The Other Side Of The Bridge: Saul

I'll admit it - I'm a Manhattan snob. Any invitation I received to go out to an outer borough was usually followed by a response that went - "I don't go to (insert your favourite outer borough here)!" Outside of going to the airport, there just never seemed to be a good enough reason to leave the confines of the "main" island. That particular view of mine, however, has been changing and especially when it comes to Brooklyn. No disrespect to Queens, the Bronx or Staten Island, but some recent experiences in Williamsburg (an amazing little speak easy and a pub crawl among them) have made me much more receptive to the idea that some trips out to Brooklyn might be worth it after all. Recently, JW threw out the idea of trying out some of the restaurants there and after some debate, we decided on Saul for one of our regular group dinners.

The Dreaded Steakhouse: Cut Beverly Hills

A visit to a steakhouse is the ultimate nightmare for a vegetarian, and one that ends up recurring quite often, especially when it comes to work events. I'm not sure I fully understand why, but the steakhouse is definitely the bastion of corporate dining. Maybe it's the aura associated with an expensive steak dinner or maybe it's just the fact that it is the safe choice to make (no one really wants to have to make a client pick between "pad thai" and "pad kee mao" now, do they?). I have seen many a good vegetarian give in and go along for the ride - some actually even blame the constant required visits for their ultimate switch over to eating meat. I, however, am not too fond of making a meal out of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach and have diligently avoided any steakhouse excursions, regardless of who was doing the inviting.

Truffled Summer: Perbacco

I love the summer in New York. The only reason the (oh, so very cold) winters are bearable is because there is the promise of spring and summer to follow. Nothing seems to illustrate the summer better than a walk through the East Village on a pleasant summer Saturday evening. The streets are bustling with people who, in a dramatic about face for New York, have a smile on their faces and don't seem to have a care in the world. Most enticingly, the streets are lined with small, open air restaurants and cafes, from tables on the sidewalk to open bay windows flooding the small spaces with the warm summer air. One of these charming little restaurants, and one of my favourite Italians in the city, is Perbacco.