2 nights 3 days in nyc

I must say i was sceptical at all the discussion around VIPs and reservations that ensued from my original post.
So with 1 month to go and armed with (what was in retrospect) a certain level of naiveté i called locande verde and minetta tavern. For a party of 4 I was offered variously 5:30, 5:45 and 10pm.
Seems fairly ridiculous to me, although on some level reassuring as to the quality. Problem is don't want to eat at those times yet reluctant to have no reservation and attempt to drop by given we are only there for a couple of nights.
What to do?
Suggestions?

bangers and mash in Manhattan

2 nights 3 days in nyc

Bit confused on the bookings.
Is it generally 4 weeks, 30 days or 1 month in advance?
Or variable depending on restaurant?

bangers and mash in Manhattan

2 nights 3 days in nyc

Thanks. That duck looks amazing!
Eataly looks definitely worth a visit if only to browse.
Suppose we were thinking more minetta tavern and locande verde for dinners?
Maybe ssam bar Friday lunch? Prune Saturday?
Is noise at locande verde a big problem?

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Eataly
200 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

bangers and mash in Manhattan

2 nights 3 days in nyc

looking for some help
coming from toronto in november, friday to sunday
first time away together without kids - eldest 5 now (where has the time gone)
like our food, pretty much anything
also into the experience / ambience
not into insanely expensive but for a once in 5 years treat can splurge some

a lifetime ago at various times we've been to and loved gramercy tavern, river cafe, le bernardin, blue water grill, aquagrill, nobu, balthazar
also been to scarpetta in toronto

staying at the standard hotel

some of our thoughts:

need 2 dinners, 2 lunches and a breakfast just before going home sunday (maybe just at the standard)

minetta tavern
locande verde
abc kitchen
prune
eataly
momofuku (which one?)

any opinions / standouts / misses / omissions?

thanks for your help

bangers and mash in Manhattan

Fresh and Wild - Bayview

I completely agree kawarthagirl...so much hope and no improvement from Nunzios. The Bayview strip offers a good variety of individual stores (bakeries, butchers etc.), but Nunzio's did offer one-stop shopping and a reasonable fish counter. If anything, now, there are fewer prepared foods and the fish counter is less extensive.

bangers and mash in Ontario (including Toronto)

Bar Italia coming to Leaside...

Joey Fiasco's had a short lived existence on Bayview. A sign on the door indicates that the owners of Bar Italia have bought the space. Any insider information out there about what kind of place they are planning?

bangers and mash in Ontario (including Toronto)

3 French Bistros in 7 days - Loire vs. Tati vs. Coquine (Reviews)

We didn't order bottles of wine, just a glass or 2 at each restaurant. With wine and dessert the totals (with tax) were approximately: $75/person at Loire, $65/person at Tati and $50/person at Coquine. Hope that helps!

bangers and mash in Ontario (including Toronto)

3 French Bistros in 7 days - Loire vs. Tati vs. Coquine (Reviews)

The stars, and out of town guests, aligned this week and I ended up dining at three (count ‘em three) French bistros this past week. I’m all French-onion-souped out, but these are my thoughts…

Last weekend, on an unexpected stroke of good luck, we had free babysitting and decided to try Loire, the recent darling of the Globe-and-Mail, for a late dinner. The owner - whom I had spoken to previously for a booking and cancellation during T.O’s first snowstorm - was professional and effusive at the same time, allowing us to book at an unusual time and indicating that he was looking forward to seeing us. Upon arrival at the restaurant, I was impressed with the minimal but sleek décor. It was late, but the restaurant was about 80% full. I have to tell you, that as parents of young children, eating past 5:30 pm is a treat, and my SO and I were famished when we arrived at the restaurant. A few slices of baguette and rich, creamy butter were a quick addition to our table; but disappeared in a split second. Replenishment was requested, and arrived slowly.

The restaurant is obviously basking in the glowing reviews it has received from one particular columnist. When I was wavering between two potential dishes, our waiter exclaimed “You have to have the steak…Joanna Kates loved it!” How could I refuse?

After ordering food, the sommelier approached our table and provided excellent recommendations (Riesling for my SO and a Shiraz for me). Our appetizers were also very enjoyable – my SO had the pork belly, which was both crispy and tender, and I had the pistachio-encrusted goat cheese, a competent and flavorful dish. As I mentioned, we were unusually hungry that evening, but, I suspect that the portions would have been seen as smallish to the average diner. However, we asked for more bread and looked forward to our mains…It was then that I noticed that the tables at Loire are quite close together. As we dined, our conversation was intermittently interrupted by the young couple next to us (they see his family too much, her family has things to offer too, you know), and the couple next to them (she’s not enjoying her job, he described her co-workers as “sheep” – yikes!). I can tell you that I have limited interest, and no track record, of listening to neighboring table’s conversations, but, at Loire, it’s unavoidable.

Back at our table, our main courses arrived. Just as our waiter (and Joanna Kates) promised, the steak was perfectly cooked, and draped over polenta and vegetables. Two grilled scallions were a perfect accompaniment. My SO raved about his duck, confit and magret, with creamy cauliflower cheese. I have to say, however, that our third bread tray had gone, my steak was finished, and my SO and I were both clamoring for the dessert menu. The marshmallow pumpkin banana cheesecake and the chocolate dessert were divine.

Loire met all of our expectations in terms of the execution and quality of the food. Everything we tasted at Loire was flavorful and lovely. The ambiance was spot-on for a sophisticated but casual night out. But about those portions…

Two days later, a friend from NYC was in town, and, after searching for a spot that fit our vibe and location requirements, we decided to meet at Coquine for a bite. The scene at Coquine is fantastic – fun, clean, hip. The restaurant was populated with several groups of pretty, young urbanites drinking and laughing, their great time only interrupted by regular trips into the snow for cigarettes. Our designated server left the restaurant half-way through our meal, but two others took over and were just as friendly as the first. I should stop my review at this point…if you don’t have anything nice to say and all that. I will be brief and to the point about the food. At our server’s suggestion, my friend and I both ordered the French Onion Soup (“It’s the best in the city”, she promised), and the Steak Frites (“You can’t get it better anywhere else”, she smiled). As far as I’m concerned, Thuet has assembled the gold standard in terms of French Onion Soup, and Coquine’s version was a lightweight in comparison. It was standard Costco/Any-chain-restaurant fare – no better, no worse. The steak frites was less than stellar – steak was shriveled and dry, and the frites were covered in grated cheese, which I thought was a brilliant idea, at first, but then became annoying and grainy when trying to dip. My friend only finished a third of her steak. She said the French Onion Soup had been “filling”. Ah well, so the food at Coquine was less than ideal. We were at a hip bistro and we had fabulous wine and conversation that night. My second restaurant was still a partial success.

The following weekend, two friends were in town and we decided to try Tati. Arranging reservations at 8:30 was no problem through Open Table. When we first arrived, I was somewhat disheartened, and concerned, about how the night would proceed. After reading some reviews on Chowhound, which were notable for discussing the poor service/grumpy hostess, I wasn’t hopeful when we had to wait for our table for about 10 minutes. When we got seated, no one came to drop off menus, bring water, or to take our drink order for another 15 minutes. This was not getting off to the right start…

But then things turned around… Our server apologized profusely, and brought water and our drinks quickly. She took our orders, and, within a few minutes, fresh baguette and oil/balsamic was brought to the table. I have to say that the rest of the night continued without a hitch, and, in fact, with brilliant service from a quick-witted and efficient server. Our appetizers arrived in no time – French Onion Soup (above average soup, but chewy-not-quite-right cheese), mussels with a garlic white wine broth (great for dipping), escargot (my friend devoured the sauce), and a frisee salad with lardon and Roquefort (executed well). We had a nice wine-drenched break between courses, and then continued with the mains – Duck Confit, Black Cod and Steak Frites. Each dish was flavorful, and well-constructed. The sides of seasonal vegetables (brussel sprouts, sweet peas, baby carrots), and mushrooms were tasty . As we were deciding on dessert, a woman from the table next to us popped over on her way out and implored us to try the Lemon Tart (“It’s the best I’ve had”, she told us with an intoxicated smile); we did, and it was. We also shared the Flourless Chocolate Cake, which was a touch dry and nothing to write home about. All in all, the food at Tati was above average, and was executed well.

The atmosphere at Tati was dark (lighting-wise), but happening. There was certainly a buzz about the place. The music, for my taste, was a few decibels too loud, and, at times, I lost track of the conversation due to the shrieking chanteuse on the CD player. Whatever problems Tati had with servers, reservations or food seem to have been addressed.

So, in summary…..first of all, I think I’ve had my fill of French bistros for the near future. Loire was a treat. The food was of excellent quality and preparation. I’m glad we went. I’m not sure if (or when) we’ll be back, with so many other places on the list to try. If we do make it back, I’ll be sure to stash some cheese and crackers in my purse, just in case. Tati exceeded all of my expectations – the prices were right, the food was good, and, I will definitely return for a night out with friends. For those still single, I would call it a great date restaurant. And then there was Coquine, with a trendy vibe but didn’t deliver on the food.

For comparison, the following are the prices for the steak at each restaurant – Loire $25 (flank steak); Coquine $17 (flat iron steak); Tati $28 (New York steak).

bangers and mash in Ontario (including Toronto)

Former Cluck Grunt and Low on Bayview

Walked past the Cluck Grunt and Low on Bayview the other day (closed for months) and saw a sign that said "Something exciting is coming to Bayview in February", and mentioning "Highway 61". Anyone know any details?

bangers and mash in Ontario (including Toronto)