Solo Meal Next Week near Midtown, Reservations and Tranquility a Plus

[DC in DC]

I have an unexpected trip to NYC next Monday and don't follow the dining scene there. I would love a recommendation for a solo meal (preferably at the bar- and even better if I can make a reservation) in midtown-ish, but I can cab to someplace that fits the bill.  I'm looking for something not too loud. Had a great solo meal last month in Boston at Craigie on Main (thanks to Silentbob for the recommendation).  Thanks.

[zgast]

Where are you going to be in Midtown?  Might help narrow it down.

 

[DC in DC]

Thanks! I will be near the theatre district (but not seeing a show) and then staying near Lincoln Center. 

[DonRocks]

I was in your position last year, and had three solo meals in Midtown: Betony (*fantastic*, the best lunch I had in 2016, but closed), Carnegie Deli (glad I went one last time, because it's also closed), and Bar Americain (which was surprisingly good, and exceeded every expectation I had). I also took Matt to Yakitori Totto for my second visit, and if you like Yakitori - different parts of high-quality, whole, house-butchered grilled chickens sourced from upstate New York - I think you'll enjoy yourself here: *if* you can get in - it's tiny, and lines form right at the open. Yakitori Totto has changed over the years (they used to serve raw chicken, and no alcohol - neither are the case now), but it's still a very nice experience that you won't regret, but I must caution you about the lines (it's also pleasantly inexpensive).

I think you'll have a perfectly fine meal at Bar Americain, given your criteria, but it may be a bit far to the Southeast for you, and also a bit loud - but it's *huge* and absorbs sound well.

Yakitori Totto would be my choice from my recent experiences, given that it's quiet, the food is good, and they take reservations between 5:30 and 7 (call *today*).

[zgast]

On 2/28/2017 at 9:09 AM, DC in DC said:

Thanks! I will be near the theatre district (but not seeing a show) and then staying near Lincoln Center. 

I'd recommend cozying up to the bar at Le Barnardin.  3 courses for $55 or dishes a la carte for ~$25.  Definitely quiet.  You're worth it, trust me.  On 51st between 6th and 7th.

[DonRocks]

40 minutes ago, zgast said:

I'd recommend cozying up to the bar at Le Barnardin.  3 courses for $55 or dishes a la carte for ~$25.  Definitely quiet.  You're worth it, trust me.  On 51st between 6th and 7th.

I wasn't going to go there.

Yes, Le Bernardin is better than any of the places I mentioned; it's all a matter of how comfortable you are with the prices (but I didn't realize they had a 3-course menu for $55) - to this day, it remains the only restaurant where I've had scallop consommé.

This certainly gets my vote. Incidentally, one of the major pieces of art there was done by one of Magdalena's (my MIL's) best friends.

[zgast]

19 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

I wasn't going to go there.

Yes, Le Bernardin is better than any of the places I mentioned; it's all a matter of how comfortable you are with the prices (but I didn't realize they had a 3-course menu for $55) - to this day, it remains the only restaurant where I've had scallop consommé.

This certainly gets my vote. Incidentally, one of the major pieces of art there was done by one of Magdalena's (my MIL's) best friends.

Oh - I'll go there - as often as I can.  I guess my thought was that for a single dish, the price difference really is just a few dollars.  No way I'm walking out with less than three courses, but the option is there.  

[Keithstg]

Another option, and I would absolutely go to Le Bernardin btw, is DB Bistro Moderne.

[DonRocks]

6 hours ago, Keithstg said:

Another option, and I would absolutely go to Le Bernardin btw, is DB Bistro Moderne.

Yes - these restaurants are all in the New York City Dining Guide, by the way. I say "New York City Dining Guide" with a grain of salt, because it's really a list of restaurants, without any sort of attempt at ranking them (unlike Washington DC). I simply do not have the expertise to rank any city's restaurants other than in the DC area, so the other cities are alphabetized within neighborhood - the New York guide is still surprisingly useful, because people tend only to discuss the better restaurants (if we have a thread for a restaurant, it's in the dining guide).

BTW, the Manhattan Dining Guide uses the World Trade Center as a starting point, and works its way from proximal to distal - this, as my own small way of honoring the 9/11 victims - so, the further you go down the page, the further you go from the World Trade Center.

Newspapers claim that the back page is the second-most read page (after the front page), and I like the fact that Harlem is at the very bottom of the Manhattan Dining Guide for this reason. In my own mind, it's an indirect way of paying homage to the great Harlem culture, even though there's no way anyone would ever know this.

[Lori Gardner]

I had three great meals recently all in the Flatiron District.  The area isn't that far from Times Square area, and seems to be gaining ground as a dining destination in the city.  The restaurants are Cosme (modern Mexican), Atoboy (Korean small plates) and Pondicheri (casual Indian).  Details are on my blog here:

http://beenthereeatenthat.net/2017/03/new-york/