Jump to content

blakegwinn

Members
  • Posts

    450
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Information

  • Location
    New York City

blakegwinn's Achievements

ventworm

ventworm (71/123)

  1. I have to agree with Weinoo, good food and leisurely are tough to find. I might have something for you though. This place opened about a month or two ago and I went to brunch there with a party of 4. Very nice space, good food and we had a deal for unlimited mimosas and sangria which I think you can still get if you look to the right hand side of the page I linked to. The food was probably not at the same level as some of the hot brunch spots like Breslin but we also didn't have to wait 2 hours for a table. They take reservations (very rare for good brunch spots) and the space is new and on a side street so there wasn't a huge crowd pushing us out after we were done eating. --- Frankies Spuntino 17 Clinton Street and Cafe Pedlar (zoramargolis)
  2. If you are talking about the museum go to Cascabel for tacos or Luke's for lobster rolls.
  3. I mean, if you can afford it than you should definitely go to Del Posto. A month or two ago it got a fourth star from the NY Times. I think they said it was the first italian restaurant since the late 70's to get 4 stars.
  4. Daisy May's is really close to the ferry terminal. If you have a busy day planned though, a stomach full of bbq might not be the best start. Honestly there are a ton of cool places on 9th ave. Just head over and start walking north. 5 Napkin for burgers, Empanada Mama or Rice and Beans for latin, Yum Yum for Thai, Two Boots for pizza, Casselulla for cheap wine bar type food. You really can't go wrong. Afterwards Roc center is easily walkable from any of those places (except Daisy Mays might be pushing it if the cold is a factor).
  5. The one on the UWS is usually easier to get in to. It's a couple of blocks north of Zabar's on Broadway. If you aren't crazy about the fries they let you do half and half with onion rings.
  6. I know this doesn't fit exactly what you are asking for but you guys should really consider a trip up to Stone Street. In the summer they close off the whole street and cover it with picnic tables and all the restaurants serve the picnic tables in front of their restaurant. It is walkable from Battery Park and if the weather is what it's supposed to be, it should be a great atmosphere. Adrienne's serves very respectable pizza or you could go to Ulysses next door for good quality American bar food. They have very nice weekday lunch specials.
  7. Last time Beth and I went we were with a couple of friends who came up from DC. We walked in on Friday night at around 7 and Bobby Flay walked in right behind us with three 14-15 year old girls. Both of our parties were without reservations. Bobby's wait: 5 minutes. Our wait: 90 minutes. Jerk. Not that I would refuse if I were famous, but it's fun to hate ESPECIALLY on him, so...jerk.
  8. I like the actual noodles at Ippudo better than those at Momofuku but Momofuku's broth and pork toppings are better than Ippudo. That being said, I think they are very close in quality. I typically find whichever one I am currently eating at to be the best.Re Otto: I highly recommend the pasta dish with pulled pork shoulder and tomato. Beth has ordered that dish all of the three or four times we have been there while I have tried to venture out and try other dishes. The dishes I have tried have all been good but I always end up trying to negotiate some kind of halfsies swap for some of the pork shoulder pasta.
  9. One Saturday at around 6pm we walked up to Motorino after being quoted an hour wait at Caracas Arepas. Motorino said it would only be about twenty minutes so we defected. This was about three weeks after they had opened the East Village location. I can't make any promises but I haven't had that much trouble going before 6-6:30.
  10. Wow, that is really surprising. I have always had a great experience here. I really like the version with the pork belly and egg.
  11. Noodle Bar for Ramen. Also if you just want to try the steamed buns you can get them at Milk Bar (the dessert place).
  12. Num Pang on 12th. Mentioned it upthread. I have been to 2 or three well-regarded, more traditional banh mi locations (including Nickys which is close to where you will be staying) around town. They were all very good but none of them came close to Num Pang. Scratch Lombardi's and go to the new Motorino. You could also hit Caracas Arepas (1st ave and 3rd). Very affordable (50 bucks for drinks, appetizer and dinner for 2) and very good. If you get there after 6-6:30 prepare to wait for at least 30-45 minutes up to an hour outside. I will tell you a secret that for some reason people have yet to figure out in my last few visits. You can wait around the corner at Wechslers (on 1st). Grab a couple german beers and split a curry wurst while the rest of the people in line shiver. Just make sure and get back 10 minutes or so before your quoted time is up. FYI wechslers is cash only as are a surprising number of smaller restaurants in NYC. After dinner walk you could back towards Houston on 1st and stop at 3rd st at this place called the bean for really good coffee or a dirty chai. If you want to catch some after dinner music go to the Living Room just south of Houston. Very mixed crowd (some hipsters, some old hippies) and a mixed bag with the music (I stayed for three sets on my last visit, A sheryl crow knock off, an awesome looping cello player, and left during a U2 cover band) If there is a well known band playing they might charge a cover. They usually have a few solid local beer choices on tap such as Kelso or Six Point.*Also if you get tired of waiting for Caracas, like I did one time before I discovered Wechslers, the place Luke's which is next door has good crab shack type fair. Lobster rolls, oysters etc.
  13. I admit it is kind of anti-climatic, especially on weekdays. On weekends there always seems to be more going on like demonstrations, designer sample sales, Food Network filming, tastings, free salsa lessons (the dance not the food) etc. But I do admit I was let down as well the first time I went. I think it was the word "market". Now I just try to think of it as a really awesome food court servicing High-Line walkers and I am less disappointed.
  14. I would be walking over to Num Pang every single day. Every sandwich I have tried there has been fantastic. Not a traditional Banh Mi but so so much better. If you want a waiter service lunch hit Cafe Asean. Great food very nice atmosphere (especially the greenhouse/garden seating they have in the back) and cheap enough that you can go every day. Also you can easily grab Murrays bagels for breakfast. It is only a block or two from St. Vincents. If you ever want to kill an hour or two walk down 7th about 10 minutes and there are just a ton of options. Wilfie and Nell, Mary's Fish Camp, Cafe Condessa and Gottino are all in that region south of the hospital and north of the Christopher St. Station. I have really enjoyed the first three and have heard great things about the fourth. Also the place where I buy my coffee beans is one block north of the hospital. It is called Irving Mill. Really good coffee and espresso, some egg sandwiches and pretty good baked goods. I spend a lot of time in that area so if I remember something else I will let you know.If the weather isn't prohibitive and you aren't too time constrained I would seriously urge you to push south of Christopher Street Station at least one day. Starting at the station, heading south and taking a left on Bleecker will take you past Mercadito Grove, Hummus Place, Bleecker St. Pizza (my favorite single slice pizza in NYC so far), Joe's Pizza, Blind Tiger (one of the best beer bars in Manhattan with some food which I have never tried), Keste, this really good hot dog/korean fusion place (will look up the name later), Murray's Cheese, Amy's Bread and Grom. Just a murderers row.
  15. The UWS side Shake Shack is right next to the Natural History Museum. If you go to the Museum they make it look like you have to buy a ticket but it is really suggested donation. I live a few blocks away, go all the time and have never been shamed or given any type of hard sell by the cashiers to give more money than I do. You don't mention if your kids are boys or girls but if girls, I think a perfect day would be breakfast at Alice's Tea Cup (a tea shop a few blocks south of the museum on Columbus Ave.), walk up to the museum through Central Park, go to the museum for a bit, ice skate at the museum's rink and then hit Shake Shack for a late lunch. After lunch you could walk the two blocks west over to H&H/Zabar's and get some bagels/rugelach to take back with you or just browse for a bit. If you go to Otto, don't use that for your pizza outing. Stick to the pasta, small plates and charcuterie. Also if they are big Food Network fans you should walk the Highline Park and finish off at the Chelsea Market which is where the Food Network Studios are. There are a few studio spaces down in the market where, on occasion, I have seen various shows filming. I saw someone else mention the Tenement museum which is a great museum but I think it skews a little older than Ellis Island. Not sure if the kids will find it as engaging. I do highly recommend it however. If you do go, there is a gelato place right across the street from their bookstore which is pretty good but keeps really short hours and is usually closed when I go by. If it is open you should grab some. It is also very close to Katz's so you could knock your deli visit out as well. Oh one more thing, I think if you are going to do Pizza you can't go wrong with Lombardi's. I know it isn't the top pie in NY right now but it is still very good pizza, you get to see what is left of Little Italy and the kids can tell everyone they went to the oldest pizzeria in the country. If you go there save room for dessert and go across the street for rice pudding. There is a place called rice to riches with all different flavors of rice pudding to choose from.
×
×
  • Create New...