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NYC recommendations?


cpl55

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Hello, all -

I'm visiting NYC in mid-February, and looking for suggestions. So far I have booked the chef's tasting menu at Torrisi, and am contemplating il Buco. Also read with great interest the review here of the new Acme.

Basically, for the balance of the lunches and dinners, I'm looking for good food, probably on the more casual side (flexible on that, but probably not looking for Per Se, EMP or similar). What are some of your "finds", for a nice meal/nice space, but relatively simple?

For lunch so far we're planning on Grimaldi's (touristy, I know, but I love their pizza), Momofuku (I understand there is more than one, which do you recommend?)

I greatly appreciate any thoughts!

Best,

Christina

Christina

www.sleeplessfoodie.com

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Ate at Il Buco this Tuesday, it was fantastic as it generally always is. I'd book as soon as you can if you want to land a table. I think they accept 30 days in advance.

If you do one Momofuku, I'd recommend Ssäm Bar.

Don't ignore Williamsburg. Some of the best restaurants in the city are there now. Diner is one of my favorites.

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Thanks so much for the insights, Patrick. Good to hear your praise of il Buco. Diner sounds great (though I'm hoping to make reservations for most places if at all possible, and they don't take 'em).

Also, as of the last hour, looking at Craft, Lincoln and Fatty Cue, any experiences with those?

thanks to all,

Christina

Christina

www.sleeplessfoodie.com

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Craft I stopped going to a few years back... the formula felt stale and the food not as great. Maybe it's experienced a renaissance.

Never been to the Lincoln, and only to the Brooklyn branch of Fatty Cue. It was fun and boisterous, and the drink and food delicious, though I think the various meats we ordered were probably too similar to one another. I used to really love Fatty Crab, and have heard great things about the Manhattan Fatty Cue, so I will definitely give it another chance.

Unfortunately very few of the great Williamsburg restaurants take reservations. It's a not-great part of that scene.

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Fatty Cue in the West Village topic...click.

Patrick's suggestions are good, as always.

Maialino. Gramercy Tavern does a great lunch. Boulud Sud was one of my favorite openings last year. Balthazar - classic. ABC Kitchen. Fat Radish.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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I'd have to heartily second Maialino, Gramercy and ABC Kitchen - all for lunch or dinner. ABC Kitchen can be impossible to get into at night, but boy are they putting out some amazing food. Get the kabocha squash toast. I like the bar for lunch.

I've been to Lincoln twice, and the second time was this summer. I thought it was excellent all around - attentive service, delicious food. My only hesitation was the price point, which seemed high to me (I wouldn't say that about many other restos that might be more expensive, like EMP). But I thought it was terribly underrated in the media and by word of mouth and we all loved our meal.

Recently revisited Craft and again thought they were cooking at a very high level. Would definitely go back.

I personally enjoy Momofuku Noodle Bar more than Ssam lately, but that hasn't always been the case for me. I would look at the menus and see what appeals to you personally. Noodle Bar for lunch is my go-to.

Other personal faves lately in addition to Maialino, Gramercy and ABC Kitchen:

The Dutch

Red Farm

Sorella

Osteria Morini or Marea (very different, but same chef)

Buvette - a sweet little wine bar with delicious small plates in the west village, great for a late afternoon snack on a weekend

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ABC kitchen was a definite miss on my recent trip back to NYC before christmas. Granted it was the holidays, we didn't have a reservation and we waited about 45-1 hour for a table which actually was fine. It was when our order was lost and the food was merely mediocre that the experience became one I would not repeat. The manager was not at all apologetic and the service itself very poor aside from the over an hour wait for the food itself. If I'd known it was going to be such a disappointing experience, I would have taken my mom and sister anywhere else in the neighborhood.

Sorry, Jean-George, that's it for me, two really bad experiences at one of your restaurants not counting one excellent meal at Jean-Georges itself does not make up for the poor management and food that seems to be my experience at your restaurants. I will be avoiding your restaurants in the future.

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Buvette: be warned that most tables do not have real chairs, but backless stools. It gets uncomfortable for most of us after a while. Also the waitress forgot our cocktail order and then served the wrong main. The lentils were excellent, and some of the other dishes very good, but I won't be returning. More due to the uncomfortable seating than the service issues, which can happy anywhere.

Red Farm: I was very unimpressed with this place, and I like Americanized dim sum as much as anybody. The selections and flavors weren't that interesting - or rather they looked a lot better than they sounded. We ordered three different kinds of dumplings, pork belly, the dried scallop and Chinese sausage fried rice, a roast duck dish and something else. Also didn't enjoy sitting at the long end of a crowded common table. YMMV.

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