I used to live on the corner of E 3rd St and Avenue A, and I loved the neighborhood. This was before this blog existed, but I still was excited about the many food options available to me: Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches, Mama’s, and a 24-hour Key Food, among others. I was not, however, aware of the existence of Perbacco, an Italian restaurant that blends tradition and the avant-garde. Lucky for me my friends Jess & Garrett knew about it, and the three of us met there for dinner last week. Lucky for you also, because their photos came out much better than mine (click the link to their blog if you don’t believe me).

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Sometimes you get so caught up in going to the newest, hippest, most happening restaurants in town — What’s got great buzz? What’s been reviewed recently? What’s the newest trend? — that you forget that there are plenty of restaurants that have been around for a while. It takes a visit to a real veteran restaurant to make you realize what it takes to run a successful restaurant in New York City. At a recent dinner at Po (after a few drinks at Vol de Nuit) with my friends Jeff & Eva, we had just such a revelation.

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LA is not really known to be a city to go to for great pizzas. I know there are few exceptions but we’re definitely overshadowed by NYC, Phoenix and SF. Having been to Roberta’s, Lucali’s, Grimaldi’s, Lombardi’s, Toby’s Public House and Di Fara’s I think I have started to become somewhat of a pizza snob. I didn’t know I became one while in NY but when my family sat down for a super late new years eve lunch at gjelina in Venice beach, I realized I have….changed.

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I watch Lidia Bastianich on television quite a bit. In some ways she stands in for the Italian grandmother I never had, complete with exhortations to join her (and her family) at her table to eat. I’d been meaning to check out Felidia for a couple of years now, but somehow never made it. My family has started a little bit of a tradition in the past few years: when my parents, my sister, and I are all in town, we try to go out to a fancy meal. With thoughts of family in my head, I realized Felidia would be a perfect place to go.

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I remember having frogs for dinner a lot when I was a kid growing up in Hong Kong. Seriously it was one of the dishes that I really looked forward having. Having frog seem such a norm to me. They may be ugly and slimy but once they’re cleaned and chopped and cooked…oh so good. I prefer the dark meat of a frog over the white meat. Can I say that about frogs? Dark and white meat? But ever since I moved to the States I haven’t had frogs at all. Now after 24 years of frogless meals I finally ordered some at Bia Garden. Bia Garden is the brainchild of Michael “Bao” Huynh. I have never been to any of his restaurants nor tasted any food from him. Howard had informed me of this new beergarden and was keeping track of when it was going to open. After much delays it finally opened and we gave it try.
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Blue Hill stands near the top of the ivory tower that is the NYC fine dining scene. Frank Bruni blessed it with three stars, and even the Obamas ate there when they came to the city. The restaurant is supported by a farm just north of the city (which itself has a restaurant on the grounds), and all of these factors combined together to make me really want to eat there. I meant to go for my birthday but I dragged my feet, and then immediately after the Obamas’ visit the restaurant was booked solid. Finally Donny had enough of my dilly-dallying and pushed me to just make the reservations already, so I did. Was it worth the wait?

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