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.
Head spinning after a long day of getting dragged around Soho with the female? Find salvation in a crisp Blue Point Toasted Lager draft and steak frites at Jane. It’ll help restore the equilibrium. The predecessor to fratty East Village favorite The Smith, Jane is its slightly more sophisticated older sister. Holdin’ it down in a prime location just above Soho, Jane is the epitome of utility neighborhood staple. A warm, friendly ambiance and diverse menu of relatively simple, but flavorful dishes make it perfect for Early In The Game Dates, Dinner With The Parents, Groups of 4-6 and Chronic Brunch. Jane has long been an Infatuation standby, and that’s not changing anytime soon. Next time you’re looking for a low-key, reasonably priced meal, hit up our girl Jane.
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.
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.
Tree has an unassuming exterior that may cause someone to walk by hundreds of times without realizing that there’s anything worthwhile inside. I, for instance, live right around the corner and never paid much attention to the joint. Luckily, my pops insisted we go one night thanks to a very high Zagat rating. After that fateful night, Tree was promptly added to my local rotation. During the winter, it’s warm and cozy interior is the perfect place to take your girl or guy on a cold Friday night. The large backyard garden is the perfect place to dine alfresco on those balmy spring or summer evenings. There’s something a little more mature about Tree than the majority of the restaurants in the area. It’s not filled with young hipsters; the crowd tends to skew a little older. I counted five tables containing guests with gray hair the last time I was there. Basic rule of thumb when it comes to the menu; stick with the heavy sauce dishes and you’ll be a happy camper. Tree kills it with their sauces. Resist the temptation to order the steak frites and stick with the good stuff served in bowls. For the food rundown, I’m sticking with my go-to dishes and nothing else … all served in bowls.
Feature: Infatuation TV: P.O.S.
