manhattan edition

i ate my way through manhattan this past weekend. it's a good thing that we walked a ton in hell's kitchen and in soho both days.

roxy's deli - 1565 broadway
s asked our concierge for a good brunch recommendation (this was around 9am-ish). the snooty concierge snapped back at s, "brunch isn't until 11am" and recommended roxy's deli for breakfast. portions were ginormous and they did offer egg whites for omelettes. however, the server and bus boys kept trying to take away our plates and kept asking "are you done yet?" if there was a line and no empty tables, i would have understood the rush. but there were plenty of tables available and there was no one waiting either. when the bill came we were all in shock - $54 for two omelettes, a bowl of oatmeal and a couple of drinks. sadly, that did not include tip as the waitress kept reminding us. we got suckered into one of the times square rip-offs by our concierge. normally i know better, but i had not planned on anything other than dean & deluca for breakfast. the moral of the story, if it's in the heart of the touristy strip, it is meant for the tourists. look online or ask friends ahead of time for recommendations.

landmarc in the time-warner center @ 10 columbus circle
so a friend told me about a place that had steaks, chops, grilled fare and chicken burgers. i've had turkey burgers, but never chicken burgers. i was totally intrigued. lo and behold the chicken burger was delicious! as a side, i ordered sauteed corn, basil and tomatoes (yes even with the salmonella scare). it was garlicky and basil-y and a great side to my cluck-burger. everyone was pleased with his or her choice too, ranging from the grilled portobello to the spaghetti alla bolognese. the naked mojito was a treat! naked because the mint was infused in the simple syrup and not floating in the drink. b's cosmopolitan was undrinkable - too sweet and popsicle-like; no offense to popsicles, but a cosmo should not taste like one. b sent it back. as for service, our server sucked. he so did not care about us. he checked in on us once and did not have any personality at all. he did take back the cosmo and didn't charge us for it. overall analysis: good atmosphere, good food, so-so service. i'll go back for the chicken burger, but i'll try the tribeca location next time.

cafe mozart - 154 w 70th street #1
the real estate broker recommended cafe mozart for dessert and one of the couples had gone there for one of their first dates. it was packed at 11pm on a saturday, but the wait wasn't that long. the desserts were all totally over the top - decadent looking in the display case. i didn't try anyone else's dessert because the moon mountain cake i had was gigantic - "a rum laced chocolate layer cake with hazelnut cream and dome mountains filled with chocolate and hazelnuts, topped with white and dark chocolate curls." the cake and the hazelnuts were the best part. the chocolate filling/mousse was way too sweet. l told the maitre d that it was s' birthday (even though it wasn't). as the birthday treat, "happy birthday" is piped over the speakers and the birthday person is crowned with a white mozart wig and of course a piece of cake complete with candle. the cafe was loud and tables close together. it had a very touristy feel to it. l & r said that it is much quieter on weeknights and they serve meals in addition to dessert. i'm glad that we experienced it, but i would prefer a place like lady m confections (41 e 78th st) next time. lady m is expensive, but the mille crepes are un-freaking believable. what can i say, if i am going to go down in dessert bliss, it might as well be near perfection.

mercer kitchen - 99 prince st.
the first time i went to mercer kitchen was with my cousin and his crew back in september. great brunch place. i love the atmosphere and the food. i had to return with friends on this trip. the adorable bartender was great and kept me company while i waited for my friends to arrive. he made me a raspberry lychee bellini that was out of this world. i almost ordered a second when i remembered that i am a one drink wonder and had not eaten anything yet. the bloody mary's are really good too, but i did not want to get drunk and full before i ate. my friends arrived shortly thereafter. they really liked the setting and decor - exposed brick, open kitchen, softly lit room with some natural light as well. i ordered 3 appetizers as a meal - carpaccio of hamachi with lime, coriander & mint; shaved fennel salad with arugula & parmesan; and crunchy squid with chili-lime mayo. all were fresh, light and perfectly seasoned. i was stuffed. s had an omelette with mushrooms and rosemary potatoes. not overly adventurous, but s really liked my carpaccio. b had a chicken sandwich w/ bacon, avocado and baby greens. when b realized that the baby greens were only on the sandwich, the server was cool enough to bring back the plate with more greens like a salad. that's how service should be. b said that he would take his family and friends to mercer kitchen. that's the best compliment to a resto - repeat business with new guests.

pigalle - 790 8th Ave
french brasserie serving traditional french fare in a casual, unpretentious setting. s had a salad with chicken pallard (flattened and grilled). b had seared tuna and i had mussels in white wine sauce. the mussels were yummy and i sopped up the white wine sauce with bread. because of the hot weather, we didn't get very big dishes nor dessert. everything was good, including my blanc mojito. it was sweet and refreshing made with the white wine, very different from the traditional cuban mojito which has rum. a good place to go for a casual meal.

there are a ton of great nyc restaurants. plan ahead and take recommendations from locals who have similar taste to your own. be skeptical of concierges who send you to touristy places. i will review more nyc restos when i go in september. be well and eat well. ciao fellow foodies.

[i have used the first initial of names to protect the wicked and not so innocent ;0p]