Long Weekend in the City with my 21 Year old Son

[sherry f]

I will be in the city in a few weeks with my 21 year old son for a long weekend. I was wondering if Ma Peche is suitable for a Saturday dinner (it is a stone's throw from our hotel). He loves Asian food of all kinds and is moderately adventuous. Constraints are he doesn't eat red meat and I don't go near squid or octopus. A fun bar to go for drinks after would be great. Not sure if "fun bar" and "midtown" are mutually exclusive! I think he would love (me too) the Milk bar for dessert before the additional drinking.

I have also booked Nougatine for a lunch on Friday , Beauty and Essex for a Sunday dinner (thought it may be fun to go to the LES). During the day on Sunday, I thought we could hit the high line which he hasn't seen, grab lunch at the Chelsea market (I have never been) and walk over to our 3:00 pm matinee in the theatre district if the weather isn't too steamy. Any recs at Chelsea Market or in the environs would be greatly appreciated. Also a cool place for drinks after Beauty and Essex (if this is a good choice) would be terrific. Our dinner is booked for 7:45.

On Friday night he is going to be out with his New York pals eating and drinking. I will doing some retail therapy after the Nougatine lunch and will need a place for a light dinner on my own. I am comfortable eating alone at the bar and we are staying at the Hilton at 54th and 6th.

We are also looking for a lunch spot on Monday that is not too far from the hotel. Since we have a late flight out it will really be our main meal of the day. We will be pretty casual, although will take it up a notch (if this is appropriate enough) for Nougatine. If we need to really dress up at Nougatine, another lunch rec midtown/ chelsea/Gramercy for Friday with wonderful food, and a nice prix fixe would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

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Nougatine
1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[peter j]

Ma Peche will have plenty of options for you and your son.

You don't need to dress up for Nougatine, though I'm sure that others will try to persuade you to switch to Jean Georges, which features a slightly more expensive lunch prix fixe and a dressier clientele.

For your light solo dinner, try the Modern Bar Room which is on 53rd between 5th and 6th Ave.

For your final lunch, perhaps Marea, Lincoln, Oceana, La Silhouette, Benoit, or Bar Boulud.

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Jean Georges
1 Central Park W, New York, NY 10023

The Modern
9 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019

Oceana
120 W 49th St, New York, NY 10020

Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway, New York, NY 10023

Benoit
60 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019

Nougatine
1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

Lincoln
142 W 65th St, New York, NY 10023

La Silhouette
362 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

[sherry f]

Thanks Peter J....we will definitely hit Ma Peche and I will go to the Modern Bar Room for the solo dinner. Would love some feedback on Beauty and Essex and a cool place for drinks near there post dinner, and a place for drinks (we will be casually dressed) near Ma Peche.

What are some great ideas near the Highline/Chelsea Market for a light lunch where we can sit down?

Thanks.

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Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[RGR]

Trestle on Tenth is a favorite place of ours for lunch near the Highline. The food's delicious, service is very friendly and efficient, and there's a lovely little secluded garden.

Trestle on Tenth photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157624610117613/

http://thewizardofroz.wordpress.com

[sugartoof]

Cookshop is a lot more casual than most of your other selections, and might work for you.

The Standard Grill is in the Standard itself, right at the Highline.
Colicchio & Sons is on the other side of the Highline and Chelsea Market.

Barbutto, and Commerce are nearby. Another option, far more casual would be Cuban at Coppelia, where you can split something if you want a light snack.

Chelsea Market itself is a quick walk through. You can find prepared foods at a few shops. Nothing is really stand out, but Amy's bread, People's Pops, a cookie from Jaquess Torres, and the Italian specialties shop are all worth stops. The tea shop also has a salad bar at lunch.

The Highline itself has food concessions. Melt Bakery for upscale grilled cheese, Blue Bottle coffee, and The Porch might just do it. Some select food trucks also set up shop on certain days.

The other option is to walk 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen and find somewhere casual. The Highline will drop you off at 30th, and your food choices are endless once you get around 38th, and past Port Authority.

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Barbuto
775 Washington St., New York, NY 10014

Buon Italia
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Cookshop
156 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Amy's Bread
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Commerce
50 Commerce Street, New York, NY 10014

Standard Grill
848 Washington Street, New York, NY 10014

Colicchio & Sons
85 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011

People's Pops
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Jacques Torres
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Coppelia
207 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011

Melt Bakery
132 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

The Porch
10th Ave W 15th St, New York, NY 10014

[sherry f]

Thanks so much. Would love to get some recs on a place to go for drinks (casual) after Ma Peche and after Beauty and Essex. Thanks.

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Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[sugartoof]

What type of drinks? Most every bar in New York is casual, but if you want more involved cocktails, it limits your options.

[sherry f]

Looking for a casual and fun place (as opposed to a stuffy hotel bar), midtown, not far from Ma Peche, where my son would not be uncomfortable with his mother.

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Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[ellenost]

The upstairs bar area of Ma Peche would work for great cocktails. My favorite is the Seven Spice Sour. Ma Peche is one of my favorite restaurants, and I'm very lucky that it's 2 blocks from my office. I had 2 fantastic dinners at Ma Peche last week.

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Ma Peche
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[sherry f]

Would be very interested on what would be a better choice for dinner Sunday evening: Beauty and Essex (no restaurant week) or Rayuela (with restaurant week). Also lunch on Friday- Balthazar or David Burke's Kitchen at the James hotel (with restaurant week). Many thanks.

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Rayuela
165 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002