2 - Grimaldi's [Pizza in Brooklyn]

LAST VISIT: 6/13/2010     http://www.grimaldis.com/2/Index.htm

Grimaldi's is famous for the line beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. The line, in my opinion, was super fast. I was with a group of 12 and we were seated in about 35-40 minutes. I have waited longer at restaurants in NYC when I have had a reservation! Once seated we ordered almost immediately and waited maybe 10 minutes for our pizzas to descend upon us. Grimaldi's serves a drier pizza than I like. I almost wish that I had asked for a side of red sauce so I could have dipped my pizza in it. The crust is decent and the toppings are all fresh and of good quality. Overall it was tasty stuff.

This post may or may not help solve the continued debate on the Grimaldi's vs. Di Fara's pizza. Click on this link to see my thoughts on Di Fara's. http://eatennyc.blogspot.com/2010/05/2-di-fara-pizza-in-brooklyn.html. Listen, both serve a good pizza...the ultra thin crust with a few toppings just isn't 100% my style. If I was eight months pregnant and I had a huge craving for pizza I wouldn't have the slightest idea of making my husband trek to Brooklyn for either Grimaldi's or Di Fara's. They just don't serve what my mouth/stomach require. Needless to say, others think the world stops when you eat their pizza. You have to, and should, go to both places to decide for yourself. They aren't both rated a 2 because I didn't like the pizza, they are rated a 2 because I am not convinced they serve the best pizza in the world (which is the common phrase when hearing about both Grimaldi's and Di Fara's).

In the end...I might say Di Fara's is better...even with the 8 ounces of olive oil... ;)

3 - Tribeca Grill [American Grill]

LAST VISIT: 6/10/10    http://www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com/tribecagrill/index.html

Okay...look at the picture to the right. That is Goat Cheese Ravioli with Artichokes, Favas, Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach...holy moly...it was so delicious I can't even begin to describe it. The goat cheese content was perfect...not too strong and balanced well with the light tomato broth and vegetables surrounding the ravioli. The portion size was perfect...in fact I had to wave goodbye to the last rav...:(. My husband ordered the Grilled Filet of Beef with Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach & Crispy Onion Rings which was also super tasty. You can't go wrong with onion rings on your plate!! Tribeca Grill's space is large and open, yet the bar is in the middle of the restaurant breaking up any cafeteria feel. The brick encasing gives the restaurant a classic, quaint feel. I was happy with my visit to Tribeca Grill!

3 - Po' [Italian]

LAST VISIT: 6/9/2010    http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/po01/

Last night I went to Po' and left feeling full...even this morning I am still full. The prices are reasonable and the portion size is OUTSTANDING, except the fact that you will likely eat it all and be overly full. I ordered the Cavatelli (toasted garlic, broccoli & bread crumbs) and it was OFF THE CHAIN! For an appetizer (on the house) our waiter brought us White Bean Bruschetta which was tasty! The atmosphere of Po' is tiny, quaint and charming. It is a great find in the West Village for sure!

3 - Le Colonial [French Vietnamese]

LAST VISIT: 8/4/2008    http://www.lecolonialnyc.com/

My husband took me to dinner at Le Colonial for my birthday during our first summer in NYC. The atmosphere in the restaurant makes you feel like you are in Vietnam. It is a fun environment and surprising that it is on 57th Street in the city! The service is top notch and the food is delish. I have only been once, but I ordered the Com Tho Ga (organic chicken in a clay pot with shiitake, bamboo shoots, Napa cabbage and ginger seasoned rice) and the memory of the flavors was stamped on the taste part of my brain and has stuck with me. This is a great place to feel like you have escaped the city for a mini vacation while enjoying fun, creative food.

2 - Boqueria

LAST VISIT: 5/28/2010     http://www.boquerianyc.com/

Boqueria is a fun Spanish Tapas restaurant. The food is good - not fantastic, but completely satisfying and flavorful. It is definitely a great place for Thursday or Friday night dinner. The atmosphere is lively and cute. A great date location. The kitchen is exposed so you can watch the cooking process. I wish I had asked for a seat around the bar of the kitchen...but I still was able to stare from across the restaurant.

3 - Norma's

LAST VISIT: 5/31/2010     http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

This was some delishsomuch breakfast!!!! Holy mother - you have to really be prepared to take down if you're planning to visit Normas. A few warnings; 1) You will pay a pretty penny for the food you order, 2) You will be there for at least an 45-minutes before you get your food (they want to pace you), and 3) You will feel sick from eating so much post the meal. Everything is worth it...this is a MUST try in NYC. My husband and I ordered and shared the Country-Style Buttermilk Pancakes with juicy Georgia peaches and walnuts and the Crunch French Toast covered with warm caramel sauce. It was a lot to handle and we didn't finish it all, but is was scrumptalicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot go wrong with what you order...I saw many of their dishes being delivered straight from the kitchen and all of them tantalized me and made me wish I had ordered them. GO TO NORMA'S!

1 - Stand [Burgers]

LAST VISIT: 12/2008     http://www.standburger.com/

I was sorely disappointed with my Stand experience. I had decided to take two of my friends here mostly because Stand has pumpkin milkshakes, a love that my girlfriends and I shared from seasonally Burgerville back in Oregon [http://burgerville.com/]. So when I heard that the Stand had pumpkin milkshakes we hightailed it over there. First off, the milkshake was the grossest thing - a milkshake is supposed to be sugary, fatty and delicious. Stand's tasted like I scooped a piece of raw pumpkin straight out of the gourd. YUCK!!! When I told them that I thought something was wrong with it, they didn't seem to care at all and made me pay for it. To be honest with you I don't even really remember much about my burger and fries except that they were just bland. We left saying that we would never go back and I felt bad that I had psyched my friends out only to have a bad experience. Fellow friends, avoid Stand...stick to Burger Joint, even if they don't have pumpkin flavored shakes!