A Running List of New York Restaurants

Quote: Sunny and Annie's is a Deli right around the corner from where I live and a great choice for cheap sandwiches any time of day. Of course, you can get a custom-made sandwich, but it's also a lot of fun to pick a sandwich named after a politician from one of the many signs they have posted around the deli counter. (One would need to be brave to order the George Bush, though.)

I've tried several sandwiches both custom and off the menu and would recommend the avocado sandwich most as it's not only sort-of healthy, but as it's sandwich enough for two people and less than seven dollars, it's also a great value.

Quote: If you like cheap food and grilled skewers of just about anything, then this busy little basement restaurant on St. Mark's is the place for you. If you are having someone meet you there, however, be forewarned that there's another Tasiho restaurant a few doors down that can cause confusion.

Quote: We had a snap of unseasonably warm January weather this week, and the unexpected heat triggered a sudden craving for freshly fried tortilla chips and frozen margaritas. The best place to find both of these things in the West Village is Benny’s Burritos on Greenwich, so last night I dined at the bar and also added a burrito to my order. The food was good, the service was fast and friendly, and I even got a margarita on the house, so I definitely recommend.

Quote: I recently moved back to the East Village after several years in Brooklyn, and one of the many things I was looking forward to was being close to Benny's Burritos on Ave. A. I used to go a couple times a month and order their warm house-cooked tortilla chips and a margarita. Sadly, you can never go home again as the chips have been replaced with a chip-like product that tastes like it was cooked in a factory and then packed in a box. Boo.

Also, the last time I was there, the bartender suddenly ran out the door and only came back 15 minutes later.

Quote: My wife and I recently went to an event at the New Museum on the Bowery and afterward wanted to enjoy a cheap and quick meal, so we tried the nearby Congee Bowery. The meal was indeed cheap and quick, though perhaps too quick, as I burned my tongue on both of the entrees we ordered. Those entrees, by the way, were fried pepper squid and sweet and sour pork, but on account of my burnt tongue, to me they both tasted the same. My wife is a bit smarter than me, however, and waited longer to eat, so I'll take her word for it when she says that both dishes were pretty good.

Quote: I liked just about everything about this place except the falafel (which I found a bit undercooked). The homemade pita, though, more than makes up for it. There's really just no comparison than a spongy, fresh-backed pita and the stale, flat, and crumbly version that most restaurants serve straight from a plastic bag. Also, Urban Pita has a great topping bar for your sandwich that includes a number of pickled vegetables and sauces, and the hummus is also quite good.

Quote: You're pretty much out of luck at this little basement restaurant if you don't like hummus; if you are a hummus connoisseur, however, you're going to be very happy. The hummus they serve is almost impossibly smooth and the pita bread is warm, fresh-baked and puffy.

Quote: Shake Shack is fairly legendary in New York, and I think mostly because they reintroduced a type of burger that many people forgot they loved. That said, I'm not exactly sure how to describe this burger, except to say it's much like a fast-foot burger, but actually good. Which is to say it includes a classic hamburger bun, american cheese, lettuce and tomato, and a fairly thin patty rather than the french bread or english muffins, exotic cheeses, and balls of ground beef that many restaurants serve as "gourmet" burgers these days.

Anyway, because it's so popular, there's usually quite a long line. Fear not, you can skip the line and get something just as good and classic at the following places: Burger Joint in the the Parker Meridien hotel, Soho Park in Soho, and Black Iron Burger Shop in the East Village. Or, if you feel like a chain, Five Guys Burgers & Fries have multiple locations throughout the city as well.

Quote: My wife and I have enjoyed brunch at Gemma a few times and decided to try it for dinner last night. While the dining room can be very crowded on the weekends and the sidewalk tables are packed any time it's a nice day, we found it easy enough to get two seats at the bar on a Sunday night. The service can be a little brusque, but we've found the food to be reliably good, especially the pizzas. (The breakfast pizza is both unusual and delicious.) Also the free baskets of bread that come with the meals are quite good.

Quote: I recently decided that I needed to eat steak frites for dinner, and since I've always enjoyed Schiller's in the past, I decided to eat my steak frites there. And that was a good decision--Schiller's set me right.

Quote: I've had many meals at this German restaurant the past few years and have a lot to recommend. It has a great selection of German beers that can be consumed in both half and full liters, and the sausages, frites, and the spaetzle are all really good. It's also a great place for a summer afternoon as they have a small backyard packed with communal tables. The only think I'd avoid is the jagerschnitzel which has a surprisingly thing sauce.

Quote: I've often walked past Mary Ann's on my way home from work and have been meaning to try it, especially because I heard they had great home-made tortilla chips and my former go-to restaurant for freshly made chips started serving them out of a bag. Well, unfortunately my search continues— these chips may have been home made but they weren't very good. (The atmosphere left a little to be desired as well.)

Quote: Good luck trying to get into the Clinton Street Baking company on a Saturday or Sunday morning when people line up outside for pancakes, ham biscuits, and other Southern breakfast staples. You'll find, however, that it's worth the wait if you do. While not as popular, the restaurant also serves a good Southern dinner that I would equally recommend.

Quote: I spent a good chunk of my life as a vegetarian, so I haven't eaten much barbecue, and don't have a whole lot prospective on whether barbecue is just good in general or if Brother Jimmy's BBQ is particulary good, but regardless this was some good food. And it was a lot of food. For twenty dollars I had a rack of ribs, collared greens, macaroni and cheese, two cornbread muffins. Brother Jimmy's, by the way, offers Northern, Southern, and dry rub versions of their ribs. I tried both Northern and dry rub and would recommend the Northern.

Quote: I worked in the neighborhood several years ago when this rice pudding shop first opened much delayed but to even more fanfare. Back then, the going bet was whether it would last a week or a month serving overpriced, gourmet rice pudding in Tupperware-quality containers. Thank goodness for tourists and their guidebooks, though, because someone seems to keep sending people there and many years later they're still going strong. The pudding itself isn't bad, so that may have something to do with it as well.

Quote: I've both eaten at the West Village restaurant and ordered takeout several times, and I have noticed a strange phenomenon where the Mac & Cheese tastes a lot better when eaten at home than when eaten at the restaurant. Maybe the jostling of the delivery-man's bike makes the difference, but the at-home version is pretty much the best Mac & Cheese you'll find in New York It includes a a crusty layer of cheese melted on top and a creamy rue, and if you like, bacon can be added for a dollar.

They also make homemade cookies (including one that resembles an Oreo) that are awfully good.

Quote: In Vino is notable for being located in a space set up like a wine cellar, and while that perhaps sounds a little cheesy, it's well executed and the results is a nice, cozy little wine bar. Glasses of wine range from about $9-$15 and they offer several pastas though we found the quality to be a little hit or miss.

Quote: Despite all the restaurant and bar upheaval that's marked the Lower East Side for the past decade, El Sombrero has remained firmly entrenched in its corner location on Ludlow and Stanton. The food is what you expect from a traditional Mexican restaurant (though the rice is a strange hue of orange) and the margaritas are agreeably stiff.

Quote: When I lived in San Francisco I often ate at a very cheap Ethiopian restaurant on the way home from work, i.e., a full vegetarian platter and a drink cost less than $10. I guess that experience left me thinking that all Ethiopian food was inexpensive, and I've since always been a little shocked at how much Ethiopian food is in New York. Meskel doesn't quite address the issue, (a vegetarian platter is $15) but, it was rather tasty. In particular I recommend the sauteed green beans with carrots, a dish I hadn't encountered in my previous experiences at Ethiopian restaurants, but one I'm sure to seek out going forward.

Quote: This is probably a place to go more for the atmosphere than for the food. I'd suggest getting a seat at the bar, trying one of the house-specialty infused vodkas, listening to the piano player and the thick accents of the cocktail waitresses.

Quote: If you like French Bistros, then this is the place for you. Cozy tables, a classic French menu, and an accented, attractive, and somewhat aloof wait staff can all be found at Casimir. During a recent visit I enjoyed the french onion soup and the house salad, and from what I hear, the couscous dishes are also quite good as well.

Quote: I've now been to Fette Sau twice and have walked away amazed both times. I really can't say enough how well the meats are prepared. Last night I enjoyed a pork sausage, pork belly, beef ribs, and beef shoulder, and each was amazing. Barbecue sauce is served on the side, but they do not cook with it. The restaurant's atmosphere is fun too--your meat is served on a metal tray and you can either sit at the bar our at one of their communal picnic tables. (On nice days you can eat outside as well.) Also, it's a good value as the meat is sold by the pound and the artisanal beers are served by the half-pint, pint, quart, half gallon, and gallon.

Quote: I've been to Pylos several times now and have never been disappointed. It's often quite crowded, but you can usually get a seat at the communal bar in the back. The nice thing about Pylos is that while there's the expected $20-30 entrees, you can also put together a fairly inexpensive meal. The Greek salad, for example, is only $10, but is big enough for an entree and comes with pita.

Quote: I wouldn't go out of my way to go to Lelabar, but if you're on Hudson street or the far West Village and looking for wine bar, it's a perfectly fine (if a bit expensive) place to have a few glasses and some food. The counter seating is a bit scrunched, but all in all the atmosphere is pretty nice and the wine is served in appropriate glassware (which can be surprisingly difficult to find elsewhere).

Quote: My wife and I went to Mary's Fish Camp last night to celebrate her birthday and really enjoyed the tasty (though pricey) meal. Of course, it being a special occasion, we both ordered lobster, so perhaps the price can be overlooked. Highlights included clams on the half shell with fresh horseradish, a grilled whole lobster, and the best lobster roll I've ever had. Only thing I'd avoid is the fried Jonah Crab craws (though they did come with a tasty fried lemon). Also, the restaurant is quite loud, so you might try to go for lunch rather than dinner when the din can be overwhelming.

Quote: Every time I've walked by Porchetta I've been drawn to it's shiny white tiles, bar seating, and smell of slow-roasted pork, so my wife and I finally decided to give it a try last week. For $30 we got two small pork sandwiches and a small container of beans and a few potatoes as sides. To be fair, we ordered takeout and the serving sizes of the sides appeared to be larger when served in the restaurant, but then again, the place only has about six seats, so there's not much choice but to eat at home. The pork itself was good, but it really is just a pork sandwich--chunks pork on bread and nothing else. To be honest, this really seemed like at most a $20 meal, so in the future I'll get my pork sandwiches and lower price at a Vietnamese sandwich shop.

Quote: To be honest, I'm having a hard time recalling what we ate for an entree because our meal was book-ended by two over-the-top dining experiences. First, when we walked in and sat at the bar we were immediately presented with a complimentary bowl of jumbo green olives and highly addictive bread sticks. Then after finishing dinner, we ordered what we thought was a slice of peach pie, but were presented a full 6-inch pie instead. It really was a lot of pie for $8.

How are they giving away so much food you ask? We'll, the appetizers and entrees are fairly pricey, but that said, they're also worth it--everything we had was delicious and lived up to their motto "...using the finest ingredients ...cooking with fire ...simplicity".

Peasant also has a basement-level restaurant that focuses on Paninis and is a bit cheaper.

Quote: Hidden at the end of Freeman Alley, Freemans has been a dining phenomenon among hip New Yorkers since it opened in 2005. Less a place to eat than to be seen, the food is nonetheless very good and it's rare to find a table that doesn't include a pot of the restaurant's signature artichoke dip. Just don't expect to be treated with much in the way of service, though--the bartenders and wait staff tend to be too busy looking cool to take orders or answer questions.

Quote: There's a couple of restaurants in New York I return to again and again and my top two favorites are Five Points and Alias. Five Points has always been my favorite, but after another very good meal at Alias last night, I think it's time to crown a new king.

I thought I would celebrate this occasion by writing a review and listing some of my favorite dishes. I've had and enjoyed both the fried chicken and bacon cheeseburger and I've always jealously eyed the huge plate of nachos that I have seen devoured by other tables. What makes Alias king though are the St. Louis style barbecue ribs and onion rings. Goodness, I get hungry just thinking about it. You really have never seen an onion ring like this before--big, golden, and crisp. Finish this meal with a bourbon and you have one of the best dining experiences in New York City.

Quote: Pretty much out in the middle-of-nowhere in Clinton Hill without any other restaurants around you'll find Locanda Vini e Olii, a small, family run restaurant that feels very authentically Italian. The food is not very cheap, but it is delicious and if you're the sort that enjoys a steak on a clear conscience, pretty much everything on the menu is organic. The other plus is that it's open to 11 PM, which is actually unusual for Clinton Hill.

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Maya and I were inspired to try this new addition to Fort Greene's collection of French restaurants after learning that our upstairs neighbor had recently joined their kitchen staff.

We walked into Ici on a Saturday night and found the dining room completely empty—a discouraging start to the evening until we discovered that everyone was sitting out back. In Brooklyn one rarely has the opportunity to enjoy a quiet, summer meal in the company of fireflies, and the novelty of the experience showed in the serene looks of the patrons. More than half of these patrons spoke French, and our waitress confirmed that Ici had quickly become a favorite meeting place for Fort Greene's misplaced Gauls.

The patio was artfully lit by candles and bare bulbs and enclosed by a white picket fence, with fixtures like flower pots and candle holders appearing to have arrived straight from a Crate and Barrel catalog. Ici's menu offered a fairly limited number of choices, but from these Maya and I had no problem selecting the following.

• Arugula, Mushrooms, Fennel, and Grana Padana Salad ($7): Last winter a friend introduced me to the surprising combination of shaved parmesan cheese and fennel, so I was excited to try this salad, but disappointed to find the refreshing taste of fennel masked by an overabundance of bitter greens.
• Young Spinach & Feta Cheese Tart ($6): Served with a small side of greens, this small appetizer was well-prepared and distinguished by a buttery, flaky crust.
• Spaghetti with Lemon Asparagus and Ricotta) ($12): I plan to make a return trip to Ici for the sole purpose of again enjoying this entrée. The spaghetti tasted especially fresh, and the crunchy, zesty asparagus perfectly balanced the creaminess of the Ricotta.
• Fish of the Day ($17): Maya was not overly impressed with the baked cod, reporting that the fish was a bit bland and the accompanying spicy red sauce unremarkable.

Ici offered several bottles of wine, but only two reds by the glass. We decided to sample both, and actually preferred the less expensive of the two, a 2002 St. Chinian Rimbert ($6).

After the meal we considered dessert, but nothing appearing on either the menu or other diners’ plates interested us, so we decided to pick up some chocolate during the walk home. On the way out, we paused again in the still-empty dining room, this time to admire the whitewashed bricks and baskets of lemons. The dining room seemed just as well put-together and inviting as the patio, and we look forward to enjoying future meals at Ici both indoors and outdoors throughout the year.

A final note: Ici also serves lunch and breakfast.

Quote: Despite (or perhaps because of ) the fact it continues to be one of the hottest restaurants in town, the Spotted Pig doesn't take reservations. As a result, it's recommend you arrive at least an hour before you want to eat on weekdays and a couple hours before you want to eat on weekends. That said, the wait is worth it, if only for an opportunity to have the justly famous medium-rare hamburger with Roquefort cheese and shoestring fries.

Quote: Very enjoyable and "sceney" French bistro in the heart of SoHo. Skip the tourist-packed weekends and instead try Balthazar for a weekday breakfast and dine with the locals.

Quote: As suggested by its name, The E.U. serves a variety of European dishes from German Bratwurst on a homemade pretzel to Italian Gnocchi. The entrees are a little expensive (though quite good), so I'd recommend sitting at the bar, enjoying one of their many wines by the glass, and noshing on a few of their small but tasty appetizers.

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Maya and I were greeted at the door by a sign encouraging us to bring our own wine (the restaurant had recently opened and was still in the process of obtaining their liquor license), so we detoured to The Greene Grape, a wine store conveniently located just steps away. We asked the Greene Grape staff to recommend a wine appropriate for a meal at Veliis, and they smiled and enthusiastically suggested a medium-bodied Argentinean Malbec called Altos Las Hormigas. Of course, that meant nothing to us, but we were in no mood to refuse such a friendly recommendation.

Bottle in hand, we returned to the restaurant and Maya remarked that it smelled like a very good dinner party. I’m not entirely sure what she meant by this comment, but I liked the thought, and indeed, the restaurant staff treated us like familiar guests. Spotting the wine, our waitress brought over two glasses and a bottle-opener and skillfully uncorked and poured the wine while reciting the evening’s specials. After some discussion we agreed upon the following:

• Scallops ($6.50): We chose this as an appetizer and were served five small scallops drizzled with vinaigrette on a bed of greens. I found the Scallops a little underdone, but Maya preferred the term "tender."
• Antipasto Plate ($6.00) and Home Fries ($4.00): I had some vegetarian struggles with the menu, so I ordered these two sides as an entree. The stacks of grilled portabella mushroom and roasted red peppers of the Antipasti Plate were very good, but I found the large slice of eggplant overwhelming and the sprig of decorative rosemary ostentatious. Also, the home fries were a bit greasy.
• Skate ($12.50): Maya chose this very reasonably-priced fish and mashed potato pairing and later complimented the dish’s sophistication. It was, she says, "breaded but not greasy, delicate but not bland, and very impressively presented."
• Chocolate Cake with Blueberries ($5.00) This thick slice of cake topped with chocolate whip cream and blueberry sauce was undoubtedly the highlight of the meal. A classic chocolate cake with gourmet touches, the dessert alternately reminded us of a Hostess cupcake and a French soufflé, and, as such, might have been enjoyed equally as well with a tall glass of milk or a strong espresso. That said, it went just fine with an Argentinean red too.

Overall, we found the restaurant to be warm and inviting and were impressed by the high ceiling and particularly grand pot rack hanging above the open kitchen. Moreover, we found Veliis surprisingly uncrowded and relaxed for a Friday evening and the service quite good.

Ack! One last important note: Veliis accepts cash only.

Quote: À Table is located only a few blocks from my apartment, and I often pass its outdoor crowds while running errands in the neighborhood. Whether it's the summer weather, the good food, or simply the ever-present beer, these sidewalk diners always seem to be enjoying themselves, so on a recent Saturday Maya and I decided to try the restaurant as well.

The interior of À Table was decorated like the French-American restaurants of old movies, with lots of candlelight, red-checkered tablecloths, and a bar made of wine crates. Our waitress was very friendly, and from her we ordered the following:

* Moules Marinieres ($8.00): We chose this large bowl of mussels as an appetizer. The mussels were buttery and well-prepared, but the creamy broth of white wine, garlic, and parsley that accompanied the dish was extraordinary. When the mussels were gone we soaked our bread in it, and when the bread had also disappeared, we continued to drink the broth a spoonful at a time.

* Grilled Calamari ($8.50): Served over grilled zucchini and squash with a balsamic vinaigrette reduction, this small dish of calamari was a good choice for a second appetizer.

* Fish of the Day ($16.00): Our waitress strongly suggested we try some of the blue fish that the owner had caught the night before, so Maya chose this special as her entrée. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and wilted greens, it was, Maya claims, fresh and peppery and the best-tasting fish she had enjoyed in a long time.

* Endive Chevre et Noix ($9.50) and Petis Plats Frites ($5.00): I ordered this roughly chopped endive, walnut, green apple, and goat cheese salad and a plate of French fries together as an entrée. Unfortunately the endive appeared brown (especially by candlelight) and the large salad was so poorly presented that I soon grew bored of it and began eying Maya's fish.

* Chocolate Soufflé ($7.00): Almost without exception we've found that Fort Greene restaurants do desert well, and among these À Table's slice of chocolate soufflé served with Strawberries, pistachio ice cream, and powdered sugar stands out as the best.

Maya and I enjoyed all the above with a Caraf de Rouge ($14), a well-priced house red and the perfect amount of wine to share for two. À Table also serves a few wines by the glass and several more by the bottle.

Despite the disappointing endive salad, our experience at À Table was easily the best combination of good service and great food that Maya and I have enjoyed in Fort Greene. That said, I would hesitate recommending the restaurant to anyone averse to communal dining. We sat at a comfortable corner table for two, but the majority of diners were seated together at long, common tables. While I wish I was a better person and relished the idea of sharing meals with strangers, for me the idea of eating an expensive meal while sitting shoulder to shoulder with a sulking preteen holds no appeal.

Quote: I ordered takeout from Tet for the first time on a Monday, and liked it so much, that I ordered again on a Wednesday. It's slightly pricey for Vietnamese food, but it's by far the best I've ever had.

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It's seldom that I would begin an IgoUgo review by urging readers to avoid a restaurant at all costs, but Gia is not your typical bad restaurant. Most bad meals are easily forgotten with a resigned shrug of "lesson learned," but my bitterness towards Gia only grows. Please forgive me then if I abuse both Gia's reputation and the reader's goodwill by seeking catharsis with this review. So apologies aside, I might as well say it. Gia is two pounds of shit stuffed in a one-pound sack.

If only because of its small portions, minimalist décor, and glass façade, Gia has staked a claim as Fort Greene's "special occasion" restaurant. For this reason, I recently took Maya there for her birthday, and almost without exception, we enjoyed the food. Moreover, we were seated in front of an impressive, second-floor plate glass window and watched a romantic downpour gracefully wash over Lafayette Street. That said, the attention to detail and service at Gia sucked.

No matter where you dine, a trip to the restroom shouldn't require drying your hands with tissues. And even if a restaurant is "fancy," never is a single dinner roll wordlessly offered from silver tray preferable to a simple basket of bread. Such laconic service seemed to extend throughout Gia's staff and hit its curtest peak when our waitress explained a special we didn't recognize as simply "fish." Sadly, the only time the staff really spoke to us at all was when we were committing an error—once when Maya pulled her chair over to share a bowl of soup and again when they caught us still finishing our drinks five minutes before closing.

I should probably say something more about the food:

• Red Beet Soup ($7.00): Another example of ostentatious serving—the waiter first dropped a dollop of crème fraîche and pickled red onion in an oversized bowl and then poured the soup from a silver teapot. I would have preferred less display and more taste.
• Watercress Salad ($7.00): This was very good—a fun mix of poached pear, crunchy candied walnuts, blue cheese, and honey-Dijon vinaigrette.
• Sea Scallops ($9.00): The fact that only two scallops comprise this dish says it all.
• Skate Fish ($22.00): Maya enjoyed this fish served with crunchy bits of candied lemon, a well-balanced carrot salad, and butter sauce.
• Chocolate Mousse Cake ($8.00): No complaints about this well-presented cake topped by blueberries, raspberry sauce, and a flowered strawberry.
• Strawberry Bavarian Cake ($7.00): The strawberry flavor of this dessert tasted strangely artificial.

We ate all of the above with a 2000 Giesen Pinot Noir ($76) which, in truth, had much to recommend it.

Despite all my complaints, I can't claim that I walked out of Gia unhappy. My mood, however, had everything to do with the company on my arm. You see, even the worst meals are enjoyable with the right company. Happy birthday, baby.

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I imagine one of the hardest parts of opening a new bar or restaurant is naming it, and perhaps that's why so many these days opt to assume the name of the space's former tenant. Or, more probably, it's simply the hip thing to do—Williamsburg, for example, is home to both Pete's Candy Store and Union Pool (formerly A-1 Pool and Pest Supply). Anyway, Fort Greene has it own restaurant named after a former tenant, Liquors, and Maya and I recently gave it a try. I'll leave it to the reader to guess the previous tenant.

I should add that a major reason we tried Liquors was an IgoUgo reviewer that described the restaurant's patio as her "favorite in Brooklyn." As patio fans ourselves, we arrived at Liquors and determined that she was indeed on the right track. Despite the remarkably unseasonable coolness of the August night, we found ourselves too cheered by the bright, big-bulbed Christmas lights strung across the patio to consider relocating inside.

The service at Liquors was very friendly. At one point our waiter overheard us discuss the weather and politely asked if he could add his two cents. (He too felt it was rather cold.) Throughout the night we were served by a variety of people, all of whom made us feel relaxed and comfortable. It's a good thing too, because the food, though certainly well-intended, consistently disappointed. I think the major problem is that the chefs simply overshot when it came presentation—for the most part, Liquors serves southern soul food, and it's a little strange to see such friendly food served in such an aloof manner.

We ordered the following:

• Roasted Beet Salad ($6.75): Served with crumbled Roquefort cheese and plantains chips, this interesting combination of tastes was marred by what seemed like canned beets.
• Coconut Curry Mussels ($8.00): The mussels could have been cleaned a bit better as we encountered several sandy bites, but the broth was very good.
• Corn Crusted Catfish ($14.50): This was the first piece of fish I'd tried in years, and well, it will probably be the last. It was served with collared greens, a large corn muffin, and an overly flamboyant drizzle of remoulade sauce.
• Fish of the Day ($15.00): Maya enjoyed this fairly rare piece of Salmon, though like the beets, the wilted greens served with the dish also tasted canned.
• Choco Paradise ($6.00): This was very good chocolate soufflé. It took a full half hour to arrive on the table, but we were in no hurry and took this as a sign of fresh preparation.

Liquors was out of our first choice of wine, so we enjoyed all of the above with a Cudgee Creek Shiraz ($27.00). In sum, the dinner wasn't cheap, and it wasn't particularly good, but somehow it was one of our better dining experiences of the summer. All credit goes to the staff with whom I'd much rather share a drink than a meal.