MOMA - Cafe 2

...this is the more casual dining options located in the NY's Museum of Modern Art.

You read the giant menu board and place your order with the cashier. She hands you a number and you take a seat. A waiter serves your order after he/she finds your number.

I tried the tramezzini crustless sandwich - grilled portabello with marinated red peppers, buttermilk frizzled onions and herb mayonaise ($10) served with mixed greens and more frizzed onions. This was very good.

I also has a lemonade ($4) and tiramisu ($7) which was quite creamy.

Dee's

"C", "P" and I had dinner at Dee's located at 107-23 Metropolitan Avenue in NYC's borough of Queens in Forest Hills.

It was a large, airy space with a brick oven for pizzas.

We shared the Spinach & Artichoke Dip ($12) served with fresh baked focaccia bread. The dip was not cheesey enough for me, but the bread was very good.

"C" had the Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Ravioli ($17) in sun dried tomato pasta with roasted red pepper sauce, "P" had the Argentine Style Skirt Steak ($24) served with fries and vegetables and I had the Linguini by the Sea ($15) - sauteed shrimp, calamari and mussels in a spicy plum tomato sauce.

The food was good - very pedestrian meals.

For dessert we shared a toasted almond tiramisu ($7) which was excellent.

Eataly

...is located at 200 Fifth Avenue in NYC's Flatiron District.

They offer 3-4 types of Tiramisu. I tried the Torronato for $5.80. It had thin tiles of dark chocolate on the top and bottom.

Trattoria Trullo - Chicago

...is located in the Lincoln Square area of Chicago at 4767 N. Lincoln Avenue.

"C", "I", "T", "W" and I stared with two appetizers: the daily special of buratta and mortadella (so rich and delicious) and grilled seafood (love the calamari).

"C", "W" and I all had different pasta dishes. "T" had the mushroom risotto while "I" had the special of rack of lamb with mushroom risotto.

Then we shared chocolate gelato, raspberry gelato and tiramisu.

Very good, basic Italian fare.

Basta Pasta

...is located in NYC's Flatiron District at 37 West 17th Street and is Japanese Italian (most of the staff is Japanese). We were traditionalists and didn't order anything with "Japanese" influence (example: pasta with uni).

"A", "T" and I shared an appetizer of Asparagi Gratinati al dente asparagus with golden parmesan crust ($12).

"A" had the Spaghetti Con Prosciutto E Parmigiano spaghetti with parmigiano reggiano & parma prosciutto, served in a half wheel of parmesan cheese at the table ($16) - it was fascinating. The waitress carted over a half of a giant parmigiano reggiano cheese and tossed the hot pasta inside. And she had vanilla gelato for dessert ($7).

"T" had Farfalle Con Salmone E Crema bow-tie pasta with lightly smoked salmon, cauliflower & tomatoes in tarragon grain mustard cream sauce ($15).

I had the Fettuccine Alla Bolognese homemade fettuccine with basta pasta original meat sauce ($16) and Tiramisu ($8) for dessert.