I am a self-proclaimed foodie so naturally, when I traveled to New York a week ago, I told my fellow foodie friend, Dominique, that I definitely wanted to find some good food. We made the executive decision to spend the entire day exploring New York and then grab dinner before my trek back to Washington D.C.

As we’re waiting on one of the letter trains to start our day of exploration, my foodie friend was searching Instagram for dinner ideas when she showed me a picture of lobster meat and pasta. Instantly, I was craving seafood pasta and the decision was made. Tableside Italian Cook Shoppe would be our dinner destination for my last night in the city.

The size of the restaurant is deceiving when walking up to the storefront. Entering through the front door, you walk directly into the bar area and the dining room is located to the left.

The décor is warm and cozy and gives off a-meal-at-grandmas-house vibes. There are no more than 10 tables in the entire restaurant and a very attentive staff of one bartender and one server (at least this particular evening.)

The menu sustains the family theme with dish names that include, “Italian Mothers Love” and “Grandma’s Lamb Specialty” as well as, funky names like, “Lady of the Night” and “Truffled Moneybag.” Although intrigued, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the “Tasty Crustacean”, especially with a touch of brandy listed in the description.

Prior to the main course, we were served bread with a plate of three different kinds of hummus. I am not a huge fan of hummus but, Dominique seemed to enjoy them. Then came the main course and it was just as delicious looking as the photo on Instagram.

Of course, like the millennials we are, we snapped a couple photos of our food, toasted to life and dug in. The lobster was tasty, although the portion was smaller with much less meat than I had anticipated. I am an avid red wine drinker but, I chose to pair my meal with a sweet Riesling from Germany and the light crispness was a great compliment to the dish.

Overall, the meal was enjoyable. If only I had time (and room!) for dessert, next time!