredibly fresh and offsets nicely against the rich bolognese. Superb texture and a subtle hint of coconut make this panna cotta a winner.

San Pietro
Midtown East
Try their signature Branzino baked in sea salt and fresh herbs. This light and fresh fish is tasty but keep in mind extremely pricey!

Insieme's Lasagna

Insieme
Midtown West
Try the Lasagna verde alla bolognese. It’s a very light version of lasagna, the thin sheets of delicate pasta don’t make you feel so full the way lasagna tends to do. FYI the appetizer portion is a nice size.

There are great restaurants and great dishes. Sometimes they don’t always go hand in hand and a little suggestion is needed! So for the monthly roundup these are great dishes to try if you find yourself at one of these restaurants or even in the area!

DBGB
East Village
Start the meal off with the Asparagus and fried egg which comes with little pieces of smoked duck and cracklins and then drizzled with a creamy mustard egg vinaigrette. I know you should go for the sausages, and the Beaujolaise was quite nice, but you should make sure to try the pan roasted Atlantic Salmon. It’s perfectly cooked and swims in a delicate broth with chanterelles, spring garlic, homemade gnocchi, and arugula. It’s a wonderful summer entree!

Atlantic Salmon at DBGB

appizz
Lower East Side
 The space is romantic and nicely lit, however it has to be noted that it is located on a very remote street that can be a bit dangerous at night. However, if you do find yourself here try the handerchief pasta with sauteed jumbo lump crab meat in a tomato- cream-basil sauce. For dessert you can’t go wrong with the classic warm flourless chocolate cake toped with vanilla gelato.

BLT Steak
Midtown East
Make sure you go with an appetite and start the meal off right with their homemade warm popovers! Then of course try the steaks but leave room for the side dishes.

 The Modern Bar Room
Midtown West
The Modern dining room is pre-fixed but the Bar Room has a wonderful a la carte menu with delicious Alsatian dishes, including their delicious tarte flambée. Also a must try is their upside down tuna tarte which is quite possibly my favorite in the city. The pieces of tuna are topped with chopped cucumbers and seasonings and then topped with a crunchy paper thin wanton like cracker. The flavors and textures are amazing!

J.G. Melon
Upper East Side
You go to this neighborhood place for one thing and that’s their amazing burgers!

Corsino
West Village
Try a delightful assortment of the crostini’s to start and make sure to get both the peas and pecorino and the shrimp and arugula. Both are bursting with flavor and have a lovely crunchy texture.

dell’anima
West Village
The menu changes slighty each day at this small west village gem but one thing stay consistent, the delicious pastas. Try the tagliatelle bolognese which is the creamiest I’ve ever tasted or the risotto alla pilota which has a crunchy texture mixed in with italian meats.  And if they have a roasted quail appetizer get it! The meat falls off the bone and the skin is crispy and bursting with rich flavor!

Yuerba Buena Perry

Yuerba Buena
West Village
At this loud west village spot the tables are right on top of each other but the vibe is fun. Try the empanadas stuffed with spinach and manchego cheese and adorned with Peruvian corn and a dried fig vinaigrette.

Overpriced and Underwhelmed!

The only good think at midtown’s Casa Lever is the bread basket. That says it all. One should expect a certain level of quality when the lunch menu runs you $39 for 2 courses, plus another $10 if you want dessert.  Well you will not find that exceptional quality at Casa Lever.

To start I had the Capasante, the seared scallops with white asparagus and black truffle. The scallops were tasty but they lay upon a muted mess of puréed white asparagus that reminded one of babyfood in that the texture was unexciting and the flavor was non-existent. My dining companion had the Casa Lever salad. The salad part was fine, I mean its hard to mess up simple greens.  However the mozzeralla cheese tasted curdled as if we were drinking sour milk. When I complained about this to our server he seemed unphased, I guess rotten milk is in.

Next came our entress, both lackluster. We had the Raviloi di Anatra and the Mezze Penne. It was hard to say which was worse. The duck ravioli lacked any flavor. The duck filling was bland and slightly mealy. The sauce on the plate was a mismatch of things including some roasted mushrooms but all you tasted and saw was oil. The mezze penne which was artisanal pasta, asparagus, and braised bison according to the menu, tasted like they had just thrown ragu sauce in a pot and heated it. Actually I take that back, ragu has more flavor. Where was the garlic? Herbs? The menu said braised bison, what came out was ground beef. When asked if we would like grated cheese, of course we said yes!  What came next was a sprinkling of that powdery cheese you buy in a big costco sized tube at the grocery store. For these prices I expect fresh grate please.

Even the chocolate cake fell short. It lacked that really decadent chocolate flavor that makes it worth it.

So please, don’t waste your money or your time on this place.

For all you Top Chef fans out there I recently tasted the Asian Lobster Roll from Xie Xie (pronouced shay shay, which is Mandarin for thank you). This small sandwich shop in Hell’s kitchen is the creation of Angelo Sosa,  a current competitor on Top Chef DC. While it’s still too early in the show for me to have a favorite I will say that Angelo definitely has shown skill and I’m pleased to say that the lobster roll was deliciously flavored and fresh with a refreshing kick to it.

Xie Xie
645A 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
(212) 265-2975

I Coppi
East Village
Can’t say enough good things about this well priced Tuscan restaurant.  The beef carpaccio is paper thin and generously adorned with slices of grana padano cheese and arugula. It’s the perfect summer appetizer to enjoy in their charming back garden. Next try the Branzino which is roasted in a brick oven and accompanied with cherry tomatoes and capers.

I Coppi

Mesa Grill
Flatiron
The grilled asparagus salad with yellow tomatoes and cotija cheese is a light appetizer bursting with flavor. On the richer side try the  Spanish chorizo quesadilla with fried egg.

 Il Mulino
Greenwich Village
Sample one of their decadent pasta  daily specials. Then be sure to try their perfect veal picatta,  its lemony richness will be sure to melt in your mouth.

 Magnoila Bakery
Midtown West
The cappuccino chocolate chip muffin is so moist and yummy!

 Atlantic Grill
Upper East Side
As a regular at this seafood oasis I recently enjoyed the seared Alaskan Halibut with asparagus-leek ravioli, artichokes, and pecorino vinaigrette.

Atlantic Grill

 MXCO
Upper East Side
Try the Chicken burrito!