girl's weekend nyc

[marzia]

My best freind and I will be in NYC for Easter weekend. We're staying in Midtown, but will be all around Manhattan, and don't mind travelling for good food. We're looking for recommendations for lunch and dinner. We love food, and pretty much will try anything. We're booked into Spice Market for Thursday night, and we'll consider anything else. Any thoughts on Gramercy Tavern? Little Owl? Back Forty? We'd prefer to keep the costs down, no more than 50/pp. Any suggestions?

[kathryn]

Why did you book Spice Market? Because of the chef being famous? The atmosphere? Or the cuisine? I think a lot of hounds would agree that Spice Market has seen better days.

But from your mentions of Gramercy Tavern, Little Owl, and Back Forty, it seems like you're more interested in American cuisine as well?

Very difficult to give recommendations unless you can give us more to go off of...neighborhoods? Cuisines you like a LOT? Cuisines you don't really have at home?

If you ONLY want to spend $50 per person, does that include tax, tips, AND drinks/wine? If so, GT is out of your price range (formal room) but you might be OK in the tavern room.

Have you seen these threads?
Don't leave NY without eating these foods
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610739

For cheap eats, try out some street food:
http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/33527/
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/653353
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/636263

I highly recommend RGR's self guided Lower East Side Gustatory tour:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/493333

Best brunch:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/598414

Best pizza (my take
)http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/692820#5454962

Best foodie shopping:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585538
http://www.chow.com/lists/edit/33
http://www.chow.com/lists/edit/924

Best mixology:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609073

Top Ten Bars for Beer Snobs
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/572919

Manhattan for 5 days over New Year
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676209

Other hounds' itineraries/reports:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611116
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/597021
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/604369
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609656
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/589834
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610739
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/623860
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679481
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/686791
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/692820

[Dan Boston]

Gramery Tavern is one of my favorite restaurants in New York. I agree that for dinner you will spend over $50/person, but lunch is good there too and less expensive. The main dining room is closed for lunch on Saturday and Sunday, but the tavern room is open then.

[marzia]

We had a great meal at Spice Market last year, and we really liked the atmosphere there. We like JG's food, so is there another one of his restaurants that you'd recommend instead?
Definitely not just into American food. We're up for anything. I've heard a lot of good things about the Tavern part of Gramercy, so wanted to check it out. We already have an amazing Korean place we're going to , and I've heard good things about Szechuan Gourmet, so we'll check them out for lunch. We love pretty much all Asian food, and want to stay away from Italian. Our budget doesn't include anything other than food. I hope that helps out, and anything you can give us, we're happy with. Thanks.

[gutsofsteel]

I'd choose Lan Sheng over Szechuan Gourmet if you're doing one Szechuan meal in Manhattan.

[Geo8rge]

if you run out of Manhattan things to do take the #7 out to Queens. Many posts on where to eat in Queens.

The 7 is elevated in Queens so you can look out over the roof tops.

If you want out doors they the street vendors on http://streetvendor.org/vendys/finalists. You will have to pay for cab fare to hit them all. There may also be lines.

In Brooklyn
http://www.deitynyc.com/supperclub/
http://www.sugarcanerestaurant.com/co...

[coasts]

Any girls weekend should include a trip to Mariebelle's for hot chocolate in their cafe.