Wandering the streets of SoHo doing a little afternoon shopping,  I spotted the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck as I made my way to the LeSportSac store on Greene Street. This isn’t your ordinary ice cream truck with king cones and bomb pops (although I am a fan)—it’s artisanal ice cream made for locally source ingredients. To be exact, only 3 locally sourced ingredients: hormone free milk, eggs and pure cane sugar. Made with 18% butterfat it’s got a rich, creamy, custard-like consistency. In addition to the standard chocolate and vanilla, more unique flavors include  espresso, ginger and gianduia to name a few. If you spot this moving target it’s worth the $3.95 for a cup or cone!

TIP: Follow the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck on Twitter for updates on truck locations, or stop by 5th Avenue and 22nd Street weekdays between 4 and 6 p.m. and look for the bright yellow truck.

Good for: Post Shopping Treat

After sending a few places from my “must try list” to The Wandering Foodie we decided on the recently open Meatball Shop in the Lower East Side for a late lunch. I read about it when it first opened, and the idea of being able to order meatballs at 4am was intriguing (the kitchen is open until 4am Thursday – Saturday, until 2am Sunday – Wednesday). If you didn’t guess from the name, meatballs are the specialty of the house. The space itself is small—a large communal table fills most of the dining room with a few tables running along the side wall and about a dozen seats at the bar. During warm weather there’s a few tables available outside as well. Fresh flowers are neatly arranged at each table, a chalkboard announces the specials of the day (featuring a daily meatball, sauce, side, salad and ice-cream) and black and white vintage family portraits line the red wall.

When you sit down you’re handed a laminated menu and a dry erase marker to make your selections. The menu is divided into 3 sections: Ala Carte Balls, Sandwiches – hero (served on a baugette) or sliders, and a meatball smash (served on a brioche bun).

How it works:

Step 1. Select ala carte, slider, hero or smash

Step 2. Select your meatball – chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian (made with lentils and walnuts) or special

Step 3. Choose a sauce – classic tomato, spicy beef, parmasean cream, mushroom or special

Step 4. Mozzarella or provolone

I love the idea of taking one food – the meatball – and creating an endless choice of options, but I guess this is why you get the dry erase marker in case you start to second guess. If you’re at a loss the wait staff will gladly offer up their recommendations and favorite combinations. These aren’t Mom’s meatballs (my Sicilian Mother and Grandmother used a mix of pork, veal and beef and simmered them in a tomato sauce with neck bones for flavor), but they were tender and delicious. I recommend trying the basil pesto (if available as the special) with a chicken meatball or the spicy beef with a beef meatball (beef on beef seems so gluttonous but tasted so good).

Tip: Don’t forget to save room for dessert! The ice-cream is made in-house and you can create a “custom” ice-cream sandwich from a choice of four types of cookies or a brownie.

Lunch

(I had a taste of each)

• Sliders – beef with spicy beef, special jambalaya with shrimp, andouille and rice with basil pesto (the only miss, was too salty and fishy), pork with mushroom, chicken with classic tomato
• Smash – chicken with basil pesto and mozzarella (my favorite)
• Side of white beans
• Special salad – arugula with asparagus and a creamy lemon vinagarette
• Market salad – arugula with apples
• House made tangerine, caramel and mint ice-cream with a ginger snap cookie on the side (We couldn’t come to a decision on a sandwich combination so ordered ala carte)

Good for: Meatballs, Endless Choices of Meatballs, Late Night Meatballs, Customizable Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Wine

• Cristalino Cava Brut

Concert Series Cheese Tour

• Petit Billy, Taleggio and Roncal

Good for: Owning your own private label barrel, Wine, Brunch, Dinner, Events, Dining in the Private cellar, Taking a class, Cava paired with Burlesque

I met the Wine Dutchess for an afternoon work session at the Hive at 55 to design her new logo—and since we were already on Broad Street we felt compelled to stop in SHO for a Friday evening cocktail. SHO is located on the second floor of The Setai, luxury condos that are a brand extension of the Miami namesake. A quick elevator ride after entering the small black and red lobby you step in to the bar and lounge area of SHO. The space is very sleek and minimal, evocative of Miami Beach style – except here the Stock Exchange is steps away rather than the beach. Just past the entrance is a walkway lined with wine bottles from floor to ceiling set behind glass, which leads to the main dining area. I had dinner in the dining room back in January and the 6 courses were mostly a hit (one or two dishes were misses, they felt a little dated like they belonged in the movie Wall Street circa 1987), but I digress. Tonight was about the cocktails and a cheese plate, which at $20 for the chef’s selection of 6 came complete with a lesson in fromages from our server. We learned that fine blue cheese is often cored and served with champagne in the center, that fruit paste is meant to cleanse your pallet between tasting the different types of cheese (as ginger does for sushi) and that cheese plate selections are presented left to right from fresh to sharp.

Tip: Monday – Friday SHO offers a 3-course prix fixe lunch for $30, a small price for a fine dining experience.

Cocktail

• French 75 in Padua – Aperol, Citadelle, Prosecco, Blood Orange

Chef’s Selection of Cheeses

• Lynnhaven Goat Cheese, Comté, Langres and two that were off the menu including a blue and and a Sheeps Milk

Good for: Expense check dinners, Special Occasion, Foodies, cocktails, award winning Wine list, Fine Dining in FiDI, Prix Fixe Lunch

• Valpolicella Classico, Veneto Italy, 2007
• Pink Sauvignon Blanc, 3 Stones New Zealand, 2008

Dinner

• Zatar crusted tuna (raw) with green lentils and harissa
• Salmon tartar served with toasted pita (had an interesting addition of fresh apple mixed in that added brightness and crispness to the flavor)

GOOD FOR: Wine by the glass, Small plates, Low-Key, Groups, Date Spot

Locanda Verde has it all – co-owned by Robert De Niro, an award winning chef and pastry chef, a prime TriBeCa location, a warm and welcoming atmosphere – but it does not have reservations through the website or OpenTable. You actually have to call and speak to a real person who then flips through pages of booked time slots for the next 4 weeks. Only 3/4 of the tables are reserved and the remaining 1/4 is open to walk-ins to keep with it’s casual neighborhood vibe—plus there’s always the option to dine at the bar if you’re lucky enough to land one of the coveted dozen or so stools. The Wine Dutchess and I thought we’d take advantage of the off-peak hour and stopped by for a glass of wine at the bar. Our bartender informed us that the kitchen didn’t open until 5:30pm on Sunday, so we sipped some wine and at 5:20pm put in our order early for two types of crostini – the ricotta (which I had on a previous visit) and the bartender recommended the blue crab and jalapeño for our second. The menu is rustic, classic Italian and changes nightly. The oversized menus are printed each day on brown paper and feature crostini, seven choices of “secondi” entrees and pastas with Andrew Carmellini, a protégé of Daniel Boulud, as the chef. On a previous visit the Grandma’s Ravioli were outstanding – delicate little pillows of pasta stuffed with the trinity of beef, pork and veal. In keeping with the casual theme, nothing on the menu is over $25. The wine list by the glass is small but affordable as well, averaging $12 and featuring a selection of Italian Reds and Whites along with Digestivi. If you’re not familar with Italian wines your bartender or server will gladly pour you a taste or offer a recommendation.

Note: There’s also a “cafe” area in the front where you can sit and relax with a cappucino or espresso while enjoying one of famed pastry chef Karen DeMasco’s creations.

Wine:

• Vietti Barbera D’ Asti Tre Vigne 2007

Crostini:

• Ricotta – fresh ricotta served with a drizzle of olive oil, topped with sea salt and fresh herbs. Served with lightly grilled crostini and focaccia
• Blue Crab and Jalapeño served on top of a crostini

Good for: Rustic Italian Food, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Warm Atmosphere, Casual Neighborhood Dining, Robert De Niro sightings, Notable Chef and Pastry Chef

Only in NYC can a church be transformed into a night club and then years later reinvented again into an indoor marketplace. The Limelight Marketplace recently opened this past Friday and I couldn’t wait to check it out. The 3-level 25,000-square-foot space features a variety of shops, ranging from retail (Havianas), to chocolate (Mariebelle), to tea (Miss Tea), to a variety of gourmet and specialty food purveyors and a green market in the courtyard. As if all of this wasn’t enough Grimaldi’s pizza will soon open an outpost here, which in addition to a dining room, is slated to be open 24/7 serving slices to-go from a takeout window on 6th Avenue. Brilliant!

Note: Hours are Monday – Saturday 10am – 10pm and Sunday 11am – 8pm.

The Sweet Room:

• The Cupcake Stop
• The Little Candy Cake Co.
• Maribelle Express
• Mari’s New York
• Wannahaveacookie

Gourmet Food:

• Jezalin’s
• Grimaldi’s (opening soon)
• Gastropub (opening soon)
• Peak Season Green Market (located in the courtyard)

Specialty Food:

• Baci Gelato
• Butterfly Bakeshop
• Carter & Cavero
• Miss Tea

Good for: Gourmet and Specialty food, The anticipation of 24/7 Grimaldi’s slices in Manhattan, green market

Cinco de Mayo in NYC means one thing – everyone wants a margarita at a Mexican restaurant and you will be waiting on line. Fortunately a friend and I arrived at Gonzalez y Gonzalez a bit early, entered under the light-up, larger than life sombrero that hangs over the entrance on Broadway, and put our name down for a table for 6. We had about an hour wait ahead of us so we grabbed a frozen margarita from the back bar  - it took almost 20 minutes to get a drink and since happy hour ended at 5pm that day drinks were back up to full price ($10 each). Normally the happy hour specials are half price Monday – Friday from noon until 7pm and includes $3 drafts and $5 house margaritas. The kitschy space is large and filled with tchotchkes from floor to ceiling. Shelves are lined with Mexican wrestling masks, piñatas and sombreros hang from the walls and ceilings and chile pepper lights adorn the front and back bars. To add to the Cinco de Mayo mood a Mariachi band made it’s way to each table. The menu is standard Mexican fare, and surprisingly our food was spot on given the crowd that night. We didn’t stick around for the Salsa dancing, but there’s dancing and live bands (or DJs) every Thursday – Saturday night.

Side Note: Gonzalez and Gonzalez is part of Ark, who also operate the Columbus Bakery, Bryant Park Grill, Pinch & S’Mac, Canyon Road, El Rio Grande, Red (avoid this one), Sequoia and The Grill Room (great views from WFC).

Cocktail:

• Frozen Margarita

Dinner:

• Chips and Salsa for the table
• Chicken Quesadilla (enough for two servings) – served with guacamole and sour cream

Good for: Margaritas, Mexican Food, Salsa Dancing, Live Bands, Late Night

After spending the evening across the street at the rooftop of the Gansevoort for a French Tuesdays party the group decided to grab one more drink before heading home. Pastis is not only a spot for classic French Bistro dining and brunch – it’s also got a great late night bar scene and the kitchen is open until 1am (2am on Thursday and Friday, 230 am on Saturday) featuring a paired down supper menu. The late night scene is dark and candle lit with a very laid back vibe. You can grab a seat at the bar if you’re looking to make new friends, or get a table if you’re looking to enjoy an order of Moules Frites or an omlette with fresh herbs. Owned by restaurateur Keith McNally chances are you’ve been to one of his other locations which include: Pravda, Balthazar, Schiller’s Liquor Bar (my personal favorite), Morandi and most recently Minetta Tavern. Pastis also offers outdoor seating, which in the Meatpacking District guarantees good people watching.

Cocktail

• Mojito – served in a tall glass over crushed ice with fresh mint, possibly the best one I’ve had in NYC

Good for: Late Night, Mojitos, Dine at the Bar, Outdoor Seating, Brunch, Dinner, Business Lunch, People Watching

A friend was visiting NYC for the weekend and wanted to meet up for drinks at a bar with a terrace or patio. My first thought was the Biergarten at The Standard, but judging from the line wrapped around the block clearly it wasn’t an original idea. I suggested Revel a block away – it’s always a nice oasis in the chaos of the Meat Packing District. It’s a dark, candle-lit, sexy little bar that’s not as pretentious as some of its neighbors. The long bar takes up most of the space making it easy to order a drink and grab a seat. The narrow space in the front opens out to a back courtyard with a retractable roof, creating a nice airy feeling while still being indoors. The crowd is usually a good mix and the bartenders pour a strong drink.

Cocktail

• Kettle One and Soda

Good for: Late Night, Groups, Singles, Low-Key in Meat Packing, Garden Seating