Sean

I have lived in Yonkers for about 20 years now and I have experienced my fair share of Chinese take-out, but this one is by far my favorite. Definitely try the cheese and crab wontons and the butterfly shrimp with bacon.

I can’t say much for anything else besides that they offer creamy and rich new york style cheesecakes of various assortment as well as an amazingly extra large and delicious rice krispy square. They also have many other baked good that are easy to say on the level of spectacular. You can match the your mid-afternoon treat with a nice cappucino or cafe latte.

Surrounded by lace curtain, candlelight, throw pillows for seating, and antique decorative furinishings for dining, the ambience could only be called a cultural hallmark or as close as is possible for this type of dining venue. Hidden away in a private tent my date and I were able to enjoy a pre-fixe 5 course meal for $55 not including drinks. It was easy to say that it was as sensational as it was diversified enough to send my palette in multiple and intense directions throughout the meal. From spicy to savory to sweet, all angles were covered and implore you to see the attached dishes that I have selected as points of reference for this phenomenal value. As for the service, let it be said that I have never felt more attented to and believe me I really do pay attention to how the server carries him or herself as a heavy contributior to the overall experience. I do not know if he still works there, but the particular server (Matt) was one of the most attentive, genuine, informational, and all around entertaining server that I have come across. We had politely informed him at the beginning of the meal that we were in a little bit of rush since we had a show to go to and couldn’t be late. He said, “not a problem” and took care of us all night. He kneeled down at the opposite side of our octoganal shaped antique tabletop and elegantly describe (in great detail) everything on the menu that we could choose from. I was very impressed on how prepared he was and how good his ability to make everything sound wonderful. Everything was timed perfectly, enough so that we had a quick and romantic meal but did not at all feel rushed or pressured to get through each course. In the end, I will always suggest to dine at a place like this mid-week to avoid the rush of the weekends (service is always better during the week), but I hope it would be the same Friday and Saturday as well and I also believe that they have belly-dancing on the weekend as well, which can be very entertaining and sexy.

Though you definitely need your credit card and should be prepared to spend a bit of your weekly paycheck, the elegant combination of food and service is well worth it. I honestly think that it is some of the best Italian cusine I have ever had in my life and the service is impecable. The owner of the restaurant is there almost everynight of the week and he makes it his mission to visit each table to make sure everything is going superbly. Many patrons will recieve a complimentary plate of sopresatta and parmesan cheese to wet their appettite and to wonderfully match the selected wine, which comes from a list of almost 100 pages to choose from. Upstairs you have the oppurtunity to dine within private wine cellars arranged by region (Italian, French, California, and International) The other little treat is that they even have a room where the guests may dine where the pastry makes his world famous desserts. He will also let you help him very often!!! This restaurant has been top rated by Zagats and it is a frequent hot spot for celebrity diners.

Caught in between Little Italy and Chinatown, this wonderful little hybrid of asian and indian cusine never fails to amaze. Very cheap but very worthwhile. If you don’t mind a little spice in your flavor then you won’t mind the mee siam (noodles, tofu, shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts, etc.) or the beef rendang (slow cooked beef cubes in a mouth watering creamy curry sauce). That’s all I have to say. The price is right and the authenticity of the cusine is dead on!

While the decor is beautiful: high ceilings, open kitchen, and candle light, the main downfall with this place is that it advertises itself as Greek but there’s really nothing traditionally Greek about it! Putting olives, hummus, and feta cheese on the menu is not Greek. Also, the waitstaff is little unknowledgeable and I could tell they were trying to pull a fast one on me when I asked questions about the menu…waiters like to make stuff up to confuse the customer. Of course the food was actually good, but not really Greek. They also gave me and my girlfriend free champagne and dessert wine, which sweetened me up a bit. Overall decent restaurant but not what they claim to be.

This little gem of Chinatown comes a bit hidden. Located on Mulberry St. (off of canal st. and across from columbus park). You walk in and it’s very small, but you’re really not there for the atmosphere. It’s a quick snack and great value indeed. At $1 (flat rate/tax included) you find yourself holding a container of hot dumplings that don’t even need sauce because they are juicy and perfectly seasoned to taste. Think about it…you could have 25 dumplings for $5…THAT’S CRAZY!!! Try it out and let me know what you think!!!

Since living in New York, I have been here about 8 times and I find myself to be never disappointed. The sushi is always fresh and always tasty. You can order a tuna roll, california roll, and a Zen roll (tempura shrimp, avacado, cumcumber, seaweed, rice) for under $10. If that’s not a bargain I don’t know what is. I haven’t had much else….oh oh besides the awesome red bean ice cream!!! Hot sake is nice too. The service is ok, but it’s always fun to complain about how flakey waiters can be and I am a waiter, so I’m sure someone is out there bashing me as well. I won’t forget to mention that right down the block is a somewhat FREE yoga class that allows you to work out and work up an appetite for a complementary and healthy meal afterwards.

For years I had tried to find a Mexican restaurant that had great food, great service, great prices, great decor, and overall great value and for the longest time it was looking like pretty rough, that was of course until I about 5 years ago when I met a little hidden gem in Westchester County. I had asked many sources, including Mexican-American and Mexican nationals that I know in my life where to find a “nice” Mexican restaurant in New York. I’m talking about upscale and awesome food. This place was where they pointed and trust me, when the people from which the cusine originated from gives it the go ahead, that’s usually a pretty good indiction of a good sign. It is romantic enough for dates: fireplace, mariachi band, dimmed lighting, and tasteful decor. It’s great for family and friends as well. They make fresh guacamole and this amazing cheese and chorizo appetizer right at the table. They also do the same for a banana flambeed in liquor (cognac I believe) and an ice cream deep frozen in cinanmon and sugar cornflakes but then softened by the carmelizing flames. I can’t even begin to do this place justice and my mouth is watering as I think about it. Also, they have phenomenal drinks: various frozen maragritas, red and white sangria, and some elegant international wine. I’ll be honest, it’s really tough to find a place like this. You can get pretty good Mexican at a Mexican market, deli,and some various restaurants but this place combines elegant service and atmosphere with fantastic food at very reasonable prices.

Ok, I said I came here for fun with friends, however that actually turned into romance pretty quickly. Despite the fact that I shared my first kiss with my best friend at the time and now my girlfriend (of two years) outside of this restaurant after having some congee, dumplings, scallion pancakes, and a few beers, I would still say I love it. The decor is wonderful…I feel like I’m in a rain forest or something. The food is fast to come out and servers are always nice. The congee, which is like a porridge, for those who don’t know, is yummy yummy and comes served in a nice hot pot, which adds to the allure. The prices are also insanely cheap. When the check comes I feel like they under charged me, but I always make up for it in tips. So if you are looking for a fun late night place to hang out with friends or to get a little whacky and turn a friend into a girlfriend or boyfriend, that’s the place!!!