Taste

02/07/08

Incredibly inexpensive wine

by wineoooh at Citysearch

I visited Eli's with girlfriends a few nights ago and was blown away. I was used to seeing TASTE as an upscale deli, but it had converted into a romantic, chic bar and restaurant. The wine list was extensive and inexpensive. There were several good, interesting bottles under $35. All the glass options were uncommon vineyards. The food was really fresh and matched the wine well. I think there are some happy hour specials, which will certainly get me back in the door!

• Pros: wicked wine list
• Cons: um....location? i guess?

03/09/07

Don't eat the Ribeye and Don't reason with the Manager

by gconstanza at Citysearch

I would've recommended this restaurant, but we had a bad experience, not with the service, but the manager. My wife ordered a Ribeye Steak, along with a friend of ours. His Ribeye was perfect, great piece of meat, now my wife?s was full of fat. We complained to the waiter, he took the issue up with the chef, the chef told us that that happens with ribeye?s. We asked for the manager next, we were told the same story, the ribeye has fat and sometimes you get that.

I am sorry, when you are paying $45 for a piece of meat and you could only eat 35%, there is something wrong. Bad experience, manager was not helpful. Don?t go.

• Pros: Service
• Cons: Manager

11/11/05

A Nice Change in the UES

by helyn32 at Citysearch

After reading the great reviews, I invited a die-hard downtown friend of mine to join me at TASTE. What a pleasant surprise! The wine list was superb, our tapas delightful, and the quiet atmosphere perfect for good conversation. We started with the scallops and asparagus and also had the soft shell crab as well as the cheese plate. I came again weeks later with my boyfriend and again had a very nice experience. I'm looking forward to going back soon and eventually trying most everything on the menu!

09/21/05

Delightful Reason to Go to the Upper East Side

by akh74 at Citysearch

If you need to be on the Upper East side at all, this is a delightful spot. The wine comes in Spieglau or Riedel-- enough said about the wine. The food arrives in small plates so no need to overindulge and yet still explore a variety of samplings. The staff graciously host and add to a warm atmosphere.

• Pros: value, wine, atmosphere

02/19/05

A Taste on The Upper East Side

by armchaircritique at Citysearch

Though definitely not cheap, the food and service were more than worth it.Wine list was excellent and unusual, but the very knowledgeable waitstaff was happy to guide us through it. We tried three wines, of which my personal favorite was the rather oddly named "The Stump Jump". Even more impressive, when my vegetarian girlfriend started asking whether certain dishes were made with meat, the waiter offered to have a vegetable plate created for her -- and it was quite well done too. We finished off with a huge slice of lemon meringue pie.

The decor is worth a special mention. What is most notable is the creative use of space and mirrors to enhance the size of the dining room, though of equal import is a willingness not to cram the maximum possible number of seats into the place, an area in which many restaurants in Manhattan fail abysmally.

05/19/04

ues best

by fodluver at Citysearch

Thanks Citysearch, I just found the best wine bar. Great wines by the glass and menu to match.An inexpensive way to enjoy a good night with a friend or two. Don't miss the infamous Lemon Meringue cake for dessert. It is meant to share, trust me!!

• Pros: wines, small plates

A low-key neighborhood spot for the Park Avenue set.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Carved into Eli's Manhattan (Eli Zabar's upscale food emporium), this comfortably elegant restaurant has quickly become a neighborhood mainstay. It's a self-service commissary by day, but Frette linens and votive candles show up during the dinner hour, creating a more sophisticated ambience to which the well-groomed clientele is accustomed. The spacious bar, with its own menu of small plates and a lengthy list of wines by the glass, is a boon to single diners.

The Food
The menu changes nightly, depending on what's in season. Standards include a salad of heirloom tomatoes culled from Zabar's rooftop garden, oven-roasted mushrooms and a juicy grilled pork chop. Preparation and presentation tend to be simple, allowing the flavors to speak for themselves. The lemon meringue cake--a gargantuan showpiece meant for sharing--is the highlight of the dessert menu.