Immaculate Infatuation

Sitting in Il Buco on a recent Tuesday night, one wouldn’t think our country was currently experiencing severe economic turmoil. The place is packed to the gills with people eating and drinking without a care in the world. Even some of the hottest restaurants have empty tables on “off” nights, but the fact that Il Buco is routinely slammed is a testament to the quality of the food and the unique character of the space. You won’t find another place in town quite like it. The restaurant’s rustic country vibe is as authentic as it gets. Originally opened as an antique store in the mid-90’s, the owners quickly realized their meal ticket wasn’t in the form of selling antique ceramic pots, it was the kitchen.

Il Buco has been a hotspot for a while now, attracting an older, celeb heavy crowd. Our girl Christina Hendricks (Joan on Mad Men) and her Infatuation approved ass got married here recently. The menu has become famous for its seasonal Mediterranean tapas and daily selection of homemade pastas, local poultry and fish entrees. We’d suggest focusing on the tapas and the pasta. Better yet, get a big group together and take advantage of Il Buco’s chef’s table or private dining room in the downstairs cellar.

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Extra Virgin is an Immaculate Infatuation approved establishment for two main reasons. First, this place kills when it comes to fish. Extra Virgin subtly and brilliantly incorporates Mediterranean flavors into many of their dishes resulting in unique approaches to typical snooze fests like salmon and halibut. Second, it’s the world’s greatest date spot. If you’re that dude that takes every girl you meet to Tao for dinner followed by a VIP tour of your favorite bars in Murray Hill, it’s time to switch up your approach and get Extra Virgin into rotation. Aforementioned fish entrees, prime West Village location, and an upbeat but intimate room make it the perfect place to go for conversation over a great bottle of wine. The unique nuances of the menu can provide some talking points once you run out of fantasy football stats to impress her with. No reservations are taken, which is actually a good thing – the bar is great and waits usually aren’t crazy. Two tips: if it’s a warm night, try and snag one of the few but fantastic sidewalk tables, and anytime you see a fish entree that incorporates falafel on the menu – order it. No dates? Not to worry, Extra Virgin is a great place for dinner no matter who you’re with. That said, maybe it’s time we started a “singles” section of the website. Stay tuned.

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The Smile is a relatively new “cafe and mixed use concept store” on Bond St. What does that mean? Well, it’s a rustic space that serves food and also sells housewares and nick-nacks to the coolest people you have ever seen. Essentially, it’s hipster Cracker Barrel.

Though The Smile has been open for close to a year now, we’re betting you haven’t heard much about it. Situated a few steps below the sidewalk, it’s a place that you have to be looking for to see, and other than the models and musicians that fill it for brunch, it remains relatively under the radar. Yes, brunch is popular, but it’s not yet overrun by the hoardes in this city that treat the meal like a sport. People eat and linger, everyone seems to know each other, and everyone looks really good – even with dirty hair and last night’s clothes on. Dinner service began only a few weeks ago, and like the breakfast and brunch menu, the food is surprisingly good. Imagine Freemans without the two hour wait. Things here feel laid back and matter-of-fact, as if those running the place have no interest in the hustle that can come along with making a New York City restaurant successful. Maybe they are simply confident that word will spread and people will come. Or maybe they just don’t want them to.

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Educating people about City Winery seems to have taken a little longer than expected. The fact that the majority of people I come in contact with are still unaware of City Winery’s existence is concerning. This isn’t because my brother runs the bar (true statement) and I’m worried about his job stability, but rather because people are missing out on a truly unique addition to downtown Manhattan. City Winery is a sprawling adult playpen, boasting a full bar, restaurant, music venue, and yes, winery. This place is HUGE. What Brooklyn Bowl brings to the table for drunken hipsters, City Winery doubles down on for their more sophisticated peers. City Winery offers all sorts of wine events, classes, and pairings. Plus, people have the ability to create their own wine in house, complete with their own barrel and custom label.

The acoustics in the room are off the chain, and create one of the better sounding venues I’ve ever been to. Hopefully, sooner than later, City Winery will start diversifying their bookings a bit. Not that I have anything against Jill Sobule, Joseph Arthur, or Rachel Yamagata (they match up well with a glass of Cabernet), it’s just that it would be cool to see them book some hip indie rock you’d normally see at Bowery Ballroom or Webster Hall to mix things up a bit and bring in a different crowd.

City Winery offers over 500 wines, and they’ve created a selection of ideal accompaniments designed to bring out the best of each. The menu is a complicated animal with arrows pointing in every direction in order to help you pair wine with food. In theory, it’s a great idea, but in reality, it doesn’t translate well and is difficult to grasp. In any case, City Winery is careful to make sure the wine remains the focal point of the experience, but since our focus is on food, let’s talk about what we ate, not what we drank.

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Picture yourself on set of Bravo’s hypothetical new show Americas Next Top Masseuse. They build an uber-slick marble and stone spa, fully equipped with wood paddle ceiling fans, sparkling tiles, cushy couches and private cabanas. The manufactured sound of running water mixed in with an old Dido track off Ultra Chilled Volume 2 set the sonic mood. Are two Amazon women going to come out from behind the curtain and give me the massage of a lifetime? Nope, I’m about to get dinner at Travertine. Bummer.

Situated on the southern end of Nolita, Travertine feels incredibly out of place. It would make more sense in the meat packing district, and even there it would be extreme. I’m sure there are people out there who’d enjoy this kind of setting; they just checked into the Gansevoort Hotel, already have reservations at Spice Market for dinner and definitively don’t read Immaculate Infatuation. If the food was amazing I wouldn’t be as hard on Travertine as I am, but the best dish we tasted all night was an homage to the specialty of the restaurant located there before they took over the space. The bottom line: don’t waste your time or money. There are way better options in the city.

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