Annie Ji's Nail Salon

Finding a $15 Manhattan mani/pani is a near impossibility especially in Midtown Manhattan. Look no further at this little clean neighborhood spot the bargain beauty hunter will be very happy. Located on a residential block on East 25th. Street between 2nd and 3rd Ave, I have been coming here for a few years and this little spot does a first rate job with a good color selection in a clean friendly environment. Their mani/pani special is available Monday-Thursday. Their regular prices are pretty reasonable as well with a regular manicure only $6 and a pedicure only $9. Other services such as waxing are also available at very reasonable prices.

Massawa

Located on Amsterdam Avenue and 121st street on the burgeoning food scene uptown on Amsterdam between 125th. and 110th., Massawa serves up Eritrean and Ethiopian food in charmingly decorated spot.

The food here is served with injera and eaten by hand. This doughy bread is made from Teff the smallest wheat grain found in East Africa. Eating here is a real cultural experience. There is a lunch special with most dishes priced under $10. A choice of beef, poultry, lamb, seafood and vegetables and vegan is available. I chose the lamb cooked two ways. The dish is plated right on the injera with extra served on the side. One lamb was cooked with onions and spices and the other was cooked with berbere a red spicy sauce. There was a small salad and a peanuty sauce on the side. The food was very tasty and enjoyable. There were pictures on the wall of Ethiopian figures and handicrafts abounding. The spot is very charming and the feasting here is truly unique.

Baccaro

We finally dined at the much hyped Baccaro on a lonely though ever trendy stretch of Division Street. This little spot is so pretty and romantic inside. There is a small upstairs with lovely wainscotting, a shiny wood bar and tables with dripping candles over old fashioned candle holders. Downstairs using the space very cleverly are tables set inside the exposed brick grottos of the building. There is even a separate speakeasy style entrance to the downstairs outside. Now the food- crusty good peasant bread arrives first with the actual bottle of extra virgin olive oil, nice touch. My friend and I shared two items. The menu is mad up of about 20 items. We ordered the gnocchi alla funghi(mushroom gnocchi) and the fritto misto(fried mix) of seafood and vegetables. The gnocchi although flavorful with a touch of greens was not cooked to order. The tasty sauce tasted reheated. The fritto misto was nicely cooked had a nice selection of fish and veggies though lacked an accompanying sauce. I requested an aoili or marinara from the kitchen and the waiter said they had none? No tomato sauce in an Italian style restaurant?
Well the bathroom here was beautiful with a large pedestal sink and a huge antique style mirror and sconces. A standout toilet in a super cool space with unremarkable grub.

Nizza

Nizza means Nice in Italian and having traveled to Nice, and sampled the cuisine some years back the restaurant reflects a marriage of French and Italian mediterranian influences. At Nizza restauarant which is down the block on Ninth Ave. and 44th Street from Marseille the French influenced Meditteranean. Unlike the posher Marseille, Nizza can do almost no wrong foodwise. Nizza is owned by the owner of the popular Upper West Side French restaurant Nice Matin. It is a weirdly configured space with comfortable chairs although some a little close together and close to the door for comfort. I have eaten here for both brunch and dinner and both meals have been flawless as well as every other meal around me looks like I can't wait to eat it the next time. For brunch there are many interesting menu options including salads like a giant Ligurian tuna salad, kind of like a tuna nicoise, eggs and rustic style pancakes as well as slammin' pizza selections. The bread here is a light focaccia and though must be requested at brunch is wonderful. You can also order a delish cranberry scone served warm with butter and orange marmelade. My meal was a skillet steak with carmelized cippolini onions with a chimichurri like sauce and was perfectly cooked. For dessert although many at brunch eat them first, I ordered housemade beignets with homemade raspberry preserves. These are light and willowy with powdered sugar, they are fried dough heaven. An accompanying hot chocolate arrived looking like a dark cappucino and was a standout hot chocolate. Pizzas and pastas here are firstrate, like a pizza san remo with tomato and anchovy sauce. My meal last night included the pizza hot coppa with cured meat, arugula, a thin layer of mozzeralla on a superb crust. Deliciouso. The desserts of a chocolate and orange crostata and semifreddo and expresso were also killer. This is a standout out New York City kitchen, with very reasonable prices. Oh and a bathroom shoutout- two bathrooms, the one on the left is slightly larger with a sink inside and the one on the right is sinkless. Nizza is on 9th. Ave. between 44th. and 45th. Street.

Hill Country Barbeque

Hi ho silver and away we go to some downhome authentic barbeque and fixins at this West 26th Street restaurant and music venue. Hill country is designed to look western and food is set up at stations where you choose your meat, sides and dessert and waitress service takes your drink orders. The meat here is smoked inhouse and is moist and flavorfull, but mighty expensive folks. The pork ribs are about $2.50 a rib, they are delectable, but do the math. Sides are first rate- we shared bourban sweet potatoes, German potato salad and the corn pudding all delish. I would say the German potato salad with it's chunks of cooked bacon is better than most I have tasted in Deutschland itself. The pecan pie was serviceable with a good amount of pecans to corn syrup, but you don't come for the dessert of course. The bathrooms are downstairs, left of the stage and are very charming with old painted wood cabinets. This barbeque joint with twangy Texas style music in the background and wood stocked shelves in a down home decor has the killer que.

Ali Baba Restuarant

Ali Baba on East 34th Street is my favorite Manhattan Turkish spot. Located near the very elegant Turkish Kitchen on 3rd Ave this place has one very important food item the other doesn't- Turkish bread. Arriving warm and nicely baked in a bread basket, turkish bread is one of those perfect companions to the meal. If you come for lunch there is a $9.95 lunch special that rocks. You get a choice of appetizer and an entree and the appetizers include bread with little almonds and noodles. The appetizers include lentil soup, a wonderful shepards salad of tomato, cucumber, onions, parsley, lemon, vinegar and spices. My favorite lunchtime entree is the shish kebab which are cubes of roasted and seasoned lamb over the yummy rice. A bite of bread and lamb is a classic Turkish combo. For dinner a more extensive menu of poultry, meat, fish and vegetarian items can be found on the menu. I have eaten here at dinner and there is a salmon casserole with cream, vegetables and kastar cheese that is super duper. They bake their own baklava(the recommeded dessert) with pistachios and honey. This restaurant attracts a very international crowd and it is not unusual to hear several languages spoken in this pretty, little spot. Another outpost in East Midtown is coming soon.

Cheeks

How can you not love a bakery named Cheeks? On a lonely stretch of Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg this bakery is a gem. Cute, as a button with exposed brick a retro table and chairs, painted old tin, the decor inside is charming, but the baked goods rock. The first time in here, I was told there was one baker, though they didn't tell me Cheeks uses organic eggs, flour and local ingredients which you can taste in the goods. One of their biggest sellers is a lime, coconut cake- moist, buttery sprinkled with fresh coconut and bursting with flavor. Cookies, cupcakes, tarts, cakes and pies all are absolutely delish. Finally, trying the cupcakes and not tasting anything like the Magnolia's that this owner used to work in. At $1.75 my vanilla cupcake with chocalate buttercream frosting was light as a feather. I usually don't enjoy the cake as much as the frosting. This cupcake again tastes the the best cupcake you remember as a kid. More accolades for this special spot again with baked goods honestly baked by one baker and tasting absolutely authentically old-school classic. I love Cheeks!

Housing Works

At the newest outpost on West 10th Street of the ever popular thrift store dedicated to AIDS related charities, there was a crowd gathering for it's 11am opening. Why? This is a small store compared with it's other downtown locations on 23rd. Street and 17th Street. This particular store receives alot of local donations and considering the demographics of the West Village we are talking upscale and celebrity donations. I have scored Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Dolce and Gabanna, pieces just to name a few as well as just plain cute stuff. A dress scored by someone else one day was an Anne Hathaway donation. The store can be notoriously crowded especially on weekends and on that Saturday a few strollers felt claustraphobic in the small space. Of course, like all thrifts, this store is hit or miss but with previous good hits and a charming location, it is worth the look, see.

Cafe Condesa

I have passed this little cafe on West 10th street numerous times and it is always full. This little cafe is one on those non-restaurants that turns out restaurant quality fare from a limited kitchen. Brunch is a good introduction to this very friendly little spot. The food here is oriented toward the Mexican arena so be in the mood for a little sabor. My favorite part about brunch were the amazing croissants baked on premises. Though the dough is made elsewhere these just baked and warm croissants with strawberry preserves are bread heaven. Also delish was the large cup of Mexican hot chocolate- slightly rich and chocolatey this was a good compliment to the spice in the food and perfect for dunking the delectable croissants into. I enjoyed the poblano benedict with a small salad though it wasn't over the top. There are also huevos rancheros and huevos a la Mexicana as well as some brunchtime salad offerings. Other than the food the waitstaff was exceptionally nice hence this place rocks.

Good Stuff Diner

The Good Stuff has been open on West 14th Street for several months and I have eaten here a bunch of times. Good Stuff sort of lives up to it's name. The place has been renovated into a lovely retro type diner and is a well run establishment with the managers always on hand at the helm. Service is spot on. The food is another matter. Most items are servicable, but don't reach beyond that. The mousakka I had today was good as was the escarole white bean soup. The salads are nothing special, and burgers and fries fill the stomach. The best meal I have eaten here was on Thanksgiving for a lunch time feast with family. The turkey was freshly roasted and stuffing was very good, though no cranberry sauce was included. The pies here taste straight out of the box so definitely avoid them. Prices are pricey- my lunchtime mousaka was $13.95 with just a soup. Lunchtime specials run in the $11-$15 range which is on the high side. The best lunchtime special I have had was a turkey meatloaf, maybe they just do turkey well. The food never reaches a more interesting plateau. Good Stuff is open 24 hours a day and works well if you are fiending for just food stuff in a pleasant diner environment, otherwise I would head somewhere else.

Gazala's Place

There are very few Israeli restaurant so I was very excited to eat here. On a stretch of ninth avenue in the forties with lots of Thai joints, Gazala's Place is a sliver of a spot. One side of this place, is a bench lined with Israeli style cushions and pillows. When you walk in on the left is a special oven used to make a very thin whole wheat pita, very unusual. Weekends mean borekas and the special boreka was made with sundried tomato and labaneh cheese. These are warmed and browned and are sinfully good. A small flavorful ice-berg lettuce salad with tabouleh accompanied this dish. I ordered a lovely hummus which was served in a pretty ceramic bowl. Mains of shish and other kebabs are also available. Prices here are pretty reasonable for the location. The bathroom is through a tiny kitchen passing through potatoes and bags of rice to reach the teeny toilet which was moderately clean though toilet paper was M.I.A., fortunately paper towel was handy.

The Smith

The Smith on 3rd Ave between 10th and 11th street is a recently opened American/comfort food restaurant that will satisfy your late night or morning after cravings. This spot in a jammin' loc in the E.V. does comfort food at comfortable prices. The Smith boast an edgy design with white tiled walls and black slate banquets, a well stocked bar and clean bathrooms. I have eaten here twice and have not been dissapointed. My favorite dish here is the creamy roasted tomato soup topped with Vermont cheddar. This scrumptious soup tastes of pure Americana. The mac and cheese arrives in a caste iron skillet and is quite rich and good. Burgers are serviceable and the mushroom ravioli is very good. Ice cream sundaes such as hot fudge and apple pie sundaes are the featured desserts, though not made with any locally made ice-cream, I would fill up on the comfort fare and head to the East Village Ice Cream Factory for dessert if you are feeling like an ice-cream fix.

Remedy Diner

LES has a new 24 hour diner on East Houston and Norfolk Street. This shiny corner restaurant makes up for the much anticipated and quickly closed Loside a few blocks away. Remedy has a retro feel with shiny metal doors with retro glass portals, faux wood, and banquets that are rust and beige. Nice cushiony seats at the counter make the restaurant very appealling to single diners. Waiters wear tshirts with a drawn in bowtie- how cute. Now for the food. I had a dinner special and most were between $12-$16 bucks and that comes with a voluminus amount of food. Nice warm potato rolls and breadsticks first and then a very good tomatoey lentil soup. Next was a a salad that was somewhat browned which was a sign that their salad stock was not too fresh. The main course of tilapia in a provencal sauce with a baked potato and spinanch was cooked to order and the fish was very tasty. Their takeout menu supplies were depleted so more on their menu another time, but I am encouraged that the food will continue to improve with time and increased number of customers. On a second visit with my dad for lunch there is a long list of lunch specials starting at $6.95- $9.00 which include soup and dessert. Good deal. My lunch special of chicken salad with bacon and fries arrived sans bacon. The waiter quickly retrieved some bacon from the kitchen. Dad's paella which was not on the lunch special menu was pretty flavorless. The dessert of bread pudding was warmed and tasty though the waiter forgot to leave off the whipped cream on top. Stick to diner classics here!

Gusto Organics

A new organic food spot opened at the corner of 6th Ave and 14th street called gusto. All menu items are certified organic which for me is code for healthy but bland and tasteless. I won't say the food was the most interesting, or the menu very varied, but it did taste healthful in a pleasant environment. The restaurant is quite large and at lunch was filling up fast. The chairs and tables were a piney wood- very natural looking and a wall of plants added to the zen feeling. From my window view, I watched cartons of boxes that said organic being wheeled into the restaurant so it certified organic no doubt. The bathroom was also spotless and candle scented with a wooden communal sink and glass doored toilet rooms. Oh and the food, well I had the potato and onion soup which had a nice potatoey flavor with no cream, and the margarita pizza also tasted very fresh though the crust amd cheese were not of my dreams. My drink of fresh squeezed orange juice which I was told was squeezed this morning was not as pulpy as I like. There are only a few salad choices- spinich, mixed greans and arugala and alot of pizzas. I would prefer lots more salad choices personally. Well my wish has been answered. On my lunch visit on Monday a salad bar was added with all organic selections and dressings. Start with arugula or spinich greens and add-ons were plentiful including beautiful strawberries, cheeses, peppers, peanuts, and eggs. The dressings were very good including a balsamic vinagrette as well as lemony and strawberry vinagrette. All for $10 served in a large porcelan bowl with real utensils. There are some organic portuguese inspired desseres like alfajores and pasteleras with organic pastry. If you are looking for organic and a pleasant setting you can give this spot a shout out.

Saigon 48

This spot is a real surprise inside. Located in the heart of the theatre district where some Asian restaurants are a bit run down this place is pretty, sleek and serene inside. With a lunch special menu of $6.95, can you really go wrong. Saigon 48 is definitely a cut above the other neighborhood Asian joints. I enjoyed the pork chops which were a generous helping of thinly sliced pork chops, bone in meat, flavored with honey and nicely charred over a bed of Vietnamese fried rice with a spring roll. Very tasty! Other lunch special offerings include sauteed shrimp, sauteed chicken Vietnamese style with ginger and honey as well as the famous Pho(a hearty traditional soup with thinly sliced beef, noodles, basil and hoisin dipping sauce) as well as several others. Lots of newspaper postings hanging in the restaurant indicate that others are keen on this place as well.

Franny's

Back to Brooklyn. At my namessake, they are turning out remarkable pizzas in a modern, though bland restuarant setting. On Flatbush Avenue on the Prospect Heights side this pizza plus joint does many things well. From the house cured meats to lovely appetizers like beets with walnuts, hot peppers and pecorino rossellino. Large, circular fresh beets paired with the crunchy walnuts and spicy peppers and yummy perorino makes for a great start. I have been there several times and have had different pizzas, and all are thin, well charred and flavorful cooked in their brick ovens. The tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and garlic is so juicy with the perfect crust. The unusual clams, chilies and parsley could have had a slight bit more kick to it. The pizza with sausage is super tasty. There is an extensive wine list here and service is neighborhoody and friendly. A lovely garden is a nice summer retreat from the bland interior. Nice bathroom with stenciling.
GO!

Cafe Katja

This little and I mean teeny spot is bangin and charming with Euro architectural touches. Who would have thought an Austrian restaurant on Orchard Street would be this popular, but one taste of the authentic fare explains it all. Now I love Austrian food, being half- Austrian notwithstanding. This spot is owned by an Austrian expat(ya!) the food here is fresh and flavorful. A salad of roasted beets and goat cheese with caraway seeds and pumpkin oil was vinegary and boldly flavored. The red cabbage salad with toasted walnuts, apple and ligonberry dressing also stood out as tart and fresh. Order a warm pretzel served with spicy horseradishy mustard to chow down with the salads. For the main course, the cheese spaetzle with emmantaler and chives was like Austrian mac and cheese. Warm and comforting the mini, mini dumplings called spaetzle were oh so good and even better the next day as leftovers. For dessert the homemade linzer torte with (mit) schlag(homemade whipped cream) was rustic and good. The homemade chocalate cake mit schlag was good as well. The food is very reasonably priced with no entree priced at over $16 and made to order so you can understand the crowd on a cold rainy night. Zer gut meine lieber!