SOME OF MY FAVORITES..

As a resident of the East Williamsburg/Bushwick area, I love to discover new places in my part of the borough. One of my favorites (and possibly my favorite place) is El Almacen in Williamsburg. It is the perfect place for a date as it's setting is very romantic but homey as well. I really love the brick walls and the pots and pans used as wall decor. It's pretty much what I would want my own restaurant to look like if I had one. It's Argentinian cuisine which is typically alot of meat, so not there aren't too many vegetarian options . For appetizers we ordered the avocado fries, which are pretty much exactly what you think, but something you don't see on every menu. We split the tacos de carne and the homemade Papardelle for our entrees. I loved the tacos but the pasta dish had coffee braised oxtail (which I realize sounds delicious) however, I wasn't loving it. Overall, the dessert was really the best. I only say this because I probably have the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know and churros dipped in warm dulce de leche is pretty hard to top in my book. //$$$

(557 Driggs Ave between 6th St & 7th St Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.218.7284)















Another place my boyfriend Greg and I frequent, is Awash in the East Village.  I never thought I liked Ethiopian food, but after going here I don't know how I could have ever believed that. If you're looking for a swanky, hip destination to take someone to, this is not the place. But if you just want really good food and excellent service, definitely try this modest gem.

We always order the lamb platter which comes with your choice of a few veggies all served on a spongy bread plate. You eat everything with your hands (utensils are not provided), and the best part is that when you're done, you get to eat the spongy bread that you're meal was served on. Any restaurant where it's appropriate to eat your plate, is a place I stand behind. //$$

P.S. Don't forget to order the honey wine!

(338 East 6th Street NY, NY 10003 212.982.9589)

For my birthday last year, Greg took me to Alta in the village. This is one of the places that I recommend most often. For me, the atmosphere or decor of a restaurant is almost equally as important as the food. Alta is superior in both.  It was romantic but would also be a great place to go with a group as its pretty spacious. Because of the size of the plates, you have to order a few which can get a little pricey- especially if you order drinks, so that makes this the perfect place for a special occasion, or if you just feel like splurging.

The menu itself is ridiculous. It's composed of small plates, which we shared about 5 of. Being as indecisive as I am (especially when it comes to ordering food), it took me forever to decide because there are about 50 tapas to choose from.  I really think it would be hard to make a bad choice here. And if you're really indecisive, or just have an extremely large party, you can order the entire menu for a grand total of $420. Actually if you think about it, that's pretty reasonable if you have a party of 10 or more.  I hope to be able to do that one day. // $$$

(64 West 10th St. NY, NY 10011 212.505.7777)