Recently in A Good Joint Category

One of New York's best kept secrets is tiny Sorella (95 Allen Street) on the Lower East Side. We've dropped by a few times since it first opened almost a year ago and this cozy spot has gotten better - our first visit was a bit rocky but the issues we had seem to have been worked out. While there is a full fledged dining room in the back, we prefer to sit at the bar and nibble some of the small plates and drink lots of interesting wines, which are predominantly from Northern Italy.

Recently we dropped by and enjoyed the delicious veal sweetbreads, tajarin pasta with lamb ragu and agnolotti. But the wine list is what always gets us excited - it's clearly put together with care and is full of unusual, often excellent choices by the glass (over two dozen in all). The list is well priced - most wines by the glass are $10 - $13 and these days the pours are healthy. In the mood for sparkling, we tried the Lambrusco di Sorbara from Emilia Romagna ($10) and the sparkling Kerner from Veneto ($12). Both were very good and worked perfectly with the food.

If you're in the neighborhood, pop into the bar and try them out. If you're looking for interesting, well crafted food and adventurous wine choices, you won't be disappointed.

Danny Meyer sure knows how to do Restaurant Week. We've tried his restaurants in the past and they are some of the hardest reservations during RW. So when we sidled up to the packed bar at The Modern's Bar Room last week for just a drink and found out they were serving the menu at the bar, it was no surprise that we were tempted into ordering.

At his restaurants, the restaurant week menu is all they serve. Choices are plentiful and interesting, usually drawn from the regular menu. It seems like they want you to have a good time and truly want to show off the restaurants to those who may not have had the chance - or the means - to try it otherwise. At the Bar Room, the menu had around 10 choices in each category (fewer for dessert) and from what we sampled, you couldn't go wrong.

Somewhat under the radar but worthy of a visit is the snug bar at Yerba Buena (23 Avenue A), overseen by the talented Artemio Vasquez, who learned a trick or two from his former employer, the doyenne of New York cocktails herself, Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club. The house cocktails we sampled ($12) were very good: the Jamaica 107 (left, hibiscus tea infused bernheim wheat whiskey + organic egg white + fresh lemon juice) was a hit with grown men, despite its pretty hibiscus color, and the Boludo "Yerba Mate" (yerba mate infused pisco + grapefruit & lime cordials + fresh lemon juice) was deliciously refreshing. We hear those mojitos go down real smooth too.

And if you stop in by December 30, you can partake in their ongoing celebration of the repeal of prohibition. Classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Corpse Reviver #2 and Vieux Carre are $10.

Perhaps best of all, plunk down $11 for a brunch cocktail and they will keep sending them until you beg them to stop. Yup, unlimited mimosas, bellinis, French 75 or the Peruvian Kiss, which has trouble written all over it.

Yerba Buena
23 Avenue A (bet Houston & 2nd Street)
212-529-2919