Rebecca at Ono inside the Gansevoort Hotel
By Rebecca Simzak
Acclaimed Sushi restaurant Ono is still going strong with superb sushi in the meatpacking district! Inside the Gansevoort Hotel, Ono has the feel of a West Hollywood Sushi lounge. The oversized raw bar displays huge pieces of fish from which their sushi creations are carved. Gorgeous oversized murals of Japanese style tattoo art extend over the back semi private booths.My girlfriend and I were seated at a table for two on the lower level. (I prefer the upper level seating area as it is more private and overlooks the front bar) But we had a delicious meal nonetheless.
We began with the spicy crab sushi pizza (crab, avocado, radish sprouts & red miso: $16.00 pictured), and the ginger cream spinach ($6.00). Next we had the shrimp and chicken robata. This is a small plate that comes with two skewers and five dipping sauces (shiso pesto, spicy plum miso, sesame mustard, scallion ponzo and kimchee $12.00), not as delicious as the sushi pizza but the dipping sauces did add interesting flavor combinations.
As a huge carb-ophobe, I feel that one of Ono’s best features is the selection of riceless rolls. We shared the tuna yaba roll (yuba seaweed, chopped tuna, seared tuna and tempura flakes $16.00) and the eel avocado roll (crabmeat & cucumber wrapped in nori and soft crepe $14.00). Feeling rather full from all the small plates and rolls, we passed on dessert but they did have an extensive menu, including a citrus tart, miso cream and plum sake sorbet that sounded very tempting…
Though the prices are a bit high (rolls are around the $16.00 range) the ambiance and creative plates (ie the spicy crab pizza) make this sushi worth the splurge. Ono is great for a weekend date, especially due to the proximity to the Gansevoort’s infamous rooftop bar. If your dinner ends before midnight, you can access the hotel elevators via the restaurant’s side door and avoid the outside lines.
ONO
Hotel Gansevoort
18 9th Avenue (at Gansevoort st)
Website
Rebecca enjoys the snapper at Double Crown restaurant.
By Rebecca Simzak
This past Saturday I went to Double Crown restaurant with my girlfriend for dinner. Double Crown offers English/American fusion cuisine with Asian–influenced sauces and seasonings. The restaurant is dimly lit with an interior that has the personality of a “high class pub.” A long communial table and oversized bar seem somehow glamorized by Double Crown’s Asian and Art nouveau accents. I could totally picture Madonna here in her Guy Ritchie days …
The restaurant lends nicely to either a romantic evening out or a group get together, due to double or communal seating. However it’s the food at Double Crown that is absolutely their best-selling feature. To begin, the wait staff brings a platter of thin bread crisps with three dipping sauces: one tsaziki based, one with sweet red pepper and another made with cilantro lime. A full bar is also offered, with tons of unique drink specials. I had the Gooseberry, Red Chili and Elderflower Smash which is made with level vodka, gooseberries, lemon and Elderflower foam ($12.00). It was very light and refreshing without being overly sweet.
My girlfriend and I shared a bunch of small plates as we had a hard time deciding what to order from the menu. We started with the Crispy Drunken Quail (with cinnamon tamarind sauce, carrot and cilantro: $13.00), and the Pigs in a A Wet Blanket (pork with lychee and coconut sauce: $6.00). For Dinner we Shared the Steamed Snapper (with prawn dumplings, sesame broth and bok choy: $27.00) and the Brussels Sprouts (with cinnamon and fenugreek glaze: $5.00). These were AMAZING!!!
Now, I usually have the willpower to restrain myself from the dessert menu, but the small plates and entrée were so amazing that we just had to try out at least one dessert. We decided on the Pumpkin Bread pudding with a pumpkin-vanilla crème sauce ($9.00). It was incredible and a reasonably small portion which helped alleviate any guilt.
I HIGHLY recommend checking out the food at Double Crown ASAP… but be sure to make a reservation. I called a week in advance for our Saturday night dinner and was still given a relatively later (10.00pm) dinner time. Luckily the staff is super friendly and made a note that I would prefer an earlier reservation. They called me back the day before with a 9:15 opening.
Double Crown Restauraunt
316 Bowery (at Bleeker St)
212-254-0350
Rebecca with her girlfriend Leah.
Rebecca shows off her plate of brussels sprouts.
Rebecca eating at the Lasagna Restaurant.
By Rebecca Simzak
I first walked into Lasagna Restaurant a few years back because of its cute and cozy corner location that was just a few blocks from my apartment. It reminded me of the quaint restaurants found in the Rembrantplein district of Amsterdam (a neighborhood specializing in Italian cuisine). In addition to the welcoming exterior the food is delicious and incredibly priced! Also, there is rarely a long wait for a seat.
I have eaten at Lasagna countless times since moving to Chelsea and have tried nearly every dish on their menu (minus the pastas – always watching my carbs!) My absolute favorite is the Eggplant Parmigiana (pictured above). You can get an appetizer size for $8.95 or upgrade to the entrée for $10.95. It is super yummy, unbreaded and a very generous sized portion. Their fish and chicken dishes (especially Chicken Marsala, $13.95 and Salmon Alla Cabrese, $17.95) are incredible and they also have rotating specials daily. I’ve taken various friends to Lasagna and have heard that their lasagna dishes, their namesake for a reason, are to die for. Similarly their caesar salad is great for a lighter meal.
I ate at Lasagna last week and started with their cappuccino ($3.50) which was delicious, and shared the grilled portobello mushrooms as an appetizer. For the main course I stayed loyal to the eggplant- which never disappoints! If you are in the Chelsea area, they will also deliver to your apartment for orders $20.00 and over. Reservations are accepted but not required.
This is a great location for a date or dinner out with friends. They are very accomodating to larger parties (I had my birthday party here in December).
Lasagna also has an additional location in Hells Kitchen: 941 2nd Ave (at 50th). I’ve eaten at both and highly recommend the Chelsea location. The service is much better and the waiters are super cute.
Lasagna Restaurant
196 8th Ave (at 20th Street)
212-242-4551
Rebecca with a waiter at Lasagna Restaurant.
