Visiting New York

[torchef]

We are visiting NYC at the end of October and will be there for 3 nights. Any recommendations for restaurants worth trying for lunch and dinner would be welcomed. Brooklyn and New Jersey are also OK.

[MartyB]

When you are done, fill us in on your experiences and some form of a ranking. Not too many people have the luxury of being able to do Manhattan kosher without a budget.

My daughter is now in Israel for succos, but she did spend a few days not long ago in Canada - don't remember if it was Toronto or Montreal, but she commented that the kosher options there makes Manhattan look cheap.

[queenscook]

I haven't been to either Montreal or Toronto for a few years, but that was not my experience at all. Exchange rate notwithstanding, I found even the upscale restaurants in Toronto quite reasonable. Don't recall the name of one we went to that was supposedly the most upscale, and it was quite nice (I think I read here that it's no longer around), but certainly not more expensive than NY. Maybe things have changed radically in the past three or four years?

[torchef]

We will post our findings after our trip. In the meantime, in response to the postings re Toronto, here is our humble opinion:

Toronto has a number of very good upscale restaurants including Bistro Grande (dairy), Marron (meat including a tasting menu) and 398 West (which is the old Gladstone's restaurant). We have not tried 398 West yet so we cannot comment on the food, service or prices but from the old Gladstone days, it is first class in terms of ambiance. The other two are very reasonably priced in comparison to NYC restaurants and are both excellent restaurants. Marron's chef Eran Maron is extremely creative and has a solid following in the city. It is a very small and intimate restaurant and the food and service are outstanding. In addition to these three there are probably about 30 more places to eat in Toronto. Visit www.cor.ca for a guide to Jewish Toronto. COR is the local kashruth symbol, recognized and accepted by all parts of the community. All meat restaurants are glatt; non cholov yisrael dairy restaurants are clearly marked.

[vallevin]

I would, just for fun try Screme gelato, search this board for the locations

[brooklynkoshereater]

I highly recommend Solo, on 55th and Madison (in the Sony Atrium).

[vallevin]

A) Where are visiting from?

Torchef... it all depends on what your budget is and your personal preferences.

I'll just throw in my 2 cents with the old Le Marais vs. Prime Grill debate. While Prime Grill may be 50% more expensive than Le Marais, from what I've seen on this board, it is not 50% better, either in quality of service or the meals.

If convenient cheap parking is important then come to Teaneck, otherwise I think you'll be fine staying the city.

[torchef]

Visiting from Toronto. We are not on a budget and appreciate good restaurants and fine dining. Things that are too ostentatious or over the top do not impress us...but good food and excellent service does. Example: we love Mosaica; in our books, way better than either Prime Grill or Le Marais. We have not visited in a couple of years, so we are looking for new places to try.

[masteraleph]

Have you tried Mike's Bistro before?

[torchef]

We have not tried Mike's Bistro...we will add it to the list; we have eaten at Solo already.

[shoelace]

if moneys not an issue and yorue going to mikes, make reservations and do the chefs table, its incredible

[cheesecake17]

Mike's Bistro is execellent. We go often and have never been disappointed. The upstairs section is much quieter- and they usually honor requests to sit there.

[GilaB]

I personally find it overrated - good, but not as great as people here make it out to be. To each his own, I suppose. It's still definitely worth a try if you're looking to sample good New York kosher restaurants, as is Turquoise, on the Upper East Side.

[SRG]

I'll second or third Mike's Bistro. Very good. Try the duck.
Abigails just below Times Square and Darna on the Upper West Side are also very good, imho.