Hungarian Pastry Shop

1030 Amsterdam Avenue, at 110th St.

We love baked goods and this place has one of the most amazing chocolate eclairs I've ever had in my life.  I don't know anything about Hungarian pastries, but I do know that they have some familiar tasty sweets here. They're also open late - 11:30 pm!  And right across the street from St. John - another perk!

Zaitzeff

Hardest name to pronounce or spell out but some of the best sliders we've had in New York.
I had one with a fried egg and jalapenos :)
So good.

Zaitzeff's website.

B.R. Guest Restaurants

Another restaurant group that will always aim to please is B.R. Guest Restaurants. I've eaten at Blue Water Grill, Atlantic Grill, Blue Fin, and Isabella's. My favorite of those four is Blue Water Grill in Union Square. Isabella's would come in second, located on the Upper West Side. The group also owns Ruby Foo's and Dos Caminos. I've seen quite a few reviews on Dos Caminos that have been favorable.

Danny Meyer Restaurants

A friend of mine asked me for a "nice" restaurant suggestion the other day. I asked, "what is the price range?" She said, I don't know, just a nice restaurant. Well, if you are looking for something nice - which I believe means a great ambiance, infallible menu, great service and a decently priced bill at the end ($20 - $40 a plate, probably $100 bill for two by the end), you can't go wrong with any of the Danny Meyer Restaurants - I haven't tried all of them but I have tried Union Square Cafe, Gramercy, Tabla, Blue Smoke, and Shake Shack. I've been very impressed with all of them, Gramercy Tavern takes the cake though.

Next time I'm at the MOMA I'm going to try Terrace 5.

Woo Lae Oak

148 Mercer
212-925-8200
woolaeoaksoho.com

Noveau Korean! This is the chicest "cook-it-yourself" restaurant. Great for a different date and if you want to get really cozy, ask for a seat upstairs. You are required to take your shoes off as you sit on the floor, so don't wear the socks with holes. It's dimly lit, some spaces are sectioned off with bamboo for more intimate settings and each table has it's own grill.

My suggestion is to have someone order the pre-fix to try some of the different appetizers like rabbit wrapped in bacon and daring desserts. Main entrees run the gamut from duck and pork to chicken and filet minon brought to the table raw. All of it is delicious, depending on your skills at the smokeless grill using chopsticks. It's pricey ($30-$50), but worth the entertainment and countless laughs over the lost lumps of flesh in the grill.

SriPraPhai

Where do the owners of good Thai restaurants go when they want to go out for Thai? Apparently, they hop on the 7 train and ride it a few stops into Queens. The last time we visited SriPraPhai we ran into Pam of Pam Real Thai Food (404 W. 49th St.) and her son. They told us that it is the only Thai restaurant that they eat at in the city. I feel that this is pretty solid proof that SriPraPhai has been rated #1 for a reason. It really is that good.

This is homestyle, authentic Thai. If you're all about presentation and food that looks beautiful, then you can probably find better. If you're all about taste, then this is the place for you. I recommend going with a group and ordering a variety of appetizers and dishes to share. Last time six of us feasted for just a bit more than $100. And in an effort to wrap this up...please do try the larb gai.

64-13 39th Ave. Woodside, Queens

http://www.sripraphairestaurant.com/pressandreview.php

Gina La Fornarina

I consider myself a foodie at heart, brunch being my specialty. I happened upon this place last Saturday and fell in love. It's only been open 2 months. It's on the NE corner or 73rd and Amsterdam. It's Italian with pasta's, pizza's and prosciutto but, I had a spinach frittata that was delicious. My friend ordered the Gina's breakfast pizza with eggs, prosciutto and sauce all on the pizza. However, the biggest surprise was their hot chocolate. TDF-to die for! It was more like hot pudding! I always hesitate ordering hot chocolate because it's watered down, not "chocolaty" enough or served lukewarm. Gina serves beautiful presentations, it's family friendly, large menu to choose from and lots of light. They serve lunch and dinner as well. Average meal for brunch was around $12. The service was attentive and we weren't pushed to leave after a 2 hour gossip session with my girlfriend.

279 Amsterdam (73rd)
Take out/Delivery
212-595-6900
gina-lafornarina.com

Casa de los Tacos

117th Street and 1st Ave

Love their tacos. So cheap. So good.

Egg

Egg

135 North 5th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

We ventured to Egg in Williamsburg for Brunch over the weekend and loved it. The menu is simple and food delicious (all organic and local - which made us feel safe as we had watched Food, inc. the night before). The buttermilk biscuits are a must. Dan inhaled the candied bacon. Very affordable (our meal was $20). Cash only.

Cafe Habana

17 Prince Street

Jordan and I crave the corn from here on a daily basis. We strongly recommend you take a jaunt to the corner of Prince and Elizabeth in Soho and partake of the goodness that is Cafe Habana.

Indus Valley

2636 Broadway @ 100th St.

This place is a little pricey, but we've never had a dish we don't like. It's a really great example of a typical north Indian restaurant and they are always very friendly, even when we bring in coupons. There is also a nice ambiance and it is conveniently close for all of those living in Harlem.

Dervish

146 West 47th Street

I worked for Turkish people and they loved this place. It's a nice little restaurant that plays "live jazz" on Saturday nights. They serve all sorts of Mediterranean treats and have a special Ramadan (err...Iftar) menu during the holiday. It's never been packed when we go and the service is really friendly.

Blue Smoke

116 East 27 Street

This place has amazing BBQ - and this is a claim made by two southerners. One of us is vegetarian, which is why it's also great that they have one of the most amazing veggie burgers we've ever had. The meat eater likes the pulled pork. The interior is always fun and lively and reminds us of pottery barn because of some huge metal stars they have hanging up. Owned by Union Square Hospitality/Danny Meyer people. Usually there is a 45 minute wait, unless you get there for an early dinner.

Republic

37 Union Square West, right by McDonalds

It's gotten a little more expensive over the years, but it's a fun place to take people and the food is still good. Oliver likes the Grilled Beef (like Korean BBQ), and I like their Chocolate Truffle Cake (flourless - that's ok for dinner, right?).