Dining in New York City

[Keithstg]

Met a friend in town from DC at A Voce last night for dinner. If any buzz has died down since Andrew Carmellini left, it wasn't apparent in terms of number of diners - the place was packed - despite it being restaurant week up here and A Voce was not participating. We had grilled octopus, and lobster risotto for starters. I did not get a chance to have the octopus, but the lobster risotto was excellent. There were ample chunks of lobster, asparagus, a nice addition of lemon for acidity. Very nice, and at $18, I thought a pretty good deal. Mains were veal agnolotti with lemon and capers, and white tuna. The Veal agnolotti were very good, and filling. I was only able to finish about half of them - but the white tuna disappeared completely. Total, along with dessert (bombolini - pretty good), two glasses of moscato d'asti and a bottle of barbaresco was $125 per, including tip. Given the price differential between A Voce and Alto, I'd seriously consider A Voce at the lower price point, if a quiet dinner isn't a necessity - it wasn't deafening in A Voce, but it came close.

[Walrus]

We had some great food in NYC this last weekend. We had a lovely dinner at Blue Hill, marred only by our own train-induced crankiness. We also had a fabulous brunch at August, which my brother and his wife talked about for the next couple days! Finally, we had a lovely farewell meal at db Bistro Moderne, with this beautiful, complex piece of skate -- perfectly cooked (for me: crispy, salty sear, tender, moist, flaky meat) with an astonishing mix of flavors accompanying it. I would eat it again in a heartbeat (and the woman next to us, who ordered the same dish after seeing me eat mine, agreed ).

We ended up both being stuck in the hotel more than we would have wished -- blah -- but it was as good a meeting as a meeting can be, and it meant our trip was 80% paid for, which, really, who can complain?!

[edenman]

I'm going to NYC in mid-September and most of the people I'm hanging out with are more beer nuts than cocktail nerds, so I'm using the list as an "idea" place for somewhere to hit (though we'll probably be hitting Pegu Club at least, and I'm pushing for Death & Company, depending on how time works out).

http://www.beermenus.com is also quite excellent for NYC beer-hunting. Wish we had one like it here.

[blakegwinn]

I'm going to NYC in mid-September and most of the people I'm hanging out with are more beer nuts than cocktail nerds, so I'm using the list as an "idea" place for somewhere to hit (though we'll probably be hitting Pegu Club at least, and I'm pushing for Death & Company, depending on how time works out).

I really like the Blind Tiger on Bleecker. Been there a few times and always been happy with the beer. http://blindtigeralehouse.com/

[Hannah]

We stumbled over the Swift on E. 4th last time we were up there - it's tiny, but had a really nice selection of local microbrews and other acceptable selections on draft in addition to the bottle list. It's also about 3 blocks from D&Co and PDT, which is no bad thing.

[jparrott]

Swift is excellent, and very near Astor Wine & Spirits.

[Keithstg]

Had a birthday dinner last night at Le Bernardin. Not that the place needs any more press, but - we had the chef's tasting. Began right around 8:30 - were out at 11:00. Given that this was a tuesday night, the pacing was appreciated, and we did not feel rushed. I had the selected wine pairings along with the tasting, and my wife asked the sommilier (one of four on the floor that evening) to pair three glasses with the meal as opposed to the larger pairing. The meal and pairings were as follows:

Amuse: Tuna tartare with daikon and dashi broth - very good. the broth added a nice smokiness to the dish.

Salmon-Caviar: Salmon carpaccio, surrounding a thin brioche, cream cheese, and caviar.

Pairing: Shizuku - Junmai Daiginjo Sake

-This was excellent, and the sake paired well with the dish, adding almost a hint of ginger on the finish.

Kindai-Maguro: we were told that this is the first sustainably raised Japanese Blue Fin Tuna available, and was paired with parmesan crisps and sun dried tomato, along with a black olive tapendade

Pairing: Vina Godeval Godello, Valdeorras 2006.

-This dish was my favorite of the night. The tuna was amazing - there was also a bit of micro basil on the plate, and the tapenade has a bit of lemon to add some acidity - fantastic. The wine pairing was not as successful, I don't think. The chablis we had for the next course may have gone better.

Charred Scallop: braised morels and chanterelles

Pairing: Etienne Defaix, Chablis 1er Cru Vallions, Daniel, 2000

Normally I'm not a fan of scallops, but these were great. The mushrooms added a tremendous smokiness, and the braising jus was used as a sauce. The chablis was fantastic paired with this, likely due to the minerality.

Baked Lobster: Asparagus and Sauce Gribiche

Pairing: Domaine Boyer, Mersault, Martenot, 2006

This was probably the richest dish of the night. After this, some fatigue set in. After spending the past week in Maine, I don't know if I was tired of lobster, but the star of this dish was, to me, the asparagus as a means of scooping up the sauce, which was phenomenal. The Mersault again paired well - it stood up to the richness of the dish without being overly flabby.

Escolar: Poached in Olive Oil, Sea Beans, and Potato Crisps, red wine bearnaise

Pairing: Daniel Rion, Nuits Saint Georges Vieilles Vignes, 2003

The escolar was very good, the wine sauce was fabulous, and this paired well with the pinot - the escolar and the sauce were rich, and the more assertive pinot worked well. Thoughts on the meal become a bit more sparse at this point...

Striped Bass: Crispy, with braised celery, Iberico Ham, Green Peppercorn Sauce

Pairing: La Rioja Alta, Reserve Vina Ardanza, 2000

On the a la carte menu, this was the one entree that interested me the most. The preparation was a bit different than I expected, however. The Ham and braised celery were on a separate plate, almost like a side salad, and the green peppercorn sauce was not very assertive. The striped bass was a substitute for Black Bass, which was unavailable. The fish was perfect, and paired with one of my favorite rioja's (in DC, I believe that the 1999 version is on PS7's wine list) was a great final savory course. This was a close second to the bluefin as my dish of the night.

Fourme D'Ambert: Bacon, Caramel, Gingersnap

Pairing: Domaine de Montbourgeau, L'Etoile Savagnin, Jura, 2000

Cheese course. A bit too rich for me at this stage of the meal. The wine was my first from the Jura (as opposed to Jurancon), and it was interesting, but not my cup of tea. The somillier did a good job

Chocolate - Olive Oil: Dark Chocolate Ganache, Toasted bread with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Pairing: Alois Kracher #4, 2002

This was the best pairing of the night for me. The Kracher was fantastic, and balanced the salt, olive oil, and chocolate beautifully. Despite being full, and tired, we managed to finish these up!

In sum, the meal was fantastic. Everything was cooked perfectly, and service was efficient, friendly, and unobtrusive. Chef Ripert was in the kitchen, although I don't believe that experience would have suffered were he not present. We asked for a copy of the menu at the close of the meal, and were presented with a signed copy, along with a 2008 Zagat Guide for NYC (embossed with Le Bernardin's review on the cover), which was extremely nice and thoughtful. Next time we return, we'll order from the a la carte menu - there is a whole roasted snapper that looks very appealing, but requires 24 hour's notice...

[Keithstg]

Stayed in the city this weekend, and had some out of town guests. Some meals of note, some not.

Friday night, my client invited us out to dinner. Tough timing with the holiday weekend, but what can you do? Went to Patroon. Mediocre at best, and the wine list was crazy (Coppola Diamond Series Claret at $65?!?!). Fortunately, we weren't paying. Apps of Crabcake and ceasar salad (salad made tableside -ugh) were competent, as were the pork chop and sirloin steak. Walk about ten blocks further to Sidecar if you want a similar meal, prepared better, and a decent wine list.

Saturday was Shake Shack. I love this place - my cholesterol count will not love that we can walk here from the corp. apartment. They also have a webcam pointed on the line that can be viewed via their website, which is great for judging wait time. This burger is a perfect "fast food" burger. For me, it crushes In and Out and Corner Bistro (although the latter may be the most overrated burger in the city, if not the world), and stands up to more "fine dining" versions like PJ Clarke's / Melon's. Add cheese fries and an Arnold Palmer, plus the ability to watch the US Open on a big screen in Madison Park, it was great.

Sunday lunch was Union Square Cafe, with some friends from out of town. The service was wonderful, and very accomodating of our three month old (as was Artisanal, fyi). MAybe the best thing I can say about USC is that it remindes me of Corduroy. Every time you go, you can rest assured that you'll have a wonderful meal, perfect service, and will feel better walking out than you did walking in...

[KeithA]

Was in NYC earlier this week for a super short visit, but did manage to have a great bagel at Murray's Bagels on 8th Ave near 23rd street. While pricey, it has some real deal NY bagels (I'm sure there are tons of other places, but this one is very good and a short hike from Penn Station). They have a ridiculous number of smoked salmon, fish and other toppings (at least 8 different kinds of salmon). If you're nearby, you should check it out. For reference iti very near the BBQ place Rub.

[bookluvingbabe]

First trip to Manhattan since BLBaby was born. Alone!!!! One dinner free. Meeting a friend for dinner on election night. Cocktails will be important. Before, after and during dinner. Mr. BLB will be texting me as results come in. Price not a huge factor. Totally not interested in WD-50. Not going to spend a day on the phone trying to get into Per See. Staying near Park 28th and Park.

I've loved Hearth, liked Babbo a lot and L'Imperio remains in my memory as one darn perfect meal. But I want to try something new.

Eleven Madison Park seems the obvious choice. Right?

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[Keithstg]

First trip to Manhattan since BLBaby was born. Alone!!!! One dinner free. Meeting a friend for dinner on election night. Cocktails will be important. Before, after and during dinner. Mr. BLB will be texting me as results come in. Price not a huge factor. Totally not interested in WD-50. Not going to spend a day on the phone trying to get into Per See. Staying near Park 28th and Park.

I've loved Hearth, liked Babbo a lot and L'Imperio remains in my memory as one darn perfect meal. But I want to try something new.

Eleven Madison Park seems the obvious choice. Right?

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

Nope. EMP is as good as it gets right now, and is an easy walk from 28/Park. Go for the gourmand menu, and enjoy!

[Steve R.]

EMP is absolutely the best choice, as long as you are aware of the price jump from Hearth et al. And, if you're looking for a very nice drinking place (wine, not cocktails), remember that the Hearth owners now have a wine and small plates place 3-4 doors down on E. 12th St. called Terroir.

[Sthitch]

We walked by the construction at 10 Downing Street, ... Put 10 Downing Street on your future to-do list.

Well more than a year later and finally as of tonight 10 Downing is opening. Not sure who the chef is, but at least they have opened.

[1000yregg]

I was in NYC this past weekend and stopped back by my favorite haunt Shopsin's in the Essex St. Market.

They're more busy since chef Kenny's appearance on Conan and a recent NY Times writeup- we waited about 30 min for a table, but I hear the wait can get up to 2 hours.

Yet another amazing meal- my party had:

Tasty I - pancakes- the slutty cakes (peanut butter, pistachio, cinnamon, pumpkin), Smore's pancakes (chocolate, graham cracker crust, marshmallow between the pancakes), and Mac n Cheese pancakes. Also had a side of Maple syrup Hatch chile bacon. Had an Orange Julius.

The Fairie- bacon fried eggs, oatmeal pancakes and flat biscuits

Roly Poly- scrambled eggs, lightly battered- chicken fried topped with mushroom gravy.

We also got some cheese at Saxelby Cheesemongers next door- the Hooligan, a raw milk stinker from CT- nice

[aaronsinger]

Khyber Pass last night in St. Marks. Very yummy Afghan food.

Went to Lombardi's Pizza in Little Italy/Chinatown for lunch saturday. It was good, but not great.

Bon Chon Chicken friday night in Flushing; this Korean chain was as good as usual.

[Bob Loblaw]

Some highlights from my trip this past weekend:

Terroir - Duck Ham with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Taleggio Panini, White Anchovies & Pickled Onions, and a glass of Chateauneuf du Pape (can't remember the winery)

Momofuku Ssam - Steamed Buns

Joe's Shanghai - Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings. First time I've had these and they lived up to the hype. I will try one of the other places next time to see how they compare.

Yakitori Totto - We got pretty much all the chicken parts they had, and all were great. The chicken meatball with quail egg for dipping was so good I reordered it. Kobe Beef Tongue was delicious. Why don't we have one of these places in DC? I hear Sushi Taro does it, but I'm sure it's not the same.

[zoramargolis]

Yakitori Totto - We got pretty much all the chicken parts they had, and all were great. The chicken meatball with quail egg for dipping was so good I reordered it. Kobe Beef Tongue was delicious. Why don't we have one of these places in DC? I hear Sushi Taro does it, but I'm sure it's not the same.

Go to Makoto and sit at the bar. You can get fantastic yakitori there.

[Pat]

Just back from a short trip to NY. Lunch Friday was at Otto. They're running a seasonal Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for $35. It was fantastic. Two of us shared it and had plenty leftover to take home. The fishes are prepared as antipasti and come out in ramekins on a cocktail tray. We also had a simple grilled pizza bianca ($7), with just olive oil and sea salt. The bread was great too. It was a wonderful, satisfying midday meal.

After arriving the day before, I realized that I was staying a short walk from Perry Street. I had enjoyed the lunch my husband and I had there in July, so I walked over in the rain for a (very) late lunch. There's something I just like about this place. I had the cream of tomato soup with basil, cheddar, and bread, and it was a bit oily on the surface. It was fine, but I had expected something different from it. I was looking for hearty cold rainy day soup and it was a bit thin; the consistency didn't appeal to me. The hanger steak, however, was fabulous. Several slices medium rare, with a smoked paprika butternut squash puree pooled on the plate. The steak was served over small wedges of caramelized brussel sprouts. Dessert was a surprisingly good passionfruit mango mousse cake (which I ordered only because I don't much like molten chocolate cake). This came with a banana sorbet in a cookie collar, garnished with pomegranate seeds and a few tiny cubes of mango. This is still a good deal for $24. Service was a little slow in spots but generally quite attentive and good.

[jiveturk21]

Long weekend spent there with my mother and sister. Since their lives, especially on vacation, don't revolve around where they are going to eat, I knew that I had two chances to eat somewhere that we would all enjoy. That meant nothing fancy dancy, nothing that would take longer than two hours, nothing that would be too adventurous for them. Given those stipulations, and what we could get for reservations, we ended up at Hearth on Saturday night and Public on Sunday night.

In short, Hearth was just short of perfect. Have I had better meals? Of course, but it did its' job, something comfortable for me and my family that would offer everyone great food at a somewhat reasonable price. The setting was perfect for us, homey and bustling, but not loud. The wine list was great, very creative, some pages containing just one wine and a whole lot of verbage about it. Interesting cocktails as well, perfect for the cold weather, one with rye and apple cider really hit the spot. The food was also stellar, everything was cooked just right, standouts included the veal breast with sweetbreads and wild mushroom tagliatelle. We had the gnocchi too and I can say that the gnocchi themselves were the best that I ever had, but I could have gone for a better and more flavorful sauce. I also want to mention the bread because it was great. They don't make it in house, I think that the guy said that they got it from Sullivan Street Bakery, but it was truly great. Dessert was a wonderful ending to the evening with the mini doughnuts the best thing that I ate all weekend long. With tax and tip is was around $350, but that included three drinks before dinner, three appetizers, three entrees, a moderately priced bottle of wine, two desserts and two after dinner drinks. $100 per person is clearly doable, which is always nice to know.

Sunday at Public was a different experience, but nearly as good as the one that we had at Hearth. The setting was clearly more trendy, but on a Sunday night it was good for us, not too busy and easy to hear one another. Very interesting space and lots of good looking people all around, even on a Sunday night. Service was better than we had at Hearth, but I would have to give Hearth the edge as far as the wine list was concerned. I felt that Public had some good choices, but it seemed pricey to me, much more than a casual diner would ever spend on a bottle of wine. That was fine for me, but I don't like that feeling that I am getting jacked just because I want to drink wine. Anyway, food was great, monkfish cheeks and lamb were the dishes of the evening, also liked the fried oyster appetizer as well. Bread service was awesome, four choices, all flavorful, all warm when served. Dessert included a nice red velvet cake with a chocolatey twist on it. Overall it was $440 for five people - one drink, two bottle of wine, one espresso, one dessert wine, four appetizers, five entrees and three desserts. Ended up being less per person that Hearth, but I think that we had less per person as well, they are probably on par with one another from a price perspective.

Overall, in a city of 20,000 restaurants, it always is tough picking just the right one for the occasion. But I am glad to say that this weekend we picked two great ones, ones that I would clearly recommend to anyone that is thinking about heading up to NYC for the weekend.

[qwertyy]

Last minute request...

Turns out I'm going up to New York for the day tomorrow, and I don't know the city well. I'll be spending the morning at the UN. Can anyone suggest a place for lunch in the area where a group of us can sit down and linger but also where one poor compadre could find something for her minimal budget?

[Hannah]

Last minute request...

Turns out I'm going up to New York for the day tomorrow, and I don't know the city well. I'll be spending the morning at the UN. Can anyone suggest a place for lunch in the area where a group of us can sit down and linger but also where one poor compadre could find something for her minimal budget?

Artisanal is pretty close, and is very reasonably priced for NYC lunch - 21.50 for a 3-course prix fixe, or lots of sandwich/appetizer/soup options.

[JPW]

Artisanal is pretty close, and is very reasonably priced for NYC lunch - 21.50 for a 3-course prix fixe, or lots of sandwich/appetizer/soup options.

Now if only they would put their fuckin' hours on the web site. When I'm in NYC I usually don't get to have dinner until late (even for NY). So I called and sat through a solid minute long infomercial before getting the phone tree options that let me through to the hours of operation, and I quote, "Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week". Randomly hit buttons to get a live person who finally told me that the last seating was at 10:30.

[Keithstg]

Artisanal is pretty close, and is very reasonably priced for NYC lunch - 21.50 for a 3-course prix fixe, or lots of sandwich/appetizer/soup options.

Madison Bistro, 37th and Madison. Smaller than Artisanal, but excellent.

[mtpleasanteater]

Sip Sak serves decent but not amazing Turkish food & is in your price range.

http://events.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/dinin...0sak&st=cse

Sushi Yasuda is pretty close too, I've heard really good things about the sushi you get sitting at a table. The food you get sitting at the bar is incredible but not cheap.

http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails...amp;cuisineid=0

[blakegwinn]

Last minute request...

Turns out I'm going up to New York for the day tomorrow, and I don't know the city well. I'll be spending the morning at the UN. Can anyone suggest a place for lunch in the area where a group of us can sit down and linger but also where one poor compadre could find something for her minimal budget?

There is a really good Mexican place I have been to a few times over there called Zarelas. If you are talking about a group of more than 7 or 8 it might be kind of tight though.

[lion]

Go to Makoto and sit at the bar. You can get fantastic yakitori there.

Unfortunately, Makoto, a personal DC favorite, can't compete with Yakitori Totto or even it's downtown, downstairs, divebar, younger brother, Yakitori Taisho.

Totto is definitely the upscale version of a Yakitori place and since Sapporo Draft is real draft, a great evening was had on a recent trip to NYC.

By the way, if anyone goes around the block from Yakitori Taisho to buy sake at Sakaya, please give a review of the place!

[edenman]

Sapporo Draft is real draft

I'm confused, what do you mean?

[mtpleasanteater]

Unfortunately, Makoto, a personal DC favorite, can't compete with Yakitori Totto

This has to be the best place for eating every single part of a chicken in the US!

but i don't get all the hype.

To be clear this is undoubtedly the best place to eat chicken hearts, knees, necks, tails etc. All of which (except may the soft bone) taste like the grill they are cooked on.

[lion]

I'm confused, what do you mean?

Usually, Sapporo Draft beer from Japan comes in a can.

Totto has Sapporo on tap, which was very surprising to me, since never had that here in the US. Actually had three Sapporo during dinner which were very good, probably could have three more, but that was just the beginning of a karaoke night.

[lion]

This has to be the best place for eating every single part of a chicken in the US!

but i don't get all the hype.

To be clear this is undoubtedly the best place to eat chicken hearts, knees, necks, tails etc. All of which (except may the soft bone) taste like the grill they are cooked on.

My orders were grilled nicely, actually thinking about it now in the middle of the night, my mouth is watering in hunger! The texture and tastes were so good.

[qwertyy]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

A friend of mine also recommended Sip Sak (and was kind enough to text me the address since I neglected to write it down), so we ended up there, and it was fantastic--really, exactly what we were looking for.

I agree with mtpleasanteater that my two companions' dishes and the wines were merely "decent," but our starter and my main were absolutely delicious. We all shared the fried eggplant with tomatoes, which had a great balance of flavors, perfect for scooping up with the crusty flatbread. And my main of lamb meatballs with garlic yogurt sauce and pita hit it out of the park. The meat was ground to an excellent texture and bursting with the flavors of spice and grill smoke. The acidic tomato sauce balanced the round, creamy yogurt sauce, and getting everything on the fork made for a perfect bite. Despite its serious richness, I could NOT stop eating this thing.

Service was familiar and friendly. I would certainly return.

[MelGold]

Anyone know of any great Amtrak promo codes to NYC? Need to go up for a meeting, grab a pastrami sandwich from Katz's and bring home a dozen H&H bialies for the holidays, and would like the extra $ to spend on food instead of transportation. Already have info on buses, but might fare better on the rails with the snow this weekend.

Thanks!

[Steve R.]

Anyone know of any great Amtrak promo codes to NYC? Need to go up for a meeting, grab a pastrami sandwich from Katz's and bring home a dozen H&H bialies for the holidays, and would like the extra $ to spend on food instead of transportation. Already have info on buses, but might fare better on the rails with the snow this weekend.

Thanks!

Not a clue to what you asked but, as always, I'll stick my nose into what you didnt. Why go to H&H for bialys when you're going to be at Katz' and Kossars bialys (Grand St.) are closer and better? Just sayin'. Happy Holidays.

[MelGold]

Just sayin'. Happy Holidays.

Thanks, Steve, for the unsolicited advice.

[zoramargolis]

Not a clue to what you asked but, as always, I'll stick my nose into what you didnt. Why go to H&H for bialys when you're going to be at Katz' and Kossars bialys (Grand St.) are closer and better? Just sayin'. Happy Holidays.

If you're going to Katz's you'll be only a short block away from Russ and Daughters, which has a fabulous selection of lox, sliced to order, and other smoked fish. They sell very good bagel and bialys there, too--not sure who makes them. But Russ and Daughters Balik (belly), Norwegian and wild Alaskan lox, and smoked sable are to die for. We're also very fond of the caviar cream cheese and the creamed herring.

[Pat]

If you're going to Katz's you'll be only a short block away from Russ and Daughters, which has a fabulous selection of lox, sliced to order, and other smoked fish. They sell very good bagel and bialys there, too--not sure who makes them. But Russ and Daughters Balik (belly), Norwegian and wild Alaskan lox, and smoked sable are to die for. We're also very fond of the caviar cream cheese and the creamed herring.

One regret from my last brief trip to NYC was that I didn't get to Russ and Daughters. I had deliberately packed light so I could bring food back on the train. On a trip up during the summer, I had a fabulous poppy bagel with caviar cream cheese there. Instead, I ended up having a not so great breakfast at the Murray Hill Diner (Lexington at 33/34). The people I was meeting wanted to go there and nixed Second Ave Deli. I didn't have the energy afterwards to head back down to R&D and buy more food to bring back.

(Service at Murray Hill Diner was excellent, however, and my dining companions seemed to have picked better from the menu than I did.)

[edenman]

Got in late Friday night. Cheap beers at Iggy's, a crappy little dive bar in the E. Village. Better beers at the gastropub down the block, Spitzer's, although the "bro" atmosphere persisted and the place was packed full of 'em. 40 taps there, but surprisingly few interesting ones. Stopped off on the way home at Puck Fair, joint with a pretty good bottle selection.

Started Saturday afternoon with a pretzel croissant from the City Bakery by Union Square. Delicious. Followed with a stop at Jimmy's No. 43, a quaint little basement bar with a pretty excellent draught list and a firkin on the bar. Considering it was almost 60 degrees in the bar, not too far off optimal cask beer temp. A stop at DBA was disappointing: good Victory cask on, but the rest of the draught list was uninspiring at best, and when I switched to bottles, they were out of about 50% of the beers I was after. It seems rather counter-intuitive, since the menu is on big chalkboards above the bar: if you run out of something, use an eraser. Annoyance compounded by the group of Georgetown alums occupying most of the bar area: at least our bartender put on some Townes Van Zandt for us. Ordered pizza from Lil' Frankies: decent, but nothing special. Stopped at Hop Devil Grill which has, in the past, been a favorite beer joint. It seems to be under new management, because the inept bartender did nothing to salvage a very mediocre tap list. Cocktails and bites at Death and Co was fantastic: almost everything that our large party got was spot-on, and they graciously handled our size as it grew from 3->4->6->7. It helped that it was early and thus not crowded, but it was still perfectly handled. Followed D&C with a stop at Against the Grain for some more delicious beers and food: highly recommended, although they only take Amex. Life takes Visa, but this place doesn't. Stopped in for some wine at EU, then karaoke at 2nd on 2nd. Unnecessary drunk food courtesy of Pakistani Tea House.

Good weekend. It was striking how much better the local brewery options are than in DC. In particular, Six Point is doing some fantastic stuff in Brooklyn, and we struggled to think of anything on the same plane here....the closest is probably Clipper City, but calling that "local beer" is a bit of a stretch. Also heard good things about Kelso, another Brooklyn brewery, but didn't have time to get out there and didn't see any of their beers on the marathon Saturday.

[mtpleasanteater]

Followed with a stop at Jimmy's No. 43, a quaint little basement bar with a pretty excellent draught list and a firkin on the bar. Considering it was almost 60 degrees in the bar, not too far off optimal cask beer temp.

You should have eaten there, the food is really solid. The chef used to work at WD-50 but the food is completely different, really hearty market-based stuff that really has balls.

Did you try any Captain Lawrence stuff? Its from somewhere outside of the city & I think its even better than Six Points. You can get their stuff in bottles too. The Whole Foods on Houston has a shockingly good selection of beer by the way.

PM me if you want a list of beer bars in Brooklyn, there are a bunch of good ones.

[edenman]

You should have eaten there, the food is really solid. The chef used to work at WD-50 but the food is completely different, really hearty market-based stuff that really has balls.

Did you try any Captain Lawrence stuff? Its from somewhere outside of the city & I think its even better than Six Points. You can get their stuff in bottles too. The Whole Foods on Houston has a shockingly good selection of beer by the way.

PM me if you want a list of beer bars in Brooklyn, there are a bunch of good ones.

Nice. The kitchen wasn't yet open at Jimmy's when we were there (it was early afternoon) but I never would've guessed it for a good food option. And, coincidentally, I had a Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter at Jimmy's as well. Awesome stuff, just the right level of smoke...I think I had their Double IPA last time I was in NYC, dug it.

Didn't make it out to Brooklyn this trip...I was hoping to go out during Saturday day, but Barcade and Spuyten Duyvil both open at 6pm, and I wanted to be at Death & Co right around that time.

[Steve R.]

PM me if you want a list of beer bars in Brooklyn, there are a bunch of good ones.

Give me your list (pm would be fine if you dont want to hijack this thread too far off course) and I'll add some for you. I live in Bklyn and have done so for much of my 55 years.

[ol_ironstomach]

Give me your list (pm would be fine if you dont want to hijack this thread too far off course) and I'll add some for you. I live in Bklyn and have done so for much of my 55 years.

Post 'em up, if you wouldn't mind. Some of us still like to visit Brooklyn from time to time

[Steve R.]

Post 'em up, if you wouldn't mind. Some of us still like to visit Brooklyn from time to time

Beer bars.... a taste of one block's goodness. Start with Atlantic Ave from the waterfront: Montero's (west of Hicks) is still not completely revamped to fit the youngstas and there's a good mix of all ages/types in this old line longshoreman's place. Floyds has decent beer and the claim to fame of indoor bocce; Waterfront Ale House has a very large great selection of tap beer with the added attraction of good food, especially burgers and pulled pork sandwiches (both places between Henry/Clinton). And blues some Friday nights (Poppa Chubby plays with the bar band).

And a note on the bad: dont buy the hype... Farrell's in Park Slope is crap and has been for years. Plastic containers of Bud & none of the old hang out crowd that one would expect after watching Harvey Keitel in Smoke (that's the block from the film).

[Pat]

I'm not an expert on beer, nor on Brooklyn, but Boulevard Tavern (579 Meeker Ave.) has a good house beer for $3/pint. The rest of the tap selection looked pretty decent to me, but I didn't pay enough attention to remember any of it . It was a good place to hang out with friends. When I was there on a Friday night, the bartender said that they had bbq and other food after 9 PM. I don't know if that's only weekend nights, but I assumed it was. They also have a variety of carryout menus, and you can order food to be delivered to you at the bar.

[mtpleasanteater]

Beer bars.... Start with Atlantic Ave from the waterfront:

There's another good one a few blocks down Atlantic called Brazen Head. That area and Williamsburg are probably your best bet if you want to be able to hit a whole bunch of spots walking.

A short list would have to include Beertable in Park Slope, which is expensive but has a mind blowing selection of bottles and four taps that are always incredible. The Gate (also in Park Slope) has had some pretty amazing stuff when I've been, as has Barcade & Spuyten Deivel in Williamsburg. DBA also just opened up in Williamsburg and I'm sure that will be great.

This list doesn't pretend to be anywhere near complete. Beertable is my personal favorite.

[Banco]

I just came back from a few days in New York and wanted to sing my praises for Benoit, Alain Ducasse's new (since April 2008) bistro at 60 W. 55th (the former La Cote Basque space). My son and I wandered in having no idea that it was Ducasse or anything else, looking a bit grubby in fleece and T-shirts. But we were treated royally, from the immaculately French but warm greeting, to the perfect service, to the excellent bistro fare that approaches haute cuisine in style and execution. The dining room is one of those that make you wonder where they obtained the materials and personnel to construct such a perfect rendition of a bistro in France--as though it were airlifted out of Paris and reassembled in NY piece by piece, right down to the brass hardware and oak paneling. The food was similarly transporting--a paté en croute the likes of which I have only seen in food porn, with a delicately flavored farce surrounded by a succulent and deep mahogany aspic, or quenelles de brochet that performed a delicate and airy pas de deux on the mouth with their accompanying Nantua sauce. Truly a wonderful experience.

[Keithstg]

Some short notes on meals up here in NYC over the past month or so...

Convivio - Client dinner. Convivio is in the former L'Impero space, and was PACKED. Literally, wall to wall people. Our group ordered several dishes, standouts were the garganelli ragu, and their bistecca, which was split among our group (three orders). Pecorino potatoes were also good. Combined with a magnum of '93 Mascarello Barolo, one of the better client dinners to this point. Of note: when we left at around 11pm, people were still coming in for dinner. One side effect of the crowds was our wine service - the wine was opened and decanted rather quickly, so there was more sediment than usual. I guess that the switch from L'Impero to Convivio has gone smoothly (Bruni seemed to think so, anyway), but to be honest, other than a larger menu and a more streamlined interior, I didn't notice anything that different.

i Trulli - We've been here a bunch of times, for lunch and dinner, and in the restaurant and the 'inoteca. Standouts here are the pulpo, which are wood grilled with lemon confit, celery, and some greens. I could eat this dish daily. All pasta is hand-made in house, and we've enjoyed both the tagliatelle ragu (sometimes rabbit, sometimes beef), and raviolini (various fillings). For mains, anything coming out of the wood burning oven is good, especially the pork chop. Worth noting: the restaurant is owned by the family who also owns Domeinco Valentino Selections, the wine import company. Their wine shop, vino, is right across the street. The wine selection is excellent, and deep in Barolo, barbaresco, and brunello, both in bottlings and vintages.

Park Avenue Autumn (now Park Avenue Winter) - Great brunch. Very fair $35 set menu. not much in the way of wine, but decent bottled beers.

Del Posto - I wasn't sure what to expect here, as I generally avoid the meatpacking district like the plague, but Del Posto was a great experience. Although the Garganelli Ragu, Pork Chop, and Tartufo were excellent, the service here really shone. For a restaurant this large (and packed), the amount of personal attention was really surprising. Each diner’s course was served simultaneously, and the meal was very well-paced. The wine list is incredible - definitely the best Italian wine list I have ever seen. My dining companions picked out a super-tuscan, which was good. The wine was handled impeccably - decanted carefully, and served in appropriate glassware, at the appropriate temperature. Also, white truffles here were the lowest supplement that I have seen in the city ($45, if I remember correctly).

The Little Owl- Saved the best for last. I love everything about this place (as does everyone else, it would seem). Lobster Soup was excellent and not overly rich, as some bisques can be; the soup just had great lobster flavor. The meatball sliders are uniformly excellent, even though sliders have a prime seat at the "trite" table. Arctic Char was excellent, and the cauliflower side dish was excellent, cooked perfectly (as was the Char to med-rare), with a nice, mild cheese sauce. The cod was also very good, served on a bed of squash risotto. The pork chop, which we did not have this time around, is also an excellent dish, and their most popular. All in all, a great lunch, with a few glasses of well-priced gringolino from the small but nice wine list.

[mbucher]

Had the pleasure of sampling Babbo's tasting menu last night.

-Babbo Culatello with Ramps and Pecorino

Riesling “Montiggl,” St. Michael Eppan 2006

-BONUS: Duck breast with, parmesan flan

-Pappardelle with Porcini and Thyme

Aglianico “Donnaluna,” De Conciliis 2005

-Duck Tortelli with “Sugo Finto”

Rosso di Torgiano “Rubesco,” Lungarotti 2004

-Hanger Steak with Balsamic Reduction

Lessona, Proprieta Sperino 2004

-Coach Farm’s Finest with Fennel Honey

Franciacorta Extra Brut, La Montina NV

-Pumpkin “Bônet”

“Arzimo,” La Cappuccina 2004

-Chocolate “Tartufino”

Vin Santo di Chianti Classico, La Sala 2000

-Venetian Apple Cake with Cinnamon Gelato

Moscato di Noto, Planeta 2006

There's reason why this place is booked SOLID in this economy to midnight even on Mondays! Skilled hands in the kitchen with tastes and textures that defy the senses! 50 seats and great vibe. The Pomegranite Belini's at the bar are killer.

[Sthitch]

This is some interesting information about mandatory service charges in NYC.

[crazeegirl]

Just returned from a weekend trip from NYC. I am so glad Joe's Shanghai is not in DC...my life would be shortened by at least 10 years. The soup dumplings were better than ever. I love their Shanghai fried rice, which has nothing but scallions and eggs...oh right, also pork fat(!).

I wish we had a noodle place like Sobaya...fresh soba noodles made on the spot. I had their tempura and soba lunch set ($17) and it was way way more food than I expected, all of which were simple and delish! They really know how to let ingredients shine on their own....no pretentions here.

Mapo at Grand Sichuan was suprisingly good.

Lupa, lupa, lupa...I wish Posto was lupa lupa lupa.

[Sthitch]

Joe's Shanghai ...The soup dumplings were better than ever.

Have you tried the soup dumplings at Yank Sing in San Francisco? If you have, as a point of reference for me, I was wondering how you might rate Joe's against those?