Hamlet Peralta and Max Pina's delightful Hudson River Cafe is a sign that this area of uptown is really hitting its stride. Adjacent to the railroad tracks (every once in awhile a train speeds by which is awesome), this airy indoor- outdoor dinner and Sunday brunch spot features the kind of patio only appreciated by true New Yorkers; that is, facing a huge lit up billboard and Fairway yet somehow still tropical and insulated. Live jazz Thursdays and on, and the kind of square bar one usually finds in the Caribbean, is the setting for chef Ricardo Cardona's scrumptious meals. We liked best the house seafood paella with langoustines, lobster tail, mussels, shrimp and calamari. A close-runner up are the ceviches, specifically the tuna and red snapper concoctions. Crab cakes are crisp and succulent and baby back ribs come glazed with an unusual guava sauce. If you can, snag a table up top, where the view of the tracks and overlooking the entire corner of the street makes for quintessential city dining.

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