Today was the first morning I could see my breath outside. It’s that time again, New Yorkers, for orange leaves, cable-knit sweaters, and extra pasty, pastry-induced pounds. The cold and colder weather seasons call for carbs and coffee, and there is no better place to find both than in the East Village at 9th Street Bakery. Family owned for over 40 years, the small and unimpressive store front adds to its charm; you’ll feel like you are the only one in the city to have discovered such a treasure trove of treats. But out-the-door-lines on Saturday and Sundays, full of in-the-know-locals waiting for fresh bread and bagels, will prove you wrong.

While the bread loaves (try the challah toasted with butter- oy gavalt!) are delicious, it’s the water bagels that will keep you firmly planted in line through the blizzard months. Water bagels go through a special process and are boiled rather than steamed like your run of the muck, peasant bagels. As a result, they are much softer and more flavorful. I am also secretly convinced that this process causes them to expand in your stomach causing feelings of unusual fullness, though this theory has yet to be proven.

As far as pastries go, the cheese Danish, black and white cookie, and rugelach are among the best I’ve had in the city. The poppy seed hamentashen – yes hamentashen – tastes like Grandma’s (triangular) butter cookies topped with fresh jam. It will have you shouting, Happy Purim!, after your first bite. Flaky in all the right places and gooey in all the rest, these treats will bring out the morning sweet tooth in even the most steadfastly savory breakfasters.

Location: 350 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 477-6642
Price Range: $2-$5

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

The Manhattan Diner is located on the upper west side of New York City. Don’t let the quiet surrounding streets fool you.. the inside of this place is hustling and bustling all day long.  And why shouldn’t it be? This is one of the best diner’s I’ve ever eaten at. The prices are pretty average for a NYC diner (most meals ranging from $10-$20).

I ordered the grilled portobello salad, because I can never resist a good portobello. I thought the mushrooms were going to steal the spotlight, but I was surprised how many tasty surprises they could throw into one dish. The salad not only had mushrooms, but marinated string beans, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and then all the usual salad fixin’s as well. The dressing was delightful, and the vegetables weren’t drowning in it which is always a plus. Also, the portions were huge. I couldn’t finish the whole thing and I consider myself to have a big appetite. If you do find yourself at the Manhattan Diner, I would also recommend the Mediterranean platter. It too was large. The hummus was smooth and flavorful, but my favorite part of it was the ginger tahini sauce. I know tahini sauce, and this was definitely a good one. The platter also had fresh pita bread, grilled vegetables, and baba ganoush.

During my dining experience at the Manhattan Diner, majority of the people around me ordered breakfast items despite it being 2:00 in the afternoon. I’m guessing they were locals who knew their way around the place. The pancakes came in sets of three and they took up the entire plate. They were covered in fresh fruit, syrup, and butter and looked delectable. Next time I stop by I’ll probably sample something off the breakfast menu to see what all the fuss is about.

Manhattan Diner

2180 Broadway (corner of 77th and Amsterdam)

(212) 877-7252

Levain Bakery is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on West 74th Street. It’s really small and plain looking on the outside, so make sure you don’t miss it! What they’re most known for is their cookies, but they also sell brioche, scones, and flatbreads. The way these cookies are made is what makes them different from any other cookie I’ve ever had.  Each one starts out as a big round ball and they’re never flattened out. Then they’re baked at a lower temperature for a longer time than normal which makes the middle of them soft and melty. They have four varieties of cookies; chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip.

I got to try each flavor (lucky me!) and my absolute favorite had to be the dark chocolate peanut butter chip. The chocolate was dark and rich, just the way I like it, and the peanut butter chips were soft because the cookie was still warm. The picture above doesn’t do these cookies justice. They are HUGE! Six ounces of gooey heaven to be exact. I would say that 50% of the cookie is dough, and the other half is chips (or raisins). The ratio is unbelievable. They’re so filling, you need to bring a friend or take home a doggy bag. They’re just as delicious the next day. Each cookie is $4 which may seem a little pricey for a cookie, but trust me.. it’s worth it.

Levain Bakery

167 West 74th Street

212-874-6080

Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm

www.levainbakery.com

Simply Pasta is a Northern Italian restaurant located in Manhattan’s theater district. The atmosphere of Simply Pasta was one of my favorite parts of the dining experience. It’s small but trendy, and always crowded (I think).  It makes you feel like you’re at New York’s hippest hot spot, and yet the prices are really reasonable.  The lit up blue walls and ceiling reminded me of being underwater which gave the room a really cool feel. I love love loved the decorations and all the colors that were used.  It’s a casual place.. I would feel comfortable going in jeans and sneakers, but it would also be a good place to celebrate a special occasion.  The service was great too. Every table was filled and there was a line out the door, and we were still able to have quick service.  The staff did a good job at making themselves readily available to us.

The meal started off with some fresh baked bread and olive oil. I got the pasta di mare because it’s one of my favorite dishes.. why commit to one kind of seafood when you can have them all? It had shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, and clams all for only $14.  The portion was just enough. None of that: one meal can feed you for three days nonsense. Simply Pasta is about quality and not quantity. I would never normally order penne alla vodka at a restaurant, but I got a chance to try it here and it was surprisingly good; rich and creamy and flavorful.  I finished the meal with a tiramisu and an espresso which was the perfect end to a perfect night.

Overall Simply Pasta offers great food and a fabulous atmosphere at a reasonable price.  I would definitely recommend the experience.

Simply Pasta

120 West 41st Street, NYC

212.391.0805

www.simplypastanyc.com

I first heard about the Doughnut Plant on the Food Network when the owner Mark, had a Throwdown with Bobby Flay. After seeing Mark win with his Tres Leches doughnut I decided I needed to try one, and boy am I glad I did. The Doughnut Plant makes the best doughnuts I’ve ever eaten in my life! From the outside the shop looks like nothing special, with its small store front and plane jane sign. Even the inside is too small to have any seating.

I tried 6 kinds of doughnuts all which I would kill just to have again. First, the famous Tres Leches doughnut. It was like nothing I’ve ever eaten. Its a cake doughnut infused with a creamy milky filling. This helps make the doughnuts super moist and delicious. My second favorite was the blackout doughnut. It’s pretty much the chocolate version of the Tres Leches. Each bite had a burst of chocolately goodness. The Valrhona chocolate one was their version of a chocolate frosted doughnut except it was bigger and fluffier than normal. Even the next day (I couldn’t eat all 6 doughnuts in one sitting) each one was delicious and better than Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme. You can tell that their products are all freshly made. They close up shop when they run out of goods.

The variety of doughnuts depends on the time of year you go. The glazes are made with whatever fresh fruit is in season. For example, the glaze on the blueberry doughnut had little pieces of blueberries in it.  One of the reasons why these doughnuts are so special is because they’re not drowned in the glaze.  The glaze is gently poured over each doughnut by hand ensuring none of the air escapes by pressing it down.  This makes sure they’re still extra airy by the time they reach your mouth. And just to add to the fun, some of the doughnuts are square. Each doughnut is around $3 which is a little more pricey than your average doughnut shop, but it is worth every penny.

Doughnut Plant

379 Grand Street NYC

www.doughnutplant.com