UPPER EAST SIDE
1865 Second Avenue, NY
The corner of 96th and Second Avenue
212-996-3274
By Angela
Looking for a great place to hang out with friends. Don Pedro���s is just the place. The d��cor is classy and upscale, with soft lighting and comfortable, spacious seating. The restaurant has split-level dining and the service is outstanding. I am surprised the place is not brimming with business. Considering it is located in an area that has limited quality places to eat, this restaurant should be packed. But better for all of you who decide to check it out - no reservations necessary, no wait for a table and more of an opportunity to enjoy the food, the music and the service. And for all you Queens residents, Don Pedro���s is located right off the FDR Drive, not a long ride for quality.
At Don Pedro���s, the menu is bi-lingual, the bar is full-service and the food is a blend of Dominican, Puerto Rican and Cuban cuisine. The specialty cocktail list is extensive, the sangria (which I tried) is tasty - not too sweet, and the recommended wine (Chilean) was spicy, full-bodied and a perfect accompaniment to our meal.
While the menu was quite impressive, so were the specials - we ordered several. Our appetizers included crispy oysters, octopus with rice in squid ink, lentil soup and ensalada verde. Our entrees included filet mignon, seafood stew and chicken with goat cheese. For dessert, we shared a sample platter. We enjoyed everything.
We should have known our palates were going to be dancing for joy, because the palate preparers were divine - slightly toasted bread, fried plantains and spicy popcorn - in a word, yummy. Then there were the appetizers - the crispy oysters were very good, the lentil soup delicious and while I found the octopus and rice just a little salty and the salad just a tad to much vinegar, everyone else said both were perfect (what do I know). As for the main entrees, the filet mignon was medium, as requested, juicy and tender; the seafood stew was divine, and the chicken with goat cheese was moist and easy going down. Oh, and did I mention the presentation - everything was beautiful to look at. My sister described her filet mignon as ���a beautiful tower of meat.���
The desserts were surprisingly good. We tried the sample platter, so that we could have a little taste of everything. The platter included raspberry sorbet, orange cake, flan, tres leche, a coconut confection, sugar cane and spun sugar. What can I say but beautiful and delectable. The chocolate cake melted in my mouth and the sorbet was cool and refreshing. I normally dislike flan but I ate every bit of the piece I took, did not offer to share and was disappointed to find that the other piece was eaten before I could snatch it up. My sister kept insisting we must try the tres leche and said how good it was so often she was like a broken record and my daughter ate all the orange cake on the platter. I was lucky to even get a taste.
To top it off, our waiter, Alejandro (he likes to be called Alex) was a master among waiters. He was funny, helpful, and knowledgeable. To summarize, in case you missed it, the presentation was beautiful, the food fabulous, the wine flavorful, and the background music just right. A perfect spot to eat, drink, listen to good music and be merry. We enjoyed ourselves so much we stayed well past our bedtime. We had no idea the time was flying. It is true how time flies when you are having fun. So, if you plan to come here, make sure you are not in a rush, have time to spare. Trust me, you will not be in a hurry to leave this neighborhood secret.
Things you should know if you are interested in checking out this spot:
Price: $$
Hours: They open everyday at 11:00 am.
Monday - Wednesday open until 11pm, Thursday - Saturday open until 1am and Sunday open until 10pm. Reservations are not required.
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