Do you think eating in New York has to be expensive? Not at a hole-in-the-wall takeout place, but what about at a romantic restaurant with good service and food?

I thought so, but I was proven wrong last Friday night at Nonna (520 Columbus Ave.) They offer a $25 5-course tasting menu: arancini (fried rice balls), an antipasto platter, a pasta dish, a meat dish and dessert. This menu is only available for two or more, since the appetizers and desserts are served on shared plates. To accompany your reasonable meal, the menu lists quite a few decent wines under $30.

The pasta choices were wild mushroom tagliatelle and wild boar strozzipretti – we each tried one, and my tagliatelle almost made me wish I had ordered a whole plate. For meat we both chose the pork, which was stuffed with sausage and served with polenta. Dessert was tiramisu and delicious zeppole with honey dipping sauce. The chef was very thoughtful and sent out extra tastes for our friend who’d only ordered an entree.

Nonna
http://www.nonnarestaurant.com
520 Columbus Ave., New York NY
(Nearby attractions: The American Museum of Natural History and Central Park.)

My introduction to macarons happened in college. I wasn’t on a trip to Paris – I was in suburban New Jersey at a Wegmans, where pastry chefs were trained by famous French pastry chef Pierre Hermé to replicate his famous macarons along with other dessert delights. (Macarons, for the uninitiated, are nothing like American macaroons. I’d describe them as melt-in-your-mouth almond meringue sandwiches).

Macarons from Madeleine Patisserie

Last summer I went back to Wegmans for a macaron and they were no longer on the shelves. I’ve been craving them ever since. So on last weekend’s trip to New York I had to pick up an assortment from Madeleine Patisserie (128 West 23rd St.) on my way to the train. We enjoyed an assortment of flavors; my favorites were rose and caramel.

But now that I’m back in Rhode Island and the box is empty, I’ll just have to go back to making my own.

I grew up near New York City, so when I visit, I’m not drawn to the usual tourist attractions. Instead, I look to fulfill some need Rhode Island isn’t able to meet – odd stores, exotic cuisine, out-there art.

Believe it or not, Rhode Island doesn’t have one German restaurant. So before my latest trip to the big apple, I made a map of all the German restaurants in Manhattan, pining for good beer and a sausage plate. Unfortunately we only had time for one, and we chose Loreley.

Loreley is modeled after the pubs of Cologne, where the owner once lived. The biergarten’s communal tables will look familiar to anyone who has downed a liter in Deutschland, and the restaurant’s interior has an upscale coziness. Their 12 taps hold old favorites as well as seasonal beers (like Oktoberfest brews). They also offer Cologne’s specialty, Kölsch.

We each worked our way through a liter – I had the Hofbräu Helles, my boyfriend opted for the Köstritzer Schwartz Bier, both were excellent. As for food (which was certainly needed to soak up the beer), we ordered freshly baked pretzels with mustard, currywurst, a plate of assorted sausages, and aged gouda-topped rye bread. We left satisfied, slightly tipsy and vowing to return.

Loreley, 7 Rivington St. (Lower East Side), http://www.loreleynyc.com