Let Penelope Be Your Constant Brunch Option

Penelope: Delicious Cinnamon Bun

Penelope has been on my "to try" list for Brunch for years now. Unfortunately for me, it's located on the Eastern side of this lovely island and I am a West side girl. Then, the couple of times that we've been over there before, we simply did not have an hour and a half to wait. This morning, we woke up early (for us) so thought we'd grab a cab and try our luck at 10:30am. 

Press Dinner: Angus Club Steakhouse

Angus Club: Meats & Sides

Tonight I was invited to try newcomer Angus Club Steakhouse a venture from 4 collaborators who have worked together at another popular steakhouse, but want to have their new project earn a reputation of it's own. True to it's name, all the beef served is USDA Prime Black Angus and what sets them apart is that all of their steaks are aged on premises for 30-35 days.

Press Dinner: MASQ

MASQ | Moscow Mule

I was invited to try a tasting of the offerings at MASQ a New American restaurant with a distinctive New Orleans flair. The restaurant is a collaboration between a husband and wife team and Chef Marc Getzelman. Their love of NOLA is reflected in the decor of the floor-through layout which features a horseshoe shaped bar in the front, the dining room, lounge, and private party room in the back.

Sofia, So Fine

Sofia Wine Bar

Tonight I was invited to try Sofia Wine Bar, Cafe so I headed to the East side and walked in to the ground floor of a brownstone on 50th street. I felt like I had stepped into someone's home. It was warm, inviting, and full of interesting antiques. It was immediately clear that Sofia was something special.

Mint Keeps It Fresh

Inside Mint

Tonight, I was invited to try Mint, an Indian restaurant by Restauranteur/Chef Gary Sikka in Midtown East. As soon as I walked in the door, I was met with a cool waterfall and a hip lounge area. From there, I entered the dining room and was immediately immersed in a modern, colorful experience.

All a twitter for Pio Pio

I've heard great things about Pio Pio, so when me and The Mr. were going to see a movie at the Kips Bay Movie Theater with a group of friends, I suggested we meet there. It's always a bit nerve racking to suggest a place you've never actually been to with a group, so when we sat down and looked at the menu I was a bit nervous. The menu is pretty limited. You come here for Peruvian rotisserie chicken, you get Peruvian rotisserie chicken. (To be fair, there's a seafood platter too).

Holding Court at The Plaza Food Hall

The Plaza Food Hall

One of our 2012 goals was to complete the "Todd English Trifecta". This is a completely made-up term that captures the fact that we have now eaten at all of his restaurants in NYC. Note that this is restricted to the island of Manhattan since his Bonfire restaurant is located in Terminals 2 & 7 of JFK. We only fly JetBlue (Terminal 5 baby), so it's safe to say we won't be making it to this location any time soon. But I digress. Tonight we dined at The Plaza Food Hall and we were totally delighted.

Fresh Food at Fiorini

Fiorini

Chef/Restauranter Lello Arpaia has had a string of very successful restaurants so I was excited when he invited Newbie Foodies to try Fiorini, his collaboration with Chef Xavier Quispilema. The dining room is covered in gold and red brocade fabrics, an aesthetic decision not only made for its luxurious feel, but also for its ability to absorb sound. This makes it easy to actually have a good conversation with your companions, something I always appreciate in a restaurant.

Bene Bites at Morso

Graphic Designs on Wall

A few months ago Restauranteur & Chef Pino Luongo opened up a new restaurant with Chef Tim Ryan featuring modern, Italian cuisine. This week, they invited me to dinner to try a sampling of the bites they have to offer.

As I walked down 59th towards Morso, I couldn't help but notice what a romantic backdrop the Queensborough Bridge made across the way. In April, they will start having outdoor dining- but tonight it was chilly, so I was happy to duck in to the festively decorated, warm and welcoming restaurant.

Hangin at HanGawi

 I owed my friend a dinner for her birthday and we wanted to go somewhere near Kips Bay where we were going to a movie afterwards, so we decided a trip to Koreatown was in order. I asked my friend for her recommendations and she went through a list of great restaurants, but her eyes lit up when she mentioned Hangawi, so I know that was the one.

Totto does Soba

I have Totto Ramen on my list of Ramen places to try, but just found out that Totto also has restaurants for Sushi, Yakitori, and Soba. Now I can't say for sure since I'm extremely white, but Soba Totto felt very authentic. I was highly appreciative of a little 'how to eat soba' menu insert which made me feel much more welcome to ask questions of our very sweet waitress. We asked for her recommendations and wound up going with a cold and hot soba dish. So good. I definitely don't think that the fresh, subtle flavors of soba translate as easily to American taste buds as other Japanese cuisine, but I find it deliciously light and refreshing.

As a bonus Soba Totto is only a couple of blocks away from Grand Central so we went over to get an eyeful, pick up some Magnolia cupcakes, and catch the subway back home. We got a red velvet cupcake and a coconut cupcake from Magnolia and wanted to compare it to Billy's, but didn't feel equipped to claim a winner without having them side by side. I think it's safe to say they are both very yummy.