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As an American Express® Cardmember, we invite you to ask the editorial team an entertainment related question. Our entertainment editors will provide expert answers, with other Cardmembers providing additional input on the best in city entertainment!
Seeking a refreshing respite from the late summer heat? Get thee some ice cream! Mitchell's is a favorite for frozen delicacies and recently celebrated its 50th birthday. In addition to standard ice cream flavors that you could find anywhere else in the city, Mitchell's offers some creative and exotic delights like French custard vanilla, Mexican chocolate, avocado, buko (baby coconut), lychee, mango and ube (purple yam). The cantelope ice cream is only available for a few more weeks as a seasonal refreshment, so it's on our short list. And all their flavors are homemade, premium, rich and tasty. No wonder Mitchell's has been winning so many awards and hearts for all these years.
Mitchell's Ice Cream
688 San Jose Ave., San Francisco | 415-648-2300
Everything old is new again; case in point, Sweetwater. Once a no-holds-barred bar for all things punk rock in the good ole, golden days of counter-culture Williamsburg, Sweetwater has transformed itself into a gastronomic destination. While the stained tin ceilings (from too many cigarettes, no doubt) and long wood bar still remain, the varied wine list and nouveau American menu with nods to the French, Italians and Spanish add a freshness to the Williamsburg dining scene that was sorely needed (as tasty as it is, do we really need another Thai restaurant on Bedford?). Recommended: Spinach, sweet potato and ricotta stuffed cannelloni in a light butter, almond & lemon sage sauce. Cash only.
Sweetwater
105 North 6th St., between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn | 718-963-0608
Your parents are in town. And so are your future in-laws — which mean dinner plans should be fun and festive, but, hey, it's New York, so you want to keep it sleek and chic. Consider Falai located on the Lower East Side's Clinton Street. Iacopo Falai, owner and chef whose resume includes several years at Le Cirque 2000, has created a traditional Italian spot with a varied menu, bright, open space and bread oven which emits fragrances that send endorphins sky-high. Stand out dishes like the spinach and ricotta gnudi in brown butter and pan-seared, pancetta-wrapped tuna will satisfy, but leave a little room for the freshly-baked bread — it's too good to pass up. Reservations recommended.
Falai
68 Clinton Street, between Stanton and Rivington Streets, New York | 212-253-1960
There are some places that almost look too chic to walk into — the décor is too hip, as are the patrons, dressed in that perfect downtown casual "messiness" that somehow always looks pulled together. That's Brown, a gem of a café on the Lower East Side café, except you won't be able to hold yourself back from entering. Its menu focuses on all things organic, from the greens to the wine, and even its tree stump chairs and wood board plates are eco-friendly. Open for lunch and dinner, but Brown is a place where brunch reigns supreme; try the baked eggs with smoked salmon and herbed ricotta. Yum.
Brown Café
61 Hester at Ludlow Street, New York | 212-477-2427
For those of us not schooled in wines, choosing between even just two bottles can prove to be a daunting task—so could you imagine choosing from a list of 100,000? Before you have a nervous breakdown, know about Veritas, a Flatiron wine bar that, yes, lets you choose your poison from a large and impressive collection. Of course you're not expected to go it alone; the sommelier is schooled on all the wines and can help you pick a perfect Burgundy or otherwise, even if you don't really know what you're looking for. Peckish drinkers will enjoy their $76 prix-fixe menu, not surprisingly selected with a range of palates in mind, and which all have a perfect wine complement. A special place to go on a night where you want to mix things up a bit. Reservations recommended.
Veritas
43 E. 20th St., near Park Avenue South, New York | 212-353-3700
There are so many things to love about wd-50 on the Lower East Side. First, the name, a moniker that sounds like the next generation of the blue-canned wonder lubricant, but in actuality is the name of the Chef in charge of it all, Wylie Dufresne. The second, third, fourth — well, everything else, — is the menu, cutting edge but completely approachable. So, while you might be puzzled at appetizers such as the fried quail with banana tartare, main dishes like scallops with zucchini in a smoked grape broth, or the fried butterscotch pudding with mango, taro and smoked macadamia dessert, please do yourself a favor and don't ask questions. Just pick up your fork and enjoy.
wd-50
50 Clinton St., between Rivington and Stanton Streets, New York | 212-477-2900
Undeniably, one of the best times over the weekend is a killer brunch and great company. Here's where that not-quite-breakfast, not-quite-lunch time of day reigns supreme; you supply the rest.
• Have the quintessential New York brunch and bagel plate at Barney Greengrass.
• Down a fluffy stack of heavenly pancakes at Clinton Street Baking Co.
• Wash down some huevos with the specialty margaritas at Lobo on Court Street.
• Bask in the Indian Summer sun in the back garden of Relish in Williamsburg.
Where should we go? Whether you're looking for a first date destination or just a romantic evening with your longtime flame, you can't help but scour local mags and websites for the perfect answer. Well, here it is — B Flat in TriBeCa. Owned and operated by ex-Angel's Share bartenders, this subterranean Tokyo-style lounge is at once both elegant and friendly, with an astonishing array of liquors and drinks that are not just poured, they're crafted — and strong. Their small plate menu will stave off your hunger pangs and buzz though, and shouldn't be passed up. Recommended: the succulent deep-fried spring rolls, tasty grilled pork in garlic sauce and the Scenes in the City specialty cocktail, a blend of citron, lychee and grapefruit.
B Flat
277 Church St. at Sixth Avenue, New York | 212-219-2970
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