The Little Owl ... is a wise choice

The Little Owl

90 Bedford St. at Grove St.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Ordered (over several trips): meatball sliders (~$10), lobster bisque (~$10), Alaskan halibut (~$27), Maine blueberry cobbler topped with mascarpone gelato ($9), raspberry-stuffed beignets served with dipping nutella ($9), pear crisp topped with mascarpone gelato ($9), cappucino ($4)

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Little Owl is one of my favorite places to eat in NYC. It is, to me, the realization of what an urban oasis would be, tucked away in a quaint, out-of-step lower Manhattan neighborhood, the West Village, seemingly protected by the surrounding buildings from the busyness of city life.

Located on the corner of a quintessential West Village block, this casually romantic hideaway seats 25 people, not counting the 4 that could fit snugly at the bar. Dress code is casual, although you could go in a jacket and jeans, guys, if you're on a date. (I wouldn't go in a suit. It's not that kind of place.) I mean, the maitre d' wears jeans and a t-shirt, albeit a stylish one, for goodness sake.

The seasonal menus at this hidden gem offer a choice mix of culinary treats, ranging from unique appetizers, like meatball sliders, to more traditional entrees, such as Alaskan halibut (I went for a full dinner in the summer and only for dessert in the winter). I got lobster bisque and the sliders to start and chose the halibut for my main dish. I wouldn't do the bisque again and the sliders are worth trying, but the halibut made up for the few insufficiencies in my appetizer line up, by far. Served over a delicate mix of seasoned veggies, the medium-sized fillet was smooth and buttery, not to mention prepared like a classic dish with a twist of sophistication. My friend got the cod and it was, dare I say, even better than the halibut. Seasoned with a tangy blend of spices, it too was served over veggies and cooked just right.

Now while the main dishes were good, the real selling point of Little Owl, in my opinion, are its desserts. Maine blueberry cobbler topped with mascarpone gelato and fresh raspberry-filled beignets served with dipping nutella are just two of the tasty tidbits you can get there. They also have a pear crisp (similar to the Maine cobbler) and chocolate cake (don't get it). Both the cobbler and the crisp are similarly prepared, warm fruit chunks buried in a cobbler under a crisp buttery top, which is amazing. The cappuccino was good, too, although I'm not much of a coffee connoisseur.

All in all, Little Owl is a good bet if you're looking for a unique NYC eating experience in a beautiful neighborhood. Oh, and don't forget to visit the bookstore up the block after dinner. It's one of my favs.

The Red Cat - become a feline lover

(*sorry no pic ... lighting was poor)

The Red Cat

227 10th Ave. (between 23rd and 24th streets)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Ordered: Crispy Fried Lemon Cheesecake ($9), homemade peanut butter ice cream ($8), Spiced Kabocha Squash Salad ($12), coffee ($4)

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So, a few of my friends and I were golfing (in 20 degree weather) over at Chelsea piers tonight and wanted a little something for dessert afterwards. We had eaten burgers for dinner earlier in the night at Island Burger (review coming) and, by the end of our tantalizing golf experience (it was cold and I stink at golf), we were in the mood for something sweet.

For starters, we googled "best dessert in Chelsea." [That's how I usually find my places ... just google "best (whatever) in (area)" and you'll find stuff.] Being that Red Cat was only about 7-8 blocks away (or what I originally thought was only 1 long block away) and listed under "dessert places" on one website, we decided to go there (against the will of one of the party members; another website called the place "The Red Cat Diner." She's averse to diners, but this place couldn't have been further from one).

We made our way over there and - to show you how far from a diner this place was - one of the party members felt under dressed (aside: I think that's a ridiculous feeling to have; however, I would recommend going in a jacket and jeans, guys, if you're taking a date).

The place has a pleasant character. Not old or quaint or anything like that, but it does have a certain warmth and urban charm to it and I could see it being on Nantucket (even though that's not urban, but it has that sort of feel), if you can envision that. Big enclosed oil-lamp-looking lights hanging from the ceiling, bended spoon coat hooks on red walls separated by adorable mini-lamps. An understated wood decoration above the bar. Very nice.

I really don't know how to categorize the menu (since I don't know how to do that), but it seemed like some sort of nouveau American (if I can use the word "nouveau" to sound cool). There was salmon and red meat and chicken (organic, at that), etc. on the menu, but since we were there only for dessert we just glazed at the dinner menu.

We decided to order a few things and split 'em, so we ordered 2 desserts, Crispy Fried Lemon Cheesecake and homemade Peanut Butter Ice Cream. I ordered a salad for myself (since I was hungry) and (am seemingly always) on a diet and didn't feel like breaking it (as I usually do), but picked at the desserts.

The Crispy Fried Lemon Cheesecake was lush, in a crispy sort of way. The outside was fried (like fried zucchini; had more of a light crunch to it then a burnt texture) and the inside seemed like it was just cheesecake (didn't really get a good bite of it since I was doing my best to stay away from it). The blueberry sauce was how I like sauces to be, not too runny, not too pasty. Couldn't really taste the candied pecans (but then, again, I wasn't really eating the dish to begin with). A very alluring combo all around.

The homemade peanut butter ice cream was, well, delightful. The server said they had 2 other homemade flavors that day, orange and something else, in case peanut butter's not your thing. (Didn't ask whether they have different flavors every day.) The texture was on the softer side for ice cream, so it scooped up easily with a spoon. In my opinion, it was one of the best servings of ice cream I've had within the past year. And the ribbons of real peanut butter added a nice twist to every few bites.

The Spiced Kabocha Squash Salad was slightly informal yet still tasty. Arugula, lentils, and pumpkin seeds topped with a fair amount ricotta cheese shavings. The squash bites were warm, which wasn't expected, so that was nice (they tasted sorta like candied yams). The mix altogether, combined with a bite or two of the cheesecake and a bite or three of the peanut butter ice cream was a perfect way to end the evening. Two thumbs up! Oh, and the coffee was good too (flavorful and not terribly strong).