193386 Thu Jan 17 21:04:06 -0800 2002 5 18 Manhattan 0 1032083 i'm gonna be doing a seminar for 3 days at 51st and lexington ave, i need some suggestions for eats. I will have short breaks for lunch: falafel, pizza, chinese or other ethnic quick, cheap and good places. Dinner could have a little more time: maybe fish or some cool neighborhood place with personality. i don't eat red meat and am open to all suggestions . thanks, steven Thu Jan 17 21:04:06 -0800 2002 0 steven freidmutter 1 1032085 Lots of good choices - Patang(48th Lex/3rd) has a really good Indian lunch buffet and a full dinner menu. Avra (48th, Lex/3rd) is an excellent Greek seafood place. Korean Palace (54th, off Lex) is a little uneven but reasonably authentic, even if a little upscale. Sushisay is great, and Nada Sushi (50th, Lex/3rd) is still good and less expensive. Thu Jan 17 21:46:45 -0800 2002 1032083 0 Michael Zimmerman 1 1032094 One of our favorite restaurants in Manhattan is right around the corner: SOLERA, 216 E. 53rd St. (bet. Second & Third Aves.). If you eat in the tapas bar at the counter and order only the cold tapas on display (including wonderful Spanish tortilla, ceviche, vegetable salads, etc.), you could be in and out instantly. Hot tapas (cooked to order) would take a little longer -- but maybe you'd enjoy saving that option for dinner when you've got a little more time. The fried calamari with aioli is some of the best in the city. Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg Co-Authors, BECOMING A CHEF, CULINARY ARTISTRY, DINING OUT and CHEF'S NIGHT OUT Link: http://www.becomingachef.com Fri Jan 18 07:54:29 -0800 2002 1032083 0 Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page 1 1032161 If you don't mind walking over to Third, in the so-called Lipstick Building (round like a tube of lipstick) between 53rd and 54th on the East side of Third, can be nice for a quick sit down lunch. The food is better than you expect, the glasses have a witty lipstick print on them, and the kitchen may be shared with Vong. I like the tangle of noodles with shrimp. Or the salmon. Best at 12 or 12:15 as it jams up at 12:30 Vong would be a bright bet for dinner - exotic, 200 E. 54 at Third. Similarly if you don't mind walking west on 52nd between Park and Mad, there is Fresco to Go - just great for lunch and fast - fills up also by 12:30 I like the salmon sandwich. So big you have to share it, but the turkey blt looks good too. There also are salads and other items. And its "parent" restaurant Fresco next door would be nice for an Italian dinner. Also quick for breakfast or lunch is the Cafe Europa on 53rd at Lex - a cavernous place but attractive-very informal. Many choices. I think in the a.m. there are vats of "oatmeal made with water" "oatmeal made with fatfree milk" you get the idea. I also was fairly fond of the humongous salad bar on 52nd between Lex and Third. Very fresh fruit. also Japanese soup to order-delish. Again not a place to take clients...though you easily could do so for dinner at Fresco or Vong. As you can tell, I had an office very close by til a law firm needed the space and I had to relocate. Sat Jan 19 18:38:39 -0800 2002 1032083 0 Marilyn 1 1032255 When I worked across from the lipstick building a couple of years ago, 53rd between 2nd and 3rd aves. was my chow zone. Not fully business, not fully residential and a little wacky. (Closer to 2nd it has the Theosophical society and their Quest Bookstore, as well the headquarters of Japanese-Brazilian spiritual organization Seichi No-ie) Little, off-beat places. Lots are up street-side stairs of walk-ups: a reasonably-priced italian where i once had the best papardella of my life (forget the name; a tiny, lacy, window-front place); two 'mostly organics' both serving chicken and fish flesh and vegies (one mostly take-out, the other salad-bar style with lots of seating. Neither cheap-cheap but the food at both quite good. The salad-bar one made the best carrot ginger soup ever!); a creative, gourmet-ish take-out (tiny, next to the organic take-out); and for regular sit-down restaurants there's a Japanese place and an Indian (I think). I can't remember what else, but I am sure there is lots more. One block down, on 52nd (the same block as Bridge Kitchenware???), I remember a Spanish place (tapas bar?) that looked interesting. Oh, that cafe in the Lipstick Building that's related to Vong has Vong desserts too. Probably much cheaper than at Vong. (learned black pepper ice cream was great by itself) And of course you can get those yummies 'to-go'. Sorry I don't have the names of anything, but you can have fun exploring. . . essen or fressen, no need for 'confessen'. Stephanie Mon Jan 21 21:27:10 -0800 2002 1032083 0 epicure-us 1 1032303 i like the pita grill on 2nd ave, btwn 50/51st. they have good salads and veggie things. Tue Jan 22 15:38:06 -0800 2002 1032083 0 alice1derland