Boston culture vultures need to eat
Boston hounds spending a week gallery and museum hopping, staying in son's Carrol Gardens apartment.. I know the places on Smith and Court pretty well, looking forward to dinner at Al di La, Lucali, etc.but we will be spending most of our time during the day visiting the Whitney, Neue Galerie, Guggenheim etc, MOMA, and Chelsea galleries, and would prefer NOT to eat in the museums. Three geographic areas right there.
What we are looking for are authentic, non-touristy, reasonably priced places to grab a lunch of
- ramen soup, so soothing and restorative
- onigiri ( those rice sandwiches?)
- interesting middle eastern type food
- real French pastry, oh yeah
- Chinese dessert buns with red bean paste, etc.
- would like to try malaysian, indonesian, vietnamese, mexican, whatever
We don't mind walking, are not big meat eaters, nor are we big spenders, and prefer to cover a lot of ground nibbling different things rather than having one big blow out meal. For instance, on a previous visit we had the Tea Box at Takashimaya, banh mi in some tiny place, etc.
What are your BEST suggestions? Thank you so much!
-
cassis
Apr 7, 2008 06:34 AM
Thank you all for your suggestions! my list is growing longer, list which is keyed in to maps dotted with all of the other things I am trying to get to in 5 days. Thanks also for fredid's excellent suggestion to always carry knife, fork, tubs, napkins and a CORKSCREW, you never know when you might need them.
-
Near the MoMA, try Sapporo for ramen, Oms/b for (mostly takeout) onigiri, and Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle for French pastries. Or try Sukhadia's for good chaat and Indian sweets. They have a decent, if unremarkable buffet at lunchtime, too.
If it's a nice enough day out to eat on a park bench, visit Hallo Berlin for good German wurst with potatoes and kraut, the carts on 53rd st and 6th ave. (either southeast or southwest corners) for substantial, $6 gyro platters.
From Chelsea, it's a reasonable walk to Fatty Crab in the Meatpacking District for Malaysian (tho it might be a higher price point than you want). http://www.fattycrab.com/Fatty_Crab_M...
Or stay in Chelsea and browse in Chelsea Market. There's a good greenmarket restaurant called Green Table, there, several good gelato places, an Italian market that sells prepared foods, a Sarahbeth's bakery, an Amy's Bread, the Lobster Place for good chowders and soups, etc...
-----
Sapporo
152 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019Oms/b
156 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017 -
Here are some suggestions from another Boston culture vulture! Check my profile to write me.if need be!) I usually BRING my food to Midtown, if the weather is warm enough - Why not stop in Manhattan Chinatown on your way uptown, and pick up great goodies?I always throw a bunch of plastic grocery bags, plastic containers w/lids (leftovers!) and forks in my bag. (Note: The Met checks bags carefully. Wrap well!) For the UWS, I often take the Madison Ave bus up to 116th for great Mexican street eats (google lalli voice July to get the tour) or to, I think, 110 st., then 1 block north of Central park, and just east of Fifth, to hole in the wall (literally) jerk chicken. Several recs on boards for sitdown Mexican around 104 and Madison, also. Take Fifth Ave bus back to Guggie. Near the Met/Whitney, 2nd ave in 80s? very nice Turkish, Beyoglu? Moma, check board, or maybe Midtown Lunch website for recent thread on EXCELLENT cart there during the DAY! Also see street carts thread going on now. Also, on the far westside (take crosstown bus through park, transfer to subway) excellent mex recs - check board (Tulcingo del Valle? + another fave...) (This is more of a trek!) Have fun!
-
I understand not wanting to eat in the galleries, but Cafe Sabarsky in the Neue Galerie is fantastic--especially for Austrian pastries. Go in for dessert if nothing else.
For French pastries, Le Madeleine and La Bergamote are near the Chelsea Galleries and have some great baked goods (croissants, macarons at Le Madeleine)›2 Replies-
-
re: Lucia
Just for the sake of accuracy, Le Madeleine was the French bistro that recently closed. Madeleine (no "Le" or "La") is the wonderful French pastry shop on 23rd St., b/t 6th & 7th Avs. I agree with you about the croissants and macarons and will add that the tarts are luscious!
I also agree about Cafe Sabarsky.
-
