Uva

Occasion: Pre-Brandy's dinner with Rebecca, Tessa and Dale
Location: Uva on 2nd between 77th and 78th (uvawinebar.com)
Edibles: to start, we shared a burrata with yellow tomatoes, fava beans and a balsamic glaze (I continue to be obsessed with burrata); I had the beet salad; Dale had the chicken salad; Rebecca had the cavatelli al pesto; Tessa had the ravioli; we passed around a slice of girella al cioccolato (chocolate-hazelnut cake) for dessert

Musings: Location is everything. A place like Uva with a decent atmosphere and decent food would probably survive okay in the crowded field of the LES. But out in the barrens of the UES, it's packed to the rafters.

I don't think I've ever been here for an evening that didn't include Brandy's (one of my happy places, along with the shoe department at Bergdorf's). But though I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, they do make a decent showing. The wine list is long and varied. Our dishes were flavorful and all of the portions were generous. I was particularly impressed by Rebecca's cavatelli - the pasta was nicely plump and tasted homemade to me. And the cake was divine.