Penelope (Dessert)

159 Lexington Avenue

(between 29th Street and 30th Street)

Have wanted to try Penelope (a cute bistro-style café) for years. Every time I’ve tried though the line to get in would be out the door.

This time around, I went after the lunch rush (around 2 p.m. on a weekday) as my dining companion and I were craving some sweets. We had just finished eating lunch around the corner at a place without many dessert options.

Penelope has a very cozy and “hipster” atmosphere. From our man-bun wearing server to the labeling of their syrup (for the iced coffees we ordered) as “sizzurp,” I felt I could have easily been in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Their desserts were definitely on point—at least the ones we tried. Definitely a steal for $6 a slice!

We had the raspberry coffee cake. Good, but really dense and crumbly.

And the carrot cake. As soon as I saw the fun-looking silver sprinkles, I knew I had to order it! Super moist and delicious! Most importantly, the amount of icing was perfect (I usually find that the icing on most carrot cakes tends to overwhelm the cake).

 

Pros:

Relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.

Friendly service.

Cons:

Long waits during prime lunch and dinnertime hours.

Final Thoughts

Perfect place (during off-hours!) to have a catch-up conversation with a friend. Definitely want to return to try their lunch and/or dinner.

Vezzo

178 Lexington Avenue

(between 30th Street and 31st Street)

If you’re hungry and on a budget, Vezzo is a terrific option.

Known for their thin-crust pizza, Vezzo is a low-key family-style restaurant with a hopping lunch scene. Customers range from the NYU student crowd to the groups of twentysomething coworkers who are looking for an affordable group lunch fare

 

From two plain slices with a free soda for $5 to a half-sandwich/soup of the day (the day I went the options were chicken noodle or butternut squash with gouda!) with a free soda for $11, the portion sizes are generous.

If you’re with one other person, a tip is to order one of the larger lunch specials and split it between the two of you. We ordered the large 16-inch plain pizza and a large salad (any salad from the main menu) for $22.

For our large salad, we chose their beet and goat cheese salad with crushed pistachios, orange zest, and pickled red onions over arugula and a garlic vinaigrette dressing ($12, if ordered separately). That vinaigrette dressing was amazing.

 

The pizza was cooked perfectly, and my dining companion was so intoxicated by the yummy smell of fresh-made pizza that she couldn’t even wait to grab a slice before I was able to take a picture of the pie!

To wash it all down, my dining companion got the free soda (which accompanied the lunch special) and I ordered a pint of their draft Peroni ($7), which is similar to a Belgian ale.

It is seriously a lot of food and filling. Did not eat for the rest of the day!

And for less than $40 (not including tip) for two, it’s a great deal!

Pros:

Comfortable atmosphere.

Excellent lunch deal!

Cons:

Very crowded during lunchtime. Arrive before 12:30 p.m.

Final Thoughts

Great lunch deal and will definitely return if in the area.

Al Vicoletto (Happy Hour)

9 East Seventeenth Street

(between Fifth Avenue and Broadway)

If you’re looking for a happy hour spot where you can have a conversation in a relaxed environment around the Union Square area, al Vicoletto is an excellent option.

 

Al Vicoletto is a very pretty spot with modern décor and a back-garden patio.

 

Even their bathroom has pretty lighting!

 

Happy Hour drinks are $7. Unfortunately, the options are limited with either a red or a white. As it was a warm, April evening, I chose their white, which was a Gavi.

To accompany our drink we ordered their cheese trio for $15. For our cheese, we chose: fontina, taleggio, and pecorino di fossa. Very pretty cheese board!

But as a wonderful surprise, before our cheese board arrived, the chef gave us complimentary amuse bouche finger sandwiches. It reminded me of the high-tea cucumber sandwiches that I had in London.

 

Overall, a pleasant, relaxing experience!

Pros:

Comfortable atmosphere.

Excellent people-watching spot.

Nice, large, and clean bathroom.

Cons:

More happy hour wine options.

Final Thoughts

Must come back to try a full meal.

Ichiba Ramen

125 University Place

(between 13th Street and West Union Square)

If you’re looking for a quick ramen noodle fix and been told that the waiting time to get into Ippudo is at least an hour, Ichiba Ramen is an excellent option.

Having just opened in February 2016, service and customer turnover appear to be brisk and quick. It is a no-frills, good ramen spot. Décor highlight are cute wall illustrations of happy faces and noodle bowls.

Liked that each table had soy sauce and ra-yu (chili, sesame oil) sauce bottles on the table.

 

We started off with their tofu appetizer with scallion and bonito dipping sauce. The ra-yu sauce went particularly well with the blandness of the tofu. Gave it a nice kick!

The ra-yu sauce also went well with my Hokkaido Tonkatsu Ramen ($14), which came with scallion, chashu, bean sprouts, corn, black fungus, and nori in a miso broth. I also ordered it with a soft-boiled egg ($1.50).

 

Really liked the bean sprouts and corn!

My dining companion ordered the house Ichiba Ramen ($15), which came with an egg, chashu, onion, black fungus, and nori in a chicken broth.

Since the restaurant didn’t serve alcohol (not sure whether it’s because of not having a liquor license yet or not wanting to serve alcohol at all to ensure quicker turnover), we ordered bottled Saratoga sparkling water ($3.50)
 

And a bottle of Oi Ocha green tea ($3.50).

 

Pros:

Good ramen.

Quick and speedy, no-nonsense service.

Cons:

No alcohol.

Does not accept AmEx.

Final Thoughts

Will return if I’m in the area and in the mood for ramen.