Right on MacDougal, The Up & Up is a hidden gem. It’s easy to miss — you have to go downstairs into a relatively spacious dark room. First, outside, there is usually someone who puts you down on the waiting list. I am surprised that there is usually almost always a bit of a wait,…
Tag: SoHo
Monte’s Trattoria – Greenwich Village
Right splat in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Macdougal Street lays Monte’s — a hardcore, old school Italian restaurant with no frills. Chef Pietro Mosconi has two restaurants, both of which are within the same couples of blocks — Monte’s and Villa Mosconi. I’ve been to both of these restaurants, and I…
Trattoria Spaghetto – West Village
After discovering that one of our all-time favorite restaurants — Café Español — devastatingly closed, we decided to head over here to Trattoria Spaghetto. Apparently, this is the restaurant that served my mother her very first breakfast in the United States. I’d been to this restaurant before prior to the advent of this blog, but…
Villa Mosconi – Greenwich Village
I have passed Villa Mosconi for most of my life on the way to Bleecker Street on Macdougal. The restaurant is more secluded from the hectic nightlife scene on Bleecker, but there is an old-school feel to the joint as you pass it. We finally decided to eat at this family-run Italian restaurant. Upon entry,…
Onegin – Greenwich Village
Onegin is a beautiful Russian restaurant in Greenwich Village with fabulous interior decor. The most noteworthy part of the interior was the ceiling, with verses written that are likely from Russian author Alexander Pushkin. The name of the restaurant comes from one of Pushkin’s novels, Eugene Onegin. The entire interior is beautifully decorated, actually. The…
Taras Bulba – SoHo
Taras Bulba is on West Broadway right by the heart of SoHo. I never noticed this restaurant before, but the entryway is very inviting and intriguing. The restaurant is Ukrainian with plenty of old-school Eastern European decor, and waitstaff dressed in traditional outfits. There is live music in the evening around 8 PM. There is…
Carbone – Greenwich Village
I’ve wanted to go to Carbone for a long time, especially after seeing Insta after Insta of its famous spicy rigatoni vodka pasta. There was only one problem — getting a reservation. Acquiring a reservation at Carbone requires some diligence and luck. They are usually booked for a week or two in advance, and their…
Magnum Ice Cream Pop-Up – SoHo
All over my Instagram, I have seen nothing but ostentatious chocolate ice cream pops covered with toppings and aesthetic sauces. Straight out of an Orgo test with apparently only two days left to try this little “pop-up” store in the city, it was essential that we venture out to Magnum. I was expecting the ice…
Rocco’s Bakery – West Village
Another family favorite, I remember going to Rocco’s ever since I was little. It’s a classic Italian bakery, with every pastry, cookie, cake, gelato, cappuccino, espresso, and fine Italian dessert one could think of. It’s a big place, with plenty of seating extending all the way to the back of the bakery. But finding seats…
Old Tbilisi Garden – West Village
My thoughts on Old Tbilisi went from 0 to 100 real quick. I’ve been there three times, and the first two times, I will admit, I was disappointed. But the third time, I totally fell in love with the place. Now, I need to take a moment to discuss my initial bias going…
Kati Roll – West Village
One of my college roommates told me about this place right in the middle of Macdougal Street. I’ve even to Macdougal literally hundreds of times, since it’s probably my dad’s favorite place on earth. He lived there for 15 years and prides himself on knowing the in’s and out’s of the neighborhood. Macdougal Street…
Dominique Ansel Bakery – SoHo
Perhaps no other bakery is so widespread on Instagram than Dom Ansel, with flaky Cronuts, trendy cookie shots, and delicately stylish desserts. I was able to pop in quick one afternoon with some friends to try these famous cookie shots, and see what Dom Ansel is all about. The place itself has…
Gabby's Choice 