WARNING: Butter NYC

If you've already done your research then I'm sure you've read the reviews, scanned the scathing remarks, and browsed the bold, highlighted, and emblazoned forewarnings; so let this be a RE-affirmation to you. I want to make sure that you never feel the need to step foot into BUTTER NYC. There are far better places in this Restaurant Capital where you can spend less than a requisite +$30 an entree and actually enjoy it.

Have you ever gone to a self proclaimed "swanky" restaurant and experienced a throbbing headache from the music, hunger pangs from lack of service, and shear perplexity about where you are... all at once? NEITHER HAVE I.. until BUTTER NYC. What a colossal disappoint this was. What an epic fail!  Alex Guarnaschelli, wherever you are, I understand that you are not the owner of this restaurant, but for your reputation's sake, for the sake of your career and your family, please bring your talents elsewhere. You do not deserve to go down with this dissolving pad of butter.

I'm not happy to be writing this warning, it actually saddens me, but it has to be done. From the minute we entered through it's long tubular entrance, until we finished our appetizers*, we were overwhelmed with disappointment.

For starters, when going to a restaurant with such an revered reputation, you would think they wouldn't need to post a Zagat placard on their hostess podium. This is something you'd expect at an Olive Garden, or Outback Steakhouse. We were kind of put off when we saw this laminated poster staring at us from the other side of the "cocktail lounge." The combination of seating people in the foyer and throwing a Zagat rating in customer's faces is purely tacky.

Immediately following the awkward walk down the entrance hallway laden in drunk clackers (watch The Devil Wears Prada for a definition) came a half hour wait. Under normal circumstances this wouldn't have been so irritating, but paired with the rest of the evening it is the icing on the cake....(con't)

Scarpetta

Scott Conant clearly knew what he was doing when he named his restaurant Scarpetta. Scarpetta by definition is part of the Italian phrase, "fare la scarpetta," which means to sop up the sauce from your plate with a piece of bread. While Scott does offer one of the best bread baskets in town (seriously Scott, stromboli bread? Eggplant caponata? You're killing me.), I really don't think the name is in homage to this. It could have something to do with the overall tone of the restaurant? Scarpetta in NYC is cavernous and sexy, opening up from a sleek narrow bar area to a large dimly lit dining room, which is capped with a beautiful glass ceiling that practically elevates your dining experience; but something tells me that's not it either. It definitely could be the fact that his menu is what you would expect of modern Italian cuisine, but then "unexpected and soulful" in flavor. Or that once you commence your meal here, you will find your unrelenting appetite attempt to savor every last drop, hence the name, "Scarpetta."

That most certainly could be it, however, I think this can be narrowed down even more, focusing our attention on one dish in particular, the Spaghetti. Yes, the ($24) Spaghetti. A dish as simple as pasta with tomato and basil sauce, but so complex and perfectly executed you feel almost ashamed at the fact that there is no way that you could ever achieve this at home. In any other Italian establishment of this stature, a waiter would think you naive and unrefined for placing such an order. However, when you request the Spaghetti at Scarpetta, the waiter practically bows down to you, walks away backward, and venerates your excellent taste....

Bar Veloce

Bar Veloce in the East Village is a swanky yet unpretentious wine bar for locals. I wouldn't necessarily make a trip to the EV for the sole purpose of visiting this spot, but if you're here and have an evening ahead of, or behind, you, it wouldn't hurt to drop by for a cocktail and a nosh.

The minimalistic, sexy ambiance has a chameleon effect and attracts a diverse audience. The white tiled walls, high wood tables, and steel detailing make you feel as if you're behind the scenes in the kitchen, yet the wall of staggering wine bottles and soft candle light remind you otherwise. On a winter night the bar is fully enclosed, providing a cozy escape from the biting cold, and in the summer the front glass wall opens up and introduces the bar to a burgeoning crowd of thirsty sidewalk dwellers.

Whether your in the neighborhood for a romantic date, or a local looking to fill the gap of a toned down evening, your time here can be fully customized to your needs. Land a table in the back to share plates and bottles with friends over inappropriate conversation, or steal some seats at the fully open bar and impress your date by quizzing the bartender on tannins and body.

The extensive wine and cocktail list has a range of prices and varietals accompanied by a small menu of shared Italian plates. The Barolo and Lambrusco, for instance, represent two vastly different wines but are satisfying in their own right. The Barolo is deep, full bodied and smooth, while the Lambrusco is sweet, with a bite of fizz and the zest of fruit. The mixed marinated olives and sliced prosciutto with fresh bread make the perfect pairing.

Bar Veloce is a local wine bar in the East Village that provides just that, a perfect pairing.