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Great call! Here it is: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/dining/r...&ref=dining

He basically says what I'd been worried about, that with each dish individually priced, the whole experience would seem extra expensive.

I like Frank Bruni (we went to the same high school, years apart), but I think that his review of the lounge is miscast in the "recession beater" category. Nothing about Per Se is a "recession beater", especially compared with Frugal Fridays, or whatever they are calling Damon Wise's event at Craft. In a way, I think that Bruni's comments on the lounge are similar to Tom S's comments about Inox and the economy. Per Se's lounge food is delicious, diners feel pampered, etc etc. The comments about the furniture are useful, but the notion that the experience needs to be somehow changed because on a per bite basis (WTF) Per Se is expensive seems silly to me. It's not Bouchon or Ad Hoc - it's a less expensive way to experience the same dishes usually served as part of a tasting menu at a very expensive restaurant. Bruni also did not mention that diners in the lounge also receive (or so I have been told) the same amuses and petite fours that the diners in the dining room receive...
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I like Frank Bruni (we went to the same high school, years apart), but I think that his review of the lounge is miscast in the "recession beater" category. Nothing about Per Se is a "recession beater", especially compared with Frugal Fridays, or whatever they are calling Damon Wise's event at Craft. In a way, I think that Bruni's comments on the lounge are similar to Tom S's comments about Inox and the economy. Per Se's lounge food is delicious, diners feel pampered, etc etc. The comments about the furniture are useful, but the notion that the experience needs to be somehow changed because on a per bite basis (WTF) Per Se is expensive seems silly to me. It's not Bouchon or Ad Hoc - it's a less expensive way to experience the same dishes at a very expensive restaurant. Bruni also did not mention that diners in the lounge also receive (or so I have been told) the same amuses and petite fours that the diners in the dining room receive...

Good points...mtpleasanteater as well. I don't think we will try it though and simply that comes down to not wanting to spend that much money.. but at some future point it seems like it would be a great way to experience Per Se w/o the tasting menu prices...

Now I'm thinking of Jewel Bako - we really enjoyed our meal at Degustation in January. Has anyone been to this sushi place?

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just back from NYC and had to respond to this. My teen daughter and I have been to Joe's and Yank Sing in the past two months. We did not think they even compared, with Yank Sing coming out WAY ahead. Our meal at Joe's was so disappointing. We tried all the dumplings and none had "soup." While the seafood ones were still ok, the whole point was supposed to be the soup.

I am not sure if this is the case at Joe's but I know the first time I went to New Green Bo I was similarly disappointed. I ordered every variety of dumplings and none contained broth. I found out the next time I went, after asking an adjacent table who had what appeared soup dumplings, that they weren't listed on the menu as dumplings. They are listed as buns. Maybe this is the same at Joe's?

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So, an update. On Friday night, we did end up having dinner at Jewel Bako. The restaurant set up is very cool, with a sort of tunnel-like feel created by slatted and curved wooden pieces that extend from floor to ceiling. The sushi bar is at the back of the restaurant, which is where we sat. The service was good - very attentive without being intrusive. Quality of the fish was very good and everything that we had was delicious, so the only negative thing I have to say really is that I feel we didn't get a whole lot for what we paid. There are 2 omakases on the menu; one that is $50 is a choice between either sushi or sashimi, the other at $95 was listed as "chef's omakase tasting menu", so we assumed that included cooked dishes as well. One of us got the sushi omakase and the other got the sashimi and we shared. In addition to the sushi/sashimi, we received an amuse of pea mousse, miso soup, and edamame. The sushi omakase had about 12 pieces to it and the sashimi had about 14 (?) pieces. All in all, it was good and we tried some varities of fish that we hadn't had before (like belt fish and barracuda). Maybe the price wasn't so out of line, its more likely that I'm greedy and wanted more... went to Blue Ribbon bakery afterwards and had them split their 2 bread puddings, the chocolate and the banana walnut - delicious.

Saturday lunch was our absolutely necessary stop at Momofuku - pork buns, steamed chicken wings, and momofuku ramen - excellent as awlays. Saturday dinner was birthday dinner at City Crab - decent seafood.

Sunday before catching the train, we made a stop at the much anticipated Porchetta... we each had a porchetta sandwich and shared the potatoes with crispy bits - it was awesome!! The pork in the sandwich was the perfect blend of tender, melt-y pork and just pure fat, studded with super HARD pieces of lacquered skin (I kinda wish they weren't quite as hard). The potatoes were amazing - I love potatoes anyway, so the addition of the sorta burnt, sorta crispy pork bits and the flavor they had imparted to the potatoes, put the whole thing over the top. Boyfriend said that this may have to be a new NYC go-to. I agree!

Afterwards we went to Momofuku bakery and shared a slice of the chocolate chip cake - layers of yellow cake with a (meyer?) lemon filling mixed with tiny chocolate chips throughout, and an oreo-like cookie crumble layer in the mix for good measure. This was great, the tart lemon flavor was a really nice counter-balance to the chocolate in the rest of the cake and added a real brightness. Got 2 compost cookies for the road - not quite sure what all is in them, sorta everything-but-the-kitchen-sink - chocolate chips, pretzels - etc... they were yummy!

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Ok, needing some help on this one: Been asked to make reservations for ~6 for my sisters graduation dinner. Looking for moderately priced, somewhere around Lincoln Center for Thursday night. For my part, I've been wanting to head back into the city for some Dumpling Man but I think they want a more sit-down sort of affair.

Thanks!

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So...I know almost nothing about NYC, and have been tasked with finding a good, reasonably-priced restaurant (median = $20/entree) close/within a couple of subway stops to Midtown/Times Square. This is where it gets a bit dicey: I need a place that can accommodate a party of 15 on a Friday evening (we are seeing a 7:30pm show, so we're planning on eating around 5ish). To complicate things even more, I have at least two vegetarians in my group, and one person who doesn't eat anything green. Should I just throw in the towel and plan to eat at Subway or is there something out there for me? HELP!

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http://events.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/dinin...ews/23rest.html

This might work depending on the people in your group. I don't know about the person who won't eat anything green, but I'm not sure that any restaurant really solves that kind of problem. The price point/area should definitely work. The food, while not the best you can get in NYC, is very good.

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So...I know almost nothing about NYC, and have been tasked with finding a good, reasonably-priced restaurant (median = $20/entree) close/within a couple of subway stops to Midtown/Times Square. This is where it gets a bit dicey: I need a place that can accommodate a party of 15 on a Friday evening (we are seeing a 7:30pm show, so we're planning on eating around 5ish). To complicate things even more, I have at least two vegetarians in my group, and one person who doesn't eat anything green. Should I just throw in the towel and plan to eat at Subway or is there something out there for me? HELP!

There's a bunch of restaurants up and down 9th Ave in the 40s-50s & 5pm is not a busy time for dinner. Pre-theater crowds places at 6pm or so. At any rate, assuming you're not also looking for top tier eating, I'd recommend Uncle Nick's, a Greek place on 9th between W.50-51st Sts. They can handle 15 at the restaurant or next door at their "ouzoria" (or something like that) and the menu is diverse. Lots of spreads that a real vegetarian would be fine with & great fresh fish for those that arent too strictly veg. Within your price range as well.

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I recently checked out Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out for gebaby (who really liked the book) and was amazed by the photo-illustrations in this book. Since it's based on the real Kum Kau in Brooklyn, I was wondering if anyone ordered take out or eaten there before?

Nope, havent. But I might check it out now that you've mentioned it. It's in Ft.Greene, near the tennis courts I use, so why not? Here's a link you might look at: http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/kum-kau/ From the looks of it, it's probably a decent local place, of which there are hundreds in Brooklyn alone, with a fiercely loyal local following. Pizza places and Chinese take-outs inspire this in NYC. But it doesnt look like much more than that and the fact that I've never heard of it means it cant be all that, doesnt it? :D

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Old habits are hard to break. Perhaps we are in a rut. We did a Batali-Colicchio-Flay circuit last weekend.

Lupa was as good as ever. My spaghettini with diced baby calamari tasted of the sea. Spouse's pollo diavola was perfectly tender and appropriately spicy.

Babbo still impresses with the depth of flavors. A marinated shrimp with fennel appetizer special was a keeper. My two-minute calamari and her pappardelle with pork ragu were perfect. A saffron scented panna cotta for desert was something I could eat every day. On the plus side, we were happily seated at the same table on the first floor when we first tried Babbo eight years ago, watching every dish go by; on the minus side, except for the occasional specials, the menu is getting a bit tired.

Our first visit to Craftbar was enjoyable. A bit noisy, but enough space between tables to be tolerable. We are fans of small plates and ordered several. Sublimely braised pork shoulder; sausage stuffed sage leaves; pecorino stuffed risotto balls; asparagus with pecorino cheese; and fava bean and pancetta salad all were delicious.

Overall, my thumbs up go Mesa for its Sunday brunch. Flay may be overexposed, but his knack for melding intense southwest flavors, exciting textures and colors, and perfect presentations still brings a smile to my face.

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I recently checked out Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out for gebaby (who really liked the book) and was amazed by the photo-illustrations in this book. Since it's based on the real Kum Kau in Brooklyn, I was wondering if anyone ordered take out or eaten there before?
This is a few blocks from where I live and I've eaten there half a dozen times. It's Chinese-American food that is clearly slightly better than average but still not really that great. If you love sugary Kung Pao Chicken it's probably a decent place to go.

I guess one way to put it is I'm not sure that they make their own wontons but they might.

I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to eat there, and if you have to have a meal in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area you can do a lot better. On the other hand they are always busy.

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Going up to NYC Sat Aug 1st with wife to Celebrate Anniversary and see Steely Dan at Beacon Theater at 8pm. Staying at 53rd and 7th, looking for recommendations nearby. Esca could be a choice, any opinions. Really think I should stay on west side 40s or above.

Thanks

Mark

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Going up to NYC Sat Aug 1st with wife to Celebrate Anniversary and see Steely Dan at Beacon Theater at 8pm. Staying at 53rd and 7th, looking for recommendations nearby. Esca could be a choice, any opinions. Really think I should stay on west side 40s or above.

Thanks

Mark

Price along the same lines as esca?

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I had dinner there about six weeks ago and it was decent. The meat had the nice mineral qualities you want dry aged beef to have, and dousing anything in butter is always tastes good to me. The meat tasted like not quite first rate meat that had been properly aged and cooked as well as it could be given they way they do things. It should be noted that the meal had been organized by a regular and we were in a large group, but the two steak lunches I've had there without regulars present were simply awful. The burger, which is only offered at lunch, was great the one time I had it. I hate to make the obvious comparison but none of my meals were as good as the ones I've had at the best steakhouse in Arlington. The service at Luger's is gruff in a kind of charming way and the room is pretty cool looking, but the wine list is awful. They have a decent brown ale (Kelso?) on tap. They did a good job of making the expansion fit in with the rest of the restaurant.

Do I think its worth the trip from DC? No way. Are there other meals in NYC that are? Yes.

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Boy, it was the weekend of sucky service in New York over Labor Day.

The Jean-Georges birthday lunch for an old friend offered a ridiculous value at $29 for two courses and $14.95 for each additional plate. The cooking was excellent, if not transporting. The best thing I ate was a brilliant simple corn ravioli with tomatoes and stuff combination that kind of leaped into your mouth. Other highlights were a foie gras brulee and some frighteningly fresh tuna tartare. The service, however was was very B-team, from the front desk who forgot a special request (preserve the surprise by pretending that the table is in the guest of honor's name) within ten minutes of us having made it, to the floor staff's inability to drop plates at the same time without first lounging around the table for minutes on end wating for a quorum to show. Courses served at the wrong time (I think if some get three and some get two savories, that all entrees should be served at once. Am I wrong?) or served when guests were in the restroom. It was so damn cheap that I didn't much care, but it was pretty laughable, like a parody of fine dining.

The on to the big mistake of the weekend, the Trailer Park Lounge. I mean, we weren't expecting much. A little fun, a little beer, a little decent bar food across the street from the hotel. But no dice. The food was just lousy in a way no restaurant, even one surviving on kitsch and serving mostly burgers and nachos can justify. And, apparently we interrupted happy hour for the staff because I had to go pry our waitress away from her conversation with a fellow server to get an order in.

Finally, the well-regarded, coal-burning Arturo's, distinguished itself by twice cheesing pizzas that were supposed to be no cheese, thus sending my curdophobic son on a bit of a rant. I enjoyed the pizza, though, and the room and afternoon jazz, so I might go back without him.

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The on to the big mistake of the weekend, the Trailer Park Lounge. I mean, we weren't expecting much. A little fun, a little beer, a little decent bar food across the street from the hotel. But no dice. The food was just lousy in a way no restaurant, even one surviving on kitsch and serving mostly burgers and nachos can justify.

The hot dog was okay.

The service at JG was truly laughable. And this is just my own private problem but the head waiter reminded me of Dexter (not the cartoon one).

The "Cucumber" cocktail was very delicious. The FG brulee as mentioned was eye-rollingly good. The tuna ribbons dish was well done but the serving was (way way - as in enough for an entree) too large for my taste. The sweetbreads with peach did not make me swoon but I did like the fruit flavor combined with the richness of the meat. I can't recall my second course, that's either a bad thing about me or perhaps a bad thing about the dish, I guess I should check with Waitman.

All desserts were lovely. Very nice presentation, though I think the snipping of the homemade marshmallows at tableside served with the sweets at the end of the meal was a bit silly.

We also enjoyed a stroll along the High Line and ducked into an oasis near Chelsea who's food I cannot vouch for but who's ambience is noteworthy The Park

Oh and Arturo's? I will be back the piano & bass combo was perfect. The waiter a sweetey pie, the pie just fine.

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Oh and Arturo's? I will be back the piano & bass combo was perfect. The waiter a sweetey pie, the pie just fine.

Was this Arturo's Coal Oven Pizza on Houston and Thompson? If so, I lived on Thompson St., 1 1/2 blocks south of Houston, from 1968-72, and Arturo's was my nabe pizza place. That was before Soho--in those days the neighborhood was Little Italy. (There was also a little family-run place on the corner of Prince and Sullivan that had pink and black upholstered booths, where I ate many a bowl of pasta fazool, which was the cheapest thing on the menu.) Arturo's was a place to splurge with friends. They didn't have a liquor license, and they served wine in old-fashioned diner coffee cups, with saucers. All the local cops ate there, so I don't know who they were fooling. But that was where my friend Josephine Lemmo, a fellow actress, introduced me to calzone, which I'd never had before, and told me that Italians went to Arturo's for "a pie" not for a pizza.
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Was this Arturo's Coal Oven Pizza on Houston and Thompson? If so, I lived on Thompson St., 1 1/2 blocks south of Houston, from 1968-72, and Arturo's was my nabe pizza place. That was before Soho--in those days the neighborhood was Little Italy. (There was also a little family-run place on the corner of Prince and Sullivan that had pink and black upholstered booths, where I ate many a bowl of pasta fazool, which was the cheapest thing on the menu.) Arturo's was a place to splurge with friends. They didn't have a liquor license, and they served wine in old-fashioned diner coffee cups, with saucers. All the local cops ate there, so I don't know who they were fooling. But that was where my friend Josephine Lemmo, a fellow actress, introduced me to calzone, which I'd never had before, and told me that Italians went to Arturo's for "a pie" not for a pizza.

The very one.

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The very one.

It's funny because, even though NYC is now in the midst of a rash of very good new pizza place openings (Keste, Motorino, Co....), Arturo's just sails along with a good reputation. The owner is now gone but his wife runs the place and there's a new generation of 20-somethings alongside us 50-somethings keeping the place busy. Glad you found it.

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The very one.

A side note--not about pizza, but about where I lived on Thompson Street. Many years after I moved away, I was reading a biography of Carson McCullers and discovered that in the late 1940's, she had lived in the very same building--105 Thompson Street, which was an old-law tenement building with small tub-in-kitchen railroad flats, walk-up. She'd lived on the 5th floor and I lived on the third. But still--how cool is that? My literature-loving daughter was in 8th or 9th grade at the time that I discovered this info, and she and her friends were deeply in McCullers' thrall. You can imagine how much mileage she got out of that.
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Going to be in NY for a wedding on Sunday. I left enough time in my train schedule for breakfast and possibly a quick bite of dinner before I come home.

Where can I find good bagels and amazing lox or whitefish salad in NY? My limits are Penn Station and the lower part of Manhattan since my ultimate destination is Brooklyn.

I will probably hit Shake Shack on my way back to the train station.

And I can't wait to check out the NY Tim Hortons.

Thank!

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Going to be in NY for a wedding on Sunday. I left enough time in my train schedule for breakfast and possibly a quick bite of dinner before I come home.

Where can I find good bagels and amazing lox or whitefish salad in NY? My limits are Penn Station and the lower part of Manhattan since my ultimate destination is Brooklyn.

Can't recall the name, but there's a decent spot just down 7th Ave from Penn Station at 29th or 30th on the Northeast corner. When you get there look SW and wave to my corporate overlords.

I will probably hit Shake Shack on my way back to the train station.

Be prepared to wait. You can check out the line at theShake Shack webcam
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If you can get to Shake Shack (the madison sq. park one) before 12:15-12:30, you probably won't have to wait long, if at all. After 1, you're basically SOL until 4pm.

Living in Gramercy meant lots of trips to SS for the family - we did use the webcam to plan trips as well.

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Going to be in NY for a wedding on Sunday. I left enough time in my train schedule for breakfast and possibly a quick bite of dinner before I come home.

Where can I find good bagels and amazing lox or whitefish salad in NY? My limits are Penn Station and the lower part of Manhattan since my ultimate destination is Brooklyn.

I will probably hit Shake Shack on my way back to the train station.

And I can't wait to check out the NY Tim Hortons.

Thank!

Can I ask why you're excited about Tim Horton? I haven't been to the one in NYC, but the TH's I've been to in Canada have been just OK. My NYC friends tell me that the coffee is on par with Dunkin Donuts (some actually prefer Dunkin Donuts' coffee) and the donuts are pretty mediocre--not as good as either Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme. For really good coffee in NYC, I like Ninth Street Espresso or Abraco.

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Can I ask why you're excited about Tim Horton? I haven't been to the one in NYC, but the TH's I've been to in Canada have been just OK. My NYC friends tell me that the coffee is on par with Dunkin Donuts (some actually prefer Dunkin Donuts' coffee) and the donuts are pretty mediocre--not as good as either Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme. For really good coffee in NYC, I like Ninth Street Espresso or Abraco.

Sour cream Timbits.

Discovered them in Stratford a few years ago. A nice post theater treat.

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Anyone in quest to compare soup dumplings in NYC, you may want to consider Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling House in Flushing. A good friend of us took us there past weekend, swearing that it was better than what you can get in China. There was a 40 minute wait at 11:30am. The broth in the dumplings had a sweetness to it (for me, was not a plus) and a cleaner (less fat) palate. Other breakfast offerings such as freshly "squeezed"(?) soymilk with fritters and noodles dishes are also available. I still like Joe's better.

One observation and thought after lunching at Grammercy Tavern...why don't restaurants in DC have bountiful flowers and seasonal fruits and vegetables as part of their decor (cost factor, I am pretty sure).

More and more I dine in NYC, more and more I come to realize that we have a great dining establishments in DC. Yay!

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Where can I find good bagels and amazing lox or whitefish salad in NY? My limits are Penn Station and the lower part of Manhattan since my ultimate destination is Brooklyn.

The best lox and whitefish salad (and decent bagel) are at Russ and Daughters, on Houston Street on the Lower East Side. It is not a place where you can sit down and eat, however. But their selection of lox and other cured/smoked fish is absolutely mind-boggling.
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The best lox and whitefish salad (and decent bagel) are at Russ and Daughters, on Houston Street on the Lower East Side. It is not a place where you can sit down and eat, however. But their selection of lox and other cured/smoked fish is absolutely mind-boggling.

Interestingly they were on a repeat of No Reservations last night...sure looked like a place to go next time I am in the city.

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The best lox and whitefish salad (and decent bagel) are at Russ and Daughters, on Houston Street on the Lower East Side. It is not a place where you can sit down and eat, however. But their selection of lox and other cured/smoked fish is absolutely mind-boggling.

Tis true. Russ and Daughters' lox is the best I've had in NYC. Am not a fan of its bagels though. They're kind of on the chewy side.

P.S. I just became a "grouper"! :(

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Alas, Russ and Daughters is not the place to go the morning before Yom Kippur starts. I expected a line on a Sunday morning. I didn't expect to be #61 when they were on #4 or for the line to move only to #11 while I went to Katz's for supremely lousy corned beef. I passed my number on to a gentleman with a cute baby since I had to get to Brooklyn for a wedding...

Next time!

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Alas, Russ and Daughters is not the place to go the morning before Yom Kippur starts. I expected a line on a Sunday morning. I didn't expect to be #61 when they were on #4 or for the line to move only to #11 while I went to Katz's for supremely lousy corned beef. I passed my number on to a gentleman with a cute baby since I had to get to Brooklyn for a wedding...

Next time!

We should have warned you that weekends, especially Sunday mornings at Russ & Daughters are a mob scene, and with the holiday approaching, it must have been pretty bad! Sorry about that. Hope that your trip went well otherwise. Funny you should mention having a bad experience at Katz's. I'm one of the people who doesn't think that Katz's is the be-all, end-all of NY-style delis; most people I know in the DC area (with few exceptions) are of the other opinion. What didn't you like about Katz's corned beef?

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We should have warned you that weekends, especially Sunday mornings at Russ & Daughters are a mob scene, and with the holiday approaching, it must have been pretty bad! Sorry about that. Hope that your trip went well otherwise. Funny you should mention having a bad experience at Katz's. I'm one of the people who doesn't think that Katz's is the be-all, end-all of NY-style delis; most people I know in the DC area (with few exceptions) are of the other opinion. What didn't you like about Katz's corned beef?

I knew it would be crowded on a Sunday. I even knew darn well that it would be bad right before Yom Kippur. I just had briefly forgotten that it WAS Yom Kippur that evening. It's what I get for being a only semi-observant Jew...

Katz's was dry, tasteless, tough. I hadn't been in about 10 years I think. My office really likes Bloom's up around 50th Street and Lexington. But it wasn't in the right direction.

I didn't make Shake Shack--wedding ran long and I was schlepping too much stuff back to make it comfortable to try to go over anyway.

Next time!

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Katz's was dry, tasteless, tough. I hadn't been in about 10 years I think. My office really likes Bloom's up around 50th Street and Lexington. But it wasn't in the right direction.

Thanks for your reply. I'm not surprised by your comments on Katz's corned beef. I haven't heard of Blooms. I'm a fan of Second Avenue Deli and Carnegie Deli myself and have gotten into discussions with DC Katz deli afficionados about this. And I have no doubt that any number of South Florida New York-style delis are better than Katz's (with the possible exception of Katz's pastrami, which is fabulous). When I'm in NYC, I don't bother with Katz's, especially when I'm staying in midtown or closer to Central Park.

As for Shake Shack, I don't think you missed much. If you need a shake fix, Good Stuff Eatery has great ones. I also like Potbelly's shaks (especially the chocolate malts). Actually that's more of a reminder to me. :(

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Repeat after me: "Katz is for pastrami, Katz is for pastrami..." Not corned beef, not hot dogs, not even knishes. Pastrami. And a Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray or Black Cherry. And make sure that they cut the meat from a moist, somewhat fatty piece (you'll get a taste but, more importantly, you'll see the piece that the guy is cutting from... dont hesitate to ask for a different piece, as they have several going at once under the counter... just tip nicely).

Sorry about the Russ experience. I just saw this thread & would've sent you elsewhere. So, where in Bklyn were you going?

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Took a quick break and headed to New York last week. Went alone so I wouldn't be slowed down in a 24 hour eating fest. Beig able to move fast and walk between meals is the key to being able to squeeze in 6 lunches, a dinner and two snacks in 24 hours.

Lunch #1 - Met a friend near NYSE and grabbed a lunch at The Pump Energy Food on Pine Street. Kinda glorified Chipotle with "healthy, Complete" food, good thing it is healthy cause it didn't have too much flavor and was cooked poorly. The health food world would probably benefit from finding a way to categorize Salt as healthy.

Lunch #2 - Ditched Friend and headed to Caracas Arepa Bar 93 1/2 7th St. The Soup of the day was a simple Root Vegetable puree that was fantastic. rich and smooth, just a well made soup. The Arepa Pabellon was very god, nicely braised beef and quite sweet with ripe plantains. A good stop and they appear to be adding a carryout joint next door. There is also a lobster roll joint next door that I really wanted to try but didn't have space.

Lunch #3 - after a leisurely stroll from 93 1/2 to 110 East 7th I ate at Porchetta and got the namesake sandwich and potatoes with burnt ends. The sandwich was a nice portion of beautifully cooked porchetta and chuncks of crispy skin on a fresh roll. The meat was spot on, if I had some sort of jus to moisten the roll a la Chicago Italian Beef it would be off the charts. The potatoes are a great idea of spuds cooked and mixed withcrispy edges of the porchetta. It comes out as a mix of nicely cooked and not so nicely cooked potatoes and meat mixed up. The idea is great, a little fine tuning wold put it over the top.

Snack #1 - Cereal Milk at Momofuku Milk Bar on 2nd Ave. Delicious. $4.50 for a small dixie cup of soft serve, but crack like.

After a break to talk some actual business with someone , I met up with another friend for a cold beer at some ubiquitous Irish joint whose name escapes me put surely ended in "y's", we went to dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar. Small and busy as usual, Very good even though there seems to be a little less emphasis on Offal. This is a bad thing in my book. However, the beef tendon was a beautifully cooked peice of meat(?). I would have loved to squeeze some lime on the dish but it was very nice. Steamed buns were perfect. the BBQ Rib sandwich was okay, and the rice cakes with sausage was good. Because of the daily crush of people they now have you wait for your table next door at the Milk Bar. It is a bit confusing to order and receive drinks and then crabwalk back to the dining room, but we ate eventually.

Stopped at Gray's Papaya on the way to my hotel. Still don't get it. If I am Supposed to be craving that stupid tomato onion topping I must never be drunk enough when I eat it.

Lunch #4 - after starting the next morning in the gym I made it up to the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Good burger, well organized and priced right for New York. Someone should tell them that "Shack Sauce" is called "Fry Sauce" in Idaho and Utah and should be credited as such. I don't get the lines but I probably should get one of their fancier burgers before I judge this place.

Lunch #5 - A lovely stroll brought me to A Salt & Battery at 112 Greenwich, for a great Fried Haddock and Chips. Food was pefectly done and the setup is so classic fish and chips shop it is perfect. Counter, Fryers, guys in Tee shirts, and some stools. All it should be is all it is.

Lunch #6 - a not long enough stroll a coupla blocks and I ate at Taim, a falafel shop at 222 Waverly. I was honestly hoping to see somebody famous here, but just got a good falafel sandwich. A really good sandwich, flavorful toppings, really well done. No famous people.

All these places were interesting for what they are, and would recommend stopping by any of them if you are nearby (except maybe Pump). And stop by Momofuku even if you are not really nearby.

Starbucks for lots of coffee, Amtrak , Home

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Lunch #6 - a not long enough stroll a coupla blocks and I ate at Taim, a falafel shop at 222 Waverly. I was honestly hoping to see somebody famous here, but just got a good falafel sandwich. A really good sandwich, flavorful toppings, really well done.

And stop by Momofuku even if you are not really nearby.

Nice report, heiney90. Sounds like you had a great time. I really like Taim's falafel. It's better than any falafel I've tried in DC. Am not a fan of Momofuku though. The ramen soup that I had there was worse than even the packaged stuff I used to eat when I was in college. So salty that it was inedible. Friends of mine liked the pork buns, but honestly with all the great restos in NYC, I can't see waiting at Momofuku. The next time I'm up there, I'd like to try Eleven Madison Park (EMP) and Locanda Verde. Am also planning to go to Pylos (Greek), Alta (Spanish), and maybe Aldea (Portuguese) too.

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I went to NYC for a seminar last week and stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Times Sq. They don't have minibars and I couldn't get NBC. So rather than watch and be inspired by the Biggest Loser, I went out to eat like I was the Biggest Gainer. Dinner at Del Posto was lovely. 3 pastas for $27 - not cheap but not expensive. My entree was a nicely grilled lobster which was overshadowed by my cousin's pork loin, which was as tender as a piece of wagyu. My cousin, who has tried every Batali restaurant in NYC, still prefers Babbo. The next night, we went to Momofuku Ko. 11 courses later, I was still a little hungry (I didn't finish the venison, and didn't love the monkfish) so we popped into the Noodle Bar and sampled some oxtail soup ramen ($18 a bowl, the broth on the salty side the the oxtail could have used more cooking time). Earlier in the day, my cousin had stopped at the Ssam bar for lunch and then had dessert at the milk shake joint. He tried all 4 Chang joints! Ko was good but not necessarily better than Komi, Chef's Table at Teatro Goldoni, or Volt. On my last day, I caught up with my bro on the upper east side for Sichuan food at Szechuan Chalet on 72nd and 2nd Ave. Good authentic Sichuan food.

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.... On my last day, I caught up with my bro on the upper east side for Sichuan food at Szechuan Chalet on 72nd and 2nd Ave. Good authentic Sichuan food.

Nice catch on Szechuan Chalet. It's #1 on my list, as it has strong buzz from friends who I go to Flushing and other Sichuan places with.

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