New month, new neighborhood, but I still keep finding myself downtown and in Brooklyn. One of my goals for the month of March is to spend more time exploring the restaurant scene on the UES (full neighborhood guide coming soon), but for now, I give you a full ad diverse list of my culinary explorations from the month of February.

Katz’s Deli – After thinking to myself for years that I would eventually make it to Katz’s Deli, I finally took fate into my own hands and took my inaugural trip. The pastrami on rye was the winner here – add extra mustard, and enjoy it with the incredible pickles they serve on the side. Also, go right after work on a weekday and you will skip the crowds easily.

Atoboy – This Korean small plates joint in NoMad absolutely blew me away. You get to choose three of the inventive dishes from the menu, and while everything was incredible, my favorites were the red pepper with cuttlefish, sunchoke with mushrooms and truffle, and the fried chicken with spicy peanut butter.

Hutch & Waldo – This tiny, Aussie coffee spot on the upper east side has a beautiful blue and white interior, and serves up a mean flat white. Go early on the weekend before the locals take it over.

Cecconi’s  – This Dumbo outpost of the swanky Italian chain wins an A+ for atmosphere, and has some pretty decent food as well. The pappardelle with bolognese was the clear winner here, but the butter lettuce salad and house meatballs were also delicious. And you can’t beat emerging into Dumbo with that view of the Brooklyn Bridge after dinner.

Pearl Oyster Bar – I’ve only ever come here in the summer for rose and oysters, but I am so very glad that I gave the winter menu a shot. Go for the specials here – we had a whole roasted dorade and salmon with white beans and mushrooms that were out of this world.

Juliana’s Pizza – This well-known pizza joint in Dumbo near the Brooklyn Bridge came with rave reviews, so I knew that I needed to check it out. The thin crust pies are made in front of your eyes if you score a seat at the bar in the back, and they were simple, well prepared, and delicious. Lucali is still my favorite for thin crust in BK, but Juliana’s is a close second.