Flying in Friday morning and leaving Sunday morning
Last time i've been to NYC, I was probably 8 years old at that time and my palette isn't as complicated as it is now.
I'll be staying in the Affinia Hotel and would like to get some recommendations.
Nothing pricey like Per Se, hard times lol.
I have a reservation at peter luger on friday evening but Im having 2nd thoughts, I mean, I can have a great porterhouse at mastro's and would like to have something that is truely NYC and not available here in L.A.
Thanks
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Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
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I ended up flying Thursday evening at 10ish pm. Went straight to the hotel to meet the wife & her sisters. My first meal on NYC was the hala cart accross MSG. Had the lamb on rice & lamb gyro, requested to load up on the white sauce. While hearty, the sauce lacked the kick. I didn't get a chance to try the halal cart on 53rd & 6th. Im still sad until now I didn't go.
Friday Morning, while my wife was taking her test from a seminar. I was with my sis in law & both of us headed to Russ & Daughter's. Ordered 2 bagle & lox ($21) and walked to Katz's and ordered a pastrami on rye sandwich ($15). Here's my take. You guys are right, the bagle isn't good but the lox was amazing. Not worth the price. Pastrami was very very good, juicy, tasty, and the rye is the best i've tried BUT not worth $15. I'd pay $8-9 for it but not a crazy $15 premium for the sandwich.
I then wanted to see B&H photo, very impressed. No wonder it is the mecca for photographers and the likes. We then decided to see the twin tower site, while walking towards the subway, I saw five guys burger and decided to try it. We were still full from the "brunch" so 3 of us shared a cheeseburger with grilled onions, mushrooms, and bbq sauce. The bun was soft, the patty was moist and very tasty. Im from SoCal and my first comparison will be to In n' Out, I gotta say five guys got it good. I love this burger! More than In n' Out's version. It's a winner in my book.
Friday's dinner, we met up with 2 of our friends and had dinner at Peter Luger's. I've been wanting to try this place for 3-4 years now. We ordered the steak for 4, bacon, sides, and a nice bottle of pinot. This is probably the best dry aged porterhouse i've tasted. It did not dissapoint but for it's price, it was very overrated. I would still prefer Mastro's wet aged porterhouse along with their seasoning. I would still rate this high in my books.
For dessert, We headed to Momofuku Milk Bar, jam packed, We ordered the birthday cake, chocolate malt cake, crack pie, and compost cookie. I love their rendition of a "cake", I love their concept but quite dissapointed with the dessert after all the hype. I did love their crack pie though, it was the best of the bunch. Called it a night after.
Saturday Morning:
Woke up late after a long day's trek. Had Shake Shack for brunch, I ordered the double shack burger and a chocolate shake, I preferred five guy's burger however the Shake is very good. Reminded me when I was a child, i would let the chocolate ice cream melt and drink it after. Long line up but service was fast.Magnolia Bakery. Im not a big fan of cupcakes but my wife wanted to try their carrot cake cupcake and red velvet. The carrot cake was a big hit, a winner in my books but the red velvet was so so.
Walked around Soho afterwards, bought a few stuff then we decided to go to Salumeria Rosi as per my request's (Anthony Bourdain's Food Porn 2 episode). We bought 2 bottles of wine, A Cianti Classico & Pinot. Got 2 cheese and 1/2 lb of their 24 month aged Proscuitto. Went back to my friend's place to drink & relax before our 9:30 dinner reservation. Had a good conversation, Loved the gorgonzola cheese, Loved the Proscuitto, very subtle, not that salty but my wife preferred the proscuitto to be saltier. Would've loved to try the 36 month aged but my friend was the one that ordered & paid. 2 bottles down, 4 of us were in a very happy place, took a cab and went to Commerce Restaurant (Friend's Pick).
Got there at 9:20pm. It was packed, so we got drinks at the bar but my God, we waited for 1-1/2 hours to get seated!!!. If we weren't tipsy aleady, we would've raised hell, we were pretty much the last party to get seated. The girl who handles the reservation was very apologetic, the restaurant compped us a round of drinks (bad idea), apps, and desserts. By the end of the night, my head was spinning lol. If i weren't that tipsy, I would've asked them if we can go to the halal cart on 53rd & 6th.
Next day, our flight was at 9am, we left for JFK at 6am to avoid traffic due to the ING marathon. Called it a day, glad to be back in LA. Thank Goodness I only gained a lb with all that gluttony hahaha, that's the beauty of NYC, you NEED to walk everywhere. That's one of the reason why the people in NYC are more "fit" than the people here.
Next time I visit NYC, I will have a new itinerary and more restaurants to visit. Wished I had more time to explore the city.
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Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002B&H
127 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003Magnolia Bakery
1240 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036Salumeria Rosi
283 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023Momofuku Milk Bar
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019 -
What neighborhoods do you plan to be in? Would you be alright with traveling around the city for your meals? Any specific cuisines you're looking for other than a steakhouse? Things you wish to avoid?
How much are you willing to pay including tax, tip, and wine/drinks? You said "not Per Se" but that's still a pretty wide range -- $20 a meal or $200 a meal is still less than Per Se.
When are you coming to NYC? Will you be dining solo? Are you OK with waiting for a seat at a restaurant or do you prefer to make all your reservations in advance?
Here's where other LA hounds have gone
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/699684
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/713122Here are some threads on things I think NYC is good at, like brunch, bagels/smoked salmon, pickles, egg creams, pastrami, pizza, mixology, "ethnic" niches, street food etc.
Best breakfast and brunch:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/707772Please help me eat during a month in new york
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/716238Don't leave NY without eating these foods
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610739Pizza in NYC
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/692820#5454962BTW, I highly recommend RGR's self guided Lower East Side Gustatory tour but sub in Pickle Guys for Guss' Pickles:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/493333Best foodie shopping:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585538
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/697174
http://www.chow.com/lists/33
http://www.chow.com/lists/924Union Square Greenmarket advice
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/705073
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/727570Best mixology / bespoke cocktails:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609073
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/709227Bars for beer geeks
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/733207
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/572919For non-Western European/American
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/729498
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/731732Foreign Street Grub
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/701278totally obscure, odd, and intriguing menu items
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/722130Great upscale dining
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/733990-----
Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019Union Square Greenmarket
Broadway and E 17th St, New York, NY 10003Pickle Guys
49 Essex St, New York, NY 10002 -
There are several Affinia Hotels in Manhattan. Can you tell us which one? Do you need breakfast/lunch suggestions or just the Friday and Saturday dinners?
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re: JMan604
Friday: Russ & Daughters (takeout breakfast sandwich of bagel and smoked nova salmon with cream cheese, capers, red onions and tomato), lunch at Jean Georges or Eleven Madison Park, cocktails at Death & Company, followed by dinner at Motorino and dessert at Chikalicious Dessert Bar (soft serve, cupcakes) or Momofuku Milk Bar (soft serve, cookies, maybe some cake balls to take home).
Saturday: an early morning croissant from Patisserie Claude, followed by coffee and a Donut Plant donut from Joe the Art of Coffee, then a late lunch/brunch at Minetta Tavern (perhaps the burger?) with a stop for olive oil gelato at Otto (bar is for people who aren't having a full meal). Then stop in at Katz's Deli to get some pastrami to go, vacuum packed. On your way back, detour to Sigmund Pretzel shop for a pretzel, Crif Dogs for a deep fried (no batter) NJ style hot dog, and a cumin lamb burger from Xian Famous Foods. And later on when hungry late in the night, head for the halal cart at 53rd and 6th.
Maybe walk over to the Stumptown in the Ace Hotel for some coffee, breakfast pastries (from the Breslin), and buying some Mast Brothers chocolate (Brooklyn based) for the plane. Or if you have the time, brunch starts at 7am at the Breslin (same chef as Spotted Pig).
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Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002Patisserie Claude
187 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010Jean Georges
1 Central Park W, New York, NY 10023Spotted Pig
314 W 11th St, New York, NY 10014Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012Crif Dogs
113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009Stumptown
18 W 29th Street, New York, NY 10001The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001Sigmund Pretzel Shop
29 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009Xi'an Famous Foods
88 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002Motorino
349 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003Momofuku Milk Bar
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
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