Lure: This downstairs place in Soho is one I've always wanted to try. From the outside, it has these cool round windows that allow you a tiny glance inside. The interior looks like the inside of a boat -- not like the Love Boat, but like a boat James Bond might spend some time playing cards on. I hit this spot for a Monday-night dinner with my Party Girl In Crime, K. Our server was super-nice, which made our experience a success right from the start. For an appetizer, I had the Tuna Nicoise Tartare. Awesome. I really am beginning to love tartares of all kinds. My main course was a steamed Branzino, a pretty mild fish I'd never heard of before. It was good, despite the fact that it was served with one side of skin still on. A little weird for anyone who's a bit squeamish about "fishy" fish. Dessert was a ultra-rich warm chocolate cake (think lava cake) with a side of caramel ice cream and the best part, popcorn brittle. It was kind of like having a crispy caramel corn in your ice cream. The chocolate cake was almost unnecessary. All in all, this was a great start to my restaurant week. I would definitely go back and pay full price for another night at Lure.
Aquavit: Two friends and I went to this Swedish dream come true for lunch on Friday. It was fabulous, incredible, perfect. The service was extremely attentive (one guy to pour water, one guy to offer you a choice of bread, one guy to fold your napkin and return it to the table if you get up to use the bathroom), and didn't make us feel weird about ordering from the Restaurant Week menu (which was printed right inside the regular lunch menu) or trying more than one kind of bread from the bread service. I had a mixed green salad, Swedish meatballs and a dessert called the Arctic Circle, which was one of the best things I've ever eaten. A billion stars for Aquavit!
Angelo and Maxie's: Boo. About a year ago, I had dinner at Angelo and Maxie's, a steakhouse near Union Square. I ordered a filet mignon, and it was pretty great. I've also had a steak at their more-casual bar next door, which was equally fine. So while I wouldn't list this place on the top of my list of must-go places (nor would I put it in the top 25), it was definitely a reliable option. However, my restaurant-week dinner at Angelo and Maxie's on Friday was probably my last visit. First of all, despite their enormous posted restaurant-week menu out front, they didn't actually bring us that menu. I had to ask for it. I ordered a house salad (okay), a filet mignon (pretty good) and the cheesecake (great). We also ordered a side of hashbrowns which came to the table completely charred and, if I was a server, embarrassing. I'm always afraid of sending food back to a kitchen, for fear of spit and other scary possibilities, but I did think some ketchup would have helped. However, our server didn't return to our table to check on us once. She came back to pour some more wine for us once or twice, but didn't stick around to ask questions like, "Do you need anything else?" I don't know if she felt it was beneath her to work extra-hard for the cheap seats or what, but the negligence completely put me off of a restaurant that I was on the fence about to begin with. Well, her and the burnt hash browns. Who serves burnt food??? I'll tell you who: a restaurant that has lost SnackHands as a customer forever. Farewell, Angelo and Maxie. And good riddance.
On deck for next week (should my bank account and waistband hold out, that is):
Morimoto
Blue Smoke
Savore
Stay tuned for Restaurant Week, Part 2!
three cheers for restaurant week!
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