Dining in New York City

[mtpleasanteater]

I had a pretty dissapointing meal at Babbo last month (Pasta Tasting Menu) but I was able to walk in @ 7:30 on a friday and was seated at the bar pretty much immediately. You should be able to eat at the bar if you want to, but I would look into other options.

[JLK]

I had dinner at CraftSteak last night. In a word, wow! I'm a bit fuzzy on some of the details, to be honest, because our party of six had no less than six bottles of wine (plus some where drinking cocktails and beer, not wine ). Unfortunately the online menu is not up to date so the process of writing about specifics is even tougher.

An amuse of sturgeon on toast wasn't tremendously popular, but parker house rolls disappeared quickly. They were incredible.

We shared several starters including oysters on the half shell, steak tartare (really wonderful; I could have made a meal of it) and clams.

The highlight of the meal was a cut of wagyu sourced in Japan (but apparently still not considered Kobe) that ran $30 per ounce. My banker friend and the host of the dinner ordered ten ounces. My wagyu skirt steak was - comparatively - a bargain at $69. Although it was really delicious and perfectly prepared, I have to say that the $300 stea, was truly spectacular. Buttery, tender, fantastic. I had never tried wagyu so this meal was a revelation.

Our sides included the most buttery mashed potatoes I have ever eaten and spinach gratin. Desserts included the "peanut butter cup" and warm doughnuts with chocolate sauce.

Our dinner was extravagant and the bill (just over $3000 including tax and tip) reflected that. Still, CraftSteak isn't going to be an inexpensive option even if you don't go for the wagyu and many bottles of wine.

[Pucca]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. One more question: Which bakery do you recommend for black & white cookies? My sister likes Dean & DeLuca (is this still a worthwhile stop? which location?). I was also recommended Rocco's on Bleeker St, which I understand has a layer of apricot jam in between the cookie and the icing? Thank you!

[mame11]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. One more question: Which bakery do you recommend for black & white cookies? My sister likes Dean & DeLuca (is this still a worthwhile stop? which location?). I was also recommended Rocco's on Bleeker St, which I understand has a layer of apricot jam in between the cookie and the icing? Thank you!

There are loads of great bakeries in New York to get a Black & White. I have had a Dean and Deluca Black & White, they are good and tres expensive but a nice snack to eat while watching the skaters at Rockefeller Center. Plus you can get the same cookie in Georgetown.

I used to pick up black & whites in bulk from Zabars to take home with me from visits to New York. So, I'd probably recommend a trip to Zabars on the Upper West Side. On the Upper East Side there is a great neighborhood bakery near Eli Zabars E.A.T. but the name escapes me. Their cookies are really good but considerably more expensive than Zabars.

Edit: The internets is amazing... it's William Greenberg Bakery on the East Side for black & whites. They are more expensive than the cookies at Zabars on the West Side.

It depends on which side of town you are on.

and apricot jam on a black & white is just wrong in my opinion and I didn't even grow up with them.

p.s. there were a number of trips to NYC in a row that I would go to E.A.T. and pick up sandwiches to take with me on the plane home. They are expensive but better than airport food!

[Pucca]

Which signature NYC, edible goodies do you recommend that I bring home w/me to my friends and family back home in Chicago? The only thing I could think of that might travel well are black & white cookies. Thanks!

I will definitely be posting about my trip when I return! Thank you for all your help.

[mame11]

Which signature NYC, edible goodies do you recommend that I bring home w/me to my friends and family back home in Chicago? The only thing I could think of that might travel well are black & white cookies. Thanks!

I will definitely be posting about my trip when I return! Thank you for all your help.

Go to Zabars. Proceed to the bakery department. Pick up packages of rugelach and black & white cookies. Enjoy the chaos that is Zabars. Proceed to the checkout. Pay.

Both the packaged rugelach and black&whites travel really well. (I've done it a ton)

Avoid bagels.... unless you are taking an early morning flight, pick them up right before heading to the airport and delivering them that morning to the lucky eaters. (I've done this too but it only works when you go straight from bagels to airport to office in short time frame).

Enjoy your trip! Is this your first visit?

[ol_ironstomach]

Go to Zabars. Proceed to the bakery department. Pick up packages of rugelach and black & white cookies. Enjoy the chaos that is Zabars. Proceed to the checkout. Pay.

Listen to NCP on this one! But I would add...you must also buy their chocolate babka. It's amazing. I'll even take it over Zingerman's (out of Ann Arbor), and Zingerman's knows from good.

Exhibit A:

[Sthitch]

Has anyone been to Maremma in the past year? I have reservations in mid-February.

[Pucca]

Listen to NCP on this one! But I would add...you must also buy their chocolate babka. It's amazing. I'll even take it over Zingerman's (out of Ann Arbor), and Zingerman's knows from good.

Exhibit A:

Yum, what's that swirly loaf?

Yes, this is my first visit as an adult. As a kid, I'd been to NY a few times to stay w/family, but they never took me out much.

[ol_ironstomach]

That swirly loaf is the chocolate babka!

I seem to be having brain fade tonight; I can't find babka at all on the Zingermans site. Might be confusing another one of their cakes with yet another babka I ate around the same time. Will find out for sure when I visit them on Saturday.

[mame11]

Yes, this is my first visit as an adult. As a kid, I'd been to NY a few times to stay w/family, but they never took me out much.

Oh, I am jealous. I love going to New York with people who haven't been, or with kids who discover it for the first time. It is a magical place. You will be too cool for school if you return to Chicago with stuff from Zabars on your first trip.

Have a great time and stay warm.

[jparrott]

But you just didn't drink beer in a steakhouse in the 60's!

You did at Peter Luger. And you still do. And with their heavily-aged steaks, a nice Brooklyn lager cuts through really well.

[Joe H]

From Thursday evening through this afternoon my wife and I and four friends did our best to eat our way through New York. Thursday dinner at Le Bernardin, Friday at Piano Due (second highest rated Italian restaurant in NY according to Zagat) and Saturday at Del Frisco with a stop at Gilt in the New York Palace for what was suppose to be a dessert and ended up as dessert plus six appetizers (!) we tried our best. Before leaving on the trip my one apology to friends was for the visit to Del Frisco's. I've been to Le Bernardin before and knew of Gilt's chef's reputation from having won the national Rising Star Beard award at the Striped Bass in Philly. Piano Due (a choice of convenience since it was only a block or so from Jersey Boys (the best Broadway show I have ever seen!!!!) had received a lot of acclaim from friends whose "opinions I trust." No, not Batali but an interesting alternative. (With risotto that Roberto would have sent back! and a veal chop that really may have been the best of all; most remarkably this seemed like a relative bargain compared to the other restaurants, especially in a luxuriously indulgent room that one could and should celebrate an anniversary in).

We also sampled eight different soups at Hale and Hearty which absolutely blows away the soup at the Bread Line (but not the bread). Pret et Manger is next door.

The best experience of the trip, by far, and all six of us agreed was Del Frisco's. Serious. Comfort food that reassured. Ironically, Manhattan's Del Frisco's is NOT (repeat NOT) as good as Orlando's Del Frisco's which was "set up" by the original owner of the Dallas restaurant from before the Lone Star purchase. This is a virtual clone of the Dallas original; anyone going to Orlando should seek this out on Lee Road on the far side of downtown-you will NOT find tourists in it, just locals! The New York "outpost," for us, was a comforting oasis on a very cold night. (God, to think that an Orlando restaurant would be better than an attempted Manhattan clone!)

The desserts at Le Bernardin (peanut and sweet potato) were awful (OK-merely disappointing @ $16.00 for four bites each) and essentially flavorless and with little texture. No, not a dramatic over reaction: from the microscopic portions we still left bites on the plates. Four dollars? What a bite seemed to be worth-they just weren't very tasty. Nor, frankly, that imaginatively pretty. (Michel would have sent these back!) Gilt, we honestly did NOT do justice to: we were so inebriated from a night of drinking that I (honestly) couldn't have a fair opinion but the space is incredible: palatial and private in the Mansion which is now part of the Palace Hotel. More than worth a return this should be a very real destination for anyone's trip to Manhattan. There is a great deal of potential here, some of which may have been realized if I had been more "receptive" to appeciate it. But not as an afterthought to Piano Due and Jersey Boys with stops at a bar and then a late stop for dessert and more drinks (that led to "what appetizers do you have that might still be available?).

Most important to me: the plaque on the wall of Le Bernardin that noted the three Michelin stars. I could not help but think that three Michelin stars in New York are not the same as in Europe. Yes, this reeks of arrogance on my part but I didn't see a single footstool for a purse (ugh, you say!), nor did I see teams of servers nor a showering abundance of extra courses. Of course, it wasn't Euro 275 either! (Or Euro 150 such as Schwarzwaldstube or El Raco de Can Fabes or Le Calandre, arguably the three best restaurants (El Bulli excluded) in their respective countries).

Laugh as you may but I continue to believe that Maestro is a better restaurant for the OVERALL PRESENTATION and taste and European style service of any that we visited in New York. Of course Le Bernardin is superb but for me it is a two star superb not an indulgent three. And, frankly, this is based on earlier visits-not on last week's. Yes, I am not reporting on Per Se nor Batali's two star Del Posto-but they are next.

Del Frisco's. There wasn't a single dish that was a wow! Not one!!! The onion rings were actually disappointing and I make better mushrooms/creamed spinach/mashed potatoes (I do!) and a half dozen places in Italy (Vescovino in Panzano, Sostanza in Florence) and one in Brooklyn (Peter Luger) prepare a better steak. Probably several if not more in Argentina, too. The strawberries Romanoff actually disappointed all of us since they didn't have enough liquor! A remarkable negligence given the excess of everything else! But overall this was the most familially reassuring indulgence of any for this weekend, one that given the choice of all, we agreed that we would choose first to repeat. Our last meal before an execution! (One day I'll regret not being more superstitious!) No stars, certainly not worthy of a single one. But, remarkably, Manhattan's Del Frisco has the single best crab cake (yes, crab cake!) that I have ever tasted. Better than the Narrows or Charleston's non Maryland interpretation. And second best of about everything else. The cumulative value along with an upscale Capital Grille kind of ambience results in wonderful, comforting reassurance that all is well in the fields of Idaho and the pastures of Kansas as well as the tended, gilded vines of Napa.

Comfort food to return to on a cold winter's night in Manhattan.

Even with 430 seats.

Our first choice. Have I really sunk that low?

[Pucca]

I started getting a cold the day we arrived, which definitely prevented me from enjoying the full flavors and aromas of everything we ate.

Our first stop upon arrival was Chinatown. We had lunch at Congee Village, and ordered two kinds of congee: 1) sliced fish with lettuce and 2) beef. The beef congee was the better of the two. The fish came in very small bite size pieces that contained bones and scales. The fried dough was cold and disappointing since we arrived only minutes after opening. We expected them to be fried fresh to order. It was a disappointing start after a starving walk.

Next, we stopped at Egg Custard King Cafe. We tried the almond and strawberry flavors. The egg custard was so warm and the crust was buttery and flakey.

After a little shopping, we went to Joe’s Shanghai for their legendary xiao long bao. We ordered both the crab & pork and the pork dumplings. Wow! The skin was just as thin and delicate as I remember in Hong Kong. The dumplings burst with so much soup! Check out gravity working on these delicate little pouches. I only wish there was something in Chicago that came ½ way close to these delicate little packages.

Before departing, we went to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. I had a taste of the taro but couldn’t decipher much flavor so I went w/the almond cookie. There were chunks of almond cookie mixed in w/the dough. It was pretty good, but made it a chewy type of ice cream – although not as chewy as Turkish ice cream.

For dinner, we went to Hearth. I went in with pretty high expectations. The room felt like a broiler. I was wearing a short sleeved thin shirt, so I couldn’t even strip myself of any layers to cool myself down. This discomfort definitely contributed to a less than ideal experience. I’m sure this was only worsened by being sick. I ordered the winter salad of mixed greens and candied walnuts topped with a sherry vinegrette. For my main, I had the pan seared skate w/ roasted winter vegetables garnished with pomegranate seeds. I just didn’t really feel like anything I ate was special. Service was attentative.

For dessert we decided to go to Magnolia Bakery. I picked a yellow cupcake w/vanilla frosting. The cupcake was a little dense but also light – not moist but not dry. The frosting was a little more sugary than the buttercreams to my memory. It was fine, but nothing to write home about. Service could be improved.

On our second day, we lucked out with being seated immediately at Baltahazar w/o reservations for breakfast. I had the roasted pepper and carmelized onion quiche with mixed greens. My fresh squeezed orange juice was so fresh and sweet. The quiche was delicious w/melted gruyere cheese in every bite. The busboys were great and on top of things, but our server was absolutely clueless. The computer system was down, and she seemed so disoriented without it. Even the busboys were getting frustrated with her. We were dressed in our coats and waiting for change when a new order of food was starting to be placed on our table b/c our server was messing up orders and table numbers. I bought a chocolate croissaint next door, and it was deliciously buttery!

For a late lunch we went to Lombardi’s. We ordered a house salad, calzone, and small margherita. The pizza was the highlight of the meal.

The San Marzano sauce, fresh mozzarella, and crust were a divine combination. I am still dreaming of it now. We had such a big, late lunch that we didn’t have dinner.

On our last morning, we headed over to H&H Bagels to pick up some bagels to bring home w/us. We went to Zabar’s to pick up some more goodies for bringing home w/us. I could’ve spent hours there! I bought a potato knish, chocolate babkas and cinnamon rugalach. The chocolate babka was my favorite. I had no idea what to expect, and it was phenomenal.

We went to Popover Café for lunch. We ordered a basket of 3 popovers served with strawberry butter. They were huge! I liked the inside. I hadn’t eaten in 20 hours, so I ordered a burger that was overcooked. I think their breakfast fare looked better than the lunch options.

All in all, I had a great time. I wish I wasn’t sick and that the weather could’ve been a little milder. Thanks for all the tips!

[blakegwinn]

Anyone know somewhere within easy walking distance of 50th and Broadway that won't break the bank. Adventurous crew so no cuisine is off limits. When I say "won't break the bank" I don't mean like a sandwich shop. We will be dressed for a show so we would still like a little atmosphere.

[grover]

Anyone know somewhere within easy walking distance of 50th and Broadway that won't break the bank. Adventurous crew so no cuisine is off limits. When I say "won't break the bank" I don't mean like a sandwich shop. We will be dressed for a show so we would still like a little atmosphere.

How about Algonquin Hotel? It's 7 blocks away from you. They have a decent pre-theatre menu($38 per person). Check out the website.

[mame11]

Anyone know somewhere within easy walking distance of 50th and Broadway that won't break the bank. Adventurous crew so no cuisine is off limits. When I say "won't break the bank" I don't mean like a sandwich shop. We will be dressed for a show so we would still like a little atmosphere.

Blake, I feel like a broken record but I love La Bonne Soupe. It is on 55th between 5th & 6th, so not a bad walk to 50th & Broadway. La Bonne Soupe is a typical French bistro, so much so that there have been times when the tables on either side of me have been occupied by French speakers. The prices are incredibly reasonable for New York and the owners and staff extremely nice. And the atmosphere is totally French!

I also understand that you don't want a sandwich shop, but this I have to share.... The Cafe Edison in the Hotel Edison is a throwback to another time in New York. It is refered to as the Polish Tea Room in homage to the role it played as a gathering place of theater and vaudevillian folk back in the day. The prices are unbelievable, the portions normal and the food delicious. It is, however, a deli. Cafe Edison on Road Food It is on 47th between Broadway & 8th.

Hope you have a great time.

[Hannah]

Sardi's is worth doing at least once, and isn't too expensive. Angus McIndoe does good comfort food and pours a great pint of stout, and, particularly post-show, is good for people watching.

[Seanchai]

Anybody know a decent place to grab a beer near 11th and 51 st.? My wife and I are going to a Daily Show taping and wouldn't mind stepping into some place for a good beer before or after the show. As a native NYer who spends most of his time below 34th st., that part of Manhattan is completely foreign to me.

[cgarden]

Anybody know a decent place to grab a beer near 11th and 51 st.? My wife and I are going to a Daily Show taping and wouldn't mind stepping into some place for a good beer before or after the show. As a native NYer who spends most of his time below 34th st., that part of Manhattan is completely foreign to me.

When I lived on 9th and 51st (disclaimer-this was 4 years ago), there was nice beer garden called Druids on 10th Ave between 50th and 51st, on the east side of 10th.

[Seanchai]

When I lived on 9th and 51st (disclaimer-this was 4 years ago), there was nice beer garden called Druids on 10th Ave between 50th and 51st, on the east side of 10th.

Great, just what I'm looking for. Thanks!

[DonRocks]

Gotham Bar and Grill - The original vertical cuisine still towers two decades later. Alfred Portale is a legend for good reason.

Momofuku Noodle Bar - Get here at 11:55 AM and order the astounding pork-neck ramen. Don't use any hot sauce until the bottom-third of the bowl.

Craft - A combination of "Crap" and "Shaft." Primal cuts, braised or roasted, and served in a copper pan. Wow.

Mexican Radio - Superior, clean Tex-Mex in a fun little dive. The huevos rancheros are obligatory as a hangover tonic.

[bilrus]

Craft - A combination of "Crap" and "Shaft." Primal cuts, braised or roasted, and served in a copper pan. Wow.

Huh. My memories of Craft are more like "Excellent quality ingredients, cooked well and served in a copper pan. Wow!"

[DonRocks]

Huh. My memories of Craft are more like "Excellent quality ingredients, cooked well and served in a copper pan. Wow!"

Here's an excerpt from an email I got from a buddy of mine as we discussed the restaurant. For what it's worth, I don't think there's anything "not to like" about the food - but man is it expensive for what amounts to a bare-bones meal. Yes, I know, you can say the same thing about a steakhouse, but steakhouses don't get James Beard nominations for "Outstanding Restaurant in America."

"What chaps my ass about that is that all they're doing is (in theory) purchasing good product and then doing the bare minimum to it before charging you an arm and a leg. I'm sorry, but outside sushi/sashimi, when I pay that kind of $$$ I want COOKING. As in, cooking that I'm not trained to do or don't have the necessary hours or manpower to recreate in my kitchen. 6-burner Viking range? Got that. Bourgeat, Sitram, Mauviel, Le Creuset and All-Clad pots/pans/braisers? Check. German and Japanese knives? Yep. Access to restaurant-quality fish and meat? Pretty much. Talent and training to put them all together like Scott Bryan, Gordon Ramsay or Alfred Portale? Fuck no. But the ability to sear and roast a lamb loin in a Staub braiser or simmer a pork shank in a Le Creuset and blend demi-glace, cheap red wine and decent butter for a sauce. Oui. Paying big $$$ for "simple" food like they do at Shaft is inexcusable and their success is a testament to how low cooking at home has fallen as a priority or skill in this country. Pathetic."

[blakegwinn]

For dessert we decided to go to Magnolia Bakery. I picked a yellow cupcake w/vanilla frosting. The cupcake was a little dense but also light – not moist but not dry. The frosting was a little more sugary than the buttercreams to my memory. It was fine, but nothing to write home about. Service could be improved.

We walked by Magnolia while shopping this weekend and there was a line about 35-45 people deep and it didn't seem to be moving (looked like a fair amount were tourists there for photo ops as much as the cupcakes). We walked right by and later went to the sister bakery Buttercup and then Crumbs. There was zero line at either place so we picked up 3 cupcakes at each bakery and had a mini sampling. I am going to assume that since it was started by the same people that Buttercup cupcakes would be similar to those at Magnolia. Crumbs blew Buttercup (and Cakelove) out of the water. Those things were awesome. They were a little spongey and not overly dense and the frosting was just the right amount of sweet. They also had a lot more in the way of flavors and combinations at Crumb which included the Smore with marshmallow fluff in the middle of the cupcake. While eating the Crumbs samples I wished we had foregone the experiment and just gotten all Crumbs' cupcakes. The Buttercup ones were overly dense, overly sugared frosting, and not as much flavor in the cake itself.

Thanks for the suggestsions on dinner spots near the theater but we ended up going to Xing for dinner before our show. I will hopefully write about that more when I get a bit of time.

[Gubeen]

Anybody know a decent place to grab a beer near 11th and 51 st.? My wife and I are going to a Daily Show taping and wouldn't mind stepping into some place for a good beer before or after the show. As a native NYer who spends most of his time below 34th st., that part of Manhattan is completely foreign to me.

I would head over to Druids. It has a great pub atmosphere, guiness on tap and a crazy Irish chef. It is located on 10th avenue between 50-51st Street.

or did you want something more upscale?

[Seanchai]

I would head over to Druids. It has a great pub atmosphere, guiness on tap and a crazy Irish chef. It is located on 10th avenue between 50-51st Street.

or did you want something more upscale?

Guinness on tap is plenty upscale for me! Thanks for the input.

This will be an odd, arrive in Manhattan Sunday noon, leave at the crack of dawn on Tuesday trip all because Grandma is taking the boys to the Berenstein bears Tuesday morning in PA. The trip will have an Italian motif as we will be hitting Sunday lunch at Luzzo's for coal-oven pizza, Lupa late Sunday night dinner and inoteca for Monday lunch. Tuesday night after The Daily Show taping is the wild card right now. If we want a change from Italian at that point, we will be looking at various mid-range to casual options. We could hit Molly's Shebeen or the Waterfront Ale House for burgers near where we are staying. If we were sticking with Italian , we're considering Cacio e Pepe, Bianca, Frank or Da Andrea or maybe just Arturo's if we wanted to go back to pizza. Any other casual/moderate choices below 34th street we should be thinking about?

[JLK]

Otto?

[Seanchai]

Otto?

Good call, we did that last trip. Enjoyed the salumi and small plates, pepporoni pizza was excellent, gelato (olive oil and pumpkin) out of this world good, nice primitivo I had never heard of, very good service. Since I only get to NYC about once a year, I feel guilty about doubling up on a place with so much still to experience (of course, that won't stop me from hitting McSorley's mid-afternoon for about the 1000th time, but that's different ).

[cgarden]

Any other casual/moderate choices below 34th street we should be thinking about?

I like Max, at 51 Avenue B (at the corner of E. 4th)

[Tujague]

Otto?

My partner and I weren't wild about Otto when we were there last May--I expected it to be much better. Maybe it was because we were stuck in the narrow section between the bar and the main dining room, but the noise was oppressively loud, particularly the music, which was a really grating alt-rock. The salads we had were excellent (escarole and sunchoke, arugula with tomato) and huge, gelato was good, the wine and service were decentenough. But the pizzas themselves were disappointing, a very ordinary margherita D.O.C., and particularly the thoroughly unpleasant funghi and tallegio pizza, which had a really nasty, musty flavor. It made me appreciate 2 Amys that much more!

[JLK]

Sweets roundup

[synaesthesia]

Sweets roundup

Adding to this list... Kee's Chocolates. They have the most amazing creme brulee chocolate amongst some amazingly fruit-flavored chocolates. I used to think all fruit-flavored chocolate was disgusting. This place truly changed my mind. And it's cheaper and better than crappy Vosges.

[DonRocks]

Adding to this list... Kee's Chocolates.

Oh yeah!

[Sthitch]

Last weekend I had the honor of accompanying my wife on a business trip to New York. Because I was stuck wandering aimlessly while she had meetings and I had to suffer through two painful social events, one so bad that even the free liquor couldn’t numb my tongue enough to touch the straight from the freezer bilge that Tavern on the Green calls food, my wife promised that I could make all the rest of the eating and drinking arraignments.

Maremma

Maremma is a small Cesare Casella’s casual restaurant in Greenwich Village. The cooking of the Maremma region of Tuscany influences most of the restaurant’s menu, but it is clear that Casella is willing to look to other parts of Italy for items as well.

Great – The house cured Lardo was perfectly seasoned (not too salty), and delightfully served at just above room temperature and allowed it to absorb a hint of the fresh rosemary that it was draped upon.

Having suffered through many bad versions of Spaghetti Carbonara, it is something that I have given-up on, thankfully my wife is not as jaded. Maremma’s version was as close to a perfect pasta dish as I have ever had.

Not as Great – the Tuscan Steak, it had a very nice flavor, but the portions were quite small, especially compared to the size of the short ribs. The gnocchi were the best that I have ever had, light as a pillow, filled with potato flavor, but an uninspiring rather heavy pea sauce overshadowed all of the hard work that went into making them.

Interesting Note – Since the chef also owns Republic of Beans it is a must to include at least one legume dish when you order.

Per Se

In 2000 I had a rather disappointing dinner at the French Laundry. The cooking seemed to be right out of the cookbook, the service was cold and frankly not that attentive, and the wine service was extremely poor. I had heard from one of my dinning companions from that night that things had improved on a later visit, but I was a bit apprehensive about what I would get at Per Se. So what did I get?

Great – With the exception of the wine service (more on that later), the dinning room service was as professional as I have ever witnessed. From how you are greeted at the front door to the minute you leave you are treated warmly and all of your needs are met.

Not all of the food was great, but most of it was. I had ordered the Chef’s Menu all but all but one of the savory courses contained at least one animal product. The one exception was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten was the wine braised heart of palm served with tropical fruits. The dish was a symphony of flavors, all of them working together to create a dish that was complex yet not convoluted. The pork and lentils was the best meat dish that I tasted. This was a duo of pork belly and trotter from a farm in Pennsylvania. The belly had been wonderfully slow roasted and finished to have a crispy crust on top. However, the trotter stole the show, it was treated to a long braise, then boned, and rolled in what I believe was pigskin. The entire package was a gelatinous joy to eat.

My wife loves vegetables in any form that she can find them. While reading the vegetable menu, her face lit up like a young girl on Christmas morning. She was enamored by the vast array of vegetables offered, and was not let down. There was only one disappointment (again, more on that later), but the true star of the menu was the second dessert. It was their take on Halva, served with sesame brittle, some sort of savory nut butter, ice cream, and gooseberries. This was not as complex as the hearts of palm, but it was just as much fun to eat. The halva actually looked like grated horseradish, but as pleasurable as it was ugly.

Not So Great – The wine service was not bad, but it was a let down since all of the other service is so exceeds it. The sommelier helped us choose a couple of half bottles of whites to go with our meals, but left it to our waiter to help decided on a red selection to match with the heartier fare. The wine was not served by the sommelier, and he only checked in once to see how the wine was pairing with the food. I believe that Citronelle’s wine service, list, and bottle prices are far superior to that at Per Se.

There were three dishes that left us a bit disappointed or cold. The first was my fish course; it was a Hawaiian Mo’i fillet that was a little fishy for my tastes. The second disappointing dish was potato ravioli that was inconsistent from one piece to another. I had two bites of this dish, one was simply amazing, and the other was mealy and overcooked. The final course that left me cold was the chocolate brownie. It was a monolithic display of dark chocolate without much character.

Union Square Café

Great – The orange salad with fresh cheese, pine nuts and fennel dressing was a complex and refreshing way to start lunch. The U.S.C. Burger was both flavorful and moist, one of the best burgers I have had in quite sometime. They are very generous with the flavorful cheddar cheese and bacon (well maybe a little too generous with the bacon as one of these monster slices is more than enough, while two was a bit overpowering).

Not so Great – The fries that were served with the burger did it no justice. I am sure that these did not come from a freezer bad, but they could have, they had no obvious potato flavor, and were completely lacking any salt.

Morrel Wine Bar and Café

Because of social responsibilities I had to cancel my reservations at Pichole, and we needed something light and easy while around the Rockefeller Center area. So we popped into Morrel’s wine bar and café.

Great – The Roasted Onion Tart topped with melted Gruyere was both sweet and savory, we ordered it as an appetizer, but it is large enough to be a decent lunch portion.

Not So Great – The Charcuterie platter was disappointing. The Jamon Serrano had little flavor, and the hard texture made me believe that it had been sliced hours earlier. The Saucisson De L’ail lacked any discernable flavor. The only redeeming thing about this platter was the respectable Rillettes.

Other Stops

I was happy to have the opportunity to further sample some of the fine cocktails being made in the city, and my observations are:

Pegu Club – If the would improve their horrible wine list this would be as close to the perfect bar as I have ever found, but then again, who goes to Pegu for wine. My favorite drinks were a Martini made with Kensington Gin (simply stunning stuff), and their slightly bitter rendition of the Sidecar should not be missed.

Little Branch – I love the entrance, and the darkness of the bar, but for a place that has so many rules I had hoped it would not have been so loud. But they do make some amazing cocktails. They also make a great Sidecar, and I was quite pleased by their Corpse Reviver.

Flatiron Lounge – We arrived early so we did not have to be subjected to the felt rope that was out when we left. I am not sure I would wait in line to go back, but most of the people were more interested in being seen than the quality of what they were drinking. Too bad, the cocktails were quite good. The one that stands out is the Aviation, this made with the gin of the same name. I did find the martini flight to be a little trite.

Underbar at the W Union Square (our hotel) – Not much positive I can say about this, the drinks were nothing special, the ambiance reminds me of a basement turned rec-room turned bar. Was not worth the elevator ride down. Again, I was amazed to find people in line to get in.

While battling the cold and wind walking from Pegu to Maremma we happened upon McNulty’s Tea and Coffee Company. This was a welcome find, not only did the smell warm us up, but the coffee and tea that we purchased there have been spectacular. I look forward to making some infused vodka with the Rose Buds and dried Chrysanthemum flowers.

[synaesthesia]

Anyone know anything about these Bamn Vending Machine things? They look SO cool. I'm sure it's more novel than tasty. http://www.nycnosh.com/?p=192

[jpschust]

Schedule of eating for this weekend in NYC:

Saturday: Late reservation at Eleven Madison Park

Sunday: Katz's Deli

Monday: WD-50

Haven't put together breakfast or lunch for any of the days yet.

Staying at the W Lexington. Suggestions for breakfast/lunch?

On Sunday we are going to see Company at the Barrymore Theater at 3.

[Hannah]

If you don't object to two Meyer places in one visit, the Bar at the Modern does a great lunch. Everything we had on Monday (housemade Alsatian sausage with turnip choucroute, tarte flambee, beer braised pork belly, and beignets) was terrific.

We're also big fans of the Spotted Pig, but I'd advise getting there right when they open (11 on weekends) because it fills up quickly.

[RaisaB]

I am tired of eating at the same ole, same ole in Queens. Does anyone know any restaurants that are decent? I usually stay in Jamaica, 5 Towns, or Kew Gardens. I will be there a few times this month so suggestions are appreciated!

[Seanchai]

Headed up to Manhattan this past weekend with an extensive list of restaurants and bars that I wanted to sample. My wife and I figured, hey, we're kidless for 48 hours, let's attempt to hit as many places as we can. Of course, the gods smirked at me as they knocked me down with a high fever four hours after arriving in town and I got to spend Sunday afternoon and night wrapped in a hotel blanket shivering. Nonetheless, I managed to recover enough to salvage some epicurean benefit from the trip.

I had a monstrous and extremely tasty burger at Molly's Shebeen and Pub on 3rd Ave. at 22nd St. The wife had the recommended house made onion rings instead of the fries with her burger and gave a big thumbs up. Seriously, it was the best tasting burger I've had out in a long time.

Monday morning we had a great breakfast at the Clinton Street Baking Co. in the Lower East Side. I had their famous wild Maine blueberry pancakes with maple butter (excellent if a bit sweet) with a big mug of hot apple cider while the wife devoured her Spanish egg biscuit with melted jack and tomatillo sauce. Considering it was sleeting during our walk down Houston St., this comfort food hit the spot plus plus. It's a very small place and I'm told weekend brunch waits can be hours long.

The big event was our dinner at Lupa in the Village Monday night. Our reservations were originally for my fever-ridden Sunday, but we were able to switch them (one of the big perks of the Sunday-Monday trip as I'm sure on the weekend we would have been SOL). Wow, what a fantastic experience that was. Not necessarily "fine dining" but unbelievable food delivered with exceptional, seamless service in a bustling, high energy atmosphere. We were early for our table and so thought we would go to the bar to sample their extensive wine list. We stood at the corner of the bar as we didn't want to take up bar seats with so many people eating at the bar. However, despite telling the bartendress we were just waiting for our table, when two seats at the bar opened up she immediately invited us to sit down and make ourselves comfortable. As it happened our table was ready 15 minutes early so we moved right there, a nice 2-top against the wall in the lively front room. Our waitress was excellent as well as she guided us through the menu while we munched on the basket of foccacia with olive oil. We ended getting the Prosciutto Di Parma and the housemade sopresseta plate, a salad and three of the pastas to share: the Ricotta Gnocchi with Sausage & Fennel, Bavette Cacio & Pepe, and the special Orecchiette with Broccoli rabe and Sausage, all very different but incredibly toothsome and keeping with Batali dictum of the sauce being just a condiment for the more important pasta. It definitely has set my standard for what what fresh pasta should taste like.

While not as extensive as I would have liked, we were 3 for 3 in having our high expecttaions not only met but exceeded. I'll take that percentage any time.

[JLK]

Bruni is hilarious.

[mame11]

Tonight at CraftBar I had a good meal. It was probably a great meal but it was only a bit better than meals I have had lately at Bar Pilar. I had a pair of perfectly fried oysters with a celery root "remoulade" (more of a slaw but whatever). I also had "bruschetta" with anchovies, soft boiled egg and sauteed leek. The bread had more in common with Texas Toast (at least in looks, not necessarily in texture) than any bruschetta I have ever had. I expected fresh anchovies as I have had at Bar Pilar only to find that they were out of a can (a very nice can, but a can).

Other meals of interest to report... Saigon Grill, great Vietnamese food... Le Pain Quotidien, oh how I am grateful they are not in D.C... yum sugar, er I mean prailine spread for bread.

[jpschust]

Bruni is hilarious.

The absolute perfect response to that Kobe review- your food's so bad that even food in a strip club is better.

[crackers]

Heading up to NYC this weekend to see some friends. I know we have reservations at the strip house (more along the line of the Palm rather than Good Guys) on Friday night. Has anyone been there and could comment on the restaurant. I have read some favorable reviews about the food (interesting sides like goose fat potatoes) but have heard that the wait even with reservations can be long.

Do you mean Robert's Steakhouse? If so, "strip house" is accurate.

Here's a link to place in question.

[wolverine]

Here's a link to place in question.

Haven't read entire forum, but I believe he was referring to The Striphouse.

http://www.theglaziergroup.com/restaurants...ouse/index.html

Pretty good place. They have a great tomato and onion salad, which I guess shouldn't be the focus of my comments since it's a steakhouse. They season the steaks with a heavy coat of kosher salt -- a little too much for me -- but it's interesting and good nonetheless. The goose fat potatoes are interesting, but I preferred the black truffle creamed spinach. I have been to their Houston and NYC locations. Found them consistent.

If you're in NYC, I'd recommend trying Dylan Prime. Great steaks and excellent/interesting sides.

http://www.dylanprime.com/

[mame11]

One of the more disturbing stories coming out of the NYC food scene in the past ten days is all about the Rats. Of course, once one place was found to be infested others had to follow but all at fast food places. Today I had a late lunch at the Cafe Edison in the Hotel Edison. The flies disturbed me at first but then as I finished my sandwich, I realized that not all the bugs were flying... Cafe Edison has been seriously downgraded in my food framework. At least they don't have rats.

[mdt]

One of the more disturbing stories coming out of the NYC food scene in the past ten days is all about the Rats. Of course, once one place was found to be infested others had to follow but all at fast food places. Today I had a late lunch at the Cafe Edison in the Hotel Edison. The flies disturbed me at first but then as I finished my sandwich, I realized that not all the bugs were flying... Cafe Edison has been seriously downgraded in my food framework. At least they don't have rats.

That you noticed.

[mame11]

That you noticed.

You are probably right... another story

maybe the rats would be better than the bugs. Ugh..

On the flip side I had two amazing dining experiences last night of which I will post separately to avoid any confusion with the rats!

[jm chen]

A combination of factors kept us from enjoying the NYC food scene as much as usual this weekend, mainly that we had a bunch of stuff to do, plus it was really too cold for gelato, and both 'wichcraft locations I went to were closed on weekends (remind me to spit on Tom Colicchio first chance I get). But we did manage to fit in a really excellent meal at Boqueria.

The wait for a table of 4 was surprisingly short -- less than 1/2 an hour -- given that we arrived around 8:30 on a Saturday night. A pretty serious parade of tapas set us back $50pp, including two large pitchers of sangria at $30-something per.

They have four kinds of sangria, including a beer sangria, which we found so ridiculous-sounding that we of course had to give it a try. It's a hefeweissen, with the usual sangria fruits, and a dash of triple sec. Quite good, actually, though not as good as the traditional red sangria we slugged back the rest of the time.

Standouts: dates wrapped in bacon stuffed with almonds and a bit of cheese; fantastic churros dipped in a wonderfully bitter chocolate; a great goat cheese (Leonora?) and aged manchego; patatas bravas with just the right amount of spicy sauce. Lowlights: lamb shank and pork belly -- they were fine, but they were priced in the $15-20 range, so that pushed the bill disproportionately higher, and we needn't have bothered. (Then again I almost always feel that way when getting anything entree-ish at a tapas restaurant. I'd much rather have another $5 plate of cheese or $6 worth of jamon serrano. Should have known. End of digression.) But all in all, there were no clunkers on the menu, and lots of delicious bites to choose from.

The place does get absurdly loud. We had a corner table, which helped some. Great service, fun vibe. Definitely planning to go back.

[silentbob]

Looking for quick lunch recommendations on a Saturday during a break in our fantasy baseball auction. We'll be near Grand Central Station.

Light is preferable, as I'll be headed to Luger's later that evening and will have eaten at Babbo (most likely the pasta tasting menu) the night before.