Do you know about the fabulous, new, completely non-touristy Front Street dining scene, so close to PS 110? This is the perfect giftcard amount for brunch and a drink or two to check it out!

Our donor, Nelson Blue, is a pub and restaurant named for the owner's New Zealand hometown of Nelson, and is just about as close as you can get, both geographically and aesthetically, to New Zealand without leaving Manhattan.

The restaurant is located surprisingly near PS 110 at Front Street (just off FDR Dr. just north of South Street Seaport, near where the Fish Market used to be). Its menu is composed of authentic dishes, like imported New Zealand green-lipped mussels, and other sublime delicacies loaded with lamb. The drinks include a selection of Marlborough whites and Hawkes Bay reds and of course Kiwi beer brands.

Be sure to check out the awesome, handcrafted Maori war canoe-shaped bar and white, red and black tribal accents that give this pub the necessary Kiwi character, if owner Pauli's accent doesn't do it for you already. With flat screens abounding for essential rugby sessions and a stellar view of the Brooklyn Bridge for those less inclined to cheer on the All Blacks (rugby team), the heart and warmth of the pub speaks true of welcoming New Zealand culture.

www.nelsonblue.com           

Solicited by Laurie Gwen Shapiro