Dining in New York City

[mbalaver]

Otto, at 1 Fifth Ave (at 8th St) is right there. Small terrines of great veggies and seafood, as well as cheeses/meats at reasonable prices. With a great wine list. Sit at the bar if its just 2 of you... same menu at the tables in back or at the stand-up tables near the bar. Pizza is okay, nothing more. Pastas are good. Plate of fennel is very nice.

Lupa is closer but I dont like the food as much.

Thanks -- it's funny, just before I saw your post my sister said "there's always Otto." We had time to kill before the event so went to Otto before rather than after, which was good because it was pretty empty before (at least in the bar), but when we tried to pop in sometime after 9 for dessert it was packed. (We settled for gelato at Grom.) We had 3 vegetable appetizers: caponatina, cauliflower, and white beans with soffritto (which reminded us of Thanksgiving stuffing), at the stand-up tables in the bar. It's a good option for those times you are just popping in for a quick bite. And presumably those tables turn over more quickly.

[RaisaB]

Hello all...need help. I am going to New York on 1/8 and need a restaurant recommendation. I wanted to go to Per Se but it is closed for winter break. I will be with my family of 5. Four of us eat everything...the 14 year old..not so much. I was thinking Del Posto but am totally out of the loop on what is going on in Gotham. Any suggestions for a special occasion? Thanks!

[blakegwinn]

Hello all...need help. I am going to New York on 1/8 and need a restaurant recommendation. I wanted to go to Per Se but it is closed for winter break. I will be with my family of 5. Four of us eat everything...the 14 year old..not so much. I was thinking Del Posto but am totally out of the loop on what is going on in Gotham. Any suggestions for a special occasion? Thanks!

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.

[Pool Boy]

Very cool infographic and sidebar commentary.

Discuss and enjoy.

Dining Out In NYC Infographic

[Ericandblueboy]

The pizzas at Otto were aweful. We tried 3 pizzas at the same time, all have very crispy bottoms, no chewiness to the crust though. The 3 pizzas were vongole, margherita, and cacio e pepe, The vongole was especially atrocious - small flavorless clams were piled in the center of the pizza which was covered with mozzerella cheese. At least the cacio e pepe was tasty despite its cardboard crust. The verdure were the highlights, spicy rabe, brussels sprouts, eggplant, and mushrooms were all tasty. The coldcuts looked good. The pastas - puttanesca, alla norma (eggplant), carbonara, braise pork shoulder, and crumbled sausage with escarole (this was a little weird, no sauce binding the plate together) were pretty good, a bargain at $9 per plate. I really love the decor of the restaurant - warm earhy colors with simple furniture.

My brother says there's a place in Jersey city that makes really good juicy buns, better than Joe's Shanghai and as good as Din Tai Fung. I look forward to trying them on the next trip.

[Sthitch]

My brother says there's a place in Jersey city that makes really good juicy buns, better than Joe's Shanghai and as good as Din Tai Fung. I look forward to trying them on the next trip.

Hunan Cottage in Fairfield?

[Ericandblueboy]

Hunan Cottage in Fairfield?

No, we had brunch at Hunan Cottage in Fairfield yeterday. Their soup dumpling wasn't anything special. They do have good youtiao, shredded daikon cake, scallion pancake, soy milk, etc. My brother said this place is in Jersey City. I suppose I can ask for the name of the restaurant. I didn't ask because I just assume I'd go with him and he'd know where to go.

[Ericandblueboy]

[The Grand Sichuan is the restaurant my brother talked about. I'm not sure if the Jersey City location is particularly good or all of their locations are equally good. You don't really think about ordering xiao long tang bao at a Sichuan restaurant but there it is. Oh, the menu is laid out quite nicely, i.e., friendly for those who don't know what is or Sichuan or American Chinese.

[mtpleasanteater]

[The Grand Sichuan is the restaurant my brother talked about. I'm not sure if the Jersey City location is particularly good or all of their locations are equally good. You don't really think about ordering xiao long tang bao at a Sichuan restaurant but there it is. Oh, the menu is laid out quite nicely, i.e., friendly for those who don't know what is or Sichuan or American Chinese.

I'm not sure how connected the various branches of that chain are but the one's I've been to in the city have been great. The Flushing location focuses on Hunan food, and the east village location has a page of food Mao liked so the focus is different in different locations.

[jm chen]

Hello all...need help. I am going to New York on 1/8 and need a restaurant recommendation. I wanted to go to Per Se but it is closed for winter break. I will be with my family of 5. Four of us eat everything...the 14 year old..not so much. I was thinking Del Posto but am totally out of the loop on what is going on in Gotham. Any suggestions for a special occasion? Thanks!

Not sure if you're still pondering options, but our recent visit to Del Posto was truly excellent, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for your party. Other than a 1/2-hour wait for an 8:30 reservation (not fun, but smoothed somewhat by apologies and complimentary prosecco), there wasn't one false note all evening. Formal but not stuffy atmosphere, excellent service, and every bite a winner. If it's possible for a $95/pp 5-course menu to be a bargain, this one's it. (Plus, what a nice change to have plenty of space between tables. That plus live piano music makes the setting feel extra-luxurious.)

[hillvalley]

I'm looking for good, relatively cheap eats for lunch around the Met and Madison Square Park. Doesn't really matter what kind of food, I just don't want to waste a meal. (Shake Shack and Hill Country aren't options.)

I am also trying to decide if it worth making a trip to Eatly. I'll be in the neighborhood, more or less, at least once. But from what I have read here and elsewhere trying to eat is a nightmare and I won't be doing any shopping. Is it worth it?

Also, any suggestions on how to bring home a bounty of riches from Russ & Daughters so they don't spoil? I'll be on the train so bringing a big cooler isn't an option.

[clayrae]

Don't bother with Eatly. I went on a random Thursday afternoon in November, and the place was cheek by jowl. Couldn't browse, much less shop, much less eat.

What I was able to see wasn't anything that you couldn't get at a dozen other shops in the city anyway.

Can you get an insulated bag for Russ and Daughters? That said, anything smoked would probably survive the train trip no problem even not refrigerated...

I'm looking for good, relatively cheap eats for lunch around the Met and Madison Square Park. Doesn't really matter what kind of food, I just don't want to waste a meal. (Shake Shack and Hill Country aren't options.)

I am also trying to decide if it worth making a trip to Eatly. I'll be in the neighborhood, more or less, at least once. But from what I have read here and elsewhere trying to eat is a nightmare and I won't be doing any shopping. Is it worth it?

Also, any suggestions on how to bring home a bounty of riches from Russ & Daughters so they don't spoil? I'll be on the train so bringing a big cooler isn't an option.

[weinoo]

I'm looking for good, relatively cheap eats for lunch around the Met and Madison Square Park. Doesn't really matter what kind of food, I just don't want to waste a meal. (Shake Shack and Hill Country aren't options.)

I am also trying to decide if it worth making a trip to Eatly. I'll be in the neighborhood, more or less, at least once. But from what I have read here and elsewhere trying to eat is a nightmare and I won't be doing any shopping. Is it worth it?

Also, any suggestions on how to bring home a bounty of riches from Russ & Daughters so they don't spoil? I'll be on the train so bringing a big cooler isn't an option.

Russ & Daughters will pack your stuff in a chill-bag. Shouldn't be a problem - don't forget, it's also a zoo in there, and since I know people do not like the fact that there may be crowds in NYC the advice, like that for Eataly, is to go early in the day. DO NOT forget the whitefish salad.

Options near Madison Square Park/Flatiron might include:

The Jean-Georges restaurant ABC Kitchen is a great option for lunch. They have a very reasonable 3-course prix fixe and the food is high quality delicious.

Devi for Indian food is another option in that neighborhood - they have undergone some management changes recently, but I hear the food is still quite wonderful and the chef is still cooking.

Options near the Met include eating before you go or leaving and going to another part of town to eat. Seriously.

BTW, are you referring to the museum or the opera?

[blakegwinn]

Options near the Met include eating before you go or leaving and going to another part of town to eat. Seriously.

BTW, are you referring to the museum or the opera?

If you are talking about the museum go to Cascabel for tacos or Luke's for lobster rolls.

[Waitman]

What about Brooklyn? Williamsburg, say.

[weinoo]

If you are talking about the museum go to Cascabel for tacos or Luke's for lobster rolls.

Better tacos in DC, though it is close enough to the museum.

[Pat]

What about Brooklyn? Williamsburg, say.

Last night my husband and I enjoyed our dinner at DuMont, 432 Union Ave. It's quite a cozy place. I wish we had chosen to sit on the heated back patio instead of in the front of the restaurant, since we got blast of cold air when people came in the front door. This wasn't too bad until they really started to fill up as it approached 8 PM. I hate asking to be reseated once I'm settled in, so we toughed it out.

My burger was cooked just as ordered (medium rare). I added the lettuce, tomato, and pickles that came with it without really thinking, and there was something that the red onion had been pickled with (maybe fennel?--couldn't identify it) that made me wish I'd been more discriminating in adding condiments to my burger. A very minor point, though. The burger itself (with white cheddar) was very good. The fries were crispy and delicious. The top layer seemed a bit oversalted, but the remainder were just fine. My husband ate about half of my fries, and I contemplated asking for an additional side order but decided we'd had enough food.

My husband loved his warm baby artichoke salad. The few bites of artichoke I got were perfectly done. I loved the garlicky dressing. He also had the mac and cheese, which he enjoyed after a bit of a cooling period. It was molten hot on the inside.

The menu is short, with a few specials, yet it was quite difficult to decide what to order. To me, that's a mark of a good restaurant. The total bill (with 3 Victory Pils drafts) came in under $70. Everything sounded quite try-able, and I would definitely go back there when in Williamsburg again.

[bettyjoan]

Planning a trip to NYC for Presidents' Day weekend (flying in PM on Thursday 2/17 and flying back out sometime Tuesday 2/22), and I am completely overwhelmed. The last time I was in Manhattan was probably 2006, when my gal pal and I took the bus from DC and crashed in a friend's law school dorm room. The only notable place we ate during that trip was wd~50. It's embarassing, since I'm originally from New York (though not the city - Long Island).

Anywho, we will spend one full day (probably Saturday, but it's up in the air) in Long Island visiting my grandmother. We will be staying at a friend's apartment in the Lower West Side, near Ground Zero. We love all kinds of food. We are definitely beer people, though we enjoy wine as well. We can probably only afford one "fancy" dinner, and would prefer to eat a bit more casually and affordably for the remainder of the meals.

Where in the goodness gracious should I start???

[bookluvingbabe]

Heading to NY next weekend and have time for one dinner on Sunday. It has to be early--5:00 or 5:30 before my bus back. The bus is leaving from 9th and 31st.

In the past I have loved Hearth, Craft and Eleven Madison Park. I've liked Union Square and I remember Babbo as very good. I would like to do something nice but not bank breaking. This trip is a special my husband is employed again treat for myself.

Thanks for any ideas!!!

[jm chen]

Heading to NY next weekend and have time for one dinner on Sunday. It has to be early--5:00 or 5:30 before my bus back. The bus is leaving from 9th and 31st.

It's too bad there's no bar dining at Del Posto anymore, but if you liked Craft, the Tap Room at Colicchio & Sons is at least on the right side of town and I think they'd have space on the early side. (Can't vouch personally, haven't been yet, but it looks like a potential match.)

Other ideas, with varying degrees of geographical feasibility: A Voce Columbus? Esca? Maialino? Bar Room at the Modern? (Free corkage there on Sundays.) Otto and Lupa are always nice on Sunday afternoon too, but it sounds like you want to go a little higher-end.

If you like Thai and don't mind paying for it, Harold Dieterle's new place Kin Shop is a nice interpretation, plus if you luck out you can sit at the bar facing the kitchen and watch the man himself expedite (not guaranteed, but it happened to me last Sunday.)

Bettyjoan, some of these might be options for you as well, plus for casual-good there's Shake Shack, Luke's Lobster, 'wichcraft, Crif Dogs, and if you want to make a trip out to Brooklyn (Williamsburg), the chicken biscuit at Pies & Thighs is a freaking revelation.

[bookluvingbabe]

Ended up in the Tap Room at Colicchio & Sons. I thought it was fine but not special.

Maybe I'll have more time to explore next trip!

[Flavortown]

One meal in NYC, and I can start to comprehend how people find it possible to uphold the distinction between the DC and NY food scenes. There simply is no equivalent to momofuku ssäm bar in DC. Possible restaurants with stylistic similarities that come to mind are Masa 14 and Ba Bay, but based on personal dining experiences and what I've read, they don't seem to be operating on the same level. Nothing at ssäm bar fell flat, almost every dish was a revelation - from expert pickling to some of the best treatment of proteins I've seen in a while (and here, too, from both ends of the spectrum: precisely prepared raw fish to pork in all its variations), and the prices were shockingly reasonable. DC has plenty of its own all star restaurants, for sure, but last night's dinner has me seriously jealous.

[weinoo]

One meal in NYC, and I can start to comprehend how people find it possible to uphold the distinction between the DC and NY food scenes. There simply is no equivalent to momofuku ssäm bar in DC. Possible restaurants with stylistic similarities that come to mind are Masa 14 and Ba Bay, but based on personal dining experiences and what I've read, they don't seem to be operating on the same level. Nothing at ssäm bar fell flat, almost every dish was a revelation - from expert pickling to some of the best treatment of proteins I've seen in a while (and here, too, from both ends of the spectrum: precisely prepared raw fish to pork in all its variations), and the prices were shockingly reasonable. DC has plenty of its own all star restaurants, for sure, but last night's dinner has me seriously jealous.

I haven't been to Ssam Bar in a while, but more recently was at Ma Peche...Same thing - great food, precisely prepared. The chef at ma Peche (Tien Ho) was previously the chef at Ssam Bar - nice to hear Ssam hasn't lost a beat.

[bettyjoan]

Okay, I think we have a tentative eating itinerary for this weekend's NYC voyage...

Friday - lunch at Jean-Georges, dinner at Locanda Verde

Saturday - Long Island (i.e., eating whatever my 88-year-old granny wants)

Sunday - Brooklyn - I definitely want dinner at Fette Sau, but are there any good lunch gems?

Monday - lunch at Shake Shack (if they're open - not sure about winter hours), dinner at Ssam

Other than Jean-Georges, we don't have reservations - most of these places are pretty casual, and my hubby and I actually prefer sitting and eating at the bar.

Have we bitten off more than we can chew, so to speak?

[weinoo]

Okay, I think we have a tentative eating itinerary for this weekend's NYC voyage...

Friday - lunch at Jean-Georges, dinner at Locanda Verde

Saturday - Long Island (i.e., eating whatever my 88-year-old granny wants)

Sunday - Brooklyn - I definitely want dinner at Fette Sau, but are there any good lunch gems?

Monday - lunch at Shake Shack (if they're open - not sure about winter hours), dinner at Ssam

Other than Jean-Georges, we don't have reservations - most of these places are pretty casual, and my hubby and I actually prefer sitting and eating at the bar.

Have we bitten off more than we can chew, so to speak?

You should be fine. Shake Shack is open.

Locanda Verde on a Friday without reservations might be a surprise. I've not been, so can't comment, but others have mentioned it gets pretty packed - as does every place on a Friday night.

I don't see any pizza there, though! How about an excursion to Eataly early-ish on Sunday and sit at the pizza/pasta station? Or even instead of Shake Shack.

[jparrott]

Sunday lunch at Motorino?

[mtpleasanteater]

Franny's is in Brooklyn, but isn't really near Williamsburg.

I would scratch Fette Sau, NYC BBQ is far from great but Fette Sau is poor even by NY standards. If you're in Williamsburg to bar hop, which is a great way to spend a day, I would eat at the Commodore or Fatty Cue or La Superior.

[Marty L.]

I'd skip Locanda Verde -- nothing special and not worth the cost. I'd replace it with something else downtown at the same or lower price-point, e.g., Txikito, Kin Shop, Hung Ry, Ushiwakamaru (although that'll be more $$ if you go omakase with Hideo, which you should). I've also heard great things about, but have not eaten at, Sushi Azabu (right near Locanda Verde), Scarpetta, and Fatty Crab.

- Show quoted text -

Okay, I think we have a tentative eating itinerary for this weekend's NYC voyage...

Friday - lunch at Jean-Georges, dinner at Locanda Verde

Saturday - Long Island (i.e., eating whatever my 88-year-old granny wants)

Sunday - Brooklyn - I definitely want dinner at Fette Sau, but are there any good lunch gems?

Monday - lunch at Shake Shack (if they're open - not sure about winter hours), dinner at Ssam

Other than Jean-Georges, we don't have reservations - most of these places are pretty casual, and my hubby and I actually prefer sitting and eating at the bar.

Have we bitten off more than we can chew, so to speak?

[weinoo]

I can get behind Ushiwakamaru as well as Txikito, but I would hardly consider Txikito downtown, since it's in Chelsea.

Fatty Crab is just OK..but I'd rather eat at Ssam Bar. Kin Shop gets some good word - I haven't eaten there. The others in the post above - meh.

[bettyjoan]

Wow, what a trip! It is diet time for sure. Here's my report from the field...

Lunch at Jean-Georges was absolutely spectacular. The space is lovely in the daytime, since the room is full of windows and the sunlight makes everything feel very airy and open. The lunch deal is $32 for any two dishes (from a fairly extensive menu), with additional dishes running $16 each and desserts running $8 each. They presented a three-part amuse (sunchoke soup, smoked salmon on crispy rice with chipotle mayo, and roasted beet with ricotta and wasabi), and each bite was quite tasty. Bread service was also nice - I liked the ciabatta. We started with foie gras brulee with pineapple-meyer lemon jam - delicious, and a great mix of flavors and textures. We also had black sea bass sashimi with green chili, pistachios, and mint; goat cheese gnocchi with caramelized baby artichokes; veal scallopine with broccoli, ham, and a lavender-butter sauce; and steamed skate with pumpkin seeds, spaghetti squash, and soy-yuzu broth. In addition to amazing flavors and perfect preparation, I was blown away by the smart use of textures in each dish. Desserts are done in "themes" - my "caramel" dessert consisted of salted caramel tart with vanilla creme fraiche AND caramelized espresso sorbet with chewy caramel powder, and husband's "apple" plate involved spice cake with cider sorbet AND granny smith sorbet with compressed fennel and salted fronds. They also passed mignardises, to include chocolates, macaroons, and homemade marshmallows. Because we splurged on wine and cocktails, we didn't exactly have a "cheap" meal, but I definitely think lunch is an incredible value (especially when you consider that dinner is 3 courses for $98). Service was certainly formal, but it didn't feel stuffy to me. I think this was our favorite meal of the trip.

Dinner at Locanda Verde was great. We showed up at around 7 or 7:30, and we ended up waiting 20-30 minutes for two seats at the bar. The staff was awesome - super friendly and helpful, and very attentive and available despite how busy it was. I loved the feel of the place, especially on a busy Friday night - very lively and fun. We started out with the lamb meatball sliders and the sheep's milk ricotta with sea salt and herbs. The former were very tasty, but the latter just flat-out blew my mind. I am still dreaming about it. It was creamy, delicious perfection. I know you're probably thinking, "It's just ricotta, how amazing could it be?" Trust me. Chef also sent out a complimentary plate of fritto misto (not sure why, but I'll take it), which was nice and not greasy at all. The apps were pretty filling, so we ended up just splitting one pasta dish and one meat dish (and one bottle of wine). The pasta was a stracci with wild boar ragu, and while the pasta itself was good, I didn't really dig the ragu - I guess Dino's is my standard and I don't like to deviate. I chose grilled branzino for the meat course, which I loved - it was skin on, perfectly cooked, and incredibly flavorful. I would definitely go back - there were many other menu items that looked delicious.

We hit Ginger Man for some beers and bar food after a long day in Long Island. I am totally spoiled by Atlanta - the beer selection was supposed to be amazing, but I wasn't super impressed, AND a lot of options were out of stock. They have a limited "snack" menu, including chips, pretzels, and sliders, but everything we tried was fair at best. The bartenders were great, but between the lackluster food and beer and the TERRIBLE crowd, I don't think I'll be rushing back.

We went to the Brooklyn Brewery on Sunday, and it was a fun way to spend an afternoon - you buy tokens to taste beers, and then there are free tours (and while we didn't actually get to see a lot of the building, I actually learned a lot). We went to Fette Sau afterward, and I liked the idea of the place better than the execution. It's casual and affordable, but it ain't great BBQ (as someone indicated upthread). The pork belly was just bad - tough on the outside, mushy on the inside. The brisket was well cooked and tender, but it didn't have any flavor unless you doused it in sauce. The potato salad was actually really good, but when that is the highlight of a BBQ meal, there's a bit of a problem...

I really enjoyed Shake Shack - we went to the one on the upper West side, near the American Museum of Natural History, and it was yummy. Double Shack burger with fries and a caramel shake? Yes, please! I found the meat to be well-salted, the fries to be crisp and hot, and the shake to be just thick enough (I could get it through a straw with minimul effort).

We hit up Death + Company for some cocktails before our last dinner - the space reminds me of a cross between a saloon and a speakeasy. It's a small place, and they don't allow you to stand, so if you get there and they are full, they take your cell number and call you when they have room. Luckily, it wasn't busy when we went, and we enjoyed some really creative beverages, including a coconut gin concoction and a jalapeno-infused-tequila number.

Our final meal was at Momofuku Ssam Bar, which was also not crowded. The cocktail selection is interesting, but I opted for an unfiltered ginger ale - tasty AND good for digestion! We ordered seasonal pickles, which were really well done and included sunchokes, Asian pears, beets, kimchi (both cabbage and daikon), mushrooms, cukes, carrots, and tomatillos. We also had some steamed pork buns, which were fluffy and meaty and wonderful. The braised oxtail dumplings were perfect (especially the broth), minus the one piece of oxtail that I got that was tough and kind of gristly. The spicy sausage with crispy rice cakes came highly recommended, and it lived up to its billing - my husband and I ate as much as we could, but we couldn't take the dish down (our host in NY wound up with some great leftovers). My biggest complaint with Ssam bar was service - even though we sat right at the bar, we felt like the staff was very aloof. No one checked on us at any point, to see if we liked our food or needed anything additional. It's a casual place, so I don't expect someone in a tux to be around 100% of the time, but a little attentiveness goes a long way.

Whew! No wonder my pants don't fit now.

[weinoo]

We hit up Death + Company for some cocktails before our last dinner - the space reminds me of a cross between a saloon and a speakeasy. It's a small place, and they don't allow you to stand, so if you get there and they are full, they take your cell number and call you when they have room.

Wow, there's a concept. A waiting list. And they take your name and number. What will they think of next?

Okay, snarkiness aside, nice report. There is currently nowhere in NY with a beer selection even close to that at Church Key. But, there's nowhere in DC, imo, doing food like that at JG or Ssam Bar (service issues aside - that's the zeitgeist there) or many others.

[bettyjoan]

Wow, there's a concept. A waiting list. And they take your name and number. What will they think of next?

A waiting list may not be a new concept, but I think it is relevant for others to know that you cannot wait INSIDE the bar. When it is 20 degrees outside as it was this past weekend, a tidbit like that might just be helpful to someone.

[demandalicious]

If there is a wait at Death and Co, you can easily sneak over the Mayahuel - which is in the same "family". I stopped in on Saturday night for a pre-dinner drink and was able to be seated upstairs within seconds. Service is top notch while having a great relaxed east village vibe, and the drinks are strong and well balanced. More importantly, you get less of the douchey/B&T vibe that comes with Death and Co on a Saturday.

After Mayahuel, I made my way around the corner to Degustation where I had one of the best meals that I have ever had in my life, ever. And that is saying a lot. There are about 15 seats in this tiny east village restaurant that is modeled after a sushi bar, but serves french-inspired tapas. It's been around for a while but seems to be flying a bit under the radar in the press, blogs, etc. That said, there is about a 2-3 week wait for a reservation, so be mindful of that if you want to check it out.

As for the food, my boyfriend and I did a 5 course side by side tasting ($50 pp) - meaning that we each did 5 courses, but each course was different so we were able to sample many things on the menu.

First courses were ham/cheese croquettes and hamachi crudo with serrano peppers. It was funny to have two dishes on either end of the spectrum - one was exquisite and light, while the other was total stoner food.

Second course was a winter salad (beets, shrooms, fried brussel sprouts, bitter greens) with housemade ricotta and mackerel with pineapple and chinese radish

Third course was squid stuffed with short rib meat on top of squid ink oatmeal risotto (OMG!!!) and seared black bass with matsutake mushrooms. The squid dish was ridiculous and amazing.

Fourth course was rabbit trio (fried rilletes, loin and leg ravioli) and bacon wrapped lamb loin on top of eggplant puree, farro and pomegranate.

Fifth course was a torija (condensed milk soaked brioche with caramelized sugar on top) and pot du chocolat with marshmellow

All the while, we recieved amazing service and watched the chefs prepare our food in a completely open kitchen. This was seriously a 'next level' experience for a price point that is beyond affordable (approx $100 pp for tasing menu, two glasses of wine each and coffee). People who are traveling to NYC and want a great meal in a fun neighborhood should not sleep on this as an option.

[doctorwibble]

The bloke and I are off to New York at the end of the month. Some friends from Baltimore are coming up on the Sunday and we'd like to go for a leisurely brunch to catch up over good food and a cocktail or two. Where is great for brunch these days?

Thanks in advance.

[weinoo]

The bloke and I are off to New York at the end of the month. Some friends from Baltimore are coming up on the Sunday and we'd like to go for a leisurely brunch to catch up over good food and a cocktail or two. Where is great for brunch these days?

Thanks in advance.

Leisurely might not actually be a term that exists in NYC for brunch. Anyplace good has a lot of customers, and more customers waiting. My wife and I were walking around the east village this past Sunday and couldn't believe how many people were lined up for brunch - at crappy places!

That said, Maialino is damn good food. Balthazar does a classic breakfast.

[blakegwinn]

On 3/14/2011 at 5:33 PM, doctorwibble said:

The bloke and I are off to New York at the end of the month. Some friends from Baltimore are coming up on the Sunday and we'd like to go for a leisurely brunch to catch up over good food and a cocktail or two. Where is great for brunch these days?

Thanks in advance.

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)

[RWBooneJr]

The bloke and I are off to New York at the end of the month. Some friends from Baltimore are coming up on the Sunday and we'd like to go for a leisurely brunch to catch up over good food and a cocktail or two. Where is great for brunch these days?

Minetta Tavern (brunch menu). It's been almost a year and a half since I was last there, but the food and the "Green Mary" were excellent on my prior visit.

[weinoo]

Frankie's Spuntino, 17 Clinton Street on the Lower East Side. review. website and menu.

Frankie's has a small coffee place next door with good coffee and breakfast dishes made in the restaurant kitchen. I went there on a Sunday morning, after the line proved too daunting at the pancake/waffle place on Clinton just South of Houston.

Clinton St. Baking Company has been a favorite of many for a long time.

Minetta Tavern (brunch menu). It's been almost a year and a half since I was last there, but the food and the "Green Mary" were excellent on my prior visit.

Good luck with getting into that joint .

[demandalicious]

The bloke and I are off to New York at the end of the month. Some friends from Baltimore are coming up on the Sunday and we'd like to go for a leisurely brunch to catch up over good food and a cocktail or two. Where is great for brunch these days?

Thanks in advance.

For brunch, I really like Northern Spy in the east village. If you don't mind making the trek to Brooklyn, I can recommend The Vanderbilt in prospect heights (close to the Brooklyn museum if you want to make a day if it), or Northeast Kingdom in bushwick.

[weinoo]

For brunch, I really like Northern Spy in the east village. If you don't mind making the trek to Brooklyn, I can recommend The Vanderbilt in prospect heights (close to the Brooklyn museum if you want to make a day if it), or Northeast Kingdom in bushwick.

Yah...didn't know Northern Spy did brunch but imagine it would be a good choice because I really like their food.

Back Forty does brunch as well, has a bar, and serves tasty, "market driven" food too. Same neighborhood as NS.

There's always the idea of doing a higher-end dim-sum lunch (with the added advantage of cocktails) at Chinatown Brasserie. Not really in Chinatown, and not really a brasserie, but serving some quite tasty dim-sum, along with other just fine menu items. Ability to have a conversation here may also be considered a plus.

[jm chen]

Maialino brunch is truly excellent and takes reservations. Ricotta pancakes are a must. (Some portions can be scanty but the ricotta pancakes are far beyond one person's appetite.) If they're full up, I'd try Hundred Acres and then Locanda Verde. Hundred Acres in particular prides themselves on their cocktails.

[DPop]

Heading up next weekend for a bit of a celebratory couple days with the wife. Considering that a lot of the places I'd like to do Saturday dinner (Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Spotted Pig, Per Se, etc) are already going to be too late to get into, what place would you recommend? I understand that reservations at Momofuku Ko are a bit of a show and I honestly haven't been in a while so I'm not sure where to look. Are any of Colicchio's restaurants worth looking into? What about sushi places?

Any help would be great appreciated, I'm scrambling a bit now and not crazy about my current options.

[weinoo]

You can always call day of and see what's up? You might be pleasantly surprised.

[mtpleasanteater]

Heading up next weekend for a bit of a celebratory couple days with the wife. Considering that a lot of the places I'd like to do Saturday dinner (Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Spotted Pig, Per Se, etc) are already going to be too late to get into, what place would you recommend? I understand that reservations at Momofuku Ko are a bit of a show and I honestly haven't been in a while so I'm not sure where to look. Are any of Colicchio's restaurants worth looking into? What about sushi places?

Any help would be great appreciated, I'm scrambling a bit now and not crazy about my current options.

Per Se lounge is a good idea.

[Mark Slater]

I had a wonderful meal at Marea a few months ago. It is Italian style seafood. Expensive. It's on Central Park South, right off Columbus Circle. You could have pre dinner cocktails with a stunning view across the street at the Mandarin Oriental halfway up the Time Warner tower.

[DPop]

Both great ideas. Thanks gentlemen!

[Bob Loblaw]

Heading up next weekend for a bit of a celebratory couple days with the wife. Considering that a lot of the places I'd like to do Saturday dinner (Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Spotted Pig, Per Se, etc) are already going to be too late to get into, what place would you recommend?

FWIW, The Spotted Pig is walk-in only and it's a much different vibe and price point than the other places listed. I imagine you'd be able to get in easily if you get there early. If you're looking to make a reservation somewhere, how about The Modern? Both the bar room and dining room are showing availability for Saturday on OpenTable.

[Waitman]

So, what's open on Sunday night in New York City that's almost as good as Per Se but not nearly so freakishly expensive? We can drop a little change, but $300/per before wine is a little much unless the kids want to pony up their fare (ha! I made a pun out of a typo) share. This will likely be the "nice" meal of the trip so less interested in funky Basque joints, Chinese or high-end bistros and more interested in someplace where the food and atmosphere will tempt me to wear a tie and I can make my daughter wear a dress.

[weinoo]

What about Del Posto?

[Waitman]

What about Del Posto?

That may be just the ticket. Now to set up the speed dial...