Underneath the Greek restaurant Metsovo and down the candelit stairs Shalel is a dim, decadent Moroccan-inspired bar and lounge. The wine list is extensive, the beers listed by country and the cocktails, in a word, uninspired. We tried the a Moroccan lager ($7) so you don't have to- it's not our favorite, but a spicy malt flavor does compliment phyllo wrapped delicacies better well. Thinking Belgium would be a better bet for lounging about on......

We are sick of winter. Even if it is not that cold, we're sick of all the seasonal things- the layering of clothes, the sneezing in public, the lack of roof bars. Seriously. We miss the drinking plus art of the Met roof garden, we miss the fake fronds, the fake everything really on the roof of the Delancey. But, mostly, we miss that drinking in that rare, only sometimes available space is an option.......

A single lampost illuminates the sidewalk outside of the recently opened Grape & Grain, a dimly lit wine & tapas bar trying to find its niche on 6th Street between Avenues B & C. Formerly the neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop, Drink Me, four friends (including a set of brothers), took over the the neighborhood favorite -- furniture, dishware, chandeliers and all. Lit only with candles, Grape & Grain currently offers five white wines......

Recently disturbed to find ourselves in Times Square, we stopped into Tintol, a new Portugese tapas and wine bar and were pleasently surprised- the bar looks like it's trying to forget that it is in the gaudiest place in the world, too. From Jose de Meirelles, a former partner (and co-executive chef) at Les Halles, and owner of the kosher steakhouse across 46th Street, Marais, Tintol has a Portugese take on small plates and an......

In the chaos of Tuesday's first day of the transit strike, the offical opening of the elegant and surprisingly affordable Philippe went nearly unnoticed. But with that over, the reasons to try it outweigh the reasons to order in greasy noodles from around the corner another night (No OLLIES!) . In the former RM space on 60th Street, in the part of East Midtown with no good nickname, the space is minimalist and pretty in......