LOWER EAST SIDE
les= (Houston to Canal; Bowery to Clinton)
Bianca:
Italian. 5 Bleecker @ Bowery-Eliza; 23/18/$31; 260-4666; Date spot; Great value; Authentic food; Homemade pastas; Lasagna with béchamel ($12) & meat ragu; Gnocco Fritto- yum; Attentive service; Inviting bar next door for a pre or post dinner beverage; Limited menu is only drawback but at these prices and quality – who cares!
Freemans: American. Freeman Alley off Rivington @ Bowey; 21/22/$48; 420-0012; Savory American fare; They feature an excellent wine and cocktail list; Grilled sea scallops; Five Cheese Macaroni; Arctic Char; Lamb Shank; and Filet Mignon all stand out; They have a famous appetizer you must try- the Artichoke Dip which is raved about; Very trendy spot.
Peasant: Italian. 194 Elizabeth @ Prince-Spring; 24/21/$54; 965-9511; Unique menu and amazing setting; Opera-set open kitchen; Romantic and sleek; Romantic wine bar downstairs; Rustic & urban chic
Peasant: Italian. 194 Elizabeth @ Prince-Spring; 24/22/$54; 965-9511; Unique menu and amazing setting; Opera-set open kitchen; Romantic and sleek; Outstanding wine bar downstairs; Rustic & urban chic; Wood burning oven; Their bread is fantastic; Signature dish is suckling pig; Seafood salad, Pizza Margherita w/ Mozz; Speghetti scampi; Grilled Sea Bass; Lots of specials.
Public:
American. 210 Elizabeth @ Prince-Spring; 25/24/$57; 343-7011; Wonderful eclectic menu; Michelin 1 star rated; Unique offerings, incredible surroundings; Hip, trendy feel; Popular date spot. Creative dishes – even Kangaroo on occasion & Tasmanian Sea Trout; Great bar to dine at or drink; Incredible wine list/ cocktails (not cheap); Somewhat crowded but great date spot; Chatham Cod, Braised Lamb, New Zealand Venison, Smail & Oxtail Ravioli.
Pho Grand: Vietnamese. 277C Grand @ Eldridge; 21/14/$25; 965-5366; Extremely authentic restaurant with large menu featuring soup, pork, and prawn dishes; Exotic spices and combinations; Dirt cheap for lunch or dinner. Go Pho it! Terrible joke – but great authentic & often overlooked location. So inexpensive, especially for lunch.
Apizz: Italian; 217 Eldridge @ Rivington-Stanton; 24/21/$45; 253-9199; Off the beaten track location is only reason tables available- but it’s close to tons of nightlife; Brick oven classics; Romantic and toasty vibe; Mascarpone Ravioli; Whole fish; Variety of classics. Signature dishes also include butternut squash ravioli and gnocchi with short ribs; Extremely strong option for a date; Medium sized menu.
Kuta Satay: Pan Asian. 65 Rivington @ Allen-Eldridge; 21/16/$34; 777-5882; Just a terrific menu sampling multiple southeast Asian cuisines including Indonesian; Amazing curries; Very inexpensive; Sleek, sexy décor; Hot new option in area. Major winner. $25 prix-fixe featured. The portions are all tapas-like – mainly satays (food on a stick) and I’d suggest ordering 6-8 at $5-6 an option. Fun cocktail list.
Mole: Mexican. 205 Allen @ Houston; 24/17/$34; 777-3200; Patrons rave the cooking at this mini-chain is as authentic Mexican as it gets; Friendly, speedy service and a huge menu make the experience worthwhile; Fish or crab tacos stand out; Memorable salsa; Giant portions; Fun atmosphere.
Macondo: Latin; 157 E Houston @ Allen-Eldridge; 23/19/$41; 473-9900; Spanish/ South American fusion; Small plate format – street food; Has a great bar scene and tasty drinks; Great for dates or a later evening scene; Weekend brunch featuring Bottomless mimosas for $9; Very affordable menu; Try the delicious lamb burger. Good service and setting seal the deal.
Congee: Chinese. 100 Allen @ Broome-Delancey; 20/13/$22; 941-1818; Gigantic portions for the Chinese cravings we all get; Kitschy décor; Fun experience, laid back, and tasty- exactly right. Try the house special chicken; Inexpensive cocktails to go along with the food (if there is room); Rice and noodle platters also stand out; Great for large groups; Have an ‘any time’ Dim Sum menu.
A Casa Fox: Pan-Latin. 173 Orchard @ Stanton; 21/20/$35; 253-1900; Very similar to a Spanish Tapas house; Medium sized selection of mouth-watering small plates; The décor inside is gorgeous and date friendly; BYO; Closed Sunday & Monday; Downside is – small place that takes no Rez and gets crowded; Go early, but be prepared to wow your date; Great service as well. Order 6-7 things per couple.
Little Giant: American. 85 Orchard @ Broome; 23/17/$42; 226-5047; New American cuisine; Daring dishes; Cool décor; Happy staff; Rising star; Small open kitchen; Seasonal ingredients; Mac n Cheese! Try the happening brunch menu and scene – but go early; Basically, refined comfort food- all extremely affordable for the price; Limited menu only drawback.
Café Katja: Austrian. 79 Orchard @ Broome-Grand; 24/18/$34; 219-9545; Known for nearly perfect sausages & fine wine and beer; Cozy setting, this authentic, friendly and affordable Viennese spot is a star. Wildly popular and strongly reviewed on Yelp; Get a .5Liter stein of Hofbrau; Thing to get here- pretzel and sausage; Ideal for a mid-afternoon weekend drink/ light meal; Super friendly staff;
Stanton Social: American. 99 Stanton @ Ludlow-Orchard; 24/23/$52; 995-0099; Ultra cool, popular, hip spot; Eclectic food; Trendy as hell; Young, good looking crowd, often celebs; American small plates and more; Food is outstanding and best if shared; Two levels; Red Snapper Tacos; French Onion Soup. Kuma Inn: Thai / Filipino; 113 Ludlow @ Delancy-Rivington; 24/15/$35; 353-8866; Small but unreal food and very affordable; Foodies heaven; Located on 2nd floor. Small plate format; BYO policy; Essentially Pan-Asian small plates. Strong service and bargain costs; About 25 or so different Tapas style dishes to choose from. Small corkage fee. Friendly chef/ owner.
Tides: Seafood. 102 Norfolk @ Delancey-Rivington; 24/23/$41; 254-8855; Gorgeous bamboo ceiling; Incredibly affordable fresh seafood; Lobster Rolls stand out; Attentive staff & gorgeous setting; Simply a bargain for what you get; Must try; Soft Shell Crab in season.
Azul Bistro: Argentinean. 152 Stanton @ Suffolk; 23/18/$45; 646-602-2004; Steakhouse that is inexpensive for this genre; Good wine; Meat lovers paradise. Sizzling meat and melt in your mouth empanadas; Food served in platters as opposed to servers walking around; About 10 different steaks to choose from. Massive portions with lots of sides.
Alias: American. 76 Clinton @ Rivington; 22/15/$36; 505-5011; American comfort food; Like an upscale diner but better than that; Creative cuisine in a welcoming setting. Cool Lower East Side vibe in a spot that gets popular in the evening; Solid if not spectacular. Brunch is the best – Bloody Mary called Crustacean Mary with a chilled shrimp; Mac n Cheese to die for;
Sachiko’s on Clinton: 25 Clinton @ Houston-Stanton; 25/17/$56; 253-2900; Japanese; Sushi so fresh it might bite you; Food artfully presented; Inventive menu.
