looking for weekday breakfast and ethnic dinner recs near Chelsea or Soho

[fvande]

I'll be in NYC for 3 nights and most likely staying in Chelsea or Soho

I am looking for
a) weekday breakfast that
emphasize the savory (though I want to check out Locanda Verde for their pastries),
and
b) I am also looking for great ethnic eats for dinner
(Chinese, Pakistani, Moroccan or Turkish),.
c) Is there a Grand Szhewan
in the area?

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Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013

[loratliff]

The Breslin is the best weekday breakfast in that area, IMO—particularly if you like savory.

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The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

[Motosport]

I don't know of any Turkish restaurants in Chelsea or Soho but Ali Baba has excellent Turkish food and a few locations in Manhattan.
If you are not familiar with Manhattan you will find that it is very easy to get around on the subway or buses and also very walkable.
The closest Ali Baba is on 34th St which is a nice walk if the weather permits. Otherwise take a crosstown bus on 23rd or 34th St.

[fvande]

The Breslin sounds great for breakfast
and will look up AliBabas.
Yes, have been to NYC 4 or 5 times and can do the subway. Thanks!

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The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

[JungMann]

If you're headed out towards Ali Baba, the area around Lexington and 27th Street is heavily South Asian. Haandi is my personal pick for Pakistani with a stop at Bhojan if you want dessert. Closer to Chelsea I used to order Northern Indian dishes from Minar which weren't bad.

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Minar
138 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036

Bhojan
102 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016

[kathryn]

Weekday breakfast in Chelsea:
Westville Chelsea
Sarabeth's in the Chelsea Market
Ronnybrook Milk Bar
Friedman's
Cookshop
City Bakery
Petite Abeille

2nd the Breslin!

Weekday breakfast in Soho:
Balthazar
Caffe Falai
Pulino's

Peels and Hecho en Dumbo are close by if you happen to be by Bowery but not necessarily in Soho.

For Chinese, there's a Grand Sichuan in Chelsea at 24th and 9th Avenue.

For Soho, you're probably better off just going to Chinatown where there's a wealth of possibilities: Old Sichuan, Famous Sichuan, Shanghai Cafe, Noodle Village, South China Garden, Great NY Noodletown. Are you looking for anything in particular?

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

City Bakery
3 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011

Noodle Village
13 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Caffe Falai
265 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

Westville
210 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014

Ronnybrook Milk Bar
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Famous Sichuan
10 Pell St, New York, NY 10013

The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

Pulino's
282 Bowery, New York, NY 10012

Old Sichuan
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

Hecho en Dumbo
354 Bowery, New York, NY 10012

[fvande]

For Chinese, we had some amazing crispy lamb at the midtown Grand Sichuan (Gourmet?)

And I love Sarabeths,Five Points and Balthazars.
I have been wanting to try Cookshop, Caffe Falai and
Breslin!

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Caffe Falai
265 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

[rrems]

You might also want to consider Legend for Sichuan in Chelsea. There is a long thread about it here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/736719

[kathryn]

Szechuan Gourmet on West 39th between 5th and 6th Avenues (across from Lord & Taylor) is one of the best (if not the best) Sichuan Manhattan has to offer. I had a very good hot pot meal there this weekend actually. But the cumin lamb is one of my husband's favorite dishes ever, although I really do like the cumin beef at Grand Sichuan St Marks.

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Szechuan Gourmet
21 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018

[kathryn]

Forgot to mention--if you like Chinese food and cumin, go to Xian Famous Foods. Two locations: East Village and Chinatown. And the lamb with hand pulled noodles and the cumin lamb sandwich.

[Blumie]

If Lebanese food interests you, Ilili is excellent. Not exactly Chelsea, but easily walkable from much of the neighborhood.

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Ilili
236 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001