Graffiti NYC.

The last time I was in New York, I met my friend Tara at Graffiti Food & Wine Bar. It had been on my NYC "list" of places to go for a while now, and since I knew Tara and I both liked going to new places, we made reservations here. I had heard about the restaurant first on Martha Stewart, as it was one of her favorite places to eat in the city. I knew it had to be good if she made that kind of statement about it, out of ALL the restaurants in NYC! I thought it was one of the best dining experiences, and not just because of the food! The ambiance, kind & informative host/waitress, prices, and food were all part of the reason I give this restaurant a 10 out of 10!

Here's a little bit of background on the restaurant that I pulled from its website: The Next Iron Chef 2010 runner up chef/owner Jehangir Mehta, has pushed palates - with this sweet-and-savory spot Graffiti, in the East Village. This eclectic shoebox-size restaurant which he designed himself, serves up eclectic, international small plates that feature his trademark affinity for bold flavors and spices such as chilies, fennel, turmeric and star anise. The harmony of Asian ingredients with French/American cuisine, makes Graffiti a truly unique dining paradise.


And they aren't lying when they said it's a "shoebox-sized" restaurant! Tara and I were both surprised at how small it was, but that didn't matter to us...the restaurant just had a relaxed, special vibe that we automatically loved. Be sure and call for a reservation, because it fills up fast due to its small size and amazing (and amazingly priced) menu! 

This is the whole restaurant!!

As you can see here, the menu is divided up into four sections. NOTHING is over $15! I was shocked, yet very glad, to see that you could still get a gourmet meal from a "celebrity" chef without spending a ton. The difference in price, the waitress explained, was not quantity or quality of food - it just reflected the items on the menu with more expensive ingredients, thus resulting in a little higher price. My friend and I chose to share several things so we could taste more of the menu. So glad we did! Every single thing was mouth watering and so beautifully presented!

Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint Sorbet (our fave)

For the life of me, I cannot remember what this was! LOL. It was good though!!

Chickpea Crusted Skate, with Mint Yogurt Sauce

Graffiti Burger with garlic fingerling potatoes, with chipotle mayo

I loved how the check arrived in this envelop with graffiti all over it. 

A very charming way to end our delicious night!

Definitely go here on your next NYC visit! Here are some of my fave NYC places:

(will do another big NYC favorites post soon!)

-Spice Market (located in the Meatpacking District)

-Orso (one of my favorite restaurants of all time!) Did a post on it here.

-Coolhaus (gourmet ice cream sandwich food truck) Check out their website to find out their daily locations in the cities they are in.

-Beauty & Essex (see my post on it here)

-Locanda Verde

-The Pump Energy Food (healthy "fast food" for a quick lunch or dinner)

-Plaza Hotel - Love going here for drinks and weekend brunch

-Boom Boom Room at The Standard 

-Dell'anima (just recently found this place; Chris and I LOVED it! Post to come soon!)

-Antique Garage (in Soho; see post here) 

-La Bonne Soupe (My favorite lunch place in all of NYC!)