KateC.'s Profile
Average Grocery Bill-for 2
What a great thread. I thought our food budget was way over the top, but turns out we're completely average, even though we live in New York City and buy really expensive free range meat from Marlow. We spend about $110 for two each week on groceries (including lunches but not alcohol) and eat out twice a week.
French person coming to NYC for the first time - I made a list for him
This is a very impressive list. I'd agree with the addition of Roberta's. I also think Saraghina is worth a visit, as is Diner in Williamsburg (and if the French person wants a good burger, Diner's is the best in the city right now -- though I also like Shake Shack and Donovan's in Queens -- but the latter is not worth a special trip). And Dough for doughnuts in Bed Stuy! Run by a French person, of course.
Chinese in Manhattan for a mixed family- Dilemma!
Where did you end up going? Cantonese food in NYC is probably not as good as SF. Maybe try Flushing or Sunset Park. I am very partial to Grand Sichuan on the Upper East Side (2nd Ave. and 55th/56th St. -- not the other ones), but your New York family probably already knows it and your West Coast Cantonese mom might not like it. Any whole fish, fresh chicken with Chinese broccoli, sliced fresh pork (a plate of pork belly and hot peppers), and sliced pumpkin with ginger are very good. They have every Chinese green you could want, most off menu. The atmosphere is pleasant and so is the service. It's now BYOB since they lost their liquor license, and they have brown rice. I also love the frog legs but they are too spicy. Do not bother with duck or shrimp -- if they have a good shrimp dish, I haven't found it.
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Grand Sichuan
1049 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10022
10 Favorite New York City Restaurants Now
I just finished reading the top NYC restaurants according to an unnamed competitor web site and was horrified to see mostly hyped places that are always disappointing. Only one of my favorite restaurants made the list. I know what my top 10 are right now. What are yours?
In no particular order:
1. Grand Sichuan at 2nd Ave and 54th St. The spicy frog's legs are amazing. I also like the pan-fried dumplings, sliced pork belly, spicy chicken with Chinese broccoli, sliced pumpkin with ginger, any green, and brown rice.
2. Tanoreen, Middle Eastern in Bay Ridge. Some of the most skillfully prepared food I have had anywhere. Tastes totally homemade.
3. Keen’s steakhouse in midtown. Great drinks, steak, blue cheese with crudites, comfortable, never a wait, can wear anything, and not that expensive if you split the steak with a friend.
4. Aquagrille in Soho. Amazing oysters and usually very tasty fish specials with an Asian accent. Occasionally veers too 80s towering food with too much sweet saltiness.
5. Gramercy Tavern near Union Square, American seasonal cooking. Always superb, and the wait in the pub never seems as long as they warn.
6. Brooklyn Star in Williamsburg, new Southern. Try the trout with lemon and bacon and the brussel sprouts with chow-chow. Good on a cold night.
7. Saraghina, Italian in Bed Stuy. I like the tiny bass filet, any green, and the Capocolla pizza. Great decor too.
8. Northeast Kingdom in Bushwick, subtle British influence. They just changed chefs and can be uneven but so much better than most New York restaurants and prices are very reasonable. Fish specials, hamburger, and the new chicken sandwich are usually tasty. A glass of the house red is a great deal.
9. El Almacen, Argentinian in Williamsburg. The spinach salad, braised short rib entree (not grill) and churros is a perfect meal. Also nice salvage-with-subway-tile decor that's meant to evoke its namesake, the country general store.
10. Barrio Chino, minimalist Mexican on the Lower East Side. Enchiladas verdes is the best dish but everything is good and the fresh fruit margaritas are especially tasty.
BEST NYC Steakhouse for a GROUP?
Keen's is one of my favorite restaurants, and they are great with groups. Food and drinks are delicious. Except for the filet mignon, which I love with the pepper sauce, the steaks are huge and can easily be shared by two people. Vegetable side dishes are big enough for four people. It's a very convenient place with a lot of atmosphere and wonderful service. And you can show up in a gown or jeans and feel perfectly comfortable.
Really good dinner at Rye Restaurant, Williamsburg.
Great, I'll give it a try. Thanks.
Good places to live in Brooklyn based on food/bevs?
In my opinion, the most delicious food for the money in Brooklyn is found in Sunset Park and Williamsburg. The former has a lot of Chinese and Mexican restaurants and looks kind of like SF's Outer Richmond. The latter has a lot of fancy foodie hipster fashiony stuff at lower prices than Manhattan, such as El Almacen, Brooklyn Star, etc.
Best Burrito in NY?
Oh my god, do not go anywhere near Buddy's Burritos. The salsa tastes like Italian red sauce with fake smoke flavoring. The guacomole appears to be dyed green vegetable oil. The place is vile.
Best Burrito in NY?
I am from San Francisco, lived in Queens, now in Brooklyn. My favorite SF tacqueria is La Tacqueria -- for the steak tacos, not the burrito. The best burrito I have had in New York is the pork burrito at Taco Bite in South Williamsburg (off the JMZ Marcy, not the L). It is excellent, although different from SF burritos. More pure meat and rice, not so much other stuff. They also serve cocktails and green salad and the service is excellent. I did once order a burrito in Jackson Heights but it was so disgusting I never tried another.
Peaches in Bed-Stuy, anyone have any feedback???
Agree Peaches is a great neighborhood spot. It's especially delightful for brunch. I like to order coffee *and* a cocktail and eggs *and* a side of French toast and a green veggie. If you go on a Sunday in fine weather, you might catch all the ladies out and about in their finery and the neighborhood looking really beautiful. Check out the architecture and gardens on MacDonough between Stuyvesant and Lewis. Amazing. If you're looking for a destination spot, Saraghina is one of the best restaurants in New York City right now, in my opinion.
Dinner recs on JMZ from South Williamsburg to Bushwick to Bed Stuy?
Oh! I've been to both those places. Thought they were on the L, will have to double check. Thanks!
Dinner recs on JMZ from South Williamsburg to Bushwick to Bed Stuy?
Ooh, that sounds good. Thank you.
Brooklyn Star
Never tried brunch, but have been here for dinner four or five times and really like it. Highly recommend the trout, which tastes intensely of bacon and lemon, and the brussel sprout chow-chow "casserole."
I wish they would improve their wine, though. The prices are too high, quality is too low, and the portions are much too small.
Cool spot worth a train ride to Brooklyn?
Saraghina in Bed Stuy is very good with a beautiful atmosphere. It is run by Italians. The best dishes are the pizza with ham, the tiny fish filet, and any of the green vegetables. This is enough for two people. If you take the A Utica you will walk by a lot of very impressive Victorians.
Northeast Kingdom in Bushwick is also very good and has a subtle British influence. Very Brooklyn moustache & deer decor.
Also a big fan of El Almacen, an Argentinian restaurant in Williamsburg. The spinach salad, Costilla de Res (short rib entree not grill), and churros are amazing. Neighborhood is hipster central and has lots of window shopping.
Dinner recs on JMZ from South Williamsburg to Bushwick to Bed Stuy?
Anyone have any recs for dinner anywhere along the JMZ train from South Williamsburg to Bushwick to Bed Stuy? Could be takeout, delivery, casual, or fancy.
We're already familiar with Diner, Marlow, Peter Luger, Dressler, Moto, Taco Bite, and Checkers and are looking for something new. We're planning to try Pita Palace and Bed Stuy Fish Fry soon.
Really good dinner at Rye Restaurant, Williamsburg.
That sounds good. But isn't it super expensive? I went to Dressler once and did not love it. I used to be a big fan of Dumont back in the day.
ISO raw duck livers
Talk to Marlowe & Daughters in South Williamsburg. They are a butcher and frequently carry duck as well as their own homemade duck sausage and rillettes. I'm sure they'd be happy to order them for you.
Hudson Valley Legends, Basement Bistro & Stone Barns
Any one: What are the prices like at Iron Forge Inn? There are no prices on the menu on their Web site.
NY wedding venues
Check out the upstairs rooms at Keen's steakhouse in the 30s. Very intimate and cozy, but not ruffly. Also, Village bistro has a nice double-height room and balcony in back. Check the indiebride boards for New York locations that aren't restaurants.
Has anyone seen the new artisan ice cream truck yet?
Had a strawberry cone last week. Tasted like fresh fruit. Best strawberry ice cream ever.
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Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
, New York, NY 10012
How have/did your eating preferences change when pregnant?
This is so funny. I hear everyone saying the same thing I am experiencing. Normally I eat tons of vegetables, whole grains, blah blah, spicy food, adventurous food. Now I just want fruit, fruit juice, and starch. Bland food. The grilled ham and cheese with pickle on rye one poster mentioned sounds fantastic. Normally I eat chocolate every day and red wine but the thought of either makes me sick. I am in my eighth week and my stomach is already sticking out but it's not from any baby -- it's all the sugar and starch.
Shopsin's - Now that's New York!
Thanks for the post. I have been meaning to try it for years. Must remember to go!
Eat in & Take out in Bushwick?
I've been blown away by how good the food is in this neighborhood.
I highly recommend Cocoyoc, a Mexican tacqueria on Wyckoff between Harman and Greene Aves. (Dekalb L stop.) The BBQ pork (al pastor) a la Mexicana plate, guacamole and pozole (corn chicken soup) are out of this world. They have beer, a good jukebox, and soft lighting. It's definitely worth a trip if they don't deliver to the Morgan stop.
There are two more tacquerias on Wyckoff between Bleecker and Myrtle I've heard are really good but I haven't tried them yet and can't remember their names. (One looks like a grocery but is actually a restaurant.) There's a fancy seafood place down one of these side streets (never tried it), and Wyckoff is full of Dominican rotisserie chicken places that say "Spanish food." They are all good and also serve a tasty Cuban sandwich for $4. I go to El Dorado a lot near Dekalb and Stanhope. There is also a little tiny breakfast joint on Stanhope across from the hospital that looks intriguing. Also many more places to try around Maria Hernandez park. Even the neighborhood Chinese place on Wyckoff between Himrod and Harman serves a decent Kung Pao chicken for $4. It's totally Mandarin style all the way, of course, but the chicken is truly Chinese style and it has lots of vegetables, which I think is a good thing.
Inexpensive Restaurants with Ambiance
Very tough to find anyplace inexpensive with ambiance -- assuming you also want good food!
Inoteca (Italian-ish, little plates, Lower East Side, good wine)
Barrio Chino (superb Mexican food with fresh-fruit cocktails, try the enchiladas verdes or the steak, Lower East Side)
Kuma Inn (Pan-asian tapas, Lower East Side, takes reservations, BYOB)
Cafe Gitane (French Morrocan cafe in Nolita, lots of fashion atmosphere for breakfast and lunch)
Shake Shack (outdoors in Madison Square Park, very pleasant on a nice summer night)
DECENT TOASTER? Is there such a thing?
I just bought a $12 all-white plastic Proctor Silex. It's OK, but not great. It does seem to dry out the toast slightly.
Just moved to East Williamsburg/Bushwick - where should I eat?
That's the spelling. Thanks! Ooh, just found Bread Alone bread at C-town at the Dekalb stop.
Just moved to East Williamsburg/Bushwick - where should I eat?
For those who may be searching on Bushwick and looking for new posts, I just moved from Jackson Heights to Bushwick (Dekalb stop) and I am thrilled with the excellent food here. I highly recommend a little tacqueria/restaurant named Cocoyoce (sp?). The BBQ pork a la Mexicana (green peppers and onions) plate is out of this world. Also the lights are dim and the jukebox is good.
There's also a good rotisserie chicken place right at the Dekalb stop that serves a tasty Cuban sandwich. Several groceries specialize in Mexican and Dominican products, such as chorizo and avocados.
And of course there's always the slightly uneven but enjoyable and atmospheric Northeast Kingdom. And the delicacies of Williamsburg and Union Square. I'm delighted to shop Whole Foods and the farmer's market. Though I must praise Jackson Heights' Met for having many of the same products (Bread Alone) for $1 cheaper.
Sripraphai, Kebab Cafe, Spicy Mina's (other Queens greats?)
What did you have there? I find the sauces to be scrumptious but the cuts of meat quite odd and a little scary ("pork chops" generally seems to mean "any odd bits of pork and gristle we could find").
