7 Spring Street between Elizabeth and Bowery 212/777.0877 about $120 for two, with wine pairings, with tip ♥ The $15,000 Enomatic Enoline 8 machine was in place behind the bar when I visited with a friend, but it wasn’t functioning. Tonight’s not the night if you were in the mood for a $90 glass of ...
141 First Avenue between St. Mark’s Place and 9th Street 212/529.2740 about $30 each for three, with sake, with tip ♥ What shoyu, or soy sauce, ramen is to Rai Rai Ken is shio to Setagaya. Shio, or salt, ramen is the only type available at Setagaya, so you better like it more than you ...
136 Division Street between Ludlow and Orchard 212/941.5060 $50 each for five, with two bottles of wine, with tip ♥ I used to know someone who lived on Madison Street in the deep recesses of Chinatown five years ago, but I haven’t been back in the area since then. Before that, Good World on Orchard ...
79 MacDougal Street off Houston 212/260.0100 about $45 each for two, with tip ♥ I’ve been wanting to go to Smith’s since it opened, but every time I would remember to walk by, they always give me an estimated hour-long wait. One Monday night, I was able to get a table for two on short ...
143 Grand Street off Lafayette 212/431.7999 about $45 for two, with tip ♥ Update, 2008: Michael Bao has left Bun I can only imagine how hard it is to work as a waiter/waitress in a city teeming with restaurants, but for everybody’s sanity, find another job if you can’t even put up with a simple ...