Quality Meats
Restaurant Girl Membership has its privileges! I’m giving away a FREE DINNER for two at Quality Meats, a chic New American spot with sumptuous steaks in midtown. While chef Craig Koketsu manages to dazzle with juicy rib eye steaks and divinely decadent corn creme brulee, pastry chef Corey Colton seals the deal with home-made ice creams that give Ben & Jerry’s a run for their money. To win, simply enter your email in the SUBSCRIBE box at the right of the site, then forward Restaurantgirl.com to three of your friends, (including restaurantgirl@restaurantgirl.com), and enlist them to subscribe! That way even if you don’t win, you can guilt your friend into taking you to dinner at Quality Meats. All entries are due by Monday, February 5th. The winner will be announced Tuesday, February 6th on Restaurantgirl.com! **Don’t forget to subscribe...
Read MoreE.U.
235 East 4th St., btwn. A & B Aves. (212)254-2900 EU Website TYPE: European gastropub VIBE: Rustic farmhouse meets brasserie OCCASION: Neighborhood nibbles or casual date DON’T MISS DISH: Grilled octopus with chickpeas, tomato & preserved lemon DON’T BOTHER DISH: Foie gras-stuffed quail DRINK SPECIALTY: International beer & wine list PRICE: $40 & up INSIDE SCOOP: During daylight hours, E.U. will double as a greenmarket/deli (TBD) HOURS: Dinner, Tue – Thu, 5:30 PM – 11:00 PM, Sat, 5:30 PM – 12 AM, Sun, 5:30 PM – 10 PM; Brunch, Sat. & Sun, 11 AM – 3:30 PM. Closed on Mondays. RESERVATIONS: Reservations accepted, recommended on weekends. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES: N/A (Opening night for Chef Akhtar Nawab) FINAL WORD: With a menu that seems to span the global map, this European gastropub overextends itself. Perhaps E.U. should hone in on...
Read MoreSavannah Steak is No More
7 East 48th St. (btwn. 5th & Madison Aves.) (212)935-2500 CLOSED This three-story midtown steakhouse, seems to have sadly faded into the night after financial woes. Savannah Steak’s phone number is “no longer in service”, the doors are locked, you get the picture. In January, East Coast Saloons (McFadden’s) sold the chop shop to an undisclosed buyer and the rest is apparently history. No word on who will attempt to fill these palatial shoes… Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreEnglish Is No Longer Italian
It seems that English Is No Longer Italian. That’s right, folks. While Jeffrey Chodorow & Todd English may have theoretically seemed like a power team, the result was a gargantuan, midtown gorge-fest of mediocre, family-style Italian. While both players have been successful in their own right, they couldn’t collaborate on an enduring formula….yet. But just when you were about to count this team out, they’ve thrown their hats back into the ring to once again reconceive the 200-seat space, presently host to English Is Italian. Come the first week in April, the restaurant will transform into Wild Salmon, a Pacific Northwestern with a definitive seafood slant. China Grill Management has lured chef Charles Ramseyer, who made a name for himself at Ray’s Boathouse, a top Seattle dining destination. While not taking drastic measures to make over the space, CGM...
Read MoreKefi
222 W. 79th St., btwn. Broadway & Amsterdam (212)873-0200 TYPE: Rustic Greek cuisine VIBE: Snug isle oasis OCCASION: A neighborhood outing or casual affair DON’T MISS DISH: Flat pasta & braised rabbit DON’T BOTHER DISH: Shrimp & scallop souvlaki DRINK SPECIALTY: Greek wines & house cocktails PRICE: $30 & up – CASH ONLY HOURS: Dinner, 7 days a week, Sun – Wed, 5 PM – 10 PM, Thu – Sat, 5 PM-11PM. RESERVATIONS: Reservations recommended on weekends. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES: 7 for food, 6 for atmosphere FINAL WORD: The food at the newly reinvented Kefi, a family-style Greek, may be his mother’s cooking in theory, but Michael Psilakis is clearly the talented executioner. Chef-owner Michael Psilakis has reinvented his modern Greek restaurant, Onera, transforming it into a peasant-style Greek. Perhaps, the Upper West Side wasn’t the most ideal neighborhood...
Read MoreThe Little Owl
Thank you for the overwhelming response to The Little Owl dinner giveaway! Tragically, there are only 28 seats in Joey Campanaro’s seasonal American spot that took New York City by storm. Sally Hurst has won a FREE DINNER for two at The Little Owl, which earned two stars from the New York Times, making it impossible to score a table. Stay tuned for next week’s dinner giveaway… Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl *Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreThe Little Owl
Like plastic, Restaurant Girl Membership has its privileges! I’m giving away a FREE DINNER for two at The Little Owl, the 28-seat restaurant that took New York City by storm! Earning two stars from the New York Times, Joey Campanaro’s seasonal American spot became an overnight success, making it impossible to score a table. Well, I’ve done the impossible – simply forward Restaurant Girl’s Weekly Newsletter to five of your friends (including restaurantgirl@restaurantgirl.com), and enlist them to subscribe! That way even if you don’t win, you can guilt your friend into taking you to dinner. If you’re not subscribed, simply enter your email in the SUBSCRIBE box at the right of Restaurant Girl. The winner will be announced Friday, January 19th! Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreBest Valentine’s Day Restaurants 2007
Valentine’s Day maybe Hallmark’s favorite holiday, but it may not be yours. If you’re lucky enough to score a date, you might want to start contemplating your restaurant options now. Veterans at the Valentine’s reservation game have probably already secured their reservations (or enlisted their assistants), so I thought I’d offer a few Restaurant Girl Suggestions of my own: Splurge Spots Le Bernadin – If you want the best, this is pretty much as good as it gets. 155 W. 51 St., btwn. 6th & 7th Aves., (212)554-1515 Cafe Gray – Go for the magnificient park view, stay for the sumptuous short ribs. 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd floor, (212)823-6388. Gramercy Tavern – They don’t call Danny Meyer the king of hospitality for nothing. 42 E. 20th St., btwn. Broadway & Park Aves., (212) 477-0777. Veritas – Even the snobbiest...
Read MoreDennis Foy
313 Church St., btwn. Walker & Lispenard Sts. (212)625-1007 www.dennisfoynyc.com LX TV with Restaurant Girl TYPE: French-influenced Contemporary American VIBE: Cozy elegance OCCASION: A romantic date or civilized family celebration DON’T MISS DISH: Sauteed gnocchi with sage & chives DON’T BOTHER DISH: Wild striped bass with tomato confit DRINK SPECIALTY: 100-bottle global wine list PRICE: $55 & up INSIDE SCOOP: A downstairs private room for parties. HOURS: Dinner, 7 days a week, Mon – Sun, 5:30 PM – 11:30 PM; lunch & weekend brunch, starting late January (tbd). RESERVATIONS: Reservations recommended, especially on weekends. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES: 7 FINAL WORD: As the trend toward Contemporary American cuisine trickles outside its West Village epicenter, veteran chef, Dennis Foy, sets his sights on Tribeca with a splendidly well-executed, French-influenced menu of his own. After spending over thirty years in haute kitchens...
Read MoreHappy Pots
Hmmm….what do you think these pots have been smoking? And where can we get some? Just a little food for thought. Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreTori Shin
1193 1st Ave., btwn. 64th & 65th Aves. (212)988-8408 TYPE: Japanese yakitori VIBE: Cozy hideaway OCCASION: Journey to a Tokyo eating counter on the UES DON’T MISS DISH: Miso-marinated chicken skewers DON’T BOTHER DISH: Chicken hearts DRINK SPECIALTY: BYOB (liquor license pending)… PRICE: $45 & up HOURS: Dinner, Monday, Wed. – Sun., 5:30 PM – 11 PM. Closed on Tuesdays. RESERVATIONS: Reservations accepted, recommended for large groups. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES: 7 (very good) FINAL WORD: An unlikely dining destination, Tori Shin makes its mark with a celebration of yakitori, elevating organic chicken to a simple, but inspired plane. After a disappointing visit to Ariyoshi for less than mediocre izakaya fare, I was hell-bent on uncovering a newcomer worthy of an authentic Japanese badge of honor. While searching for a sushi joint on the Upper East Side, I accidentally stumbled...
Read MoreFrederick’s Downtown
Elaine Giammetta has won a FREE three-course dinner for two at Frederick’s Downtown, a chic West Village bistro serving Provence-inspired French fare. I’ll be giving away another free dinner on Monday, January 8th. So be sure to visit Restaurant Girl and subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s New Weekly Newsletter in the SUBSCRIBE box to the right of the site! Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreCheck out My Book – Try This
