Katie Libby

When I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was writing about a new place called Blades, she quickly exclaimed, "THE Blades?!" For those that frequented the nightclub scene in the 1980s, Blades was apparently the place to be. Owner Sami Mina (of Aladdin's, Pomodoro, and Saha Med Grill) opened Blades in 1983, and has decided to resurrect the name for his new venture that serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch in the space next to Pomodoro Grill & Wine Bar.

Walking into the new brick and mortar location of Neno's Gourmet Mexican Street Food (649 Monroe Avenue), the first thing you notice is the vibrant colors on the walls -- a perfect complement to the colorful food truck that has been serving locals since 2015. The small space is ideal for grab-and-go, or setting up at the counter to wolf down a few tacos. Fidelio Rita Jr. runs the business with his brother, Eden, and sister, Ojayra.

Full disclosure: I have never been an adventurous sushi eater. I am that person that sheepishly orders the California Roll while my dinner companion is ordering the roll with four different types of fish and topped with colorful roe. When I learned that Next Door Bar and Grill had started to offer Omakase (translated from Japanese: "I will leave it to you," i.e. the chef chooses the courses) on Thursday nights, I decided to go leaps and bounds outside of my comfort zone and try it.