Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$$

Must try: Black Label Burger

Keith McNally is the force behind what is touted as one of the finest steakhouses in the city.

Minetta Tavern may be best known for its Black Label burger – meant to be one of the best burgers in the city. It has a price tag to match $26 (it is made with with dry-aged Pat La Frieda beef after all)!

Minetta does more than just beef though. It serves wonderful Parisian tavern cuisine. I had a delicious shrimp salad and a wonderful trout meunière.

For dessert you must try the chocolate dacquoise for an intensely chocolate experience though other desserts didn’t make an impression.

Minnetta is not an ideal date spot as it is cramped as can be and noisy too. It’s patrons are a rather yuppy lot – with a few celebrities mingled in and then of course there are the humble foodies like me always searching for the ultimate dining experience.

Here is some of what we ate: