DINING OUT IN MANHATTAN
We ran the gamut on our recent visit to Manhattan from lunches at diners to meals at moderate and splurge-worthy restaurants.
We were initially dismayed to see that the Lenox Grill on Lexington had closed. While it wasn’t the best diner in the world, it was reliably good, convenient to where we wanted to be, and never so crowded you couldn’t get a table.
Here are some notes on where we did eat most recently.
DINER LUNCHES (Upper East Side)
This old-fashioned diner on 3rd Avenue is probably the best one we tried. We’d eaten here in the spring and it was very popular. They serve a satisfyingly good grilled bacon and cheese, with the usual cole slaw and optional French fries.
Nectar Café
This cozy, I’d call it snug, little place operates on a cash only basis and you wonder where they’ve tucked away the kitchen! But, if you don’t mind being cheek by jowl, then the food is very good and the service friendly. I liked my tuna salad sandwich on multi-grain toast.
Gracie’s Corner Diner
Don’t bother. This large diner on E. 86th Street has an extensive menu, and perhaps it was because I was tired of sandwich and so-so salad fare, but I was decidedly underwhelmed. Like so many diners, quantity was the byword here, bypassing true quality. I ordered a green salad with grilled chicken on top, huge with a strange house dressing on the side and lots of chicken, but with little flavor. The corn beef Reuben was open face and smothered with a thick layer of cheese and, frankly, didn’t look that appetizing. The CP didn’t eat much of it either.
This little hole-in-the-wall burger joint boasts a row of American flag posters in frames and other flags around its walls. Bypassing all the varieties of burger meat and toppings, we opted for items from the Mexican Connection section of the menu. The guacamole was excellent and the chicken quesadilla and the chicken taco very good—the only surprise was the lack of any salsa or hot sauce whatsoever! Lime wedges came with the taco and the guacamole.
MODERATE DINNER FARE (Upper East Side unless noted)
Embracing a New England nautical flair, Island is a very popular spot for locals and the occasional hotel guest from down the block. They cater nicely to folks of all ages, even kids. We dined here two nights and found the chicken paillard, chopped Cobb salad, and fried calamari all to our liking! The calamari was all rings and perfectly cooked. The Cobb salad was not the usual mass of large pieces of lettuce and great gobs of avocado and chicken, but rather a nice melange of chopped greens with the chicken, avocado, bacon and blue cheese in appropriately sized small pieces. The sum was definitely greater than the parts!
Very friendly French place and reliably good. We like the charming and urbane maître d’ (who think is also the owner). The cheese fritters were a wonderful starter, the salads are good, and the braised short ribs were sublime! Perfect for a chilly evening.
Snug little restaurant on the Upper East Side about the size of a tearoom and very popular. We enjoyed lunch here so much we returned for the perfectly executed comfort food dinner! Little gem romaine salad with an oregano vinaigrette and then roast organic chicken served with silky puréed potatoes and some mini carrots all in tarragon jus.
Jing Fong (Upper West Side)
This Chinese restaurant on Amsterdam sports dim sum on its sign, but the night we were there there were no carts, just what was on the menu. To be fair, the menu includes a wide variety of dumplings, a number of which our large group sampled. They were good. We also ordered a chicken and vegetable dish, beef and onions, steamed buns, and for the two kids, several orders of soup dumplings. Very busy on a Friday night so best to make a reservation.
Via Carota (West Village)
I consider this a very special place even though it isn’t at all fancy. In fact, it’s almost rustic with its wooden floor and wooden tables and chairs with the menus rolled up in a back pocket. We eat here at least once every time we come to New York and dig into several must-have dishes: grilled artichokes, and either Meyer lemon risotto or the chicken with lemon. All the pastas are delectable, the salad is a perfectly tangy mound of greens, and it’s hard to go amiss with any dish you order. They don’t take reservations so we often arrive unfashionably early, whether lunch or dinner.
Pascalou
Disappointing. We really wanted to like this French restaurant as the menu was very appealing. Our waiter had a twinkle, our table upstairs was quiet, and everything was going fine. The first courses, salad for me and pate for him, were acceptable, but then the service deteriorated. It was almost an hour between courses and one entrée had clearly been cooked the day before, and the other wasn’t quite done the way I had requested. The place was full so I hope others had a better experience.
SPLURGES
A traditional white tablecloth Italian restaurant serving both lunch and dinner. It’s another popular Upper East Side dining venue and reservations, at least for dinner, are essential. Salads are fresh and tasty and the pastas and veal shine. I’m especially fond of the veal-stuffed agnolotti dusted with black truffle.
This is Chef Daniel’s (as in Boulud) Mediterranean restaurant and it’s an elegantly simple dining room offering impeccable service. We’ve had lunches here in the more distant past, and this trip went for the prix fixe dinner before going across the street to Lincoln Center. Everything was delicious from my saffron linguini with lemon and bottarga to the grilled dorade on a red pepper emulsion to the light chocolate gateau with an oval of sorbet.
Superb Mexican-influenced cuisine on 21st Street. The dining room is what I’d call chic industrial with high ceilings, exposed metal, and light wood tables and finishes. Most of the dishes on the menu are not familiar so you, like us, might need some translations.
We tucked into the herb guacamole (chunky style with an aromatic bunch of herb leaves) to go with the slightly astringent margaritas. We then followed with branzino that was light and delectable and the house specialty, duck carnitas, basically a whole duck deconstructed and then put back together under the skin and served with two sauces and blue corn tortillas. For dessert, we ordered the meringue filled with corn mousse (very different, but quite tasty) and a combo of a pastry ball and a ball of orange sorbet. This restaurant is definitely pricy so be prepared to spend a lot, but it’s definitely worth it!
Note: All photos by JWFarrington except for header photo of an E&J sandwich from foursquare.com
