Annisa would be THE perfect place for you. The dining room is intimate, comfortable, great for conversation, and the menu is truly creative, a great fusion of french and Asian cuisines. Foie gras with soup dumplings, miso sable with crispy silken tofu in bonito broth, etc. I would go with the tasting menu though, especially if you go Tues-Sat.

Link: http://www.annisarestaurant.com/menus...

Heard XO is worth a try...

I was SO excited having heard from everyone under the sun about Gramercy Tavern. I made reservations a month in advance. My friend and I did the three-course menu - started with the sweetbreads and peekytoe crab fondue, which I admit were both excellent with the right balance of savory and zing. The entrees, however, fell totally flat. My friend had the salmon - the sauce was too salty. I had the rabbit, which was kind of dry and tough. For dessert, we had the creme caramel and hazelnut chocolate mousse - which were really good.

I usually expect the appetizer to be way better than the entree since they are usually more creative, but I thought Gramercy Tavern would be different. I was disappointed. Did anyone else have this experience?

Looking for some tasty and pretty cheap ackee (yellow veg that tastes like egg and avocado). Been to Negril in Manhattan which was something crazy like $18 for ackee and salted fish. Don't have a car, so we're looking for places near subway stops. Thanks!

Yes, Lupa (same owners as Babbo) is quite good and you can probably make a reservation for mid-July. For Italian tapas, you might consider Perbacco which has a more homey setting but food with flare. Both have great wine lists. Il Buco is pretty good for Italian tapas but I found them a little heavy, whereas Perbacco's tapas are lighter. Good luck!