Starting a section on restaurant reviews, and I figured why not start with one of my favorites?

Sugarcane Raw Bar and Grill isn’t just a restaurant, and that bumps it up to the top of my list. Its large outdoor bar, photo-op-friendly patio, and latin-pop music make it the perfect hang out place in Midtown. Want the ideal, cozy dinner spot? It’s got that too. I mean, you really can’t go wrong. Whether you’re in for happy hour or a culinary experience, I promise you’ll leave Sugarcane satisfied.

So what do you order at this multifaceted joint? A little bit of everything, of course! It’s tapa (or small plate) style dining, so you can literally try almost everything on the menu.

Some of my favorites are the Bacon-wrapped dates and the shrimp ceviche, both a little sweet but with a lotta flavor.

In the mood for sushi? No problem. They have you covered from a fresh sashimi selection that melts like butter on your tongue to artisan crafted specialty rolls like the habanero salmon that will leave you wishing you’d ordered that second roll.

Other small plates I live for are the five spice spare-ribs and the spanish octopus (life-changing, guys, I PROMISE). And how can I forget the sweet corn with spicy mayo and cotija cheese: YES, PLEASE!

Accompany that with a “Spice of Love,” a drink that combines passionfruit and jalapeño, and you have a meal that you’ll be ready to repeat almost immediately.