Jadis

42 Rivington St

If you are looking for a quaint and homey restaurant - in which to graze - then Jadis should be your choice.  In the front of the restaurant is a lovely long wine bar; in the back, large leather sofas where big groups can spread out or couples can get cozy.  

If Jadis is in one way inadequate, it seems to be short on service.  We were seated promptly but then waited for quite a while to order.  The maitre d' doubled as one of only two waiters in the restaurant and he was certainly crazed.  When we did finally get his attention, he spent alot of time with us and tried to be helpful in choosing a wine.  We ended up ordering the Reboreda Blanco, a white Spanish wine I had never had.  He described it as "minerally with pear aromas and a nice development in the mouth".  His description was decent, but the wine was somewhat unmemorable.  Still the wine list is long and judging from the beautiful display of wine bottles lining the walls of the restaurant, I'm positive they have some great bottles.

The food is grazer-worthy.  My friend ordered the baby spinach salad with beets, pears and goat cheese.  It was a nice portion and she enjoyed it.  I ordered the Quiche Savoyarde with tomatoes, onions and Tomme de Savoie cheese.  I was pleased when I received  a small personal quiche with a nice side salad.  The quiche had a light and thin crust, overflowing with freshly sauteed vegetables and topped with a thin layer of cheese.  Tomme de Savoie is a delicious French cheese made from the skim milk left over after the cream is used to make richer cheeses, giving this variety (dieters rejoice!) a low-fat content.

Overall, we felt at home at Jadis.  The restaurant had that quaint neighborhood feel without a pinch of pretension.

- The Grazer

Apizz

217 Eldridge St

So I thought I'd start by telling you about a restaurant with my favorite salad in NYC. It's the kind of salad you go back for. I've been to Apizz (that's "ah-beets", rather confusing in my opinion but so much fun to say) three times now and each time I ordered the spinach salad. On my third trip I considered trying something new, but I couldn't help myself. It's that good. This is not just a small appetizer salad. We're talking lettuce to fill a dinner plate (and at only $13!). It's that really fresh organic tasting spinach leaf, topped with warm white beans, tasty pistachios and an amazing lemony dressing. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back for round 4.

On my first trip, my friend tried the arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and parmesan crisps. Also apparently awesome. On trip number two, my friend had the warm octopus salad. I'd recommend it if you want a salad, but you're not in the mood for lettuce - I totally know the feeling.

So I guess Apizz means pizza? Because they serve two different Apizz - a Margherita and a Bianca. We shared the Bianca one time and I'll tell you it was perfect grazer food. Thin, crispy crust with some cheese, but not too cheesy. They also have an extensive wine list with bottles from all over Italy and a small bar where you can order food.

The restaurant itself is spectacularly gorgeous. As soon as you walk in you can see the brick oven, from which rustic smells linger. The dim lights combined with the glowing brick oven, make it perfect for a romantic date. But the scene is trendy enough to make for a great girl's night out too...Especially if you and your girlfriends are into "waiter-watching".

All three times I've had the same hunk of a waiter. He's this tall guy with dark-rimmed glasses. Don't tell my boyfriend, but honestly, he's about a quarter of the reason I keep going back.

- The Grazer