Sorella has been near the top of our hit list for a while now. Subconsciously, I think it was chef Emma Hearst winning Eater’s “Hottest Chef” award for 2009 that finally pushed us over the edge. The Infatuation can’t lie…we dig a hot female in the kitchen. Another thing we dig? A good soundtrack while we eat. Wine bars usually aren’t known for their quality tunes, so we were pleasantly surprised by the sweet mix of Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” into Stevie Wonder “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”. This could very well have been our own iPod that we were rocking, but this one belonged to Emma herself. So not only is she smoking hot – with cooking skills – but she’s also down with some Wu Tang? That’s our kind of girl.
Let’s take a moment to set the record straight here. If any of you happen to show up at a restaurant and see Padma Lakshmi sitting at a table, it is your duty as a citizen to let us know. Hit us up on Twitter, send an email, put up the bat signal or, at the very least, sedate her and tag her ear so we can track her whereabouts. But please do something. Just as I was about to write this review of Il Posto Accanto, a close friend tells me he was there on our recommendation and saw the Indian queen of food and sexy dining at the bar with a friend. He just didn’t feel the need to tell us until two days later. How are we supposed to get a Friday Fives/start a family with her if our informants are sitting on info? I guess even though the intel is old, it does confirm that we have awesome taste. Il Posto Accanto is fantastic.
There is a good chance you’ve eaten Italian food on this block before, and if you haven’t, it’s time you do. This one street is home to not only Il Posto Accanto and it’s sister restaurant Il Baggato, but also date night MVP Supper. But Il Posto Accanto is the one that nobody seems to talk about. It’s the smallest, quietest, and least flashy of the three Italian spots on the block, and that’s what makes it great. You can still roll in on a Friday night and get a seat because everyone else is trying to get a table next door at Il Baggato. What they don’t know is that the two restaurants share a kitchen, and Il Posto Accanto is home to some of the best meatballs and pastas in town, along with a great wine list and open air dining. We were honestly sort of torn about writing this place up, but you’re a loyal reader and deserve to have it in your repertoire. Just promise you won’t tell New Jersey.
We hope that you’re using our website to find good date spots. Why? Well, first of all, because you are really good looking and should have a full social calendar. Second, because we think we’re pretty good at reccommending restaurants that will give you your best chance to make some action happen. And by “some action”, we of course mean a fulfilling long-term relationship.
By no means are we claiming that dell’anima is some under the radar date haven that nobody else knows about. Ask any female that lives west of 7th Avenue and she will probably have this place in her top ten. We’re big fans too, and also hold sister restaurant L’Artusi in high regard. Both are great date spots and both have a vanity apostrophe, which makes them cool or Italian or something. Both can also be loud and a bit sceney at times, though dell’anima is much smaller and more intimate. We like dell’anima specifically for the ample bar seating and chef’s counter, perfect for a more casual meal, and making it a great First/Early in The Game Date destination. We also like it because the food is pretty damn spectacular. There are a few really special pasta dishes, and some sharable first courses that are excellent. The wine list is smart though a bit pricey, but there are a handful of good bottles under forty bucks to choose from.
Lobster rolls are a hot button topic in this town. Bring up the subject of whose is best in a large group and you’re likely to stir up either a passionate discourse or a knife fight, depending on what kind of crowd you run with. We’re healing up nicely, thanks.
We certainly have an opinion on the topic, but are also equal opportunity eaters. We haven’t met too many lobster rolls we don’t like. Not the case for some. As a matter of fact, there is a rivalry that exists between fans of Pearl Oyster Bar’s roll and Mary’s Fish Camp loyalists that’s almost as heated as the Biggie/Tupac beef was before Al Gore had them both killed (we’re entitled to our theory).
We’d like to use this review to go on record and say two things: we really like Pearl Oyster Bar, and stop the violence. Pearl’s lobster roll won’t take the title of best in town from us, but the place does score high on the Infatuation meter. Almost everything on the menu is fantastic, and we love sitting at the bar with an Anchor Steam and getting into some seafood with our hands. What really keeps us coming back though, is the fried oyster sandwich. That thing is food worth fighting over.
When Gail Simmons hit us with her Friday Fives, she listed August as her Chronic Brunch pick. Smart woman. She made us realize that even though August has long been a staple in our lives, a review seems to have slipped through the cracks. It’s time to rectify this situation right now.
Everyone loves August. It’s impossible not to. The same way I’m always down to watch those movies that are endlessly on TV like Any Given Sunday or Empire Records, I’m also always down for brunch at August. This little European bistro is perfectly located in the heart of all the good West Village action. The friendly space smells of firewood and has an awesome glass enclosed garden that gets tons of sun. August is really a better brunch/lunch spot than it is a dinner spot. The dinner entrees are never as exciting as the eggs, sandwiches and pizza you get during the daytime hours. Plus, the prices on the dinner menu are a little steep. One dinner option we do like, however, is the Sunday night “Pizza & Peronis” meal: one pizza and four Peronis for $25. Not necessarily the Gray’s Papaya recession special, but we back the idea and the pizza is really good. Speaking of pizza and beer, dudes, listen up – August is a great First/Early In The Game Date spot. Considering that her and her friends already love it, you’ll score extra points right off the bat by taking her to the location of her last Book Club meeting. Trust me; it’s a better option than the new Dos Caminos in the Meat Packing district.
Feature: Infatuation TV: P.O.S.
