Felidia

Felidia's $29.50 weekday lunch is a genuine bargain for this level of food. In an elegant townhouse on the Upper East Side in what was once the premier dining destination. The prix fixe lunch includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The food here is ever evolving high end cuisine and every dish speaks volumes. Bread arrives with two rolls stuck in like lollipops ala Donatella & Burke. A raw pesto and cannelini beans is a tasty accompaniment. When I asked for sea salt it arrived promptly in a cute little bottle. Lots of servers answer your every dining whim. My appetizer of Maine Diver sea scallops in a fava bean puree was quite good. Even better was my friend's tagliatelle with beef, veal and pork ragu plated tableside and perfectly aldente, rich, complex and meaty. A good bottled beer selection and we went with the Lagunita which was very good. The salmon entree with mustard sauce was also quite good, but the grilled seafood($15 supplement) was quite astounding. Grilled lobster, shrimp, scallops, and razor clams with parmigiana had a Clams Casino flavor- this is a stellar dish. We finished with a palinchinko(Eastern European pancake) and housemade gelato with chocolate sauce. Best palinchinko I have ever tried and lucscious vanilla and strawberry gelato and rich chocolate sauce. Brava Felidia! GO! GO!

Tomasso's

Tomasso's is an uber charming old school restaurant in a formerly Itlalian restaurant heavy section of Brooklyn. Filled with family photos and momentos, Tomosso's makes you feel right at home. A piano and an opera singer add a lovely, nostalgic feel to the spot. The bread comes with lovely pesto and an arancini(rice ball) which was good. There is a three-course $27 prix fixe meal that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The appetizer I chose- stuffed artichoke was unavailable so I went with baked clams which were standard. The main of lasagna was an over-cooked mess with Polly-O tasting ricotta. The dessert of Italian cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar was a better choice and quite good. SLOW GO!

Acme

The old Acme was a favorite of ours in the 80's and 90's with it;s honkey tomk decor and walls lined with hot sauce from all over the country. The new Acme is a highly touted Scandanavian restaurant and rightly so. Went for brunch and it was pretty amazing. The bread pudding pancake pictured with diced rhubarb and raw maple syrup was dark and delectable having the consistency of a potato pancake. The baked eggs that my dad ordered arrived in a cast iron skillet with slab bacon. We both had the rhubarb, blood orange and watermelon juice a creative combo. Overall, the food here is inventive, and uber tasty. Not cheap, but worth it. GO!

Sapori

A lovely neigborhood spot in Murray Hill. Best part is the Roman style garden in back. Solid Italian with great pizzas. We went with the spaghetti and clams in red sauce and the risotto special. The clams with red sauce were reasonable, but underseasoned. The special risotto with rock shrimp in a pink sauce really rocked out with toms of flavor. It took awhile for the bread and white bean dip to arrive. Nice alfreso dining if you are in the mood for Italian. Go!

Gueros

In the rapidly changing Crown Heights, sits Gueros a life altering taco joint with wide acclaim. It's dishes mainly tacos are extremely creative and cheap so who wouldn't love them. Brisket, fried avocado, vegetable are some examples. Everything made here to order with flavor to go. I had the brisket taco and the fried avocado/jalapeno taco. Also, some house fried chips with limey/slightly spicey guacamole. The brisket with cheddar, rajas, roasted onions and au jus on a soft corn tortilla was amazing. The fried avocado/jalapeno with jalapeno buttermilk, pico, beans and cortija was inventive. The two plus the chips and guacamole were more than enough for a little meal. The place rocks and cute stores to window shop along Franklin Ave. GO! GO!

La Palina

The quintessential old school Italian restaurant that satisfies on a Sunday or anyday. The dining room fills up with a few parties and it is a happy time with families and couples. Garlic bread on the table. Warmed bread and butter. Sunday means Sunday gravy and it is special filled with pork ribs, veal braciole, potatoes and a meatball. The great sauce with flecks of tomato tastes the same as when I was a little girl. The grilled pork with sweet peppers provides a perfect counterbalance to the juicy meat. They do it right here as they have since the 1930's. Valet Parking. GO! GO!

Sushi Mikasa

Located on Gravesend Neck Road in Brooklyn, a stone's throw from where I grew up, Chef Kevin has created a susi stir in the nabe and beyond. Behind frosted glass doors and windows, delights and artistic creations abound and the pricepoint is high. I went for lunch and the menu is the same all day every day. I started with a soup and green salad. The ginger/onion dressing on the salad is outstanding. Next, spicy tuna over crispy rice. I had this once at Koi and it is sooooooooo delectable. I went with four sushi pieces some Chef Kevin created especially for his restaurant like salmon with a sauteed tomato. The eel/avocado was tasty, and yellowtail with jalapeno was luscious. The sea urchin was a tad funky for my taste otherwise, amazing and unique experience. If you love sushi... GO! GO!

John Brown Smokehouse

Barbecue pork belly might be my new favorite food. This newly moved and reopened steakhouse on the edge of Long Island City. I was here for barbecue, but when I stopped by at 12 the beans weren't ready. I came back and glad I waited. The food here is downhome style 'cue and mighty satisfying. The ribs and pork belly are sensational, porky, smoky, and meaty. My first barbecued pork belly and that is addictive. Beans were a sweet side and collards could have been smokier. They were flavored with garlic and pulled pork instead of the traditional fatback. Service here is still working on getting it right, but the 'cue is worth the trip. GO!

Mission Chinese

So you want to go to Mission Chinese Food. Who doesn't? With good reason, the food rocks. Danny Bowien, a food network reject, opened the New York restaurant to enormus buzz. If you want to wait, I suggest you go lunchtime when the waits are shorter, it is well worth it. You are led past the flaming woks of food theatre on your way to your seat. The dining room is really a building exention with some half communal seating. Go during the warmer months as Winter could be chilly in here. We started witht he pickled vegetables Sichuan, The KimChee like dish had peanuts soaked in Old Bay. The dish was mildly spicy and my least favorite. Next was Kung Pao Pastrami and salt cod rice. Kung Pao Pastrami is genius representing the Lower East Sdie where the restaurant is housed. Spicy by chilies in the gorgeous red mix, porky by pastrami and more Old Bay peanuts. The salt cod rice is so delicate, mildly flavored lovely. No desserts here. Should you go? GO GO!

Fonda Del Sol

My second pick for restaurant week was Fonda Del Sol the modern Spanish on Park Ave across from Grand Central. Some of the food here was sensational and other dishes missed the boat. My bread took a while to arrive. The dishes here are tapas style so for Restaurant week it is two appetizers, two entrees and one dessert. The gazpacho and ensaladilla tuna(tuna salad) were both winners. The gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers was delectable, though served a little messy. The tuna served with tomatoes and carrots was delicate and tasty. Next two were the meatballs and the paella. The pork meatballs in a sweet sauce and mahon cheese was uber tasty. The paella was dry and flavorless. Churros were divine- hot, doughy, sweet and cinnamonny. A great finsh. GO!

Extra Fancy

Extra Fancy in Williamsburg equals extra tasty when it comes to fresh seafood and chowder. This barlike fishshack creates seafood concoctions that rock your palate. A New England Clam Chowder with pieces of whole clams, yukon gold potatoes, and herbs is simply stupendous. It is served with housemade pepper flaked oyster crackers The kielbasa sandwich served on a buttered roll with red cabbage and set off nicely by potato salad and a Brooklyn pickle works so well. A dessert of salted caramel ice-cream on a housemade chocolate cookie was a tasty finish. Other dishes sound like their fish sandwich sound like a must-try for next time. GO! GO!

StripHouse

Saucy, salacious, Striphouse the venerable B.R. Guest restaurant group spot, offers Restaurant Week for lunch only in the downstairs dining room. A well thought out and great tasting menu is offered though watch the libation count as it does add up. Bread from TomCat Bakery was ohh so good. A gazpacho shooter from the chef was nice. Watermelon gazpacho to start with crisp zucchini and pieces of shrimp is so tasty and refreshing. The 8oz strip was a fine cut of meat with a small band of fat, perfectly cooked and finished with sea salt. The peach melba served with chocolate sauce as requested was a lovely finish. Bordeaux wine from their reserve added depth to a super meal. GO!