Ethos - Greek food in Kips Bay

I have visited Ethos two times in the past four months, which is out of character for me. I tend to like trying new places often, but sometimes it's just best to go with what you know. Ethos is a traditional Greek restaurant in Kips Bay. However, it is no diner. This is Greek dining at it's finest.

The first time I visited to Ethos was for my 25th birthday party in November with eight of my nearest and dearest. I chose Ethos because of it's vegetarian friendly options, reasonable prices, and willingness to accommodate nine people on less than two weeks notice (my bad). The second time I dined at Ethos I went with just my boyfriend for a date night.

There is no bar at Ethos so diners who are waiting for a table have to wait outside or get really friendly near the door. Luckily, the host seated the first to arrive from my party, which wasn't even me. Our table quickly filled up as did the rest of the restaurant. There is not a lot of space to move around in Ethos, so once you are sitting, I suggest staying seated. Favorite dishes from the many ordered were the appetizer plate of olives, the tsaziki sauce, and the fried calamari. We also enjoyed the eggplant dish, lamb kebab, and grilled jumbo shrimp. They also have fresh whole fish to chose from and an assortment of Greek wines and beers. Dessert is always on the house (or at least it was for me) and is a delicious Greek pastry filled with creamy goodness. It is even possible to escape from Ethos on a Saturday night after an hour and a half having spent much less than what you would at comparable Turquoise on the UES.

The great thing about going to Ethos is I know I will be greeted by friendly waiters and served delicious food. I definitely want to visit during the warmer months as they have two garage doors facing the street that I have a feeling will be open to let the cool evening breezes flow through the restaurant, making it feel even more like an escape to Greece (which I someday hope to actually do).

A Mid-Week Girl's Date - CiaoBella

Mid-week is a great time to go to restaurants in NYC. There are plenty of tables available and the setting is more serene and less bustly, and you can still get the same great food likely with more attentive service.

Tuesday night I went with a girl friend of mine who I haven't hung out with one on one in a while to a CiaoBella, a delicious Italian restaurant on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 85th Street. I ambled past this restaurant on a prvious Friday night and noticed every seat on the patio and in the dining room was filled and every table covered in yummy looking food. On Tuesday, there were only 4 other tables occupied at 9:30pm when we dined.

The main dining room has a very luxurious feel with crystal chandeliers adorning the ceilng and burgundy walls with mohogany wood accents. Each table is meticulously set with white tablecloths, which always makes for an elegant looking restaurant. European lounge music played quietly ensuring there was no empty silence in the dining room. The service was so eager (probably due to the lack of patrons) that we had three separate servers ask us for our drink order all in a period of 5 minutes. At least we know the servers won't let customers go thirsty or hungry.

On to the food! The bread and sun dried tomato "pesto" that comes with dinner is divine. We enjoyed it so much we asked for a second basket! Our arugula salad with carmelized walnuts and apples almost made us fall out of our chairs. I've had this salad before, but never quite this perfect, every flavor bounced off the other like an echo. I realized that I probably should have ordered my own instaed of splitting, even though there was plenty for each of us with just the one order. We each ordered our own pasta, the papardalle with veal and mushrooms and the goat cheese and spinach ravioli. Both were flavorful and rich without being heavy, which is always a plus. I can't wait to try more of their pasta dishes, especially the seasonal special lobster ravioli.

Let's talk price. I found CiaoBella to be very reasonable. The wines by the glass ranged from $10-$15 (there was also an extensive wine list which I failed to read) while the salad and antipasta topped out at a reasonable $17 for larger sharable plates. The normal size portioned pasta plates ranged from $14-$21. The entrees ranged from $21-$28 and consisted of various fish and meats. I will definitely be going to CiaoBella again on a weekend, with a reservation to ensure that I get a table. On busy nights, they open the upstairs dining room and balcony in addition to the patio and main dining room.

I heard through the grapevine, not from the restaurant directly, that CiaoBella makes their own gelato which I'm sure is heavenly, but I was so full from the pasta and copious amounts of bread, that I unfortunately did not get to try it this time. Next time for sure, because there definitely will be a next time.

Pranna, 230 Fifth, Cain - A Long Night Out

Thursday night is usually a hopping night in NYC, especially the closer it gets to summer. This past Thursday went from fizzle to sizzle over a period of 4 hours.

The first stop for the night was Pranna on 28th Street and Madison Avenue, a restaurant, lounge, and bar with so much space it's easy to get lost. The facade boasts glass walls from floor to ceiling, giving the effect of being on the sidewalk when standing at the first floor bar, which was busy until about 8:30pm due to a fashion industry even that I was attending. Besides the fact that the event was bordering on lame and extremely quick, I decided to stay at Pranna until I figured out how to rearrange the plans for the night, not having planned on Pranna fizzling so quickly. A little exploration work revealed that Pranna is a huge venue with everything from casual bar, to sleek lounge, to nook dining, to grand dining room dining, to balcony lounge, to upstairs bar, to basement night club/bar. The place is huge, so I recommend bringing a compass. There were only a handful of people at Pranna on Thursday, but this could be due to the fact that the weather outside was inclement, and you know how New Yorkers get when it rains. The menu has something for everyone with small plates and entrees specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine and a $12 cocktail menu. While Pranna has nothing too exciting to look at with their muted and clean decor, I would expect that on a hopping Saturday night the best decoration would be the people.

Because Pranna fizzled so quickly, I had a couple of hours to fill before moving on the the final venue for the night. There is not much night life in this area around Madison Square park, but 230 Fifth at 27th Street is not a far walk. Luckily the rain held off until we got there. 230 Fifth is another huge venue boasting a rooftop and inside lounge. There were tents set up on the rooftop due to the rain, and people were gathering around the bars and and using the outside patio furniture. A coat rack filled with red robes was available for people to wear because the weather was chilly, especially on a rooftop 20 stories up! It was too cold for me to stay up on the roof and I was wary to don a robe, so I headed downstairs to the Trumpesque lounge. This is one of the only lounges in NYC that I have been to that has an actual dance floor, like the kind in a catering hall. No one, of course, was dancing on it, but it's there in case you want it. The inside lounge has continuous windows all around so one can enjoy the view, and it really is a gorgeous view. Only the main bar was open on Thursday. I ordered a French martini at $12 and decided that it was a bit watered down for my taste and money, but still flavorful. The people at 230 Fifth were a mix of older people on dates, younger people on dates, and people in groups, pretty much everyone. There also was a large amount of people on vacation from Europe trying to get the best of the NYC rooftop experience. A couple of drinks and a few hours later, we decided to leave 230 Fifth in all it's rooftop glory and move on to the real party.

The final stop of the night was Cain Luxe on 27th between 10th and 11th Streets, which is one of my all time favorite nightclubs in NYC. I wasn't on any promoter list because going to Cain was a spur of the moment decision, but my gorgeous girlfriend and I didn't have any problem getting in without waiting and without paying. Cain is extremely particular on the type of people they let in; people must be good looking, well dressed, and good looking. I also recommend getting table service as this night club as they tend to not let people in without it, especially gentlemen (sorry dudes, this is NYC nighlife after all). All decisions are at the doorman's discretion, so know that just because you're wearing expensive clothes doesn't mean you'll get in. Kindness as always is a better tactic than snobiness.

It was not yet midnight when I arrived so the club was not full yet, but the bar area was packed with people buying drinks and getting revved up for the night. The DJ played a mix of old and new dance/pop favorites, though he needs to work on his mixing skills a little bit. The smallest venue of the night has a recessed level with table service and the "dance floor" is a disaster waiting to happen. Make sure you know where you're stepping those stilettos because there are stairs all around the recessed level with no railing. This is a big oops just waiting to happen. Also, make sure not to poke your eye on the faux elephant tusks surrounding the 4 central pillars. The "dance floor" at Cain is essentially a plywood platform in between two rows of couches in the center of the club. You can hop on and dance until your heart's content, but make sure you get down when it's time for the go-go dancers to work their magic. In no club in NYC have I seen a go-go dancer so up close. Thursday night they did their job at getting the crowd going and making the jaws of men (and women) drop to the floor. When I left at a quarter past two, Cain was still going strong with the drummer keeping up with the DJ's beat, a signature of Cain that is copied at many other NYC hot spots (Pink Elephant, anyone?). If you can get in, Cain is one of the best of the best places in NYC for dancing, drinking, and being among the beautiful people.

Walking out of Cain to 11th Ave. to catch a taxi is an experience all it's own. Party-goers are stumbling and dancing out of the streets various clubs and bars, and promoters are avidly searching for hotties to add to their lists. Come prepared to give your number out to everyone, in fact bring a business card, because ignoring these guys is not an option.