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Dining in New York City


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One of the restaurants I hit on my most recent trip to New York was Devi and the first thing that struck my wife and I when we sat down was the smell. The restaurant had the most pleasing smell of roasted spices I could ever imagine.

The meal I had at Devi last week was neither innovative or had great flavors.

My wife started with the grilled scallops a dish of contrasts, what little flavor the scallops had came across almost washed-out, the accompanying spicy bitter-orange marmalade was spicy but little else, the only redeeming qualities of the dish were the beautifully prepared cauliflower and a very flavorful roasted red pepper chutney. My starter was the Goan Shrimp Bruschettas a dish whose main ingredient lacked any discernable flavors of the sea, and made me wonder if they were right off the farm. The flavorful onion tomato marmalade saved this dish from being sent back.

For a second course I had the Masala Fried Quail, a dish that was memorable only for its heat, and wow what heat it had. I really would have loved to trade some of it for just a little flavor of the spice that was used, but all my palette got was a good searing. The accompanying potato salad might have worked with the subtler meat of fried chicken, but it was too much with the quail. What really disappointed me the most about this dish was that the frying was as close to perfect as I have seen and while I loved the crunch there was not much else to love. My wife’s Tandoori Prawns were made with the same bland crustaceans that were not saved by a soak in a pomegranate marinade.

The dinner was saved by dessert, both the fig cake and the Shahi Tukra were delicious, the later being a saffron flavored bread pudding.

We left the meal wondering where that wonderful smell was coming from because it sure was not in the food.

Since I'm never speechless, I wont say I am. How 'bout "stupified"?! I honestly dont know what to say, since your experience was so different from anything I've had. I'd say "off night" but it's hard to envision an off night that bad. Sounds like the seafood was either not fresh and/or stored poorly. I've had all the dishes you cite, including the quail, and the natural flavors have been vibrant. They have to be to hold up to the spicing. I'm assuming that you didnt speak to anyone about it? Although Suvir isnt around much, the actual kitchen talent is Hemant, who would have taken your comments and, I'm sure, offered other dishes. Guess I gotta go back soon & hope your experience was a rare exception. At any rate, sorry it was my recommendation that got you there.

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If they dialed back the amount of heat in the quail I think that the dish would be fine, but the heat was so overwhelming as to deaden all of the other flavors, frankly I don't think that I have ever had a hotter dish.

It very well may have been an off night, but even with better quality shrimp I could not see those dishes rising to the level of the meals that we had on our trip. While not everything that we had at davidburke&donatella, A Voce, or Blue Hill hit the mark (a less than fresh tasting endive salad at davidburke&donatella being the worst) but overall the quality of the cooking and the ingredients were higher and the dishes more innovative than anything we had a Davi and at the same price point.

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Mario Batali's Del Posto is extremely expensive, but if you sit in the Enoteca, you can have a five-course tasting menu for only $45. The ingredients used are less luxurious, but this is the same kitchen that's putting out the $175 tasting menu for the main dining room. You probably wouldn't think to order fried calamari, but get it as your antipasti, as it was incredible. This is the difference between the fries that come alongside your sandwich at the deli and fries in Belgium. Pasta courses were outstanding (Tortellini in Stracciatella and Orecchiette with Hot Peppers and Pancetta), but things went downhill a bit for me with the final two courses, partly because I made poor choices (the Beef Brasato turned out to only be a fairly unexciting pot roast, and I'm kicking myself for not getting this Limoncello milkshake thing instead of the blah chocolate pine-nut tart). txaggie had the entree special that night, which was a delicious Cured Salmon Filet with Smoked Creme Fraiche, Apples, Chestnuts and Saba. We even got a great people-watching table facing the front door (Diners here consist mainly of older New Yorkers with too much money and bit-part actors and actresses that we couldn't quite place).

You'll be fine at either drinks-wise. PDT's biggest problem is that it's newish, popular, and tiny, and you have to reserve for specific times, which doesn't allow you a lot of leeway to linger at dinner if you want. It does have the advantage of one of the coolest entrances ever, through a phone booth in an otherwise unremarkable-looking hot dog joint. And the mad scientists behind the bar are currently serving an old-fashioned made with Benton's bacon-infused Elijah Craig bourbon, which I have been looking forward to for MONTHS. (We'll be up there this weekend as well.)
The bacon-infused bourbon cocktail (Benton's Old Fashion) was excellent, as were the other drinks we sampled there. PDT is a fun place. It did take some serious redialing to get a reservation on a Sat, though.

Also, August (you may have seen Chef Tony Liu on Iron Chef America) was the best brunch I've had in a long time, and the only brunch I've had in NYC better was at Prune. The Alsatian-style eggs (with bacon, caramelized onion and creme fraiche) baked in a cast-iron pan in the wood oven were fantastic. Brunch is popular here, so get there early. I can't wait to come back for dinner sometime. Prices are reasonable, the wine list is interesting, and the place has a great vibe (and that killer wood oven).

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You'll be fine at either drinks-wise. PDT's biggest problem is that it's newish, popular, and tiny, and you have to reserve for specific times, which doesn't allow you a lot of leeway to linger at dinner if you want. It does have the advantage of one of the coolest entrances ever, through a phone booth in an otherwise unremarkable-looking hot dog joint. And the mad scientists behind the bar are currently serving an old-fashioned made with Benton's bacon-infused Elijah Craig bourbon, which I have been looking forward to for MONTHS. (We'll be up there this weekend as well.)

You were right ... PDT was fun, and the drinks excellent. I particularly enjoyed a drink with the word rose in its name -- other than the fact that it was made with gin, I remember very little else, but it was tasty. And the flip made with chocolate stout was like an adult chocolate milkshake, awesome.

I have to say that I wasn't floored by the atmosphere, despite the cool entrance. I guess I expected something a little more sophisticated (like PX) and not a typical bar decor with animal heads on the wall. Not really a complaint - the drinks were great and being someplace that's not super crowded and where there's room to sit down was wonderful - but just not exactly what I expected.

In other NY recommendations - don't go to Colors unless it's a purely political decision (wanting to support the former employees at Windows on the World). Our meal was not particularly good, the dishes all lacked depth or interesting flavors, and service was atrocious. Our server even scoffed at one of my friends when he mentioned a food allergy, saying "yeah, right, that just means you don't like that ingredient"

Brunch at Community Food and Juice Bar, on the Upper West Side, however, was great. They make a delicious beet salad, great carrot/potato hash, excellent biscuits, and yummy fresh-squeezed juices (the day we were there, they had cranberry and pineapple).

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I tend not to dine out when I visit NYC. My time is generally spent in various beer bars, and sustenance is usually procured at one of the bars, or with a late-night visit to Pommes Frites or Pakistani Tea House.

This weekend we deviated from that pattern: my friends introduced me to Malatesta Trattoria. It was exactly what was needed: artichoke salad, mussels in white wine, pappardelle with crab. Simple. Great. Not expensive. I'll be back.

Also, D.B.A. continues to be one of my favorite places to drink in America. 20 taps, all sorts of interesting liquor (8 gins, 10 bourbons, even 3 different calvados!), and a great atmosphere.

It was a great weekend. Now if this busride would just be over....

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Going to NY this weekend. My brother made reservations on Friday night at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's place) - anyone been lately and have dish recommendations? We'll be staying in Chelsea, any good restaurant recommendations not too far away?

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Going to NY this weekend. My brother made reservations on Friday night at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's place) - anyone been lately and have dish recommendations? We'll be staying in Chelsea, any good restaurant recommendations not too far away?

Craftsteak is not far from Chelsea. It's not cheap, but their wagyu carpaccio is probably the best thing I ate last year.

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Going to NY this weekend. My brother made reservations on Friday night at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's place) - anyone been lately and have dish recommendations? We'll be staying in Chelsea, any good restaurant recommendations not too far away?

If I'm not mistaken, Chelsea is the home to Del Posto, Morimoto and Scores West Side. I've heard good things about all three. :mellow:

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Last year, Gubeen and I found Del Posto to be the most "expense-account" of Batali's places by far. Service was really impeccable, but between the spaciousness and the clientele (plenty of low-key celeb spotting available), the restaurant cultivates an atmosphere of distant formality that I thought was somewhat cold. Food was very good, but not moreso...what I'm telling you is that it ain't Babbo. It'd be perfect if you need to impress a client, I imagine.

I'll ask if she won't kick in some other ideas here, seeing as how her last office was in Chelsea before moving down here. And she's more likely to remember what exactly we ordered; I was caught-up in the conversation with our dining companions.

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Going to NY this weekend. My brother made reservations on Friday night at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's place) - anyone been lately and have dish recommendations? We'll be staying in Chelsea, any good restaurant recommendations not too far away?
There seems to be a lot of positive buzz about Tia Pol, a tapas joint in Chelsea.
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Tia Pol is quite good. I love going for lunch as it fills up after 6pm.

If you are in the neighborhood, go to the Chelsea market and get a really good lobster sandwich at the Fish Shop? not sure of the name. They also have great chowders. There are also good places to buy fruits, veggies, salads and sandwiches. DO NOT GO TO the restaurant in the clothing store on 9th avenue and 18th? that is part of Chelsea market. It looks innocuous enough but is actually horrid and the wait times are very long.

For a nice pub lunch or low key dinner with great people watching, head over to the Half King (23rd and 10th) for a pint of guiness and a good meal.

Cafe Grumpy for excellent coffee on 20th btween 7th and 8th. They won't let you take your espresso to go but it is damn good coffee.

Choux for choux, not as good as Beard Papas but still very good cream puffs in the Japanese Style.

Also Cookshop, 10th Ave at 20th St, up scale restaurant where I have seen more than a few chefs eating and enjoying the food. I saw Jaime Oliver eating here so it can't be that bad. Actually, I love this place; it was right across the street from my old job. They had some great devil eggs on the bar menu and the cocktails were fabulous. I had my first negroni here.

I think 10th avenue is better for eating than 7th, 8th or 9th as many of the restaurants are about the Chelsea scene rather than the food.

Finally, if you feel like taking a chance, try the Indo/Pak Curry place on 22nd and 8th? It has a black awning and tons of cabs outside. I always found the food delicious but others had a few issues.

Hope that helps. Please forgive my spelling, I am useless.



Catherine

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Cafe Boulud

My fiancee and I were flying in to NYC to celebrate my father's 70th birthday. Our plane was hopelessly late, and we ended up not getting to the restaurant until 10:30. On the dot, once we sat they told us the kitchen was closing soon, but they wanted us to be able to eat. We ordered quickly, and knowing me, I picked the stuff that's a total pain in the ass to fix. I can't review other's food as I didn't taste it.

I started with the "Biscuit and gravy". It's described as pork, foie gras, black truffle, creamed spinach and sauce pergourdine. First off, this is the sign that I eat out at high end restaurants far too much- I was able to disect just about every spice and flavor in this dish and explain to other people at the table how their sauce was made once I saw it. FYI, pergourdine sauces are those made with black truffles normally, and also normally with stock of some sort- in this case possibly the best veal stock I've ever tasted in my life. The pork was mixed with the foie to make a sausage like texture with black truffles mixed in, all set above a bed of creamed spinach on a homemade brioche biscuit. Absolutely incredible. This leads me to the question- honey, can you make me this for breakfast?

For my main I wasn't famished, so I had an appetizer portion of their wild mushroom ravioli with chive batons and parmesan froth. With black truffles. :mellow: Stunning ravioli. Perfectly light with the flavor of the mushrooms coming right through. The froth allowed for the perfect amount of salt seasoning while keeping the ravioli moist. The chive batons didn't add much to the plate other than colorful garnish, but they looked great on the plate.

For dessert I had a degustation of artisnal cheeses which franky I didn't get too much of as my table went for them :) They were great though with a focus on domestic cheeses, a lot of raw cow and goat milk cheeses.

All in all, this is one of my favorite places to eat in the country.

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Thanks to Gubeen for reminding me (through her post) that I meant to post about our delicious brunch/lunch at Cookshop in Chelsea in January over a whirlwind weekend trip to NYC. We met a caterer friend of mine there at her suggestion and had a delicious meal. I had a bloody mary that I had ordered extra spicy and it was terrific. The menu allowed a good choice between breakfast and lunch items and we were there mid-afternoon on a Saturday. I ordered the roasted chicken salad which was refreshing and filling (and a perfect antidote to my post sugar coma after a frozen hot chocolate at Michel Cluizel for breakfast). A link to the menu is here. Scott had the burger which I was able to taste and would definitely order next time, and my friend, for whom 2:30 pm is the perfect time for an early breakfast, had the skillet eggs. Prices were reasonable, service was great and it was just a quick walk after the feast to Chelsea Market.

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And... the Shake Shack is awesome! Seriously, $8 for the Shake Shack Burger and cheese fries. Even after a 6 block walk back to the office, everything tasted fresh. I took particular note that the fries were better than average, and not at all greasy... first fried food I have had in the non-trans fat world of New York.
The burgers at the Shake Shack are indeed great, but probably not worth waiting in line for 45 minutes for. What I like about them is that the porportion of meat to bun is so perfect, I don't know why it isn't more widely copied.

I have a meeting this Saturday about a block away from Shake Shack!

So are any of the other menu items worth getting besides the burger and fries (e.g., shake, hot dog)?

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The custard is great & the hot dogs are fine but nowhere near as great as the Shack Burger. I usually enjoy the special concretes (custard w/fruit etc blended in) but I haven't had saturday's custard of the day flavor so I can't comment on that. The fries (especially the cheese fries) are good but I would definitely get a shake/custard/concrete instead if you are worried about eating too much.

Last time I was there I asked the guy behind the counter which chef from the Meyer empire invented the Shack Burger & he told me it was Kerry Heffernan (SP?) who was the original chef at Eleven Madison Park. That burger is really really good but probably not worth 2 hours of your life so try to go at off times. We usually get brisket @ Hill Country (26th & Broadway) if the line is too long.

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This weekend we had dinner at Mesa Grill which was only so-so. The appetizers were alright (oysters, blue corn pancake with bbq duck, and goat cheese fundido), but the entrees were hit and miss. Seared tuna steak with coucous was very good with a really nice sauce that complemented the dish while the grouper with a bbq-like sauce was a bad pairing. We also had an pretty good brunch at Good in the west village - big portions of the usuals (pancakes, eggs, breakfast burritos, and baked goods). The best food though was from revived 2nd Ave Deli that for the time being delivers to all of Manhattan. Good pickles, alright potato knish, and excellent corned beef. If they only delivered to DC...but it is probably good they don't or I'd gain a zillion pounds (but it might be worth it ;-)

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First off, this is the sign that I eat out at high end restaurants far too much- I was able to disect just about every spice and flavor in this dish and explain to other people at the table how their sauce was made once I saw it. FYI, pergourdine sauces are those made with black truffles normally, and also normally with stock of some sort...
FYI, Sauce Périgueux is truffles added to veal stock. Sauce Périgourdine is made by adding puréed foie gras to veal glace, garnished with truffles. Some sort of clumsy dissection of everything in between is Prétentieux sauce.
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FYI, Sauce Périgueux is truffles added to veal stock. Sauce Périgourdine is made by adding puréed foie gras to veal glace, garnished with truffles. Some sort of clumsy dissection of everything in between is Prétentieux sauce.
That's really interesting! Thanks!
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The custard is great & the hot dogs are fine but nowhere near as great as the Shack Burger. I usually enjoy the special concretes (custard w/fruit etc blended in) but I haven't had saturday's custard of the day flavor so I can't comment on that. The fries (especially the cheese fries) are good but I would definitely get a shake/custard/concrete instead if you are worried about eating too much.

Last time I was there I asked the guy behind the counter which chef from the Meyer empire invented the Shack Burger & he told me it was Kerry Heffernan (SP?) who was the original chef at Eleven Madison Park. That burger is really really good but probably not worth 2 hours of your life so try to go at off times. We usually get brisket @ Hill Country (26th & Broadway) if the line is too long.

The line to order was not as bad as I expected, given that it was sunny outside. Several of us from the meeting waited about 15 minutes to order, then another 15 minutes to get the food.

I would say that the Shack Burger is about as close to In-N-Out's version as one will find on the East Coast. Except with a better bun (soaked in butter!) that adds to the decadence. I also ordered the Chicago hot dog. Pretty flimsy meat-wise, and overwhelmed with toppings. The strawberry shake was creamy but lacked fruit flavor. One unexpected bonus was finding a small order of fries in the bag that I hadn't ordered. They were actually crispy without being overcooked.

Before leaving the city for dinner at my friend's house in Secaucus, I stopped by Pinkberry on the walk to Penn Station. Definitely worth the hype. Too bad it sounds like they have no plans to open in DC.

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The line to order was not as bad as I expected, given that it was sunny outside. Several of us from the meeting waited about 15 minutes to order, then another 15 minutes to get the food.

I would say that the Shack Burger is about as close to In-N-Out's version as one will find on the East Coast. Except with a better bun (soaked in butter!) that adds to the decadence. I also ordered the Chicago hot dog. Pretty flimsy meat-wise, and overwhelmed with toppings. The strawberry shake was creamy but lacked fruit flavor. One unexpected bonus was finding a small order of fries in the bag that I hadn't ordered. They were actually crispy without being overcooked.

Before leaving the city for dinner at my friend's house in Secaucus, I stopped by Pinkberry on the walk to Penn Station. Definitely worth the hype. Too bad it sounds like they have no plans to open in DC.

Funny I had Shake Shack and PinkBerry this weekend also. Shake Shack was good as usual. This is probably one of the best hangover meals ever. Just the right amount of grease/butter/cheese/shack sauce to satisfy that hungover urge for grease without overwhelming your stomach and feeling even worse (which seems to happen a lot when I go to greasy spoon diners). I love the taste of pinkberry but I have to say the coffee and greentea flavors are horrible. You have the sour taste of the yogurt at complete odds with the bitter coffee/greentea flavor. I just don't get it. Stick to the plain and get flavors by way of toppings.

I also went to a place in Chelsea called Cuba Cafe. Good mojitos, a good (LARGE) pitcher of sangria for 26 bucks, nice (but non-traditional) ceviche and good ropa vieja. The paella was not the best I have had though. It needed more saffron more salt and for god's sakes put some chorizo in there. The seafood in the paella was actually very good though. The mussels and clams were very juicy and plump and the sea scallops were fantastic. There were only two but they were huge. All in all this was actually a fun little spot that I would definitely recommend It isn't a real traditional authentic cuban place but it is good cuban style food in a cool but casual atmosphere that won't break the bank. For two mojitos, 1 beer, 1 pitcher of sangria, 2 ceviches, four entrees, tax and tip we spent 160.

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I had an excellent dinner at Momofuku Ko last night, really really solid & definitely worth the annoyance of using the online system. Its a definite step up in refinement from his other restaurants (which I already love), and one dish is pure genius. This is the shaved frozen foie gras which is served on top of lychee, pine nut brittle, and reisling gelee. The frozen foie melts in your mouth in the most amazing way. There is an open kitchen so you get to watch them grate the cold tourchon onto your plate. This dish should be widely stolen.

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I was up in NYC this weekend- stayed mostly in Brooklyn and Queens.

Prices are up for sure- some places have bagels at $1 each. A friend of mine with a restaurant said food deliveries are adding fuel surcharges and essentials like bread and oil are really jumping in price.

I went back to Red Hook sandwich shop DeFonte's - a hangout for cab drivers as no train stops are near there- had some awesome sandwiches- omelet with peppers and turkey, fried eggplant, mozzarella, & peppers.

pics

My friends and I went to Queens for some amazing ethnic food.

We went to Unidentified Flying Chickens, a Korean fried chicken place- the chicken is double fried- making the skin really crispy- the best is the soy-ginger flavor, but I also liked the mustard and the spicy wings as well.

A few blocks away, I finally got to try the legendary Sriprapai Thai restaurant- wow- so cheap- 5 people- $50- I loved the Drunken noodle. My cousin's favorite was the crispy watercress salad- deep fried watercress and seafood with a spicy dressing. We also had the green curry with fishcake and eggplants.

I loved their "chicken rice" - which basically was a bowl of rice infused in chicken broth.

more pics

Addendum:

More Queens items- went to Flushing to a place called Best North Dumpling Shop, and had delicious, fresh, cheap dumplings- we got the lamb, pork & fennel, and seafood & leek. They were really nice, juicy and tasty.

dumpling pics

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The Lemon Ice King in Corona is nearly as good as ever---I could swear that when I was last there (in a prior century), the lemon ice had bits of lemon in it, absent this time. I tasted the lemon, mango, cantalope, and chocolate. The chocolate and cantalope were my favorites; the lemon wasn't as assertive in its flavoring. (Note that the Ice King doesn't give tastes or mix flavors in one cup. We were a group of 5).

I love the reasonable portion sizes and intense flavoring. Rita's Philadelphia Water Ice doesn't even come close.

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If you're up in NYC and want a great sandwich, try Wildwood BBQ (opened recently). I had the smoked brisket sandwich, which is topped with slaw, two fried onion rings, and cheese. I was surprised to get such flavor on brisket in NYC. I also added smoked jalapeño sausage for $3.00 (which was not necessary but delicious). It comes with salt and vinegar potato chips and bread and butter pickles. For $10.95 (excluding sausage), I thought it was quite reasonable for a place in Manhattan. They've got a good beer selection too. Next time I'm going to try the ribs, which are supposedly great.

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I really look forward to trying out Hallo Berlin Express on my next trip to New York. The cost of space in most urban areas makes the great beer halls impossible in most places so even a little slice of one would be welcome. Plus outside of the German speaking world and the Ginza I don't know of anywhere where you can find a really good beer hall.

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I'll be in town next weekend, which coincides with the 9th Ave International Food Festival. Has anyone been recently? Is it worth checking out, and if so, which are some of your favorite street vendors? I know that I should start early. Any other tips? Thanks!

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I went last night to Hill Country BBQ on 26th st (between 5th and 6th ave). It was delicious.

Interesting layout- everyone gets a food ticket and you go to either the meat station or the sides station to pickup your own food.

The meat station is priced by the pound and served on butcher paper. We got the 1/2 lb of Moist Beef Brisket and 1 lb of pork ribs.

The Brisket was spectacular- it completely fell apart when you ate it. The ribs were dry- with a nice smokey and peppery flavor.

For sides, we ordered the Campfire baked beans (with burnt ends) which were great. The Longhorn mac & cheese was good- really creamy. My cousin liked the Shoepeg white corn pudding which also had a nice peppery finish.

They were offering a tequila milkshake, but didn't get to try it- the brisket was too darn delicious.

The place was casual- a lot of families and large groups, and it looks like they get country acts playing there at night downstairs- this night it looked like they were showing Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid blu-ray.

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I went last night to Hill Country BBQ on 26th st (between 5th and 6th ave). It was delicious.

I couldn't agree more. The atmosphere is great too, I really love the disney-fied version of Texas you walk into when you enter the restaurant. The beer selection is pretty poor, but it is the only place I know of in NY to get Big Red. I also really like the sirloin they offer & the oddly addictive sausages they source from some place in Texas. My wife & I had a disappointing meal @ Daisy May the other day and I've been kicking myself for not just going to Hill Country instead. I felt the same way after a recent meals at Blue Smoke & Dinosaur BBQ. Hill Country is definitely my favorite place for BBQ in New York, with Fette Sau probably second.

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We walked by the construction at 10 Downing Street, which will be Scott Bryan's new venue. Happily, Bryan will be leaving Veritas and returning to his strongest format - a smaller, less-extravagant restaurant. I will never forget the meals I had from him at Luma, his old restaurant in Chelsea - they were amazingly inexpensive, refreshingly informal, and some of the best dining experiences I've ever had in this country. Put 10 Downing Street on your future to-do list.

And now Ed Cotton, Scott Bryan's replacement at Veritas has been fired. I am not sure if 10 Downing is ever going to open, and if they do will they actually have a chef?

Another nugget from the files of Eater, the 9th St. Market in the East Village has closed. I never went but I have a friend that has been raving about it for years.

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The UWS is becoming much more hip... not only is the Shake Shack opening (awesome), there is a Magnolia Bakery at 200 Columbus Avenue and a Jacques Torres shop, including amazing hot chocolate bar, around the same block but on Amsterdam.

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Any good or great places near Penn Station? It seems like a waste land but I could be wrong. Thoughts?
There is a place a few blcoks up called Market Counter that is serviceable. I ate there a few months back when we were running late for a party and didn't have time to "shop around". Nothing will blow your socks off but it is a decent place to eat on a nice night (the front windows open way up) and a little bit classier than Hallo Berlin if that is what you were looking for.

They have three or four predictable beers on tap (I remember stella, sam and magic hat #9 when I was there) We had some great scallops, a slightly mismatched game bird dish and a nicely cooked piece of fish with greens that were slightly overcooked and over salted. Everything seemed like all it needed was the tiniest tweaking to move from decent to good. I am planning on going back and giving it another shot sometime soon.

That part of 9th is basically all restaurants so I say just walk up and down 9th and menu shop. That is how we found that place actually.

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I had wanted to check out Hill Country, but my friend wanted the group to check out the BBQ fest instead. I was kind of dreading it (festival + crowds + extreme heat = cranky me), but in the end, it was great. Each restaurant represented on-site generally offered one main dish and a side or two.

Hill Country's main (beef ribs) didn't seem like practical eats for me at the time so I instead went for the easier-to-eat pulled pork sandwich offered by the Checkered Pig stand. Like the festival itself, I wasn't so excited about getting this sandwich given that it's been a long time since a pulled pork sandwich knocked my socks off, but man! This was a fantastic sandwich. I used a little bit of CP's own barbecue sauce with a splash of Texas Pete hot sauce. YUM. I could have eaten another one, no problem, but we were wandering around by that point.

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Well, I ended up at the Time Warner center yesterday for lunch. Stupidly opted not for Bouchen Bakery's cafe and for Landmark. Every time I eat at Landmark I regret it. It is way to expensive for the quality of the food I have had. Yesterday was no different. The chopped salad was okay, though not chopped. I loved the frisee in lieu of romaine but it should have been called a sliced salad since all the ingredients were sliced instead of chopped. But the real problem was the overcooked chicken. On top of the salad lay two very thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts that had been grilled nice and crispy. Honestly I like char on my chicken because that is the way my dad cooked growing up but come on...

For dinner I found a rival to Joe's, or so I thought... Grand Sichuan on 8th and 24th seems very popular. The dandan noodles were great though way to mild even though I ordered them spicy (dandan are the noodles with spinach and pork at Joe's). The main differences between Joe's and the version I had yesterday were (a) the noodles in New York were homemade and (b ) the broth had a huge amount of flavor instead of just heat.

The entree was tea soaked duck. At first I thought it was delicious, then I thought I was eating a salt lick.

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This restaurant isn’t in the hospitality business. It’s in the attitude business, projecting an aloofness that permeated all of my meals there...

Then came an entree that perplexed us, a pale slab of meat with one long bone.

“What is this?” asked one of my friends.

“The special veal chop,” said the food deliverer.

“But I ordered rack of lamb,” my friend said. I had heard him.

“Yes,” said the deliverer. “That’s rack of lamb.”

My friend pressed: which was it?

“It’s the special rack-of-lamb veal chop,” the deliverer said, at which point we sought deliverance from him and searched for our frequently vanishing waiter, whom I had come to think of as the bucatini Houdini.

Bruni on Ago, that would be a "no go".

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The heat wave in New York last weekend seemed to keep a lot of potential diners at home, so we managed to sneak in bar meals for two at both Babbo and Momofuku Ssam Bar. Both awesome in their own very different ways. Nothing in common but loud music and deliciousness. "Love letters" vs. banh mi? Sicilian Lifeguard calamari vs. pork buns? Bastianich Tocai Friulano vs. OB? Massive double-cut pork chop with cherry peppers vs. bloody rare hanger steak ssam? Why choose? Try it all.

Lupa was also excellent, especially with an early arrival for a 6pm reservation that snagged us the corner table in the back room. The bavette seems too simple to order -- pasta, pepper, pecorino -- but was really the bee's knees. Good prices, considering the quality of the food, especially for New York. Out-of-this-world prosciutto.

Tried the much-vaunted lobster roll at Mary's Fish Camp. Was it good? Sure. Was it worth the $30+ price tag? Not on your life.

On the less-expensive end of the scale, the lamb gyros and chicken kabobs at the aforementioned Troy are solid, and if you find yourself looking to kill time and hunger near Penn Station, you could do a lot worse than Aura Thai on 9th btw 35th and 36th. Get anything duck. It says it's "fusion", but don't worry. It seems to refer to the fact that they have jap chae and shu mai (is it fusion if the other cuisines remain completely separate?)

If you are dying for gelato in the West Village, do not be fooled by L'Arte Del Gelato on Seventh Avenue. Every flavor I tried tasted faintly of coconut oil. Save your calories for the salted caramel and carrot cupcake at Batch, only a short walk down W 10th.

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If you are dying for gelato in the West Village, do not be fooled by L'Arte Del Gelato on Seventh Avenue. Every flavor I tried tasted faintly of coconut oil. Save your calories for the salted caramel and carrot cupcake at Batch, only a short walk down W 10th.
There is also a pinkberry knock off that is better than the original right around the corner. I am blanking on the name but it looks just like a pinkberry. It's basically the exact same product, but with 10-12 different flavors of yogurt (not my thing, I go for the tangy everytime) and you get to fix it yourself with anything or amount you want and then pay by weight. This is awesome for us because at pinkberry you pretty much have to get that huge size and 3 toppings.
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I'm going up to NYC in a couple weeks and could use some advice. I've been up there many times, but never had a chance to go to a fine dining establishment. So I'm planning on going somewhere this time, but the amount of choices is about to make my head explode. I'd like to keep it at $200 max for two people. I've narrowed it down to the following:

Babbo (or is it too late to make a reservation?)

Blue Hill

Craft or Craftbar

Dovetail

Telepan

Any suggestions on which to try if you could only do one? Are any of the above not worth trying? Other suggestions are also welcome...

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I'm going up to NYC in a couple weeks and could use some advice. I've been up there many times, but never had a chance to go to a fine dining establishment. So I'm planning on going somewhere this time, but the amount of choices is about to make my head explode. I'd like to keep it at $200 max for two people. I've narrowed it down to the following:

Babbo (or is it too late to make a reservation?)

Blue Hill

Craft or Craftbar

Dovetail

Telepan

Any suggestions on which to try if you could only do one? Are any of the above not worth trying? Other suggestions are also welcome...

I was just at Craftbar this past weekend. I know that people's opinions vary, but I thought it was very nice. In particular, we enjoyed the snacks and appetizers (e.g., pecorino rissoto fritters) . However, I'm not sure I would call it "fine dining", or a knockout meal.

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Very good options but I would also toss Hearth into the mix

-Camille

Indeed. I had a highly enjoyable meal at the kitchen pass a few months ago. Apps are $10-20 and entrees are $25- $35.

Tasting was $85. Or you could try Canora's new more Italian place, Insieme at about the same price point.

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I'm going up to NYC in a couple weeks and could use some advice. I've been up there many times, but never had a chance to go to a fine dining establishment. So I'm planning on going somewhere this time, but the amount of choices is about to make my head explode. I'd like to keep it at $200 max for two people. I've narrowed it down to the following:

Babbo (or is it too late to make a reservation?)

Blue Hill

Craft or Craftbar

Dovetail

Telepan

Any suggestions on which to try if you could only do one? Are any of the above not worth trying? Other suggestions are also welcome...

I haven't eaten at Telepan but I've been to the others and I would definitely go to Blue Hill. I think both the cooking & the ingredients they use are head and shoulders above the other restaurants on that list. I recommend the egg dish that they usually have, as well as any pork or chicken dish. I think the cooking is really sophisticated without being over-complicated or flashy. $200 probably won't leave too much room for wine but I think Blue Hill is definitely one of the best restaurants at its price point.

You can walk into Babbo pretty easily if you get there right as they open and are willing to sit at the bar,which is fine until about 7 or 7:30 when it gets mobbed and people are leaning over your food as they try to get the bartenders attention. I ate there last month and the meal I had was pretty poorly executed and boring. There was nothing I had that a decent home cook couldn't pull off at home, the ingredients (with the exception of the anchovies) were average, and I'm just not that excited by offal & spice in Italian food. The sweetbread dish I had was simply disgusting, poorly cooked poor quality sweat breads that had so much vinegar on them the dish reminded me of the kind of really awful chinese food I used to eat on the way home from the Black Cat when I was too drunk to know better. The pasta dish I had was really disappointing too (I had expected it to be the highlight). My meal was just under 300 (for two) with a very modest amount of wine, and while I'm sure I was paying for something it definitely wasn't good ingredients, labor intensive technique, or competent line cooks. Lots of people go nuts for this place though.

The meals I had at Dovetail & Craft were good but not great, and with so many other choices in NY I don't think I'll pay to eat at either restaurant again. I don't want to make your head explode but I would also look at WD-50 (if you like that kind of cuisine), Momofuku Ssam bar (if you don't care at all about ambiance or noise) and I had a really nice meal at Perry Street a few weeks ago.

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The times I have been to Craftbar the food has spanned from below average to good the worst being what was supposed to be a fondue with molten cheese and toast points for dipping which was a cold nasty coagulated mess when we got it. Some of the food has been quite good sometimes. The service however, always terrible. A bunch of wannabe actors and models, pretty to look at but fairly inept.

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