Chanto
RESTAURANT: Chanto CUISINE: International Japanese WINE LIST: 30 sakes & 40 wines (8 Japanese wines) VIBE: moody elegance DON’T MISS DISH: King of Kimchee DON’T BOTHER: Snapper sashimi OCCASION: When you want to dine uptown, downtown. Take your Japanese clients. HOURS: M-Th dinner 6-12, Fri. & Sat. dinner 6-3; Sun. dinner 6-11. RESERVATIONS: Recommended PRICE: $50 & up RESTAURANT GIRL RATED: (1-10) 6 Already well-loved for its 49 restaurants in Japan, the Chanto dynasty is determined to make this Greenwich Village outpost the 50th star on their proverbial dining flag (think Nobu gone Wolfgang Puck). Once home to former 90’s hotspot Moomba, the red and black glassed-in lounge complete with come hither red leather banquettes creates the perfect atmosphere to mingle over Japanese spirits and oysters. If you decide to take dinner more seriously, allow not one,...
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458 Greenwich Street, btwn. Watts & Desbrosses (212)966-4774 PLACE: TURKS & FROGS TYPE: Turkish OCCASION: Perfect date place VIBE: Trendy Mediterranean DON’T MISS DISH: Char-grilled calamari DON’T BOTHER: Lamb skewers A LITTLE ADVICE: Stick to fish RESTAURANT GIRL RATED: (1-10): 6 Finally awakening from an Easter Peeps sugar coma, I thought I should get out and see the world, so I traveled down to the Turkish side of Tribeca to check out the latest installment of Turks & Frogs. When the Cakir brothers first opened up an accidental wine bar in their West Village antiques shop, I dabbled in their Turkish wines and treats. But this time, they wanted to be taken seriously as culinary contenders on NYC’s food frontier. Open less than a week and this moody Mediterranean space was...
Read MoreGourmet Gossip
I can’t keep my mouth shut when it comes to food, so from now on Restaurant Girl will share any secrets going around the ole restaurant rumor mill. This week I was tipped off that: BUDDHA BUMMER – The much anticipated opening of Buddha Bar has been once again postponed from April 19th to April 25th. Gasp! Alas, I can always pass the time at one of the other ginormous Asian-inspired mega-restaurants. So put it on your calendar. PICNIC IN THE PARK – The Shake Shack has officially reopened for business with a liquor license to boot. So grab a burger and glass of champagne, wine or beer and toast to their new extended hours (open til 9 PM). Who else would dedicate a deliciously different custard to everyday of the month? Check the custard calendar. (Quality Meat Three...
Read MorePeep Show
Spring is in the air – the sun is shining, birds are singing, lovers are loving, and Restaurant Girl is hanging out with her Peeps! Who are my Peeps, you might naively ask… they’re the colorful, marshmallow candies who dedicate their lives to Easter. But don’t think that my sugar-coated posse is just a seasonal afterthought. Even though they flood your local drugstore only once a year, the Just Born Candy Company is working furiously all year around laying two million Peep eggs a day to meet the Easter demand. When Easter finally arrives, over 600 million Peeps (in the form of birds, bunnies, & eggs) migrate from their holy birthplace of Bethlehem, PA, to spread sugar-coated joy around the world! But Peeps are so much bigger than just a candy… they’ve become a way of life. People like...
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