Dining in NYC - Which areas and restaurants do you recommend?

Hi!

I'll be staying in NYC for 3-4 days. My hotel is located in Midtown East,
but from what I've heard I should avoid eating there as it's expensive and
overpriced. So, I'd be very thankful if you could give me some advice on
where to eat. I'm not looking any famous world class restaurants, just nice
places with tasty food at a reasonable price.

I plan to eat at least once in Chinatown, but then I have 3 more days when
I'll be needing lunch and dinner. Do I need to know specific names of
restaurants, of is it safe to just stick to the right parts of the city (in
that case which parts) and pop in at a place that looks nice?

Finally, I've heard that at some restaurants you need to book weeks in
advance to get a table. Is that a general rule in NYC, or is that only true
for the most famous places? Are there nice places where I can just drop in
without having a reservation?

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 15:22:40 GMT, "John123" wrote:

Hi!

I'll be staying in NYC for 3-4 days. My hotel is located in Midtown East,
but from what I've heard I should avoid eating there as it's expensive
and
overpriced. So, I'd be very thankful if you could give me some advice on
where to eat. I'm not looking any famous world class restaurants, just
nice
places with tasty food at a reasonable price.

For a 3-4 day stay, I wouldn't sweat it. There are restaurants in various
price ranges on 2nd and 1st avenues in Midtown East. And you can
easily whisk yourself down to the East or West Villages and walk around
and find a restaurant to suit your price range and taste in food. Menus
are posted outside the restaurants. The #6 subway train to Astor Place
will put you within a short walk of the East Village and West Village.
Walk a few blocks either East or West from the subway stop and you
will find many restaurants to suit all tastes and pocketbooks.

I plan to eat at least once in Chinatown, but then I have 3 more days
when
I'll be needing lunch and dinner. Do I need to know specific names of
restaurants, of is it safe to just stick to the right parts of the city
(in
that case which parts) and pop in at a place that looks nice?

That sounds like a good plan. Just find one that looks inviting and
pop in. Best to look to see that there are other diners -- if a
restaurant
is largely empty you can assume it isn't that great. Some restaurants
that have obtained good reviews from restaurant critics post them
outside as well.

Finally, I've heard that at some restaurants you need to book weeks in
advance to get a table. Is that a general rule in NYC, or is that only
true
for the most famous places? Are there nice places where I can just drop
in
without having a reservation?

Booking ahead is necessary only for trendy and usually expensive
places. Most do not require reservations. Sometimes there may be
a short wait for a table in popular places. You can always walk in
and ask.

If you are looking for a specific type of food, mention it here and
give a price range. You may get some recommendations.

Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese, and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?

John123 wrote:
Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese, and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?

Try Jaya, a Malaysian place on Baxter St a few doors south of Canal. It's
right in your price range. Make sure to get the roti canai ("rotee chen
eye") appetizer.

Malaysian food is somewhere between Chinese, Indian, and Thai. Best cuisine
on the planet, far as I can tell.

miguel
--
See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:59:27 GMT, "John123" wrote:


Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese, and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?

Yes that is reasonable if you don't order wine. But $10 is low end,
more like having a pasta dish and nothing else.
__________________________________________________ __________
For Chinese everyone will tell you to go to Chinatown but there are
alternatives.

On Lexington Ave near 34 Street is Grand Sichuan. There are other
locations but the guy who started them all has left the others and is
currently involved with this one, but the others are still noteworthy.
Reasonable prices and authentic menu.

Wu Liang Ye at 36 West 48 Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
(Rockefeller Ctr) is, I'm told, run by the Chinese government. The
food is very good and well within your price range. Lunch specials
are cheap and very good. They also have other places on East 86
Street near 3rd Ave. and 338 Lexington Ave (bet 39th & 40th).

DO NOT EAT AT RUBY FOO'S!!!! in Times Square or anywhere.

Indian food can be had on Lexington Ave below 34 Street. The area is
called Curry Hill (For Murray Hill!) I'm not familiar with most Asian
cuisines so I can't really advise on this.
__________________________________________________ __
ITALIAN (you didn't ask but that is the NYC default food)
My current favorites: Coppola's on W 79 Street, Arte Cafe on W 73
Street, Basilica on 9th Ave at 46 Street. I don't like Celeste on
Amsterdam Ave although people still talk about it.

For old-fashioned pizza I like John's of Bleecker Street and Patsy's
on 1st Ave at 118 Street (off the beaten path). Most seem to like
Lombardi's on Spring Street but it left me unimpressed.
__________________________________________________ _
AMERICAN
I don't know what American food is! For a really good pub burger and
draft Pilsner Urquel I like Westside Brewery on Amsterdam Ave at 76
Street. Second choice would be a pint of Guinness and the burger at
Molly's Pub on 3rd Ave between 22-23 Streets.

Just for the hell of it try to have lunch at Katz's Deli on Houston
Street at Ludlow. The F or V train to 2nd Ave will put you a short
two blocks away (stay at the front of the train). Or you can take an
M15 bus down 2 Ave. It turns left on Houston and then right on Allen
St. At that point get off and it's a short distance on Houston. The
pastrami sandwich is legendary. Don't go on a weekend!
__________________________________________________ __
If it's warm enough to eat lunch outside try the Qwik Meal cart at the
SW corner of 45 St and 6 Ave. It's run by a Bangladeshi who makes the
most mouth watering chicken and rice platter for $4.50 (or lamb and
rice) in the city. You can eat in Bryant Park at 42 Street or in the
park behind the building across 6 Ave from the cart. (His sign says
formerly of the Russian Tea Room!)

A cheap indoor lunch is at Fresco Tortilla on W 42 Street between 6 &
7 Aves. (a few doors down from Conde Nast) Try a couple of chicken
fajitas in soft tacos at $1.59 each. Two plus a soda is under $5.
The combo platters are good also and under $5 each. The place is
grungy looking and you sit at a counter but the food is good.

Both places are near Times Square, NY Public Library, Rockefeller
Center, or Grand Central Terminal.

ALSO, there is a string of good reasonable restaurants on 9th Ave from
43 Street to 55 Street (Basilica is one). This is convenient to the
Broadway theater district and is therefor very busy on Fri and Sat
nights.

Staying on the East side means nothing as far as where to eat or go.
Transportation is so good that any restaurant is within striking
distance for you.

Brian Wickham

In article om,
"John123" wrote:

Hi!

I'll be staying in NYC for 3-4 days. My hotel is located in Midtown East,
but from what I've heard I should avoid eating there as it's expensive and
overpriced. So, I'd be very thankful if you could give me some advice on
where to eat. I'm not looking any famous world class restaurants, just nice
places with tasty food at a reasonable price.

Only you can decide what a reasonable price is for your budget. If you
like Jewish deli, don't miss a meal at one of NYC's better delis. I like
the 2nd Avenue Deli on 2nd Avenue & 10th Street.

I plan to eat at least once in Chinatown, but then I have 3 more days when
I'll be needing lunch and dinner. Do I need to know specific names of
restaurants, of is it safe to just stick to the right parts of the city (in
that case which parts) and pop in at a place that looks nice?

Finally, I've heard that at some restaurants you need to book weeks in
advance to get a table. Is that a general rule in NYC, or is that only true
for the most famous places? Are there nice places where I can just drop in
without having a reservation?

No, only with the top tier restaurants do you need to make reservations
weeks in advance. If you just walk around or ask at your hotel, you'll
have no problem finding affordable tasty dining options with no trouble
at all.

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:59:27 GMT, "John123" wrote:


Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese, and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?

For the lower end, go to Chinatown.

But don't overlook Grand Sichuan on 9 Av. and 50 St. as a Chinese
restaurant to go to. I and many other connoiseurs believe it's one of
the better ones in Manhattan, but you have to like hot pepper and be
willing to tolerate a degree of oiliness and saltiness along with the
great taste.

If you're in Midtown, check out some Korean restaurants in the west
30s. Dinner will cost you about $20-30 at Korean places, but you get a
lot of food for your money, what with the panchan (side dishes) that
are provided for you automatically. I recommend Kang Suh on the south
side of 32 St. just east of Broadway (excellent kalbi and bulgogi,
which are types of barbecue), and Cho Dang Gol (elegant restaurant
specializing in artisanal tofu but don't let that fool you into
thinking the food doesn't have plenty of taste!) and Han Bat (informal
diner atmosphere, a bit cheaper) on 35 St. between 5th and 6th Avs. I
also had a nice late-night meal of hot and cold cuts at Gam Mee Ok on
43 W. 32 St. One of the places on my list to try next is the Mandoo
Bar (I think it was called) on the south side of 32 St. just west of 5
Av. Mandoo are Korean dumplings.

Here are some threads that might interest you on Korean places in
Manhattan:

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?...f9ccbd5cef4856

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?...f9ccbd5cef4856

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?...4366e522cf8fe2

I'm not so sure what you'll be able to get in terms of American for
under $25, but if you post your questions on eGullet, people who have
a clearer idea on this will reply.

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 20:14:51 GMT, (Miguel Cruz) wrote:

Try Jaya, a Malaysian place on Baxter St a few doors south of Canal. It's
right in your price range. Make sure to get the roti canai ("rotee chen
eye") appetizer.
[snip]

I wasn't that impressed with Jaya, though it's been a while. But I
prefer Sentosa, on Allen St. near Division. It's as cheap as most
Chinese restaurants in that area.

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 23:22:29 GMT, Brian Wickham
wrote:

Yes that is reasonable if you don't order wine. But $10 is low end,
more like having a pasta dish and nothing else.
_________________________________________________ ___________
For Chinese everyone will tell you to go to Chinatown but there are
alternatives.

On Lexington Ave near 34 Street is Grand Sichuan. There are other
locations but the guy who started them all has left the others and is
currently involved with this one,

No kidding? When did he leave the 50th St. and 9 Av. location?

[snip]

ITALIAN (you didn't ask but that is the NYC default food)
My current favorites: Coppola's on W 79 Street, Arte Cafe on W 73
Street, Basilica on 9th Ave at 46 Street. I don't like Celeste on
Amsterdam Ave although people still talk about it.

For old-fashioned pizza I like John's of Bleecker Street and Patsy's
on 1st Ave at 118 Street (off the beaten path). Most seem to like
Lombardi's on Spring Street but it left me unimpressed.

I like it, but the best pizza I've had outside of Naples is at
DiFara's in Brooklyn. It's probably a pretty long trip for someone on
a brief visit, however.

My favorite Italian restaurants are in the East Village, but none of
them fit easily into John's price range. Col Legno on 9 St. just west
of 2 Av. can be under $30 without too much trouble, but Lavagna and Il
Bagatto can be closer to $50 than $30, depending on how many courses
one orders and what one drinks.

[snip]
Just for the hell of it try to have lunch at Katz's Deli on Houston
Street at Ludlow.

Katz's is an institution for a reason: Their pastrami is fantastic.
John, do you remember the scene in _When Harry Met Sally_ with the
faked orgasm? When it's good, the pastrami really is that good at
Katz's. And the counterman will give you a couple of slabs to try, so
you'll be able to tell him if you want it juicier, more tender,
whatever - and don't forget to tip him (at least $1, and I tip $2 if I
reject his first batch and he gets a new one for me).

[snip]
Don't go on a weekend!

It's busier, but I wouldn't say "Don't go." I've been there with
pleasure on weekends.

[snip]
ALSO, there is a string of good reasonable restaurants on 9th Ave from
43 Street to 55 Street

Absolutely. Good and in many cases inexpensive. Aside from Grand
Sichuan, I also like Rinconcito Peruano just north of 53 St., Turkish
Cuisine between 43rd and 44th, and Ariana Kebab House between 51st and
52nd Sts. (curiously, all on the west side of the avenue). I'm not
familiar with Basilica.

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:59:27 GMT, "John123" wrote:


Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese,
and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending
on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?

Yes that is reasonable if you don't order wine. But $10 is low end,
more like having a pasta dish and nothing else.
__________________________________________________ __________
For Chinese everyone will tell you to go to Chinatown but there are
alternatives.

On Lexington Ave near 34 Street is Grand Sichuan. There are other
locations but the guy who started them all has left the others and is
currently involved with this one, but the others are still noteworthy.
Reasonable prices and authentic menu.

Wu Liang Ye at 36 West 48 Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
(Rockefeller Ctr) is, I'm told, run by the Chinese government. The
food is very good and well within your price range. Lunch specials
are cheap and very good. They also have other places on East 86
Street near 3rd Ave. and 338 Lexington Ave (bet 39th & 40th).

DO NOT EAT AT RUBY FOO'S!!!! in Times Square or anywhere.

Indian food can be had on Lexington Ave below 34 Street. The area is
called Curry Hill (For Murray Hill!) I'm not familiar with most Asian
cuisines so I can't really advise on this.
__________________________________________________ __
ITALIAN (you didn't ask but that is the NYC default food)
My current favorites: Coppola's on W 79 Street, Arte Cafe on W 73
Street, Basilica on 9th Ave at 46 Street. I don't like Celeste on
Amsterdam Ave although people still talk about it.

For old-fashioned pizza I like John's of Bleecker Street and Patsy's
on 1st Ave at 118 Street (off the beaten path). Most seem to like
Lombardi's on Spring Street but it left me unimpressed.
__________________________________________________ _
AMERICAN
I don't know what American food is! For a really good pub burger and
draft Pilsner Urquel I like Westside Brewery on Amsterdam Ave at 76
Street. Second choice would be a pint of Guinness and the burger at
Molly's Pub on 3rd Ave between 22-23 Streets.

Just for the hell of it try to have lunch at Katz's Deli on Houston
Street at Ludlow. The F or V train to 2nd Ave will put you a short
two blocks away (stay at the front of the train). Or you can take an
M15 bus down 2 Ave. It turns left on Houston and then right on Allen
St. At that point get off and it's a short distance on Houston. The
pastrami sandwich is legendary. Don't go on a weekend!
__________________________________________________ __
If it's warm enough to eat lunch outside try the Qwik Meal cart at the
SW corner of 45 St and 6 Ave. It's run by a Bangladeshi who makes the
most mouth watering chicken and rice platter for $4.50 (or lamb and
rice) in the city. You can eat in Bryant Park at 42 Street or in the
park behind the building across 6 Ave from the cart. (His sign says
formerly of the Russian Tea Room!)

A cheap indoor lunch is at Fresco Tortilla on W 42 Street between 6 &
7 Aves. (a few doors down from Conde Nast) Try a couple of chicken
fajitas in soft tacos at $1.59 each. Two plus a soda is under $5.
The combo platters are good also and under $5 each. The place is
grungy looking and you sit at a counter but the food is good.

Both places are near Times Square, NY Public Library, Rockefeller
Center, or Grand Central Terminal.

ALSO, there is a string of good reasonable restaurants on 9th Ave from
43 Street to 55 Street (Basilica is one). This is convenient to the
Broadway theater district and is therefor very busy on Fri and Sat
nights.

Staying on the East side means nothing as far as where to eat or go.
Transportation is so good that any restaurant is within striking
distance for you.

Brian Wickham

Thanks for all the tips! As for what "American Food" is, I've found a
somewhat general definition of it as often being "grilled meat, fried fish
and shellfish, with french fries and sallad, being served in enormous
portions" ...

New American, is "a cousin of the French Cuisine, often based on old
regional recepies, and often come in smaller portions, and at a higher
price", all according to one definition I've found on the net.

Anyway, there wasn't that many tips for such restaurants, but I got one
hint that I might have to be prepared to pay a bit more for this kind of
food (at least for New American). Since I'll only be having it once or
twice, I should have no trouble raising my budget a bit at those occasions.
So, please if it was my restricted budget that held you back from suggesting
such restaurants, I give you a second chance...

I posted this earlier in another message, but I'm not sure if it was
responding to you. But, you might want to check out these websites:
www.nymetro.com (Cheap Eats) and www.ny.citysearch.com, as reference.

Chinatown is definately a good place to save money, and eat well.
Baxter Street is filled with Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly
Vietnamese. Try Nha Trang - the place is very non-descript but very
good. Jaya, which is on that street, is not bad. (If you want to
start Malaysian food, try a branch of Penang, (they have one in Soho,
the Upper West Side, as well as in the East Village). For Chinese
food, there is Grand Sichuan, Joe's Shanghai (try their soup
dumplings), Sweet and Tart (on Canal Street, it's like a contemporary
Hong-style eatery), or even a bubble tea stop at Ten Ren, the Chinese
version of Starbucks, (try the green tea with milk and tapioca
balls...it's interesting.)

Koreatown is also a good bet, though the bbqs tend to be expensive and
best eaten with a large group of people. Nevertheless, try going
there during lunch, when they have the lunch specials. Korean fare is
pretty hearty, with lots of little appetizers, so you are guaranteed
not to go hungry. Mandoo Bar, Gam Mee Ok, Kang Suh, and Kum Gan Sang
(sp?) are some suggestions. You'll find them on 32nd streets, between
Broadway and 5th.

The East Village and Alphabet City have a few interesting places as
well. Sea Thai, (on 2nd Avenue, between E. 2nd and 3rd Street) is
inexpensive and cool.

The area on E.9th and E. 10th Street, near Cooper Union, between 1st
and 3rd Aves. has a string of inexpensive Japanese restaurants. For a
warm Japanese noodle soup, try Rai Rai Ken. They have no more than 10
things on their menu, and nothing exceeding more than $7 at best.

For American/New American, I like the West Village, particularly along
Cornelia Street, right off of Bleeker. If you plan to brunch, try the
Cornelia Street Cafe. And across from it, a place called Home.

Good luck!

Xanthe Sonza

"John123" wrote in message ews.com...
On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 15:22:40 GMT, "John123" wrote:

Hi!

I'll be staying in NYC for 3-4 days. My hotel is located in Midtown East,
but from what I've heard I should avoid eating there as it's expensive
and
overpriced. So, I'd be very thankful if you could give me some advice on
where to eat. I'm not looking any famous world class restaurants, just
nice
places with tasty food at a reasonable price.

For a 3-4 day stay, I wouldn't sweat it. There are restaurants in various
price ranges on 2nd and 1st avenues in Midtown East. And you can
easily whisk yourself down to the East or West Villages and walk around
and find a restaurant to suit your price range and taste in food. Menus
are posted outside the restaurants. The #6 subway train to Astor Place
will put you within a short walk of the East Village and West Village.
Walk a few blocks either East or West from the subway stop and you
will find many restaurants to suit all tastes and pocketbooks.

I plan to eat at least once in Chinatown, but then I have 3 more days
when
I'll be needing lunch and dinner. Do I need to know specific names of
restaurants, of is it safe to just stick to the right parts of the city
(in
that case which parts) and pop in at a place that looks nice?

That sounds like a good plan. Just find one that looks inviting and
pop in. Best to look to see that there are other diners -- if a
restaurant
is largely empty you can assume it isn't that great. Some restaurants
that have obtained good reviews from restaurant critics post them
outside as well.

Finally, I've heard that at some restaurants you need to book weeks in
advance to get a table. Is that a general rule in NYC, or is that only
true
for the most famous places? Are there nice places where I can just drop
in
without having a reservation?

Booking ahead is necessary only for trendy and usually expensive
places. Most do not require reservations. Sometimes there may be
a short wait for a table in popular places. You can always walk in
and ask.

If you are looking for a specific type of food, mention it here and
give a price range. You may get some recommendations.

Thanks for your help. I'd like to try American, New American, Chinese, and
maybe some other Asian food. Price range approximately $10-$25 (depending on
type of restaurant) for a main course including tax and service. Is that
reasonable?