Eating in NYC Part I: what I'm loving right now

Sushi Yasuda takes its sushi VERY seriously and you can taste the difference. 

Long before my boyfriend and I physically arrived in New York City for our two-month sojourn, we were thinking about the most important thing: where were we going to eat? Not wanting to leave such an important matter to chance, I quikly busied myself researching new eateries. Meanwhile, the two of us poured over our extensive restaurant spreadsheet to devise a list of spots we wanted to return to. Yes, we recorded every place we ate at, no, we're not ashamed to admit it. In my opinion, the perfect epicurean schedule should be a blend of old favorites and new restos.

We've been here a month already (wow does time fly!), and so far we've strayed a bit from the original plan and have found ourselves returning to tried and true places more often than trying recently opened spots. What can I say, when something's good it's hard to resist going back for more.    Most of the restaurants we've revisited haven't disappointed, but some unfortunately have let us down. C'est la vie. So without further adieu, here are the eateries I'm loving right now:

If you like classic Italian cuisine with modern touches, then head to the West Village and try L'Artusi.

If you can't get to Japan to try sushi master Jiro Ono's Michelin starred creations, then Sushi Yasuda is the place to be.

If you enjoy feasting on gourmet American meets French food in an unpretentious, cozy atmosphere, then stop what you're doing and drop by Fedora.

If money isn't an issue and/or you're toasting to a special occasion, Tom Colicchio's Gramercy restaurant, Craft, proffers wagyu steak and foie gras that's a notch above the rest.

If you're in a duck state of mind, the prix fix menu at Decoy, the new West Village eatery from the folks at Red Farm is a definite DO.

If you don't mind being a little squished, the refined comfort food at Joseph Leonard is simply divine.

If you like whole Maine lobster, your wallet will thank you for heading over to Five Points on Monday nights for the $24 lobster menu.

If it's Sunday night and all you want is Chinese food, why not elevate your game by tasting Shun Lee Palace's expertly prepared classic items.

If you love smoked fish and Jewish staples like latkes, blintzes and knishes, well, the recently opened Russ & Daughters Cafe is everything you'd imagine it to be.

If French bistro food in a casual, warm environment is what you're after, then the steak frites at Cafe Cluny will do the trick.