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I was in the mood for a meal that can’t be easily classified by time of day, so I thought brunch! Then I thought Deluxe!
Deluxe is located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side near Columbia University and serves brunch on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays from 8 am until 4 pm. I love Deluxe because the portions are large and the food is tasty. I’m partial to their pancakes which are light and fluffy. Besides pancakes, diners can choose from an array of foods like omlets, french toast, oatmeal, burgers, spring rolls and blts.
Deluxe also has a full service bar and I do mean full service patrons can order anything from milkshakes to beautiful mamosas. There is outdoor seating on nice days and the inside looks like an upscale diner. Deluxe’s great location means that after your meal, you can explore the wonderful, walkable Upper West Side.
Deluxe – 2896 Broadway (bet. 112th & 113th) – Open Monday through Friday from 7 am until Midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 8 am until 1 am. (212) 662 – 7900
An Ode to the Bard – Bardolino
Bardolino
If the scent of tasty pasta is in the air, then you must be at Bardolino. A small to midsized and midpriced Italian restaurant located on 2nd avenue and 78th street in Manhattan.
Bardolino is open and airy and one side is primarily for dining, while the other side is for drinking at the bar. I went for a wedding anniversary celebration and the food is classic Italian – from huge fried calamari to the great penne ala vodka. The portion sizes are reasonable and the food is well seasoned.
The thing that I really love about Bardolino is that the wine cellar is actually in the ceiling! It’s a cool and inventive use of space.
Ceiling Wine Cellar!
While the service can be slow if the restaurant is crowded, the staff is caring. So if you’re on the Eastside and hankering for some pasta, Bardolino is worth a try.
Penne Ala Vodka
Address: 1496 Second Avenue (212) 734 – 2175 Open: Mon – Fri 12 pm until 12 am and Sat – Sun 11 am until 12 am.
I’m going to the clubhouse – Capital Grille
An architectural marvel inside of a men’s clubhouse would be an accurate description of the Capital Grille, an old school style steakhouse located in the Chrysler Center at 155 East 42nd Street.
Soft jazz music fills the air, waitresses are clad in black and white and the wine list is bigger than the menu! With all of these signs, you know you are in for some serious steak.
And serious it is. They offer the usual steakhouse finds, various cuts of beef, roasted chicken, salmon, veggies of the day and various sides (which are served family style). I tasted the spinach salad with warm bacon dressing – yum everything is better with bacon! My lamb chops that I had were cooked to perfection; the Sam’s mashed potatoes were appropriately buttery, and the veggies – broccoli with cauliflower were wonderfully sautéed in garlic and oil. The lobster macaroni and cheese however, was underdone. The desserts are what you would expect, ice cream, sorbet, key lime pie, berries and cream and the like. 
But make no mistake; it’s the steak that really shines. So if you are in the mood for a “manly” meal, (or now that I think of it, “womanly” as well), stop by the Capital Grille.
Blue Smoke, located at 116 E. 27th St. is a moderately priced bar-b-que joint with an extensive wine bar and tons of appetizers and sides. I friends and there were even several choices for our lone vegeterian. For ribs, there are three choices, Kansas City style (wetter with some heat), Memphis style (dryer and no heat) and Texas salt and pepper.
The ribs come in half and full racks and are very tender. They didn’t last long at our table! Of all of the sides, the cornbread is a stand out – it’s so good that it doesn’t even need butter! You can also go downstairs and listen to jazz nightly.
So if you’re looking for tasty bar-b-que and speedy service in a casual atmosphere, then Blue Smoke is for you.
