Immaculate Infatuation

There was a time when this was the only restaurant anywhere near the Upper East side that we would make a trip for. J.G. Melon’s is one of the better burgers in New York City, and it had it’s 30th anniversary long before Shake Shack and Five Guys started opening up locations around town like Duane Reade. Nowadays there are a few more culinary bright spots in the area (namely Cascabel and Flex), but it seemed nessecary that we give J.G. Melon’s it’s due respect.

If you haven’t been, there are a few things you should know: it will inevitably be crowded, you need to drink beers by the bottle (not from the tap), and the service will not be friendly. But before you go running to Yelp to tell all your “friends” about how mean they were to you, consider this – it’s a New York institution that’s been serving burgers since TGI Friday’s was nothing more than a swinging singles bar down the street. Respect your elders and eat.

Photo Credit: Nick Solares/A Hamburger Today

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Looking for a cheap, quiet dinner in the West Village? Then you are going to f**king hate this place. But if you are female, and planning to gather with other females for dinner, we’re betting Morandi got mentioned more than a few times in the two days worth of emails that it took to plan your meal.

Maybe it’s the location, maybe it’s the rustic interior, or maybe because it’s a Keith McNally restaurant, but for whatever reason, Morandi is a big time destination for Girls’ Night Out. We happen to like the place as well, especially for the amazing porterhouse for two, but you have to know what you’re getting into. The restaurant is always loud and packed, especially as the week goes on. Morandi also does an excellent brunch, which can’t be a coincidence. Maybe McNally has just figured out the secret that every college town bar owner has known for ages. Figure out a way to get the girls to come, and everyone else will follow suit.

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Crispo is another restaurant that falls into the category of long-time Immaculate Infatuation favorite. The restaurant opened in the summer of 2002, and has since seen some strong competition open up in the neighborhood – Scarpetta, La Bottega, and the Standard Grill to name just a few. We hadn’t been back in a while and recently decided to check in and see how the place is holding up. Amazingly enough, Crispo is still hanging tough like Keith Richards’ internal organs. They’re drawing nice crowds most nights, and the food is exactly as we remembered – high quality Italian with great pastas, a nice selection of cured meats and antipasti, and a solid wine list. It seems that once again consistency is the key to success. For the warm weather months (both of them) Crispo has a huge back garden that’s a relatively well kept secret. Keep that one in your pocket and let everyone else flock to Pastis while you dine outside with people that don’t suck.

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As a true cheese-a-phob (that’s right people, aside from cheese on pizza and the occasional mild cheese sauce, I avoid the stuff like the plague), you can imagine my reaction to the suggestion of eating anywhere related to Artisanal, the Mecca of all things cheese. However, after some arm twisting, I found myself walking into its grand, high ceilinged, chandeliered sister restaurant, Bar Artisanal. Imagine my surprise to find that while it stays true to its namesake with an extensive selection of cheeses, Bar Artisanal offers an expansive variety of non-cheese options as well. So much so, that it took me multiple visits to taste enough of the non-fromage items to write a well rounded review. Both the food and the service can be hit or miss, but the good outweigh the bad at this small plates French bistro. I look forward to my next visit.

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A reliable place for a low key brunch, lunch, or dinner in Nolita, visit this little South American cafe for its eclectic crowd, cultural flavors, and communal feel. Although the tables are scrunched together and a bit uneven (assorted chairs and space at a minimum), it works. On weekday mornings, patrons sit solo with their paper and cup of coffee. On weekends, the place is packed with downtown brunchers and usually comes with a short and painless wait. 45 minute long jam-up at Habana? This is your backup plan. My one complaint, as usual, is that the menu is about $5 more expensive than it should be.

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