review: the beagle - 1/16/2012

as a cocktail enthusiast, the beagle has been on my "must-try" list for a bit so it was the perfect go-to for an unplanned chilly saturday evening. the restaurant is small, but when we arrived at 8P (MLK wknd saturday), it was almost empty... however, by 830PM, all of the tables were full and the restaurant was loud but not annoyingly so. the tables are well-spaced/positioned, but close enough that you can see what's being served. there's a bar with about 7-8 seats and little standing room if the restaurant is full.

we started with cocktails (east side fix, heresy highball and liberal cocktail), each was well made, very balanced and most importantly, tasty!

onto the food - we decided to go family-style with the following:
pairing boards
-burrata & gin: i actually thought this was magical...burrata was delicious, and i adored the braised celery AND the perfect mini martini - which i continued to order (in full-size) for the rest of the evening.
-mackerel & aquavit: i am not a giant fan of aquavit, but it is the perfect match for the flavor combo of pickled mackerel with the creamy pickled onions on the cracker.

appetizers/salads
-frito pie: the chili on this is rather good, and altho it's small (for sharing), it's a tasty little first bite.
-golden beet salad: great mix of flavors with the greek yogurt, shaved fennel and marcona almonds.
-peekytoe crab salad: served abed leaves of radicchio w hazelnuts & a lemon cream vinaigrette, i liked this salad, but there was an overpowering taste/nose of tarragon, which i wish had been mentioned in the description as it is my least favorite herb
-housemade: a vague plate of what's "housemade" that night - we had cured scallops, a cured shrimp, cured sable, gravlax, pork rillettes, cured lamb belly, housemade sauerkraut and apple butter. some parts were REALLY salty, but the rillettes & lamb belly were awesome.

entrees
-salt-roasted pork belly: this had a whiff of korean bo ssam (boiled pork belly, kimchi, raw oysters) which made me very happy. the sauce was yummy - we asked for some bread to soak it up.
-half chicken: i mean, it's chicken (my least favorite meat), well made (flattened, under-the-brick style with crispy skin), but that chorizo bread pudding topped with a disc of foie butter - WOW, smooth creamy foie mousse and chunks of chorizo - happy day. the liver sauce was good, livery but yummy with the bread pudding and roasted chicken.

dessert
-bonito cheesecake: obviously we were intrigued by this, i mean fish flakes in cheesecake?  by process of elimination (the cranachan had a peety scotch flavor - i dislike, and we're not chocolate fans), we went with the cheesecake because we obviously needed dessert. plus the weird factor...we were in. and i'm glad we did. not too sweet, with a hint of fishiness here & there, but not in a bad way...love the ginger powder sprinkled all over and the nilla wafer crust. it was a good finish.

service was great... very attentive, but not annoying. cocktails were a little slow, which was understandable considering the great attention they take to making them. wines were priced in a good affordable range with a nice selection. overall, i think a worthwhile place to eat and definitely for cocktails, and while i would return for drinks and perhaps nibbles, i probably wouldn't go back until they updated their menu with new items.

one thing of note: reservations are taken on their website, but i had technical difficulties with the site. and when i called, it was a message that reservations by phone were only allowed for groups of 6 or more.

the beagle

162 avenue a btwn 10th/11th sts

new york, ny 10009

212/228.6900

tribeca is so lucky!

i had a delicious meal last night at locanda verde. kudos to andrew carmellini who i think is super talented... everything was pretty perfect: bustling scene on a tuesday night, a beautiful bar (with great lighting), amazing food, and good service. i even liked the women's restroom!

i discovered last weekend that my favorite bartender, naren young, left bobo and has since taken over the entire cocktail program at locanda verde... what luck! so we started with cocktails which were all amazing. i even continued with cocktails through dinner, which is generally my preference when i know the drinks will be good.

our server gave us a rundown of the family-style menu, and we ordered a fair amount of food... we definitely wanted a sampling. we started with the lamb meatballs that had yummy pickles and were juicy, perfect. then two cicchetti, which she described as 4-5 bite servings, the blue crab crostini and cotechino sausage crostini. even my S.O., who doesn't like seafood generally, enjoyed the blue crab crostini! it was definitely a standout.

our next course included the burrata, a cheese that i ADORE, and the autumn salad which was my favorite type of salad full of radicchio, endive, hazelnuts and fatty pieces of speck, mmmm. my S.O. doesn't do veggies really, but i passed him some of the speck, which he appreciated.

for pastas, we only ordered 2 originally, but after we finished we needed to order another because they were so good. my grandmother's ravioli - stuffed with veal, pork and beef - was deemed by my S.O. as the best ravioli he's ever had. the tomato sauce was perfectly flavored - it was well-balanced and although i haven't had the red sauce at scarpetta, i bet locanda verde's would hold its own. the stracci with wild boar ragu was like thick shorter pappardelle, and even my S.O. went in for seconds and commented on how delish it was. i noted a blue cheese aftertaste that worked well with the dish, but i don't know if i'd order it again. our 3rd, last-minute pasta was the pumpkin agnolotti with a brown butter sage sauce... how can you go wrong? it was seasonal and so tasty, and we used the leftover bread to sop up the sauce. (note: the bread was just ok.)

for our secondi, we went with the highly lauded garlic chicken for 2 and the veal cheeks. i don't even like chicken, and i thought it was super flavorful. i only ate the drumsticks because i'm a dark meat girl, but i had the leftover white meat chicken today, and although a touch dry, as chicken breasts tend to be, the flavor was intensely garlic. but the real standout were the veal cheeks - i love the tender meat, over a perfect risotto milanese... another dish that i licked clean. a side of roasted brussels sprouts with chunks of pancetta and grated pecorino rounded out our vegetable-less meal; i love brussels sprouts, and these were no exception.

we even went for dessert because all of the dishes were so successful, i couldn't stop myself. i loved everything - the affogato, which is my favorite italian dessert, but the mascarpone gelato was a perfect twist; i was blown away by the pistachio brown butter cake with huckleberries; and the 3 flavors of gelati - rice custard, brown butter and caramel were all yummy. my S.O. is an ice cream guy, so we had to try them all.

overall, one of the better meals i've had in quite a while! for sure i'll be returning for cocktails AND food.

locanda verde
377 greenwich street at north moore
new york, ny 10013
212/925-3797

a very new york tasting menu

i eat a lot. but sometimes, i eat more than even i usually eat. it's usually a combination of worn-out, sleep-depraven and hungover.

before i leave for china, i like to eat an array of the foods i might not have access to while i'm there. i usually do it over a week. instead, i did this over a day. and i really got a taste of new york.

lunch... i thought i'd check out the new outpost of sandwich shop, defonte's of brooklyn. it has a great location on the corner of 21st and 3rd avenue. the doors open up to the sidewalk, which is good, because the space is narrow once you add the tables, people, etc. since it was my first time, i went classic with the nicky special (#1) - ham, provolone cheese, fried eggplant, marinated mushrooms, hot salad, zucchini, O&V, seeded italian bread. i thought it was great - a little spicy, i absolutely loved the fried eggplant. i think it's large enough for 1.5 normal eaters. when i ordered the same thing as the guy in line in front of me, he turned to me and asked me if i wanted to split the sandwich. i laughed at him.

dinner... the boyfriend of one of my besties was moving back to sydney (australia!), and he totally enjoys fine dining. what could be finer than eleven madison park? but this was an odd meal... the last 2x i had been, eleven madison park was wowing, completely spot-on, and just phenomenal. this time... i was less impressed. here's why:

1) service - previously i've been blown away by the almost overly attentive service; however, this night (a friday), it felt like amateur night. i asked twice for the purse hook, an amenity i totally appreciate at EMP and is generally offered, not asked for, and i was only remembered after one was brought for my girlfriend. we waited a painstakingly long time between 1st and 2nd courses. at one point, they'd brought our meal out, but had forgotten to replace the silverware they'd taken. our waiter suggested more bread to my S.O. but then never brought it out. we ordered cocktails, and we had to ask two different people about them after we didn't receive them for a noticeable period. and they'd obviously been sitting around because the ice had melted.

2) food - we did 2 spring tasting menus and 2 pork tasting menus with 1wine pairing for each.
spring menu
amuse bouche - cucumber smoked salmon; tart; foie gras terrine; fried sweetbread pouch
sabayon - creamy soup with sturgeon
asparagus - white asparagus and green pencil asparagus with asparagus ice cream, parmagiano reggiano and jamon iberico - outstanding, loved the ice cream
atlantic turbot - slow-cooked with spring peas, lemon thyme and olive oil - salty, overly fragrant
nova scotia lobster - poached with spring carrots and citrus sabayon - perfectly tender but unremarkable, very rich
milk fed veal - glazed with ris de veau, morel panna cotta and fava beans - unbelievable, super tender tenderloin, delicious flavor
"strawberry cheesecake" - two bubbles one with liquid cheesecake, one with strawberry, amazing - burst with flavor in your mouth
mint chocolate chip - ice cream sandwich with araguani chocolate - gross, ice cream wasnt good, the chocolate wafers had little flavor, the fresh mint was overwhelming for the subtle chocolate
mignardises - meringue cookies in 8 flavors, black sesame, black olive & white chocolate, chocolate, PB&J, lavender & chocolate, brown butter & banana - i don't remember all of them, but the olive/white chocolate combo and brown butter/banana and PB&J were my faves.

four-story hill suckling pig seasonal 5-course tasting menu
same amuse bouche
sabayon - creamy soup with ham
tete de cochon - terrine made with different parts of pig head - very yummy
pork a la francaise - braised pork belly - amazing
crispy suckling pig - same prep as their menu item in winter
rack of pork - good
same desserts, same mignardises

next time i would do the pork menu. it was really quite good, but very rich and heavy. or else i would just do the 3-course. although i'm dying to do the gourmand (chef's selection of 11 courses $175).

3) other - it was disappointing that the chef, daniel humm, didn't do the meet & greet in the dining room this time. maybe that's only a weeknight thing?
one of my favorite indulgences that eleven madison provides are the two types of butter: salted goat's milk and unsalted sheep's milk offered with fleur de sel on the side.

4) bevvies - the wine pairings were good, and i loved that they served a not-sweet sherry at the beginning of the meal. we also LOVED the riedel glass they used to pair with the veal. it really helped capture the nose of the wine.
i generally enjoy the cocktails here (fine, everywhere). i started with the rosita before dinner. then a sloe & steady. and finally, stuck with the silhouette (which my S.O. also loved, so we shared most of the time). my girlfriend drank the cumulunimbus pretty much the entire time.

5) cost - the bill was pretty expensive, but we were there to indulge. between their engagement (they're getting married in december!), the farewell dinner and my departure for china, there were a lot of finals.

after-dinner snack... halal truck:
on the way home from eleven madison park, i couldn't help myself... i love the halal truck on madison btwn 27th/28th. the aroma tempts you from far, far away. there are always cabbies stopped there (good sign!). plus the guys who work there at night are so friendly. i always get a platter of lamb, chicken and/or kofta (i usually do a combo - when i'm hammered, i call it the "whole shebang") which comes with fries, rice and salad. be sure you ask for the white sauce AND hot sauce. last night i asked for it less spicy, and it's not as good.

defonte's of brooklyn
261 3rd ave at 21st street
new york, ny 10010
212/614.1500

eleven madison park
11 madison ave at 24th street
new york, ny 10010
212/889.0905

now i know why it's called death & co.

i planned to share my first experience at death & co. yesterday, but i spent the better part of my day recovering from the delicious concoctions that i imbibed tuesday evening.

since i'm still celebrating the return of brown booze, i began my tuesday night cocktail evening with the manhattan transfer. this alcohol-forward cocktail is made with rittenhouse rye, dry vermouth, rarnazzotti and orange bitters. it's normally served up, but i had it on the rocks (generally my preference)... and in this case, on the rock would be more appropriate - this one was served over one giant ice cube. it might compete for best manhattan ever.

joaquim was our barman for the night, and he was really in tune with what we needed. my tequila cocktails - the oaxaca old fashioned and the spicy yet-to-be-named one - were both complex and delicious. the spicy one had fresh pepper puree, and every time he opened the bottle of puree, the aroma of pepper oil struck me and had me craving food with peppers.

my gin cocktail - the joy division - was good, but it left the strong unmistakable flavor of absinthe in my mouth... even the next day.

i'm sure i had others, but the reason why i woke up wednesday morning feeling like death & co. is that i overconsumed. which i can imagine is quite simple when you have a talented barman making creative and tasty delights full of booze.

i tried to buffer the booze with some nibbles - the maple pork belly (tasty, but a little stringy) and the oysters rock a fella (delish, but the creamed spinach was too rich, even for me) - but they were no match for my love of cocktails.

death & co. has a great vibe, speakeasy-like... dark, comfortable yet sexy. it would be great for a date, but there are no reservations. there's no standing at the bar. it's built on the milk & honey model, but less strict. and with food.

yes, we should return soon.


death & co.
433 east 6th street btwn Ave A/1st
new york, ny 10009
212/388.0882

i deserve a perfect week

my family has been in town for the easter long weekend. let me specify when i say family: my older sister, her husband and their two children (5-year old nephew and 3-year old niece). and it's been a nightmare since they walked in the door. i've been some combination of host, babysitter, slave, concierge and personal chef... maybe throw in a little bit of an aunt. birth control: these children are the best form. my niece cracked the screen on my laptop. she peed in her pants in my hallway/guest bedroom. my nephew threw multiple evil-fueled tantrums per day, running around threatening to kill his wrongdoers (i was the subject of one at some point). they're gone now. i still have a lingering headache.

but at least easter has passed. which means i can drink brown booze again. when the clock struck midnight on saturday night, i did a shot of jameson. and then another. i wanted delicious brown booze cocktails, but milk & honey closed shop a bit earlier than usual on easter eve. but sam, their ultra-skilled bartender, opened its doors to me. all the fresh juices had been put away, but he offered me a shot of rye whiskey to celebrate the end of my sacrifice.

i leave for china in a week. i may not look forward to the 12 travel days, but i do look forward to the week before. this week in particular. i'm unwinding tonight, but tomorrow starts the perfect week.

tuesday - cocktails at death & co.
wednesday - TBD
thursday - dinner at sushi yasuda.
friday - dinner at eleven madison park.
saturday - dinner at falai then bend show at arlene's grocery then cocktails at milk & honey.
sunday - cocktails in the park (weather-permitting)

i deserve it. screw the recession.

a benefit and woe of the recession

thursday night was the american museum of natural history's annual museum dance, and 2009's theme was GREEN. it was a beautiful, well-attended event with well-groomed couples and throngs of singles (men & women) dressed in typical NYC-style: individually fashionable yet sometimes strange. i'm marking my calendar for 2010's AMNH event.

i love benefits. i love the dresses (i wore green!), i love the energy, and i particularly love the silent auctions! but this year, benefits haven't been the same. and i'm sure it's because of the recession. but i dislike that word immensely... recession. so i'll be referring to the current times as a down-market.

in this down-market, no one bids on silent auction items! thursday's event had, in addition to amazing other prizes, an entire judith ripka jewelry bar, full of gorgeous baubles, and close to nothing had received bids. if you're unaware, starting bids at silent auctions are usually well under actual retail value. in this down-market, wouldn't people be vying for deals?! but the looming fear makes no one want to buy - even at 1/2 price (except me, i "won" a stunning, 18k-gold, diamond-crusted bracelet... i'm serious when i say i LOVE silent auctions).

in juxtaposition, last night, we went to dinner at marfa, this new-ish inexpensive texas/mexican-themed restaurant. originally, i had a reservation at l'atelier de joel robuchon (talk about juxtaposition), but i was rebuked by my dining companions for not being "recession-friendly" (can you see why i dislike this word?).

marfa was not busy for a friday night. decor-wise, it's very bare: white adobe walls, wooden tables, votive candles in paper bags - no frills. we were seated promptly, and i immediately requested their signature "marfarita" to begin; for a cocktail spiked with serrano chile, i was very underwhelmed - it was overly sweet and had zero tequila punch. please go to bobo and try the "stealth margarita" - it blows this cocktail away.

i'm a piglet, and i can factually say that my dining companions last night are actual pigs. for 5 of us, we ordered the largest marfa APPETIZER platter: the big texan platter for 3 (dry-rub baby back ribs, chipotle chicken wings, red chile, veggie chile, corn dogs, guacamole, BBQ shrimp, and pulled pork tostadas). the menu also says it includes a shot of house-infused flavored tequila, but we never received this (strike 1). in addition, from the marfa BITES, we ordered the fish tacos and the nogales steak tacos, which covered the entire marfa BITES category besides the salads (and who really needs salad?). for our main course, we chose 2 orders of chicken-fried steak, fried catfish and fried chicken plus a double-order of mac & cheese and a basket of biscuits & cornbread.

here's how it went. we received the basket of cornbread (they were out of biscuits). the cornbread was terrible: dry, flavorless, crumbly and COLD. the accompanying honey chipotle butter couldn't resuscitate this bread. (i would HIGHLY advise they remove the cornbread from the menu, or improve the recipe).

but then the confusing part: we received EVERYTHING ELSE ALL AT ONCE (strike 2). our waitress must be the most daft, retarded server on the planet. we received platters upon platters of food on a relatively small table. you'd think someone would help consolidate the food or at least be vigilant about removing plates as i consolidated the food (which was so copious, it had to spill onto ANOTHER table). no... nothing.

i stacked empty plates under full plates; i left large empty platters at the edge of the table; i threw soiled and practically shredded paper napkins and rib/chicken bones onto plates that needed to be removed... not an iota of attention from the waitstaff.

i also ordered another bad "marfarita" - i was hoping for an improved version. i waited. and waited. and waited. i saw it already made sitting at the bar for 10 minutes or so; the ice was melting. i also saw the waitress chatting merrily with someone at the bar, with no intention of bringing my drink over. i marched over to the bar and grabbed it. it was already self-bussing; now it had become SELF-SERVE (strike 3).

finally, after we'd finished, requested the check, etc., i made it quite obvious our meal was complete (again, used napkins thrown atop dishes, completely licked-clean plates, etc.). our friend was telling a story of his recent spain adventures. the busboy finally appears, but instead of just taking the debris from our table, he interrupts for EVERY PLATE and asks, "are you finished with this, are you finished with this?" i couldn't take it anymore; i turned to him and said, "we are finished with EVERYTHING, and we've already asked for the check. in case this isn't clear enough, please take all of the plates."

sadly, the food was quite good (best chicken-fried steak i've had in NYC - but not nearly as good as the one i had in dallas, tx (see photo); good mac & cheese; really delicious fried catfish; yummy corn dogs); i'd consider take-out when my blood stops boiling at the thought of marfa. but i'll never return again. i was appalled that during this DOWN-MARKET, when restaurants are clamoring for paying customers, this restaurant could be so inattentive to its service. i abhor bad service.

and we only ate here because of the recession. i hate that word.


marfa
101 east 2nd street near 1st ave
new york, ny 10009
212/673.8908
reservations available on opentable

spewing nothing

i feel like i'm stuck in the middle of a tornado; everything's just spinning around me at ridiculous speed. and everytime i reach out to get involved with one of the many spinning things, i get dizzy, so i retreat. and all i keep thinking of is vacation. and cocktails.

i've been in love with cocktails for a while. it all started with the negroni at east side company (larry & alyssa's birthday party) - i was mesmerized by the giant single ice cube. or maybe it was the manhattan at cite (RIP the unlimited wine dinners). actually, i think it was circa 1999... the sidecar at cibar (courtesy of ed taibi). a few years ago, the cocktail-craze hit NYC. and then i met naren at bobo. now i'm hooked.

i gave up brown booze and shots for lent. people poked fun at me, but i don't think they understand how much i love my makers mark. and shots of jameson. so now i love gin. something to add to my lent sacrifices next year.

it's not aiding my new year's resolution to drink less. i have plans to drink 6 of 7 nights this week. next week 6 for sure as well. this, in turn, affects my resolution to sleep more. when i woke this morning (if you can call it that), i felt good. at 2:54AM. i went to sleep after midnight. between the strange dreams and the work stress, i couldn't get back to it. so i worked. and gymmed.

i had after-work cocktails at irving mill yesterday. the ginger pear frost was sweet. i was hoping the ginger would give it a kick. it wasn't bad; it just wasn't what i wanted. then i had a tart kumquat citrus special. it was just what i wanted. i'm liking sour/tart drinks that turn your nose. but irving mill - pretty restaurant, good-looking menu, decent cocktails. note: i should go back for food. even though i probably liked it more because of the company.

despite the insanity of work and life, i think i'm happy. and if not, at least i'm seeing naren at bobo tomorrow.

irving mill
116 east 16th street btwn irving/park
new york, ny 10003
212/254.1600

commerce

merriam webster defines com•merce as 1 : social intercourse : interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments; 2 : the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place.

and commerce restaurant, a newish spot in the west village definitely fulfills its first definition. there's a lot of chatter, and i absolutely loved walking in to the frenetic energy that filled the room; however, they're somewhat lackluster on the 2nd definition... they don't seem to get that buying/selling involves being SEATED.

our reservation was 815pm, but we weren't seated until 910pm. they bought us a round of drinks, but only because we nagged. we ordered quickly, and other than bread (which wasn't memorable at all, except the pretzel), our first dish came out at 940pm.

fortunately, i had the pleasure of seeing my favorite friend/bartender at bobo before dinner, who let me test drive some of bobo's soon-to-be-released spring cocktail menu items, so my patience level for commerce's misgivings was quite high. however, i can't say the same for my dining companions, who grumbled and grumbled some more all through the meal (our hostess didn't exactly make you feel warm and fuzzy - her looks and coldness actually reminded me of "Cutthroat Bitch" aka Amber from House).

despite the cocktails, i might've been affected had the food not been so EXCELLENT. the hamachi ceviche was spicy and tart - quite delicious; the duck and foie gras rillettes were good, although not as creamy as i usually like; and the winter vegetable fricassee (which our server highly recommended) was tasty, although i wouldn't get it again.

i loved both pasta dishes, the ragu of other things (some name like that) with homemade orecchiette and the spaghetti carbonara. i think lupa's carbonara is better, but fatty pasta is yummy (note: i don't generally eat pasta, so i'm easy to please in this category).

we ordered the roast chicken for 2, and we were warned that it took 35 minutes. instead, they brought out a strange 1/2 order of the chicken - the meat was very moist and tasty and the skin crispy, and it was served with a homemade spaetzle-like pasta... but it was no foie gras bread dressing! she put the order for the roast chicken in after she realized her mistake, but it was too late... it just prolonged our already LOOOONG meal.

i was thoroughly impressed with the braised beef, bone marrow and sliced fillet - beef dishes are usually boring when you're not at a steakhouse, but this one was jam-packed full with flavors. by the time the roast chicken was ready, we were already stuffed, so we requested that it be split in half so we could take it home. i still haven't tried it (i can't eat so indulgently every night!), but it's in the frig, waiting to be eaten.

on a final note, let's talk cocktails and wine... although the cocktail list isn't impressive, the one drink i did order, the nor'easter, was so tasty, that i couldn't help to order another. we also had a couple bottles of wine, a priorat and a st. emilion (both in the $80-100 range), and the latter was DELICIOUS. perfect with our meal, perfect on its own. and all in all, dinner was quite a bargain (but not nearly a recession special) at about $120pp.

commerce
50 commerce street
new york, ny 10014
212/524-2301

friday night cocktails!

yesterday, the S.O. realized he could get out of work to have dinner with his high school buddy (a real estate tycoon AND model in from dallas for a weekend). they left choosing the venue in my capable, but overplanning, hands. the criteria: people watching, outdoor option, food the picky S.O. will eat. after lots (and lots) of thought, i settled on morandi, keith mcnally's (balthazar, pastis, schiller's) somewhat newish italian joint in the west village.

basically, it was perfect: a sweet, adorable hostess; a not-offensively-crowded bar to wait at (we didn't have reservations); a generally attractive crowd, plus a celeb-sighting (carla gugino); opened french doors leading out to a quasi-sidewalk cafe; and who doesn't like italian?

the food was fine. it didn't impress my standard outlets (New York magazine, the New York Times, Chowhound), but the S.O. and his buddy really liked it. the baccala fritti, their take on fish & chips and a friday night special, was delicious (actually the fries were just average, but the salt cod... YUM!).

the space was great (rustic, warm), there were cocktails and good wines (i loved the negroni and the S.O. loved the Tuscan red), and never a shortage of people to watch.

plus it was walking distance to horrible buddha bar. i wouldn't have gone except it was the birthday boy's choice. we had two bottles, and i requested another carafe of soda water. our waitress (a petite blonde idiot) flat out said, "No." i asked the DJ to play better dance music. he might as well have said no ("i don't play commercial crap"). we walked around TWICE looking to recruit attractive girls for the birthday boy, and the best we found were these cheezy blondes, both wearing trashy-cheap outfits. the only ok parts were the guy at the door who was actually friendly rather than stoic and aloof. and the guy who showed us to our table, who maneuvered around buddha bar's ugly patrons with major skillz.

morandi
211 waverly place between seventh avenue south and charles st
new york, ny 10014
212.627.7575

buddha bar
17 little west 12th street between ninth ave and washington st
new york, ny 10014
212.647.7314 (but why you'd want to call is beyond me)

photo credit: Robert Presutti for The New York Times