I Sodi

Smack in the middle of always-bustling Christopher Street is a calm, elegant Tuscan restaurant with its own brand of olive oil. I had always wanted to pay a visit, and my acquisition of a $20 OpenTable gift certificate was the occasion to finally dine there. Recently, Alto disappointed me with bland flavors at high prices, but I Sodi was the total opposite, and I'm now completely enamored with it.

I went with a friend who loves to share (isn't that the best kind of friend?). We began with a peppery mache salad. The leaves were interspersed with cubes of toothsome pecorino and dressed with a mild balsamic vinaigrette that almost tasted of caramel. (The arugula with castelmagno salad also looked enticing.) Then we devoured a wonderful whole-wheat tagliatelle special. The nubby, deliciously uneven texture of the noodles made every bite an interesting one; each mouthful had a different ratio of anchovy, garlic and melted butter.

We had intended on ordering osso buco or grilled Cornish hen for our second course, but the seafood mixed grill special sounded too appealing. "Someone likes pepper," my friend exclaimed as we dug into a bountiful plate of generously-portioned wild salmon with crispy skin, long thin ovals of grilled zucchini, slightly charred tomatoes, a langoustine and a little jumble of octopus legs. Lemon, olive oil, parsley and pepper were simple, appropriate seasonings that let the sweet seafood shine through.

But what I'll really remember is the warm flaky tart with intense fig jam. It was served with creamy fior di latte gelato, homemade whipped cream, a splash of vanilla coulis and a mint leaf. Our enjoyment must have been evident, because the server also brought by a complimentary plate of watermelon slices and cherries to celebrate the season. I Sodi is a class act from start to finish.

I Sodi: 105 Christopher St., (212) 414-5774.

B Koffie and Organicoa

It's a furnace out there lately, so I'm always looking for refreshment. B Koffie (370 West 51st St., 646-330-5515), the "first African coffee shop," offers cold-brewed coffee, pomegranate redbush tea, and acai berry green tea. (They also serve a nice cup of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.) Down by the Christopher Street Pier (Pier 45), I like to watch the live tango dancers while sipping fair-trade "frocoa" (frozen cocoa), ginger lemonade, and mint tea from Organicoa. This little stand was a big hit during its test run at the Highline, so its owners now have a five-year-contract at the pier. (Don't forget to take away one of the big organic chocolate-chip cookies.)

Cafe Royal and Brooklyn Standard Deli

Greenpoint's Cafe Grumpy has a competitor in this four-month-old (two months, if you count the addition of edibles), maroon-walled Nassau Street cafe, which features Stumptown Coffee. I stopped in today to share a cheese plate with a friend. I was immediately transfixed by the cherry pepper jam that Tanto, one of the chefs, was making, and he let me try a sample, saying, "It's great with cheese." Tanto expounded on the cafe's philosophy of Southern hospitality while I checked out the menu.

The dainty portions served at Cafe Royal would never pass muster in the South, but there's quite a lot to enjoy here; you may just have to order more than you intended. The (slivers of!) Manchego, Fourme D'Ambert and Humboldt Fog in the cheese plate are complimented by lavender honey and fresh berries; herbed quiche from Ceci Cela doesn't stint on the goat cheese, and there's a terrific fingerling potato salad underneath the olive-oil-drizzled frisee and pickled red onions on smoked rainbow trout plate. (Small bites of chilled trout surrounded the salad; I'd been expecting a Roebling Tea Room-style whole grilled trout.) You can order your grilled cheddar sandwich with bacon, avocado or tomato. And I've been told that the biscuits with sausage gravy are something to write home about.

Down the street is the delightful organic/locavore market Brooklyn Standard Deli. Today, there were a few soups, two of which were garlic and broccolini, raw vegan chocolate ice cream, fresh chocolate-chip bread with either banana or pumpkin, and a selection of both vegan and meat sandwiches. I noticed a bag of fingerling potatoes - ah, that potato salad!

Cafe Royal and Brooklyn Standard Deli: 195 and 188 Nassau St., respectively, Brooklyn. (718) 472-2150.

The Plaza Food Hall

Walking into Todd English's brand-new Plaza Food Hall, I heard someone ask, "What are you in the mood for?" It wasn't a question with an easy answer. There was a sushi bar, a tapas bar, a brick oven for pizza, a cheese/charcuterie/bread/coffee/chocolate counter, a fresh seafood display a la Estiatorio Milos, an Asian dumpling bar, and a grill. Almost every seat was taken except a couple at the tapas bar, so that's where I plunked myself down. However, I was to find that every menu is available wherever one sits. (I wonder if this may change in the future, as there are plates of pesto maki flying all the way from the sushi bar to the folks ordering prime rib sliders at the other end of the room.)

I knew I wanted one of the blueberry-filled lemon meringue cupcakes I'd seen at the front, but I decided to pace myself, ordering... artichoke cacio e pepe, brandade fritters, charred octopus salad, grilled asparagus with preserved lemon zest, and lamb skewers from the tapas bar, a sweet Italian sausage pizza from the brick oven, and some crab salad rolls from the grill. (This was my only meal of the day, I swear.) For me, the standouts were: crab rolls... tons of sweet crabmeat tossed in mustardy aioli, spilling out of three toasted onion brioches; the sausage and aged provolone pizza with a marvelous, chewy crust that was not overcharred in the slightest; and the brandade fritters, which were lightly battered codfish cakes in a pool of romesco sauce and olive oil. (The one false note was the artichoke cacio e pepe, which was acrid and lacked pecorino - I think this simple dish of pasta, tossed only with black pepper and cheese, is perfect as is.) The cupcakes (chocolate grasshopper, strawberry cheesecake, and lemon meringue) were made by English's daughter; the homemade strawberry jam inside the strawberry cheesecake was a lovely surprise.

Now I'd like to go back to try the Kobe pastrami, the whole branzino, and the prime rib sliders!

(ETA: I just went back for lunch today, and I want to mention how accommodating the hosts were to my baby-in-stroller. When I'd requested outdoor seating at Sarabeth's, I was refused and told that I'd be creating a fire hazard. But when I got off the escalator and strolled into the Food Hall, a smiling lady led me to the seafood counter and let me park my City Mini right in the corner.)

The Plaza Food Hall: 1 West 59th St., Plaza Hotel, Concourse.

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar

Looking around us, my friend and I wondered why the clientele at Ayza was almost exclusively female. And why was everyone ordering chocolate-raspberry martinis? Finally the waitress provided an explanation; apparently, Tuesdays are "Girls' Nights Out," and if you make a reservation on OpenTable, you can celebrate your two X chromosomes with a chocolate-covered strawberry and a chocolate-raspberry martini. Who needs to see the second Sex & the City movie when one can live it in realtime? (Who, indeed. But that's a post for a movie blog!)

The menu at Ayza, which features much more than wine and Jacques Torres truffles, is tapas-focused - perfect for taking a bite in between people-watching. Small appetizers - like crispy baby shrimp wontons in a sweet chili sauce over a seaweed salad, a nicely presented Caprese salad with melt-in-your-mouth buffalo mozzarella, and a velvety asparagus soup spiced up with black peppercorns - share space with a selection of tartines, panini and a few main courses like radiatore pasta and chicken paillard. Not to mention a fine little cheese list, and of course, desserts like warm molten chocolate cake. All prices are quite reasonable except for the martinis, which are $15-$16 (other cocktails are $10-$16); another reason to go on a Tuesday to enjoy them for free.

I should mention that upon being seated, we were given complimentary cups of tropical sangria. Now, if only I'd mentioned "Girls' Night Out" on my OpenTable reservation...

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar: 11 West 31st St., (212) 714-2992.