Gennaro
665 Amsterdam Avenue (between 92nd & 93rd)

It seemed a bit out of the way for me to go to the UWS but it was a convenient place to meet a good friend for dinner on Thanksgiving Friday. As it was near Columbia, we hoped it would be emptier with the students all home. We were somewhat right...

This place notoriously do not take reservations -- perhaps part of its charm, but also vexing. It was worrisome to wait for my friend as the place filled up just after 6pm. We barely got a table -- though he told me that usually he waits over 30 minutes for a table. So we were lucky I guess.

It was an inspired choice, as Gennaro was a solid Italian eatery with a very interesting menu. The last statement needs to be qualified, as the list of specials of the day was overwhelming. I don't think I even looked at the menu after the waiter rattled off the huge list of specials.

For a starter we shared the mixed antipasto...this was a huge plate of everything from the meat and vegetable world, and it was a delicious mix. There was just such a great selection, from sausage to shrimp in garlic oil, from grilled artichoke to oyster mushrooms. It was fantastic, a great sharing plate. It would kill the lone diner, I assure you...

For the main course we both had venison chops, one of the day's specials. Cooked expertly medium-rare (and really medium-rare, not like "restaurant" medium-rare if you know what I mean), it was spectacular. Rarely I get good venison cooked well, and this was just delicious. Now I know what the appeal for this place was.

The food was so filling there was no space for dessert, but a double espresso ended the meal perfectly. The place is lively and close-fitting, and it can be a bit chaotic. But I can see its appeal, especially to those seeking both good food and a relaxed atmosphere (qualify that -- it's relaxed at the table, but chaotic everywhere else!). It's a good discovery!

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

wd~50
50 Clinton Street (between Stanton and Rivington)

I had been looking forward to trying wd~50 for many months. The reviews of this place have been glowing. Although I generally don't rely on reviews, I have heard good things about this restaurant in the East Village from those I generally trust about fine dining. The menu looked adventurous too in its use of ingredients. The aesthetics of the food worried me a little (often food that looked too good has had taste sacrificed on the altar of presentation), but nevertheless I was in great anticipation as I walked into this eatery.

Sadly, I was disappointed, to say the least...

The starter of the meal was pickled beef tongue with a mesh of other "decorative" foods like a fried mayonnaise cube. This was a bad start. There was about 50 cents worth of sliced tongue on the well-worn plate, and the mayonnaise was a near disaster. It looked nice, but it was just a ridiculous dish. There was way, way too much strong mayonnaise for the lack of meat on this plate -- totally off-balanced. Again, aesthetics in place of food balance. Not a good start.

The main course was the pork belly, which again suffered greatly from a lack of balance. This time it was the other way around. Five large slices of pork belly was excellent, but its complementary items were shockingly lacking. For a dish as rich as pork belly (especially these rather fatty cuts), there was nearly no support from greens or starch. There was a few small pieces of token vegetables and fried yucca (in a cube that hinted to the same technique as the mayonnaise cubes earlier). It was simply excessive. I would have expected this in a meat-centric restaurant that offered you the option of ordering vegetable sides -- but not in a top-class place that focused on a dish. The food was very rich and good, but the lack of balance for the pork belly ruined this dish completely.

For some reason I opted for dessert, and that was a mistake. Again, way too much visual creativity and it did nothing for the food. The "Irish coffee tube" was a nice gimmick but the mixture on the plate made little sense and were not complementary. If anything, it was created for aesthetics once more -- not for taste.

I had heard great things about the head chef, Wylie Dufresne. However, this was one of the most disappointing meals I've ever had in New York. The cuisine was designed very poorly with absolutely no balance. Too much time and attention is spent on presentation at the total sacrifice of the taste. This is always my fear going into a much-cheered restaurant in New York -- the image over the substance. And sadly, this place fell down flat on the food level.

The decor was pretty low-key and rather boring. The seating is very uncomfortable, and my back actually seized up during the meal for the ridiculous cushions on the seats. It was just a plain, bad experience. Please do avoid this place until they get some common sense back and not rest on just unjustified reviews.

People, food is for eating!

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

Avra
141 East 48th Street (between 3rd and Lexington)

I had dined at this pricey and well-regarded estiatorio in the past, and the mezes here are always excellent. However, this time I was with a good friend looking for a good seafood meal. I had just dined at their nearby competitor Ammos recently, so suggested this place. Wow, was it a mistake.

Don't get me wrong, Avra is not bad, but it's mediocre -- especially on a very busy Friday night. There are so many good places in New York, mediocre just doesn't cut it -- especially at this price. The place was packed and the service was very shaky. The waiters were confused on who ran what table and conflicting info about the fresh fish was offered. The busboys were confused and kept filling tap water into our glasses (despite us drinking bottled). Chaos, I must say.

I had enjoyed the mezes in the past, so we shared two of them. The halloumi (grilled goat cheese) was heavenly as usual. The sepia (sliced cuttlefish) was very nice, as cuttlefish is a treat to find in the US. So that started well.

The main course for me was the lavraki (or loup de mer), the entire fish de-boned. It was not bad, but nothing special. They seemed to have a lack of fish that night, and this neutral and rather boring fish was all that I could enjoy (my friend had the only other offering, the dorado). Plus, the de-boning was not done very well, and I had to side-step decorum by pulling bones out of my mouth... It was just boring...something anyone could easily do.

The worse part of the meal was dessert. Having lived on top of a Greek restaurant for a year while at university, I fell in love with all aspects of Greek food. And I enjoyed one too many baklava over the years -- and what I had that night was singly the worst one I've ever seen. The filo was piled on top dried, and flaked off like corn flakes. The lower parts were dull and tasteless. It looked like it was done so quickly and not scrutinised by the pastry chef and served haphazardly. Shameful.

I left the restaurant rather disappointed. They can do much better. But this is a very large restaurant for Midtown, and that showed in its poor service and lacklustre food. The only thing they did right was the halloumi, but the goat did the work there...

Food: C
Atmosphere: B-
For Lone Diners: B (*)

Porcão -- redux
360 Park Avenue South (at 26th Street)

My last review for Porcão was already flowing, so how can I add more positivity to an already great review? Well, I'm gonna do it anyway, because it is just a fantastic place! I know I turned some of my friends onto the West Side's Plataforma -- another excellent churrascaria -- but Porcão is just the top of the line in New York (plus, it is cheaper!).

I wanted to eat like a madman (plus I'm on the wagon at the moment, so no wine...), so decided on Porcão at the last moment. As it was early in the dining hours, it was not difficult to get a table at the rapidly-filling-up restaurant. I was unfortunately placed right next to the alcohol cart with my beloved Oban and Talisker staring at me, but I resisted...

I went carnivore full-force (though enjoyed the onion rings and fried bananas very much in complement to the meat feast), and ate with reckless abandon for over a half hour. All the cuts were excellent, ranging from the flaming hot sausage to the excellent filet mignon wrapped in bacon. The lamb perhaps was a bit dry, but the pork was excellent. The beef ribs were just spectacular and decadent. But the best cut was the skirt steak...it was sheer heaven. I could eat that all day. It was fatty and salty, but I loved it!

If you fancy a real feast, a total orgiastic meal, this is the place to go. The drinks are fantastic (though not for me this time), the food amazing, and it's simple and fast. It's great for one person, it's great for a group. It is just a fun place!

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

London...oh London...

The reason that there has been no update is that I've been in London, my former home, for the past week. During that time I enjoyed many fine restaurants that I remember fondly from my years there -- ones that would turn the tables around in New York, I guarantee. Here's a few blips of them:

Ping Pong
45 Great Marlborough Street (in Soho)

This is a concept that must appear in New York soon -- the "dimsum bar" concept is just perfect for Manhattan. Dimsum is considered rather healthy due to it being steamed, and this restaurant chain does it spectacularly and with a trendy feel -- a perfect combo for Gotham (if it ever makes it over). This place is always full, and it has expanded with abandon. I was introduced to this restaurant by a good mate and fellow historian, and each meal is quite enjoyable. Their selection of dimsum is excellent, and each visit is a treat. And with a "sushi ordering system" by paper, it is not intimidating like many authentic dimsum places. This is a great place -- the only drawback is that it is way too crowded (often you'll sit with no elbow room at the bars). But it is definitely a great place to have a good solid meal! And try the tea, the presentation is pretty cool. This place just smashes Ruby Foo's in Manhattan into the ground... [A]

Royal China
13 Queensway (between Queensway & Bayswater Tube stations)

As I've said before, one of the very best Chinese restaurants on this planet -- this from a person who is not very fond of Chinese cuisine. I used to live near here for a year and never discovered it until last year when a LibDem mate dragged me in there. What an amazing restaurant, with both authenticity in menu (and what a menu...it's so long it's scary) and taste. For this post-flight late dinner I enjoyed the spicy cold tripe starter (don't knock it until you try it, it is fabulous). The main course was the oyster and tofu hotpot -- spectacular. This restaurant is always busy, so make sure you book -- and try some of the best items on their menu, ranging from braised shark fin to cold jellyfish with roast duck. An amazing place! They have several other locations, but I always use this one. [A+]

Sarkhel's
199 Replingham Road (a few minutes from Southfields Tube station)

One of the best Indian restaurants around. Being in NYC I miss my usual doses of Indian food (on this trip I enjoyed Indian food thrice!), and this place is one of the best. Being further outside of central London makes it more of a pilgrimage than anything. I again met up with my fellow historian and enjoyed a long and scrumptious meal here, tasting the best fish and lamb dishes under the sun. The gade pakori (fish fritters) is just excellent here, and the tandoori pomphret (fish) is just dreamy. It was so good I took another back to my hotel! Spectacular, spectacular, spectacular!!! [A+]

These are just a very few of my favourite restaurants in London. Others include the excellent Spanish El Pirata in Mayfair, the unique "head-to-tail eating" specialty St John in Farringdon, the excellent Japanese Matsuri in Holborn and their fabulous teppanyaki, the simple but filling Japanese stylings of Wagamama off Kensington High Street, the spectacular and creative Polish restaurant Wódka also near HSKen, a creative and excellent Indian restaurant Kishmish next to Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge Stadium, and the aromatic Korean Soho restaurant Myung-Ga and so much more... Goodness, I miss London already!