Restaurant Reviews

The Drunken Munkey's flagship location on the Upper East Side has been bookmarked on my Yelp account since I moved to the area earlier this year. I found both the food and elevated cocktail program intriguing, especially for a neighborhood not particularly known for being a "restaurant destination" (as compared to my old Chelsea abode). This past summer, the team behind The Drunken Munkey opened a second location downtown. I was lucky enough to be included in an intimate media dinner at the restaurant's hip West Village digs earlier this week. Our table of eight enjoyed three hours of great conversation, delicious Indian food, and hand-crafted cocktails from a creative program rarely seen paired with this cuisine...

Korean BBQ upstairs. Karaoke downstairs. What could possibly be a better combination? If you find yourself in the Tribeca neighborhood craving Korean (traditional plates plus BBQ, too) - but aren't particularly keen on a fancy/pricy tasting menu a-la-Jungsik - then look no further than GunBae.

If you're looking for a swanky, spacious south-of-the-border restaurant with bougie frozen cocktails and $20 bowls of "guacamole made table-side," then Sabor A Mexico II is not your jam. However, if its authentic, homemade Mexican food that you crave, then look no further.

'Twas the night before St. Patrick's Day...

While The Harrow is located slightly off the beaten track and farther west than I'd normally travel in midtown - as a former resident, I have a soft spot in my heart for Hell's Kitchen.

Bagatelle is not the type of restaurant that I typically frequent. Sure, I enjoy French/Mediterranean cuisine and copious amounts of rosé just as much as the next person, but more often than not, I'm having a 'fat girl' day and I'd prefer *not* to be surrounded by models and their entourage when I'm trying to get my grub on. Even the employees at Bagatelle are flawless! Or being sprayed by champagne during one of those infamous weekend 'brunch parties.' Call me boring, but I'll take my omelette with a side of peace and quiet, thank you very much. Hold the Hollandaise and the live D.J.

Comprised of three spacious and plush levels, Hwa Yuan has made quite a splash in its recent return to Chinatown (post closure in the 1980's). And no trip to the restaurant would be complete without at least one order of its piece de resistance: Chef Tang's famous Cold Sesame Noodles.

Located just about as far north as I'm willing to venture on a "school night," Lucciola is a newer Italian with a full bar and a hip, European vibe on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

There's no liquor license and the dining room definitely leans toward the "intimate size" of the stereotypically small NYC real estate spectrum, but you don't go to Gazala's Place for the atmosphere or the craft cocktails. Rather, you come here for the incredibly delicious, authentic Druse cuisine, which could best be described as Middle Eastern, save for a few differences. Here's a great example from the NY Times (upon their visit to the restaurant): "The differences are in the details, like that Druse pita — called sagg pita, after the griddle it is cooked on — which Mrs. Halabi makes daily. It’s thinner than a crepe, as wide as a small pizza and pliable like lavash. A sprinkle of cornmeal gives it texture, but it is mildly flavored: an accompaniment, not an event in itself."

Restaurant: Freds Downtown (at Barney's NY) Cuisine: American Location: 101 7th Avenue, 3rd floor - Manhattan 10036 Pricing: $$-$$$ Reservations? Yes, click here Why go? To see-and-be seen, especially during weekday lunch service / Mid/post shopping cocktails, bubbles, or a glass of wine / Brunch ... Why do I love Freds? Let me count the ways. Aside from the fact that it resides within my - and every other fashionable New Yorker's - favorite department store, it still feels somewhat hidden and undiscovered.