Mulberry Street Ristorante   

With its exposed brick, dark mahogany wood, modest bar and mirrored walls, Mulberry Street is more of a chic Manhattan hotspot than a rustic mom-and-pop restaurant. Old photos of New York hang along the walls, crisp white tablecloths blanket the tiny bistro tables and retro jazz is continuously piped in through overhead speakers. This isn't your generic Olive Garden -- Mulberry Street is where you want to be when you've grown tired of all you can eat salad and bread sticks. Most regulars come here for the seafood specials: the linguine and clams, the grilled fish, and the oysters Mulberry, which are grilled on the half-shell with spinach, cheese and breadcrumbs. But like any Italian restaurant worth its weight in marinara sauce, Mulberry's strength is in its baked dishes. The Veal Marsala is a tender, hearty choice and their meatballs pass the true test of any Southern Italian kitchen, as fist-sized orbs with wonderful texture -- not as spicy as one might expect or want, but still very flavorful. -- Michael Alarcon