How to get in: Located in the middle of Noho, Tucci is a modern Italian restaurant that has flown by unnoticed for too long. It is quite easy to get a reservation, just make it one day before on Resy and you should be fine as most times are readily available.

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Vibes and drink: Tucci is the perfect spot for a date night or a fun dinner out with friends. The lighting is moody, it feels very cozy and a little boogie. This might shock everyone – but I ordered a dirty martini and I loved it. It was perfectly balanced and came in the small coupe glasses that I love!

Food: I just went with one friend, so the food section will be short but sweet. To start off, we got the Nonna Sesta’s Caesar. It was a perfect caesar salad, with romaine, garlic croutons, white anchovies and a very healthy dose of freshly shaved parmesan. The croutons were so crunchy, they added a great texture to the salad and I just loved how tangy and delicious the dressing was.

For the mains, we got the Kimchi Lasagna and the Chicken Parmesan. I really loved these two dishes and I am hungry all over again just writing this. Starting with the kimchi lasagna – lasagna noodles layered with bulgogi beef, mozzarella cheese, a cooked down kimchi tomato sauce and topped with a crispy perilla leaf. The lasagna had a slightly (but not overwhelmingly) sweet taste to it thanks to the bulgogi beef and cooked down kimchi that paired so well with the saltiness of the cheese. Every bite was full of so much flavor; it simply was such a great dish. The chicken parmesan came with a smoked vodka sauce, this was definitely my favorite dish of the night. I like to think of myself as somewhat of a chicken parm connoisseur and this was up there with Emilio’s Ballato (Emilio's Ballato Post). The chicken was very thin and crispy, just the way I like it. The vodka sauce was so decadent and creamy – I would eat it everyday if I could. And even though it says smoked vodka sauce, I didn’t get too much of a smoky flavor, which was even better for me.

Overall: I was really surprised by how great Tucci was. I really enjoyed every dish that we got and thought that the ambience and great drinks make it a perfect place to go when you want to have a nice, classy night out.

Radio Bakery: Run by the same people behind Jeremy Allen White’s favorite restaurant, Rolo’s, Radio Bakery is a must for pastries and sandwiches. They make everything fresh daily and as they are a small spot, they make limited quantities that they offer until sold out. Starting at 7:30am, they sell a wide variety of pastries, including some specials. Their Cheesy Pretzel Bearclaw is what savory pastries strive to be. The pastry is buttery and flakey, and the inside is filled with melted cheddar and whole-grain mustard. Each bite has a great balance of tang from the mustard and salt from the cheese. Another great savory option is the Scallion Sesame Twist, which is exactly what it sounds like and is really great! For sweeter options – the Earl Grey Morning Bun is a perfectly buttery bun that is dosed with a delicious mixture of sugar and earl grey tea leaves. It is so different from anything I’ve tried before and it is another must try. Also, their Brown Butter Corn Cake is a sweet corn cake that is so perfectly moist, I’m always shocked each time I have it.

At 10am they bring out their fresh made focaccias, which are another work of art. They are the perfect balance of charred and chewy. I had their Shakshuka slice with tomato sauce and boiled eggs and it was really great. Starting at 11am, they sell their lunch sandwiches all on their stirato or focaccia breads. The Spicy Tofu Sandwich with a scallion tahini sauce and chili crisp is a great option full of different flavors and textures. The Tuna Salad Sandwich is another hit, filled with lots of lemony tuna salad and a bit of a kick from the pepperoncini.

The lines are long on the weekends and they usually sell out around 1/1:30pm, so if you can go on a weekday, it is your best bet. Otherwise, bring a friend and wait in line (it goes by pretty quickly) for your delicious baked goods!

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Chrissy’s Pizza: If you read my posts, you know quite arguably my favorite pizza of all time is Chrissy’s. After their late night residency at Superiority Burger (full article on that here), they have finally opened their own brick and mortar shop in Greenpoint. Their pizza remains one of my favorites and if you can bear to wait in line – go, because it is so worth it. The crust is so crispy and their sauce to cheese ratio is perfect. I recently got their special pizza which was a spicy white pie with fresh mozzarella, seasoned ricotta, calabrian chiles, hot honey and black pepper. As someone that normally does not like white pies – I was blown away by how good this was. Everything tasted so fresh and I loved the kick from the calabrian chiles and black pepper. The only downside is that you might wait an hour and a half in line and to get your pizza, but I hear that on cold days there is no line – so bundle up and get some pizza!

Jubilee Marketplace: This is going to be a bit random, but in Jubilee Supermarket in Greenpoint, they have a cafe where you can get a $2.55 smashburger that is actually really good. Is it the best burger you’ll ever have? Definitely not. But if you are in the area and want a snack (I say snack, because they are quite small), this is a pretty solid option.

Restaurant Relax: Restaurant Relax is a very casual, Polish diner-style restaurant. As someone who is Polish, I can say that they make authentic, comforting Polish food. Everything we had felt like it was made at one of my family members’ homes. I highly recommend their Tomato Soup, which comes with noodles. It is like a hug in a bowl. Polish side salads are my absolute favorite and I got a couple of them – lettuce with sour cream (might sound weird, but trust), grated carrots with horseradish, cucumbers in sour cream (yes, we love sour cream), and beets with horseradish (you see a pattern here?). The salads are all so fresh and crisp, they are a great addition to any mains that you get. The Pierogi are also a great option – I got the potato and cheese ones and they were so soft and good. They make their pierogi from scratch everyday and you can really taste the difference. Lastly, their Chicken Cutlet is soooo good! It is topped with mushrooms and served with your choice of sauce and a side (I opted for potato dumplings). The chicken is so juicy inside and has a great crispiness on the outside. Anything you get here will be delicious!

Forma Pasta Factory: Forma is a fast, casual pasta spot, serving really delicious pastas for a very reasonable price. My favorite is the Fettuccine Funghi (sautéed wild mushrooms, rosemary & thyme cream sauce, parmigiano reggiano), which is so creamy and indulgent. Another great option is the Gemelli Pesto (basil pine nut pesto, confit cherry tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano). They make simple pastas, but they are full of flavor and just a delight to eat!

How to get in: Part of the famous Union Square Hospitality Group, Ci Siamo, despite being located right next to Penn Station, is a hotspot for upscale Italian food. This spot is always busy, but it is not impossible to get in! Reservations are available on Resy usually for 5pm or 9pm, which I personally love, but tends to be inconvenient for most people. If you want to get a reservation at a more reasonable time, the best tip is to go there, put your name down and have a drink in the waiting area. Or be like me and take advantage of the free wine offered in the elevator, maybe even ride the elevator up and down a couple of times. I went with a group of 4 people on a Saturday night at around 7pm and we waited about 15 minutes until we got some seats at the bar.

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Vibe and drinks: The atmosphere of Ci Siamo is very upscale and classy. The lights are dim and moody, and you can enjoy your food while overlooking Manhattan west through the floor to ceiling windows. It will come as no surprise that I ordered a martini, specifically the Ci Siamo Martini, more specially 2 of them. Their version was made with occitan gin, tanqueray gin, blanc & dry vermouth, orange bitters and accoutrements (an item that is served alongside a main dish to complement its flavor – in this case, olives and a lemon peel). The martini was perfect. It was well balanced and very smooth to drink, which is important when your drink is pretty much straight up alcohol.

Food: For our bread dishes, we ordered the Cast Iron Focaccia and the Pizzette. The focaccia was very thick and fluffy, served with a tomato conserva. I appreciated the quality of the focaccia, but it was not the most exciting dish that we had. On the other hand, the pizzette was a work of art. The dough was charred on the outside, chewy on the inside, and topped with a delicate tomato sauce. Each bite was tangy and crispy, and I absolutely loved it.

Next, our appetizers were the Verdure Fritti and the Insalata Verde. The verdure fritti were fried brussel sprouts, sunchokes, and olives, served with a lemony aioli. My favorite part of this dish was the fried olives – I loved the mix of fried batter and briney olives. Overall, a pretty solid dish, but nothing mind blowing. The insalata verde was a simple salad with mustard, basil, and garlic. After a lot of heavier dishes, this was a nice contrast. The salad was very light and each bite had a nice amount of dressing.

We ordered the Tagliatelle and the Cavatelli Allo Scoglio. The tagliatelle was topped with a tomato and buffalo butter sauce that was divine! The sauce was so velvety and rich (thank you, butter!) and you could tell the tomatoes were fresh. And just when I thought the dishes couldn’t get any better – enter the cavatelli. Small pasta shells, served with bites of crab, in a chili and vermouth sauce. This was definitely my favorite dish of the night – the only thing that would make it even better would be if they added some more crab. The sauce was packed with different flavors that blended really well together.

Overall: This place has been on my list for a while and I am really happy that I finally made it. I would definitely recommend coming here when you want a great, fancier Italian meal. Come drink their elevator wine, order a drink in the lounge area, and wait for a table or seat by the bar.

Must-orders: Pizzette, Tagliatelle, Cavatelli Allo Scoglio

How to get in: Chinese Tuxedo, located on the quaint Doyers Street in Chinatown, is a fun, upscale Chinese restaurant that you have to try. It was quite popular for a while, but I think the hype has died down and it is very easy to get into now. Reservations are easy to get as long as you book them two days ahead on Resy. We went with a group of 12 people, so we had to call them for a reservation, but we did it the week of with no problem. 

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Vibe and drinks: The inside of Chinese Tuxedo is, for lack of a better word, a vibe. It is dark inside, the music is playing loudly and it feels like the perfect place to have dinner on a weekend night. They have a number of Chinese-inspired cocktails, which people in the group got and loved. I was ordering martinis all night and really enjoyed them.

Food: For large groups, you are required to do their “Banquet Menu”. This is a family style menu that consists of 11 savory dishes and 2 desserts. Even if I wasn’t going here with a large group, I think I would do this menu again because it was just that good and it was the perfect way to try a bit of everything. 

To start, we got the Spicy Cucumbers, Martinated Wood Ear Mushrooms and Hamachi Crudo. The spicy cucumbers were a perfect and refreshing start to the meal. The martinated wood ear mushrooms, which came with a celery and a red vinegar dressing, really surprised me. Normally, I’m not normally a fan of wood ear mushrooms, but these were perfect. They were a bit spicy and briney and just delicious! The hamachi crudo was served with a ponzu brown butter, black beans and rice pearls. The fish itself was so buttery and fresh, and the addition of the brown butter sauce made it even richer and the ponzu added a lovely citrusy kick. 

Next up were the Oxtail Buns, Shanghainese Vegetable Spring Rolls and Shiitake & Shepherd’s Purse Dumplings. The Oxtail buns were filled with black pepper braised oxtail and served with a wonderful pickled chili relish. The buns themselves were crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy inside and the beef itself was very tender and flavorful. The vegetable spring rolls were served with a tangy red vinegar dipping sauce and I loved how filled of veggies it was and had such a great crunch to it. The shiitake dumplings were steamed and topped with a caramelized shallot sauce. These were good but they weren’t as exciting as the rest of the dishes. 

For the mains we got Squid Ink Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms, Vegetarian XO Fried Rice, Steamed Branzino, Stir Fried Snake River Beef Sirloin and Steamed Snow Pea Leaves. The squid ink noodles were tossed with shiitake mushrooms, salted seaweed, garlic and chili. They had a very strong umami taste and I liked that they were very different from the rest of the dishes. The veggie fried rice was some of the best I have ever had. It came with vegetarian XO sauce, shiitake and corn, and topped off with a crunchy furikake (seaweed, sesame seeds) seasoning. For something that was fried, this tasted so fresh and light. I loved the pieces of mushroom and corn throughout and the sauce really brought it all together. The branzino was topped with ginger and leeks and was sitting in a lovely sweet chili sauce. The fish was so tender and the sweet and spicy sauce paired beautifully with the warm and peppery ginger. The stir fried beef came with onions and was coated in a black pepper sauce. The pieces of beef were pretty tender and the sauce was so good, I poured it on the rice just so I could have more of it. The snow pea leaves with a soy dressing and fried shallots were a nice addition to a meal that consisted of mostly fried foods. There was nothing life changing about it though. 

For dessert we got a Creme Brulee Custard Tart and a Peachy Clean, which was a peach flavored shaved ice. Both desserts were good, but I didn’t think they were as special as the rest of the meal. 

Overall: I’m glad we stumbled upon this place. I think the food was delicious and the amount you got for the price was really great. I would like to try it in a non-group setting as well, however it is definitely a great place to go for a birthday party, especially since reservations are not hard to get. 

Must-orders: Martinated Wood Ear Mushrooms, Hamachi Crudo, Oxtail Buns, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Vegetarian XO Fried Rice, Steamed Branzino, Stir Fried Snake River Beef Sirloin

How To Get In: Located on the corner of Allen and Houston St., Kisa has quickly become a popular spot for casual, Korean dining. They open only ⅓ of their seating for reservations so the majority is walk-in. They are open for lunch from 11 am–2:30 pm and dinner from 5–11 pm. The lines for dinner start early, so if you want to get in for the first seating, you’ll have to line up. I went with two other people on a Friday at around 4:40pm and we were about the 5th group in line. By the time it was 5pm, there was a long line down the block. We were seated right at 5, but the people in line were quoted about a 1 to 2 hour wait. 

Drink and Vibe: The inside of Kisa is very nostalgic. You feel like you’ve walked into an old-school diner with small TVs and fans hanging off the walls. There are only a handful of tables, so it is a very intimate setting. For drinks, they only have beer, wine and soju. We got a bottle of milky rice wine and it was very refreshing and worked well with the food.

Food: Kisa serves Baek Ban, which is a meal that consists of soup, rice, banchan (small side dishes) and an entree. There are only 4 entrees to choose from – Bulgogi Beef, Spicy Pork, Spicy Squid or Bori Bibimbap (Korean rice bowl with vegetables). I chose the bulgogi beef option and I was not disappointed! One of the best parts was that the banchan was unlimited, so you could keep ordering your favorites throughout the meal! To start, we received a fun, crunchy rice snack that we munched on while waiting for the rest of the food. 

Next came all the food. We each got a plain chicken broth soup with pieces of chicken and scallion and a side of rice. Even though this was plain, it was a great start to the meal. Then came the banchan platter which included: Housemade Kimchi, Jeon, Spicy Cured Shrimp, Acorn Jelly, Seaweed Roll, Cucumber Salad and Soy Marinated Egg. The kimchi was fermented napa cabbage with salted anchovy and chili. I already love kimchi, but this one was exceptional and I got another order of it. The jeon is a Korean meat pancake made with pepper, tofu, chives and ground pork. I think the flavors were great, but I wasn’t wow-ed by it and ended up leaving most of it. The shrimp dish was raw shrimp in a sweet and spicy sauce. This one was objectively good, but I personally do not like raw shrimp, so I didn’t end up eating it.

The next side was the acorn jelly which was house made and came with a salad and soy sauce. I really enjoyed this one – it was fresh and flavorful and a great addition! The seaweed roll was my absolute favorite of the side dishes. This was a deep fried seaweed roll with glass noodles inside and a gochujang glaze. The texture of this dish was so unique and fun and the glaze was spicy and sweet and just perfect! If it wasn’t one of the more filling side dishes, I would have ordered another one of these. The cucumber salad – sliced cucumbers with a perilla (herb that is similar to mint) dressing – was another favorite and I ordered another one of these. The last banchan was the soy marinated egg, which was soft boiled and came with a shishito pepper. This was the most flavorful egg I have ever had and again, it was another winner.

Now time for the main – the Bulgogi Beef. All I can say is wow! I was shocked at the first bite at how juicy and tender the meat was. The beef was thinly sliced and the marinade was so good! I have had a loooooot of bulgogi beef and this was up there in terms of flavor and tenderness. At the end of the meal they give you the option of getting a Yakult (a Korean yogurt drink) or a coin to get whatever you want from their retro coffee vending machine.

Overall: This place was incredible! There was something about the coziness of the restaurant and the hearty, delicious food that made me anxious to go back. I loved how everything was no frills, just really good Korean comfort food that is accessible to anyone. I highly recommend coming here hungry and ready to order all the banchan your heart desires. Go early and grab a table for the first seating, or go put your name down and grab a drink at Superbueno right across the street while you wait!

How To Get In: Chances are, you have heard about Thai Diner by now, but if you haven’t, Thai Diner is a popular spot in Soho serving classic Thai dishes with an American twist. They save most of their tables for walk-ins. You can get reservations up to a week in advance on Resy, but they are quite limited. Your best bet is to walk in early and put your name down for a table. I went at 6:30pm on a Thursday and was quoted 20 minutes for a table of 6. The line quickly grew right after that, so I would definitely recommend getting there before 6:30pm if you don’t want to have a long wait.

Drinks and Vibe: The vibe inside is very much what the name implies, a Thai diner. It is loud and constantly bustling and reminds me of an upscale diner. Honestly, the drinks are not memorable at all and I would skip them and just wait until after dinner to go to one of the many bars in Nolita. I got their house martini – Mr. Flowers – which was bright green and really did not have any semblance to a martini. It was very sweet and watered down and the people I went with said the same about their drinks.

Food: To start off we got their famous Disco Fries, which were fries topped with massaman curry, pickled green peppercorns, peanuts and coconut cream. These were actually pretty good! The strong flavor of curry was balanced out with the sweetness of the coconut cream, and I thought the peanuts added a nice crunch. My only qualm was that the fries could have been a little more cooked and crunchy. 

Next, we got the Tod Mun Khaopod. These were spicy corn fritters with a cucumber relish and a sweet chili dipping sauce. I loved this dish! The fritters were crunchy and filled with juicy pieces of corn. Warning – it is quite spicy, but the cucumbers really mellow it out.

Our next dish was the Panang Meuh, which is a peanut and lime curry that comes with braised beef short ribs and lots of fresh herbs, peanuts and coconut cream. Another great dish! The beef was so tender and I loved the nutty, rich curry it came atop. 

For our noodle dish, we got the Phat See Ew (pad see ew) with grilled chicken – wide rice noodles stir fried with soy sauce, broccoli and eggs, topped with very juicy grilled chicken. I really enjoyed the chicken on this dish, but the noodles themselves didn’t impress me. I’ve definitely had more flavorful pad see ew. I also think it needed more vegetables to give it a nice crunch. 

Their Uncle Boon’s Khao Pat Puu was a crab fried rice that came with a spicy seafood nam prik (chili sauce). This dish was so fresh and flavorful. The crab was really tender and the sauce really brought the dish together by giving it a little kick and herbiness. 

Lastly, we got the Khao Soi, which is a golden curry with egg noodles (both cooked and crispy) that comes with a chicken leg and spicy chili jam on the side. I think I am forever spoiled by Soothr’s Khao Soi, because I have yet to have one that comes close to it. This one was good, but it lacked the flavor and punch that I am used to. I found it to be a bit too watery and thought there was not enough chicken compared to the amount of noodles. 

Overall: Thai Diner is a great spot for some good Thai food in a fun atmosphere. It is definitely not the best Thai food I’ve had in the city (see: Soothr Article), but it is reliable and tasty. I’ve heard their brunch is really great, so that is next on my list! Have a friend (like me) walk in early and put your names down for a spot and you shouldn’t have to wait too long!

Must-orders: Disco Fries, Tod Mun Khaopod, Panang Meuh, Uncle Boon’s Khao Pat Puu

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How to get in: Moody Tongue Sushi is located in the heart of West Village – which everyone knows by now is my favorite area in the city – and it is serving up some really yummy bites of sushi in a fun atmosphere. They are owned by the only 2 Michelin star brewery (Moody Tongue) in Chicago. I’m not sure if people don’t know about this spot or it’s not as popular right now, but reservations are pretty easy to come by and I got one by just calling them an hour before for 3 people on a Friday night! 

Vibe and drinks: The inside of Moody Tongue Sushi is very cozy and vibe-y. The crowd is young, the music is playing and it feels like the place to be for dinner on a weekend night. I ordered a dirty martini (obviously) and when the bartender asked “Do you want that with blue cheese olives?”, I knew I was going to love it! The martini was perfectly balanced and the olives were brine-y and stuffed with a good amount of blue cheese. They have a happy hour that has $9 handrolls, $9 martinis and $5 beers from 5-7pm which I will have to go back and try out.

Food: For apps we ordered the Fluke Crudo and the Cucumber Salad. They were both an amazing start to our meal. The crudo was thin pieces of raw hirame (Japanese flounder) in a ponzu sauce with scallions, chives, fried shallots and hot rice oil. The fish was absolutely delicious and the sauce it came in was so refreshing and citrus-y with a nice crunch from the crispy shallots. The cucumber salad was the most unique one I’ve had to date – the cucumbers were cut into thick slices and topped with lots of crispy garlic, chili oil and bonito flakes. This was such a flavor explosion, I loved it!! The cucumbers felt like they were pieces of sushi and they were so fun to eat! 

For sushi, we ordered the following rolls: 2 Spicy Tuna, 2 Shishito Salmon, Salsa Verde Hamachi, and Torched Summer Scallop. All the sushi came on one board and the presentation was gorgeous! Each roll had fun, unique toppings and I just loved how aesthetically pleasing it was. The spicy tuna roll was probably my least favorite, but I did love the little crispy puffs that came on top of each piece. The salmon roll was great! It came with pickled cucumbers and thin slices of shishito on top. The fish was fresh and tasty and I loved the acidity that the pickles gave it. 

The torched summer scallop and the salsa verde hamachi were my two favorite rolls! The summer scallop one came with snap peas and was topped with torched, buttery corn mixed with some cream. I’m normally not a huge fan of scallops, but these tasted so fresh and sweet and the corn on top was to die for. The salsa verde hamachi was hamachi mixed with corn, salsa verde, cilantro and topped with pickled fresno chilis. The flavors from the salsa verde and cilantro were so unique and like with all the other rolls, the fish was delicious. 

Lastly, we ordered the Wagyu, Caviar and Tuna Nigiri and the Kama Toro Nigiri. The former was so tender it melted in your mouth. It really was so buttery and delicious and the caviar on top was a great, salty addition. My fiance had the kama toro (a rarer fatty tuna) and he said that it was very chewy and not a good piece of fish especially for the price. 

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Overall: I’m really happy I finally tried this place. I’m not a raw fish expert and I prefer my sushi with fun toppings and mix-ins – so this place was heaven for me! I’ve heard that their carrot cake is amazing and I will have to report back on that one. It is a great spot to go on a weekend with your friends to have some drinks and delicious sushi. For now reservations are easy to come by, so it’s a great last minute spot!

Must-orders: Cucumber salad, salsa verde hamachi, torched summer scallop, wagyu caviar tuna nigiri

How to get in: Theodora comes to us from the owners of the very popular Mediterranean spot, Miss Ada, located only a couple of blocks away, in Fort Greene. While Theodora also has some typical Mediterranean dishes, it is more known for their dry-aged fish. They release reservations 30 days in advance at 9am, and they are usually all booked up for the month. I went with a group of 5 people and managed to get a reservation on a Wednesday by having Resy notify on. I have actually seen a good amount of reservations come up, so pick a date and just have the notify ready. If not, they do reserve bar seats for walk-ins, so come early and grab a seat or put your name down and go get a drink at the bar across the street while you wait!

Vibe and drinks: The vibes inside Theodora are very airy and bright! The main dining room area has a bunch of windows and it gives a very Mediterranean vibe. For drinks, I got the Xitomatl and the Mayahuel. The former was a gin based martini with tomato water, vermouth and basil. It was everything I wanted it to be. I love savory, strong drinks and this was exactly that. It also helped that it came with a little carafe that had extra martini in it and some red peppers to garnish. The second drink was a mezcal based martini with black pepper, bayleaf and honey. The black pepper and honey worked well together and this was another great drink. All of their cocktails are super creative (there’s even one with lamb fat!) and you have to get the vodka shot with pickled mushrooms. It was so cute and such a fun way to take a shot!

Food: As they are known for their dry-aged fish, we had to start off our meal with one! We got the Ora King Salmon – a crudo appetizer that came with dill schug (basically a dill hot sauce), pickled cipollini onions and Japanese cucumbers. The fish was so fresh and as it was a dry-aged fish, it had a great smoky flavor that worked so well with all the crisp vegetables. 

Up next we got two breads, which are a must when you come here. We got the Za’atar Kubaneh and Seeded Laffa. The kubaneh reminded me of a cinnamon roll, but of course, instead of cinnamon it was za’atar, which came with a trio of sauces: schug, tomato aioli and harissa. This dish was so fun since you got to pull apart the bread and dip it in the sauces. The bread itself was very fluffy and the za’atar added a great salty flavor. The seeded laffa bread came with a roasted eggplant dip with parsley, black sesame and balsamic. This was one of my favorite dishes. The eggplant was so smoky and full of flavor and the laffa was great for scooping it all up!

Next was the Cucumber Stone Fruit Salad that came with a generous amount of salsa macha (a Mexican chili oil with nuts), fennel and mint. The cucumbers and fruit were so fresh and I loved the contrast of the spicy and crunchy salsa macha. My only complaint about this dish was that it could have used a little less of the salsa macha because it overpowered the fruits and cucumber. Our last appetizer was the Napa Cabbage Skewer, which was charred and topped with a basil-dill dressing, manchego cheese and crispy shallots. I loved the smokiness of this dish and how well the dressing paired with the cabbage.

For our mains, we ordered the Octopus, Black Cod, Prawns and Lamb. The octopus was perfectly cooked on top of a smoky barbecue-like sauce with smoked shallots, summer squash and corn. Great dish! The cod was one of my favorites! It was smoked and had a buttery, almost bacon-like taste, and was on top of a shallot beurre blanc sauce with asparagus and fresh greens. Just so good. The prawns came with a honey habanero sauce and a pineapple pico de gallo. I loved how fresh and summery this dish was and the flavors of the habanero and pineapple worked really well together.  Last up was the lamb dish which was pulled lamb on a laffa flatbread with pickled onions and lots of fresh herbs. The fun part was that it came with a bunch of sauces to add on – tahini, mango amba, a pepper sauce and a green herb sauce. The lamb was so tender it didn’t even need the sauces, but they were definitely a fun addition! 

Surprisingly, we still had room for dessert. The Baklava Sundae was tahini ice cream, almond and walnut baklava pieces and whey caramel. I loved that the baklava was already broken up into pieces and worked so well with the slightly salty tahini ice cream. Such a great mix. The Doughnuts were small donut holes with a raspberry sauce inside and a crème fraiche anglaise for dipping. The donuts were very fluffy and I really liked the fruit jam inside. Lastly, the Camembert Cheesecake was definitely an acquired taste. You have to really like Camembert (just like a Brie) to enjoy this one, which I did, but some people very much did not. 

Overall: Theodora is a great place to come with a group and order a bunch of dishes to share. Their food is very unique and tasty. Put a Resy notify on or walk in earlier and get a bar seat! 

Must-orders: Seeded laffa, za’taar kubaneh, ora king salmon, black cod, lamb, baklava sundae 

How to get in: I am really excited to write this post! San Sabino is the new sister restaurant to Don Angie, located on the same block in the middle of my favorite area – the West Village. If you know anything about Don Angie, you know reservations are nearly impossible to get, and San Sabino is no different. If you go on Resy, you will see that there are no reservations available at all. Don’t let this deter you though. They release their reservations 7 days in advance at 9am and, if you are quick, you might be able to snatch a table. I managed to get a table for 2 people at 5pm, but the easiest option is to walk in. They save their bar seats for walk-ins and when we got there on Monday, there were not many people there so I think walking in when they open is definitely the best move. 

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Vibe and drinks: The inside of San Sabino is just beautiful! It is very airy and bright with a modern feel. The place itself is small and there is only one dining area with a bar, which makes it feel intimate. For drinks, I ordered the Scottie’s Martini and the Benny. The martini was out of this world! It was garlic bread vodka (!), spicy brine and huge olives stuffed with cheese. I’m definitely a huge dirty martini girl, but this took it to another level. It was garlicky, pickle-y, savory and perfect. The Benny was a spicy margarita with prickly pear and Italian Bergamot. I thought the flavors of this drink were great but in my opinion it was a bit too sweet.

Food: For our appetizers, we ordered the Crab & Mortadella Dip and the Cheesy Frittelle. The crab and mortadella dip was made with pistachios and dill, served with some Ritz crackers and chili jam. I was so pleasantly surprised by this dish. The dip was so fresh and flavorful especially with the dill. Adding it on top of the crackers and a little bit of their delicious chili jam was just the ideal flavor combination. Next, the cheesy frittelle were probably one of my favorite bites. It came with three big, crispy raviolis, stuffed with cheese and topped with orange blossom honey, saffron, pepper and plenty of fresh parm. I loved the different textures of the crunchy outside and the warm and gooey cheesy inside. To top it off, the orange honey added a subtle sweet taste that balanced out the pepper. Sooo good!

We went a little crazy and ordered three main courses: the Stuffed Farfalle, Lobster Triangoli and Shrimp Parm. The farfalle were stuffed with smoked chili crab and topped with tobiko (fish roe) in a foam-y buttermilk sauce. I really enjoyed this pasta, but it was probably my least favorite of the three. I thought the sweet sauce paired nicely with the smokiness of the crab, however the tobiko didn’t really add much to the dish and I just wish there was another flavor. The lobster triangoli are a whole different story! Four big ravioli-like pastas stuffed with lobster, in a white vodka sauce with black garlic and lots of pepper. If you’ve been reading my posts, you know I’m a HUGE vodka sauce girly and this one did not disappoint. I don’t even know how they made white vodka sauce, but it was creamy, peppery and delicious. The pasta itself was also cooked perfectly and the lobster was nice and tender. Lastly, the shrimp parm was such a unique dish, in a sweet and sour arrabbiata sauce, with melty mozzarella and plenty of fresh basil. I loved the tangy and spicy sauce and how different the texture of the breaded shrimps were versus the chicken parm that I am used to. 

Somehow, we managed to fit dessert into our super-full bellies. We ordered the Caramelized Crespelle which were mini crepes with key lime and rum crema. Another amazing dish! The crepes were crispy and caramelized on the outside and so fresh and citrusy inside. It wasn’t too heavy, which was perfect after all the pastas we ate!

Overall: San Sabino is a great place to come for a fun, creative, seafood/Italian meal. I’ve never had such interesting dishes and I will definitely be back to try out more things on the menu! Come at 5pm if you can and secure a table at the bar, have some fun drinks and food and just enjoy the vibe!

Must-orders: Cheesy Frittelle, Lobster Triangoli, Shrimp Parm, Caramelized Crespelle and Scottie’s Martini

How to get in: I don’t even know how to introduce Chrissy’s other than saying this pizza is REALLY good. It is currently tied with L’Industrie for my favorite pizza in NYC. Chrissy’s started off in an apartment in Bushwick by Chris Hansell and very soon after, blew up. Now, Chrissy’s does a pop-up from Thursday-Saturday at Superiority Burger in the East Village. The catch — they only do pizza service from 11pm-2am on those three days. The other catch — reservations are nearly impossible. You have to follow Chrissy’s on Instagram and once every 3 weeks, on a Wednesday, they will share a link via their stories for you to make reservations for the upcoming 3 weeks. The key to getting a reservation is not hesitating even for a second. You have to click the link, pick your day, and just get any time that you can. If you start thinking, as I have before, will I be able to make it? is it too late?, someone else will snatch it. I managed to get a reservation this way and I have also walked in on a Thursday around 12am and just had to wait 15 minutes to get a table. Walking in is a little risky because they only will seat you if there are cancellations, but if you are in the area you might as well put your name down! 

Vibe and drinks: Chrissy’s operates out of Superiority Burger, which has a very diner-like vibe to it. There is nothing special about the ambience, but also nothing wrong with it — just expect it to be like your typical diner. They have a full bar that you can order drinks from and I have gotten a Cosmo there which was quite good!

Food: The best part - their pizza. You can only order one pizza per reservation, so don’t come with too many people, trust me. You can also order from a limited Superiority Burger menu for apps and such, but the main star here is the pizza. Every night you can pick between either a plain pie, their specialty pie (always vegetarian), or half and half. Their plain pie is exactly what a pizza should taste like. It is thin and crispy, there is a perfect ratio of sauce and cheese — and the cheese is beautifully caramelized. The crust is also nice and charred and even though I usually don’t eat crusts, I finished every last bite of this one. I have tried two of their specialty pies — one was a jalapeno one and the other Calabrian chili with onions. Both of them were so insanely good, I was mad at myself for inviting others to come with me cause I think I could have eaten the whole pie. The jalapeno one was my favorite just because I prefer my pizza without onions, but that being said, I would gladly eat the whole onion pie on my own. My suggestion? Go with one to two other people and get the half and half pie so you can try how amazing their plain and speciality pizzas are. 

Overall: I spend way too much time during the week thinking about when I can go back here. It’s really just a great place for pizza. Of course the lack of reservations and how hard it is to get in is a little bit of a deterrer, but if you aren’t bothered by those kinds of things (just like me), then it is so so worth it.

Must orders: Half plain half specialty pie (no matter what it is!)

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How to get in: Lucia Alimentari is a new restaurant located in Soho that was opened by the owners of the famous pizza slice shop next door, Lucia. And because it is on the Infatuation’s Hit List, you know it’s good. During the day they sell pastries and sandwiches, but they are open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner. If you have been to Lucia, you know their pizza is really good. But when you thought it couldn’t get better, Lucia Alimentari makes the famous slices you like into more personal pies, and somehow they are even better. I made same day reservations for a group of 3 people on a Wednesday, and it seems that even though reservations seem scarce on Resy, a bunch of them always seem to pop up the day of. I have also heard that you can walk in and the wait won’t be too long (for now).

Vibe and drinks: The inside is quite small and there are only a couple of tables. The walls are filled with pastas and canned tomatoes for purchase, making it feel like you are in a cute, Italian deli. The lighting is dark at night and it is a very intimate space for a nice pizza dinner! For drinks we each ordered a wine (they do not have cocktails) and they were pretty standard. Nothing outstanding about them but I enjoyed it with my food.

Food: To start off we had their Burrata. I absolutely love burrata, and this one was really, really good! We got a ball of burrata that was topped with a roasted red pepper and sea salt, all atop a bed of olive oil. The burrata itself was so creamy and delicate and I loved how it tasted with the smokiness of the roasted pepper. They also gave us bread on the side, which was perfect for dipping in the olive oil and scooping up some of that burrata!

For the pizzas, we got the Vodka Pizza and the Caramelle Piccanti. The vodka pizza was just a plain pizza with vodka sauce, topped with lots of fresh basil and it was WOW. The crust is so thin and crispy it is just perfect! I love when there’s a nice crunch to the crust and this was exactly that. The vodka sauce was also full of flavor and so creamy and indulgent - I just loved it! The Caramelle Piccanti normally comes with hot cherry peppers, pepperoni and Mike’s hot honey. We opted to take out the pepperoni (since the other people didn’t eat meat). The pizza itself was absolutely delicious and the spicy cherry peppers were so flavorful. My only qualm was that I think they added extra peppers since we didn’t get pepperoni and that made it a bit too spicy for us. Next time I will definitely get their creamed spinach pie, which I have had in slice form from Lucia and it was delicious. If you do eat meat- definitely get the Caramelle Piccanti, I just don’t recommend getting it without the pepperoni. 

Overall: I thought this place was great. It was perfect for a weeknight dinner when you don’t know where else to go but want something delicious and reliable. I recommend looking the day of for reservations as a bunch of them get released or just walking in and if there’s a wait, pregame at Lucia’s with a slice :) 

Must orders: Burrata, Vodka Pizza, Caramelle Piccanti Pizza (only with the pepperoni though), Creamed Spinach Pizza

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How to get in: Located in a fun, upscale area of Tribeca, Scalini Fedeli is a fine-dining Italian restaurant that is surprisingly easy to get into! They only do a pre fixe menu (which they have been doing since the 90s), and it is $89 a person, and will leave you rolling out of the restaurant. I feel like most people don’t know about this spot, and it is a shame because the food is so good and it’s a great spot to go for a nice occasion and not have to stress about reservations. I went with my fiance for an anniversary dinner and we booked a 5:30pm ressie on a Saturday two hours before!

Vibe and Drinks: I loved the vibe at Scalini! It was dimly lit with big arches in the ceiling and old-school white tablecloth-covered tables. There was plenty of seating, and as we got there at 5:30pm when it opened, it was quite empty, but by the time we left at around 7:30pm, there was a significant amount of people. Most of the clientele there is older and it gives you an old-school Italian vibe, but very upscale. We ordered a Dirty Martini and a Manhattan as our drinks and they were both very standard, but still tasted really good.

Food: For the tasting menu, you get to pick an appetizer, entree and dessert, and then they give you a couple of small bites on the house. 

We got a couple of the small bites on the house to start. First was the Smoked Salmon toast with lemon-chive crema. The salmon was really good and tasted fresh, and the crema was so light and refreshing and really brought the whole bite together. Then we got a Fig and Burrata toast, which to me, was not as exciting and thought it lacked flavor. Next, they brought a mini Zucchini Milanese, which was perfectly crispy and came on their really yummy homemade tomato and basil sauce. The last small bite in this round was Fried Shrimp in a Mustard Sauce. This was my favorite of the small bites! The fried shrimp reminded me of a really good fried calamari – so crispy and light – and the mustard sauce it was in was tangy and reminded me a bit of BBQ sauce. It also came with some pickled onions which were a nice contrast to the dish. 

For our appetizers, we ordered the Calabrian Fusilli Alla Vodka and the Bucatini “Alice”. The vodka pasta was by far my favorite dish of the night and might be on my top 5 favorite vodka pasta dishes. The fusilli was perfectly cooked and their vodka sauce was spicy, creamy but not heavy and full of flavor. There were chunks of onions and tomatoes in the sauce which added such a nice depth to the dish – I absolutely loved it – and I consider myself a vodka pasta connoisseur. The bucatini dish was in a Sicilian sauce with anchovies, big pieces of roasted garlic, raisins, pine nuts and topped with breadcrumbs. I liked this dish, but I thought it was a little heavy on the anchovy flavor (which I’m not a fan of but my fiance really liked!). It definitely was very different though, which I appreciated as I don’t think I’ve ever tasted something like it. 

We got another couple of bites on the house in the meantime. First was an Onion and Garlic Focaccia topped with parsley and parmesan. This was incredible! The bread was so fluffy and full of flavor. We also got a Garlic Bread with anchovies and parmesan. This one was also so good and the anchovy flavor wasn’t too strong but added a nice salty flavor. And last in this round was a Whipped Ricotta and Pine Nut Pizza bite. This was my least favorite dish of the night. The ricotta didn’t have much flavor and I thought the dough was too tough. 

Next up were the mains! At this point we were already so full, but had no choice but to power through! We got the Filet Mignon and the Dayboat Sea Scallops. The filet mignon was cooked in my favorite way – charred on the outside and nice and juicy inside. It came with a spicy wine sauce with onion and peppers that was so flavorful and made a great dipping sauce. There was also a mini potato gratin and some roasted potatoes, which were also delicious! The scallops were also nice and charred on top and came atop a bed of celery root puree with roasted sunchokes and black truffles. Another amazing dish! The scallops were so good and fresh and I loved the flavor that the truffles added as they were not too powerful. 

The last two dishes were a complimentary palette cleanser and then our dessert! The palette cleanser was a Coconut Lime Sorbet, which came on top of some crispy coconut granola and pineapple. I was obsessed with this! It was so refreshing and light and I even said I could do without getting my dessert dish after that. The coconut and pineapple flavors worked so well together and I enjoyed the different textures of the granola and the sorbet. For dessert we got the Flourless Chocolate Cake and the Banana Tart. The chocolate cake was so rich and fudgy – just like I like it! I love when cake tastes like a brownie and this was exactly that. It came with some yummy pistachio gelato and maraschino cherries. The banana tart came with brûléed bananas and a caramel gelato. This was also really good and I loved the taste from the burnt bananas!

Overall: I am really happy to have discovered this place and have an option for a nice dinner without the stress of reservations. Definitely try it out for a nice event and come very hungry, as it was a crazy amount of food!

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Little Ruby’s: I’m sure many people know of this famous Australian lunch spot, but if you don’t – let me enlighten you! Little Ruby’s is an Australian cafe-style restaurant that has locations in Soho, East Village, Murray Hill and West Village. I’ve been to all of them and my favorite is the West Village location. The inside is beautiful and modern, filled with plants and lots of sunlight. They usually have plenty of times available for lunch during the week, but if you are going on a weekend – you’ll need a reservation, otherwise you’ll be waiting a while. My two favorite things on their menu are the Spicy Vodka Pasta and their Sweet Potato Fries. They also have lots of bowl-style options, a great burger and some fun smoothies to choose from, but I stick by my favorites. Their vodka pasta is so creamy, yet has a great tanginess from the tomatoes that I usually don’t get from vodka sauces. It feels rich without being too heavy and it is so flavorful and has a great kick from the spice. The sweet potato fries are perfectly crispy and are topped with sour cream and a sweet chili sauce – which, hello, why haven’t I thought of this combo before?! It is velvety, spicy and sweet all at the same time. If you go here, just order these two items and you will be happy.

Spicy Moon: Once Kourtney Kardashian posted that she loves this place, everyone started swarming to it! I’ve actually been going here for a while, because it is always such great Szechuan food and it’s vegan! I’m by no means vegan, but I love good food – and this is gooood food. It gets busy, especially on the weekends, but reservations are very easy to get and if you can’t find a reservation online – call them, it works every time. I’ve never gone to Spicy Moon and not ordered their Dan Dan Noodles – and I don’t think I ever will. They are one of the best Dan Dan Noodles I’ve ever had. They are creamy and spicy, and have a great nutty flavor to them. You can get it with Beyond Beef too – but it is just as good without it. Another great dish is the Vegetable Wontons in Chili Oil. Delicious, veggie stuffed wontons that are swimming in a spicy, chili oil – what’s not to love? Their Dry Pepper Style Tofu and Veggies is another dish I always order when I’m there. It is basically fried tofu and veggies, coated in a dry pepper rub and finished with some spicy oil. It is so spicy and so flavorful and I love how crunchy all the veggies get! Two more great dishes are the Mapo Tofu and the General Tso’s Mushrooms. The Mapo Tofu is just so flavorful and the tofu is so soft and delicious. The General Tso’s mushrooms are small, crispy balls filled with mushrooms and come with a great, sweet dipping sauce. The options are endless here – but if you have to pick one dish, let it be the Dan Dan Noodles!

L’Industrie: I don’t think this one even needs an introduction – but if for some crazy reason you have not seen the million TikTok videos and Instagram reels of L’Industrie – let me be the one to tell you, it is one of the best pizzas you will get in NYC. They opened their West Village location not too long ago, but their original location is in Williamsburg. They have been written up on many lists for being one of the best slices in New York – and those people are not wrong. The lines here are almost enough to make you reconsider – but if you can wait it out for 20 minutes, I promise the line goes by pretty quickly. Stand in line, play a game on your phone, and in no time you will be having one of the best slices of pizza. Their Burrata Slice is arguably one of my favorites and comes with big, creamy dollops of burrata on top of a cheese slice. The crust is so crispy and perfectly cooked and they have the sauce to cheese ratio perfected. You really can’t go wrong with any of their slices, but some other favorites are the Veggie Slice and the Fig Jam and Bacon Slice. Once you get your fill of pizza, make sure you also get dessert. Their Olive Oil Gelato is incredible and so light. They have different flavors depending on the week! I also really enjoy their Millefoglie, which is layers of puff pastry with cream in between, and their Chocolate Chip Cookie, which is super thin and chewy and a little burnt in the best way.

How to get in: After hearing a lot about Antidote in Williamsburg, I was so excited to try it out. We went with four people on a Sunday night and made reservations the day of for 6pm. It used to be a little harder to get reservations, but now they are available almost everyday, so if you don’t know what to do for dinner – just head over to Resy, make that reservation and enjoy delicious Chinese food in Williamsburg. It is by the water and surrounded by plenty of bars – so you won’t get bored in the area!

Vibe: The inside of Antidote is quite casual and feels a bit like the inside of a plant store. There are plants on the floor and hanging everywhere and there are windows in the ceiling, making for a nice, airy ambience. It is the perfect spot for a casual weeknight dinner.

Food: For starters, we ordered the Wood Ear Mushroom Salad, Spicy Cabbage, Scallion Pancake, and Har Gow. The Wood Ear Mushroom Salad came with poached mushrooms mixed in a chili and lemon sauce. This dish was so light and fresh – but you really have to like mushrooms for this one. The texture of the wood ear mushrooms is a bit chewy – which I personally like – and other than the lemon sauce, the whole dish is just mushrooms. The Spicy Cabbage was heaps of cabbage in a spicy chili sauce that was delicious. The cabbage was fresh and crispy and tasted great with the fresh chopped up chili sauce. Another great dish was the Scallion Pancake, which was just how a scallion pancake should be – super crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The Har Gow – which were shrimp dumplings – were my least favorite dish. The dumplings themselves were very small and filled with a bland shrimp flavor. I would skip this dish. 

Next up, we ordered the Mapo Tofu, Leshan Chicken, Sichuan Cold Noodle and Shredded Beef with Green Pepper. The Mapo Tofu was incredible! The tofu was so soft, mixed with fresh leeks, all in a delicious sauce that was the perfect mix of spicy and umami. This was probably one of my favorite dishes from the ones we tried. The Leshan Chicken was pieces of shredded chicken in chili oil and sesame sauce, with peppercorns and scallions. This was another hit. The chicken was very tender and it was coated in a beautifully nutty and spicy sauce. The Shredded Beef with Green Pepper was thinly sliced pieces of beef, with fresh, crispy peppers and onions, in a garlicky soy sauce. I think this dish was very good and flavorful, however it was not anything that memorable and I don’t see myself ordering it again. Lastly, the Sichuan Cold Noodles was a plate of noodles coated in a spicy sesame sauce. I loved this dish. I generally love cold pasta dishes, and this one was so flavorful, and similarly to the Leshan Chicken, it was the perfect blend of nutty and spicy. 

Overall: I think Antidote is a great spot for a last minute dinner that you know will still be great. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite Chinese spot, but I would come here if I needed a quick spot for some reliable, good food.

Must-orders: Scallion Pancake, Spicy Cabbage, Mapo Tofu, Leshan Chicken, Sichuan Cold Noodles

West Village: Travelers Poets & Friends: The same people behind Osteria57 opened an Italian cafe in the West Village serving up some really delicious bites. They have two dining areas that you can sit down for a more formal meal, however their main area is the cafe, where you can sit down and enjoy your food while also shopping through their Italian groceries in the market. It gets pretty busy on the weekend, but we were two people and just walked in and got a seat in their cafe. The food is simple and delicious, and is more focused on fish and vegetables. We ordered the Spicy Salad and the Spicy Tuna and Burrata Pizza. The salad was farmers market greens, cucumber, fennel and spicy tofu with an almond kale pesto. So flavorful and light – I loved it! The pizza had yellow tomatoes, poached tuna, big pieces of burrata, calabrian chilis and arugula. The dough was incredible, so crispy on the outside and fluffy inside and I absolutely loved the flavors of the burrata with the spicy tuna. They also have a large variety of homemade pastries if you have room for dessert! 

West Village: Smacking Burger: You may have seen all the TikToks and Reels about this tiny burger place in the West Village gas station. It is worth the hype. Go on an off time if you can to beat the crowds. I went on a Wednesday at around 3pm and there were only 2 other people in front of us. I got the Big Smack with only one patty (it normally comes with two, but I asked for a single) with a side of Hot Chimi (chimichurri sauce). I was hooked! All their burgers are smashed with shaved onions and topped with white american cheese, salt and pepper. The Big Smack also comes with shredded lettuce, pickles and their “smacking” sauce on a sesame bun. The burgers were so juicy and full of flavor from the onions and sauce. I loved the kick that the chimichurri added to it as well. It was the perfect smashburger, and I think it is currently in my top 5 smashburgers in NYC. They also have fun sauces like a horseradish sauce that comes with some of their other burgers – or just add it to your own! I’ve also heard their World Famous Smacking Fries, which is just fries mixed with a chopped up burger and toppings, is supposed to be really good. I can’t wait to go back and try them out!

Noho: ThisBowl: Brought to NYC from Australia, this extremely popular Japanese-style health bowl store located in Noho has blown up on social media. The lines are long – I waited around 30 minutes on a Monday during lunch – but they are worth it. If you don’t want to wait, I would come a little later to skip the lunch rush. I thought this was going to be just another bowl spot, but it was so much more. The ingredients are so fresh and you will leave feeling full, satisfied and healthy. I made my own bowl consisting of: sushi rice and shredded cabbage, miso glazed salmon, beets, spicy broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, scallions, sansho crispy crunch, chili jam and green curry and carrot ginger dressing on the side. The salmon was so fresh and full of flavor. All of the ingredients were delicious and tasted great with the dressings. Do not skip the chili jam – it is a game changer.

Hell's Kitchen: Chalong: I might have to do a full article on Chalong one day – but as I have only been for lunch, I will include it on this list. Chalong is located in Hell’s Kitchen, which I happened to be in a couple of weeks ago for a class, and decided to give them a try after seeing them rated as one of the best Thai places in NYC. It is relatively easy to get in here, I walked in with my fiance at 12pm and we were sat down immediately. They also always have dinner reservations available as well. For food we got Phuket Pak Mor, Green Curry Brisket, and Mee Pum Riang. The Phuket Pak Mor was steamed rice dough dumplings with sweet radish, peanuts, black pepper and a salted coconut dressing inside. They were unbelievable! They were so light and fresh, sweet from the radish and peanuts, and packed with flavor. The green curry brisket came with tender, braised brisket in a green curry sauce with chilis, eggplant and basil. The brisket was so tender and melted in your mouth. The sauce was quite spicy, but it was full of delicious, umami flavor and worked great with the brisket. Lastly, the Mee Pum Riang was rice noodles with shrimp, coconut curry cream and vegetables. This was similar to a pad thai, but nowhere near as heavy as they usually are. The veggies were fresh and crispy, the shrimp was so tender and the noodles were coated in a light coconut sauce that was sweet and salty. Highly recommend this place for some delicious, unique Thai food.

How to get in: I’ve always had Emilio’s Ballato on my list of places to go, but when I read the recent Infatuation Article raving about their food, I knew it was finally time to go. Located on the border of the East Village and Soho, Emilio’s Ballato is always swarmed with people waiting to get in. You can’t make reservations here, nor can you put your name down and wait for a text. Instead, you have to wait in line until there is a spot available. If you have ever been to John’s of Bleecker Street, it’s the same vibe. I’ve passed by before on a Friday and been quoted something ridiculous like three hours, however when I went with my friend on a Monday evening, we got there at around 5:45pm (there was no one else waiting) and were told we just had to wait about 15 minutes. Low and behold, we were seated within those 15 minutes and very excited to have scored a table. I recommend coming here at an off time at the beginning of the week to get a table. Otherwise, you will be stuck in line waiting for hours!

Vibe and drinks: The inside of Emilio’s Ballato is exactly what you would expect from an old-school Italian place. The walls are filled with pictures of celebrities and the tables are covered with traditional white table cloths. There was no cocktail menu — however the waiter immediately tells you that if you want any kind of drink, just ask and they will make it. I got a dirty vodka martini and my friend got a glass of red wine. There was nothing wrong with my drink, but when I got the check at the end and saw it was $25, I was not thrilled. I don’t mind spending that on a fun cocktail, but for a pretty basic martini, I wouldn’t order it again. The wine was also $20 for a glass of house wine, which I thought was pretty steep for the quality. Overall, I would come here for the food and skip the drinks.

Food: They start you off with some homemade focaccia with tomato sauce on top and olive oil for dipping. The focaccia was delicious! It was perfectly fluffy on the inside and crispy on the edges, with the perfect amount of sauce. Next up, we ordered the Zucchine Fritte which were fried zucchini ribbons. This was tasty, but there was nothing too exciting about it. Next time I will try their fried calamari which is one of their specials and supposed to be really good! 

For the mains, I ordered their famous Chicken Parmigiana with vodka sauce, which was perfect! The chicken was thin and crispy, coated with a delicious vodka sauce and lots of mozzarella. Every bite had the perfect amount of cheese and sauce. The sauce itself was so good and you could tell it was homemade and high quality. This has been one of my favorite chicken parms that I have had in NY. My friend ordered the Arrabbiata Pasta and I really enjoyed this one as well. The penne was cooked well and the spicy tomato sauce was so fresh and flavorful. It was a simple yet delicious dish. 

For dessert, we ordered the Tiramisu. If you are a tiramisu fan — leave room for this one! There was a thick layer of beautiful, rich cream, on top of the coffee soaked biscuits with coffee powder sprinkled on top. I was already quite full at this point but we finished this dessert without a problem. 

Overall: I’m very happy I finally got to try this place out. I wouldn’t wait more than an hour for a table here, but I recommend coming for a nice weeknight dinner, when the line isn’t too long. Just try to get there a little early before the dinner rush and you should be fine! 

Must orders: Chicken parmigiana with vodka sauce, tiramisu

How to get in: Located in Fort Greene, LaRina Pastificio & Vino, is a small neighborhood spot serving delicious Italian food. This place is definitely a hidden gem, as it is quite easy to get reservations at. Reservations are available almost everyday, but if you want to come here on a Friday or Saturday, you should book it a week in advance as the popular dinner times get booked the week of. We were two people and we came on a Friday night having booked the reservation a week before. They save some tables each night for walk-ins and have a bar that is first come, first serve. This is the perfect spot for a last minute weeknight dinner!

Vibes and drinks: LaRina reminds me of a cute little cafe that you would find in Italy. It is casual and cozy in their main dining room as well as their outdoor patio. They have an extensive list of over 500 different wines that are produced in small batches. I stuck with my usual – a slightly dirty martini, and it was made perfectly! There was not too much olive juice and it was very well balanced as far as martini’s go.

Food: For our appetizers, we ordered the Suppli, Finocchio & Radicchio, and Broccolini. The Suppli were two fried balls of rice, squash and taleggio cheese, with a black garlic aioli dipping sauce. I enjoyed the flavors of this dish, however I thought the batter was a bit too thick and heavy for my liking. The Finocchio & Radicchio salad was a mix of fennel, radicchio, almonds, dill and an orange-harissa dressing. This dish was perfect! The fennel and radicchio were bitter and crispy, while the orange-harissa dressing was sweet and tangy. And I loved how the almonds added a crunchy texture. Finally, the Broccolini was another hit! Perfectly tender broccolini on a bed of smoked, creamy cheese, topped with chiles and preserved lemon. The cheese was very smoky and savory (which I love), but was made milder by the tanginess of the lemons.

For the mains we got their famous Smoked Spaghetti and Lasagna. Both dishes were great! The smoked spaghetti was definitely one of the more unique dishes I have ever ordered. If you do not like smoky flavors – then I don’t recommend getting this dish. However, if you are like me and love smokiness in food – you will love this dish. The smoked spaghetti was in an olive oil and garlic sauce, with calabrian chiles, hazelnuts and fresh parmesan. I really enjoyed how seemingly simple this dish is, yet the flavors from the smokiness and garlic mixed with the crunch from the hazelnuts made this dish complex and interesting. With every bite I found myself saying “wow” outloud – shocked by the uniqueness of it. 

The lasagna was by far my favorite dish of the night, so much so that even though I have a list of so many new restaurants to go to, I keep thinking about when to go back just for their lasagna. The dish consisted of spinach lasagna sheets, bolognese, bechamel, and ricotta. Each bite of this dish was heaven. The pasta was cooked just right, with a generous amount of savory bolognese in each layer, offset by the creaminess of the bechamel and ricotta cheese. If you come to LaRina – you cannot leave without ordering this dish. 

For dessert we split a Panna Cotta with vanilla and topped with a layer of salted caramel. Yet another winner! The panna cotta was so creamy and was not too “jello-y” as I find some panna cottas can be. The salted caramel layer on top was very rich and the saltiness was a nice balance to the sweetness of the dish.

Overall: I really am happy to have discovered this LaRina. It is the perfect place to come for a casual, yet delicious dinner. Reservations are available, so it is a good last minute spot to book. Just make sure if you are looking for a weekend night, you book it a week in advance.

Must-Orders: Finocchio & Radicchio, Smoked Spaghetti, Lasagna, Panna Cotta

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Vibe and drinks: The inside of Swoony’s has a dark, cozy, sophisticated vibe. It was packed and had a very lively vibe, with music playing and the buzz of the young crowd. What I loved was the little antiques and old pictures around the restaurant, reminding me of the setup of Cafe Spaghetti. I only got one drink on this visit as it was my birthday and I was hungover from the day before :) I got the Pistachio drink, which was a mix of mezcal, pistachio, lime and rose. The drink came in a martini glass (my favorite!) and was the perfect balance of smoky and sweet. The pistachio surprisingly worked very well with the mezcal and was a very well-balanced drink.

Food: To start we got the Whipped Goat Cheese, Brussel Sprouts, Shrimp Cocktail, Prawns with Garlic Sauce (this was a special), and Crab Louie Salad. The goat cheese appetizer was an amazing start to our meal. The goat cheese was soft and fluffy, topped with chili crunch and served with cucumber and grilled bread. I’m not even a huge fan of goat cheese, but this dish was so good - a perfect mix of salty and spicy, and paired well with the crunch from the cucumbers. Another great appetizer was the brussel sprouts, which were served on top of a horseradish sauce and topped with shallots and breadcrumbs. I loved how charred and tender the brussel sprouts were and they worked so well with the spicy and creamy horseradish sauce. The shallots and breadcrumbs on top added a nice crunch. 

The shrimp cocktail was given to us on the house, which was very nice, however I would not order these again. There was nothing special about them, just four pieces of shrimp with a cocktail sauce and a Tabasco aioli. On the other hand, the prawns with garlic sauce were delicious! They came with the head on and were smothered in a delicious, buttery garlic sauce. The prawns were tender and the sauce paired well with it. Our last appetizer was the crab louie salad, which was also very good! It came with crab meat in a mayo sauce, jammy egg, asparagus, cucumber and tomato. The crab was so flavorful and fresh and it worked so well with the crunchy vegetables.

Our sides for the table were the Creamed Spinach and the Butter Beans. The creamed spinach was mixed with caramelized onions and topped with breadcrumbs. I loved this dish! It was very rich and creamy, and I loved the texture that the toasted breadcrumbs added. The butter beans came with braised kale and they had a soup-like consistency. This was another delicious side, a lot lighter than the creamed spinach, but just as flavorful!

For our mains, we ordered the Dorade, Chicken Paillard, Short Rib Au Poivre, PEI Mussels, and Swoony’s Burger. The Dorade came served on top of a Manhattan clam chowder style sauce. The fish was tender and flavorful and I loved the tomato-y clam sauce. The chicken paillard was one big piece of chicken that was prepared Greek-style, with tzatziki, oregano and a Greek salad on top. This dish was simple yet packed so much flavor and the chicken was cooked perfectly. The mussels were also another simple, yet flavorful dish. The mussels were in a creme fraiche, garlic and mustard sauce and the sauce was so good and creamy. 

My two favorite dishes of the night were the short rib and the burger. The short ribs were so tender, they melted in your mouth and were coated in a delicious peppercorn cream sauce and served with fries. It was the most unique preparation of short ribs that i have had. All the flavors worked so well together and the meat was delicious! Last, but not least, was the #1 dish of the night - the burger. This burger made it on my list of best burgers in NYC. There were two patties, Thousand Island dressing and American cheese, all nestled between a Portuguese bun. The burger was divine - seasoned perfectly and so juicy. The dressing was something I would have never thought of using, but it worked really well! My favorite part was the Portuguese bun, which is pretty much a very wide English muffin, and it did what most burger buns don’t - kept all the burger components inside. Nothing was spilling out the sides as the bun was large enough and I thought this was genius! 

For dessert we ordered one of each thing - the Chocolate Mousse, French Toast, and Vanilla Soft Serve. All three desserts were absolutely delicious. I loved that they took three simple childhood desserts and jazzed them up. Out of the three, the French Toast was my favorite but you can’t go wrong with any!

Overall: I loved Swoony’s! The vibe was great and the food was delicious. I recommend getting yourself a reservation two weeks in advance so you don’t have to stress about walking in. Come with a big group and try a bunch of appetizers, mains and desserts!

Must-orders: Whipped Goat Cheese, Brussel Sprouts, Creamed Spinach, Short Rib Au Poivre, Swoony’s Burger, French Toast, Chocolate Mousse

How to get in: After being voted Jeremy Allen White’s favorite restaurant in New York, Rolo’s – located in Ridgewood, Queens – has become extremely popular (rightfully so). Tables are booked up for normal dinner times about three weeks in advance, however you can put a Resy notify on and there is a high chance you will get a notification for a cancellation. We went with a group of 16 people for my birthday and we were able to email the restaurant directly for a larger group seating. For groups larger than 9 people, they require a prix fixe menu that is $68 a person and is 3 courses served family style and you get to choose amongst a number options from their normal dinner menu.

Vibe and drinks: Rolo’s is very much your local neighborhood type of restaurant with upscale undertones. The inside feels very cozy and intimate and, depending on where you sit, you can watch the chefs prepare your meal from the table. For the drinks – I highly recommend the Rolo’s Daiquiri #1, The Carrot Drink and the Martini Italian. The daiquiri was the perfect blend of tart and sweet, with a nice kick from the rum. The martini was gin based and was definitely a strong drink, but the additions of dry and blanc vermouth and aperol made it a very balanced drink. The carrot cocktail was definitely the most interesting one! It had chili mezcal, cinnamon, lemon juice and carrot juice. There were so many different flavor profiles in this one – spicy, sweet, tart and earthy – and they paired together beautifully. If you’d like to go for the classics – I also ordered a dirty martini and a cosmopolitan, both of which were made perfectly!

Food: To start, we had a selection of their breads- two of their famous Wood-Fired Polenta Breads – one with Calabrian chili butter, the other with sesame and wild oregano. I understand why everyone orders them! The bread was perfectly fluffy on the inside and nice and charred, like a Neapolitan pizza, on the outside. The sesame and oregano bread tasted similar to a zaatar bread and had a nice, Mediterranean flavor. The Calabrian chili was my favorite of the two! The butter made it rich and creamy, while the Calabrian chili added some heat and it worked so well together.

For the next course, we had Tahini Chickpeas, Cheesy Potato Croquettes, Stracciatella Cheese and Snap Pea Salad. I was very pleasantly surprised by the chickpeas. What I thought would be a very plain appetizer turned out to be one of my favorites. The chickpeas were mixed with olive oil, garlic and tahini – something that sounds so simple, yet had so much flavor in each bite! The croquettes were another hit. Despite being fried, they were very light – super pillow-y inside, not too much batter on the outside, and a nice amount of freshly shaved parmesan on top. Simple, yet delicious. My favorite dish from this course was the stracciatella cheese, which is the inside of a burrata. This came with olive oil, chili and sumac drizzled on top. The cheese itself was so fresh and creamy, balanced out by the sharpness of the spices and olive oil. Lastly, the snap pea salad was a refreshing balance to the other dishes. The snap peas were crisp and laid atop a bed of whipped goat cheese. This dish didn’t really stand out to me as it was a little bland, however it was nice to have as a refreshing bite in between the other appetizers which were a bit heavier. 

Our main courses were the Grilled Branzino, Wood-Fired Half Chicken and the Two Sheet Lasagna Verde. The grilled branzino came with castelfranco (a variety of radicchio) and a sauce made of chopped up eggs, pickles and mustard. The fish was so tender and cooked simply, which paired great with the complex flavors of the sauce. Next up was the wood-fired chicken, which came with a green tahini sauce and fresh mint. I loved the char on the chicken and even more so that it was so juicy. Just like the fish, the chicken was cooked simply – which to me, shows just how good the quality was – and worked great with the herb-y tahini sauce. The lasagna was definitely the most unique of the dishes. It was a green lasagna that was charred on the edges, yet nice and soft in the middle, with beef bolognese and cheese layers. I loved that you could taste the char from the wood-fired oven, which made it stand out from any lasagna I’ve ever tried before. As sides we had a simple green salad, which was light and citrus-y, and their Crispy Potatoes “War Style”. The potatoes were extremely crispy and delicious and the “war” sauce that came on the side was so addictive and unlike anything I’ve ever had. The sauce came in its own bowl and was a half mayo and half peanut-style sauce with raw onions on top. We all devoured these potatoes, despite being so full from all the other food!

Overall: I highly recommend coming to Rolo’s for some good drinks and even better food. Normally when a celebrity names a restaurant as their favorite, I am a bit skeptical, however I am very happy to say, this lived up to the hype. Unfortunately, when we were there, we tried ordering their famous burger (voted one of the best burgers in NYC by the Eater), however they only have a limited availability of this and had run out by the time we got there (7pm). I recommend going in earlier if you would like to get your hands on one! Make a reservation a couple of weeks in advance or put a Resy notify on, and you should be good to go!

Must-Orders: Wood-fired polenta bread with Calabrian chili butter, tahini chickpeas, cheesy potato croquettes, stracciatella cheese, wood-fired half chicken, two sheet lasagna verde and crispy potatoes “war style”.

Vibes and drinks: The inside of Soothr can be best described as elevated casual dining. The restaurant is made up of two sections, a back patio that is covered during the winter and an indoor dining space. It is on the smaller side and is always packed, making it very lively. From my other articles, you might now realize that I am a martini kind of girl, however I did try a couple of their signature drinks (and then switched to martinis). The Pytoon is a lovely mix of gin, matcha, kahlua and honey. It almost feels like you are drinking a matcha latte – it is creamy, earthy and sweet and very well balanced. The Mukdah is whiskey based drink with egg whites and orange. This drink is very similar to an old fashioned and while it is tasty, it is nothing special compared to their other unique drinks. Surprisingly, the Fah-Kram was one of my favorite drinks. This was a mix of vodka, pineapple juice, blue curaçao and lemon. I thought this would be too sweet for my liking, but it was actually very refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness from the pineapple. 

Food: Onto my favorite part – the food! I can confidently say that there is no dish at Soothr that I haven’t fully enjoyed. I will start with my favorite dish there (and quite possibly one of my favorite dishes I’ve ever had) – the Chicken Khao Soi, which is a yellow curry with egg noodles, crispy chicken and crispy egg noodles on top. The chicken is so juicy inside and the skin is perfectly crispy, while the curry is full of so many warm flavors, I drank the whole thing even after I finished all the chicken and noodles. Everytime I get this dish (7 times and counting!) I am always shocked at how creamy and flavorful it is, and I love the balance of the velvety curry and the crispy noodles on top. 

Another stellar dish is the Panang Nuer Toon. Tender beef and crispy okra in a red, Panang curry sauce. The beef in this dish was phenomenal! It was so soft and melted in my mouth with each bite. In contrast, the okra was nice and crispy and worked so well together. Again – the curry sauce is so flavorful and lime-y, it is hard not to drink it straight from the bowl. A dish that surprised me was the Crab Fried Rice. I didn’t have high expectations for this one, but I really loved it! They were generous with the jumbo lump crab and the rice itself was so light and well-seasoned. It came with a green and red spicy sauce on the side that was not necessary but added even more flavor.

Next up is the Koong Karee. This is one of their signature dishes and it did not disappoint! It is sauteed shrimps in an egg curry sauce with red peppers, onion, celery and scallions. Another flavor bomb! The curry sauce was so rich and the shrimps were very juicy and fresh. The Chicken Ki-Mao noodles are similar to a Pad See Ew – thick rice noodles pan fried with vegetables, egg and chicken. If you like spicy – this is your dish! The sauce is salty and delicious, the noodles are nice and chewy, and the vegetables super crisp. It was a perfect balance of textures and flavors. 

Lastly, the Roasted Eggplant Salad – made up of eggplant, lemongrass, shallot, mint, chili powder, puffy rice and a fried poached egg – is so light and refreshing, I always end up getting it as a side to my mains. The eggplant is soft and tender, while the shallots and puffy rice are crispy and add a lot of texture. The herbs and tangy vinaigrette make this salad very light and it is a good addition to the creamy currys. 

Leave room for dessert, because the Mango Sundae (sweet sticky rice, mango compote, sweet coconut cream and homemade mango gelato) is so good! This is definitely an indulgent dessert, but it is well worth it. Everyone I have been with has said they crave it all the time!

Overall: This is one of my favorite places in the city! The food is always reliable and it's a fun place to take people from out of town as they are always shocked by how flavorful and different the food is. I recommend either going with a larger group and emailing them to get a reservation or just walking in to put your name down and wait about an hour or less for your table.

Must-Orders: Chicken Khao Soi, Panang Nuer Toon, Koong Karee, Roasted Eggplant Salad and Mango Sundae!