A few weeks ago, Mariana Lamar, cr eator of Whole Health HQ. Her blog is designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness. After publishing two game plans for NYC Restaurant Week and Long Island Restaurant Week, I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, which highlights ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through awareness and shifting habits such as scrolling late at night or early in the morning instead of resting. Thank you Mariana for contributing another article for the Sunday Game Plan. I am sure anyone who reads this will learning something from it.
Move Your Body Daily
You move more than you think — you just stopped counting it as exercise. That stretch you did getting out of bed? That counts. The walk across the parking lot because the close spots were taken? That too. Bodies don’t need perfection. They need participation. Keep your limbs in the game and your joints from stiffening. Don’t worry about tracking steps — worry about forgetting to step. Make movement part of the background, like music you forget is playing until it stops.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Rest is too often the first thing we trade and the last thing we protect. But sleep isn’t an accessory. It’s core maintenance. You can survive without it — people do — but the cost builds quietly. Your decisions start to wobble. Little annoyances start to feel heavier. There’s no medal for exhaustion, and nobody’s handing out trophies for burning out. Reclaim bedtime. Build a shutdown habit that doesn’t involve a screen glowing inches from your face. You don’t have to be perfect — you just need to be consistent enough that your brain knows when to quit for the day.
Connect with Others
You can do a lot on your own — but you weren’t built to go it alone. Humans regulate in pairs. We soften through conversations, even short ones. A quick check-in. A joke in a text. Shared silence on a walk. It’s not about having deep talks every day; it’s about staying tethered. You’re not bothering people — they’re waiting, too, for someone to reach out. Don’t let isolation sneak in under the disguise of “being busy.” Connection doesn’t require a big gesture — just a nudge that says, “I’m still here.”
Align Your Career and Purpose
What you do all day feeds back into how you feel — and not just when the paycheck hits. If work is draining you dry, it’s going to show up everywhere: in your body, your relationships, your sense of possibility. Sometimes the answer isn’t quitting. Sometimes it’s retraining. Shifting. Giving yourself permission to grow. For example, you might explore ahealthcare administration degree — something fully online, flexible, and accredited. It won’t fix everything. But it can remind you that you’re allowed to evolve, and that your well-being includes your work, not just your weekends.
Reclaim Attention with Nature
Your nervous system knows what a tree is. Even if you don’t think of yourself as “outdoorsy,” your brain recognizes sky, leaves, shadows shifting with the wind. That recognition slows you down — not in a bad way, but in a reset way. You don’t need a trailhead; you need a window. A pause on a walk. Something real to look at that isn’t pixels. Let your eyes stretch past the screen. Let your breath catch up. Nature doesn’t demand anything of you. That’s part of why it works.
Create a Daily Structure
You already have routines — they might just be accidental. Checking your phone first thing. Skipping breakfast. Checking emails before dressing. What if you picked one piece to do on purpose? Wake up, open a window, drink water before caffeine. Something repeatable, something grounding. It doesn’t have to be a ritual with candles and affirmations. Just something that says, “I’m starting now.” When your day has edges, your mind can settle in the middle. Otherwise, it spills everywhere.
Cultivate Emotional Habits
Most people think emotions just happen to them — but the truth is, we rehearse them. Bitterness, stress, hope, appreciation — we get good at what we repeat. Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending things are fine. It means learning to hold two truths: some things are tough, and some things are still okay. Saying thank you to no one in particular. Writing down one sentence before bed. Giving yourself a break for not doing more. These aren’t tactics — they’re survival skills. You can still be angry. You can still struggle. Gratitude just gives the struggle somewhere to breathe.
Most people think they need a reset button. What they really need is a few things to stop breaking. You don’t have to start over — you just need to start smaller. Put one thing back in your own hands. A walk. A meal. A better bedtime. You won’t feel the change in a day, but you’ll feel it later when you haven’t fallen apart. That’s what health really is. Not optimization — orientation.
Long Island Restaurant Week is back in Nassau County with 81 restaurants participating. Last winter, we only participated in one restaurant week, which also coincided with NYC restaurant week. We dined in Luigi’s for lunch and for $24 we got a generous portion of food that we took it home and it took 2-3 days to finish. All of these dishes will be offered for this season’s restaurant week: the Meatball and Meatball Parm Hero for lunch and the Fried Calamari and Salmon Peperonata for dinner.
Long Island Restaurant literally last a week starting today 01/25/26 thru 02/01/26. They are offering the restaurant week menu on Saturday 01/31/26 until 7pm. Given the realistic time frame, recovering health issue and current weather conditions, I’d be lucky if I make it to one. In the meantime, here is my list of five restaurants I would go to:
Iavorone Cafe & Kitchen
Luigi’s (Dinner)
Park Place
The Harrison
Morton’s The Steakhouse
Check out my game plan for NYC Restaurant Week which is currently ongoing thru 02/12/26. In the meantime, I’ll be checking their social media pages and hopefully I’ll be able to repost on my stories as my way of supporting small businesses and another restaurant week concept.
NYC Restaurant Week is back! From 01/20/26 to 02/12/26, 653 restaurants have signed up, which was 56 more restaurants than last year’s restaurant week. A year ago, I devised a game plan of my top 10 restaurants I would dine based on convenience. The first restaurant I dined for NYC restaurant week last year was Lure Fishbar which was not on my list, but I left work early that day and they were still offering the lunch menu. It was my first time in over 15 years that I step foot into this restaurant. The ambiance remained the same. To celebrate I order the rock shrimp tempura and salmon with two wine pairings, which at that time was about $60 plus tax and tip. Lure Fishbar is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch, but the total cost is now $75 with the wine pairing plus tax and tip.
Rock Shrimp TempuraMiso Glazed Salmon
We ventured into New Hyde Park for lunch at Luigi’s Restaurant for the two course $30 lunch. We ordered fried calamari and meatball for appetizers, which were already filling. I ordered the salmon peperonata and meatball parm hero as the main entrees. We ended up eating half of the entrees and taking the rest home, but the zucchini chips had to be consumed fresh. Luigi’s Restaurant is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch for $30.
Fried Calamari
Meatballs
Salmon Peperonata
Meatball Parm Hero
A friend of mine recommended Lincoln Ristorante especially their rigatoni dish. The restaurant has an open kitchen, which was cool because the diner can observe how the dishes are being made. I ordered a glass of Gavi to pair with my meal. The server provide a complimentary focaccia. For my three course meal ($60) I ordered the sunchokes and puntarelles which was refreshing. Then I had the rigatoni amatriciana, which tasted great and ended dinner with the chocolate tortino. Lincoln Ristorante is also participating in this season’s restaurant week, but their menu this season does not offer the dishes from the previous year. However, the rigatoni amatriciana and chocolate tortino are still being served as a la carte dishes.
I met with my friend in Long Island City to dine for restaurant week at Jiang Nan. We arrived right before happy hour ended and started off with cocktails. Then we ordered our five course meal which included a glass of red or white wine, dim sum, vegetable dish, appetizer, a main entree and dessert.
For appetizers we chose the boiled chicken with chili sauce on the side and the homestyle crispy fish. We enjoyed the crispy fish. The boiled chicken platter was beautifully presented and interactive. For vegetables we chose the baby cabbage in chicken broth and stir fry string bean. For dim sum we had a sampling of steam pork soup dumpling and a peking duck spring rolls, both tasted good when consumed fresh. For the entrees we chose the sweet and sour pork tenderloin and the crispy shrimp with honey walnuts. The Crispy shrimp with honey walnuts were our overall favorite. To end the dining experience we ordered the gluten rice cake with brown sugar and the mango Pomelo with sago. We were not impressed with the mango Pomelo but we did enjoy the gluten rice cake with brown sugar. Unfortunately they are not participating in this season’s restaurant week, but have expanded their franchise in the last year.
Happy hour cocktailsSweet and sour pork tenderloinBoiled ChickenStir fry string beansBaby Cabbage in Chicken BrothHomestyle crispy fishPeking duck spring rollCrispy honey walnut shrimpSteamed Pork Soup DumplingsGluten rice cake with brown sugarMango pomelo with sago
My friend visited me at work and we dined in Delmonico’s for dinner. We started off with the sake and an espresso martini. For our appetizers, we had the Yellowtail crudo and the burrata. For our entrees, we both got the steaks (the steak did not come with a side) so we shared a side order of mashed potatoes. Finally, for dessert, we got the chocolate cake and cheesecake. Everything hit the spot. Delmonico’s is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch and dinner for $60. Drinks are additional.
Espresso MartiniSakeYellowtail CrudoBurrataDelmonico Filet Mignon with a side of mashed potatoesChocolate cake and cheesecake
During my commute since 01/07/26, I’ve developed a bucket list of restaurants I want to dine and support new restaurants especially the ones with the best deals. Unfortunately, I won’t be participating as much as I would have liked due to the upcoming Long Island Restaurant Week, life and priorities. Here’s the my wish list for this season’s restaurant week:
Mokyo
Sake No Hana
La Baraka
Le B
Red Room Bar (Printemps)
Koi
House of Red Pearl
Tuome
Crown Shy
Sea by Jungsik
Long Island Restaurant Week also starts on 01/25/26 to 02/01/26. Stay tuned for the game plan/wish list.
The first Sunday Game Plan of 2026 is another dose of meal prepping for the upcoming week. Thank goodness for the extra day off due to MLK. We have the momentum of an overall successful New Year’s traditional meal fest and I finished before 11pm, which was a record. I actually worked half a day on New Years Eve and upon arrival at home I went straight to work putting the traditional lucky foods menu on the last day of 2025. There was a hiccup where I completely forgot to thaw the cedar planked salmon that I had to go to Whole Foods to pick up some grilled salmon in Asian chili sauce, which worked out really well. I also purchased a can of lentil soup and Jiffy cornbread mix to expedite the process due to time. I also discovered that I ran out of the chili crunch and ended up making my carbonara without it and bought a small round cake with champagne.
Now I am working on my meal prep for the upcoming week. I was reviewing the items on the refrigerator and pantry to see what dishes I can make that will stretch for about 4 days.
Sausage and White Bean Soup with Kale
Cabernet Braised Short Ribs
Tuna/Salmon Patties
Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Fruit Cottage Cheese Parfait
Plant Based Grilled Swiss Cheese Sandwiches
Check out my posts on Instagram at @tablespoonsandteaspoons. Stay tuned for my ideal wish list for the upcoming NYC Restaurant Week starting on Tuesday.
This is the last Sunday Game Plan of 2025. 2025 was a busy year filled with energy shifts, closure and acceptance to where I stand with certain family members, some friends and coworkers. I’ve been active on Yelp writing restaurant reviews and hitting up hard to get into restaurants. I’m also mindfully posting on Meta, which consists of Facebook and Instagram.
Since 2026 is only five days away, I have planning the New Years Eve Dinner 2025 with my traditional lucky foods menu. This time is going to be a challenge with working thru New Years Eve. Thanks to Stop and Shop, Whole Foods, and Lidl, I was able to achieve that.
To start, I obtained the traditional 12 round fruits platter. I was able to obtain: Oranges, blueberries, lemon, lime avocado, grapefruit, apple, strawberries, grapes, persimmon, kiwi, and mango. I also have 1 banana to make it 13.
For my meals, I searched recipes online to find inspiration with the ingredients I had to work with. So I plan on cooking the following:
Chili Crunch Carbonara (bacon and noodles)
Sausage, black eye peas and kale soup
Cornbread (Jiffy Cornbread Mix)
Cedar Plank Bacon Bourbon Salmon
Lentil Soup or stew (I have yet to purchase lentils)
Check out my posts on Instagram at @tablespoonsandteaspoons. Stay tuned for an exciting 2026.
Happy Holidays!! I can’t believe we are entering the last month of 2025. This Thanksgiving holiday we split our day(s) with both sides of the family. On Thanksgiving Day we celebrated the holiday with my husband’s side of the family with Di Palo’s specialty salami with pecorino cheese, roasted chicken, mac and cheese, stuffing, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. The following day we met with my side of the family for old school Italian lunch at Vincent’s in Carle Place, NY. Between yesterday and today, we are consuming leftovers. The leftovers we still had was roasted chicken, salami, cheese and mac and cheese. Here’s the game plan for utilizing these leftovers to stretch through this week without getting sick.
Chicken Pancit
Baked Mac and Cheese Cups
Salami and cheese with crackers
Hopefully I can be consistent to post this week on at least two of the dishes listed above. Since we will be entering the last month of 2025, I’ll be sharing my top dining experience and/or best dishes cooked/consumed this year. Stay tuned!!
A few weeks ago, I connected with Mariana Lamar, creator of Whole Health HQ. Her blog is designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness. One of the topics addressed is self-care, which is crucial, but sometimes a struggle to achieve due to busy schedule and life priorities such as parenthood. As part of the Sunday Game Plan, I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, which highlights ways and how to plan time for self-care. Thank you Mariana for contributing your article for the Sunday Game Plan.
Self‑Care for Introverts: Nurturing Your Body and Mind
As an introvert, caring for yourself often means going quiet, not loud. Self‑care isn’t about following the loudest trend, it’s about creating practices that feel soothing to you. You need tools that honor your need for solitude, pace, and reflection. In this article, you’ll find strategies focused on both body and mind, ones that won’t demand more social energy than you can spare. Let’s explore ways to build a self‑care regimen that doesn’t drain you — but refills you.
Prepare Healthy Meals
What you eat matters — your brain, mood, energy, and digestion all respond to food. Aim for meals rich in vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. For mood support, include foods like salmon, leafy greens, or beans — which nourish brain health while stabilizing energy. Plan meals that can be prepped once and reused, so you’re not reinventing dinner every night. Batch-cook in quiet time or use simple recipes with few ingredients. The result: consistent nourishment without decision fatigue.
Start a Solo Exercise Routine
The first step is choosing movements that don’t require a crowd or a coach — think stretching, yoga, light strength work, or gentle cardio you can do in your own space. Make it low‑stakes: 10 minutes of bodyweight moves or a few flows in the quiet of your room will do more than nothing. Over time you’ll grow confidence, noticing how your body and mind settle into more calm. And if you’re short on time, you can get steps in by walking during your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Let your exercise be a personal invitation — not a demand or a performance.
Build a Calming Morning Ritual
Your morning sets the tone. For an introvert, that might mean waking up a little earlier or shifting your wake‑time to include five minutes of breathwork, journaling, or simply sitting in stillness. Keep it minimal — just one or two micro rituals you actually enjoy. Consistency here is more potent than grandiosity. Over time, your brain will come to expect that quiet moment and start to crave it. With that anchor in place, the rest of your day can carry less reactive energy and more intentional calm.
Cultivate Mindfulness & Inner Pause
Mental well-being is just as vital as physical. Introduce micro‑pauses throughout your day: take 30 seconds to notice your breath, feel your body, or name a feeling. Use brief guided meditations or deep breathing apps when your mind becomes too loud. These small resets help soothe the nervous system. Over time, your threshold for stress begins to shift — things that once overwhelmed you will have less grip. This buildup of calm is essential for sustaining energy in your quieter life.
Guard Solitude with Boundaries
Your alone time is your recharge time — and it must be protected. Practice saying “no” or “not right now” to social or professional invitations that would deplete you. Honor your energy limits and schedule buffer zones after any social interaction. If people around you don’t fully understand, you don’t owe them constant explanations — a short “I need some quiet time” often suffices. Over time, others may come to expect that you honor your space, which helps reduce friction. This boundary work is the backbone of self‑care for introverts.
Design a Restorative Evening Buffer
Evening time is sacred. Build a ritual you look forward to — dim lights, herbal tea, reading, or a warm bath. Avoid screens when possible; blue light and digital stimulation can delay your rest. Use the last 15 minutes before bed to slow the mind: a gratitude note, gentle stretching, or simply quiet sitting works. This buffer helps transition your system from day mode into rest mode. Over time, this transition becomes easier and your sleep quality improves.
Use Creative Expression as Quiet Therapy
Introverts often process through reflection and creation. Whether it’s journaling, drawing, crafting, poetry, or gentle music, these acts externalize what’s inside you. They’re not assignments — they’re invitations. Don’t pressure yourself to produce; just do it for the act itself. Over time, this expressive channel can help untangle heavy thoughts, refresh your mindset, and deepen your sense of self. Giving yourself permission to explore quietly is a form of care.
Self-care as an introvert doesn’t mean mimicking extroverted strategies — it means aligning practices with your inner rhythms. Start by choosing movements you enjoy, building gentle routines, and nourishing your body intentionally. Pause throughout your day, cherish your solitude, and guard it with firm boundaries. In the evening, soften the edges with restorative buffers. And don’t forget creative expression — it’s a companion to your internal world. Over time, your version of self-care becomes a concrete, sustainable map toward feeling grounded, recharged, and whole.
Discover the ultimate dining experiences with Tablespoons and Teaspoons, your go-to guide for navigating NYC’s vibrant restaurant weeks, culinary adventures and evidence based research on recipes for Meatless Monday and Traditional dishes!
NYC Summer Restaurant Week is back!! This year NYC Restaurant Week will be begin on Monday 07/21/25 to 08/31/25; not all restaurants will participate over the five week period. To date, 610 restaurants from the five boroughs will be participating. The price points for this season are $30, $45 and $60 for lunch/brunch and/or dinner depending on the restaurant. What I will be doing differently this time is recommending restaurants according to neighborhoods where realistically I’ll be dining in based on convenience unless it’s something special that I’d go that extra mile (stay tuned to the end of this post).
LOWER MANHATTAN
To date there are 14 restaurants that are participating in this upcoming restaurant week. I’ve personally dined in 10 out of the 14 participating restaurants where 7 of those 10 restaurants were for restaurant week.
Before COVID-19, my friend and I dined in Morton’s The Steakhouse on World Trade Center for Restaurant Week dinner. Entrees were generous because I actually recalled my friend ordering the pork chop and only ate a third of her dish and took the rest home. What I appreciated it about this restaurant is their transparency of their portions by posting the calories next to each dish. One day, I’ll return to check out their power hour.
I’ve been to Manhatta twice for restaurant week, the first time was five years ago for lunch and the second time was last year when my friend treated me to an early birthday lunch. Both times I have had the privilege to dine with a view. Service, and ambiance was off the charts. Unfortunately, this restaurant week, the menu offers a variation of dishes that are served on their regular menu, which is not the same. Below are the dishes we had for lunch during restaurant week last summer; everything tasted so good and we got the olive oil cake for dessert, which I took home for the hubby because I had to head back to the office.
Hamachi CrudoBeef Tartare with sunchoke and Asian PearAmerican Wagyu with cabbageGreen Circle Chicken
I have dined in Le Gratin several times, one for French Restaurant Week, after work to try their monthly special and more recently their golden hour. This restaurant is owned by Daniel Boulud and they like to change things up. The menu for this season’s restaurant week is a continuation of their menu for French Restaurant week.
My first visit to La Marchande was back in 2023 for lunch during restaurant week. Service was very slow given there were only three diners (including myself) in the restaurant during lunch. I was excited to try their popular French onion dumplings, but I was disappointed due to the portions being cut in half and not rich as I thought it would be given that it had truffles and gruyere. The French onion dumplings are going to be offered as a supplemental appetizer for this season’s restaurant week. Given the slow service, by the time I got my main entree, which was huge, I had to take it to go so I can get back to work within the hour lunch break. This salad took two day to finish. I’d like to return for another restaurant week lunch meal, but given the slow service, I need to plan it out where my I can stretch my hour lunch break.
Crown Shy – $60 pp dinner Sunday thru Friday until August 17th – Kibbeh Nayah, Lavash/Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken and Hot Sauce/Satsuma, Toasted Marshmallow, Honeycomb
Almost four years ago, I have had the privilege to dine in this one-star Michelin restaurant under the leadership of the late Executive chef James Kent. I was seat in front of the open ended kitchen to watch all the action. I was blown away by the service, bread, appetizers and dessert that earned this restaurant a one-star Michelin back in 2021. Unfortunately, the pictures I have taken from this dining experience are in my old phone which I no longer have access to, but I did a Yelp review of this great dining experience. I’d like to return to indulge in the dining experience under the new leadership.
Vino & … Eataly NYC Downtown – $30 pp lunch Monday thru until August 17th – Insalata Cesare/Linguine al Pesto Genovese e Stracciatella
Two years ago my friends met up with me for a group dinner inside Temple Court. During that time, only the restaurant week menu was offered so everyone that dined had to order from that menu. Everyone was satisfied. I had to order the agnolotti after learning the techniques on MasterChef, the dish hit the spot and the roasted chicken was a huge portion, which resulted in leftovers for the hubby the next day. I ended the night with the blueberry cheesecake semifreddo. This time, this restaurant will also be offering agnolotti as an appetizer and the roasted chicken as a main entree for dinner. Personally, I may dine here for lunch, thankfully I have time to plan as Temple Court will be participating thru the end of August.
Felice 15 Gold Street – $30 pp lunch for two Sunday thru Friday until August 17 – (1) Zuppa Contadina/Paillard de Pollo/Tortino al Cioccolato (2) Bruschetta/Fusilli al Ferretto e Burrata/Tiramisu
Felice 15 Gold Street – $45 pp dinner for two Sunday thru Friday until August 17 – (1) Zuppa Contadina/Pollo Milanese/Tortino al Cioccolato (2) Ricotta/Salmone/Tiramisu
Almost six years ago, I have had the privilege to have brunch at this restaurant. Portions were huge and I had to take leftovers home. Unfortunately, the pictures I have taken from this dining experience are in my old phone which I no longer have access to, but I did a brunch review on Yelp. In addition, I’ve dined in this restaurant two additional times for the holiday party also back in 2019 and 2021. After COVID-19 the quality of food and service was not the same as it was six years ago, which is why I have not yet returned.
Delmonico’s– $60 pp lunch for two Monday thru Friday – (1) Yellowtail Crudo/Faroe Island Salmon/Chocolate Symphony (2) Caramelized Bacon/Risotto/Cheesecake
Earlier this year, my friend and I met for a meal and the dining experience was great. It’s definitely worth the experience even though the clientele would be different. Personally I had the yellow crudo and chocolate symphony, both of which were very good. If I do dine, I’ll definitely try bacon, salmon and most likely I’ll take the cheesecake home.
Meal for four
Stout NYC Financial District – $30 pp lunch with pint of Stella/soda/juice Monday thru Friday – (1) Chicken Pot Stickers/Rustic Chicken Pot Pie (2) Vegetable Pot Stickers/Stout Burger (3) Sweet & Spicy Crispy Cauliflower/Double Stacked Stout Burger (4) Mac and Cheese Bites/Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Personally I have dined in Stout during my lunch break and there were no more than three diners there. I definitely had the Stout Burger, which was good. Service was very quick and I always came home with leftovers.
I’ve dined at this restaurant several times over the past six years. This was the last restaurant I have dined in right before COVID 19 shutdown in 2020. When the restaurants started reopening, an ex-colleague of mine and I would meet to dine outdoors. Last summer right after a successful accreditation inspection, we had a celebratory dinner for restaurant week. The chef choice dessert for the evening was a slice of red velvet cake.
AppetizersEntreesDessert
THE SEAPORT
To date there are 8 restaurants that are participating in this upcoming restaurant week. I’ve personally dined in 6 out of the 8 participating restaurants where 5 of those 8 restaurants were for restaurant week.
I’ve dined in this restaurant for Winter Restaurant Week dinner and the options for that season is definitely better. I’ve also dined in for lunch two years ago and I got to watch the filming of a scene for Law & Order SVU.
I’ve dined in this restaurant for Winter Restaurant Week lunch and they offered a 3 course meal for $60. Service was slow where I had to take my dessert home, which was ice cream and unfortunately I could not enjoy it as it melted during my long commute home. However, I did enjoy the Yellowtail Tuna Tartare and Ume Sesame Crusted Salmon that I devoured the entire dish. I also dined three more times to try their gruyere cheeseburger au jus, shrimp burger and spaghetti alla vongole. All three dishes were overall delicious and hit the spot. This season, only two courses are being offered and I have to plan according if I want to dine here for lunch.
House of Red Pearl – $45 pp dinner Sunday thru Friday – Crunchy Lettuce Hearts/Glazed Shrimp/Mango Sago Pudding
Meal for Two
The Tuck Room – $45 pp dinner Monday thru Friday – (1) Short Rib Bao Bun Sliders/Lobster Mac and Cheese/Concord Chocolate Cake (2) Crispy Shrimp Spring Roll/Salmon/Fresh Fruit Tart
The Tuck Room, located inside the iPic theatres was my fun go to spot for happy hour over 6 years ago. The first time I went was at the holiday party for work in 2017, but I was not impressed with the food. My friends took me out to celebrate my engagement for happy hour/pre game after work in 2019. I may come for happy hour and a restaurant week meal.
T. Brasserie – $30 pp lunch Monday thru Friday – (1) Country Pate/Faroe Island Salmon (2) Endive Salad and Snap Pea Salad/Gruyere Cheeseburger
Two years ago I saw a photo of the gruyere cheeseburger and I just had to try it for lunch. This burger took a while to make so even though I enjoyed every bite of it, I actually only ate half of it and took the rest home for the hubby to have for dinner. He loved the burger despite the richness because it was different.
The Frenchman’s Dough – $30 pp lunch Monday thru Friday (1) Caesar Salad/Chicken Parmigiana (2)Fried Mozzarella/Bolognese
Industry Kitchen– $30 pp lunch Sunday thru Friday until August 17 (1) Atlantic Salmon Ceviche/Miso Glazed Atlantic Salmon (2) Truffle Potato Wedges/Pan Seared Chicken Francese
Whenever I dined in Industry Kitchen, I have to order the truffle potato wedges. The first time I had these wedges, there were to die for because of its curly texture with the parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Over time, the wedges changed shape which now look like steak fries but the texture and taste is still there. I’ve also had the lamb chops and I did not care for them because they were unevenly cooked.
Truffle Potato WedgesLamb Chops
Meal for Three
Carne Mare – $45 pp lunch Monday thru Friday (1) Crispy Calamari/Ora King Salmon (2) Brooklyn Burrata Con Panna/Sweet Corn Agnolotti (3) The House Wedgini/AC’s Famous Prime Rib Sandwich
I actually had the Brooklyn Burrata Con Panna as my appetizer for winter restaurant week lunch where they offered a 3 course meal for the same price. This appetizer was so filling that I was only able to enjoy half of my main entree (I took the other half home) and for dessert, I only had two bites because I was so full.
During my commute since 07/17/25, I’ve developed a bucket list of restaurants I want to dine and support new restaurants especially the ones with the best deals. Unfortunately, I won’t be participating as much as I would have liked due to the life and priorities. Here’s the my wish list for this season’s restaurant week outside of Lower Manhattan and Seaport neighborhoods.
Tuome
Ishq
Naks
Golden K Burger
Park Ave Kitchen by David Burke
Dhamaka
Nuet-Et Midtown
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Koloman
Cafe Boulud
Baar Baar
Central Park Boathouse
I may hit up other restaurants in Queens because it’s more convenient and definitely worth exploring. I’ll definitely be hitting up at least three of the restaurants on this list. Stay tuned.
Starting tomorrow, French Restaurant Week returns with participating restaurants offering prix fixe menus at $30, $45, $60 and $75. French Restaurant Week will run from July 7th thru July 20th. Last year there were 12 restaurants participating and this year there are 19 restaurants participating. What’s interesting is that two of the restaurants that participated last year are not participating this year. In addition, Le Gratin, who participated in French Restaurant week lunch last year and is only doing dinner this year. I reviewed 18 menus to date and developed my restaurant picks for French Restaurant Week. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that I will end up dining in any of these restaurants due to life priorities. Meanwhile, I will continue to support my restaurant picks for French Restaurant week.
Paris Bar – $60 pp dinner – Farmers Market Salad/Lobster Bucatini/Apple Tart Tatin
Meal for Two
Levant on Smith – $60 pp – 4pm to 9pm dinner – (1) Sesame Tuna Tartare/Steak Frites/Creme Brulee (2) Crispy Goat Cheese/Seabass/San Sebastian Cheesecake
La Sirene – Soho – $60 pp – Cash/check/AMEX only dinner – (1) Escargots a la Bourguignonne/Braised Rabbit Diijonnaise/Croquant au Caramel (2) Ravioles de Royan a la Crème/Oven Roasted Cornish Hen/Choux Chantilly
La Sirene – UWS – $60 pp – Cash/check/AMEX only dinner – (1) Escargots a la Bourguignonne/Braised Rabbit Diijonnaise/Croquant au Caramel (2) Ravioles de Royan a la Crème/Oven Roasted Cornish Hen/Choux Chantilly
Margaux by La Sirene – $60 pp – Cash/check/Amex only dinner – (1) Escargots a la Bourguignonne/Braised Rabbit Diijonnaise/Croquant au Caramel (2) Ravioles de Royan a la Crème/Oven Roasted Cornish Hen/Choux Chantilly
La Pavilion – $75 pp – lunch – (1) Salade a la Grecque/Grilled Arctic Char/Tropezienne (2) Corn Veloute/Ratatouille/Café Cocoa Sundae
Le Petit Village – $60 pp – dinner – (1) Wagyu Steak Tartare/Spring Chicken/Crème Brulee (2) Salad du Jardin/Le Burger/Raspberry Sorbet
Paris Bar – $30 pp – lunch – Monday to Friday) – Goat cheese croquette/Roasted Organic Half Chicken (2) Scallop Ceviche/Bucatini Printemps
Personally, I have solo-dined at La Sirene Soho four years ago. had their Ravioles de Royan a la Crème and the Oven Roasted Cornish Hen. Both dishes are definitely worth getting at either La Sirene location.
Ravioles de Royan a la CrèmeRavioles de Royan a la CrèmeOven Roasted Cornish Hen
Recently, I dined at the Paris Bar and ordered the goat cheese croquette doused in lavender honey. This unique dish is definitely worth ordering as the honey and lavender balanced the strong goat cheese flavor out.
Goat cheese croquettes
Meal for three
La Sirene – UWS – $30 pp lunch – Cash/Credit/AMEX – Monday to Friday – (1) French Onion Soup/Prince Edward Island Mussels (2) Fresh Roasted Beet Salad with Brie/Croque Madame (3) Homemade Pate de Campagne/Jambon Brie Sandwich
The Supper Club by Le Petit Parisien – $60 pp dinner – This restaurant is only offering the French Restaurant Week Menu (there will be no a la carte menu). (1) Poached Shrimp/Pan Seared Salmon/Apple Torte (2) Pate de Campagne/Atlantic Cod/Crème Brulee (3) Belgian Endive and Fennel Salad/Ravioles Comte/Crème Brulee
Happy Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month!! Another restaurant week!! With the recent successes of restaurant weeks and restaurants months over the course of 30 plus years, Chinatown Restaurant Week starts on May 19th and will end on May 24th. Based on their website, 18 restaurants are participating and their prix fixe price vary, with lots to offer, but there are stipulations. Reservations to 10 of the 18 participating restaurants are only available on Eventbrite, 9 of those 10 restaurants have a set price for a minimum of two people. This set price includes: tax, 18% gratuity and processing fees. After reading the information on their website, this dining experience will not be feasible because personally it’s already difficult to get another person to join for a time constraint meal with no substitutions. Therefore, these menus do not accommodate diners with dietary restrictions. In addition, since the reservation has to be made via Eventbrite, the diner will be required to pay up front just to make the reservation. In the long run, the restaurant week meal will no longer be cost effective. So in conclusion, I won’t be partaking in this occasion as I would have liked to. Nevertheless, I’ll provide the places that I may check out for Chinatown Restaurant Week. To date, I’ve been able to review 17/18 restaurants.
Lunch for one:
Mee Sum Cafe – $13 set meal – 2 pieces of dim sum (har gow & shumai), toisan style salted chicken rice box, and small lemon ginger drink. No reservations. Walk-ins only.
Tada – $20 set meal – 2 fried mandus, 3 pieces of Korean fried chicken (2 wings and 1 drumstick), small side of kimchi fried rice and 1 Korean drink. No reservations. Walk-ins only.
Lunch/Dinner for two:
The Original Buddha Bodai – $62.76 per person (includes tax, 18% tip and processing fees). To take advantage of the 5-course vegetarian meal (perfect for Meatless Monday), reservations for a minimum of two people are required. I would have loved to try the salt and pepper fried ribs because they are only served during dinner currently. I’ve personally have dined in the restaurant once but that was before COVID-19, which was over five years ago and their portion sizes serve 4 people. This restaurant is one of my go-to for lunch via Uber Eats and one time, I ordered their Vegetarian Shark Fin Congee Soup. The soup was huge and it served about four people. Below is a photo from my lunch/dinner delivery order from this restaurant, which cost under $30.
Wok Wok – $35.69 per person (includes tax, 18% tip and processing fees). Reservations for a minimum of two people are required and only one set menu was being promoted: roti canai, curry laksa noodles and housemade tea. Personally I don’t think this is a deal because even without the promotion the cost would have been the same maybe cheaper without the processing fees. Four years ago I dined at this restaurant during dinner out of curiosity because of all the YouTube videos I watched during COVID-19. I did order the roti canai, which I did enjoy especially that chicken curry. The chicken curry had the perfect amount of heat for this appetizer dish. It’s definitely worth ordering alone or a starter for a 3-4 course meal. In addition portion sizes are usually generous and definitely meant for sharing.
Roti Canai
Dinner for one – Reservation is required.
Phoenix Palace – $76.30 per person (includes tax, 18% tip and processing fees). When I clicked on this link, I discovered that I can make a reservation as a solo diner. Based on what this restaurant is offering for restaurant week, I would order the Olive Yaotiew/Salt & Pepper Cuttlefish/Duck Breast/Dessert. This is the sister restaurant of the Michelin Gourmand’s Potluck Club. I have yet to dine in either restaurant.
Since I am not far from the participating restaurants, I will make an effort to dine in one of the restaurants after work or during lunch. In the meantime, I’ll be sharing posts on social media from the participating restaurants to support small businesses.
Tablespoons and Teaspoons 