Just a few blocks from each other in the heart of Greenwich Village, two very different restaurants co-exist, each in its own orbit. In the few months of its renewed existence, Minetta Tavern, the newest Keith McNally planet has established itself as the new hot babe in town. Frank Bruni may have been in a generous mood when he bestowed three stars and named it the best steakhouse in NY.

Dinner at the bar there last night yielded a different experience. Under constant assault from the rear (reminded me of Invictus) the venerable and gorgeous bar does its best to resist, but between the shrieks and pushes of NYU students celebrating the dawn of their drinking era, and the weight of the bubbly puddles of fat on the much-lauded côte de boeuf, you just know it will have to be replaced soon. Choosing size over quality, the chefs present the marrow bones as long tibia, oozing yellow sunscreen and the aftertaste left me craving for serious mouth rinse, not exactly what I look for as a meal coda.

Across Sixth Avenue, there is no sign clamoring that you are at Soto. And Sotohiro Kosugi who works sternly behind the counter doesn't seem to see you or care that you are in front of him. But when the orange silky drops of uni topping mini squid pillars reached my tongue and made me stop breathing for a second, he smiled. And when I pointed to the salad of geoduck clams to show my companion the orgy of sesame seeds hiding under the sea creatures, he sprung alive to make sure everything was alright. Amberjack tartare with pine nuts and wasabi tobiko was brought to perfection by a puffy cloud of intense soy foam.

Understated, tranquil, refined. You decide who gets my three stars...

For all of you foodie friends, there are wonderful gifts to be found at the shop inside the Museum of Arts and Design on Columbus Circle (MAD). I loved the placemats made with plastified newspaper food sections from around the country, mini Alessi objects, and my all-time favorite, glittery earrings sculpted from pyrex glass.

MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN 2 COLUMBUS CIRCLE NEW YORK, NY 10019 212.299.7777

8:30 A.M. With an hour to spare before an important meeting, I decide to treat myself (and shake my single parent stupor) with a cup of Italian coffee at chic Sant Ambroeus. The crowd feels very Milan meets St. Barth on this rainy Friday but there are many empty tables and I am kindly shown inside the restaurant.
My eyes linger on the rolls and brioches but even though I have a sweet tooth, I know their sugar ratio offends my French taste buds. I settle for a macedonia di frutta and pull out my very thin computer.
Suddenly, the Maitre D’ is at my side:
“Sorry Madam, we don’t allow the use of computers,” he says.
The woman at the next table seems as shocked as I am.
“I am really sorry,” he repeats expecting me to just file it away.
But I don’t. I stand up, pack my bag and, still longing for a taste of their puffy cappuccino, leave, now completely awake.

Launching tomorrow, Bklyn Larder, the new artisanal venture from duo Andrew Feinberg and Francine Stephens who own Franny's, promises delicious simple Mediterranean food. Caught shopping at Union Square Market this morning, chef Travis Post fought with me for tender spring zucchini which he'll prepare lightly cooked, drizzled with olive oil and at room temperature. More info in today's New York Magazine http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/57038/
BKLYN Larder
228 Flatbush Avenue
718-783-1250

“I called him ‘the lonely pig,’ ” says the young woman selling meat, eggs and greens from the Queens County Farm & Museum at the Union Square Market on this (finally) warm and sunny Friday.

“Isn’t it weird to be selling the meat of a pig you knew,” I ask, caught in the age-old uneasiness that comes from accepting that the delicious meat on my plate came, no doubt, from an adorable animal.

“Well, I love meat, and I’d rather know what he ate; the apples, the corn, and that he had a good life,” she adds.

I feel the same as I squeeze part of his shoulder into my bag. And the question now is what to stew him with? 

Dinner last night at Elettaria on West 8th Street.  The large open kitchen acts as an eye magnet where chef Akhtar Nawab and his acolytes bend studiously over myriads of small plates. Unfortunately, the mix of spices and ingredients, many reminiscent of the chef’s Indian background, sound better than they taste. The “Parisiennes” gnocchi dotting the crabmeat resala mimic mini fried profiteroles; the steamed rice cakes with lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic feel as displaced as a soggy couscous, and some combinations just don’t work. As my kind friend says, “This is a work in progress.”

And that leads me to the most enjoyable meal I’ve had in weeks. I don’t know the chef’s name, I don’t care whether he opens a new branch in Dubai next year, and he sure didn’t invent any of the dishes on the menu, but dinner at Bistro Citron on Columbus Avenue just hits my spot. The Caesar salad comes encased in a cheesy tuile-like bowl with just the right ratio of dressing to croutons to leaves; the fragrant coq au vin encased on a fresh noodle nest reminds me of my grandmother’s and a simple tarte au citron sings of the Riviera.

Are you cold enough? Even though I was born a snowball’s throw from the Mont-Blanc, I don’t remember ever feeling as cold as I did yesterday. So what’s a poor frozen food writer to do? Have a restoring lunch at Le Soleil, bien sûr.

The small storefront lights up this grim stretch of 10^th Avenue thanks to the warm smile of the women behind the counter and the singing Creole lilt of the patrons. I ordered a conch stew, which came with rice and red beans as well as a thick plantain. The conch was soft and subtly spicy, and if I closed my eyes, I’d think I was down in Bequia…

Feeling quite happy, I asked for a cup of coffee, “Only on Mondays,” shrugged the waitress, flashing her bright smile.

LE SOLEIL

877 10th Ave @57^th Street

New York, NY 10019

(212) 581-6059