Katsuhama

You have a couple more hours to enjoy the celebratory $5.50 curry at Katsuhama. The restaurant has now been open for a whole year (not an easy feat in this economy). But if you're truly hungry, I recommend the daily lunch box special. What's so great about this is that you don't have to make a choice between cutlet or noodles - you get both. Yesterday I chose a small bowl of curry udon (other selections included kitsune udon and zaru soba), which was a pile of thick, chewy-soft wheat noodles in a medium-hot brown sauce with little bits of mushroom and a pile of scallions. That was only the appetizer. The box contained a delightful variety of all different tastes, temperatures and textures. There were: a deep-fried, marbled Berkshire pork cutlet inside a batter as crisp as cornflakes, a large scallion-studded chicken meatball seasoned with sweet soy, well-chilled sashimi slivers of brilliant orange wild salmon and red snapper as well as big chunks of tuna, cold, crunchy yellow radish and lettuce pickles, a small shredded sesame-burdock-carrot salad, and some sections of sweet kabocha squash. Run there, don't walk!

Katsuhama: 43-45 West 55th St., (212) 541-7145.

Taste of Brooklyn Food Fest

Here's exciting news for the littlest foodies of Brooklyn: on August 28 and 29, the Brooklyn Children's Museum is holding a Taste of Brooklyn Food Fest. Kids will be able to make artworks out of pasta elbows, learn to make the best salsa, and eat sandwiches from Don Paco Lopez Jr. (Brooklyn Children's Museum: 145 Brooklyn Ave., (718) 735-4402.)

Il Gattopardo

I've walked by this little Neopolitan restaurant so many times; today I finally stopped in for lunch. The white-walled, narrow room was brightened by an open backyard garden; the menu proved to be as appealing as the surroundings.

Although I initially planned to start with the mozzarella in carozza with anchovy sauce, I instead ordered a frisee salad. But wait, it's much more exciting than it sounds - this bed of frizzy chartreuse greens, dressed with the lightest balsamic vinaigrette, lay between two toasts smeared with an abundance of sweet, mellow Gorgonzola. On top, there was a good portion of crispy, salty pancetta spiced with peppercorns. Just lovely.

I craved pasta, although the seafood risotto special called to me, so I went with the burrata and artichoke stuffed ravioli in fresh tomato marjoram sauce. Seven plump pasta pockets were sprinkled with plenty of parmigiano, and torn fresh leaves of marjoram adorned the bright red sauce. I'd just been admiring the heirloom tomatoes at the Rockefeller Center farmer's market - the freshness of the tomatoes and herbs made me feel like the dish was straight from the farm.

Since I'd overdosed on bread and olive oil, I decided to forgo the warm chocolate cake and the cassata, but my cappuccino came with plenty of crispy little nut-studded biscotti. I'll go back to Il Gattopardo. (Or I'll order in - they're now delivering to Midtown.)

Il Gattopardo: 33 West 54th St.,(212) 246-0412.

The Most Caffeinated Beverage in NYC

I was so tired today; my baby had barely slept the night before. Walking down West 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, I happened to see the 3-week-old Joyride Coffee and Yogurt Truck. In addition to a Mariebelle mocha and your garden-variety macchiatos and americanos, the menu listed an intriguing beverage called the Kubota (named for the truck generator).

"Three double shots of vanilla-bean infused espresso?" I asked in disbelief. "So, this has six shots in it?"

"Yes indeed," said Lev, the friendly barista.

"Oh, I've got to try this." There were two versions of the drink, one with more milk, so I decided on that one. (All milk was Organic Valley, and the coffee was Stumptown's Hairbender blend.)

The large, extra-strong latte with its swirl of velvety milk on top was surprisingly smooth and palatable. (I immediately felt a lift, but I have to admit that I was afraid to finish the whole drink.)

The Joyride Truck frequents Midtown and the Upper West Side. Apparently, the father of one of the truck owners is a chocolate expert with a list of the 10 best chocolates in the world; I'm dying to talk to him.

Hide-Chan Ramen

I have to preface this by saying that I am deeply saddened by the closing of Yakitori Torys; I preferred it to Yakitori Totto (both restaurants, as well as the new Hide-Chan Ramen, are part of the same restaurant group). However, I suppose Midtown needed another good ramen joint, and at Hide-Chan Ramen, the noodles are much more delicate and toothsome, and the broths more subtle, than those at Sapporo. The menu will soon expand to include Japanese fried chicken and a dish made with spicy cod roe; for now, it is limited to a few appetizers like gyoza (beautifully thin-skinned dumplings), curry edamame (what a great idea!), a couple of the salads you'll still find at Yakitori Totto (roasted sardine with poached egg and greens, and greens with tofu), and of course, noodle soup.

There are two special noodle soups right now, one is "no-fat" (I wasn't interested), and cold ramen hazuki with a katsuo broth (attention pescatarians, this is the only broth that does not contain pork, and you will have to request the omission of pork slices). My companion and I ordered the hakata kuro, or black roasted garlic oil, ramen. Two deliciously fatty slices of pork added richness to the inky, fragrant broth, which also contained a good portion of thin, al dente noodles, a mass of scallions and a brown, chewy vegetable that resembled tree ears. Our friends found the katsuo ramen rather bland - fortunately, there was a pepper shaker at the table.

I will always miss the much larger variety of menu options at Yakitori Torys, but it's good to know that a ramen hankering can be satisfied on East 52nd Street, which seems to be turning into another Little Japan. As a side note, a new Japanese jazz club, Miles Cafe, opened up just down the street at 248 East 52nd. The cafe is featuring some of the finest names in jazz, and serves sushi from the restaurant below.

Hide-Chan Ramen: 248 East 52nd St., (212) 813-1800.

Lina Frey

Here's a French restaurant that won't leave you feeling like you overindulged (I love Le Gigot, but after a dinner of their duck confit, I was full for a week). Lina Frey is a hip little spot on Houston Street that specializes in small plates under $10. My pal craved the frisee salad with lardons and blue cheese, but they were out of it, so she ordered the bruschetta, which was sprinkled with diced red and green peppers, olives and fennel seeds, as well as a mixed green salad, crunchy haricots verts, and a round of salmon tartare. I went with a hazelnut-crusted salmon fillet (a bargain at $8), a side of your standard spinach sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and an order of "Provencal" fries. "What makes them Provencal?" I asked. The server responded that there was truffle oil in them. The truffle oil was not in evidence, and a side of spicy aioli was $1 extra, but there was a nice sprinkling of herbs on the hand-cut fries. I finished, not with the pot de creme, but with a blueberry coulis crepe ("Yes, we use fresh blueberries," assured the server). Our meal, plus two glasses of Montepulciano, cost us around $60 (happy hour alcohol prices are in force until 8 p.m.). Next time, strawberry coulis!

Lina Frey: 201 East Houston St., (212) 995-5546.