Pan's Profile
Hakkasan - new luxury Chinese restaurant in Midtown
I don't agree at all that OG is "high end." It's very easy to have a nice big meal there for $25. Try doing that at Ai Fiori, let alone Per Se!
Hakkasan - new luxury Chinese restaurant in Midtown
I like their food, just not their bathroom.
Hakkasan - new luxury Chinese restaurant in Midtown
Have you ever used the toilet at Noodletown? I think you'd find it an exception.
Per Se Vegetarian Tasting and Chef's Tasting Review + Photos
Thanks for the report. I just want you to know someone appreciated it.
Changing face of East 6th Street
I think the old Sylheti-owned cheap Indian restaurants will gradually go out of business as long as rents continue to rise.
By the way, Banjara on the corner of 6th and 1st is quite good, in my experience.
Last Minute Anniversary Trip to NYC
And I find that in recent times, Tocqueville is regularly mentioned among the better restaurants in Manhattan on these pages.
Last Minute Anniversary Trip to NYC
It's not undermentioned on these pages. And that's not a criticism of the place by any means. I've had two lunches there and both were thoroughly delightful, so I'm a fan, too!
short notice trip for san francisco fooders
I prefer the sabich (eggplant salad or platter) at Taim to their falafel.
Dovetail or Picholine?
Thanks for the review.
I'm wondering what would happen if your reply to "Are you in the business?" were "What if I am?" If I were you, I'd be interested to know what they would do differently if you were. And such a reply might possibly shut them up.
Weekend lunch w/ baby
Not sure about Tocqueville. They are very quiet and sedate. Does your baby sleep a lot?
LES bakeries?
No. Is it the same dessert truck that used to hang out on St. Marks Place and 3rd? I did have some of their desserts, and they were pretty good.
LES bakeries?
Do you count the East Village as part of the Lower East Side? If you do, there's a branch of Financier on Astor Place which makes quite good macarons.
I like the cupcakes at Spot on St Marks Place. Excellent cookies there, too.
Dining advice for foodie sisters and adventurous 7-year-old on Memorial Day weekend
OK, go to Red Egg. They have some carts at peak hours (perhaps especially on weekends? not sure) and they are the 2nd-best dim sum place in Chinatown. If you want to go to a big eating hall with lots of carts, you're on your own; I can't recommend a good one for you, though some hounds claim that Golden Unicorn has gotten better lately. Probably none of them will be horrible, though; just mediocre.
OK, for a casual, inexpensive lunch where you can have drinks near the High Line, go to Half King on 23rd near 10th. It's a bar and grill, and they do not card at the door because they're at least as much a restaurant as a bar, but what's really interesting about them is that they have the feel of a bar with food, yet they serve food that's way better than they really need to, and actually quite good. In case of good weather, you might be able to sit outside, or otherwise, they have a dining room adjoining the bar room. I don't remember ordering cocktails there, but they have a full bar. For example, I have had a shot of Bulleit Bourbon for $10 with my lunch on occasion.
For dinner on the Upper West Side, I'm going to recommend Kefi, but that's only if you like Greek food (which you didn't specifically mention). It's well within your budget and though some hounds love to hate it (for some reason), I've never had anything but tasty meals there, and they have a fun, varied menu. It can be a bit loud, so no problem at all for a child to eat there any time.
I like some places in the West Village, but I think I'll defer to more knowledgeable posters for that part of your query.
Enjoy your visit!
Pushcart Coffee and Malt and Mold, two new nice places on East Broadway
England and France (and Italy) both (all) have wonderful cheeses, but I demur on a global statement that cheese goes better with ale than with wine.
There are indeed some good artisanal American cheeses, but there is at least a grain of truth to your remark, in this respect: Until I had had mature cheddar in London, I didn't realize that it was possible to have cheddar cheese that was categorically different from what I had taken for good American (e.g., from Vermont, upstate New York) or Canadian cheddar - or even the English cheddar I had previously tried as an import.
Dining advice for foodie sisters and adventurous 7-year-old on Memorial Day weekend
Best dim sum in Chinatown is at Dim Sum Go Go. There is other dim sum that's better in Manhattan outside of Chinatown, but it's a lot more expensive. If you decide to go to Flushing, post to Outer Boroughs for dim sum recommendations there.
How much do you want to spend on food for lunch and dinner, and what cuisines do you particularly like (other than Chinese)?
Coming to NYC and had a few questions about reservation systems and brunch/lunch
Relatively recent, mediocre experience at Red Cat, but it was for dinner. Not so recent at Balthazar - Labor Day brunch (but, considering what I ate, more lunch, really) at least 2 years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Advice - Mains under $30
I've gotta try Public. I've read so many good reports here. That's high praise indeed that it's of comparable deliciousness to Ai Fiori. Thanks for all your ideas!
Advice - Mains under $30
I loved the meal I had at Apiary a year or so ago.
Thanks for all the great suggestions, everyone!
Advice - Mains under $30
Major change in plans: The couple we're dining out with preferred to go to Legend. However, I'll file away all your suggestions, which will definitely come in handy in the future. Thanks, everyone!
Advice - Mains under $30
That's useful info, RGR. So let me rephrase: What would you consider the least expensive restaurant that's comparable to Ai Fiori?
Italian near the Theatre District
I didn't think so, either. I was just being polite. :-)
Overseas Asian – Authentic Malaysian food in Chinatown
Major Hainanese community in Malaysia, too. Remember Hainanese chicken rice.
First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!
My advice, for whatever it's worth: Since you don't habitually spend $100/person for dinner, for God's sake, don't do it on a 1st date! My first date with my current girlfriend - my longest relationship (we met in 2008) was over a couple of takeout banh mi from Banh Mi Saigon and some soy milk, consumed on a bench in Sara Delano Roosevelt Park, then a walk to Laboratorio di Gelato.
And our second date was at Saint's Alp. And she offered to pay half! (I didn't accept, but did appreciate it, and continue to appreciate it, and I do accept sometimes, which I consider important in a relationship. I know that she appreciates the time I spend with her.)
Definitely keep it simple! Take her to your favorite cheap Chinese place, for example, like Shanghai Cafe (maybe not Noodletown, with its uber-disgusting bathrooms). If you want something a bit less cheap and somewhat more formal, you can get an excellent, civilized dinner at Soba Koh for about $30/person and listen to sweet modern jazz on their sound system. I still think that's too expensive for a 1st date, but if you spend $100/person, what the heck are you going to do for an encore, and if you get into a relationship, where are you going to take her for her birthday? Per Se, maybe? Masa?
Good luck on your date, but please curb your enthusiasm a little. It'll be better that way, in the long run.
Italian near the Theatre District
Based on one trip to Becco, I thought it was, but I guess it's possible I got them on an off day. Agreed on the others.
Advice - Mains under $30
Hi, everyone. I'd like to try to get reservations for, I believe, 5 (finding out shortly whether it's 4 or 5) on short notice for this Thursday, May 24. What are your favorite restaurants in Manhattan (below 42 St. preferred, but we'll consider places north of there) with entrees mostly in the mid-20s? We'd consider various cuisines, but Italian, French, American, or perhaps Japanese may be best. We all love Ai Fiori but would like something very good - preferably of comparable quality in deliciousness, ingredients, and service, though it's fine if the place doesn't have equally great cocktails but a good wine list, and it's also fine if it's more informal in atmosphere. I considered Osteria Morini, but with secondi clustering in the upper 20s, that was deemed a bit expensive for the occasion, so someplace a bit less expensive than that but comparable in quality would be ideal.
