Our restaurant review for February/March is a New York favorite of mine, Joanie's at 126 E. 28th St. in New York City.

I thought this would be a perfect time to review this romantic eatery with Valentine's Day upon us. Tucked away between Lexington and Park Ave., Joanie's is a romantic second floor hideaway, just slightly off the beaten path.

When you enter the front door you ascend a long staircase of leopard carpeting. And at the top you walk into what might be mistaken for Auntie Mame's sitting room. The lighting is warm and you are suddenly inside an Valentine Card. The walls are a deep true red to enhance the real gold leaf ceilings and red velvet banquettes. There are touches of 1950's high glamour with the details of zebra and leopard bar stools and chairs.

When you first enter the room you may be greeted by a striking 6-foot-tall blond who happens to be Joanie herself. If she has time out from her frantic schedule, she gives a warm welcome to guests as they enter by the small and cozy bar in the front. By the way, the bar is known for their wonderful martinis! I can't imagine how I know that.

The dining room is a long thin room that extends into two dining areas, also available for private parties. 

To start our meal, there is an exceptional wine list by bottle and by the glass. The appetizers we sampled were the Warm Lobster Salad with Basil Vinaigrette and the Martini Shrimp.

The Lobster Salad was fabulous. Large chunks of lobster on a bed of greens and artichoke hearts in a delicate basil vinaigrette. And my companion, singer Aaron Lee Battle, let me sample his Martini Shrimp. An unusual taste treat with shrimp rolled in polenta on the side of a martini glass filled with salad of avocado and fennel.

For our entrees we enjoyed The Braised Lamb Shank over a Polenta Pancake and the Seared Snapper with Saffron Sauce. The lamb shank was not only delectable but also huge. The meat was delicate and tender and the polenta pancake was a perfect compliment of flavor. As for the seared snapper, a beautiful fresh piece of fish with a gentle saffron sauce not to bury the flavor. 

During dinner you may see Chef Marcel Agnez stop by the table to see if you are loving the food. Chef Marcel, formerly of The Plaza Etienne of New York, brings his marvelous eclectic French cuisine to Joanie's.

For dessert we'll suggest Kaluha for Chocolate, a flourless chocolate cake with a Kaluha and chocolate center. Aaron had to vouch for that one since I don't like desserts.

In closing, I highly recommend Joanie's for Valentine's Day or any romantic evening. It also happens to be around the corner from The Jazz Standard on E. 27th St. where you can catch some live jazz after dinner. Also, Joanie's occasionally has live music on certain week nights. Call in advance for details

JOANIE'S
126 E. 28TH St.
New York, NY
212-689-5656