Kosher in NYC

[kevey]

Hi all

We shall be in NYC for 5 days at the end of May and are looking for recommendations re nice kosher restaurants/deli's for lunch and dinner - nothing too expensive but not too cheap either. We are staying at the Crowne Plaza At The United Nations so would prefer (for the evening's) to be not too far from the hotel, however, if a restaurant is particularly recommended, we would get a cab to anywhere within Manhattan. Type of food isn't an issue, although would like to try Chinese as well as the more traditional style eateries

[zsero]

Where are you from, so we can tell what styles of food you have available at home? I can say that if you want to sample good food that you can't get at home, you should be prepared to venture further from your hotel. Personally, I don't think a tourist experience in any city is complete without riding its public transport, and especially in NYC you really must ride the subways. This also saves money, which you can spend on food :-)

For now I'm going to assume that where you live you have nothing kosher.
So here are my recommendations, including public transport directions from your hotel:

Israeli food: Olympic Pita, on 38th St between 5th & 6th Aves. Take the 42nd St bus (the M42) to 5th Ave, walk down to 38th St, and turn left.

Indian food: Madras Mahal, Lexington Ave, between 27th & 28th Sts. Take the M42 bus to Lex and then the M101, M102, or M103 down Lex; or take the M42 bus to Grand Central, take the 6 train down to 28th St, and walk a block.

Persian: Colbeh, 39th St between 5th & 6th. Same directions as for Olympic Pita. This is a little on the expensive side, but not too much, and worth it.

Chinese/Asian: Estihana, on Amsterdam Ave & 79th St. Take the bus to Times Square, and take a 1 train uptown to 79th St, then walk a block.

Or, if you really want just Chinese rather than other East Asian, try Eden Wok, on 72nd St between Broadway and Columbus. Take the bus to Times Square, and take a 2 or 3 train uptown to 72nd St, then walk a block.

I would have recommended that you get delivery to your hotel from Gan Asia (http://www.gotothegan.com ), but to your hotel they want a $50 minimum, so unless there are 5 of you, maybe not. What you could do if their menu looks appealing, is have a picnic in Central Park and ask them to deliver to you there.

Here are a few more ideas: When you're at the Empire State Building (you *are* going there, aren't you?), have lunch at Kosher Delight (Broadway between 37th & 38th) (not great food, but an experience you should have, if you're from the kosher boonies), or Mr Broadway (Broadway between 38th & 39th) (ditto, more or less). Both have Chinese food which isn't bad, in addition to lots of other choices. Or, if you'd rather have a milchig sandwich for lunch that day, try Circa, on 33rd St between 5th & 6th Aves.

Another thing you should try for lunch, not so much for the food as for the experience, is Moshe's falafel cart, on the corner of 6th Ave and 46th St. Eating street food is part of NYC culture, but for us who keep kosher there's not much of it.

If you want to splurge for one expensive dinner, try Mike's Bistro, on 72nd St, between Broadway and West End. Same directions as for Eden Wok, but walk from the 72nd station in the opposite direction.

Another recommendation: leave Manhattan one afternoon, and take a walk down 13th Ave in Brooklyn. Take the D train from 42nd St & 6th Ave, and get off at 55th St in Brooklyn. Just the sight of so many Jews will blow your mind, if you're not used to it. And there are plenty of places to eat along the way. If you feel like deli, I recommend Crown restaurant, between 49th & 50th; for Chinese, China Glatt, between 44th & 45th; for Pizza, Amnon, between 49th & 49th.

Are these any help? I'm sure other people will chime in.

[weinstein5]

I agree with the above but some other spots to check out - Kosher Deluxe - http://www.kosherdeluxe.com/ which is on 46th - it is mostly a carry out place but there is seating - they to have chinese food -

Also to try one of the the steak houses in Manhattan is Le Marais http://www.lemarais.net/ or for a splurge The Prime Grill (which in IMHO serves the best steak in Manhattan) - http://www.theprimegrill.com/theprime...

all of these are located relatively close to the UN except for Le Marais which is neat the theatre district and time square-

[Clarissa]

For falafel and shwarma, my personal favorite is Chickpea, over in the East Village. For just hummus, there's The Hummus Place, with one location in the East Village and one on the Upper West Side. There may be a third location.

I second Madras Mahal for Indian. Really delicious food there.

On the Upper West Side is a place called Ozu, which has very healthy vegetarian and fish options.

If you want to get some treats, there are a number of places. There's a place called Andre's Cafe on Second Ave. in the 80's. The cafe isn't kosher but they sell very good kosher Hungarian desserts. If you're not comfortable dining in for coffee and cake (since the place serves unkosher food), you can always take out dessert from the front counter. Also there is William Greenberg for desserts, take-out only. Another place is Crumbs. I haven't been but there are two locations, one on the Upper East Side and one on the Upper West. I think you can sit in and have coffee and a treat.

[bigmackdaddy]

If you're looking for Kosher style go to Katz's Deli on E. Houston two blocks east of Allen and, Sammy's...Steakhouse on Chrystie and Delancy. If you're looking for Glatt then I would go to Midwood (Ave J and Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn) or Boro Park (13th Avenue between 40th and 50th Streets). I prefer Boro Park over Midwood. There are restaurants in Williamsburg, Brooklyn but they are not that good. And don't confuse Middle Eastern style with Kosher. Kosher is a way of life not a particular cuisine unless you find a restaurant that cooks recipes straight from the Old Testament. You'll find in a lot of these falafel houses/Middle Eastern places mentioned above that these are run by Lubavitcher Jews, who come from Eastern Europe rather than the Middle East. Some of them are good, others pretty bad.

The Chinese part is confusing. Kosher Chinese or regular? The only Kosher Chinese I know of is Shang Chai down in Brooklyn on Flatbush Ave. between Ave O & Ave N. I have never eaten there so if you go let us know how it is. For regular Chinese I'd go down to Chinatown in Manhattan. One of my faves is Wonton Garden on 56 Mott St. Some of the best noodle soup/wonton/dumpling and meat in a bowl you'll have. Another rule of thumb is look for the places where the Chinese are eating. Plenty of them in C-Town.

[Clarissa]

I want to add something to your suggestions to Kevey. Kevey, if you eat at all vegetarian places that aren't necessarily certified, there are loads of options in NYC. While in Chinatown, there is the Vegetarian Dim Sum House. Can't remember whether it's kosher but it is all vegetarian, and is really good. There's also Buddha Bodai, which is kosher, but I haven't tried it, so I can't say what I think of it. Lots of other veggie places all over the city if you're open to that option.

[zsero]

Shang Chai is awful. There's a lot of decent kosher Chinese, and even some that's really good, but Shang Chai isn't where you'll find it.

For kosher Chinese in Manhattan, see my suggestions. Estihana or Gan Asia for generic East Asian, Eden Wok for specifically Chinese. In Brooklyn, I recommend China Glatt for eating in, or China Mehadrin for taking away.

[pitagirl]

I love Chang Chai. Great service plenty of food that I love, parking..and if you ask for no MSG you get it (unlike most other places). I find China Mehadrin to be too soy saucy. I do however like Mr. Nosh on Flatlands - you can eat in and take out but nothing worth coming to Brooklyn for. Estihana - eh except for the thai beef I've never been wowed.

[tastytamarind]

Definitely try:

Ozu -- interesting food and reasonably priced, on 94th and Amsterdam (I think)
Chickpea -- better than the other spots for middle-eastern
Pongal -- another 27th and Lexington Indian place, the best in my opinion, all-veggie
Eden Wok -- but only on a Monday night, for their 18.50 all-you-can-eat chinese and sushi buffet
Darna -- 80th and Columbus on the Upper West. It's a really good Moroccan spot. Try any of their tagines, and don't miss the harira soup.
Kosher Delight -- but only if you want an all-in-one KFC-McDonalds-Chinese takeout experience

Skip:

Estihana -- really nothing special. The only good thing I've ever had is the crispy beef appetizer.
Gan Asia -- yuck yuck yuck
My Most Favorite Dessert Place -- nothing favorite about it

Enjoy!

[kevey]

Thanks for all of your recommendations.

I am from London, UK and live to the north east in a suburb called Gants Hill. We have travelled to many countries (family of 3, me, my wife and 13 year old daughter) but have not had the luxury of kosher food, except on one or two previous occasions in Orlando and Sydney Australia. Certainly, we have never had as much choice as we shall have in New York. Although, I will eat non-kosher food, my wife keeps kosher - she will eat veggie or fish dishes in non-kosher restaurants but it would be nice for her to eat meat on holiday.

Once again, thanks for the tips - we shall certainly try one or more of these places - and yes zsero, we shall of course be visiting the ESB so shall consider the lunch establishments you suggested.

[Clarissa]

Since she'll eat fish or veggies in non-kosher places, I just want to mention that if you want to have a nice splurge, several really fine restaurants offer vegetarian tasting menus that are fantastic. That way you could have a regular tasting menu and she could have a beautiful, lavish vegetarian meal.

I'm not a big meat-eater and don't love many Kosher meat places, but I certainly understand your wife wanting the luxury of being able to order absolutely anything on a menu, even meat.

[weinstein5]

I follow very similarly to your wife - that is why I lpve New York because there are so many choices - particulalry meat restaurants - I still stand by my recommendations for The Prime Grill and Le Marais - I would also through in Abigael's on Broadway - http://www.abigaels.com/ - these are my three favoriye restaurants in Manhattan

I also like Kosher Deluxe and Mr Broadway - between these five restaurants you will have a varied fleischig eatiing expereince - Moshe's Falafel Cart is a fun expereince and the falafel is good-

For an additional resource to check is http://www.shamash.org/kosher/ - provides a comprehensive list along with patron reviews -