Top Ten: Dishes for Two

What is better than sharing a delicious, hearty meal when dishes are meant for sharing? Dishes for two tend to bring you closer together with the ones you love. The "mmmms" and "yummsss" will be hummed in unison as you try these ten delectable dishes all around Manhattan.
by Sarah Mintz, Contributing Writer


10. Calle Ocho 45 W 81st Street  nr. Columbus Avenue

Dinner: Traditional Costa Rican Soft Tacos with Grilled Beef, Salsa Verde Shrimp & Chipotle Chicken $26 -OR-

Breakfast: Traditional Costa Rican Soft Tacos with Scrambled Eggs, Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Chorizo and Home Fries $28

Dishes for two at breakfast and dinner - how can you go wrong?

9. Ciano 45 East 22nd Street nr. Park Avenue
Giannone Chicken for Two Baked in a Clay Pot with Castelluccio Lentils and a Mushroom Ragu $55

Extremely moist, tender, and juicy chicken encased with its accompaniments and enclosed by a dough topping makes for one of the season's most comforting dishes.

8. Maialino  2 Lexington Avenue nr. 21st Street

Spigola Salt Baked Sea Bass for Two & Mushrooms $72

Sure, the description sounds simple but the taste is far from it. We can't deny that pork and pasta are crowd favorites here, but the Spigola is hands down Maialino's unsung hero.

7. The Breslin  16 W. 29th Street nr. Broadway

Pig Foot for Two with Winter Vegetables and Shallow Crème Fraiche $48

Stuffed with sausage, deep fried, and underneath a creamy sauce - this dish adds up to the most well-worth it heart attack you'll ever have.

6. Craft 43 East 19th Street nr. Park Avenue

30-Day Dry-Aged Rib Eye Bone Marrow & Bordelaise $125

The rib eye is cooked to perfection but the bordelaise reduction alone is worth the trip to Craft.

5. Commerce 50 Commerce Street nr. Bedford Street

Whole Roasted Chicken for Two with Winter Vegetables and Truffled Potato Puree $58

Foie gras stuffing? Enough said!

4.   The Modern 9 West 53rd Street nr. 5th Avenue

Squab and Foie Gras Croustillant for Two with Caramelized Ginger Jus and Farm Vegetables (included in price of $98 prix fixe dinner)

The buttery and flaky crust of the croustillant encaptures the most decadently smooth foie gras and perfectly tender squab, keeping all flavors tightly sealed until each bite hits your mouth. Oh and don't forget the truffle sauce hiding underneath it all!

3. Babbo 110 Waverly Place nr. Washington Square West

Deconstructed Osso Buco for Two with Saffron Orzo, Cavolo Nero and Chestnut Gremolata $75

Come hungry as the Osso Bucco for two can easily feed a family of four. Regardless, it will be hard for you to put your fork and knife (potentially a butter knife this meat is so tender!) down- the dish packs in so many dynamic flavors, you might forget it comes with a fantastic side of saffron-laced orzo.

2. Nuela 43 West 24th Street nr. 6th Avenue

Arroz con Pato with Roasted Duck Breast, Confit Thighs under Crispy Skin & Gizzards Seared Foie Gras, Verde Rice, and a Soft Duck Egg $64

Although "duck with rice" doesn’t sound pretty, this Arroz con Pato sure is! This is Nuela's signature dish and was named one of the New York Times best dishes in 2010. Think paella, but expect five parts of duck and delicious combinations of savory and sweet mixed among the crispy rice. Hands down a crowd pleaser! 

1. Locanda Verde 377 Greenwich Street nr. North Moore Street

Fire-Roasted Garlic Chicken for Two Served with Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Vegetables  $48

I know. I hate ordering the ubiquitous chicken when I'm out to dinner too, but trust me when I tell you that Andrew Carmellini has perfected this dish. Moist and simple, but this chicken is just so perfect.

Top 10: Gluten-free Options in NYC

by Sarah Mintz, Contributing Writer

January 13, 2012

There seems to be a misconception that being gluten-free also means being banned from eating many foods and in general, eating out. No more bread, soup, pasta, sauce, beer, cake, or cookies. Wrong! Gluten-free options and full gluten-free menus are becoming quite commonplace around NYC. From what we've found, gluten-free alternatives often taste better than regular menu items. Here's our top 10 restaurants for all of our gluten-free friends:

Lilli and Loo's Gluten Free Crunchy Sesame Chicken
Photo credit: Foodspotting

10. Lilli and Loo 792 Lexington Avenue nr. 62nd Street

Navigating Asian cuisine with a gluten allergy may be near impossible. Wontons and dumplings? Wrapped in wheat. Lo-mein noodles? Made from wheat. Fried dishes? Battered in wheat. Savory sauces? Almost all contain some wheat derivative. Not at Lilli and Loo! Along with a great regular menu for your non-celiac pals, Lilli and Loo offers a gluten-free menu with over 50 items to choose from, such as dumplings with gluten-free soy sauce, rock shrimp tempura, Kung pao chicken, and even pad thai.

Sambuca's Brownie sundae
Photo credit: Just Desserts NYC 

9. Sambuca 20 West. 72^nd Street nr. Central Park West

Head to the Upper West Side for family-style Italian at this neighborhood gem. Sambuca has offered a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its regular menu for over seven years - quite ahead of the trend! Don’t expect pasta with red sauce here; instead, you'll find almost 40 gluten-free dishes including chicken scarpiello, spinach ravioli, and pesto pasta. You can also expect gluten-free beer, dinner rolls, chocolate truffle cake, and warm brownies!

Risoterria's Risotti
Photo credit: Une Vie Saine

8. Risotteria 270 Bleecker Street nr. 6th Avenue

Everyone gets a taste of a gluten-free lifestyle at this West Village risotto haven. Every meal starts with light and airy gluten-free breadsticks, whether or not you are gluten-free. Don’t worry, refills of these tasty sticks are on the house so let your non-celiac  friends indulge! The menu is extensive and clearly indicates with a "g" every dish that is gluten-free. Choose from options such as meatballs with bolognese sauce, risotti (creamy Italian rice without the cream) with calamari, roasted garlic, and Italian parsley, as well as paninis and pizzas. Definitely save room for the gluten-free éclair! Risotteria doesn't take reservations and with only 20 seats (re: this place is really tiny), I recommend arriving early to avoid a wait. For a restaurant that calls itself “gluten-free heaven”, you almost have to check it out!

S'MAC's Mac n' Cheese
Photo credit: S'MAC

7. S'Mac 345 E. 12th Street nr. 1st Avenue

Lip smackin' mac n' cheese comes out piping hot and fresh at this East Village eatery that's been around since 2006 - essentially a lifetime in the NYC dining scene. The best news is that a gluten-free lifestyle can fully indulge here. After extensive testing and overhauling ingredients in 2009, S'Mac successfully found ways to make every regular menu-item without gluten. Béchamel can now be made without wheat flower, and breadcrumbs are made from gluten-free cornflakes. I recommend the classic 4-Cheese skillet (cheddar, Muenster, gruyere, and Pecorino) and the Parisienne, which combines creamy brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary. This Parisienne is definitely unorthodox in the mac' world but is an amazing balance of savory and sweet. Eat-in (limited seating), take-out, or for a truly indulgent meal, get it delivered!

Meatballs & delish sauce!
Photo credit: At the Sign of the Pink Pig

6. The Meatball Factory 231 Second Avenue nr. 14th Street

Not to be confused with the Meatball Shop, the Meatball Factory and its chef, Top Chef alum Dave Martin, offer three gluten-free meatballs and six gluten-free sauces among the plethora of menu options. Braised and ground pork shoulder, bacon fat, mascarpone and a dash of red chili paste? Yes please. Fire roasted marinara sauce with fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, & sweet onion, fresh basil and sherry? Yes please. Sauces are made from scratch, atmosphere is casual and prices are more than reasonable. And for your friends who don't mind a little gluten in their diet, there are plenty of salads, pizzas, and additional meatball options to choose from. Don't let them leave without trying the Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese. And as of 2012, The Meatball Factory delivers!

Taim's classic falafel
Photo credit: Eatery Expert

5. Taim (222 Waverly Pl.)

No question, Taim makes the best falafel in city. Taim offers three types of falafel daily, all of which are gluten-free and fried to order in 0% trans-fat oil. Taim also makes the freshest gluten-free hummus that is always a perfectly smooth yet creamy consistency. I'm partial to the green falafel, a traditional flavor combination with parsley, cilantro, and mint - it's basically perfection in a pita. Others prefer the falafel platter, which provides a sampling of all three falafel flavors, hummus, tabouli, and Israeli salad. Keep your eye out for Taim Mobile driving around town if you don't want to head to the West Village!  

Bistango's Shrimp, Calamari, Scallops & Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce
Photo credit: Bistango

4. Bistango 415 Third Avenue nr. 29th Street

Get lost in the charming ambience and limitless gluten-free options at this family-owned Italian trattoria in Murray Hill. Bistango used to have a separate gluten-free menu, but the owner Anthony has since decided to make everything on the entire menu adaptable to be gluten-free.Tell your server you're gluten-free when you sit down and you will be served complimentary bruschetta on a piece of fresh radicchio rather than the typical bruschetta. Menu items include wild mushrooms & ricotta ravioli, spinach & ricotta ravioli, and cheese tortellini. For an extra $2 dollars, Bistango is more than happy to make any pasta item on the menu gluten-free, including gnocchi with slow-cooked short-rib ragu. Don’t forget to order one of the two gluten-free beers and top off the meal with one of eight gluten-free desserts including carrot cake with buttermilk frosting.

Cupcake heaven, minus the gluten!
Photo credit: Tu-Lu's 

3. Tu-Lu’s 338 E. 11^th Street nr. First Avenue

When owner's Tully and Jen were diagnosed with gluten intolerance, they became determined to eat the things they had always loved in the past. The hardest replacements for Tully to find were high-quality baked goods, so she took it upon herself to make her own and share them with others. This is how Tu-Lu’s was born. This 100% gluten-free bakery features cupcakes, cakes, muffins, cookies and even paninis. With dense and moist brownies (with chocolate chips!), chewy oatmeal, cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies, and fluffy cupcakes with rich creamy frosting, it is essentially impossible to tell that the treats are gluten-free. 

Blue Smoke's Gluten-Free Rib Sampler
Photo credit: Blue Smoke 

2. Blue Smoke 116 E. 27^th Street nr. Park Avenue South

BBQ lovers rejoice - Danny Meyer to the rescue! Blue Smoke in Flatiron and its Executive Chef Kenny Callaghan offer a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its full-fledged stick-to-your-ribs barbeque menu. The gluten-free menu includes appetizers such as iced oyster, deviled eggs, and baked chipotle wings. Main courses range from citrus-crusted tuna and shrimp & grits, to filet mignon and NY strip steak. With additional gluten-free BBQ options like Kansas City spareribs, Memphis baby back ribs, and Texas salt & pepper beef ribs, there is no reason to feel “left out” at dinner! 

Rubirosa's Vodka Pizza
Photo credit: Rubirosa

1. Rubirosa 235 Mulberry Street nr. Prince Street

Ranked “Best Slice” by NY Mag in 2011, #5 on Eater’s January 2012 “38 Essential New York Restaurants” and #1 on its “15 New York Restaurants with the Hottest Servers”, and #1 on our Gluten-Free Top 10, Rubirosa has taken the NY pizza community by storm since it opened in 2010. This classic pizzeria with chic Nolita flair serves super thin-crust yet supple pizza (the family recipe is over 50 years old!) along with a host of other Italian classics including fresh pasta made in-house and chicken parmigiano. The gluten-free menu includes pure deliciousness such as risotto balls with marscapone and prosciutto, calamari fritti, penne pasta, and six pizzas. Do not, I repeat, do not leave Rubirosa without trying the vodka pizza. Creamy, alcohol-spiked tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella? What more could you ask for? Gluten-free items are cooked in separate pots, pans and fryers as to not cross-contaminate any food items.