Nom Wah

Chinatown
13 Doyers Street (between Bowery & Chatham Square)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 962-0647
Website

For Chinese New Year we decided to find a dim sum parlour to take my friend for the first time, and found this place that boasts the title of first dim sum parlour in Chinatown!  The interior was surprisingly decorated like your typical American diner, and many customers were actually non-Asian.  The menu had a wide array of options that was perfect for providing my friend with an all-encompassing experience.

Kotobuki Manhattan

East Village
56 3rd Avenue (between 10th & 11th Street)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 353-5088
Website

I'd been eyeing Kotobuki for awhile, but never got the chance to go in.  However after learning about their lunch special and an intense craving for Japanese food, I finally got to try it out.  It was relatively empty when we went in, but the place was bright and clean looking.

Da Andrea

Greenwich Village
35 West 13 Street
(between 5th Avenue and Avenue of the Americas)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 367-1979
Website
I was in the mood for Italian fare and wanted to try something new, so we decided to come to this restaurant my boyfriend found on Yelp.  We were seated upon arrival at a rustic wooden table, and the entire area was not small, but cozy and romantically lit.  Even before we had finished taking off our coats, a waiter had already appeared with a ceramic jug, asking if we wanted still or sparkling water.