'New Yor wrote about the Alsace-born master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten that in the past two decades, no single chef has had more influence on the way New Yorkers dine out—or on the way other chefs cook and other restaurants look. “He invented America’s answer to nouvelle cuisine,” says tv-personality, chef and writer Mario Batali. “When I first came to New York, his book 'Simple Cuisine' was the holy grail for young chefs, and JoJo was the hottest ticket in town'' .

With reviews like this in the back of my head the bar was set higher than high when I arrived at the quaint address on Upper East Side between Lexington and 3rd. ready to test restaurant Jo-Jo. It was the night of Halloween, which is one of my favorite holidays in NYC, and I was in my huge, light pink, couture dress giving my personal take on Cinderella. And for some odd reason this outfit seemed appropriate or at least very welcome at Jo-Jo. Maybe it was because of the holiday or maybe simply because Jo-Jo gives a turn of the century feel to the beautiful NYC town house, which by the way was packed when my friend and I arrived. You feel like you step into a cute little happening fairy tale with excellent service. Like you are stepping into your stylish great grandmother’s home. Except this Granny is pretty rock’n’roll. The scene has both uptown peeps and the trendy downtown darlings. We were seated at our divine and private little table, which was a bit difficult taken my enormous dress into consideration. (Mental note: next time dress in smaller couture). However, once we were seated it felt as intimate as were we on a date. The lighting, interior and all-in-all atmosphere at Jo-Jo makes perfect backdrop for a romantic date or a dining experience ‘extra ordinaire’ without losing the down to earth feel. No snobbery here. Only good vibes. We decided on doing a tasting on different wines and a variety of small plates. The Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc suggested by our waiter both went well with our selection of food. I can warmly recommend the butter nut squash soup, the tuna roll and the warm asparagus with a squeeze of fresh lemon. All among my favorites. When it was time to go my friend and I were both all smiles and I have nothing, but roses for this little pearl of a Jean-Gorges restaurant.

160 E 64th St # 1, New York, NY (212) 223-5656