Rayuela

...is located in NYC's Lower East Side at 165 Allen Street.

"C" and I took advantage the extended NYC Restuarant Week and had the 3-course prix fixe dinner for $35.

The amuse bouche was a yellow tomato gazpacho - light and refreshing.

I had a Pina Partida cocktail - fresh pineapple, english cucumber, lemon, agave nectar, Siembre Azul Tequila blanco ($13) - it wasn't strong, but it was thick with fruit and pulp.

"C" had the wine pairing with her dinner ($15 for 3 tastes) and started with the Guacamole ($18) which had shrimp and crab.

"C" started with the Costilla Con Pastel del Almeja - braised short ribs in membrillo chipotle sauce with clam pastel.

I had the Caracol con Curry y Fufu - crispy conch with guindilla curry sauce, pork bell and sweet plaintain.

For entrees "C" had the Piramide de Carne - grilled beef tenderloin, duck breast, pork loin and paprika rice and poached egg, finished with chorizo, longaniza, green apple salad and chimichurri aioli. The portions were not huge so it was not as meat-centric as it sounds.

I had the Espada Chaufa - grilled swordfish with rocotto coconut chaufa (mix of chorizo, shrimp, mussels and eggs) and aji amarillo-mango sauce saffron sauce. The fish was very tendery and smooth.

For dessert we had the Natilla de Chocolate - chocolate with coffee granita and white chocolate mousse (very light and refreshing) and the Pastel Rojo - red velvet cake with requeson filling, candied orange and mamajuana suace (very light and moist).

We were quite full afterwards.

Murray's Cheese Shop

...is located at 254 Bleecker St. in NYC's Greenwich Village.

I tried the Breakfast Melt - bacon, fried egg and fontina cheese on an english muffin ($5.99). A classic on the go breakfast sandwich, but better. First the bacon and egg are fried (the egg is cooked to order). The they are assembled with the cheese on the english muffin. The entire sandwich is then grilled and pressed with real butter and is served steaming hot. The cheese oozes out and stretches with every bite.

Boqueria

...has two locations in NYC. "J" and I visited the Flatiron location at 53 West 19th Street.

We both started with a glass of Musva Moscatel wine which was very sweet and bubbly $10/glass).

And we shared the following dishes for our food journey:

- Pan con Tomate - grilled bread rubbed with tomato, garlic and olive oil ($5)

- Jamon Serrano - hand cut "Jamones de Segovia" Serrano ham aged 18 months ($9)

- Patatas Bravas - crispy potatoes, "salsa brava", roasted garlic ajillo ($7)

- Pintxos Morunos - seared lamb marinated in lemon and cumin, salsa verde ($8)

- Gambas al Ajillo - shrimp, garlic, Guindilla pepper in olive oil ($13)

- Mejillones - Daily special mussels and chorizo ($13)

The food was all excellent and tasty. Our waitress was very sweet and friendly. And the place was packed with a line outside by the time we left.

The only disappoint was the pedestrian dessert menu so we skipped it.

DOB 11.1

...is located at 115 St. Mark's Place in NYC's East Village.

"M" and I had a great dinner and saw the chef/owner overseeing the front of the house.

We shared the following dishes:

Seared Sea Scallops with warm cauliflower almond coulis, xo, chinese bacon, green curry ($11)

Duck fried rice side - duck confit, foie gras, duck bacon and egg ($11)

Curry Shrimp with ear mushrooms, chinese celery, spicy coconut sauce ($13)

Spicy Oxtail Stew with curry parsnip puree, lotus root vegetable, horseradish cream ($16)
Crispy Pork Belly, taro sausage mash, pickled vegetables, caramel sauce ($17)

The restaurant is BYOB and doesn't offer any other beverages (even non-alcholic) so unless you do take along something you have to settle for plain old tap water!

But the wonderful food more than makes up for their lack of beverage options. All of the dishes we tried were wonderful, flavorful and delicious.

We want to return to try other dishes on the menu, but are afraid we will end up ordering the same foods because everything was so good during this visit.

Perilla

...is located at 9 Jones Street in NYC's Greenwich Village and is owned by Harold Dietrl, winner of "Top Chef" Season 1 .

Perilla was offering a special summer prix fixe 3-course menu for $35. I apologize in advance for the extremely dark photos.

"M" started with a glass of Rose ($10) and I with a glass of Riesling ($11).

"M" had the Hearts of Palm & Bibb Salad - with manchego cheese, mango and toasted macadamia nut vinagrette.

I had the Steamed Bouchot Mussels - with cilantro, coconut milk and sour yellow curry. Very plump and succulent mussels in a wonderful sauce. I used the hearty bread served to soak up some of the sauce.

For our entrees we both had the Thai Style Fried Chicken with mini bok choy, scallions and chili jam. The chicken was very moist and flavorful, although the crust was not very crisp. But the portion was so large that neither of us finished and took home the drumstick/thigh.

For dessert "M" had the Local Berry Crisp with almond streusel and ginger ice cream. It was served in a cute little pot. And the blueberries were still whole.

I had the Lemon Pudding Cake with poppy seed brittle and honey thyme ice cream. It was more cakelike than a pudding and refreshing, but not tart.

And they served dainty peanut butter cookies afterwards when the waiter brought the check. What a nice way to top off a wonderful meal.