By Maya Litovsky

BELLA LUNA on the upper west side is a traditional Italian restaurant offering comfort food with a wonderful wine and beer menu in a cozy warm setting. Great food at affordable prices is what sets Bella Luna apart with classic Italian pasta dishes averaging at $14 bucks.

Quality ingredients are used in all the dishes, we enjoyed the Caprese Salad and the thinly sliced Beef Carpaccio as appetizers. For the main course the shrimp scampi with linguini was a generous portion of tastiness and the grilled salmon with roasted potatoes was light and moist and is a good dish for someone looking for a healthier alternative.

Dessert was a traditional tiramisu which we paired with a yummy dessert wine. A three course prix-fix menu is available mon-fri until 6pm for just $22.

This Valentines Day or another day, Bella Luna is a great choice for an enjoyable meal. Call (212) 877-2257 for reservations.

BELLA LUNA: 574 Columbus Avenue. New York, NY 10024

27 Morton in the west village brings classic cuisine from Central & Eastern Europe to New York City. Russian staples like borscht, pierogi, blintze are on the menu. German and Hungarian options abound with Bratwurst, Schnitzels, German style potato salad, and homemade lingonberries.

For the table we highly recommend the house assorted appetizer board. The selection is massive with a signature selection of meats and cheeses paired with mkhali, grilled and pickled vegetables, liverwurst spreads with fresh breads. The specialty dessert of the house is the apple strudel with ice cream.

There is a very nice wine menu with several regional wines available and an impressive beer and ale menu both bottled and on draft.

27 Morton: 27 1/2 Morton Street, New York, NY 10014 (212) 929-4339

Oscar Wilde  has a rich history in NYC. The space began as a prohibition enforcement headquarters in 1919 and remained that way until the end of prohibition. It then housed several firms until Oscar Wilde settled in as a bar/restaurant that pays homage to the Irish Playwright.

This Valentines Day Oscar Wilde is serving a $75 Prix-Fixe menu in the dining room. Options include house specialties like the seared scallops, Angus skirt steak or the oven braised coconut chicken. Appetizers include the mushroom soup, gem lettuce salad or home-made foil gras artichoke hearts. Dessert is a choice of Fantastic Chocolate or the Destruction of Lemon Tart & Raspberries.

The atmosphere is lively and jovial, come enjoy the longest bar in New York City with a multitude of drink options and tasty fare.

Oscar Wilde NYC: 45 west 27th street New York, NY 10001 (212) 213-3066

Lamano serves Spanish tapas and moderately priced cocktails in an intimate setting. Restaurateur Jorge Guzman who also co-owns popular Mexican restaurants  Black Ant, Ofrenda, and Temerario recently opened his third location of Lamano in Hell’s Kitchen. This location is the largest space. It is sleek with low lighting and walls adorned with artwork by Joan Miro.

We enjoyed The Gambas Al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp), Papas Bravas (Baked Potatoes, salsa brava, aioli) and the Paella De Mariscos(Seafood Paella). We paired the meal with a red Sangria.

Lamano: 688 10th avenue New York, NY 10019 (646) 559-0989