Spring in the Big Apple

Cascata Café Italiano was one of those complete surprises you inevitably stumble upon while wandering downtown. But this place didn’t just offer a delicious brunch and a beautiful setting for catching up with an old friend; it was a truly affordable meal at just $22 plus tax and tip.

My high school friend Kelly and I were seated about 11am in Cascata’s outdoor garden, complete with waterfall, fish pond and various plants (some of which were silk, but hey, they still looked nice). The service was a bit slow at first, which we soon learned was due to a late-arriving server. After the initial wait however, our service was excellent. We decided to share two plates. I ordered the Stack of Banana Pancakes with Strawberries off the prix-fixe brunch menu ($9.95), which included my choice of entrée, coffee or tea, and either a Mimosa, Bloody Mary, or Screwdriver. Kelly ordered the Insalata “Cobb” Italiana ($12) from the lunch menu. Both were really yummy and the portions were perfect to split!

The salad’s champagne dressing had a fresh, clean flavor that I would have never thought to put on a salad, and it, along with the mozzarella and greens, nicely complimented the bold flavors of the grilled chicken and vegetables, the crumbled Gorgonzola and the bacon. Bonus—they didn’t overdo the dressing.

I was afraid that because the pancakes were being made with bananas, that they would be a bit heavy, but was I ever wrong! It is a mystery to me how to make a fluffy pancake with bananas in it, but this place managed to do it. The addition of all of the toppings, (whipped cream, walnuts, raspberry, and chocolate sauce) made this dish a perfect dessert course after a lighter, healthier salad. Kelly and I literally stopped chatting to comment on how delicious the pancakes were every second or third bite.

The nice thing about the menu at this place, particularly midday on a weekend, is that there is something for everyone. There is always someone in your party who will want a salad or a panini at the same time you're craving breakfast, so this spot is a perfect solution. In addition to salads and panini, Cascata offers some tasty-sounding flatbread pizzas, a decent pasta selection, and a few meat-focused entrées. The restaurant also offers a full dinner menu, a prix-fixe lunch/dinner menu for $19.95, and a decent selection of classic and novel cocktails from the bar. Now that I live in the city, I plan to go back here some evening soon to check out the bar scene...the prices just seem too good to be true! ($9 chocolate milk martini!? Good luck beating me there.)

Pazza Notte is a very versatile dining spot--good for a pre-show meal with friends, after-work drinks, and for entertaining parents at Sunday Brunch. My friend Kelly and I chose this spot for its tasty-looking menu, light atmosphere, and because it was only six blocks from Radio City Music Hall, our next stop for the evening.

This little eatery has a kind of loungy feeling to it that may be due to its 2 for 1 martini happy hours from 5pm to 7pm and 9:30pm to 11pm. For me, this is a big selling point, seeing as how a typical martini in the city will run you around $12. Hit up Pazza Notte during Happy Hour(s) and get 2 martinis for $12! Plus, they have one of the biggest selections of martini flavors I’ve ever seen: apple, mango, cactus-lime, passion fruit, coconut, pear, tropical fruit, kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, white peach, espresso, lychee, apricot, white chocolate and Parisian (ooolala!).

Aside from the bar and back lounge area, there was a front dining room, where we were seated adjacent to one of the restaurant’s open doors. The entire facade of the restaurant was open so that everyone could enjoy the glorious spring day and observe the multitude of action just outside.

The fare at Pazza is most certainly Italian, but with a contemporary flair. Brick-oven thin-crust pizzas, pasta dishes, salads, and panini abound. Just as we did that day for brunch, Kelly and I decided to split two dishes at Pazza. We ordered the Margherita Pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil) and a bow-tie pasta with pesto and shrimp. The pizza was excellent due to its simple flavors and perfectly crisp crust. For those of you like me who aren’t crazy about pizzas loaded with cheese, this one’s for you. The pasta was very tasty, but the pesto was a bit bland for someone who comes from a family with its own pesto recipe. There was a decent amount of shrimp, six or eight I think, which was great for sharing. In general, prices are very reasonable, averaging about $15-$20.

Although we did not order any Martinis due to tight budgets that day, I am definitely heading back to Pazza Notte in the very near future to partake of this post-work ritual.

Check out Pazza Notte’s digs and menu at www.pazzanotte.com.

I have to admit that when my friend Kelly first asked if I wanted to go to a Harry Connick, Jr. concert, I was a little unsure. Sixty bucks for a performer I didn't absolutely love? Fortunately, I went along with it and was totally blown away by the musical quality and super fun atmosphere of the entire evening.

From his sultry entrance onto the stage (which was set up like New Orleans’ Bourbon Street) to his charming and funny nature to his incredible vocal and piano skills, Harry was impressive not only to me, but to those who had obviously seen him perform many times over. The makeup of Harry’s band is absolutely incredible—musicians who have played with artists like Wynton Marsalis and B.B. King—what a sound! All of the solos and ensemble playing was dead-on harmonically, technically, and rhythmically. If anyone in the audience wasn’t moved to snap a finger or nod her head to Harry himself, it was the powerful and enlivening jazz sound of his band that did it.

The set was fun and surprisingly varied in genre. There were ditties from Harry’s NoLA album, like Jambalaya and New Orleans, as well as favorites like Hello Dolly, On the Sunny Side of the Street and Workin’ On a Coal Mine. Harry’s ability to impersonate Frank Sinatra’s vocals was unbelievable. His smooth, silky voice slithered from gospel to country to rat pack without a hitch.

In fact, the entire show was pure entertainment—from Harry’s monologue about how he got his "old junky piano" from an NYC shipyard to one of the trombonist’s on-stage marriage proposal to his girlfriend. The soloists clearly enjoyed themselves, playing off of each other in a Charlie-Chaplin-esque manner, and Harry’s hilariously mischievous nature had the crowd roaring.

Radio City Music Hall (www.radiocity.com) is conveniently located in mid-town, which is perfect for out-of-towners arriving by train at Penn Station, and easily accessible from Grand Central, subways, busses and of course cabs. The venue, though beautiful, was a bit stuffy for such a jammin’ concert, but the acoustics certainly did the musicians justice. Our seats were in the first row of the lower mezzanine, and I would definitely recommend orchestra seats for serious fans looking to swoon over their favorite star.

For info on a nice, close bite to eat before seeing a show at Radio City, be sure to check out my review of Pazza Notte.