Bourgeois Pig

I met up with my friend Lara last night for dinner and we went to Bourgeois Pig. I'd walked by it several times and always wanted to try it. It was very cute! And Wednesday is a great night to go because they have $6 mussels all night! It's really Gothic in there (decor-wise) and eclectic with lots of reds and blacks and velvets and mismatched chairs, but super cute and fun. We got a champagne punch bowl, which I loved! So perfect for dinner with girls, or later at night for a romantic date dinner. It's fun to ladle your own punch into the little glass mugs they give you.

Las Ramblas

Last night was Jamie and my 2nd anniversary and, to follow tradition, we had dinner at Las Ramblas. This is a tiny tapas place on West 4th. We had our first date here, so we came last year for our anniversary and again last night. It's so cute, we probably should go more often, but now it's kind of established as our once a year special date spot.

It's a great place for a first date! Intimate, but crowded enough that there's a good atmosphere and a little noise so it's not awkward. The food is flavorful and it's fun to share, and the red pear sangria is great - especially the booze soaked slices of pear in there.

We ordered:
Brochetas De Res-grilled skewers of beef in a tempranillo wine reduction

Banderillas Con Chorizo De Pato-mini skewers of duck sausage, quail eggs, & pearl onions (above, very pretty)
Piquillos Con Morcilla-spanish peppers stuffed with morcilla, saffron rice, & manchego cheesE

FRIED cuddle fish, just like calamari, but a little less chewy (I had already eaten a lot of it before I remembered to take a picture - can't go wrong with crispy, fried things!)

Everything was served on a bed of fried veggie and tortilla strips. Yum! And it's not terribly expensive.

Las Ramblas
170 West 4th St (between Cornelia and Jones)
no reservations

Orient Express

Thanks to a great DailyCandy deal, Jamie and I finally made it to Orient Express in the West Village. It's really cute and a great date spot. It was quiet with dim light and very charming and fashioned like an Orient-Express train. They're known for their cocktails, and they're great! We had the D&S and the Danube (pictured). The D&S was a dark and stormy with a twist - Jamaican jerk seasoning. It was kind of spicy and reminiscent of a bloody Mary. The Danube was very refreshing with vodka, lime, and cucumber. Jamie thought it was a bit too thick. The food was yummy and good for sharing. Kind of Turkish inspired (after the route of the famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express). We had the pastirma (a Turkish dried meat), a delicious cheese plate with several cheeses and accoutrements, and Hungarian sausage. Great date spot! Probably more suited for winter. Also, would be great to sit at the bar with a cocktail and split an appetizer.