Restaurant Week 2009 - Extended

If you went out for dinner in NYC every single evening for your entire life, you could eat at a different restaurant every single evening. Unfortunately, B and I have our regular haunts and we have trouble convincing ourselves to deviate from our favorites. However, when Restaurant Week rolls around we are usually able to get ourselves to try something new.

I was very happy this morning when I read that Restaurant Week 2009 is being extended. Click HERE for more details about which restaurants are participating in the extended RW.

Follow this Link for more information about the "regularly scheduled" Restaurant Week.

Macaroni and Cheese Nirvana - S'mac

Another of my favorite places, S'mac is a great food option in the city that is wallet friendly. You will leave S'mac full, happy, and better yet, the damage will only be $8-$12 per person. My favorite is the alpine with extra bacon. The cheeseburger mac n' cheese is another favorite.

Don't get discouraged if there is a line and no place to sit when you walk in. The turn over is pretty quick, so by the time your mac n' cheese is ready to be eaten, you'll have a table.

If you eat your mac n' cheese at the restaurant, you will be given a number so that the waiters can find you when your mac n' cheese is finished. The cheesy goodness is served in a cast iron skillet that has baked to perfection keeping the outside crispy and the inside ooey gooey (this is technical jargon).

If the weather is nice, consider ordering your mac n' cheese to go and head over to Tompkins Square Park a few blocks away (Avenues A to B, and East 7 to East 10 streets).

You might not believe me when you see the cast iron dishes, but a Nosh sized mac n' cheese is more than enough for one person. However, if you have a little room after you've finished, consider heading over to ChikaLicious (203 E. 10th St.) or the Dessert Club (204 E. 10th Street) for dessert.

Warning, these are not activities for those who are on a diet. However, if you want to take the weekend off from your diet, S'mac is definitely worth it!

Info:
Website: http://www.smacnyc.com/
Location: 345 East 12th Street (btw 1st and 2nd Avenue), NY, NY 10003
Phone: 212-358-7912
Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11:00am - 11:00pm; Friday - Saturday 11:00am - 1:00am
Directions: Take the L train to 14th Street and 1st Avenue; 6 train to Astor Place (short walk), or take any of the trains that stop at Union Square (short walk).

Cause baby it's cold outside

When it's cold outside, I want comfort food. There aren't many foods that I find more comforting than chocolate. Mmmm... Cho-co-late....

The Chocolate Room has been a long standing staple in Park Slope, however I don't generally stray that far so I was thrilled when they recently opened a second location in Cobble Hill. When you arrive, you are greeted with water and a free sample of a chocolate treat (there are also generally free samples at the to go counter).

The dessert menu has a little something for everyone. If you don't like chocolate, don't worry, there is ice-cream, milkshakes, cookies, even wine and beer (both alcohol and root) on the menu to make and keep you happy.

Whether you're out with the kids, a few friends, or you're on a date, the Chocolate Room is a Cobble Hill must do. In fact, why not make a stop at the Cobble Hill movie theater next door for a blockbuster or independent flick before or after your chocolate treats to round out your day.

This place is so tasty that a few of my friends from Queens have taken 2 pilgrimages to Brooklyn in the last month, simply for the Chocolate Brown Sundae. They came, they ate, they conquored, they drove back to Queens, but not before making a date with me to meet them at the Chocolate room in two weeks.

Information
Website: http://www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com/
Hours: 12:00 - 11:00pm (Midnight on Friday's and Saturdays)
Location: 269 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-246-2600
Directions: Google Map Link

Because you've got to eat - Tazza

One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to wake up early and head out to Tazza with my husband for breakfast. We started taking visitors there for granola, croissants, baguettes, coffee and tea three years ago, and now they all request it when they come to town to visit.

This little eatery is bustling during breakfast and lunch hours, but becomes more laid back at night. I highly recommend starting your day here by ordering granola with fresh fruit and yogurt (approximately $6.50) and your caffeinated beverage of choice, or by ending your day on a high note with a glass of wine (prices vary) and a prosciutto, mozzarella & arugula pannani ($8.95).

Tazza is well stocked with an assortment of other fresh baked goodies, salads, and sandwiches. If you're not a granola or pannini, there is likely to be something else in the pastry case or on the menu that appeals to you. However, if you are hoping to surf or work on your computer at Tazza while you are eating or drinking coffee, you will be disappointed as the owners don't allow computer use during most open hours.


Info:


Location: 311 Henry Street (Btw Atlantic and State Street)
Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-10pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-10pm
Phone: 718-243-0487
Directions: Subway: 2, 3, 4 or 5 train to Borough Hall, M or R train to Court Street, A, C, or F train to Jay Street/Borough Hall. Short walk, bring a map.