Quick thoughts on Le Cinq, Le Chateaubriand, Pierre Gagnaire, Les Cocottes, Passage 53

Thanks for your quick reply!

boshek in France

Quick thoughts on Le Cinq, Le Chateaubriand, Pierre Gagnaire, Les Cocottes, Passage 53

Thanks for your reports - very helpful as I am researching for my coming trip. Quick question about P53, if you don't mind. Is the (I presume 8-course) degustation (at 110E) the only choice available? If there are smaller choices, does the whole table have to indulge in the same menu?

Also regarding dresscode, now that it has doubled in stars, is it strictly a very smart affair or would jeans+smart shirt suffice? Perhaps Nancy S. can also shed some light on this since you had a visit in July? I am hoping to go there in about 3 weeks, I hope I can still snag a reservation! Thanks again in advance.

boshek in France

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

@sugartoof: Wow, you certainly know your coffee well. I am a strong follower of the "Third wave"/"speciality" whatever-you-wanna-call it coffee thing in the UK and since it's kind of new here, I think people are trying harder to promote it. It's been around in the US for a while so in a way I wasn't surprised that the baristas were not more eager to engage customers. To be fair I went to 9th St. @ Chelsea Market so probably was not the best store to look for that kind of engagement. Perhaps rude was too strong an adjective. I'll add your rec's to my ever expanding list.

@kathryn: yes Abraco was on my list - I already had a list of about 15 coffee places that I had researched from my coffee feeds/twitters/(twitchy blog map) so I thought I had plenty to go on. I took a "put it on the map and drink at wherever I came across it" attitude towards my coffee exploration - but next time I'll definitely ask. Oh thanks for clearing that up about Shake Shack, it explains a lot! Teaches me next time to do my research properly before bad-mouthing a place! =)

@PhilO: it certainly was fancy! lol... I'll try not to make a habit of it. BTW I forgot to mention that I didn't manage to convince my partner to rent a bike with me in the end. She was very apprehensive about riding on city streets since she's not as comfortable a rider as I am... oh well.

@financialdistrictresident: TBH I have had better breakfasts (as a whole meal experience overall) elsewhere but I did think their pancakes were the best I have had anywhere - esp. when you're hungry and waiting in line, they bring out little bites for you to nibble on. I swear they put some extra magic powder on those - to die for! =P

@selenster: Not burgers, I was going to go to The Smith for breakfast (not the pancake kind but what we would call a full-english) as I had read good things about it - but I didn't get to in the end. Re: italians, the other non-Batali's I had recommended to me were Scarpetta and Il Mulino - neither of which I had the good fortune to try. I'll definitely try a M White place next time. I love sea urchin! Just reading your description is making me think bad thoughts about what I can do with my pencil to my co-worker.... lol. Please direct me to your review of Osteria Morini when it's available.

Seriously we had a wonderful time and outside of our eating schedule as well - despite my brief digestive problems. The fall weather was picture perfect, we walked so much my soles were hurting. The best thing is, I still have a substatial list for the next visit which I'm sure is only going to get longer and tougher to choose from since I'll still want to go back to all the great places we hit this time.

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Il Mulino
86 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012

Abraco
86 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003

Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014

Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

I have been and come back and just thought I'd share a few quick thoughts on the places we managed to try. As usual my planning was much more ambitious than what our stomachs could handle so we didn't get to try everything on my list but there's always next time.

Babbo: Took kathryn's advice and ran into Babbo at around 6.15pm without res, and managed to nab 2 seats at the bar. Tried the grilled octopus and the black ink spaghetti with tiger prawns - both really excellent. Great octopus as already stated on numerous threads and a simple yet effective sauce-free pasta that is close to my idea of perfection. I rate this resto very highly - food, decor, atmosphere, bar service - one of the best Italian meals I have had anywhere. We had been warned about the maitre d' but we bypassed him by going straight to the bar! We were starving and stuffed ourselves so the plan to go to Lupo or Scarpetta afterwards were blown. We did however go to GROM for gelato which was also very good.

Degustation: Another standout meal - everything from the croquetas to the wagyu to the torija were sublime. Definitely NOT a standard tapas! - so very far from it. Very glad I managed to get res there.

(Not) Blue Ribbon: Purposely declined on the tasting menu at Degustation in order to go to BRB later. Having had a nice drink at the Pegu Club (thanks kathryn), we arrived at BRB 11.30pm and was told there was still a 30min wait! Could have gone to BR Sushi but didn't feel like raw fish so decided to go to Bon Chon chicken in Korea Town instead since it was late night. I was quite disappointed by the fried chicken which had too hard batter on it. May be they over-nuked my batch but I was expecting more tender juicy-ness.

CSBC: Hands down THE best pancakes I've had. Despite our best intentions, we ended up getting there around 9am - there was a short line and we waited for around 40mins. We could have had window counter seats right away for 2 but we had a friend join us so had to wait. Was worth it though. Our friend ordered the french toast (quite good but I prefer the pancakes) so I crossed that off my "to eat" list and will save Pastis/Cluny/City Bakery for next time.

Katz's: What a place! They don't make'em like that anymore. Pastrami to die for - so tender. Loved the vibe there. Will eat there next time - unfortunately I had to take out the pastrami on rye which was very good.

R&D: loved the shop but couldn't bring myself to eat anymore after CSBC and Katz's. Next time.

Keens: On my way to the restaurant I don't know why but I felt quite nauseous in the cab. We got there and ordered drinks and I promptly had to run to the bathroom to throw up. I really didn't know why that was, it certainly wasn't anything to do with anything I had eaten there. It was my partner's birthday meal and I really wanted to tough it out and stay but I just couldn't do it. I explained the situation to the staff there and they were totally fine with it. We insisted on paying but they comp'd our drinks and said that we were welcome back any time on our next visit. Obviously we left a good tip but in this way they were totally professional and courteous in their service attitude. The place is amazing and the food on the other tables certainly looked good. I was more disappointed to have missed out than anyone else. I will definitely go back next time.

Shake Shack: I was still recovering from the night before and we were quite stuffed by this day (our last) and decided to skip breakfast (planned at The Smith) and head straight to Shake Shack for lunch. There was quite a long line but seemed to be moving. I walked to the City Bakery to get a pretzel croissant (good) and also picked up a bacon and maple biscuit (also good!) to nibble on/have later. I have to say I was a little disappointed by the burger - a little too soggy and not enough of the char-grilled taste. The meat was good though - perhaps even too juicy and hence the soggy burger. The shake was good though. Next time I will try the Burger Joint.

Milk bar: Another foodie friend of mine told me the food was very salty there and over-hyped so I decided that I would go only if I was nearby and I ended up not going.

Coffee: I'm a big coffee drinker - single estate, brewed, non espresso-based drinks. I visited quite a few places in NYC and would highly recommend Third Rail coffee on Sullivan and Gimme Coffee on Mott. I was disappointed with my coffee at Stumptown (at the Ace hotel) and to a lesser extent 9th street. At almost all of these places I found the staff (barista) to be quite snooty/rude and did not want to engage the customer in chat about the coffee/origins/brewing. There are other places that I was meant to try: Joe, Roasting Plant, Grumpy....

Random: if anyone happens to visit Elizabeth, NJ, I recommend Tommy's Italian Sausage for hotdogs - very good!

That was about it. I missed so many things on my list so will have to save them for next time. All in all we had a fabulous (eating) trip and as per my previous post, would like to thank everyone again for their very helpful advice.

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Roasting Plant
81 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Burger Joint
118 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019

Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011

City Bakery
3 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011

Pegu Club
77 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014

Stumptown
18 W 29th Street, New York, NY 10001

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Thank you so much to everyone for your advice. Really looking forward to my trip now, hope I can try everything on my list. Will report back when I am more than a few pounds heavier!

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Thanks kathryn for your comprehensive answers. As you can probably tell, most of the "research" I have done came from your posts.

>something to nosh on
I was planning to hit Katz's/R&D/Donut Plant after CSBC anyway so I'll bear in mind that I can do it in reverse.

>City Bakery's french toast
I was actually thinking about have french toast at 4pm before heading to the airport. City Bakery is on my list - but for the pretzl croissants!

>I'm not sure what dishes you plan to order
I haven't really finalised my plan for that evening. It's a Thurs night so reservations may be slightly easier to come by compared to the weekend. I'll probably end up NOT trying 3/4 places since we're not huge eaters and I just don't think we'll manage (such is the problem when you have big eyes but small stomachs). I was thinking more like 1 dish/pasta (at one place, Babbo's octopus for example) and 1 starter and/or entree (at another). May be I'll take your advice and head to Lupa early then try to get a reservation at Babbo. I just had the "ridiculous"-ly priced spaghetti with tomato and basil at Scarpetta in mind when I said I wanted to try 1 dish at each place.

Once final question on the Batalli places: if I go to Lupa, will I find Babbo very similar? Also given what I'm trying to achieve - (many "must eat" dishes) - how does Otto fare on that list? Should I add/substitute it?

[As an aside, if you ever visit Taipei, this is how you have to do it - it's not a good day unless you've hit 6/7 spots!]

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Noted. I'll definitely try to get there for 1st or 2nd round. Thanks.

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

This is exactly what I wanted to hear! I'm definitely looking foward to this - thanks thew.

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Good save - I didn't realise SS opened so late. I'll just have to go to CSBC extra early then. I don't mind a 20-30min wait for great pancakes, just not 2hrs!

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Good to know! Thanks for the tip.

Mad dog - check
Tourist - check
Jet-lagged - check

I'll be out bright and early for sure. Are there places where one can hire a bike for a few hours?

boshek in Manhattan

Advice on specific questions - dining in NYC

Hello. I'll be visiting NYC (from the UK) for a few days next month to celebrate my partner's birthday. Eating is a big part of our trip and we often plan where we visit depending on what we want to eat. I've been planning our culinary itinerary through researching on Chow and I have put together a pretty ambitious list of places to try including: Katz's, R&D, Donut Plant, Shake Shack, Burger Joint, The Smith, Il Laboratorio, Momofuku Pork buns (after the heated debate on that thread - I must go see for myself what all the fuss is about!), Degustation, Keens, Blue Ribbon Brasserie etc..

However I have a few specific questions that I would appreciate some advice on.

Pancakes:
I'm mad for the plain fluffy type with bacon and syrup (something no one can replicate in the UK). I've heard so much about Clinton Street Bakery - both about their pancakes and the lineup! Is it really worth it? What time do I need to go (for weekend brunch) to avoid waiting for too long? If I get there at 0845-0900 (their stated opening time), will it still be pretty bad? If I go and find it unbearable, I'll probably just walk(?) around to The Stanton Social for back up.

French toast:
Chow says Pastis, a friend of mine recommended Cafe Cluny - I can only try one! Any thoughts on either? I'll probably have this as an afternoon snack rather than being part of breakfast.

Steak:
I've decided to go to Keens over PL mostly because the recommendations here, the trek to Brooklyn and because PL told me I could have dinner at either 1545 or 2245.... Usually when we visit a steakhouse in the US we would share a large bone-in rib eye as we like a little more marbling on the meat. What cut would you recommend at Keens? and which sides/appetizers are must try?

Degustation:
I've booked for a late (and small, see Raw Bar below) dinner for one of the nights. I think(*) I know what good spanish tapas/food should taste like. From what I have read, I think the whole experience/(some fusion elements?) will be quite unique for a NYC dining experience - I just want to confirm that this is the case and that I won't just get a "standard"/"traditional" (but good) spanish tapas meal that I can get e.g. in London or Madrid.

Raw Bar:
Before Degustation I'm planning to sample a few Raw Bar delicacies early in the evening. Would you recommend Aqua Grill or Blue Ribbon Brasserie? We're not big oyster fans but love good shrimp, clams, lobster etc. etc. Am I correct in thinking that BRB don't take reservations for 2?

(Lastly) Italian:
Inspired by the "NYC Must eat dishes" thread, I want to try and see if I can fit a few of these dishes into 1 evening. The list of places are: Lupa, Babbo, Scarpetta and Perilla (not Italian I know). I've never been to any of them, are any of them setup for casual dining and conducive to doing this sort of "restaurant hopping"? Or will I be shouted at and kicked out the door if I try to share one entree between 2 and leave? I'm guessing this may not be possible so which on that list would you recommend I have dinner at? I probably want to try an Italian place but the duck meatballs sound great at Perilla! I'm looking for something that is somewhat casual, around $40-50 per head all in and somewhere I can still get reservations for in early Oct!

Many many thanks in advance for any tips/advice you have for the above questions or my trip in general. Look forward to reading your views.

boshek in Manhattan

Good Sushi place in Otaru?

@CPMK Out of interest what did you think of Ise Sushi? I will be visiting Hokkaido for the first time next month and am planning to stop by Otaru. Would be interested in hearing if you found any other good places in Otaru and/or Hokkaido in general (e.g. Sapporo).

boshek in Japan

First west coast trip

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts/rec's. I'll do a trip report and report back in due course!

boshek in Los Angeles Area

First west coast trip

Thanks everybody for the comments - very useful. I will amend my list accordingly!

@ hyacinthgirl: yes I'm a huge fan of pancakes (the plain fluffy buttermilk variety) - something that I _cannot_ find here. I make them myself but hold back on the butter to make my conscience feel better so they never come out quite as fluffy.

@mrshankly: thanks for the tip. I'll pass on Pinks and try Couter and/or Fab's. I found out what a _real_ hot dog was and then proceeded to fall in love with them whilst visiting Portillo's in Chicago a couple of years back so I'm definitely going to hit those 2 spots even if it means I need to move up a waist size.

@ taiwanesesmalleats: yes I agree that I haven't make many ethnic choices.. I am chinese and come from Hong Kong so when I visit North American I tend to prefer to do the whole Burgers/Steaks/HotDogs/Pancakes etc. thing ie. my list! The korean and chinese is not bad here but I get a lot of that when I go home too. There is also decent choice of other ethnic foods in London but the things on my list are things that one just cannot find in London. I would definitely check out your recs if I were staying for a longer period of time in LA but I will bear them in mind if I find I'm "American'd out".

re: steaks. actually that was what I was really considering - to enjoy my steak whilst in Vegas and save LA for other meals. All this discussion is making me look forward to my trip even more!

boshek in Los Angeles Area