K! Pizzacones have less grease than a slice of pizza and also less sauce. The cheese tastes like the pre-shredded grocery store variety and melts into a similar mess, globby and chewy. The cone is cooked until crisp, making it much less doughy than a calzone. It was much less prominent than I was expecting, its presence merely a vehicle for the ingredients it carried.

The available toppings stuffings are the pizzeria norm: pepperoni, mushroom, sausage, onion, etc. You can choose from a smaller cone (K!) or a larger cone (K!!!), both of which are more expensive, take more time to assemble and cook, and are less filling than a regular ole’ slice. They’re not served by dough-slinging-sometimes-impatient Italians, but by overly-excited-outfit-wearing youngsters. The cones are packaged in wasteful boxes and plastic bags that should make any quasi-green consumer cringe. So while the pizzacones tasted okay, everything about them felt wrong. Call me old-fashioned.

After the hype dies down, K! Pizzacone might find the most success with their dessert cones, which for the time being are buried under a menu of their savory counterparts. The Banana Flambe & Chocolate cone was not only tasty, but it had all the right charms for a sweet treat. It succeeded in every way the pizza-filled cones failed.

At Yakitori Totto, Japanese street food goes organic and the words “chicken on a stick” will never be the same. When the first skewer arrives you’ll start compiling a list of people you want to bring to this Midtown West secret. You’re not the only one. A long wait, along with an easy-to-miss doorway and a steep flight of stairs are the obstacles between you and skewer heaven. All of them are worth overcoming.

The chicken on a stick, Yakitori Totto’s specialty, comes in many varieties, is organic, and is cooked to juicy perfection. There are crowd-pleasing options like Negima (thigh and scallion) and Mune (breast with wasabi), as well as more daring chicken choices – the neck, heart, and knee bones – just to name a few. We sampled a skewer of Seseri (neck) and were not disappointed with the succulent morsels. There are only limited quantities of some of the more adventurous choices; when you order, your server will yell to the chefs behind the counter to make sure it’s still available.

Three to four pieces are stacked on each $3-$4 stick. Take the plunge and order chicken soft knee bone; at these prices there are no excuses not to be daring. In addition to all the various chicken parts, there are also skewers of pork, seafood, vegetables and beef. All the meat is premium quality and the vegetables are fresh. Each stick is deliciously seasoned or sauced. Try the Kuro Buta (pork) skewers with lemon and mustard and don’t miss the eggplant with miso paste.

We rounded out our stick-centric order with Zaru Tofu (cold tofu in a bamboo basket), Tako No Kara Age (deep-fried octopus), and a tuna sashimi and avocado salad. Three salts accompanied the tofu, leaving the ability to adjust its refreshing taste at the diner’s fingertips. Tempura-like crumbs, blended to a fine dust, encased the octopus in non-oily and crispy perfection. While I couldn’t keep my chopsticks out of the tuna and avocado salad, it was too sweet for my dining companion.

Popular Japanese rice and noodle dishes are also available. We chose to leave room for dessert and didn’t regret it.

The Ice Banana, frozen slices of banana served in a bowl of coconut milk and tapioca, was breakfast cereal on steroids. It was unique, it was refreshing, and it was the ideal level of sweetness. Creamy apricot kernel tofu was also divine. Silky tofu was imparted with apricot flavor, transforming it into a guiltless dessert that was rich and flavorful.

Yakitori Totto doesn’t take reservations after 7pm and the wait can be up to 45 minutes on any given night. But once you sit down, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the service incredibly pleasant and friendly. The wait? Worth every minute.

Yakitori Totto

251 West 55th Street

New York, NY 10019

212.245.4555

The fish is delectable, the flavors are delightful, and the presentations are flawless. To fully appreciate the taste and craftsmanship, conversation should cease while you chew and swallow each bite of heaven. It’s the omakase at Sushi of Gari. My mouth waters at the mere thought of it.

Sit at the sushi bar, sip on sake, and watch the masterful chefs assemble divine, and somewhat radical, preparations of sushi. Gari’s omakase might not be as ground breaking as when it first burst onto the sushi scene, but it is just as fabulous. Gari (nickname for chef Masatoshi Sugio) takes individual pieces of high-quality, melt-in-your-mouth fish (your choice of nigiri or sashimi) and balances its flavor and texture with a unique topping. Even the most purist of sushi lovers will applaud the outcomes.

Gari’s success has allowed for expansion and there are three outposts – the UES original, a hipster UWS site, and a midtown venue. I’ll admit that I’ve never had anything but the omakase at any of Gari’s establishments, but I can’t find a single reason to stray from the innovative nibbles. (Yes, I’ve been to all three and I can confidently report that Gari’s fleet of sushi chefs churn out the same wondrous bites at all of them.)

There’s tuna with tofu paste – the reddish color and silky texture of the fish contrast beautifully with the pale and slightly gritty dollop. A mini-salad of lettuce, vinaigrette, and pine nuts rests atop a glistening piece of red snapper. Salmon is topped with cooked onions and tomato – the vegetables’ heat radiates into the piece of fish below them, softening it further so the entire bite dissolves in your mouth. Golden-eyed snapper is adorned with dried seaweed. An oyster is broiled with rice and breadcrumbs and served hot in the oyster shell; a Japanese rendition of clams casino. Need I go on?

The bites are always expertly balanced – seemingly bizarre toppings pair beautifully with their respective fish. It’s far from cheap, but it’s worth it. After he has prepared about ten pieces of fish for you, the sushi chef will ask if you’d like to keep eating. I’ve never been able to say no.

Sushi of Gari

www.sushiofgari.com

Multiple Locations

As we walked under the bright lights of Broadway towards our dinner reservation at Ted’s Montana Grill, I was having some pangs of regret. What self-respecting New Yorker journeys to a chain restaurant in midtown on a Saturday night? The excursion was sparked by our friend’s rave reviews of Ted’s bison burger. If the recommendation had come from anyone else, it would have been dismissed, but this particular foodie pal has a stellar track record. He could not be ignored.

Ted Montana’s is Ted Turner’s innovation. His mission is to serve high-quality, American comfort food in eco-friendly restaurants. The first Ted’s opened in 2002 and now, with over fifty venues nationwide, he’s clearly on to something. The focus of the menu (printed on recycled paper, of course) is 100-percent all natural bison and beef. Though an entire page is dedicated to the bison burgers, the steaks, chicken, and fish options are also appealing. There is a daily blue-plate special and Saturday night discounts on specific wines from the Captain’s list.

Aside from red and white checked tablecloths, there isn’t much ambience in the vast dining room. It seems Turner spent more time making his restaurants eco-friendly rather than photo-friendly; the trade-off was well worth it. Recyclable products (including paper straws and reusable glass bottles) have made Ted Montana’s 99% plastic free.

Though tempted by many of the entrees (Beer Can Chicken and Pecan Crusted Trout to name a couple), we had come for the bison. Leaner than beef, bison has less fat and cholesterol. It also has a distinct flavor; a much earthier taste than beef.

The number of toppings offered for the Bison Burgers was overwhelming. Ted’s has fashioned itself as an “American grill” and we thought it appropriate to pass on the trendier fixings such as avocado and jalapeno in favor of grilled onions and American cheese. We also ordered the evening’s blue-plate special, Bison Short Ribs.

The burger exceeded expectations. It was juicy. It was flavorful. It was better than so many beef burgers I’ve had in this city. The flavor was so rich I didn’t even think to reach for the ketchup (one of my burger stand-bys). Despite its hearty size, it wasn’t a feat to bite through the bison patty and soft, “floated” bun (Ted-speak for buttered and toasted).

The tender short ribs were slathered in a deep, mahogany-colored sauce that didn’t overpower the meat’s wonderful taste. The short ribs seemed to excel, rather than suffer, from the bison’s reduced fat content. The bison peeled away from the bone with an easy pull of the fork tongs. Every bite of dense meat melted in your mouth.

Side dishes were mediocre at best. Hand-cut fries and salt-and-pepper onion rings were disappointments. Country-style green beans bordered on terrible. A bland and tiny roll masqueraded as a biscuit.

Ted’s offers undeniable value. The array of side dishes can be swapped and traded at no extra charge. Soups and salads decrease in price when ordered with an entrée. Our crisp iceberg wedge, drizzled with blue cheese crumbles and dressing, ended up costing just a few dollars.

In a city where beef and high prices prevail, a short subway ride to the plains of Montana was a welcome respite.

Ted’s Montana Grill

www.tedsmontanagrill.com

110 West 51st Street

New York, NY 10020

212.245.5220

After a Thursday evening cocktail reception my husband and I found ourselves hungry in midtown at around 9:30pm. Where to grab dinner? We’d been craving cheeseburgers, but didn’t want to travel 20 blocks up to JG Melon. We were considering The Burger Joint as well as Smith and Wollensky when a friend, overhearing our dilemma, suggested the 21 Club just around the corner. We had never been to the iconic NYC eatery and it seemed a good a night as any to give it a try.

The maître’d snickered at the fact that we didn’t have a reservation, but then promptly seated us in the Bar Room amongst the Restaurant Week revelers. Expecting a “clubby” and “old boys” feel, I was not surprised by the wooden banquets and white and red checked table cloths. I was, however, taken aback by the hundreds (maybe even thousands?) of toys that hung from the ceiling. Interestingly, many of these plastic planes, trains, and automobiles have been given to the restaurant from loyal patrons.

Service was, like at so many steakhouse- type restaurants, mediocre and somewhat gruff. We had to flag down the waiter for menus and finding someone to refresh a cocktail was impossible.

We skipped the Restaurant Week menu and instead, opted for two “21 Classics”: the 21 Burger and the Creamy Chicken Hash. The burger, packed into a meatloaf-like density, carried the distinct taste of duck fat. Pickled green beans and sweet caramelized onions were zesty fixings. The Pommes Soufflees, individually puffed and hollowed potato chips, were crispy and airy. The burger was good, but not $30 good. A $5 dollar cab ride up to JG Melon for their $8.50 cheeseburger and $4 cottage fries would have been money better spent.

Cubed chicken pieces slathered in tasteless cream sauce made for a very disappointing Chicken Hash. It needed more salt. In needed more cheese. It needed more time under the broiler. It needed to be a fraction of its $36 price tag to be acceptable.

The 21 Club might be an institution with a long and storied history, but it seems to be riding the coattails of the lawn jockeys that stand guard outside. The experience is overpriced, and at least during our brief visit, it was also unremarkable.

21 Club

www.21club.com

21 W 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

(212) 265-1900