Phoenix Garden
242 East 40th Street (between 2nd and 3rd)

Ugh...bad mistake. I was horribly tired on a Friday evening and everyone seemed to be busy, so I decided to get a take-out. I figured to order more and to just keep it for later. Nah, didn't work out that way at all. I usually am not a big fan of Chinese food, and this place just wrecks that even further. Awful!

First of all, it took ages to get them to take my order (3 calls and 3 minutes of waiting). The food was bland at best. The spring rolls were boring and the chives dumpling was old -- like it was steamed hours ago. The jellyfish was more like pickles and carrots with a few strings of jellyfish. A total rip-off. The sweet and sour soup was fine, but not worth that cost.

The "golden fried" tofu was a complete joke, as the batter was melting off the tasteless tofu. The oyster and roast pork and tofu casserole was another joke -- the oysters covered by the same disgusting uncooked batter as the tofu, and there was almost no pork nor tofu to be found. Ugh...
This was a horribly expensive experiment, I ended up dumping half the food as they were totally disgusting. I wouldn't even feed this to stray cats downstairs... They're my local Chinese place, so I need to find something else to get emergency deliveries when I can't get to the market. Ugh...this was bad! Avoid!

Food: D--
Atmostphere: n/a
For Lone Diners: n/a

* This restaurant was re-reviewed.

Turkish Kitchen
386 Third Avenue (between 27th and 28th)

Don't be confused by the relatively generic name of this place -- this is one of the top Turkish restaurants in New York, if not the world (outside of Turkey, of course). This restaurant was recommended to me by my dining companion and stupid me, I didn't think of making reservations. Thank goodness they chose to open up the upstairs section, or else we would have been waiting for awhile...

This is a spectacular restaurant, a perfect place for a romantic evening. The dimmed lights and use of reds on the walls and furnishing gives it a spectacular ambience for amour. There was a VIP party upstairs (I'll elaborate later) so the tables were placed a little cramped -- but it was my fault for not reserving something. So no minus points on atmosphere here.

The food was spectacular. As the two of us knew how heavy Turkish food can be, we chose to both have just the main course. I enjoyed tandir -- sliced roast leg of lamb. Turkish kitchens always do lamb with such love and dedication, and this particular Turkish Kitchen excelled at this craft. The lamb was tender and flavourful, but there was no "hiding" of the natural taste of lamb -- a sign of real respect and love for this wonderful meat. I was nearly in heaven with this. My dining companion enjoyed the iskender kebab -- which was absolutely delicious (the lamb was nice and moist, something many Turkish restaurants fail at for this particular dish).

We shared the almond pudding for dessert (this restaurant, like most Turkish establishments, use the "ambush" method of dessert selection), which was delicious. Throughout the meal I mentioned to my dining companion I was surprised with the VIP table in the room. Of course the UN General Assembly had already concluded, so I was surprised when I saw Turkish Foreign Minister (and Deputy Prime Minister) Abdullah Gül at the centre of the table. This is perhaps the best advertisement for the restaurant in my head.

As we left the restaurant trying to hail down a cab in front of several Secret Service protection vehicles, I still savoured the taste of that delicious lamb. This restaurant has totally won me over, and I shall be back often!

Food: A
Atmosphere: A
For Lone Diners: B (*)

Ureña
37 East 28th Street (between Park and Madison)

With so many good Spanish dining spots around town, I wonder how I got talked into dinner last Friday night by a good friend of mine at Ureña. As we walked in, I figured it would be at least a good experience -- the atmosphere was relaxed and not stiff, a bit of Iberian casualness that made Spanish dining as rich as French but as enjoyable as Italian.

I will admit that the menu was a little disappointing. There seems to be no tapas list -- just a daily chef's creation. Nice touch, but I rather see what I order -- especially tapas. The tasting menu had so many dishes not on the main menu it was frustrating. Nevertheless the menu looked appetising.

I wasn't all that hungry, so I only had a main dish -- el cochinillo. Basically sucking pig, it was done nicely but nothing too spectacular. It was a bit too "Americanised" in its presentation and cut (in London if you want to enjoy good cochinillio the place is El Pirata in Mayfair). Good, but not special -- like this rich dish should be.

Overall this is a nice little spot if you want some good Spanish food. However, if you really want a treat and have a really enjoyable Iberian experience, there are other choices in Midtown (such as El Pote or Alcala).

Food: B
Atmosphere: B
For Lone Diners: B+ (*)

Trio
167 East 33rd Street (between 3rd and Lexington)

I ended up in Trio alone on a Thursday night after my plans fell through. A relatively late seating for a Thursday offered me a quiet and enjoyable meal...or so I thought. The meal was fantastic, and I shall elaborate -- but it's amazing how a great meal can be ruined by those seated around you. If the food wasn't so good, I would have probably smacked the putz sitting on the table to the right. Complete tosser.

Anyway, getting back to the food -- after dealing with that all-too-common problem when dining out alone in a big city of the idiots' and losers' parade -- the meal was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by all aspects of this meal, ranging from the ambience (can easily be very romantic) to the menu choice. The piano playing in the background was a nice added touch, especially with a nice glass of white. If you've not had the pleasure of enjoying Croatian wine, please do try it -- it is excellent and unique (as many of the grapes are totally native).

Trio is a Dalmatian-centric restaurant. For those of you not totally up to European geography, the Dalmatian coast is the "downward fork" of Croatia. Look at your map and find places like Split and Dubrovnik and you'll see this diverse and fantastic region -- blessed by sun and culture and becoming one of the hottest destinations in Europe. The cuisine has blends of Balkan, Central European and Italian, taking advantage of the richness of the seas.

My starter was grilled calamari -- and that was absolutely delicious. Too many restaurants (to save costs by buying frozen squid from...ugh, China) just deep fry these wonderful treats, which just ruins the texture and taste (may as well eat overcooked onion rings), but Trio grilled it in a delicious mix of olive oil and balsamic. Excellent, I was more than happy by now (despite that moron next to me having a near fit).

For the main course I chose to have the lamb shank. I had thought of enjoying some Croatian specialties, but I was in a mood for lamb. The piece was excellent and cooked well -- dripping off the bone. A nice selection of vegetables on the side made this an excellent dish.

I usually do not have dessert, but I was tempted into the coconut creme caramel -- which was a delicious conclusion to this meal. I enjoyed a nice grappa and treated myself to a sljivovica as well to close off the meal. By then the idiot adjacent had departed, so the experience finished on a high.

Trio is a fantastic restaurant for romantic outings, group dining, or even for the single person like me. Many restaurants treat lone diners without understanding, but Trio realises there's only so much you can do by yourself sitting there -- and is prompt with service. The cuisine is rather unique even by New York standards, so it is definitely worth a try -- you will become a fan.

Food: A-
Atmosphere: A--
For Lone Diners: A-

La Carne Grill
340 Lexington Avenue (between 39th and 40th)

Oh goodness, this was a bad choice to start this blog. I had dinner there last night as it was a few blocks walk from home, and it was a really bad choice. From the moment I walked in I felt this would be a disaster. I had read other reviews on-line (which I don't take seriously too often), but it was foreboding.

The service was fine, though they were totally overstaffed and most of the wait staff just loitered around chatting with the lack of customers this Wednesday evening. The main appeal of this place is that it is a kosher steakhouse -- and from what I gathered, that is the only appeal of the place. I think even strict adherers of kosher dietary rules should avoid this place.

The prime rib I ordered was nothing special. It was a bone-in piece with a stranger-than-usual cut (that covered a few other cuts than the rib-eye) and was nowhere near the 20oz size they scared me with. The steak was significantly smaller and the bone was excessive.

The flavour of the steak was again nothing special. The cooking was uneven; I had ordered medium rare and got one side at medium well and the other at the correct medium-rare (unfortunately I had started on the medium well side). Whenever a steakhouse brings out various sauces to use, it tells me the quality of the meat is not up to scratch -- and it was a mediocre piece of meat.

The vegetable selection (seasonal) was pretty lame and cooked badly. I wouldn't be surprised if it was an offering from the microwave. Tasteless and of poor quality. I had wanted to avoid my usual fave of spinach at this meal (since I don't know where their source is with this recent e.Coli outbreak), and this was a mistake.

I do have to say the cappuccino cake was excellent. I usually do not take dessert with my meals, but this time I did and it was worth it -- the best part of the meal (those who know me would say that is most unusual for me to say). But that reflects on how mediocre the rest of the meal was.

Frankly, this place is over-priced and of poor quality for that high cost. The cooking had "cooking school" written all over it rather than a serious steakhouse. That is just sad, a place that lacked imagination and creativity. And frankly, it is a waste of money.

Food: C-
Atmosphere: C+
For Lone Diners: B

Tintol
155 West 46th Street (between Americas and Broadway)

What a wonderful place! Portuguese food has never been given proper credit for its wonderful and diverse flavours -- especially with the recent interest in Spanish tapas and Brazilian churrascarias. However, Tintol is a wonderful little place in the midst of Brazilian eateries that shine far beyond the West Side.

The restaurant focuses on Portuguese tapas themselves, and the diverse flavours of Portugal presented is just magical -- from the traditional bacalhau to the Porto-loved tripe, the selection is tantalising.

This, for all the right reasons, is a horrible place for a lone diner to enjoy -- because there is way too many good choices. It will force you to frequent this place, or to gather all your friends for a feast -- and then you'll be able to taste all the magical flavours in this restaurant.

The wine selection is excellent here as well, complementing the food successfully. I enjoy diverse tastes, and always have a nice selection to take with me since I over-order here. I especially enjoy the bolos de bacalhau (smoked cod fritters), tripas a modo do Porto (Porto-styles tripe), the ever-favourite and aesthetically fun flaming chorico, and all the grilled shellfish. My personal fave -- which is not to many people's taste -- is morcela (blood sausage), and Tintol does an excellent job.

Overall, this is a wonderful place to feast or to enjoy a nice meal alone (though the choices will inevitably cause you to keep coming back). This is one of the secret gems of Manhattan, and they deserve much success in the coming years!

Food: A
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: A-

I Trulli
122 East 27th Street (between Park and Lexington)

I have dined at I Trulli several times in recent months due to their more-than-usual menu selection. However, each time I've dined there -- either with a companion or alone -- I have questioned their service. The restaurant is extremely popular for good reason, as the food is excellent. Nevertheless, each visit comes with a service headache that keeps me from frequenting the place more often.

As someone who often differentiate between "Italian" cuisine and "Italian-American" cuisine and a frequent critic of the "boilerplate" Italian menus in most restaurants (almost like Chinese restaurants), I Trulli does offer a menu for those who really enjoy flavours from Italy. I was first attracted to the restaurant when I saw the menu that boasted cuttlefish -- a rarity here (but my favourite while travelling in the Veneto and towards Trieste). Looking at the menu, this is sure an exciting place to check out.

My first experience was during Easter weekend -- and was forced to wait despite having a reservation. Other visits there also had seating problems and lacklustre and indifferent service by the staff. The one occasion that I dined there alone the restaurant was absolutely empty -- and when a party came in towards the tail end of my meal, they just had to put them right next to me in a very large restaurant. They apologised afterwards, but nevertheless, it shows a complete lack of thinking by the service staff.

Still, the food -- for the most part -- was absolutely excellent. I was a little disappointed to see my usual choice of mixed grill removed from the menu (the cuttlefish is only available on the tasting menu now). The entire raison d'etre for going there is gone, which is sad. Nevertheless, the grilled octopus started is excellent. The panzerotti (so-called "mini-calzones), offered when my meal was delayed for some odd reason, was not bad. But whenever I enjoyed a starter I stuck to the octopus. At times I opted for a pasta starter (they do offer a starter-sized portion of all pastas), and the malloreddus is quite nice (I miss Sardinia now). They have a good reputation for hand-made pasta, and it is well-deserved.

For the main course, I used to always have the mixed grill -- as previously mentioned -- and that was indeed excellent. I always loved cuttlefish, and getting that with prawns and octopus is always a joy. I remember a wonderful mixed grill I enjoyed orgasmically in Trieste -- cuttlefish, prawns, octopus, squid, fish, and more for just a few euro... But now, with the menu change, nothing really jumps out at me anymore. The dishes are nice, but it's nothing special anymore.

Overall, the restaurant is popular for a good reason -- it has a diverse and excellent menu, and the pasta is wonderful. However, the service is poor even if the restaurant is not busy. But if you are patient and are tired of the "boilerplate" Italian menu, then I Trulli could be a good option for you to try. But emphasise the patience part.

Food: A-
Atmosphere: B+
For Lone Diners: B-

Opening Dish

I came up with the idea of this blog as a single thirties-something that recently moved to Manhattan. As someone who enjoys spending hours and hours in the kitchen and considers himself an excellent chef of various cuisines, I have always hesitated to eat out -- unless I know I can't do better. But now in Manhattan, with much more dining options coupled with less grocery shopping options, I figured I'll test the skills of Manhattan restauranteurs on their cuisine -- as well as how they treat a lone diner. I will focus on the latter, as this is a city of single people as well -- and few restaurants are good at dealing with us.

I enjoy various cuisine, ranging from Italian to Turkish, from Hungarian to Peruvian, from Korean to Indian, from Estonian to Aboriginal. The joy of life is variety, after all. However, I am a traditionalist, and I shun "fusion" cuisine. Frankly, if you can't do one cuisine right, then try to mix them. I also detest restaurants that sacrifice taste for aesthetics -- that's for magazines and TV, not for us real food lovers.

Aside from reviews of the "Lone Diner" and his experience, I will add some other insights on the culinary scene in New York and in my extensive travels around the world here. Of course, as a single guy (and looking) I won't always be dining alone, but I will remark on them. I will open with a few reviews of restaurants I have been to in the past few months here in NYC just to get things moving, but will from that point on keep things recent.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog, and enjoy!