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Part of the reason I love Italy more than life itself is the daily array of aperitivo. Italian restaurants provide a savory post-work sanctuary by offering what is basically free food. You are expected to purchase a beverage, and then allowed full reign of the restaurants aperitivio selection, which can range from a full meal to smaller traditional appetizers. For a lad or lass on a budget or someone just looking to snack while they unwind with vino, aperitivo time is amazing.

The millionth reason I love Nolita: with the opening of Emporio last April, I no longer have to fly to Italy to enjoy aperitivo.  From 5-7 p.m. The local Italian joint, modeled after a 1920’s grocery, is packed on weeknights with happy patrons enjoying Aurora (Soho and BK) owner’s latest neighborhood venture. And neighborhood-ish it is. Every night is packed with downtown dwelling expats – French, Italian, Aussie. In addition to providing a nice atmosphere for friendly single mingling, the mixed crowd indicates Emporio got the whole Euro-vibe right.

And the aperitivio – amazing. Stuzzichini, pizzettes and a variety of antipasti taste delicious especially with $5 sangria. They also offer a free drink refill (2 for 1) during aperitivio. And if all of this proves such a great experience you are tempted to go back, go for brunch. The strapazzate (scrambled eggs, goat cheese, smoked salmon on crostini) and the frittate (ham, wild mushroom, mozzarella) are both delicious. The brunch pre-fixe costs $15 and drink refills just $5 for the boozy crowd. Um, that’s me.

Emma Dinzebach

Everyone complained that SHO Shaun Herrgat’s location (the 2nd floor of the Setai Hotel at 40 Broad Street) was difficult to find. Then they complained the walk to your table took too long. I disagreed. I found it, and as a developer’s daughter, was quite enthralled with the design. Interior architects at  Robert D. Henry created an emotional, if slightly expansive, space. Think Dubai meets Plaza Athenee in Bagnkok. Actually, think the world meets Wall Street. I half-expected Chuck Bass to be waiting for me at the bar.

Instead I found business men at business meetings, a few sketchy mistress-esque dates, some plain ‘ol normal folk, and my patient date still in his suit from work. He looked very handsome. Knowing I wanted to write about it, he arranged for special treatment. We had an informative tour of the extensive floor to ceiling vino gallery and the private dining room (pictured). (He offered to let us to sit in there, but I thought that would be awkward.) Instead, were given our choice of a couple select tables.

Mr. Hergatt is a master of texture mixture and each dish is perfectly sculpted and presented to this degree. There are emulsions, froths, stacks and drizzles with exotic ingredients and exciting combinations. SHO Shaun Hergatt’s tasting menu is just $69 – a fine dining bargain in tough  times. We skipped that as our meal was pre-arranged. (He is an exceptional date, right?). We started with the peekytoe crab, foie gras, trout tartare and something else that slips my mind as we also tasted a lot of wine. The three day short rib, cod and veal tenderloin were our favorites. I wasn’t a huge fan of the rabbit loins, but it could have been my overall aversion to the word loins.

And then, because I’m lucky like this, Mr. Hergatt emerged inquiring into our meal. I was completely taken off guard and combined with the wine might have stumbled over my words, but eventually abruptly blurted out a slew of compliments. I looked at my smiling date. Who just said, “Dessert?”

SHO Shaun Hergatt  The Setai Hotel  40 Broad Street  212.809.3993

Emma Dinzebach

Riding the green wave are restaurants screaming from their bamboo surfboards, “Eat local, Dude! Buy local, man! Cowabunga.” Tasting Table toots that it’s been suggesting local since it’s launch. Dude, wasn’t that like last year? Okay true, shoring the gap between what we eat and where it is grown lends to sustainable restaurant practices, supports local businesses and reduces heavy carbon emissions created from distant transports. In fact, eating locally has been a goal of many area restaurants way before green was the new black. Furthermore, choosing local produce is a better, more earth-conscious approach than choosing organically. (For more information on how eating locally as opposed to organically helps our planet and your health, click here.)

Restaurants like Mas Farmhouse, Five Points, and Blue Hill have been serving local ingredients for nearly a decade. These pioneers use seasonal ingredients, and talent, to achieve culinary artistry that tickles our tastebuds and touches our hearts. New Yorkers – and surrounding area farmers – realize that out of everything bad, comes something good, and are happy that the alarming state of our planet has at least awoken minds to the joy of eating locally.

How can you celebrate? Several area chefs are celebrating September by highlighting where their food came from. You can find a detailed PDF of how area chefs are celebrating this month at Tasting Table. Or, cook something yourself. You’re long overdue to host a dinner party, right? Hit up Union Square Market, New Amsterdam or the 77th Street Sunday Flea & Green Market and pick up some local ingredients to cook up some splendor of your own…dude.

Emma Dinzebach

Revved for a good dinner but low on cash surprisingly led me to one of New York’s most delicious neighborhoods, the West Village, where I met two beautiful friends at Fatty Crab.  Fatty Crab is pretty much a New York City institution – for those who know about it – and the hands down best Malaysian-style crab outside of, um.. Malaysia? Not that I would actually know. But I do know quite a bit about Fatty Crab! So I’ve sifted through my wealth of New York City restaurant knowledge and pulled out three things you should know before you go.

1) It’s called Fatty Crab because you should order the crab.

2) They call it a “joint” as opposed to a restaurant.

3) Chef Zak Pelaccio’s been doin’ Asian since, well, I don’t really know when actually. But he def worked at the now defunct Chickenbone Cafe in the BK before working at 5 Ninth, which I almost all together ignore not because I can find anything wrong with their Cuban sandy but because I don’t so much do those Meatpacking places. But we heart him because he then opened Fatty Crab, which as since expanded to Fatty Crab UWS. Not that I’ll visit the latter locale any time soon. You know how I feel about dining above 23rd Street. (With Per Se and Tao as obvious exceptions. And stop snickering, Tao has the best desserts ever.)

      
Onto the food. My friend outright scolds Pelaccio for having thus far failed to bottle and sell the BBQesque sauce that smothers the crab. It is literally so good I can’t even find the words to describe it – tangy, thick but light and succulent. The sauce tastes delicious with the coconut rice. The beef/pork sliders surprisingly do not taste like your average slider and come with a pickle, lettuce and sweet yummy bun. The mango salad is spicy, peanuty shredded greatness, if a little standard. I also recommend the pork buns, which are moist with the perfect amount of pork/bun ratio. Our food bill came to around $80 total for three ladies, and we had more than enough food. If you are really watching your dollas, order PBR. Our alcohol total was $90 – more than our food!, but we had champagne because, like I said, we’re ladies.
The atmosphere is key. Everyone is lively, patient and there for the food. No reservations in the village location, so have a cocktail to start and then beer with your meal. They serve Rogue Fatty Crab Sidestepper Ale on draft, and it’s perfect with the crab.

The Fatty Crab  W. Village 634 Hudson between Horatio and Gansevoort  UWS 2170 Broadway between 72nd and 73rd  212.496.2722