Lidia's is a nice place for a special occasion but misses the mark for this foodie. Their Octopus Appetizer is perfect however their pasta sampler was disappointing. One of the selections was not cooked and clumped together a silly mistake from the kitchen that shamed the attentive wait staff. Dessert was no better. My vanilla creme sauce looked like snot next to a melted mess of ice cream. Take a non foodie friend here to be nice but not for a culinary fun find.