La Piazzetta, Brooklyn (Williamsburg)

Brooklyn has literally hundreds of Italian restaurants spread out over its many neighborhoods, with some, of course, better than others. And La Piazzetta, Restaurant and Bar, which makes its home in the Williamsburg neighborhood of the borough (right next to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway) appears to be one of the really good ones.

La Piazzetta is located in a close-knit old-Brooklyn neighborhood that isn't quite as quirky or offbeat as some of the other parts of Williamsburg, which has become an artist colony of sorts. The interior is cozy and romantic, with a nice mix of exposed brick and greenery in the dining area. The menu features mostly Northern Italian cuisine, with such dishes as tubettini with onions, mushrooms, and squash, risotto with shrimp, sauteed pork tenderloin, and braised lamb shank. A number of soups, salads, appetizers, and sides are also offered, including butternut squash soup, seafood salad, and grilled mini pizzas.

If you have been to La Piazzetta in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for La Piazzetta:
La Piazzetta Restaurant and Bar
442 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn (Williamsburg), NY, 11211

The phone number is:
(718) 349-1627

And here is the Web site for La Piazzetta:
http://www.lapiazzettany.com/

Roberto's, Bronx (Belmont)

Not all of the best Italian restaurants in New York City are located in Manhattan or Brooklyn. Take, for example, Roberto's in the Belmont section of the Bronx (also known as Arthur Avenue, Fordham, and Little Italy). If this classic Italian dining spot were located in Manhattan, it would probably be much better known. But relatively few out-of-towners visit the Bronx, even though it has some incredibly interesting sections, particularly the heavily-Italian Belmont neighborhood.

Roberto's is old-Italian at its best, from the cozy and seductive atmosphere to the professional staff to the wide variety of foods offered. The menu includes such standbys as pasta e fagioli, calamari, antipasto, penne alla vodka, linguini with clams, chicken alla caprese, and veal scallopine. But there is much more on the menu as well, including lesser-known dishes such as grilled rabbit and pasta in zucchini sauce. Prices are about what you would expect, with many dishes being around $15 to $25.

If you have been to Roberto's in the Little Italy section of the Bronx, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Roberto's:
Roberto's
603 Crescent Avenue
Bronx (Belmont), NY, 10458

The phone number is:
(718) 733-9503

And here is the Web site for Roberto's:
http://www.roberto089.com/index_r.html

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, Queens (Long Island City)

The Astoria neighborhood within the Long Island City section of Queens is a bustling area that is home to countless restaurants, including a number of Greek dining spots as well as some Eastern and Central European restaurants. In the latter category is a Czech restaurant on 24th Avenue that has the last original outdoor beer garden in the six boroughs of New York. The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, as it is known, is an historic landmark that has been around since the early 1900s, and oozes history from every nook and cranny.

The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden consists of an indoor restaurant and bar in addition to the outdoor beer garden. The menu consists of a variety of traditional Czech dishes, including chicken crepes, chicken schnitzel, goulash and dumplings, Pirogies, and potato pancakes. And, of course, the place has a huge beer list, including a number of microbrews.

If you have been to Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in the Long Island City section of Queens, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden:
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
2919 24th Avenue
Queens (Long Island City), NY, 11435

The phone number is:
(718) 274-4925

And here is the Web site for the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden:
http://www.bohemianhall.com/

Puttanesca, Manhattan (Hell's Kitchen)

Hell's Kitchen might sound scary to people from out of town, but it is no longer the tough, gritty neighborhood (and yes, at times scary) place that it used to be. But while there has been some gentrification, Hell's Kitchen hasn't become the "in" place that neighborhoods such as TriBeCa and NoHo turned into. So it remains a secret place in some ways, with a lot of interesting points of interest as well as shops and restaurants that visitors to New York may never see, even though it is within sight of the Theatre District.

One of the many restaurants in Hell's Kitchen that is more known to the locals than tourists and business travelers is an Italian dining spot called Puttanesca. It may not be the best Italian restaurant in New York, but it is a solid, reasonably priced red-sauce joint that has a wide variety of dishes, including all kinds of pastas, plus veal, chicken, seafood, and steak dishes. The atmosphere is attractive with chandeliers, exposed brick, and rounded archways, and there is a pretty good amount of room in the restaurant

If you have been to Puttanesca in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Puttanesca:
Puttanesca
859 Ninth Avenue
Manhattan, NY, 10019

The phone number is:
(212) 581-4177

And here is the Web site for Puttanesca:
http://puttanescanyc.com/

Mumbles Restaurant, Manhattan (Gramercy/Union Square)

Sometimes folks who are visiting Manhattan (or who live there!) just want to go to a completely unpretentious, reasonably-priced restaurant without having to resort to a takeout place or a noisy college hangout. And while Manhattan has plenty of every kind of restaurant imaginable, including low-key, unflashy dining spots, sometimes it is difficult to find one if you don't know where they are. So get a good restaurant guide, talk to locals, and, for those who happen to be in the Gramercy Park/Union Square area, read on, as one of these restaurants does exist in this part of Manhattan; it is a restaurant with an odd name (Mumbles) and it certainly certainly seems to fit this category.

Mumbles Restaurant is a fairly spacious place that has a candlelit dining area, a bar, and an outdoor terrace for the warmer months. The menu is a mix of comfort food, slightly upscale bistro dishes, and Italian and American cuisine, including French onion soup, quesadillas, chicken francese, Chilean sea bass, meatloaf, crab cakes, cheese ravioli, and pizza.

If you have been to Mumbles Restaurant in Manhattan, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Mumbles Restaurant:
Mumbles Restaurant
179 3rd Avenue
Manhattan, NY, 10003

The phone number is:
(212) 477-6066

And here is the Web site for Mumbles Restaurant:
http://www.mumblesnyc.com/

Liman Restaurant, Brooklyn (Sheepshead Bay)

The Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn is an interesting neighborhood with great water views, quiet side streets, and a downtown area that feels like a small town in some ways. But few would call Sheepshead Bay a true restaurant destination, especially compared with other sections of Brooklyn. Yes, there are some cozy neighborhood spots, but for diners looking for a wide variety of places to eat, neighborhoods closer to Manhattan such as Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, and Carroll Gardens might be better options.

If you do happen to be in Sheepshead Bay, however, there are a handful of choices that locals and visitors alike tend to frequent; one of these is a Turkish seafood restaurant called Liman. Located right on the bay, the restaurant combines interesting dishes with outdoor dining in warmer months to make for a terrific overall experience. Some of the items on the menu include eggplant salad, pan-fried anchovies, lentil soup, royal durado, baked flounder, Turkish meatballs, and octopus casserole. The wine list at Liman is impressive, with options available from Turkey and the Republic of Georgia, as well as several other countries.

If you have been to Liman Restaurant in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Liman Restaurant:
Liman Restaurant
2710 Emmons Avenue
Brooklyn (Sheepshead Bay), NY, 11235
(718) 769-3322

And here is the Web site for Liman Restaurant:
http://limanrestaurant.com/

Liebman's Deli, Bronx (Riverdale)

Have you ever been to Riverdale? Unless you live in New York (and even then it's not a guarantee), you probably have never heard of the place. Riverdale is a part of New York that feels nothing like the rest of the city. Indeed, parts of this Bronx neighborhood feel more like Westchester County or Southwestern Connecticut with its large homes, elegant shops, and tree-shaded streets. But Riverdale is also home to some remnants of old-school New York, including a delicatessen called Liebman's that is an institution of sorts to locals in this wealthy neighborhood.

Liebman's Deli is perhaps only three blocks from the busy Henry Hudson Parkway, but the vast majority of folks on that road probably don't even know of its existence. It is a throwback of a place that has been around since the early 1950s, serving Kosher dishes that are the epitome of comfort food. Items such as knishes, potato pancakes, kasha varnishkas, gefilte fish, nova, pickled herring, tongue, pastrami, corned beef, and much, much more can be ordered here. Add to this relatively easy parking and moderate prices (compared to delis in Manhattan), and you have yourself a deli lover's dream in the upper reaches of the Bronx.

If you have been to Liebman's Deli in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Liebman's Deli:
Liebman's Deli
552 West 235th Street
Brooklyn (Riverdale), NY, 10463

The phone number is:
(718) 548-4534

And here is the Web site for Liebman's Deli:
http://www.liebmansdeli.com/

La Strada, Staten Island

In our last post, we mentioned how the Bronx and Staten Island are in many ways the lesser-known of the five New York boroughs, though to be fair, the Bronx goes get its fair share of visitors. Staten Island, however, does not; it seems in many ways more of a suburb than a part of New York City. Because of this, visitors to the area often miss out on an area that has many points of interest, as well as good shopping and dining. And the dining part is what we focus on here, as we talk about a highly regarded Italian restaurant on Staten Island called La Strada that would probably be a lot more popular if it were in Park Slope or Greenwich Village.

La Strada is a large restaurant that is located in the busy neighborhood of New Dorp (toward the eastern end of the island). Because of the restaurant's impressive size (a rarity in much of New York City), it does much in the way of parties, functions, and catering. The menu at La Strada is varied and extensive, with all kinds of appetizers and salads as well as pasta, chicken, steak, veal, and seafood dishes.

If you have been to La Strada in Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for La Strada:
La Strada
139 New Dorp Lane
Staten Island, NY, 10306

The phone number is:
(718) 667-4040

And here is the Web site for La Strada:
http://www.cafelastrada.com/

Lobster Box, Bronx (City Island)

Most visitors to New York City tend to stick to Manhattan, with a smaller number going to Brooklyn and Queens. Meanwhile, Staten Island and the Bronx see relatively little in the way of tourism and business travelers, which is a shame, as both boroughs have some real finds, including City Island in the Bronx. City Island is more like a seaside village than a part of the biggest cities in America. A number of seafood restaurants can be found here, including a place called the Lobster Box.

Located right on the water, the Lobster Box affords diners some incredible views of Long Island Sound, which more or less ends near City Island. The restaurant is spacious, with a number of tables and booths in each room of the place. The menu features all kinds of seafood, including catfish, salmon, sole, swordfish, and tuna, as well as several steak, chicken, and pasta dishes for those who do not eat seafood.

If you have been to the Lobster Box in the City Island section of the Bronx, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for the Lobster Box:
The Lobster Box
34 City Island Avenue
Brooklyn (City Island), NY, 10464

The phone number is:
(718) 885-1952

And here is the Web site for the Lobster Box:
http://www.lobsterboxrestaurant.com/

Tonio's Italian Cuisine, Brooklyn (Park Slope)

Park Slope is one of Brooklyn's wealthiest neighborhoods and is a bit trendy in places, but it wasn't always this way. And there are still pockets of old Brooklyn in this charming area, including some old-fashioned Italian restaurants such as Tonio's Italian Cuisine, a little-known spot on 7th Avenue in the heart of the neighborhood.

Tonio's is a family-owned dining spot that sticks to the basics of Italian food. A true red-sauce joint, Tonio's features many familiar items on its menu, including antipasto, minestrone soup, spaghetti and meatballs, linguine with clam sauce, homemade lasagna, filet mignon, and veal chops. Prices are good, with many items being under $20.

If you have been to Tonio's Italian Cuisine in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Tonio's:
Tonio's Italian Cuisine
306 7th Avenue
Brooklyn (Park Slope), NY, 11215

The phone number is:
(718) 965-4252

And here is the Web site for Tonio's:
http://toniosrestaurant.com/

O Lavrador, Queens (Jamaica)

Portuguese restaurants, while plentiful in parts of neighboring New England (especially around Fall River, New Bedford, Providence, and Cambridge), are relatively difficult to find in and around New York City. But there is a Portuguese dining spot in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens called O Lavrador Restaurant that has quite a local following.

Just a short drive from JFK Airport, O Lavrador is a good alternative to the chain restaurants that can be found around this area. The atmosphere at O Lavrador is a mix of traditional Portuguese and old-school New York, and the menu features such dishes as chourico, octopus, collard green soup, chicken cutlets, codfish stew, shrimp and rice, and sirloin steak with ham and egg on in brown sauce.

If you have been to O Lavrador in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for O Lavrador:
O Lavrador Restaurant
138-140 101st Avenue
Queens (Jamaica), NY, 11435

The phone number is:
(718) 526-1526

And here is the Web site for O Lavrador:
http://lighthousenews.us/restaurants/olavrador/

Paul's Da Burger Joint, Manhattan (East Village)

The East Village of Manhattan has so many restaurants that it is tough to keep track of them. Many of the restaurants in this slightly gritty (and very quirky) neighborhood are small, cheap eats kinds of places. And Paul's Da Burger Joint on 2nd Avenue at St. Mark's Place is certainly fits into this mold.

Paul's Da Burger Joint (which has a sign in the window stating "NYC's Best Burger") is all about cheap, quick, greasy food. Indeed, if you are a health-conscious diner, you might want to look elsewhere. The menu at Paul's Da Burger Joint features all kinds of burgers (turkey burgers), including an unusual beef burger tartare. There are a few other items on the menu as well, including a sausage hero, a fish filet sandwich, and an all-beef hot dog. Prices are dirt cheap (as you would expect), with many of the half-pound burgers costing between $5 and $7.

If you have been to Paul's Da Burger Joint in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Paul's Da Burger Joint:
Paul's Da Burger Joint
131 2nd Avenue
Manhattan (East Village), NY, 10003

The phone number is:
(212) 529-3033

And here is the Web site for Paul's Da Burger Joint:
http://www.paulsburgers.com/

Nelson Blue, Manhattan (South Street Seaport)

Manhattan has nearly every kind of cuisine imaginable within its city streets, but....New Zealand? Yes, there is actually a restaurant in the Big Apple that features New Zealand-style food. It is called Nelson Blue, and it is located in the South Street Seaport district of Lower Manhattan.

Nelson Blue is a restaurant and bar that resides in one of Manhattan's most touristy neighborhoods, yet it isn't exactly a household name (perhaps because people don't know enough about New Zealand food). The food at Nelson Blue is a mix of familiar items (popcorn shrimp, sliders, grilled salmon, meatloaf) and dishes that might not be as well-known (lamb pot pie, beans on toast, leg of venison). Prices for entrees are mostly between $10 and $20.

If you have been to Nelson Blue in the South Street Seaport section of Lower Manhattan, please tell us by posting a comment on this site. Thanks!

Here is the address for Nelson Blue:
Nelson Blue
233 Front Street
Manhattan, NY, 10038

The phone number is:
(212) 346-9090

And here is the Web site for Nelson Blue:
http://nelsonblue.com/

Zlata Praha, Queens (Astoria)

In our last entry, we featured a Polish restaurant in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. This time, we head a bit north (or south, cuisine-wise) to a Czech and Slovak restaurant called Zlata Praha in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens.

Zlata Praha is a relatively little-known restaurant that does, however, attract famous Czechs (such as the former NHL hockey player Dominik Hasek) when they happen to be in town. The atmosphere is old-Europe, and the menu items reflect this, with such entrees as sauerbraten, papirkash, goulash, boiled beef, stuffed cabbage rollentine, fruit dumplings, and breaded cauliflower. Prices are reasonable, with main dishes generally being well under $20.

If you have been to Zlata Praha in the Astoria section of Queens, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Zlata Praha:
Zlata Praha
28-48 31st Street
Queens (Astoria), NY, 11102

The phone number is:
(718) 721-6422

And here is the Web site for Zlata Praha:
http://www.zlatapraha.cc/main.htm

Karczma Polish Restaurant, Brooklyn (Greenpoint)

Even in a city as large as New York, some types of food are relatively hard to find, and one of these seems to be Polish cuisine. There are a few Polish restaurants scattered through Manhattan and the other boroughs, however, including a dining spot called Karczma Polish Restaurant in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.

Greenpoint has a fairly large polish population, so it would seem like a natural place to find a restaurant such as Karczma. The interior of the restaurant has a traditional feel to it, and the food and music are similarly authentic. Dishes at Karczma include borscht, herring In cream, pierogis, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, roasted hocks, and beef goulash. Prices are very reasonable, with most main entrees being around or just under $10.

If you have been to Karczma Polish Restaurant in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Karczma:
Karczma Polish Restaurant
136 Greenpoint Avenue
Brooklyn (Greenpoint), NY, 11222

The phone number is:
(718) 349-1744

And here is the Web site for Karczma:
http://karczmabrooklyn.com/

Trinity Place, Lower Manhattan

Over the past few weeks, I have been to a rather interesting restaurant called Trinity Place a couple of times, once for food, and once for drinks. This Lower Manhattan dining spot, which is located at the corner of Broadway and Cedar Street, is nearly invisible from the outside, but once inside, what a place it is in terms of atmosphere. Situated in an old bank vault, the huge vault doors remain, and there is so much dark wood and copper in the place that you might be unsure whether to order a meal or make a deposit here.

The menu at Trinity Place is a mix of pub grub and New American entrees. Items include beer-braised lamb shank, a tasty Kobe burger and red onion chutney, sauteed brook trout, and a wonderful gorgonzola and hazelnut ravioli with brown butter and sage.

Although the food at Trinity Place is very good, it is the atmosphere that makes for an unforgettable night out. And on weekends, the place is just about empty because the financial workers are not around, so it is one of those rare New York restaurants where you don't have to worry much about lines on a Saturday night.

The address for Trinity Place is:
Trinity Place
115 Broadway
New York (Manhattan), NY, 10006

The phone number is:
(212) 964-0939

And here is the Web site for Trinity Place:
http://www.trinityplacenyc.com/

Mr. K's, Manhattan

Chinese restaurants generally aren't thought of as places that are stylish and elegant, but in Manhattan, a number of such places exist, including a relatively little-known restaurant at the corner of Lexington Avenue and E 51st Street in Midtown East called Mr. K's. Spacious, comfortable, and upscale in feel, Mr. K's is the type of place that folks remember after dining there.

Mr. K's features food from many different regions of China, so whether you enjoy Hunan, Cantonese, Szechwan, or nearly any other kind of Chinese cuisine, Mr K's will not disappoint. Prices are a bit high, but not all that bad considering the quality of the food as well as the service and the atmosphere.

If you have been to Mr. K's in Manhattan, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Mr. K's:
Mr. K's Restaurant
570 Lexington Avenue
New York (Tribeca), NY, 10022

The phone number is:
(212) 583-1668

And here is the Web site for Mr. K's:
http://www.mrksny.com/