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[nocode]

MOMOFUKU SSÄM is so fucking good, and really affordable. Go and get the steamed bun with pork belly....NOW! Seriously though, a lot of the stuff I ate had flavor combinations that I have never tasted before. For the price you can't beat it IMO, and growing up in and around NYC I've been to a lot of restaurants here. I can't afford the really up scale places though:lol

 

[nitewulf]

This is Brooklyn:

Food:

Alma:
http://www.almarestaurant.com/

Excellent mexican cuisine. The Carne Asada is a steal, for brunch. Juicy steak, dripping with sauce, inside a trenched loaf of bread, very medieval, very excellent.

Applewood
http://www.applewoodny.com/

Perfect for Sunday brunches.

Stone Park Cafe
http://www.stoneparkcafe.com/

Great for weekend dinners for a cold winter night. Very cozy. Excellent food.

Drink:

4th Ave Pub
http://www.myspace.com/4thavepub

Probably the best selection of beer next to DBA. My current second favorite bar. Free unlimited popcorn.

Hi-Dive
http://www.highdivebrooklyn.com/

My favorite bar. Hi dive. Excellent beer menu, backyard, fantastic music. Chill crowd.


Misc:

DBA
http://www.drinkgoodstuff.com/

For actual drink connoisseurs. The best selection of single malt and beer in the city.

 

[Barrett2]

Sugar Sweet Sunshine is a great bakery in the Lower East Side.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

God damn it, I am so fucking hungry right now. Haha.

 

[captscience]

Amazing job OP. I'll be sure to contribute to the thread.

 

[Davidion]

Flushing: The quick and dirty guide to the powerhouses of Queens Chinese cuisine...in a 3-4 block radius

The Premier League:
Little Pepper
The reigning champ of Szechuan cuisine in NYC. Some may like Spicy & Tasty for their food, but go here for the no-holds barred full on Szechuan Experience.

Solid mainstays:
Fillet Fish with Sichuan Pickled Hot Pepper
Thousand-year old eggs with red pepper
Dried Sauteed String Beans
Whole Crab with Chili Pepper
Red Oil Wontons
Braised Sliced Fish

Fillet Fish with Sichuan Pickled Hot Pepper

Dried Sauteed String Beans

[URL="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=white+bear+flushing&fb=1&gl=us&hq=white+bear&hnear=flushing&cid=0,0,3316147251400637079&ei=y3V7S9SFNZXh8Qb38LjsBQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=4&ved=0CBcQnwIwAw"]White Bear - [/URL]
This mislabeled "ice cream shop" houses the most perfect execution of Northern/Shanghainese Wontons you'll find in the entire city of New York.

Solid mainstays:
Simple bowl of wonton soup
Red oil wontons

Golden Mall - The Chinese underground street food festival.

Lauded by seasoned locals to Eric Ripert & Anthony Bourdain, in this decrepit looking shopping mall you'll find the catch-all place you want to go for the very definition of hole-in-the-wall eating.

Solid mainstays:
There are a good 8-10 food stalls here at least, go forth and explore

Ocean Jewels Seafood Restaurant - After several renovations, this big room which housed many large seafood restaurants in its past has become a solid contender for both the best Chinese Seafood AND Dim Sum Restaurant in NYC.

Solid mainstays:
Peking Duck (skip the cheap hack that is Peking Duck House and go here)
Flounder two ways, Pan-fried or steamed, both excellent
The surprisingly well made "western" steak.
Their entire Dim Sum menu

Nan Shian Dumpling House
The current king of soup buns (and it's buns, not dumplings, you fuckers) in NYC and a solid northern Chinese breakfast restarant. Avoid Joe's Shanghai and go straight to this, the current mecca of soup buns in the city.

Solid mainstays:
Soup Buns
Scallion Pancakes

Little Fatty Lamb - Macabre name, questionable service, high prices; why eat here? Hot ass Hot pot.
If you can deal with the "issues", you'll find one of the best, if not the best Chinese hot pot places in the city. Do not wuss out, get the medicinal broth. Yes, it is actually medicine. Yes, it might get some used to. Yes, it's the real good stuff once you get into it. Slightly adventurous eaters welcome. **Note that I haven't eaten here in a while, but the reputation (good and bad) have persisted. Worth the try if you like hot pot.

Solid Mainstays:
Medicinal Broth
Meat

Honorable Mentions and up-and-comers: maybe not worth a trip in and of themselves, these are underrated little neighborhood gems

Corner 28 - Home of the infamous $1.00 Peking Duck buns. This is the better version of the overpriced pork bun that people pay $9 for at Momofuku. Check out the inside to find a solid take-out place and quite the nice sit-down restaurant on the second floor.

Flushing Noodle Shop - In the world of trendy eating, the little neighborhood mainstays often gets lost in the shuffle; this is one of these places. One of my personal haunts from ages ago, this place serves EXCELLENT roast meats and simple, staple, Cantonese cuisine; plus $5-6 will never get you so many different ways to get full.

Flushing Mall - Not much to the mall, but in the dingy food court you'll find a sweet selection of eateries that doesn't quite measure up to Golden Mall but is definitely worth a visit.

Zhu ji Guo Tie - One of the lone survivors from the heydays of Flushing dumpling street vendors, this place has lost some of its glory and isn't always consistent, but it's still worth a shot.

Every single Mongolian BBQ truck up and down Main Street - You'll see these metal carts littered around main street; the first and best of them all is parked right around an eyeglass shop on the corner of Kissena and Main. Look for the crowd, eat the lamb, do NOT tell them to cut back on the hot pepper.

That Chinese restaurant under East Buffet that I can't remember the goddamn name of -

That one, in the green awning. Excellent and homey Northern Chinese cuisine when I went. needs a few more visits to be sure.

Final thoughts:

Flushing is a constant fluctuating neighborhood and new players come into the restaurant scene, such is the beauty of ethnic neighborhoods. The entire Korean side of Flushing has been omitted from this altogether; that's another can of worms for another day.

These selections may or may not stick around. Just sayin'

For an interactive map to several of these locations and some more stars around the area:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/29/dining/20080730_FLUSHING_INTERACTIVE.html

Coming up for this thread (If I have the damn time):
The NYC Sake and Beer bar walkthrough
Sushi-free Japanese guide, with Asian Fried food sidebar
Odds and ends: mid-range eating

 

[FoneBone]

Damn, I have to get to Flushing one of these days.

Pizza-wise, any love for Artichoke?

Since it's gone unmentioned, my votes for Vietnamese:
Pho: Cong Ly, Chinatown
Banh Mi: Saigon Bakery, Chinatown; Ba Xuyen, Brooklyn

 

[Nex Superne]

4th Ave Pub
http://www.myspace.com/4thavepub

Hi-Dive
http://www.highdivebrooklyn.com/

DBA
http://www.drinkgoodstuff.com/

Thanks for the recommendations. In addition, I'd suggest you make your way to Beer Table. Great beer deserves great food, and that's the main problem I have with the above choices. Beer Table isn't really a traditional beer bar (described as "more like an atelier" by the NY Times), but they focus on having a carefully chosen rotating list of rare, obscure, and amazing beers on tap, in bottles, and of course (the holy grail) in casks. Cask-conditioned beers and ales are pretty much required for serious beer places IMO. Anyway, it's one of the best overall food + beer experiences in NYC, along with the much more expensive and fancier Gramercy Tavern.

Flushing awesomeness

Thanks! Added to the OP.

Pizza-wise, any love for Artichoke?

I think the Sicilian slice is tasty there; most of the other slices, not so much. Their Sicilian is about 80% as good as Di Fara's, but at lower cost and with only about 5% of the total frustration. Pretty good compromise, I'd say.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

Oh man I want to go to that Izakaya so bad. A place like that would do awesome here in Philly I think, if presented properly.

It would be like Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company, but Japanese style.

 

[Jill Sandwich]

I am sitting in a restaurant with Evelyn this evening because she caught me on call waiting while I was on the other line trying to secure a reservation at Dorsia which I had planned to use with Courtney.

 

[Panda1]

Going to Mortons Steakhouse tonite - will report back my finding tomorrow.

 

[Nex Superne]

Going to Mortons Steakhouse tonite - will report back my finding tomorrow.

You can do much better than that, even in the same price range! Chain steakhouses...

=/

 

[SnakeXs]

Going to Mortons Steakhouse tonite - will report back my finding tomorrow.

 

[Panda1]

I am taking out a client out to dinner from France need somewhere near times square, and most places around there are trash
What you suggest ?

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Flushing: The quick and dirty guide to the powerhouses of Queens Chinese cuisine...in a 3-4 block radius

Great post on Flushings, but too bad I'm not excited about ever visiting it.

Here on the West Coast we have the San Gabriel Valley. Super large, super rich, and very diverse and from what I'm seeing we still have the edge at least on Chinese and the like.

I'd say its due to our proximity to Asia and the already large established Asian population, we get a big influx of Asians from all sorts of countries and thus we have some of if not the best Asian food in the country.

But its good to see people on the other side of the country can get some real regional Chinese food and not some Americanized bullshit.

 

[Wellington]

Holy shit, awesome job.

I will contribute when I get home.

 

[Nex Superne]

I am taking out a client out to dinner from France need somewhere near times square, and most places around there are trash
What you suggest ?

For steak, the easy answer is Keens, which I've mentioned in the OP. It's the best old school steakhouse in Manhattan and they're justly famous for their mutton chop and porterhouse. They also have one of the best collections of single malt scotches in the city as well as a uniquely New York atmosphere: think of ceilings lined with old clay tobacco pipes. Worth a visit for any steak lover and it's just a few blocks south of Times Square. Only rare or medium-rare, please.

Keens Steakhouse, 72 West 36th St, New York, NY 10018. http://www.keens.com/

 

[Panda1]

For steak, the easy answer is Keens, which I've mentioned in the OP. It's the best old school steakhouse in Manhattan and they're justly famous for their mutton chop and porterhouse. They also have one of the best collections of single malt scotches in the city as well as a uniquely New York atmosphere: think of ceilings lined with old clay tobacco pipes. Worth a visit for any steak lover and it's just a few blocks south of Times Square. Only rare or medium-rare, please.

Keens Steakhouse, 72 West 36th St, New York, NY 10018. http://www.keens.com/

Ok I changed to Mesa Grill as Keens did not have a table at my time. Will definately hit Keens later this week

 

[captscience]

I'm headed to Brooklyn Fare tonight for dinner. Very excited. Anyone been?
For those unfamiliar, Brooklyn Fare is a gourmet supermarket that features prepared foods by Chef Cesar Ramirez, the former exec chef at Bouley. A few times a week they open the kitchen to a few counter seats for a cooking "class" that's really just an elaborate tasting dinner. The food's supposed to be excellent and it represents a great value, $95. Plus it's BYOB. I'm pretty psyched to crack open some of my better bottles tonight.

Will report back with impressions.

In the meantime, a write up I came across:

http://platoputas.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/an-unforgettable-meal-at-the-brooklyn-fare/

 

[Barrett2]

For reasonable priced Mexican food, I really like Baby Bo's in Murray Hill.

 

[Wellington]

Fuck I want to add to this thread, but I don't want you uppity bastards to jump down my throat if a place I frequent is beneath you. :lol

 

[SnakeXs]

Fuck I want to add to this thread, but I don't want you uppity bastards to jump down my throat if a place I frequent is beneath you. :lol

So long as it's cut above, or a great bargain, go for it. I'm all for Michelin stars, but I love excellence in everyday food and just plain unique stuff just as much.

I'm headed to Brooklyn Fare tonight for dinner. Very excited. Anyone been?
For those unfamiliar, Brooklyn Fare is a gourmet supermarket that features prepared foods by Chef Cesar Ramirez, the former exec chef at Bouley. A few times a week they open the kitchen to a few counter seats for a cooking "class" that's really just an elaborate tasting dinner. The food's supposed to be excellent and it represents a great value, $95. Plus it's BYOB. I'm pretty psyched to crack open some of my better bottles tonight.

Will report back with impressions.

In the meantime, a write up I came across:

http://platoputas.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/an-unforgettable-meal-at-the-brooklyn-fare/

Whose dick did you suck? Or whose do I have to suck? Info, now, plis.

 

[kassatsu]

Chinese section is very, very weak.

Doesn't even include 8th ave Brooklyn.

 

[Wellington]

Well what about:

Old Homestead Steakhouse in the Meat Packing District for a good steak. So far only place I've tried Kobe, well worth it, as a steak afficionado.

 

[phantom13]

just curious, was nobu ever considered in the same league as these restaurants or is it not included because it's more fusion than traditional?

i had the pleasure of going to nobu next door as a kid a few years ago and it seemed pretty decent at the time :lol

 

[numble]

Great post on Flushings, but too bad I'm not excited about ever visiting it.

Here on the West Coast we have the San Gabriel Valley. Super large, super rich, and very diverse and from what I'm seeing we still have the edge at least on Chinese and the like.

I'd say its due to our proximity to Asia and the already large established Asian population, we get a big influx of Asians from all sorts of countries and thus we have some of if not the best Asian food in the country.

But its good to see people on the other side of the country can get some real regional Chinese food and not some Americanized bullshit.

SGV represent!

I am in New York and yes, SGV kills what's in Flushing and Chinatown. At least you can find ingredients to cook your own stuff easier than other parts of the country, though it's still sometimes limited (could not find Chinese eggplant anywhere in Chinatown last weekend).

 

[Nex Superne]

Any recommendations for good Indian in the city?

I've heard from reliable sources that two of the best authentic Indian restaurants in NYC are in Murray Hill, Queens (within Flushing): Nirvana and Southern Spice.

Great post on Flushings, but too bad I'm not excited about ever visiting it.

Yeah, there's no need for an Angelino to seek out Flushing or Chinese food in NYC. LA has freaking awesome Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese food, and NYC lags far behind. San Francisco has some pretty great Asian food too.

However, Japanese is extremely good here, definitely comparable to LA and even better than LA at the high-end. Also, we have high-end French, Italian, and other upscale European on complete lockdown.

Chinese section is very, very weak.

Doesn't even include 8th ave Brooklyn.

I'm not the expert on Chinese food in NYC, so I just addressed the usual, well-regarded places in Manhattan and Flushing. Davidion's Flushing recommendations are much more in depth, which I've linked in the OP.

I didn't mention Brooklyn Chinatown because while it's up-and-coming, it's still mostly markets, bakeries, and Chinese businesses. The restaurant scene there is still lackluster IMO, but that may change in the coming years.

Old Homestead Steakhouse in the Meat Packing District for a good steak. So far only place I've tried Kobe, well worth it, as a steak afficionado.

Actually, I had Old Homestead listed in the OP, but I think I accidentally removed it during editing. Thanks, I'll put it back in now.

just curious, was nobu ever considered in the same league as these restaurants or is it not included because it's more fusion than traditional?

i had the pleasure of going to nobu next door as a kid a few years ago and it seemed pretty decent at the time

It was new, trendy, and extremely popular when it first opened years and years ago, but even then it wasn't considered great Japanese food. Still, the cooking there was quite competent. It's declined dramatically since then and doesn't really enter the discussion of the best NYC restaurants, the great restaurants, or even the good ones.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Yeah, there's no need for an Angelino to seek out Flushing or Chinese food in NYC. LA has freaking awesome Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese food, and NYC lags far behind. San Francisco has some pretty great Asian food too.

However, Japanese is extremely good here, definitely comparable to LA and even better than LA at the high-end. Also, we have high-end French, Italian, and other upscale European on complete lockdown.

Oh yeah even though we have a very sizeable Japanese community in LA its not very transparent and many times the hardcore places will be hard to find and unknown to those outside the Japanese community.

I definitely want to try the ramen places and possibly Masa one day. I think I can spare $400 once in my life.

 

[Revolutionary]

Lucali's is overrated, really. It's good, no doubt, but personally I think Grimaldi's is better (they're in the same area).

Secondly, Momofoku is amazing. I never knew noodles could taste that good.

...those are the only two I've been to from the OP. :lol

 

[Nex Superne]

I definitely want to try the ramen places and possibly Masa one day. I think I can spare $400 once in my life.

Trust me, you'll be much happier going to Sushi Yasuda over Masa and saving your money for Le Bernardin or Per Se instead, at least the first time you visit NYC. Masa should probably be reserved for expense accounts or when someone else is paying, unless you're just filthy rich and don't care. :lol

In fact, if I were to choose only one fine dining experience in NYC, it would be Le Bernardin's tasting menu with their extraordinary wine pairings. It was unreal; better than both Per Se and French Laundry IMO. I can't think of another restaurant that actually uses Krug champagne as their default pairing for caviar-heavy courses. Obviously, you'll have to want both seafood and wine.

Lucali's is overrated, really. It's good, no doubt, but personally I think Grimaldi's is better (they're in the same area).

Secondly, Momofoku is amazing. I never knew noodles could taste that good.

Lucali may be overrated by some, but I think it's better and more consistent than Grimaldi's. Also, their styles are quite different (wood-fired brick oven, Di Fara inspired vs. classic coal-oven), so it's a bit trickier to compare them.

I'd strongly suggest trying Ippudo's ramen, espcially the obscenely rich, tonkotsu broth-based akamaru modern. It's considerably better than Momofuku Noodle Bar's ramen dishes, largely because Ippudo has better-cooked, springier noodles. Noodle Bar has a large number of great non-ramen dishes though.

 

[Zinga]

Great thread but would be nice to have a section for us working class folks who want to spend nothing over $50 on a decent meal

 

[Zyzyxxz]

In fact, if I were to choose only one fine dining experience in NYC, it would Le Bernardin's tasting menu with their extraordinary wine pairings. It was unreal; better than both Per Se and French Laundry IMO. I can't think of another restaurant that actually uses Krug champagne as their default pairing for caviar-heavy courses. Obviously, you'll have to want both seafood and wine.

I've always wondered about these tasting menus. The thing is I'm not good with wine, as in I'm not that experienced so I'm not sure if paying for it would be a waste of money if I can't really appreciate the wine pairings.

If I went to eat there presently I feel I'd probably just get water.

 

[thedrizzle34]

Awesome post but it fails simply for not mentioning grimaldi's for best pizza!

Grimaldi's definitely should be up there in the discussion.

My contribution from my recent visit to NY (all from manhattan):

Italian - Angelo's in Little Italy -- I got the Spaghetti and Meatballs, and I don't understand how food can be this freakin good. It was the only place that didn't have promoter people outside trying to get you to eat there, because they don't need that crap since they've got the best food.

Breakfast/Bistro - Balthazar in Soho
Venezuelan - Caracas Arepas Bar in the East Village
Coffee/Late Night/Vegetarian - Yaffa Cafe in the East Village
Burger - Shake Shack, supposedly the Madison Square one is the best
Gourmet Mac&Cheese - MacBar in Soho

edit:none of my suggestions are particularly expensive, maybe 20 bucks at most for an entree

 

[Haly]

The Premier League:
Little Pepper
The reigning champ of Szechuan cuisine in NYC. Some may like Spicy & Tasty for their food, but go here for the no-holds barred full on Szechuan Experience.

I have never heard of this place before. If it's comparable to Spicy and Tasty then I'll definitely give it a shot next time my family is in flushing.

 

[Ashhong]

damn, if you are knowledgeable with the LA area, you should make an LA Restaurant thread as well =) awesome job on this though.

 

[nitewulf]

Thanks for the recommendations. In addition, I'd suggest you make your way to Beer Table. Great beer deserves great food, and that's the main problem I have with the above choices. Beer Table isn't really a traditional beer bar (described as "more like an atelier" by the NY Times), but they focus on having a carefully chosen rotating list of rare, obscure, and amazing beers on tap, in bottles, and of course (the holy grail) in casks. Cask-conditioned beers and ales are pretty much required for serious beer places IMO. Anyway, it's one of the best overall food + beer experiences in NYC, along with the much more expensive and fancier Gramercy Tavern.

i've been to Beer Table pretty much when they opened, and it's a quaint, excellent spot. the only problem is, they dont have a kitchen, they store the food and heat it up I believe, while the food does taste great...the pairing selections are pretty limited. a great beer + food option is Chipshop, actually, as they have some excellent english style bitters off the menu.

 

[Keen]

damn, if you are knowledgeable with the LA area, you should make an LA Restaurant thread as well =) awesome job on this though.

Here's a pretty good blog focusing mostly on the LA-area, but with visits to NY and other locales. http://www.kevineats.com/

 

[Nex Superne]

Great thread but would be nice to have a section for us working class folks who want to spend nothing over $50 on a decent meal

Nearly all of the Chinese and Korean suggestions will be (well) under $50/person; of course, all the pizza and noodle places will work too. Depending on what your order, places like Lupa, Maialino, Scarpetta, Aldea, Casa Mono, Degustation, Momofuku Ssäm, and Má Pêche are in that price range (or slightly over). In addition, many of the fancier places offer lunch and/or prix fixe deals (e.g. Le Bernardin, Jean Georges, Eleven Madison Park, Alto, Marea, Convivio, Del Posto, Gramercy Tavern, Gotham Bar & Grill etc.) that are much cheaper than their normal dinner prices, and other restaurants have more casual rooms offering food at lower prices than the main dining rooms (e.g. The Modern and Gramercy Tavern).

I've always wondered about these tasting menus. The thing is I'm not good with wine, as in I'm not that experienced so I'm not sure if paying for it would be a waste of money if I can't really appreciate the wine pairings.

Yeah, wine does require some previous tasting and knowledge. At that level of dining though, it's an integral part of the full experience. You can have a great time just with the food, but there's definitely something significant missing without wine.

Here's a pretty good blog focusing mostly on the LA-area, but with visits to NY and other locales. http://www.kevineats.com/

I like that one quite a bit. An even better one: http://ulteriorepicure.com/
Probably the single best amateur food blog I've ever seen.

 

[Keen]

Yeah, wine does require some previous tasting and knowledge. At that level of dining though, it's an integral part of the full experience. You can have a great time just with the food, but there's definitely something significant missing without wine.


I like that one quite a bit. An even better one: http://ulteriorepicure.com/
Probably the single best amateur food blog I've ever seen.

I would suggest getting the wine pairings anyway. At the very least you will drink some damn good wine, but even if you aren't able to fully appreciate it the wine will add to the meal.


Thanks, hadn't seen that before. Looks great.
Here's another one http://www.luxeat.com/my_weblog/
With the added bonus that the woman writing is pretty hot

 

[BigJonsson]

My buddy ate at 2 really fancy restaurants in NYC 2 Summers ago, can't remember their names but one was owned by Donald Trump who was sitting at the table across from him

 

[Technosteve]

That Flushing Post was awesome. I need to go back but it's a fucking trip to get to =(. Little Lamb Hot Pot looks amazing =( i want MaLa all over my face.

For Chinatown, Joe's Shanghai go in fuck anything else on the menu get four sets of soup dumplings three sets of crab roe dumpling and one regular and pay in cash =D. Then you walk down the street to BIG WONG's and get the deep fried dough products with congee. I have actually never had a full blown meal in chinatown :lol my parents and I always just go from place to place ordering the restaurant's special dish eating and moving on =D.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

damn, if you are knowledgeable with the LA area, you should make an LA Restaurant thread as well =) awesome job on this though.

I thought what perfect timing when I received my new issue of SAVEUR.

After going through it I thought it did an alright job for trying to get as much as Los Angeles into a magazine. Its a good starter though to build your own list if most of LA is unknown to you.

I give them props for using Elite as an example of good dim sum (in my opinion best dim sum outside Hong Kong).

 

[Soybean]

I went to Daniel once. The service was sublime. Little things like making sure both diners' plates touch the table at the same time are awesome. From now on I demand one waiter per guest at the table.

Also, the food was pretty incredible. My mango dessert was perfect.

 

[Barrett2]

I need a recommendation for Mexican food tonight. I usually go to Baby Bo's in Murray Hill, but I want to find new places in Manhattan. Any ideas?

 

[scorcho]

I need a recommendation for Mexican food tonight. I usually go to Baby Bo's in Murray Hill, but I want to find new places in Manhattan. Any ideas?

http://www.papatzul.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/papatzul-new-york

 

[Zyzyxxz]

http://www.papatzul.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/papatzul-new-york

the presentation looks good but I hate it when they put a load of lettuce on the taco, so much that most of it falls out.

 

[scorcho]

the presentation looks good but I hate it when they put a load of lettuce on the taco, so much that most of it falls out.

heh. i last went about 1.5 years ago so i can't vouch for the quality now, but it was most excellent back then.

 

[MetatronM]

One place probably worth mentioning on the bar list is Bar and Books, one of (well, three of, really) the only whiskey and cigar bars in the city. Smoking isn't exactly my thing, but a lot of other people do enjoy it, and there are only a handful of bars left in NYC you can actually smoke in.

 

[scorcho]

okay, so got back a lil' bit ago from dinner at WD-50. the gf and i decided on the tasting menu (with some substitutions on her end), but sans wine paring. i had myself a nice Belgian beer, her some wine i didn't bother to get the name of. i don't drink wine, don't pretend to, but i'll have snobby Belgian ales from gold-rimmed chalices any chance i can.

overall - i was impressed, though i think reading too much about the restaurant and its maestro inflated my expectations a tad. service was speedy, with runners taking plates off quickly and replacing silverware immediately afterward. the whole point of WD-50 is part shock - wylie dufresne is adept at taking classic flavors and reinterpreting them wizardry into shapes and forms that you wouldn't think of. so something as simple as an everything bagel with lox, for instance, is re-imagined as an everything bagel-flavored ice cream with strands of brillo-esque salmon and cream cheese with the look and consistency of crumbled graham crackers. at WD's best, it elicits a geeky, how-the-fuck-did-he-do-that grin that few other chefs can match (graham elliot bowles is another).

i didn't think everything worked. the cold fried chicken was a bit too sharp with the buttermilk ricotta, and the caviar just seemed invasive. the passion fruit-filled foie gras overpowered the protein, although i suppose that's okay for those, like my gf, who doesn't like foie gras. her replacement dish, a strip of expertly cooked duck cut and presented as a strip of raw bacon, was succulent and outstanding. so too were the proteins - the lamb loin with black garlic romesco melts in the mouth; the venison (available for those who don't like lamb) was expertly cooked and had a smooth taste that belies its perceived gaminess. it was served alongside sweet mashed potato fries that were crunchy and smooth, buttery, salty and sweet.

the desserts were okay - there were three, with the standout being a vanilla mango ice-cream with spruce yogurt, olive oil, and a sharp, citrusy foam.

here's some food porn i took throughout the meal. sorry for the super shallow depth of field - the lighting in the restaurant is real low and i didn't want to go too high on the ISO, so large aperture it was!

oh yeah, sorry also for not having a description by each dish - i left a copy of the tasting menu with the missus, so i'll try to update with names tomorrow.

------

Wylie!

 

[Wellington]

I need a recommendation for Mexican food tonight. I usually go to Baby Bo's in Murray Hill, but I want to find new places in Manhattan. Any ideas?

Late but:

688 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10025
(212) 961-9600