Mexican at Maya

Maya
1191 1st Ave, New York 10021
Btwn 64th & 65th St
212-585-1818

It sometimes feels tougher to find good food in Midtown East and Upper East Side; thankfully came across Maya as a great place to meet up with friends on a recent weeknight and get some good Mexican in a nice environment on the East side. It was a bit of a walk since it's on 1st Ave, but no major probs getting there. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with large carved chairs for each table. I didn't notice any booths, all were tables, and a small bar in the front. Service was fine.

We ordered guacamole, couldn't pass it up, and it was served in a double-decker tray with chips on the bottom and guac on top. A small amount of guac for the price (and for 4 people), nothing compared to quantity at Mary Anns for example or even probably Rosa Mexicano, but it was tasty. We got the special appetizer which was lobster soft tacos with avo and melted cheese; they were TINY but also very tasty. My salmon was grilled with "chile chipotle mustard", great grilled flavor and nice sauce. The salmon could have been slightly more cooked to my liking. The asparagus and potato pieces on the plate were delicious with the chile habenero aioli. Hubby got the pork-- it was tenderloin and shoulder, with black bean & avocado, and it was DELICIOUS. We were very satisfied overall and would go back (if ever in the area!)

Citysearch reviews

Convivium Osteria

Convivium Osteria
68 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 857-1833

On a cold, dreary, drizzly winter night, Convivium Osteria is definitely a warm inviting destination. We did the long walk from South Park Slope to get there, and despite some slightly sore feet, it was well worth it. Hard to believe we waited so long to try it! Hope we get plenty more opportunities in the future...

As all of the online reviews say, this place feels like you are in a rustic restaurant in Europe. There seems to be 3 seating areas or levels, the front/main area where you first walk in, complete with small bar and shelves of wine bottles, the next level after a walk almost through the kitchen that has the feel of an outdoor patio with skylight, in fact, has an even more outdoor seating area for summer time that opens up, and an even lower "wine cellar" seating area. We sat in that second level area, near the glass doors that I'm sure completely open up for warm weather to the patio. The whole place is very warm and cozy, with lanterns and wooden accents and candlelight, and has plenty of character. Right away I knew this would be a great place to take visitors (though not much else in the immediate vicinity, location-wise. But worth the walk).

The food, over all, was the best we've had in months. Italian, but with "spanish & portuguese influences" according to their website. Really really sumptuous and flavorful. Yes a tad bit pricey ($30 for special/entree; $13 for pasta dish), particularly as portion sizes, at least what we saw, were fairly small for American standards. But it encourages you to savor each bite, as you should with such rich ingredients and flavors. We started with the "carciofo alla romana", artichoke marinated in olive oil with mint and garlic. It was delicate and delicious. I then had butternut squash "tortelli" with sage and butter... the plate was very small, almost more of a first course, but divine. I cut up my little pasta pieces into teeny bites to savor the flavors! The sweet and salty juxtaposition was perfect for me. Hubby had that night's special which was RIGHT up his ally-- venison loin with a blueberry & port-wine reduction sauce served with mashed potatoes. Wow was that amazing. The blueberry sauce was so tasty, I sopped up the extra with bread for another tasty treat, and the venison was very tender and well-cooked.

No dessert this time, but definitely hope to be back. I read that their cappucinos are great too, have to check it out.

Blogsoop reviews

Citysearch reviews

Watana Siam-- South Slope Thai

Watana Siam
420 7th Ave (13th/14th st)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718. 832.1611

Our local Thai restaurant really does it right. As a side note, can't believe I haven't written about a thai place yet, as Thai is one of my favorite types of food! Watana Siam is a small place that feels open-air in good weather when they open all the windows/doors and if you sit in the front you are basically on the edge of the street, great for people-watching. The dark wood interior and gold decorative accents make it feel classy and refined, and the byob policy suits the times when you are on a budget. Tables are fairly close together and when it's really crowded can be a bit loud, but otherwise very enjoyable atmosphere.

For starters, the satay is ok. The veggie dumpling with "sweet black garlic sauce" is divine. Their pad thai hits the spot; nice balance of peanut, lime, sprouts. The green curry is also very nice and classic, and chicken basil is decent to mix it up sometimes. If you are looking for good thai in the south slope, look no further.