The coastal Italian menu with a strong focus on fish and vegetables drew me to Santina immediately. As part of the Major Food Group (think Dirty French, Carbone, Sadelle's etc.), the restaurant joins a list of popular, acclaimed restaurants, and in doing so has high expectations to fill. Upon entering Santina, you're greeted by bright colors and a welcoming, Mediterranean-inspired interior, which is a nice reprieve from the typical dark and gloomy New York restaurant. I love the colorful, hand-painted, and unique dishes used as well. I was excited to try the super creative (and not to mention beautifully plated!) squash carpaccio, and it did not disappoint. The delicate butternut squash was balanced nicely with a honey agrodolce, pink peppercorns, pumpkin seeds, and crème fraîche. The cecina (Tuscan chickpea pancake) was served in the skillet accompanied by a delicious avocado salsa verde, and came offered with a variety of toppings. We chose the spicy Calabrian tuna tartare, which was super fresh. with just the right amount of spice. The kale & sunchoke salad was light and refreshing, perfect before heading into our main courses. There are several seasonal rice and pasta dishes on the menu, and we thoroughly enjoyed our fusilli Santina with Merguez sausage & mussels (the guanciale e pepe rice dish, however, was quite underwhelming). The Guajillo chicken with eggplant yogurt was cooked perfectly and so full of flavor; the radicchio and frisée added a nice contrasting bite to the dish as well. We had plans for dessert elsewhere, but I would definitely like to return and taste the sweets, along with many other things on the menu! I love that Santina easily caters to meat-eaters, pescatarians, and vegetarians alike, with many fresh and creative dishes available for everyone. Although the prices are a bit high, it's on-par with the neighborhood, and the solid food & fun atmosphere ensure I'll be returning again soon.
nix
I love that so many restaurants are making vegetables the stars of their menus these days. Instead of simply being a side dish or afterthought, vegetables are the main focus and really getting their time to shine. Nix is following suit with an innovative, seasonal, and vegetable-focused menu by Michelin starred chef John Fraser. Their belief that "eating vegetarian or vegan cuisine should feel more celebration than sacrifice" is truly evident in the unique and flavorful dishes presented. A true highlight of the meal was the acclaimed yukon potato fry bread, which came "highly decorated" with seasonal fixings and was truly satisfying. The cauliflower tempura with steamed buns and house pickles was a delicious vegetarian take on a Chinese classic, the shiitake "cacio e pepe" with heirloom polenta was hearty and comforting, and the freshly baked tandoor bread with Middle Eastern-style dips is not to be missed either. Chef Fraser draws on inspiration from cuisines all around the world, and in doing so creates a highly creative and memorable vegetarian menu that will leave you planning a return trip very soon.
ample hills creamery
In honor of National Ice Cream Day yesterday, I thought it appropriate to share one of my favorite spots for ice cream. Ample Hills Creamery is a small batch, all-natural creamery, and all the ice cream is handmade in Brooklyn, NY, They make some of the best ice cream I've ever had, and I love how creative they are with flavors and mix-ins (think rice krispies, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough, pistachio brittle & honeycomb candy)! Some of their signature flavors include: Salted Crack Caramel, Snap Mallow & Pop, Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, The Munchies, and Pistachio Squared, all of which I would happily consume any day of the week! . Ample Hills was originally just in Brooklyn, first in Prospect Heights & then Gowanus, but now they've continued to expand into Manhattan, and even have seasonal locations. They recently opened a location in the Meatpacking District, in conjunction with Bubby's High Line, and are offering collaborative pie sundaes and shakes featuring Bubby's iconic pies! Definitely looking forward to trying those soon. On this particular occasion, I went with a scoop each of Coffee Toffee Coffee and Nonna D's Oatmeal Lace, which did not disappoint in the least. Yum!
llama inn
Another stellar recent addition to the Brooklyn dining scene is Llama Inn. I love the vibe here, totally approachable and the type of place you'd want to come and hang all day. In fact, they even encourage you to "pop in, stay a while, get to know us" on their website. They're open for lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on the weekends, so there's really no excuse to stay away! The menu is Peruvian-inspired, and uses local ingredients to create fresh and seasonal food that is absolutely bursting with flavor. Just look at all the colors in the photos above (click on the pics to read food descriptions too)- such a vibrant and delicious take on Peruvian cuisine! The drinks menu, featuring cocktails with authentic Hispanic roots and small batch wines, is both creative and refreshing as well. I'm already planning my return trip, but just a heads up- reservations are starting to get harder to come by with the constant buzz surrounding tis place, so plan ahead! Or, stroll in and grab a Pisco at the bar while you wait!
momofuku milk bar
I've been a fan of Momofuku Milk Bar for a long time now. Christina Tosi, the award winning & highly talented pastry chef, is the brains behind these super successful bakeries, and I love the playful spin she puts on traditional homestyle desserts. The stellar line up of baked goods never fails to impress, and I always leave with my sweet tooth satisfied. Milk Bar is probably most known for the cereal milk soft serve (it's even trademarked!), and for good reason. This unique take on a childhood favorite gives me all sorts of nostalgic feels. The sweet & salty soft serve with hints of an almost-finished bowl of cereal is addicting enough on its own, and then it's topped with a generous sprinkling of crunchy cornflakes! To die for! While you're there, be sure to check out the unique cookie flavors as well. I love corn cookie, the coco cookie (part of the Klossie's colleciton with Karlie Kloss!), and the cornflake-chocolate chip-marshmallow cookie best, but really you can't go wrong with any of them! Milk Bar bakeries are also a great place to pick up a whole cake or pie for any special event!
gjusta
Gjusta has been on my must-visit list for a while. It's owned by the same team as Gjelina, the ridiculously popular and delicious veggie-focused, Mediterranean-inspired spot in Venice, so you know it's got to be top notch. Their beautiful pastries, pizzas & veggies frequently pop up on my Instagram feed, and never fail to make my mouth water. On a recent trip to LA, I was staying in Venice and decided to take myself out to dinner and finally cross it off my list! The choices are endless, and everything is tantalizingly displayed in front of you (although you can order off a menu as well), making it tricky to narrow it down. After talking to an employee behind the counter, getting his input and suggestions, I decided on a nice mix of healthy (and not) delights. First, a slice of pizza smothered in braised greens and fresh mozzarella, was thin with a nicely charred (but doughy!) crust and a great proportion of toppings. I also got a combo plate of the day's fresh salad offerings- marinated fennel and grilled broccolini- both super well-seasoned. The star of the show for me is always dessert, and I had been dying to try their baklava croissant. I know- baklava fillings (think nuts & honey) all rolled up in a perfectly flaky croissant! Sadly, and not surprisingly, they were sold out of this popular item, but I ended up with something equally satisfying. The miso date cookie was super unique and I adored the sweet & salty flavors it boasted! I definitely plan to return to Gjusta on my next trip to LA, and I can't wait to check out what new, seasonal offerings that have available. Hopefully I'll have better luck snagging the famed baklava croissant then as well!