Casa Mono - Batali does tapas. And not a half-bad job of it either, although there is much more cooking going on than there would be at a traditional tapas bar in Spain, and that's what puts this restaurant at the top of the category. The lomo with squash and pomegranate seed and the skirt steak on onion marmalade are really the size of small entrees. Makes for a good lunch or a casual dinner. The space is so cramped that I prefer eating at the bar. It's best to share plates between two people—that’s the easiest way to get to taste six or seven different dishes. The kitchen can be erratic and that is somewhat of a downside. B+
Lomo with Squash and Pomegranate Seeds at Casa Mono
Mary's Fish Camp - Mary's wins the “who makes a better lobster roll” contest over Pearl Oyster Bar. But the best thing to order at Mary's is the bowl of lobster knuckles, which at $9 is one of the city's great cheap-eats dishes. In fact, when you finish the first bowl it isn't a bad idea to order a second one. Large picture windows at the corner of West 4th and Charles Streets make this a pleasant place to have lunch. They offer cooked food as well, and although it doesn't shine as much as the lobster dishes, a recent bowl of steamers were beautifully plump and delicious. B+
Lobster Knuckles at Mary’s Fish Camp
Tia Pol - Blue Hill's Mike Anthony recommended this Chelsea tapas bar run by Chef Alex Raij. She served us “Pacquetitios” of Serrano ham with artichokes and manchego cheese, a delicious sautéed foie gras with violet jelly, a serious leg of roast pork, and a stew of chickpeas with bacon, chorizo, and pig’s ear. Less successful was an ordinary tortilla, and she could have done a better job of integrating the flavors in her arroz negro. They also serve a weekend brunch beginning at 11:00 AM. Have the delicious Basque breakfast with two eggs up, fried in olive oil, and fried pork, potatoes, and a piquillo pepper. Interesting Spanish wine list. A place to watch. If the menu was a bit more substantial, this would probably be the highest-rated restaurant in the category. The cramped quarters are a negative. B+
Cocida of Chickpeas, Bacon, Chorizo, and Pig's Ear at Tia Pol
Pearl Oyster Bar - Stick to the cooked food and then head over to Mary's for the dishes that feature lobster. Given the dishes offered as daily specials at Pearl, they present themselves as being the more serious restaurant of the two. But the cooked food isn’t good enough to offset the superior lobster roll and lobster knuckles they serve at Mary’s. A dingy space is also a negative. B
August - They do a nice job at this neighborhood country Italian with a wood-burning oven that dominates the main dining room. If you order a platter of salumi and then something cooked in the oven, you will be happy enough. Not a destination restaurant, but a good choice if you are going to be in the West Village. B-
Roast Quail with Lentils and Frisee Lettuce at August
Poetessa - Country Italian from ex-Le Madri chef Pippa Calland. A style of food I would eat more often if there were better versions available around town. Her sautéed chicken livers with pancetta, red onions, and balsamic vinegar with melted cheese were delicious. But the puttanesca-style sauce that came with the monkfish was less successful. I wish the scope of the cuisine was slightly more ambitious, but I'm not sure the lower Second Avenue location could handle the price point. B-
Angon on 6th - The food actually tastes homemade at this 6th Street Indian restaurant. At most of the Indian restaurants in town the sauces and spices all taste like they came from the same central kitchen. But there is something about Angon that is different. Take the fishballs coated with chickpea flour, fried, and then doused with what seems more like a curry-flavored gravy than the typical curry sauce—they are downright haimesche and seem like they are made with the same type of love that goes into a good Italian meatball or a fluffy matzoh ball. Too bad the smallish menu makes repeated visits difficult; it also prevents the restaurant from having a higher rating. B-
50 Carmine - Sara Jenkins (now departed) offered a pleasant version of Italian country cuisine. Some of her dishes had merit, but overall there was something about the food that didn’t move me. Given the choice I would rather eat this cuisine at either August or Poetessa. Bring back the old days and C’ent Anni. C
Otto Enoteca - Go for Meredith Kurtzman’s wonderful gelato. Flavors such as olive oil, ricotta, and meyer lemon are both imaginative and delicious. If you have to eat, stick to something simple like vegetables or a platter of salumi. But I usually just go for gelato after I’ve already had lunch or dinner elsewhere. (A for the gelato.) C
A trio of Avocado, Ricotta, and Coconut Gelato at Otto
Bar Jamon - A ham bar without Pata Negra or Iberico almost seems pointless. But a platter of Serrano with a plate of cheese and some interesting wines by the glass makes for a good supercasual meal. C
Spotted Pig - I had a bad lunch here. It's one thing to try and recreate a panini or tapas bar because the food is so distinct, but recreating a gastropub doesn't offer the same culinary possibilities. I understand how this format can work in London, but what’s the point of having a place like this in NYC? And it must be one of the most uncomfortable restaurants in the city. C-
Bistro du Vent - When you operate a Roman trattoria, a panini bar, a pizzeria, a tapas bar and a jamon bar, and finally a gastropub, why not add a Provencal brasserie-style restaurant to the mix? Well, that is what the team of Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich have done by opening Bistro du Vent. Chef David Pasternack of Esca fame oversees the kitchen. Unfortunately, Pasternack didn’t even come close to nailing the cuisine. Granted, I was there on opening night, but it is the quietest Batali opening I think this town has ever witnessed, and I think the uninspired food is the reason for it. C-
Homemade Boudin Blanc from Veal and Sweetbreads served with Sauerkraut at Bistro du Vent
Taboon - The concept of a contemporary version of Middle Eastern cuisine appeals to me. Too bad this restaurant run by an Israeli chef doesn’t do a better job of it. The mezze aren’t bad—there are a few interesting plates. But the mains are not up to it and the result is a restaurant that is take it or leave it for me. Not a place to go out of your way for. C-
Barbuto - Jonthan Waxman left Washington Park and got himself a wood-burning oven at Barbuto. Too bad he couldn't do a better job with this restaurant than making a poor man's version of Tra Vigne. Which isn't saying that much to begin with. D
Restaurants Reviewed in Prior Years
Cafe Sabarsky - Good for a casual lunch on the Upper East Side. Salads, soups sandwiches, etc. C+
Risotteria - Not real risotto but tasty. A different kind of cheap meal. C+
Gonzo - Third-rate pizza place/wood-burning grill Italian restaurant. D
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