Posts Tagged ‘downtown’
Mos Def and burgers at Zaitzeff
Last night, my friends and I trekked downtown to catch Mos Def (or Yasiin Bey as he now goes by) perform with the Brooklyn Philharmonic at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden last night. It was the first time I was there and was such a beautiful space to watch a show.
The artist formerly known as Mos Def
Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def
But of course, afterwards I was STARVING. I don’t hang out in the Financial District much and I don’t know many places in the area. My friend Priya used to live there though and one thing I do remember is always passing this burger place, Zaitzeff, on the way to her apartment and never having time to stop in. It was one of New York magazine’s top 100 places to eat years ago. I was SO down for burgers right then though, and it was only a short ways away from the concert so we headed over.
Inside is cozy, brightly lit with a few tables, and this gigantic painting I couldn’t stop staring at.
Inside Zeitzaff
Inside Zeitzaff
Poring over Zaitzeff's chalkboard menu. Totally not posing.
La Esquina in SoHo
What to do on a warm summer evening in NY? I’m practically allergic to indoor dining on nights like these, so last week after the CoverGirl/Pat McGrath party, I decided to crash Archana and Eaman’s date join my friends for dinner at La Esquina in SoHo. It wasn’t my first time there, but it was my first time eating in their outdoor area. La Esquina pretty much has three parts to it: the taqueria, which is a small, to-go lunch counter; their cafe, which encompasses their sidewalk seating and their indoor space that serves the full menu; and their downstairs brasserie and bar area in the basement, where they have even more extensive menu, a DJ, and a (sometimes pesky) reservations-only list.
La Esquina
It took us about a hour to get seated once we got there, but we dove right into the queso once we did. Layers of baked cheese with roasted pumpkin seeds, served with plaintain chips was pretty much heaven on earth.
Queso
I was crossing my fingers that it would set the standard for the rest of the meal. I can’t even remember the last time I had tacos, so I decided to go for some steak tacos this time (why not?). The anticipation for the main course wasn’t worth the results…the steak was bland at best.
Steak tacos
Dinner at Emporio and dessert at Balaboosta in Nolita
Candle lit back room at Emporio
I actually found out about the quaint Roman-style trattoria Emporio in Nolita through my friend Archana’s blog at LettuceVeg.com. She took much better pictures than I did with my camera too, but I’m glad I went on her recommendation because everything we had was delicious. Plus, I was obsessed with the candle-lit back room where we had our little girls night. The middle of the space has communal tables. Though, if you want more privacy, the booths along the sides have curtains you can pull on either side so you block out the distractions.
Ricotta Ravioli, $16
Malatesta Trattoria – West Village
Last week marked my second visit to Malatesta Trattoria, the first being my birthday earlier this year. It’s a quaint, super cozy Italian restaurant with Italian waiters and deliciously authentic food. Both times I couldn’t help myself and get their homemade gnocchi. They make a special spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. I’m a lover of cheese, but the gorgonzola might be strong if you’re not — but also, in which case you can order their regular gnocchi with tomato basil. I haven’t had that dish myself, but having tried many of their dishes the last time I was here, I can bet it’s probably just as delicious.
Spinach Gnocchi, $13
After we were done ogling our neighbors food, my friend Lauren ordered the same dish — the grilled tilapia which was the special of the day.
Grilled Tilapia (special of the day)
