Shambhala Cafe

The only sunglasses-and-chocolate store in NYC may have closed, but there's a new alternative for those who like to snack on sweets while shopping for accessories: Shambhala Cafe. This tiny shop is part earrings emporium, part Argentinian pastry heaven. The cafe features tubs of dulce de leche, coconut-sprinkled alfajores, tiny bizcochitos, and for the savory-inclined, a selection of homemade empanadas. The Cuban coffee (prepared by co-owner Luis) is divine, but if you eschew caffeine, you can indulge in a non-alcoholic "morir sonando"... orange juice blended with a bit of sweetened condensed milk.

And the earrings? I'm wearing my new pair right now.

Shambhala Cafe: 655 2nd Ave., (212) 213-2001.

Late Night Snacks at M Shanghai Bistro & Den

"I'm convinced there's something addictive in this sauce," said my friend as she dipped a plump seafood dumpling. "Unfortunately, we always seem to crave it on Mondays, when this place is closed."

All the delectable little bites at M Shanghai (fried chive egg pancakes, juicy pork buns, wontons, sticky rice shumai, dumplings) are served with a quartet of sauce components. The server expertly mixes them; you just indicate your spice tolerance. M Shanghai's appetizers are a perfect solution to the midnight munchies (the kitchen is open till 12 a.m., and delivery requests are accepted until the witching hour).

If you long for something more substantial, you can fill up on shredded beef with chili pepper, salt-and-pepper shrimp, sliced crispy chicken with ginger, noodles with oyster sauce, and much more. Or, you could make a choice from the "specials" menu, which never seems to change! Peel-and-eat ginger shrimp are a favorite.

M Shanghai just celebrated its fifth anniversary with a basement electronica party. The quirky joint was around long before the era of Williamsburg condos and south-of-the-BQE gentrification. So eat up some thin-skinned, juicy dumplings and enjoy one of Williamsburg's most enduring restaurants.

M Shanghai Bistro & Den: 129 Havemeyer St., Brooklyn, (718) 384-9300.

Pour

Maybe your friends are having a barbecue, and you'd like to bring over the perfect wine for grilled meat. Or you might like to know which variety of wine would compliment the Indian take-out you're enjoying at home. Pour, the only wine shop which exclusively focuses on food-wine pairings, is just the place for you! Wines are helpfully categorized into Bubbly, Crisp, Mellow, Plush, Bright, Velvety, Bold, Sweet, and Spirits. Categories include tips on optimal food pairings (oysters need a bubbly like Laurent Perrier Brut) and even food preparations (pan-seared meat goes well with a velvety Charbono "Villa Andriana" Summers red).

Are you still wondering about how to accompany your spicy Indian curry? Try a bold red wine with flavors of fruit, coffee and licorice: the 2003 Condado de Haza.

Pour: Amsterdam at 75th St., (212) 501-POUR.

The Most Chocolatey Gelato Ever

I know it's still 39 degrees outside, but I'm looking forward to summer days spent indulging in gelato. And I think I just found the most chocolatey gelato ever! Billed as "rich, black and serious," Capogiro's Cioccolato Scuro is not for the garden-variety chocoholic. It's for the diehard who wouldn't bat an eye at devouring an entire Valrhona Le Noir Extra Amer 85% chocolate bar.

The first ingredient in Cioccolato Scuro is cocoa. But if all this chocolate in one gelato is too intimidating, Capogiro also offers some lighter chocolate flavors: chocolate hazelnut with pieces of caramelized hazelnuts; chocolate banana; mint chocolate chip; Mexican chocolate with ancho chile, chipotle, cinnamon and bitter almonds; chocolate malt; and plain chocolate.

Where did I find Capogiro? At Whole Foods, which is gradually taking over Manhattan. (I wish the chain would spend some of its energy on neglected Queens!)

Sake And Cherry Blossoms

Although I'm a New Yorker by nature, I was born in Washington, DC. I only feel nostalgic in early spring, when I used to visit the 3,000 cherry blossom trees. (This year, they're blooming April 1-April 12.)

Since I can't get down to DC and don't see a trip to Tokyo in the near future, I have something else in mind: the Cherry Blossom Festival at Sakagura! Starting April 10, my favorite NYC Japanese restaurant will be decorated with fresh cherry blossoms, and there will be a seasonal sake tasting on April 23. For more information, please call 212-953-SAKE (7253).