Bar Tano at 3rd and 9th. A worthy companion to Bar Toto up the Slope a bit and the perfect pre-Bell House nosh.

Wow. I don't feel very well served by this thread. Just got back from there tonight and have to say I'm more than a bit disappointed in both the food and the service.

Seems like a place that can't make up its mind which end of the casual-to formal scale it's meant to be.

First off-putting impression: Upon arriving late to join a group, I informed the two hostess/coat check women that I was completing a party, to which I was able to point, as they were standing at the other end of the bar. Hostess brunette asked me if they left a name. I gamely walked down to the end and asked which of our party had left their name. Informed that a name had not been taken, I walked back out to the front to inform Hostess brunette that we had not left a name. She asked for a name again. I repeated my trip to be told the same thing, and returned witht he same answer. At which point a host stepped in (hostess blonde was just staring blankly at me as if to suggest that we needed reservations). He informed me that we didn't need reservations, but that we should settle our check at the bar, come back out to the front, and then be seated. Back to the end of the bar. Then our whole party back out to the front. No firm confirmation that a table was ready that minute. Then my party waits while they somewhat coercively asked us to check our coats, which in a place like this seems utterly unneccessary (this is not Aquavit). Finally the host informs us that table 40 is ready for us, hostess blonde (again awkwardly and coercively) puts companions' drinks on a tray and shows us to table 40. Fully five feet from where my party had been standing at the bar. All this back and forth when a good operation would have minimized confusion and all the buzzkilling back and forth with a few words of communication or better, would have come to us at the bar, escorted us to a table, and then sent the coat check girl as we were being seated. I'm not sure I'm relating this well, but as a veteran of many crowded scenes (and this was not one) at places like Frankie's Spuntino, Momofuku, Lupa, etc. I can tell you this whole process was like the Keystone Kops with model-actress-whatevers. All this fuss is unnecessary and incongruous in a place that has Led Zep on in the background.

So we get seated, are asked if tap water is "adequate" (as always, it was). Bread is served. The waiter comes over, drops off menus, and walks off without asking if the two of us with no drink (me) and empty drink need anything.

The waiter comes back, cut quickly to explaining how the menu works (somewhat condescendingly explaining the concept of a la carte to we bumpkins). Still no drink is offered.

Stuzzichini order: (I finally got my drink)
Meatballs: pleasantly crisp, but dry inside, offering no particular flavor and could have used a lemon wedge or something to freshen them up.
Eggplant: decent enough but not portioned for four.
Grilled prawns: the real standout, but when you tell me the chef will apportion the dishes for four and you intend on delivering two specimen, at least give me the opportunity to order four before you deliver them.
Artichoke (fritti): Utterly dessicated. Ugh.
Ricotta and Honey crostini: Actually quite excellent, but not exactly the kind of thing that would prompt a return visit.

Pastas: (finished the drink. glass disappears. No further drink is proffered)

Lemon Tagliatelle: As advertised, a standout. Though the table was divided
Gnocchi amatriciana (I think): decent sauce, avoided gumminess. Not particularly distinguished.
Pork Ragu: Pasta was perfect as was the Ragu.
Bucatini con le sarde: Well, the sarde were good, if sparse. Pasta was beyond al dente into dry territory. Fennel was cooked beyond recognition.

Add it all up: a couple of good dishes, more indifferent-to-just downright bad dishes, confused and inattentive service. Bill: $147 plus tip for 4.

Verdict: Unlike the tap water "Not adequate."

The money was not the problem. There's just nothing worth recommending. We kept waiting for the simple perfection of a Lil Frankie's roast eggplant or Frankie's 457 meatballs, or one of the Salumi at Lupa, the care put into a pork bun at Momofuku or the lamb kebabs at Boqueria (or, for that matter, a doner kebab at Bereket). But I've had better pasta con sarde at a little hole in the wall trattoria on 55th that I can't even recall the name of.

And then we waited about 5 minutes for our coats. Next time I'm in the flatiron I'll stand out in the cold at Boqueria or go one block over and try out Lunetta.

Anyone know where to find this in NYC? In its heyday, Steve's of Bsoton used to carry it as a regular flavor. It's just ice cream wiht sugar, no vanilla, and it is still my favorte flavor.

Went the other night for the first time. We will definitely be back. The pork chop was thick, juicy and flavorful (maybe a tad rarer tham my pref). Chayote and jicama salad was simple and perfect with just the right amount of tang to the dressing, Green gazpacho creamy and nice, and sea bass perfectly done.

Service was great, despite a "Park Slope cliche" moment in which a couple allowed a toddler to run wild, banging his matchbox car on the table and shouting, totally ruining the vibe in the beautiful back room. it went on for about five minutes and the understanding staff re-seated us. And another unfortunate couple.

Very disappointing to lose the atmosphere of the back room due to clueless patrons. Please folks, control your kids or take them to Katina's.

For snacking in P-Town, hit the Portuguese bakery. Order A Bifana (boneless marinated pork steak in a roll) and grab some baked sweets from the bakery case. The Bifna is the best sandwich I've had theis summer.

Brutal. Just brutal. Tuned in while flipping away frowm the frustrating Mets.

Do people really prefer to watch other unattractive people eat, rather than cook? Going downtown instead of staying on the strip is not what I would call particularly adventurous. I've found excellent Mexican and Vietnamese in parts of Vegas that he didn't come close to. His detective work is below average chowhound, IMHO.

Kinara's food is indeed superior, but I had an absolutely stupid experience the only time ordering delivery. They took an hour to go four blocks, delivered the wrong food, and when I called to complain, sent the guy to recover the food and refund my money, then 30 minutes later sent the same guy back with the right order.

1) I hate to think of the poor sap who got my order after I'd put my greasy paws on it.

2) Why not just send one guy to bring the new food and retieve the wrong one.

3) Better yet, don't retrieve it at all.

There's a long thread on the different kinds of Falafel if you search...

But another candidate for Israeli Falafel (my personal favorite kind) is Murray's on 1st and 15th. Chowhounds never seem to mention it, but on both my visits it's been excellent, especially with the spicy green sauce.