New Yorkers : Recommend restaurants

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:09 am

I have some friends visiting NYC in December. They are looking for recommendations for great restaurants to eat.

I know, I know, the choices are insane. Also, I would like them to not do the touristy spots. Also, they're only there for 4 days, so I'd like to keep them in Manhattan and not wander off to some magical hole-in-the-wall in Brooklyn, etc.

So with those caveats, can you please recommend some nice spots in Manhattan...where would you tell good friends that they must eat at if they visit Manhattan?

Thanks much.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:21 am

McDonalds have a fine selection of hamburgers.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:23 am

sweetjesus wrote:McDonalds have a fine selection of hamburgers.

And they say that when the British shipped off the prisoners to Australia, some of them might have actually been smart...

STAY ON TOPIC. I need information...save the smart-assness for Friday.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:28 am

*hangs head in shame*

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:29 am

ok this is a little on topic.. but not going to answer your question.. i was just reading this too by the way:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/average ... 48543.html

The cost of eating out at New York's top restaurants has shot up again, with a fancy meal out now costing on average $US143 ($A160) per head, according to a survey released today.

The 2008 Zagat Guide, the city's gastronomic bible, showed dinner prices at the city's top 20 establishments has soared from $US84.45 ($A94) in 2001 to $US143.06 ($A159.30) this year, an increase of almost 70 per cent.

However, a rash of new budget restaurants opening in the past year had kept the overall average cost of getting a bite in the Big Apple down to just under $US40 ($A44.55), barely up from last year.

The weak dollar also helped ensure that New York remained markedly less expensive than Paris, London and Tokyo for eating out.

"That the average restaurant remains so affordable should be celebrated," said Tim Zagat, the guide's co-founder.

Top restaurants included perennial favourites Daniel and Le Bernardin, while Japanese eatery Sushi Yasuda scored as the city's second highest rated venue for food - the highest ever placing for a Japanese restaurant.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who opened his first US restaurant last November, was voted the top newcomer.

His Gordon Ramsay at The London was awarded two Michelin stars by Zagat's rival guide, also out today.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:30 am

sweetjesus wrote:*hangs head in shame*

*hugs*

But still STAY ON TOPIC!

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:32 am

sweetjesus wrote:ok this is a little on topic.. but not going to answer your question.. i was just reading this too by the way:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/average ... 48543.html

The cost of eating out at New York's top restaurants has shot up again, with a fancy meal out now costing on average $US143 ($A160) per head, according to a survey released today.

The 2008 Zagat Guide, the city's gastronomic bible, showed dinner prices at the city's top 20 establishments has soared from $US84.45 ($A94) in 2001 to $US143.06 ($A159.30) this year, an increase of almost 70 per cent.

However, a rash of new budget restaurants opening in the past year had kept the overall average cost of getting a bite in the Big Apple down to just under $US40 ($A44.55), barely up from last year.

The weak dollar also helped ensure that New York remained markedly less expensive than Paris, London and Tokyo for eating out.

"That the average restaurant remains so affordable should be celebrated," said Tim Zagat, the guide's co-founder.

Top restaurants included perennial favourites Daniel and Le Bernardin, while Japanese eatery Sushi Yasuda scored as the city's second highest rated venue for food - the highest ever placing for a Japanese restaurant.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who opened his first US restaurant last November, was voted the top newcomer.

His Gordon Ramsay at The London was awarded two Michelin stars by Zagat's rival guide, also out today.

Wow, that's a hefty price tag! Damn.

bigbadotis · Post by **bigbadotis** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:58 am

I know this is a little touristy, but, Lombardi's. Even though it gets one of its claims to fame from being "the first" pizzeria in the country, the pizza really is great. And there's less of a line than at arch-rival Grimaldi's across the bridge in Brooklyn.

I've been to all the super famous pizza spots except that one in Staten Island (who goes to Staten island if you don't live there?) and it is my humble opinion that Lombardi's is the best. Better than John's, better than Grimaldi's, better than Tontonno's...

Don't get that clam pizza thing though.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:08 am

Thanks for the pizza recommendation

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:11 am

i'm going to assume that money is not an issue.

if they like sushi, they must go to blue ribbon:

119 Sullivan Street (between Prince and Spring streets)
New York, NY 10012
212.343.0404

amazing.

for a quick snack, heres an excellent wine and cheese joint:

http://www.inotecanyc.com/

I've got a metric fuck ton of places i can suggest in brooklyn, but apparently they are too pussy to go there, or you are too pussy to send them, so forget it.

.lm.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:16 am

Thanks for the suggestions.

-Dallas Pussies

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:28 am

blue ribbon sushi is really worth it if they like sushi even a little bit. The place is soooooo sick.

anyway, i'm trying to think of more spots, but i hardly ever eat in manhattan.

i can give one more snak suggestion though:

there is a pomme frites joint on 2nd ave btw st marks and 7th that is pretty fucking great. go for the smoked eggplant frite sauce. it's good shit.

ohhh, also, there is a great sake bar called decibel on 9th st btw 2nd and 3rd ave.

.lm.

ilia · Post by **ilia** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:30 am

also next to Blue Ribbon is Tomoe (on Thompson just north of Houston) which might (gasp) be even better, especially if you are after some exotic appetizers.

and last Friday after I played a show in Williamsburg some groupies^H^H^H^H^H new friends took me to a nearby sushi place which was amazing. Sadly I was too drunk to remember the name or location, but I could probably retrace my steps...

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:33 am

that would probably be samurai sushi. they're pretty good, and not expensive or over the top with the crazy shit. was it on n 6th just west of bedford?

.lm.

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:33 am

ACME,, for great fried chicken dirty mash and coloreds,, they used to have an all you can eat monday,,
Go up to Harlem and check out Sophias,, i think thats the name,, there where times i would be the only white guy in there being politly ignored by the other clientel while my buddy sent me all kinds of fried sticky things out from the kitchen,,great "Soul Food"
In Jersy City there are some very good places over by city hall,, very easy to get to on the PATH,, also,, check out a bar that used to be called Lucky Sevens,, it turned into some thing along the lines of camaro or some other car name but did really good mexican.
Back on manhattan,, any of the Mahali places used to be very good Indian,, or any where on (I think) 4th street,, some people call it Dehli Row,, a whole street of Indian and bengali places,, any of them are as good as any other depending on the night,, worth it to see the manic sitar and tabla players ripping it up to attract customers,,
Over in the village there is a great cuban place called,, Dah-Dahh,, HAVANA,,
there is also a good Argentine place near by,, Also a place round the corner Called some thing along the lines of Cow Girls,, that does great Tex Mex,,
Lots of places on 5TH ave brooklyn,,,
Sorry about the criptic nature,, but i'm hopeless with addresses,,
I'd also put you onto a New Zealand place,, but a friend of mine whent there a ouple of weeks back and said it was poop!!,,