NYer Visiting DC in September

Hey DC Chowhounds...

I'm visiting a friend who lives in DC with 2 of our other best girlfriends and I need some restaurant recommendations. If I going to visit another foodie, I would totally take her advice and go to whatever restaurants she suggests. However, whenever we go out to dinner I am ALWAYS the one who picks the restaurants we go to so its gonna be up to me to make suggestions and the like.

We are not a particularly picky group but I think the idea is that one night we'd go out to a very nice dinner ($80 - $100 pp including bottles of wine to share) and the other night we'd do something slightly less expensive ($30-$50). I don't know the DC food scene AT ALL and I know that us New Yorkers (there are 3 of us coming down) would really like to get a taste of what DC has to offer! If there's a particular Chef that is well known in DC but not in NY, please make the suggestion because I know we would all love to give it a try!

We will also be around for lunch on a Saturday and probably do Brunch on Sunday before we head back up to NY. Barhopping in Dupont or AMo is a possibility as well ( I lived in DC for 6 months 5 years ago so I have some of the lingo down... haha)

Lunch and Brunch prices are up for negotiation - we all love a good spot with a prix fixe with a drink special so if there are any of those around... please let me know!

Things we like include:

Italian - antipasti places, etc.
Asian - We like anything asian - good sushi, korean bbq, japanese street food (okonomiyaki and the like)
Belgian/ Czech/ etc. - We're pretty big beer drinkers so we would love anywhere that has a Resto type feel to it with excellent beers and the food to match
Middle Eastern of any type
Indian

If you have any other suggestions on something that would be great, I'd really appreciate it! And I will definitely do a whole weekend in review post-trip to let you know what we think!!

hellsbells815 in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Pete's Tavern in Bronxville - closing this Saturday

To be honest... I've lived in Bronxville and the Bronxville area since I was little and I hear rumors of Pete's closing every couple of months.

Its never been the best place to eat but its nice to have a cheaper non-sushi place in town so you can quickly grab a burger before the movies.

hellsbells815 in New York State (exc. New York City)

Spring/Mercer/Broadway area

I'm a big fan of the Calexico Carne Asada truck. It is on the corner of Wooster and Prince until about 4pm. They are known for their steak tacos - but I am a HUGE fan of their pulled pork as well.

NoHo Star is on LaFayette and Bleeker - they have great sandwiches and salads. They run a little Asian inspired but are not a sushi place. I'm a big fan of their open-face BLT with a fried egg and avocado.

Hummus Place on Macdougal is also very good - some of the best hummus in the city.

-----
Calexico
125 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Where to go for a light lunch in the East Village...?

Corner Shop Cafe is closed for renovations! And they are under new ownership. They are reopening in the late spring.

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Thanksgiving in Portland

Hello All,

NY Foodie here. My parents and youngest brother (whose 11) just moved to Bangor, Maine and because they are still living in a tiny little apartment, we are having Thanksgiving in Portland. We will be there the whole weekend so I would LOVE some suggestions about what the must-haves in Portland. I pretty much eat anything as does the rest of my family - there are 7 of us including my parents. My 11 year old brother is a little picky but usually as long as he can have some sort of red meat and/or lobster (i know!), he's golden. The rest of us (between the ages of 17 and 25) have really no restrictions - we love Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian, French, etc. I'm a HUGE localvore as well so if there are any places (which I would suspect there are) that are known for bringing in their food from local merchants, please fess up!!

So I would love some options for:

Dinner on Wednesday night
Lunch on Friday
B/L/D on Saturday

Thanks for all of your help! I look forward to reading all of your suggestions :)

hellsbells815 in General New England Archive

Heading to AntiPasti in White Plains - What to order?

It seems like a fun place! I would actually prefer if the bar wasn't too crowded - some of the bars along mamaroneck ave get so crowded sometimes! I don't get into White Plains often but when I do, its a little nuts!

As long as the wine and the food is flowing, I'm sure my friends and I will be fine! I'll report on the new Chef after.

hellsbells815 in General Tristate Archive

Heading to AntiPasti in White Plains - What to order?

Hello chowhounders,

I'm heading to AntiPasti in White Plains for my birthday on Friday. I'm going with 5 of my friends for dinner/drinks. I have been dying to check this place out for a while and am really excited about it. But, I noticed that they have a new Executive Chef - has anybody been there recently?

Also, what do I ABSOLUTELY have to order? I'd like to do a selection of AntiPasti (obviously) and then perhaps an entree. Is it easy to fill up on all of the AntiPasti and then not need a main dish. I don't have any dietary restrictions so suggest away!

Thanks guys - I'm looking forward to reading your suggestions!

hellsbells815 in General Tristate Archive

Dinner near Grand Central Station please help!

What about Pera Mediterranean Bistro? Good wine, and they're running the restaurant week menu through August 31st.

http://www.peranyc.com/index.html

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Decent Food/ Watch the Yankees Game in the Soho area?

hello chowhounders,

I work on Houston and Broadway - I'm looking for a decent place that shows the Yankee games on tv. Preferably a Pub that has good beers on tap (local breweries, international, etc.) and good food - I'd prefer to not pay more than $8 for a beer and $15-$20 for an entree.

Its sort of a date, so somewhere that has a good sized bar to sit at OR tables where you can actually see the tvs.

Any ideas?

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

best falafal in midtown?

My absolute favorite is Pick-A-Pita, which is on West 38th Street b/w 7th and Broadway. I believe that they're one of the few places in the city that have Shawafel. ANd you can pretty much get WHATEVER you want on your sandwich (eggplant, tabouli, tahini, cabbage salad,, l&t, onions... anything) and its still the same price. (I think its $5.00). It is Israeli style.

Also, another place that is good is Bread&Olive on 45th Street between 5th And 6th. They're falafel is really good but they also serve other amazing middle eastern food like Labne & Zatar (amazing). I'm a huge fan of their Chicken Taouk and Shawarma.

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Dinner for 4 ladies in their 20s around 59th Street? (10pmish?)

Heya,

My 3 best friends and myself are doing a very typical lady thing next Friday and going to see the Sex and the City movie together after work. We would all like to get dinner (& possibly drinks) afterwards together (The movie will prob end around 9:45). 2 of us are commuting back out to Westchester county on the train so we don't really want to go too far downtown (probably upper 20s as the most far south).

Any recommendations for fun, late-ish eating in the midtown area? One of our crew is HIGHLY allergic to rice so (unfortunately) we can't do Asian food/sushi/etc. Other than the rice thing, we're pretty much open for anything and everything! Price wise, we're looking to spend about no more than $60/person including drinks (we don't really get cocktails - we're more of a beer & wine kind of crowd). And I think for dinner we'd like to go somewhere nice and fun - but not too loungy or incredibly trendy.

Okay - thanks!!!!!

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Essex Restaurant - Review

This past Saturday I went to Essex Restaurant with three of my girlfriends (who aren't big foodies) for dinner. I had called several days before to make a reservation - we had wanted to eat around 8:30 because we had plans to meet up with some of our other friends for drinks afterwards- but the only time they had available was 7:30. Upon arrival, we were told we couldn't be seated until all of our party was there. After about fifteen minutes we were still missing one and the hostess came over and told us that we "had to sit down and start ordering", which wasn't exactly polite. However, we had just started to order drinks when our fourth arrived so it wasn't a huge deal - just surprising that she told us to sit down so harshly.
Our drinks were overall pretty good - one had a raspberry mojito which was delicious; I had red wine Sangria which was good ( I like big chunks of oranges and limes etc. in my sangria and this only had strawberries and blueberries); the other two had margaritas - one blood orange (delicious!) and the other had a raspberry (also pretty good).
Bread Plate was decently sized - like most, we would have preferred it to be warm. Our appetizers were great. Two of my friends went for the ever-so-reliable goat cheese salad (only thing they were unhappy about was the presence of beets); my other friend had the "banitzas" which were basically the equivalent of little spanikopita with queso blanco instead of feta - but she adored them; I had one of the Essex "famous potato pancakes" with onions and applesauce, which I loved. It was well cooked and not soggy - just crispy enough! The sauteed onions were delicious.
Our entrees arrived an appropriate 10 minutes after our appetizers were taken away. I had the grilled half chicken with porcini mashed potatoes which were very good! I ate every single bite of the potatoes. And my chicken was good - nothing special. My one friend ordered the blackened catfish over the shrimp/potato/scallion hash which was unbelievable! The fish was perfectly cooked and the hash was crazy good. I would recommend this dish over all of the others. My other friend had the goat cheese stuffed chicken breast which was good - chicken was breaded and tender. The accompanying sides - asparagus and roasted potatoes - were sort of blah but the main dish was pretty good. My last friend had the manchego macaroni and cheese which was intense - very good! The accompanying edamame salad was nice and light.
We were almost too full for dessert but once I heard the daily sorbet specials - white pear, and blood orange - it was too good to resist. Both were amazing - very creamy (but no dairy!!) and tasted like i just picked the blood orange/pear off the corresponding green thing. Also, my friend had the apple tart which was yummy!
Overall, we had a very delightful dining experience. The building was particularly cool - the tennis balls on the walls were a cute touch. And the cocktails were great! But if you are looking for a quiet place to eat - don't choose here. The music is very loud and the sort that most people in their twenties would listen to before a big night out on the town!
My friends and I are already talking about going there again before we cruise the LES bar scene again.

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Decently Priced Lunch on UES?

I'm starting a new job next week on the Upper East Side - 91st and 2nd - and I was wondering if anyone knew of any places that have a decently priced lunch menu (no more than $15). I was, up till recently, in Midtown and my favorite thing to do with my coworkers was travel around and try all the different falafel places within walking distance.

I'm into everything - Sushi, Italian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani etc. Great salads/lunch/buffet style places are great as well.

Thanks.

hellsbells815 in Manhattan

Westchester Delis with homemade...

I'm almost positive that Lange's Deli (one in Bronxville on Pondfield Road and one in Scarsdale) make their own potato salad/cole slaw/macaroni salad and a lot of other yummy salads.

They also have great sandwiches. It is a little on the expensive side but whenever I'm home visiting my parents I always stop there to get something.

hellsbells815 in General Tristate Archive