Terrace in the Sky, 119th between Amsterdam and Morningside

Wow. Restaurant week. We were able to go for $35 prix fixe for a 3 course meal to a restaurant that normally charges $41 for rack of lamb. We walked up the eleven blocks, through Columbia's campus, to Butler Hall -- a Columbia dorm with Terrace in the Sky, a 4 star restaurant, on the 16th floor. From the wrap around windows you can see the Triboro Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, Riverside Cathedral, St. John the Divine, Central Park and the lit up skyscrapers of midtown and downtown. And the food is really good.

This is elegant dining. Not your neighborhood ethnic restaurant or bistro. You ride the elevator up and up and step out into a foyer of mirrors. We handed over our coats and were given a choice of dining in the quieter, carpeted room with wrap-around two story high windows or the terrazzo tiled room where a harpist played and the views were reflected in black mirrors.

For an appetizer, I ordered the pasta, perfectly al dente, in a divinely smooth goat cheese sauce with porcini mushrooms. David ordered the sashimi with mounds of chopped mango, sprinkled with sesame seeds. We both ordered (at the suggestion of the waiter) the short ribs that were pink and butter tender. You could cut the meat with the side of your fork. The plentiful sliced beef was laid beside a pool of pureed parsnips and a mound of chopped garlicky, buttery kale. One of our friends ordered the chicken -- a breast of tender white meat under a crust of rosemary.

For dessert, two of us ordered the chocolate mousse sponge cake with cherries soaked in kirsh and a creme anglais, topped with vanilla ice cream with a zebra straw made of dark and white chocolate.. Almost too rich for me. Two ordered the smooth, custardy creme brulee with mixed berries.

Le Monde, Broadway just north of 113th

We needed comfort. David had just returned from a week of sitting shiva in Pittsburgh. It was our first meal together back in New York. We wanted something other than the chicken or pizza or pasta people brought over for us. We wanted a good glass of red wine. We wanted to sit and be served by a solicitous waiter.

At medium, the Le Monde's burger was perfectly cooked -- pink in the center, moist, grilled brown on the outside and served on a sesame egg bun. I didn't touch the tomatoes which looked smushed. The fries were heavenly -- buttery crisp on the outside. And yes, dipped in ketchup, sublime.

David ordered the duck confit -- and as often happens, I regretted not ordering what he ordered. His duck was cooked in aromatic spices -- tender and juicy, and served crispy, garlicky and parsleyed cottage fries that were incredibly delicious.

For dessert we ordered the tarte tartin. Freshly sliced apples in a bed of phyllo, topped with vanilla ice cream. We were indeed soothed.

The bill came to $72 for dinner, dessert and two glasses of red wine.

West Way Cafe, NE corner of 108th and Broadway

There are basically three things I order at a diner: a Belgian waffle, a spinach and swiss cheese omelette or a hamburger and fries. My expectation is high for each -- as there was always good fare on the east side at the two diners I frequented: Amity (Madison between 84th and 85th) and Nectar (on the SW corner of 82nd and Madison). Tonight I ordered a hamburger and fries. I asked for pickles -- which is somewhat Proustian for me -- reminding me of my childhood eating hamburgers with sliced pickles loaded with ketchup at the swimming pool's snack bar in Franklin, Michigan. Alas, West Way Cafe has no pickles. But they do serve their hamburgers with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and a side of cole slaw in a little plastic cup.

The hamburger was good. Ordered medium, it was juicy with just the right amount of pink in the center. The fries were well crisped on the outside and soft on the inside. And the slaw -- chopped cabbage in a milky sauce held a faint taste of horseradish.

The burger and fries came to $8.85.

107 West, Broadway north of 107th

We don't know quite how to categorize 107 West...Southern? Cajun? Barbecue? Comfort food? American? Bistro? Italian? A couple times we'd paused at the menu and were confused by the range of offerings and so we passed on entering and ordering. Last week, in search of a good burger, we went in and were not disappointed. Not at all.

But we didn't order burgers. David had the duck -- half of a big, succulent duck with crispy skin served with roasted rosemary potatoes -- crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and steamed broccoli. I had marinated hanger steak served with mashed potatoes and grilled onions. David thought my steak was a bit vinegary, I liked it a lot. Perhaps too rare though I'd ordered it medium-medium-rare. I always specify "pink," not red -- and it was a tad too red.

The atmosphere was nice. 107 West had just redone their glassed in "porch" with gray vinyl banquets, huge white pillows, and scattered tables and chairs. The soft light of candles burning in votives made the space festive. Though it was freezing outside, we were practically dining on the sidewalk.

We each took half our meal home. The next night we pulled the duck meat from the bones, made a broth, boiled in some red wine, and added the duck meat, chopped rosemary potatoes and broccoli and beef -- and served it all over fresh pasta.

For two glasses of wine and two entrees (our take-out served another two meals) the bill came to $52.

Another night, last night to be exact (April 16), we ordered the duck and a pan seared brook trout.  The trout (the mango chutney remained on the side) with just a squeeze of of lemon, was perfect -- the fish's surface crisply browned.  As a side, I ordered spinach and the dish came with string beans.  Delicious.  All that remained on my plate was the skin.  David's duck was a bit dry -- but made good leftover soup today.