Bo's Restaurant and Bar

Bo's is a sweet and smashing Southern surprise right in the Flatiron. Calling this food Creole doesn't quite justify it's breadth and scope. The spacious. dining room with it's white brick walls oozes a select spot with it's 4 seater square tables and roomy design. Love at first sight. They make warm monkey bread a sweet, bread that's starts things off right. There are so many amazing sounding things on the menu, it was tough to pick. I went straight for the main. Shrimp Fra Diavolo- $28. Spicy Gulf shrimp grilled over cheese grits and tomato relish. Orgasmic mix of flavors and textures. For dessert we tried the hazelnut profiteroles and blueberry upside down cake with cardomon ice-cream. Both were delectable ends to outstanding meal. Nice retro bathrooms too. The vibe here is so friendly and laid back and the food well, I can't wait to come back. GO! GO!

Rotisserie Georgette

Refined Rotisserie Georgette with it's reservation policy is a reminder of when the Upper East Side was a culinary destination. Ladies and gentlemen of a certain age enter to a sophisticated and expansive rose colored dining room full of genteel touches in dining and service. Grandaisy bread with butter starts the service. The food here begs to be paired with wine which I missed this go-round. I also skipped the appetizers and headed straight to the mains. The poulet roti- $24 is a crispy half bird with a choice of seasonings. Herbs de Provence was my choice and paired with the jus of the gods it is delicious. The crispy potatoes- $7-dark and lovely packed flavor as did the side of Jerusalum artichokes, cauliflower and golden raisins- $10 which tasted better and better as I ate them. For dessert, I indulged in the pairfait. Housemade brown butter ice-cream over a mouse served with chocolate bits and with brown butter sauce- $14. I was perplexed by the presentation. Very neat on a silver dish- it looked like a Chinese restaurant ice-cream. I would have preferred a messier concoction, but the brown butter sauce was debaucherous enough to satisfy. Make a reservation and..... GO! GO!

Empire Diner

The iconic Empire Diner in Chelsea reopens with Amanda Freitag at the helm of this classic, comfort mecca. An one story stand alone spot, Empire Diner like the 11th Street Diner in Miami Beach is iconic. This spot is revamped and romantically lit with a rethought menu with dishes that deserve attention. On the savory side, I went with Pork on Pork- for $21 and chili cheese fries for $11. There were so many choices and with sides at $6, I was tempted, but was bad last night. Now, the heat had failed, the manager frazzled and pretty Amanda Freitag was there to greet, but the food was what I had meandered over for and the savories satisfied. The pork on pork, was a perfectly butchered pork chop with pancetta, cranberry beans over kale. An ideal plate on a frosty night with the pork chop cooked right and tasting delicious. The sweet fries with chili, cheddar and lime crema was a lovely sweet, meat and citrus marriage- very clever. The only food failure was dessert- I went with the warm donut holes with caramel sauce for $7. The holes came out looking like raw sugar and they were. The blobs were warm, though undercooked dough. Nice salted caramel sauce. I immediately sent them back and the cost was removed from the bill. The desserts generally looked underwhelming, but the doughy taste of the donuts was a shock to me. For great savory options and a real NY experience.........GO!

Dinosaur Barbecue

On a frosty, frigid night, I headed to blizzard filled Brooklyn to dine in at Dinosaur Barbecue. Dinosaur normally fills up fast on a Friday, but on the night of the near blizzard was near empty. It's a big roadhouse spot and there is a lot of value in food here. I went with three ribs which came with two sides- $11. A chopped salad was $7. The homemade buttermilk dressing on the salad was mighty tasty, but the salad was just adequate. The ribs were the star- moist, and meaty- super duper. Sides of mac and cheese and turkey neck greens were delish, especially the mac and cheese which had a nice crust and a little spice to it. The Union St. location is down the block from the R train and within an eight block radius to two other great bbq spots- Ft. Reno and Fletcher's. GO!