It’s not just about good soups at this midtown bistro.  La bonne soupe also means the good life, and I recently enjoyed some of that as I dived into my pile of mussels that were the special that night.  What a relief because who are we kidding?  I’m a downtown kind of person, so I had no favorite restaurants in midtown.  Until now. 

The mussels were served in a bath of rich sauce punctuated by Dijon mustard and accompanied by skinny French fries.  After I devoured the mussels, there was plenty of sauce left for sopping up with the crusty bread provided.  Ah, the simple pleasures. My table also ordered the well-seasoned filet mignon (at $24.50 the most expensive item on the menu), which was cooked exactly as requested and completely satisfied my dad. 

One of the best parts of the meal was the service.  We lacked for nothing, but the waitstaff was never intrusive, just attentive and fast.  I don’t know if our server’s French accent was authentic or not (I’ve become so suspicious in the big city), but it certainly added to the atmosphere.

Considering the location, the prices aren’t bad.  They have a salad special for $17.25 which includes your choice of salad served with bread, dessert and a beverage (glass of house wine, beer, soda or coffee).  Soups are $6.50, crepes $12.75, and fancy burgers with fries and a salad are $12.95.  Heck, you could take advantage of the free Friday evenings at MOMA then walk up a couple of blocks to La Bonne Soupe, enjoy a lovely meal, and call it a night.  I may be sitting at the table next to you because I’m certainly going back for more.  Ooh la la.

La Bonne Soupe

48 W. 55th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)

New York, NY 10019

212.586.7650

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Madre de Dios!  Tacos Cachanilla is a happy discovery for me.  Heck, authentic Mexican food found anywhere in New York City is an occasion for celebration.  On a recent rainy evening, a friend and I were hungry and checking out taquerias on 5th Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.  We happened upon Tacos Cachanilla, perhaps the least restaurant-y of the lot, and decided to take a chance.  It was our lucky night. 

I devoured a plate of mild chiles rellenos ($9) which were smothered in a flavorful, light sauce with hints of oregano.  Not greasy, not overly cheesy, they were way above average and accompanied by rice, beans and best of all, homemade corn tortillas!  Hijole!  Tacos Cachanilla gets extra points for that alone.  If you’re feeling macho and craving a higher heat factor, order the chilaquiles.  They are spicy and great if you have a head cold.  Also, I was surprised by the salsa that came with the chips before the meal.  The chile was mixed into crema, and I could not stop dipping into it.

I noticed that Tacos Cachanilla also offers more adventurous but equally tasty fare like quesadillas made with huitlacoche (a black fungus that grows on corn) and tacos de lengua (cow tongue), so I’ll definitely be returning for more.  Besides, this is only the beginning of my foray into Sunset Park as I seek the comfort food waiting for me there.

Tacos Cachanilla Restaurant is worth the trip despite the flourescent lighting and banquet hall chairs.  Go for the fabulous chiles rellenos.

Are you kidding me??  There is someone in the kitchen actually making corn tortillas!

The spicy chilaquiles are nestled under a blanket of eggs.

There is a jukebox so there may be some loud music.  Just take in the ambiance and then tuck into some serious Mexican comfort food.

Tacos Cachanilla

5807 5th Avenue
(between 58th St & 59th St) – Sunset Park
Brooklyn, NY 11220
718.492.4369

I was hungry.  I wanted protein.  I was in territory unfamiliar to me (the Upper West Side).  Suddenly, there it was before me, beckoning.  The Chirping Chicken.  I heeded the call and stepped inside to a charcoal broiled leg and thigh.  Such satisfaction!  The skin was well seasoned with a touch of garlic and lemon.  The meat was succulent.  I was more than satisfied and am craving that chicken still.

Apparently, there are other locations of the Chirping Chicken, but this is the original and offers lunch specials of half a chicken ($7.59) or a quarter chicken ($5.39) served with warm, chewy pita bread, soda, tomato salsa, and your choice of cole slaw or potato salad.  I ordered a side of tasty, cool orzo that was so plentiful I gladly took most of it home. 

The interior is clean and basic.  Most of the worker lunch crowd was taking their chicken to go.  The staff is quick, efficient and accommodating.  I know I’m supposed to be trying other restaurants, but the next time I’m on the UWS, it will be difficult not to feel the pull of this poultry.

Chirping Chicken

355 Amsterdam Avenue (at 77th St.)

Upper West Side, Manhattan

212.787.6631

Need a place to take your parents when they’re in town?  I hope they like Italian because Borgo Antico is the perfect grown-up restaurant.  Walk in to this quiet townhouse off the busy street and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty meal well above the usual marinara mill. 

I enjoyed the farfalle agli asparagi e gorgonzola ($15).  It was perfectly cooked bow tie pasta with little pieces of asparagus and red roasted peppers luxuriating with melted gorgonzola in a creamy white sauce.  Oh, how I love gorgonzola!  I also tasted the fettucine alla bolognese ($15) which was also cooked al dente.  The meaty veal ragu was perfect for a cold day. 

The menu is well thought out with enticing combinations.  In fact, looking it over now, I’m thinking I want to get back and try the sautéed sea scallops in a leeks and enoki mushroom sauce with Brussels sprouts gratin.  There are less expensive places to find a plate of pasta (this ain’t no Olive Garden, thank goodness), but if you find yourself in the Union Square area, hungry and wanting more than the routine Italian food, treat yourself (or let your parents treat you) to Borgo Antico.

Here is part of the view from my table on the spacious second floor at Borgo Antico.   Up close and personal with bowtie pasta while it luxuriates with asparagus, red peppers, and gorgonzola cheese in a creamy white sauce.  mmm.

Feeling cold this winter?  Warm your bones with a hot plateful of fettucine alla bolognese.

Somewhat puzzling.  Here is a fake, freestanding fireplace.  As far as I could tell, it gave off no heat.  This is a few feet from the apparently non-working fireplace in the nearby brick wall.  Sitting near the second floor window can be a tad chilly, but it looks cozy and did I mention that the food is very good?  And the service is fantastic!

Borgo Antico

22 E. 13th Street (between University and 5th Ave.)

Union Square area, NYC 10003

212.807.1313

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I normally don’t go out for brunch, but after discovering that our first choice of restaurant had closed permanently (that’s how often I go out for brunch), we found ourselves straying from the parade of strollers and well-meaning lefties that is 5^th Avenue in Park Slope, and entering the world of Palo Santo.  What a lucky break.

We ate in the light-filled back room where it was quiet and spacious.  The servers were friendly, relaxed, and seemed genuinely happy to accommodate us.  I had the pleasure of trying Huevos Banados ($13): two thick wedges of toast covered with pinto beans, poached eggs, sliced avocado, and what the menu described as spicy hollandaise.  It wasn’t spicy, nor did it appear to be hollandaise as I know it, but it was divine.  The ingredients were fresh and simple and the combination completely comforting.  That dish could make a bruncher out of me.

Huevos Banados!

The table also ordered Cazuela de Huevo which was a small casserole of baked eggs, potatoes, beans, bacon (cured in-house), and parmesan.  I didn’t have a chance to taste it since it was gobbled up by my boyfriend and, truth be told, I was too busy inhaling my own meal, but it looked fantastic and I was assured that it was quite tasty.

Since the chef uses as many local, sustainable ingredients as possible, the menu changes with the season.  Also on the day’s menu were Short Rib Hash and Eggs ($14), Cactus Omelette ($11), and Pumpkin Soup ($7).  For dinner, Palo Santo offers a $25 prix fixe menu seven nights a week. 

Word on the street: they have a not-to-be-missed tasting menu for $55 which they don’t advertise.  Add on an extra $35 for wine pairings.  Make a reservation.  That’s what I’ll be doing next month when I celebrate my birthday.

I cannot wait.

Palo Santo

652 Union St (between 4^th and 5^th Avenues)
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.636.6311

For once, my boyfriend and I got smart and decided not to go grocery shopping while hungry.  We made this decision as we passed Bar Tabac, so we popped inside for a quick bite to eat.

The ambience was the traditional French bistro feel, dark wood, retro tin signs.  We made our way to the tiny room in the back.  I had an uncharacteristic moment and ordered vegetables a la their grilled vegetable sandwich provencale ($8.95).  Oh my.  What a very pleasant surprise.  It looked deceptively simple.  It was sliced peppers, tomato, eggplant, grilled and drizzled with olive oil resting on a smear of goat cheese on a baguette, but the ingredients were fresh and flavorful, the bread was only slightly crusty on the outside so it didn’t pull my teeth out, and the combination made for a very fond memory that I’d like to revisit. 

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich Provencale

Instead of the salad that comes with it, I had the mushroom risotto (let’s not go crazy with the vegetable inclination).  I adore risotto and I have to say that while the flavor of this one was good, the gummy consistency reminded me that we had arrived after the lunch rush and that the risotto had probably been sitting around awhile.  This did not stop me from eating the entire mound.

The staff was friendly and attentive even though we were tucked away in the back room.  I quite enjoyed their very French accents as well.   They serve simple, affordable, and satisfying food and I look forward to trying out their dinner menu. 

Bar Tabac may be amidst a sea of restaurants on Smith Street in Brooklyn, but it’s worth singling out whether it’s your final destination or a preventative measure on your way to do some grocery shopping.   Bon appetit!

Bar Tabac

128 Smith St at Dean Street

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

NY 11201
718.923.0918

So, I’ve discovered that just about every day is a national food holiday.  Seeing as how today is my birthday, I figured it would be good to know what food holiday falls on January 11.  Welcome to National Milk Day and National Hot Toddy Day!  Not bad.  January is also Prune Breakfast month. What a celebration.  I suppose I should count my blessings with the hot toddies.

hurrah.

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Even though they’ve removed my favorite Gemelle con Salsiccia from the menu, I will forgive the fabulous Bar Tano because they make the kind of bruschette that I crave: Fichi ($3). It’s a smear of sweet, house made fig spread on crusty, grilled bread, topped by creamy goat cheese. Simple and remarkable.

I could go on about the tasty thin crust pizzas with the fresh toppings or the hearty pastas or even the relaxed, neighborhood feel of the place, but right now, I just want to dream of the Fichi.

close up on fichi and an overview of pizza

comfortable Bar Tano

But did I mention the fichi?

Bar Tano

457 3^rd Avenue at 9^th Street

Gowanus, Brooklyn

NY 11215

718.499.3400

Hey kids, do you like fine dining in New York City, but find that it’s just too pricey?   Have you wanted to try that hot new restaurant where all the celebrities go with their oversized sunglasses and skinny jeans, but were afraid you couldn’t afford it?  Well, it’s time for that great equalizer again. Restaurant Week is in full swing in the Big Apple!  For those of you who are new to the city, every winter and summer, participating restaurants offer a 3-course prix-fixe meal.  This year, it’s $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner, not including beverages, taxes, and tips. 

Restaurant Week continues until January 23rd and then picks up again January 25-30.  Go ahead.  Treat yourself.  Make that reservation and don’t forget your big ol’ sunglasses. 

Café Regular

starts my day.

It’s the only way

To fly.

-Amelia Earhart

Forget drinking tea.

Coffee is king, but they

Serve tea too, if you want.

-Akira Kurosawa

Drink lattes.

Drink lattes from Cafe Regular.

I do.

And I’m a better person for it.

-Ben Franklin

I step into Cafe Regular. The Parisian-type surroundings appeal to my inner Amelie. I order a latte ($2.50) from the Irish guy behind the bar. I can’t decide if he’s shy or grumpy. Or both. He creates my latte. I sit on the school-desk-type bench against the wall and take my first sip. It’s velvet. It’s poetry. It’s all that is good in this world poured into a cup. It’s a revelation.

If you’re into deep, flavorful goodness without any bitterness (they use La Colombe coffee), then this is the place for you.  Many people order their coffees to-go, but these people who grab and go miss out on soaking up the atmosphere and chuckling at Martin’s dry humor.  Most importantly, there is no way that coffee can taste as good in a paper cup as it does in a ceramic one.

Do you need a hard-boiled egg (50 cents), a tasty baked good ($2), or a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice ($3)? Would you like to escape the city for 10 minutes and rejuvenate yourself with the highest quality coffee being served in New York?  Cafe Regular awaits.  Be forewarned: you may be inspired to poetry.

Stepping into Cafe Regular is like stepping into a time machine.

behind the counter and a photo of Martin in days gone by

 details, my friends, details

the furthest corner of the cafe and a close up of the reason I return

Cafe Regular
318 11th Street, just below 5th Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York
718.768.4170 

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