Dining in New York City

[Hannah]

Esca and Aquavit are both reasonably close to Times Square (and I enjoyed their food way more than I did db bistro's).

[cjsadler]

Also, is there a version of DonRockwell.com for NYC? Egullet seems OK, but is surprisingly inactive. Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks.

I've wondered about this too (but haven't looked too hard myself). There's gotta be something similar to DR.com for NYC that's a bit more active than EG.

[silentbob]

I'm working out of our NYC office tomorrow before dinner/dessert at Blue Ribbon and WD-50. Both db Bistro Moderne and Esca are about a 5 minute walk away for lunch. Based on the comments I've read here and elsewhere, I can't seem to decide where to go. The choice would've been easy if I wanted the $29 burger, but I'm already set on getting the beef marrow and steak tartare at Blue Ribbon tomorrow night.

db Pros: Coq au vin, one of my best meals ever was at Cafe Boulud

db Cons: Have read some bad reviews, can probably get similar food in DC

Esca pros: There's no restaurant in DC serving food like this

Esca cons: As I posted about my meals at Sea Catch and Hank's, my palate is way too unsophisticated to appreciate good fish/seafood

Any other factors that should weigh on my decision?

[Hannah]

Any other factors that should weigh on my decision?

Esca also has gorgeous pasta dishes. (ricotta gnocchi, mmmmm)

[schnyder]

I will be in NYC soon and would appreciate information on the following restaurants-

WD-50

Thanks.

Hope it's not too late, but I would recommend WD-50. The food is innovative, to be sure. The presentation is so interesting and unusual that you're challenged because it doesn't look like good-tasting food should look like. But both my dishes (tongue, with the fried mayonnaise cubes, and pork belly with a thick and savory, but clear, sauce) were unbelieveably good. You're almost challenged by the appearance to disregard your vision and trust your pallate. The place in DC that comes closest to this is Cafe Atlantico. They're definitely creeping into innovative and unusual over there (and I haven't even been to Minibar) without call attention to themselves or sacrificing flavor or quality.

If you want to go traditional, WD50 not for you. It's in the Lower East Side (50 Clinton) but remember the cross streets (Stanton and Rivington), because both times I've been, the cabbie had no idea where 50 Clinton was.

[silentbob]

WD-50 is also a few blocks away from the Delancey/Essex subway station.

I picked db. It's actually just around the corner from our NYC office. Also, one of my best friends had a great dinner there last week.

The set-up is kinda unconventional -- there is a front dining room, at the back of which is stairs leading up to the hosts. Then, there is the bar area with two tables for individuals on one side and two communal tables on the other side. Behind this area is the back dining room. I sat at one of the individual bar area tables, which was only several feet away from the hosts, so it felt kinda weird having everyone walking near or past me while I was eating. But the people-watching was fun, too.

Regarding the meal itself, I had the heirloom tomato salad with basil, two triangular slices of ricotta, and two fried polenta sticks. Perfect summer dish, and I am slowly appreciating why some people on this board are tomato snobs who only eat them during certain months. The green tomatoes had a dull tanginess, while the yellow ones were tangy in a much sharper and more complex way. Red ones (both the slices and cherry-shaped) were packed with sweet acidity. I didn't expect much from the ricotta but they provided sufficient saltiness. The polenta accomplished the same and were perfectly fried.

Main course was the coq au vin. Not at all a summer dish, but I had to try the Daniel Boulud version. Fairly standard ingredients-wise with lardons, wild mushrooms, and pearl onions, but executed at an impeccable level. The only semi-twist was that the dish was served with a very generous portion of spaetzle (in its very own Staub mini-ramekin). Like the raviolini at Notti Bianche, I could eat this once a week and never get bored. Perfect comfort food, which I badly needed after having driven up from MD at 5:30 this morning. My only criticism is that the chicken, while sufficiently tender, had a slightly gummy texture. But that's just nit-picking for its own sake.

Including a drink, tax, and tip, total bill was just over $60. A bit pricey but mostly worth it. On par with the lunch I had at Eve recently, perhaps slightly better. Next time I'll probably end up going back to Cafe Boulud. My palate is probably not quite ready for Daniel yet.

Although the portions were generous, my stomach is thankfully not that full anymore. Can't wait for Blue Ribbon and WD-50 tonight.

[jm chen]

We took NYC at a run this weekend, and had most of our meals on the fly. Spent all our money seeing Sweeney Todd instead (which was incredible, so, good choice.)

Got into town around 10pm Friday, and walked down to Union Square Cafe for dessert and wine. Excellent cheese plate, three for $10, and the upside-down cherry cake was awesome as well. Sitting at the bar there is very cozy and welcoming, I highly recommend it.

Brunch at a place called Cafeteria, perfectly nice. They're seeing the drawback of white banquettes and chairs, though. Hard to keep clean. My turkey sausage unexpectedly had cinnamon in it and was too soft-textured, but the cheese grits were tasty.

Saturday afternoon we wandered through the Union Square Greenmarket, and bought some Womanchego off the good folks from Cato Corner (tempted to stock up on their Hooligan, but we weren't headed anywhere refrigerated.) From there we hit the Shake Shack. Probably waited 20-25 minutes for a Shackburger, large vanilla shake, and a Taxi Dog. The dog was just OK but the burger was truly awesome. A touch of crust on the outside, just enough. Totally worth the wait.

Sunday we were going to try 'wichcraft, but the supposed Union Square location next to Craft (on West 19th) doesn't actually exist. So, not unhappily, we found ourselves back at the bar at Union Square Cafe for a late lunch. The calamari is wonderfully crisp and not at all greasy. And my gnudi with sweet corn were melty, rich, and delicious. Two bellinis, a couple oysters, two appetizer portions of pasta and the calamari set us back $60 before tip. Not a bargain. But a lovely, cozy, fairly filling lunch.

Last stop before the airport: Laboratorio del Gelato, on Orchard near Allen. Dang, that's good gelato. I got a medium, which entitles you to three flavors, which in my case were acacia honey, basil, and Greek yogurt. The yogurt overpowers the others a little, but all three flavors were out of this world. I made some friends in line who raved about the green apple and the dark chocolate.

Oh, and somewhere in there was a visit to Artisanal to check out their cheese selection. The shop isn't separate -- it's a counter at the back of the restaurant. Gorgeous cheeses. All very expensive. I don't know how much I paid for Red Hawk at Cowgirl the other day, but Artisanal was charging $25/lb, which seems high. In any case, the chevre in schnapps was not worth what I paid for it, but the goat cheddar definitely was.

[ol_ironstomach]

No need to thank me, my fellow Rockwellians, as I consider it my solemn duty to take one for the team. And that means right now, I'm dealing with the arduous digestive aftermath of stuffing my face with most of a large sausage pizza from Totonno's in Coney Island this afternoon. Maybe I could have made it easier on myself, had I not earlier finished a preposterous one-pound ice-cream sandwich from Bierkraft, made from a pair of Valrhona chocolate and dried cherry blondies and a serious 1.25 inch slab of Il Laboratorio del Gelato chocolate gelato, but a fading effort would have been tantamount to declaring defeat after Friday's benchmark - personal-sized pizzas from Franny's, the locally-sourced sustainable-agriculture gourmet wonder, followed by a delicate and melting pumpkin/vanilla ice-cream sandwich from One Girl Cookies.

My taste buds have been writing checks that my digestive tract is now working overtime to cash. How did I make it from day-to-day? Liberal application of Islay as a digestif - 15 yo Laphroaig and 18 yo Caol Ila. All for you, my dear friends. Okay, that's a bald-faced lie. Some for you. Effort, not the Scotch. And now I gotta make some room for those Aussie meat pies that I'm planning to bring back tomorrow.

Seriously though, a few thoughts. It was a rainy, crappy day today, so we stepped up our visit to the original Totonno's by a couple of hours. "Original" has extra significance here - Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano is the second oldest pizzeria name in the US, and the oldest continuously operating one (Lombardi's has been resurrected a few times, and operates a couple of blocks up from their original location). One family has been making pizza here since 1924. It's a piece of the true cross, you might say, the original neighborhood pizza joint. They don't make a high-falutin' gourmet pizza here; what you get is the archtypal New York pie, with a dark, chewy crust just sturdy enough for the tip to stay up when you pick up a slice, a simple and delicious tomato sauce, and a combination of cheeses that starts with hand-cut slabs of fresh mozzarella. The brick oven is ancient, and the pizzaiolo (Mike (Ciminieri?), when we visited) has to rotate and relocate the pizzas as they bake to even out the hot spots, but the results are everything you wish for in a NY pizza. There is no pizza more honest than this one.

Franny's represents a new-wave approach. The ingredients are carefully sourced and organic where possible. The sausage is made on-site, as is the prosciutto. The crust is almost impossibly thin; you can almost see the pizzaiolo's wristwatch tan as he stretches the dough. Some of the pizzas are sauced, but others run with hardly more than a well-flavored olive oil. Pizzas are sized for one individual. We had a mozzarella+tomato sauce+sausage pizza, and a olive oil+chili+clam+parsley pizza, and both were fantastic. The crust develops little burned bubbles here and there but mostly remains a light color. They were light, with a light chewiness, but incredibly flavorful. The clam pizza could have used more clams, but the spicy oil worked brilliantly. I hate picking favorites, but I think I liked Franny's pizzas more than any other I've ever had.

I'm going to try to talk Gubeen into hitting DiFara's before I leave town tomorrow. Maybe.

On to the ice cream sandwiches. Viz the recent New York Metro article, we tried both One Girl and Bierkraft. At One Girl, they apologized for the softness of the gelato - our sandwiches were made-to-order. Two moist pumpkin-pie-spiced cookies surrounded a moderate layer of ricotta gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato...any more gelato and they would have been impossible to hold without creating an oozing mess. They were unlike any ice-cream sandwich I've ever seen, more like hand-held morsels of pumpkin pie a la mode. You couldn't really carry these any distance; they had to be eaten on the spot. Small, delicate, and divine. The Bierkraft sandwiches were more traditional. The cookies were chewy-firm, and the gelato hard-frozen. They were delicious, but what weighed mostly on my mind was their sheer massiveness. Two people could have easily split one of them and been well-satisfied. Given a choice, the One Girl sandwich wins my vote easily, but the Bierkraft sandwich was quite credible.

[ol_ironstomach]

I'm going to try to talk Gubeen into hitting DiFara's before I leave town tomorrow. Maybe.

She didn't need much convincing.

At DiFara Pizza (Avenue J and 15th St., Midwood, Brooklyn) you should expect to wait a bit. Domenico DeMarco isn't getting any younger, and since he has to make every pizza and every slice, you might as well stand still and watch the master at work. His economy of motion and deliberate pace betray a lifetime of stretching dough and grating the cheeses - fresh mozzarella on the box grater, grana padano in a hand-cranked grinder. The fact that he's been the highest-rated pizzeria in the NYC Zagat survey for most of the past decade underscores the fact that Zagat is primarily a popularity contest and not a critical assessment. In a one-on-one comparison of pies, I'd choose a Franny's slice over a DiFara slice. But just barely, and largely because Franny's tries harder to be a gourmet pizza. There's no question that Franny's uses fancier ingredients. At DiFara's, there is no table service...they don't even have time to wipe down the tables, usually. It's cluttered, with herb pots growing in the windows and boxes of canned San Marzano tomatoes with basil from Italy stacked next to the counter. There's scant room between the oven, the ancient marble workbench and its dusty coat of flour, and a small window open to the sidewalk through which occasionally, a neighborhood regular will yell to Dom in Italian. DiFara's ace in the hole is seventy-ish DeMarco himself. More cheese is grated. He reaches for a fistful of fresh herbs, and with scissors he liberates fresh shreds over the pie under assembly. His sixth sense tells him to turn the pizza that's already been baking for one last time. A quick check of the crust and he pushes it to another spot in the oven for a final twenty seconds. The resulting pizza is delicious, with a well-browned but lighter-weight crust that droops a little when you pick up a slice, and a good chewiness...better balanced than Totonno's I think. It's a gem, and a great straight-up pizza.

Backing up a couple of days, I need to plug Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies over in Red Hook. In the middle of a tired looking industrial district, a couple of curiously out-of-place driftwood signs that read "KEY LIME PIES" in bright green hand-lettering direct you to an end warehouse, with an old Airstream trailer parked in front of it. Here be pies. A 10" pie, suitable for eight, will set you back about $18 at the shop. They're a proper pale off-white, and at once both sweet and puckeringly citric...Steve's crew squeezes 30-40 fresh key limes per pie, instead of resorting to buying bulk juice. Fantastic.

[crazeegirl]

Two weekends ago, my 2 sisters and I tried Lupa and it was one of those places that make you wish you were living in NYC. We started with the oxtail appetizer and the cold seafood platter to share. The oxtail was not exactly what I was thinking of...I thought I would be getting braised oxtails, but these were oxtail meat pressed into thin round slices with all the gelatinous goodness dressed with orange slices and balsamic vinegar.... the cold seafood platter made me longingly look at the proscuitto platter on the table next to ours. The "fried" lamb chops were better than similar versions I ever had in Rome (until Lupa, I thought I would never eat a better version). The order of fried radishes with honey...yes, fried radishes. They had the most interesting texture...it still had the crunchiness and bitterness of a baby radish but somehow is was mellowed out by the quick swim in the oil. The two pasta dishes gnochii with sausages (pillowy heaven) and bucatini arrabiata could not have been any better.

With 2 bottles of wine, 2 appetizers (the seafood app cost around $22), 3 mains, 2 sides and dessert was $160 after tax and before tip.

Other meals in the city that weekend included Joe's Shanghai (twice), Balthazar and Willys.

[Banco]

Can any of you seasoned visitors to NYC tell me about a good place for a pre-opera dinner for me and my parents? Our curtain time at the Met is at 7:30 on a Thursday. We would be looking for something French, Italian, or Contemporary American. The food is the first priority, followed by price and atmosphere. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[mame11]

Can any of you seasoned visitors to NYC tell me about a good place for a pre-opera dinner for me and my parents? Our curtain time at the Met is at 7:30 on a Thursday. We would be looking for something French, Italian, or Contemporary American. The food is the first priority, followed by price and atmosphere. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

I normally refer people to La Bonne Soupe for pre-theater meals.

However, the Met is practically neighbors to the most upscale food court (probably) in the world... The Restaurant Collection at Time Warner Center. In fact I'd say Bouchon Bakery review might be a great treat...

[silentbob]

Can any of you seasoned visitors to NYC tell me about a good place for a pre-opera dinner for me and my parents? Our curtain time at the Met is at 7:30 on a Thursday.

My NYC friends have said very good things about Cafe Gray and Picholine.

So my dinner at Blue Ribbon last month was hit-or-miss, but the hits were sublime. On the downside, the fried oysters were fairly nondescript for $16.50 and the greens in the warm goat cheese salad were quite bland.

That said, the beef marrow and oxtail marmalade on toast was one of the best dishes I've ever had. Marrow is starting to replace foie gras as my favorite "rich" foods. Like a savory dessert. Another big winner was the fried skate with potatoes, bacon, and shrimp. I had never tried skate before...wow! A seafood dish that tastes like fried chicken, who knew? Finally, the steak tartare (like the marrow) was ultra-rich and creamy, but with enough tang and meaty flavor.

After dinner, my friend and I walked across the Village to the Lower East Side for the 5-course dessert tasting menu at WD-50. Sam Mason is gone, and Alex Stupak (the former pastry chef at Alinea) has replaced him. Generally speaking, the flavor combinations served that night were bold but a bit too out-there for our tastes. By contrast, we thought that Chef Mason's desserts managed the right balance of creativity and accessibility.

What I liked:

- peach puree, soy milk, strawberries, buckwheat ice cream - the buckwheat ice cream was AWESOME. Oddly addictive, and it could probably be paired with a lot of savory dishes in the right context. The tiny wild strawberries were also packed with zing.

What I thought was okay:

- menthol mousse, lemon, chartreuse, melon sorbet - decently refreshing, but a dessert should not taste like medicine!

- shortbread, jasmine ice cream, banana, saffron - I don't get why saffron in food is such a big deal. The jasmine ice cream was a great palate cleanser after a long night of eating, though.

- soft chocolate, avocado, licorice, lime - the chocolate was fine. I was interested in the combination with lime, because chocolate often works well with orange (e.g., Milano cookies). The avocado was totally out of place. An intriguing dish, if nothing else.

What I disliked:

- black currant cake, black sesame, shiso, meringue - the cake was fine. The black sesame goo, on the other hand, did not work at all. Maybe I'm too unsophisticated, but it simply did not taste good.

The service was excellent. The manager asked for our input about the desserts and seemed genuinely interested in hearing what we said. He also comped us a glass of port (which was totally unnecessary but a generous gesture nonetheless) because he thought the time between courses was too long, which totally wasn't the case.

My only quibble with WD-50, having eaten there twice now, is that the decor is borderline hideous. But I also have no aptitude for interior decorating whatsoever, so take that with a grain of salt.

[Suzanne F]

Can any of you seasoned visitors to NYC tell me about a good place for a pre-opera dinner for me and my parents? Our curtain time at the Met is at 7:30 on a Thursday. We would be looking for something French, Italian, or Contemporary American. The food is the first priority, followed by price and atmosphere. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Telepan starts serving at 5:00pm, is close by (West 69th Street), and is terrific. And they use Rancho Gordo beans, for those of you who know him.

[Banco]

Just a word to thank those who provided tips. My first choice would have been Telepan, but my parents are not as profligate as I when it comes to food, so we're going to compass (just three blocks from the Met). I look forward to it, and shall report back.

[hillvalley]

I'm going to be in Tribeca this weekend and am looking for Chinese, dumpling, and Japanese suggestions. We be going back and forth between Tribeca and Park Slope so anything in between would be great, although I will be looking for late night sushi in Tribeca tomorrow. If there any other can't be missed shops, eateries, bars, etc. around Tribeca that would be helpful as well.

[Meaghan]

I'm going to be in Tribeca this weekend and am looking for Chinese, dumpling, and Japanese suggestions. We be going back and forth between Tribeca and Park Slope so anything in between would be great, although I will be looking for late night sushi in Tribeca tomorrow. If there any other can't be missed shops, eateries, bars, etc. around Tribeca that would be helpful as well.

In Tribeca, go to Danube's lounge and drink yummy Austrian wine. Call Rocks when you have the wine list in hand..

[crazeegirl]

I really liked L'Imperio when I was there in January and I thought it was a much better experience both food and atmosphere-wise than Babbo.

That said, I'd be hard-pressed not to go back to Hearth. They are doing some damn fine cooking there these days.

Jennifer

I'm in NYC until this afternooon for business...and returning back to NYC tomorrow for some fun. Past couple dinners were "ehh" at most. We had consecutive meals at Blue Fin at the W since we were too tired to leave the hotel after returning from work. I just don't get the concept...not japanese, not really american...but lots of eye candy, esp. at the Whiskey Bar!

I am planning to go to Límpero (any one been since bookluvinbabe?)...updates, must eats recommendations would be appreciated. Any good dimsum recommendations? I've heard Dimsum Go Go was good but anywhere else that serves up better delights than HEOTB or Mark's Duck?

Lastly Lupa again or Otto or Esca? or....?

Thanks in advance!

[Gubeen]

For dim sum, I like Jin Fong on Elizabeth Street south of Canal. It is about a 10 minute walk from Tribeca.

For a wonderful late night drink, try the Brandy Library. They have an amazing list of brandies, cognacs, armangacs and single malts.

Sushi, Blue Ribbon in Soho is probably some of the best in the city but the wait is forever, better to try the one in Park Slope -- same fresh fish, less wait.

When are you going to be in my 'hood? I would love to see you!

Fresh for good fish is also great.

Have fun!

[bookluvingbabe]

I'm going to be in Tribeca this weekend and am looking for Chinese, dumpling, and Japanese suggestions. We be going back and forth between Tribeca and Park Slope so anything in between would be great, although I will be looking for late night sushi in Tribeca tomorrow. If there any other can't be missed shops, eateries, bars, etc. around Tribeca that would be helpful as well.

Not Chinese, dumpling or Japanese but if you're going to be in Park Slope, I have to mention Cafe Steinhof some damn fine Austrian cooking. On 7th Avenue around 12th Street. The saurbraten is a thing of beauty.

As for Tribeca, it's a total stereotype but Nobu is a nice choice for sushi.

I've never been but friends report good thing about Bubby's. http://www.bubbys.com/

Somehow there is never enough time to get all the eating in when I'm in NY.

Good luck and please report back on any good Park Slope findings.

Jennifer

[Gubeen]

I forgot....

Blue Gans 139 Duane Street. Viennese, get the blood sausages!!!

Shangai Gourmet or Cafe on Mott Street just north of Canal for the best soup dumplings, shrimp with rice cakes, scallion pancakes, cold spicey cabbage, mock duck etc... better than dim sum since you could make a meal from all the yummy appetizers.

Finally, it you are in NoLita/Soho, Rice to Riches, the rice pudding place on Spring Street between Mott and Mulberry.

[cgarden]

I'm going to be in Tribeca this weekend and am looking for Chinese, dumpling, and Japanese suggestions. We be going back and forth between Tribeca and Park Slope so anything in between would be great, although I will be looking for late night sushi in Tribeca tomorrow. If there any other can't be missed shops, eateries, bars, etc. around Tribeca that would be helpful as well.

For dumplings, I like New Green Bo in Chinatown (on Bayard between Elizabeth and Mott). For sushi, I'd go with Tomoe (on Thompson between Bleeker and Houston), but there's nearly always a line out the door - whenever I go back to New York, I wait though the line, but others may be less enthusiastic about that proposition. To the best of my knowledge, it's open for lunch and dinner on Saturday, but closed all day on Sunday.

[DC in DC]

We will be throwing a very casual lunch baby shower for about 20 people in NYC. Can anyone recommend restaurants or places where we could order platters of food? I'm already thinking of Sable's for smoked fish, cold cuts, etc. Does not have to be terribly gourmet-- low-hassle and price are more pressing concerns. I am looking for recommendations for Italian (e.g. lasagna), Chinese (noodles, dumplings). Something along those lines...(Yes I know it's sounding a bit random.)

[Gubeen]

We will be throwing a very casual lunch baby shower for about 20 people in NYC. Can anyone recommend restaurants or places where we could order platters of food? I'm already thinking of Sable's for smoked fish, cold cuts, etc. Does not have to be terribly gourmet-- low-hassle and price are more pressing concerns. I am looking for recommendations for Italian (e.g. lasagna), Chinese (noodles, dumplings). Something along those lines...(Yes I know it's sounding a bit random.)

Where will you be in NYC? Zabar's and Freshdirect (www.freshdirect.com) both do nice appetizing platters. Let me know and I will give you some more ideas.

[DC in DC]

Where will you be in NYC? Zabar's and Freshdirect (www.freshdirect.com) both do nice appetizing platters. Let me know and I will give you some more ideas.

Thanks Gubeen. I'll be on Roosevelt Island; delivery would of course be most ideal, but pick-up is also possible.

[hillvalley]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately I ended up having very little say where we ate and therefore only had two noteworthy meals. One was at Rosewater, a tiny little place in Brooklyn. Just to be fair, it should be noted that I have known the chef for over 15 years. That being said, his kitchen is putting out food that is not to be missed. Ethan concentrates on local, organic, and small producer items and the emphasis on quality shows in his cooking. The house charcuterie (despite being cured in the basement of his sous' parents in New Jersey) and venison are among dishes not to be missed. All of the ports on his dessert list are from small, independent producers.

The other noteworthy meal was breakfast this morning at some random Chinese place on Mott (I think) in Chinatown. We drove by while looking for a parking space and for some reason it called to me. We all had soups with noodles and different dumplings, plus an order of shumai and snow pea leaf dumplings. I don't know that I would be able to find it again, but to me, that is an example of the beauty of the ever-expanding Chinatown. The meal could be easily replicated in a dozen other places surrounding the restaurant I dined in this morning.

[Banco]

My parents and I had an early dinner last Thursday before seeing Faust at the Met. Compass, next door to the Café Luxembourg, is a beautiful, elegant space with a somewhat Asian feel, with (if memory serves) lots of translucent green glass, slate, and dark wood. We were practically the only ones there at first, but more people began to flow in as the evening progressed, though the large dining room was never more than about a fourth full, if even that.

Compass offers a very reasonable 3-course prix fixe for $35, which has got to be one of the best deals in Manhattan, but we all ended up ordering a la carte. First came a beautifully executed amuse of tiny morsels of octopus and mussels marinated in ouzu. My parents then followed with a butternut squash velouté, a Dungeness crab salad, and stout-braised short ribs. I did not try any of my parents' dishes, but they were by all accounts excellent. The crab salad was a particular hit, and went extremely well with an Ürziger Würzgarten from the extensive and eclectic open wine list.

I had two appetizers (a rare-seared bluefin tuna special with a balsamic reduction, and a warm oxtail terrine with salsa verde and black-eyed peas) and one main (pan-seared halibut with mushroom fricassé, salsify, creamy polenta and port wine reduction). It bothered me that the two appetizers were put in front of me at the same time. The tuna special was the requisite rare but tasted as though it had been reheated or kept warm for too long. The flavors and combination here were nothing special or unique. Overall the dish was competent, nothing more. The oxtail terrine should perhaps not have been served warm, as the heat accentuated the already gelatinous texture of the meat and made it taste, look, and feel more like rillets than a terrine. Again, nothing very special here. The halibut, on the other hand, was memorable: perfectly cooked with a light crust from the sear, the obviously high quality of the fish accentuated and deepened by the choice of garnishes so that everything worked well together and the elements played off each other in the mouth. A Pinot Noir whose details I cannot recall managed to accompany both this dish and my dad's short-ribs to good effect.

Aside from the two-appetizers-at-once issue, service was excellent, with a professional seriousness that I have hardly ever encountered in the DC area. The bar knows how to make an ice-cold martini without also making it watery, frothy or ruining it with bits of ice. That's not hard to do, but it does show a care and thoughtfulness which, sadly, are hard to find.

Just a few blocks from the Met and with dinner service beginning at five o-clock, Compass is an excellent choice for pre-theater dining. Its prices, too, are reasonable even by DC standards, but for Manhattan amount almost to a bargain. Still, the food needs some adjustments, above all because it's obvious from the seriousness that has already gone into the cooking that it could be significantly better without a great deal more effort--perhaps just the same kind of care and thoughtfulness that went into my martini.

[Gubeen]

Thanks Gubeen. I'll be on Roosevelt Island; delivery would of course be most ideal, but pick-up is also possible.

Argh, I know nothing of Roosevelt Island. I would stick with FreshDirect. They have great cheese and meat platters and very good breads.

[Keithstg]

Thanks Gubeen. I'll be on Roosevelt Island; delivery would of course be most ideal, but pick-up is also possible.

Agata and Valentina may have what you are looking for - 79th and 1st ave, lots closer to Roosevelt Island than Zabar's. They will also deliver.

[bonaire]

I'm in NYC for the gajillionth time this month and am staying around midtown east tonight (E. 42nd). Any suggestions on a place not terribly expensive w/ a good bar to sit at? Or takeout that I can bring back to my hotel and watch "movies"? Sushi, Italian, sammiches, bar food preferred, around E. 42nd street.

And I'm kidding about the movies. Really.

[Gubeen]

My first question is why are you staying around E42nd??? (ignore that)

I am starting with my personal mid-town favorite The Bar at the Modern Museum of Art(53rd btwn 5th and 6th). You can get a great cocktail ($9-12), and select a series of smaller plates similar to PS 7's menu for ($12-25). It is a great people watching spot and the mixologists know their stuff. It is a Danny Meyer restaurant and the service is very good and quite friendly.

The East 42nd St area is home to numerous Japanese restaurants. I personally like Yama (E49th btwn 1st and 2nd) for sushi and Abunya Kinnosuke (213 East 45th btwn 2nd and 3rd) for sushi and more traditional meals.

If you are willing to travel further west... I like Koti Roll (see ol_ironstomach's posting) for quick, cheap (2 rolls <$11) and very tasty take-out and a nice walk. Koti Roll is open 24hrs and is located on 46th btwn 6th and 7th. They make only one thing but it is great take-out food.

Italian starts to get pricey. I usually suggest A Voce (apps around $13, entrees $20-30 and des $12). I will keep noodling until I figure out a few cheaper places... A Voce is a bit farther downtown (Madison @ 26th St).

If you are willing to go to A Voce, you might want to check out the Cafe at Grammercy Tavern as well. I love eating at the Bar. The same great food, a smaller menu but easier to get into.

Hope that helps and let me know what you decide.

[bonaire]

Thanks Gubeen! Those are great suggestions. I will use the next half hour to decide which one to take!

The E. 42nd Street isn't my choosing -- my company is based on 42nd -- I'm up here at least once a week and need to take the time to venture outside of my midtown base more often!

[MeMc]

Fun, dorky blogger contest: in 100 words or less, write who is your favorite restaurant critic and why. Here's the link.

This is the entertaining part: The winning entry will be judged by Jeff Steingarten (shown above, doing what he does best, eating and talking about it); David Kamp, the author of the brilliant United States of Arugula; and me (Ed Levine). The winner will be taken to lunch or dinner by Steingarten and me at a mutually agreed upon date. You will receive signed books from both of us as well.

This contest will not be considered complete until we get at least 50 responses. So tell your friends about ELE's Who's Your Favorite Resaurant Critic contest.

A wonderful dinner with scintillating company awaits the winner.

Who do you think it'll be? There's a picture of Reichl there, but I'm skeptical.

[clayrae]

My mom and her husband are going to see Wicked in NYC this weekend.

They called me up and asked me for restaurant suggestions, with the following qualifiers (ugh):

“Someplace close to the Gershwin Theater 222 West 51st Street, because we don’t want to travel far, and someplace at least a little vegetarian friendly, either for lunch or for dinner.”

Anyone have a suggestion for this challenge?

[MeMc]

My mom and her husband are going to see Wicked in NYC this weekend.

They called me up and asked me for restaurant suggestions, with the following qualifiers (ugh):

“Someplace close to the Gershwin Theater 222 West 51st Street, because we don’t want to travel far, and someplace at least a little vegetarian friendly, either for lunch or for dinner.”

Anyone have a suggestion for this challenge?

Becco? , food and wine is awesome. Don't know how veggie friendly it is, but it's not a barren wasteland if you don't like meat, if I recall.

[schnyder]

Going to NYC next week. Does anyone know if Del Posto serves dinner at the bar? It's too late for reservations, but I'd like to pop in and try the food.

[Hannah]

Del Posto definitely has bar dining; Bruni did a piece on eating at the bar back in July in which Del Posto figured pretty significantly. The article in question..

[schnyder]

Del Posto definitely has bar dining; Bruni did a piece on eating at the bar back in July in which Del Posto figured pretty significantly. The article in question..

Perfect, thanks!

[Gubeen]

Becco? , food and wine is awesome. Don't know how veggie friendly it is, but it's not a barren wasteland if you don't like meat, if I recall.

I would try Thalia on 50th and 8th Avenue. They have a pretty decent menu (the polenta with wild mushrooms is excellent.) and it is nice restaurant. I don't know about Becco.

[Keithstg]

Del Posto receives two michelin stars in the 2007 Guide update...

Some articles of interest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/24/dining/2...age&oref=slogin (NY Times - reg. required)

http://michelinguide.com/stars_nyc_07.html (the official Michelin announcement)

Some surprises this year, but not a ton.

[MODWOP]

QUOTE(clayrae @ Oct 23 2006, 04:43 PM)

My mom and her husband are going to see Wicked in NYC this weekend.

They called me up and asked me for restaurant suggestions, with the following qualifiers (ugh):

“Someplace close to the Gershwin Theater 222 West 51st Street, because we don’t want to travel far, and someplace at least a little vegetarian friendly, either for lunch or for dinner.”

Anyone have a suggestion for this challenge?

Becco? , food and wine is awesome. Don't know how veggie friendly it is, but it's not a barren wasteland if you don't like meat, if I recall.

We were just at Becco (POST-theatre) two weekends ago. Somewhat vegetarian friendly: a fair amount of starters to pick from including salads soups and vegetarian appetizers, but the entrees are almost exclusively meat/seafood based. They will however, fix a "vegetarian plate" of the contorni or vegetable sides for $18.00....including their polentina, mushrooms, broccoli rabe, etc. It's low-maintenance homestyle italian (part of the Bastianich empire) experience with a very reasonable wine list. Word of warning - it's always packed pre-theatre and well after; best bet for "walk-up" dining is lunch or after 10:00pm.

[bookluvingbabe]

I find myself without dinner plans or companions on Monday night in New York.

I'm staying near Park and 28th, I don't mind wandering a bit, and my office is paying...

What's a girl to do?

Turn to her pals her for suggestions!

Thanks!

[jparrott]

Craftbar.

[schnyder]

I find myself without dinner plans or companions on Monday night in New York.

I'm staying near Park and 28th, I don't mind wandering a bit, and my office is paying...

What's a girl to do?

Turn to her pals her for suggestions!

Thanks!

I don't know much about that part of town. Mesa Grill and Union Pacific are nearby, but I've not been to either so I shouldn't comment. I'm a big fan of Babbo, so I would hop in a cab and dine at the bar there--especially if I was alone. It's at 110 Waverly in the Village. The bar area gets really crowded, so go early or late (5:30-6:30 or after 9:30), or prepare to wait up to an hour. If there's not a seat at the bar when you get there, tell the host you'd like to dine at the bar. That way you're not fighting for a seat when someone gets up. That's just what I'd do. The food (and the menu) is that good.

[bookluvingbabe]

Thanks! I really liked Craftbar when I was there in May.

Was less impressed by Babbo and since I'm off organ meats until the end of March, I suspect I'd be sad to skip some of the pasta dishes.

What about Craft? Anyone been lately?

Thanks!

[Gubeen]

You are also very close to Grammercy Tavern (20th and Park). I really like eating at their bar which does not require reservations and is good for people watching.

FlatIron Bar is great for a wonderful cocktail or two. The mixologist is one of the best.

Boqueria (53 W. 19th St. bet. 5th & 6th Aves.) also might be fun.

Artisanal (34th St btwn lex and park, i think) has great fondues and good french bistro. They also have a wonderful cheese pairing menu.

I also go back to my recommendation for A Voce which is just amazing.

Have a great meal.

[dcdavidm]

I don't know much about that part of town. Mesa Grill and Union Pacific are nearby

[snip]

I think you may have meant to say "Union Square Cafe" rather than "Union Pacific," which was a Rocco DiSpirato venture that closed several years ago (we rather liked it).

Although not in the 28th and Park neighborhood, both Mrs. dcdavidm and I have on several occasions had wonderful dining-alone meals at Lupa.

[khart]

I find myself without dinner plans or companions on Monday night in New York.

I'm staying near Park and 28th, I don't mind wandering a bit, and my office is paying...

What's a girl to do?

Turn to her pals her for suggestions!

Thanks!

I think you should check out Eleven Madison Park. I haven't been there myself, but I've read lots of great things and you can eat at the bar if that suits you.

I'd also recommend stopping in at Flatiron Lounge for a cocktail.

[Robert Rymarz]

I second Eleven Madison Park. Since Daniel Humm started at the beginning of the year its the talk of the town. And best of all it don't seem to be hype.

See link for some photos.

http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2006/10...n-madison-park/

[bookluvingbabe]

I decided on Craft--the menu spoke to me most strongly.

I started with a smoked goat cheese tortolenni that was as close to perfect as any dish I've had in ages.

The lamb shank was cooked well but the seasonings were not a combination I liked.

The pureed parnsips was perfect though.

Skipped dessert--too full!

Decent service for a solo dinner and only a little crankiness that I wasn't drinking.

Lunch was the Shake Shack. My Shack Burger was pretty dry--first time I was disappointed there.

Tonight is a business dinner at Primavera on 81st and 1st Ave.