Wined Up bar and restaurant, located in the Flatiron district offers a fun and cool place to stop in for a drink or have a casual meal.

You might think you are in the wrong place or at best on a questionable mission to parts unknown as you walk up the steep stairs, passing the entrance to Punch restaurant.  But as you push through the heavy, velvet Harry Potteresque curtains, you will ultimately end up at Wined Up.

The curtains open up into a beautifully decorated area where you will be seated at a marble bar located in the back of the restaurant. I have only been the bar during the week and think that while there was room at the bar or room to stand, on busy nights, it probably is crowded and will seem like a small space for drinks.

The dining room faces the front as you would expect, is quite spacious, unlike other restaurants where you are literally sitting on top of one another.  One entire wall is lined with bottles of wine giving the room a very open and elegant effect.

I have been to Wined Up on several occasions both for drinks and dinner.

The Bar – While they offer wine by the glass, I would definitely recommend getting a bottle with friends as the pricing is so much better. Wine by the glass will run you $9 – $14. The wine selection  ranges from Riojas to Chilean wines. We enjoyed a delightful Rioja and a Malbec on the day that we went. The bartenders are always friendly and are more than happy to answer all your questions about the wine list.

The Restaurant – The variety of foods on the menu is sure to please, whether you are there for drinks and appetizers or low-key dinner with friends.

The appetizer menu includes an incredible cheese selection from the United States, France, Italy and Spain. There are cheeses on the menu that I had never heard of but the server will be able to walk you through all the different choices and help you pair them with your wine selection. Since we had just come for appetizers, we tried everything and were quite happy. Don’t forget to ask for more bread, there is definitely not enough bread for the cheese.  If you are into pizza, think about adding pizza along with your cheese appetizer options.  There is your basic pizza margherita along with unusual topped pizzas like truffled tomato (yummy.)

For dinner, there is a range of options that is sure to appeal all of your friends and even kids. The menu ranges from salad to pasta to steak. My friend and I, were feeling rather carnivorous the day we went to Wined Up. She ordered a hamburger while I opted for the cast iron hanger steak with spicy fries. The steak was just perfect. The portion size was generous enough to walk away with a doggy bag. The average entrees range from $13 – $20 which is pretty average for New York City.

So if you are wandering around Union Square or Madison Square, head “up” to Wined Up.

Again don’t be confused by the location,  you have to enter a doorway that is the same entrance to Punch restaurant but for you to get to Wined Up, you need to climb up the stairs to the second floor.

Location: Wined Up

913 Broadway between 20th and 21st Streets

Reservations: 212-673-6333

Since I moved to New York, I have been dying to get to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. According to some, it has the best Italian food in the area.

Recently, I had the opportunity to eat at one of Arthur Avenue’s landmark restaurants, Mario’s Restaurant. The Migliucci family has been cooking traditional Neopolitan dishes since 1919. The restaurant’s interior is very old school with pictures of Vesuvius and Naples scattered throughout the room with the chandeliers lend an air of old world charm.

Since there were four of us, we ordered a variety of food so we could sample the menu. We started with appetizers which included calamari, antipasti special and stuffed mushrooms followed by penne with broccoli, lasagna and veal marsala for the main courses.

So how was the food? There was just a tad bit of inconsistency across our selections, ranging from very good to fair. The anti pasti and stuffed mushrooms were very good while the
lasagna and veal marsala were fair.

Would I go back again? Yes, because the restaurant has charm, atmosphere and while the food was inconsistent, it’s worth it if you are adventurous and find yourself near Arthur avenue.

If you are planning to go, I would recommend making reservations. We arrived late Sunday afternoon which is prime family hour and had to wait for 30 minutes for a table.

Mario’s Restaurant
2342 Arthur Avenue
Bronx, NY 10458
(718)584-1188
http://www.mariosrestarthurave.com

Now that the snow has passed and you’re able to get out and about, why not add a little Mojo to your life? You won’t go home disappointed.

Mojo is a Harlem eatery located on the corner of 119th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Occupying a corner unit of one of the area’s condo edifices, Mojo greets its patrons as a jeweled glass structure reflecting the rich colors of purple and red within out onto the street and the night air.

Don’t be surprised when you enter the tight confines of the restaurant. Real estate is at a premium in this area and Mojo’s floor plan is no different than any of its siblings in the area (despite appearing quite spacious in NBC’s American Express commercial that features the establishment).

The proximity issues that Mojo presents has its pros and cons. The cons being, if you’re uncomfortable sitting and eating next to strangers then this isn’t the place for you. On the flipside, if you don’t have these qualms, it’s easy to make friends (most who are area locals) while breaking bread.

The bread at Mojo, dubbed “New Harlem Cuisine” is a fusion of Mediterranean/Southern flavor and represents the diversity of Harlem. Impressive sounding and tasting menu items from the creative kitchen of Executive Chef Julio Sanchez’ include Buckwheat Fried Oysters, Harlem Fried Chicken Sliders, Moroccan Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, and Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri. The restaurant’s website touts their Sexy Grits as being the crowd favorite. I won’t say why they’re so sexy. You’ll have to find out on your own if the dish lives up to its claims. And if you’re the type who does desert, you can finish off a meal that pops with flavor with a tasty delight for your sweet tooth. How does Strawberry Tiramisu and Chocolate Mousse sound?

Owner, Mounir Jabrane’s grew up in both Belgium and Morocco before settling down and setting up shop in Harlem. One only needs to take a glance at the interior or peruse the menu to see the influences of these two countries. Mr. Jabrane, an affable restaurateur who takes the time to meet and greet his patrons, considers himself a throwback to the explosively creative times of the Harlem Renaissance. He’s doing his part to continue the tradition by featuring live music by unknowns and local favorites alike. You can call or check the website for performance dates and times. But what you can’t do is make a reservation unless your party is six or more. And on heavy nights, service can be spotty. Despite these minor inconveniences this writer’s humble opinion is that it is better to experience Mojo than not to.

Mojo
mojo-harlem.com
185 Saint Nicholas Avenue (at the corner of 119th Street)
New York, NY 10026-1200
(212) 280-1924

Photo courtesy of Mojo

If you are wandering the Meatpacking district on your way to Highline Park or in need of break after visiting the  Apple Store, stop into Pastis for breakfast or lunch.

Pastis has been around since 1999 and is one of restaurants opened by Keith McNally of The Odeon, Balthazar Restaurant and Nell’s fame.

Pastis has everything you are looking for in a restaurant: good food, interesting location, great people watching and exceptional service. The French Bistro decor serves up what you would expect and fancy writing on the mirrors and placed everywhere throughout the restaurant.

Recently, I went there for lunch with a friend where we both ordered the Steak Frites (medium rare) and were not disappointed.  It was delicious. The entree comes with an amazing and surprisingly light Bernaise sauce which I loved for dipping my steak.

As usual, the place was bustling and packed but as always, the service was just right. What I love about Pastis is that they really don’t bug you about lingering. I enjoyed my latte for a good 10 minutes so I could finish catching up with my friend without that “do you need anything else, nudge, nudge” that you get at a lot of busy restaurants.

And if you are in the mood, check it out for breakfast.

Pastis
9 Ninth Avenue
New York, New York 10014
(212)929-4844
www.pastisny.com

This past weekend my girlfriends and I headed out (in the rain) for our friend’s birthday to what on the outside appeared to be  just a small Italian restaurant. The restaurant, Mangia e Bevi, (which means Eat and Drink) is located in the Theater District on the corner of West 53rd and 9th Ave.

When we first arrived the line was literally out the door; in front of us, 2 large bachelorette parties of girls dressed up in heels, hair and make up perfectly done- standing in the rain with umbrellas that were only barely keeping them dry. Why?

The reason is simple. While the menu could be described as your typical italian cusine, Mangia e Bevi is not your typical italian restaurant.

Offering reasonably priced pre-fixed options (in addition to their a la cart menu) which include sangria, a parade of appetizers,  a generously sized entree and dessert, it is not until the waiter has your orders- that the fun begins.

Reservations are spaced out every 2 hours like show times. Once all guests have ordered, each table is handed tambourines, and within minutes the waiters are belting out Mambo Italiano and dancing with the guests. These musical outbursts happen about  every 10 minutes or so, with songs ranging from “That’s Amore” to “Just Like a Prayer”.  The guests are not only encouraged to sing along with the waiters, but they are encouraged to get on their chairs and dance too… and nearly everyone does.

These outbursts of songs happen approximately every 10 minutes, during breaks your meal is served… and then its back to dancing on your chair again.

While this may not be best choice for a romantic night out, the over all experience is both memorable, fun, and unlike any itailian restaurant you’ve been to before. Making it the perfect place to grab a bite for a girls night out.