They should change the name of this place to Paz-WHOA! or Paz-OHHH! because those are the sounds you make when you eat the food. We stuck to the Tapas menu when we went and I'd say just over half the dishes were amazing-- do not pass up the Anchovies and the Broccoli (Let me devote an entire parenthetical to the best Broccoli I've ever had-- infused with lemon juice and chili oil and topped with Grana Padano--and you thought broccoli was a boring vegetable!).

Despite the fact I'd heard a lot about Pazo before dining there, I was caught off guard by it's Chicness. When I first walked in, it felt more like a club than a restaurant. At first I was intimidated by the necessary Valet parking and the posted dress code outside the door-- but was quickly learned it was all bupkiss as almost all the men failed to wear sports jackets with their designer t-shirts. Doesn't anyone follow the rules anymore?

As you might expect, Pazo runs a little expensive, but they definitely give you a lot of production value for the money.

Akbar is a great place full of, in my mind, positive associations. Lets start with the location, just below street level, which always makes me think of Cheers. Then take their name, which reminds me of the ridiculous comic strip, Akbar and Jeff. The wait staff are strangely stoic and serious, yet attentive and professional-- this reminds me of Batman's Butler, Alfred. And then there's the food-- tasty, warm, spicy, a good price--which reminds me that I'd like to eat their soon.

A nice little Indian restaurant incongruously placed amidst the Pasta Joints of Little Italy. We ate their because we were tragically under-dressed for most Little Italy establishments and it had a nice casual vibe. The food was very good, but not superior to Akbar. It was also a little overpriced-- about $15 for the vegetarian entrees. Based on what we saw, it looks like they have a pretty killer lunch buffet for only $6.95. So that may explain the steep dinner prices. I'd absolutely return for lunch, but I'd probably seek out alternatives for Indian dinners.