Co.

Co. hit the mark with it's current location on 24th. and 8th. Ave in a spot foremerly occupied by a Twin Donut. Mostly communal seating is the only downside at this restaurant opened by the guy who started the Sullivan Street Bakery. Co. aims high culinarily and reaches it's goals. For appetizers, we ordered olives, eggplant on toast and an escarole salad and a salami from California. The escarole salad with capers, croutons and a lemony olive oil dressing was a standout. The ham and cheese pizza with gruyere, buffalo mozzeralla and procuitto with it's charred crust and out of the oven heat was simply killer as the owner is a breadmaker and the dough made all the difference. For dessert a banana split with homemade gelato. Blood orange and chocolate gelato over bananas and smothered in marshmellow sauce and hot fudge with candied walnuts. Perfetto!

MUST GO!

Rios Churrascaria

Rios Churascaria opened quietly at the old Porcao space on Park Ave. South. Soaring space, churascarias are the ultimate activity food. A huge salad bar pales compared to the old Porcao. Some options look a day old. Nicely cooked pork ribs were the star of the salad bar. The meat service was dissapointing with lots of varieties though most was overcooked and flavorless. It took several requests to get extra cheese bread and fried bananas. Given the prices I would say this is a fun space though better churascarias are found elsewhere.

SLOWGO!

James Beard House