Butter -- NYC

Butter easily makes my top five restaurants. It was recommended to me by a fellow food enthusiast who loved to try different restaurants in the city. Since she was four years my senior, I knew I was in good hands and was super excited to give this place a try. Of course, a small part of that excitement was due to the fact that I was secretly hoping to bump into Ryan Reynolds while dining there, as my friend did. Unfortunately, my luck was not as good as hers. And if you're wondering where you've heard this place before, it was most likely from Gossip Girl. While so many restaurants seen in television and movies nowadays are overrated, but let me asure you that Butter is definitely not one of them.

Cuisine: American
Sets you back: $$$
Where the good stuff's at: 415 Lafayette, near St. Marks and NYU
http://www.butterrestaurant.com/

If you're looking for a cute, romantic-ish place to bring a date and have a few extra bucks in your wallet, this is a definitely must-try. The ambiance was great. The service was attentive. The drinks held their own, and the food was amazing.

Hudson Valley Duck Breast

Venison with Sweet Mashed Potatoes

The duck was hands down the best I have ever eaten, and I LOVE duck/order it everywhere. But the best part about Butter is that the garnish and the sides are just as part of the entree as the meat. The sauce accompanying the duck was absolutely perfect; and though I normally don't like things with a mushy consistency, the sweet mashed potatoes ended up complementing the venison meat very well.

I admit the entrees were a little small for the price you pay, but be comforted that you could do much worse in New York City. Besides, true fatties know that it's really not about quantity but quality when it comes to food. Of course it would be most ideal to have both though :)

Happy eating.

--fatty regina