Alexandra Charitan

Jan 19

Jan 19 Restaurant Week: Winter 2013

It's Restaurant Week here in New York, which this winter actually lasts for two weeks (?) and is basically a way for poor kids like me to eat at semi-fancy restaurants (relatively) cheaply. Tons of amazing restaurants offer three-course lunches and dinners for $28 and $38, respectively.

I'm actually a really picky eater, so I don't exactly consider myself a foodie (isn't that word just gross?), but when my friend Trent asked me to go to the David Burke Kitchen on Wednesday night, I said yes and I'm so incredibly glad I did — even if I am desperately trying to save money.

I looked at the menu beforehand so I wouldn't be surprised, and picked out my three choices. It was relatively easy because most of the first courses involved seafood (no thanks), so I went with the market salad. It was pretty good, but basically a standard salad, although the goat cheese was a little too feet-y for my tastes. Most other people at our table went with the burratta and prosciutto which looked (and tasted) pretty great.

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For my second course I picked the short rib and oh my. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. It was such a tender, tasty little meat cube on top of cavatelli in a mushroom cream sauce, covered in extra mushrooms. I would pretty much be ok with mushrooms in everything I eat, so I was really happy about it. Very rarely do I find something to eat that doesn't have objectionable parts (i.e. carrots, basil, cilantro, etc. — I told you I was picky) but every bit of this was completely delicious.

The portions were generous too and I was full even before dessert. Luckily, I have a separate dessert stomach, which I gladly filled with an oatmeal and soaked-raisin cookie-type thing covered in a sour ice cream that was so, so good.

I had initially decided on the carrot cake (it was actually the main reason I went) but when we got there it was inexplicably missing from the menu. I may have to go back just to try it, but the oatmeal thing was so good it almost didn't matter.

Sure I've been eating egg-sausage-cheese bagels every day for lunch ($2.50!) to make up for the expense of the dinner, but it was totally worth it — I'm only sad that I won't be able to eat that short rib any time soon (it's $33 alone, normally).

What other restaurants should I try while I'm here? I'm the absolute worst when it comes to picking places to eat (or feeding myself in general), so your suggestions are much appreciated!