Disclaimer: My visit was by invitation from La Farine. All opinions are my own.

The Upper West Side is full of cute little gems, and one of them is La Farine, a French cafe and patisserie that effortlessly transforms from a bustling daytime coffee-and-croissant spot into a chic evening hangout for wine and small plates. La Farine is the creation of Jonathan and Rica Hengal, a husband-and-wife duo with roots in Israel and Morocco. Together, they’ve built something truly special: a place where classic French pastries meet Mediterranean flavors, all wrapped up in an elegant, light-filled space.

Steve and I stopped by to check out the evening menu. We kicked things off with a bread basket served with three kinds of butter: pesto, red pepper, and gribiche (a creamy mix with dill, cornichons, and salmon roe). The gribiche butter stole the show, pairing perfectly with the rustic French country bread.

Next up was a bowl of mixed olives: Moroccan Beldi, Greek Kalamata, and Spanish Gordal. The giant green Gordal olives were my personal favorite. A minor detail: There were nowhere to put the olive pits, so I ended up transferring all the olives to the other serving plates on the table to free up the bowl for the pits. Problem solved.

We also shared the Mediterranean Spread Trio: olive tapenade, anchovy tapenade, and confit piquillo peppers. Everything was delicious, but the anchovy tapenade was my clear favorite (I’m all about the anchovies), while Steve leaned towards the sweet, intensely flavored peppers.

The cod fritters were a surprise hit. These little croquettes of salted cod were fried to golden perfection and served with a dipping sauce that had an unexpected kick to it. They were surprisingly filling too, making them perfect for sharing.

For dessert, we had the crème brûlée, and it was exactly how a crème brûlée should be: silky, cold custard made with real vanilla bean and topped with a thin, crisp caramel shell that shattered beautifully under the spoon.

The wine list at La Farine offers both bottles and glasses, and we took the staff’s recommendation and went with her favorite rosé. It was a good match for the meal, not too sweet, and paired nicely with the variety of flavors we had on the table.

La Farine opened last year, and while they’re still fairly new to the neighborhood, they already seem to have a loyal local fanbase. The bright French café setting gives the place an airy, inviting feel, and when we were there, the staff stroke the perfect balance between friendly and attentive. Even though we were seated upstairs, our waiter checked in regularly to make sure we had everything we needed. The portions were just right, the prices seem reasonable for the location, and everything flowed seamlessly for a relaxed evening out.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say that all the white tones make the space feel a bit bright, especially at night. Toward the end of our meal, they lit candles on the tables, which helped cozy things up. They also mentioned that outdoor seating is in the works for later this year, which will make La Farine an even better spot for a casual evening with wine and bites.

La Farine, 2394 Broadway, New York, NY 10024, United States

It was a dark and rainy night, and Steve and I were in the mood for some serious comfort food. We ended up at NR on the Upper East Side. NR is the sister restaurant to ROKC, where I had been before with Ana. ROKC—short for Ramen, Oysters, Kitchen & Cocktails—is located in Harlem. It quickly became a go-to for its incredible ramen and standout cocktails, so my expectations for NR were sky high. NR has the same speakeasy vibe as ROKC but feels a bit more upscale. It’s still dark and cozy, with the cocktail bar as the natural center of gravity in the room, but the space is spacier, the ceilings higher, and the menu a bit more expansive.

We ordered the soupless ramen with wagyu and bone marrow. It was a rich, umami bomb where you scoop the marrow from the bone yourself and mix it into the noodles. Delicious, but heavy. The menu mentioned sudachi (a Japanese citrus fruit) and lemon salt, but the citrus notes got lost in the richness of everything else, which was a shame.

We also tried the Kyoto Ramen, made with a fish and chicken broth. Steve was skeptical about the fish base, but one bite in, he was all in. The broth had depth and balance, and each and every ingredient, from the egg to the chashu is just pure perfection. The Kyoto Ramen at NR is easily one of the best bowls of ramen you’ll find in New York.

NR, 339 E 75th St, New York, NY 10021

One night, before heading to a Broadway show, Steve and I stopped by See No Evil, a tiny pizza restaurant tucked away below street level, inside the 50th Street subway station. There’s a sign by the stairs, but if you’re not looking for it, you’ll likely walk right past. It feels a little like stumbling upon a speakeasy, if speakeasies served really good pizza and arancini instead of cocktails.

The place is small with low ceilings and cozy in a loud New York City kind of way. Tables are packed close together, and from every seat you’ve got a full view into the open kitchen. I always find it reassuring to see that the food is actually being made from scratch, and it smelled amazing in there.

I’m pretty sure we ordered arancini to start, though I can’t find any photos on my phone, so I might have dreamt that part. What I do know is that we ordered two pizzas:

FUNGHI – mushrooms, panna, roasted garlic, Parmigiano, fontina, arugula, lemon

HELL PIE – sauce, hot soppressata, pepperoni, smoked mozzarella, pecorino, Calabrian chili

The pizzas were really good. They were flavorful and clearly made with quality ingredients. The Hell Pie was my favorite. The staff warned us it was spicy, but to me the heat level was just perfect. Steve preferred the Funghi, which was more mellow, though slightly heavy on the arugula topping if you ask me.

Size-wise, the pizzas were on the smaller side, and both of us thought the crust-to-topping ratio leaned a little too heavy on the crust. Especially the Funghi, which had Steve stacking a little mountain of pizza crust on the side of his plate (he doesn’t eat crust).

So, is See No Evil worth it? The setting is fun, and the subway location makes it feel like a secret. Prices are a bit steep (our pizzas were $27 and $29), but hey, it’s Midtown Manhattan. While I wouldn’t call it a must-go, it’s definitely worth a visit—especially if you’re already in the area and up for a slice of underground pizza culture. Literally.

I found out after our visit that their soft-serve dessert with olive oil and salt is a thing, would’ve loved to try that! So yes, I guess there’ll be a next time.

See No Evil, 210 W 50th St Concourse #1, New York, NY 10019, United States