A guide by beardy1
You know how women will decide what to eat for their main course based on what desserts are available. That's to make sure that they have the space (& justification) to enjoy dessert.
This place cuts through all of that hassle by only serving dessert. Three lovely courses of it. Small but exquisite platefuls with an unusual and good matched wine (for about $7 extra I think).
I recommend this to everyone I know who is going to New York. It is friendly, you can watch the work going on in the kitchen, and I've not been anywhere else that’s anything like it.
203 East 10th Street (n.b: it's a small place, with a very small entrance;
tel: 212 995 9511;
www.chikalicious.com
Great place for breakfast – never “brunch,” kay? – in the Village. So good in fact that people happily queue to get in on a Sunday morning. But the retro diner decor, buzzing atmosphere and not-too-phony great service make it worthwhile. Oh, and the food: all manner of egg dishes, bacon, coffee from the bottomless jug … let’s do breakfast, man.
Hours: Sun-Thurs 8:30am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 8:30am-11pm
Not as crowded as the Empire State. Travel to the top is more interesting and the balconies at the top are better and the views are just as enthralling.
Plus you get a good sighting of the Empire State.
Rockefeller Centre
Take the A and C lines of the subway to the first stop beyond the East River, which is High Street. Then walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge, keeping in the pedestrian lane - the cyclists come fast! You'll have a splendid view of the Manhattan skyline, though little is left of the tenements of Miller's View from the Bridge.
Likewise the free (yes, free) Staten Island Ferry will delight with this cityscape.
One of the oldest and most authentic bars in Manhattan.
Frequented by many (it gets busy) but mainly by locals and workers around Grammercy and Union Square.
A very long zinc bar, an amazing tin ceiling, some of the best burgers in town and just a great place to hang out and feel as if you are a part of New York. As with most things in New York, this bar just 'works'...it's a great place.
18th street between Park Avenue south and Broadway
Recently opened in Hells Kitchen. This really is a sexy place - with no attitude and a good vibe. It's billed as a 'stylish, sophisticated gay bar'. Early evening is happy hour, half-price martinis. America seems to like 'shaken' martinis - everyone knows they should be stirred but, what the hell, when in the USA, do as the Americans do.
They're lethal. The music gets going a little later, and an upstairs level opens up, doubling the capacity. It's dark, loud and full of gorgeous boys and girls - many still in their work suits, others out for the evening. I was out on the town on my own, and I really liked it there - the people were friendly and were happy to chat. I left, several hours later, staggering, but smiling.
VLADA LOUNGE
331 West 51st Street
212-974-8030
www.vladabar.com/index.html
Discount clothes retailer - it is very well known but the secret is that there is a second store in Brooklyn which is much less manic than the Wall Street one.
86th Street in Brooklyn
The sign outside boasted the best pancakes in America, and even I have to admit they were right. Nestled underneath the overpass opposite Grand Central Station, the cafe is a rare find. We spent our last morning in New York here, the staff were incredibly charming and accommodating, and the breakfast was incredible.
90 East 42nd Street New York; 212 286 9600
Market Cafe is a small, unassuming place that's a tad like an institutional canteen but serves gourmet food at great prices. You can easily walk out of this unlikely placed restaurant - that sits just east of the more salubrious areas - spending less than $20 on a first and main course. Try the scallops, which were enormous and delectable on a bed of pureed potatoes and rocket with a burnt butter sauce. They're a steal at around $8.
Market Cafe, 496 Ninth Ave between between 37th and 38th. 212-564- 7350 nearest station 34st-Penn station
New Yorkers love doing brunch on a Sunday and if you want to watch locals doing local stuff, head to Silver Spurs, on Houston (pronounced How-ston NOT Hugh-ston). The menu is written in a cutesy, annoying way but the food (burgers, salads, sandwiches ... American style diner food) is excellent and the portions generous. Try the egg & cheese sandwich with sausage. It's a great place to view the tourists and locals as they go in and out of SoHo.
Silver Spurs - corner of Houston & La Guardia or 771 Broadway (E. 10th & Broadway)
A restaurant full of surprises - from the sumptuous decor, velvet and silk throws, porch swings at some of the tables and a grand piano in the bar to the 'down home' southern food; this place is fabulous
630 Ninth Avenue
Make sure you're really hungry before descending on this notable deli. Although the menu is like any other in NYC, the pastrami on rye is the thing to have, but be prepared for what looks like an Empire State Building of delectable beef arriving at your table. Sensible option is to share one, but veggies will need to look elsewhere, I'm afraid. Leo Steiner perfected the pastrami which is still made to the same recipe. Forget those measly strips you buy in UK supermarkets! If you still have room try the cheesecake.
A revolving rooftop cocktail lounge/restaurant with absolutely stunning views over Manhattan. The full revolution takes about an hour and is particularly magical at night whilst enjoying a cocktail in style - not cheap, but well worth it - and the sensation of sitting inside a panoramic postcard of Manhattan. Particularly enjoyable if you are nosy is peering into the rooms of a high rise residence as you pass by...
At the top of the Marriott Marquis Hotel, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan. Access via the lift in the main lobby
Spectacular Thai-fusion restaurant in Williamsburg. A key destination in the hipster enclave of Brooklyn (think Shoreditch, but less twattish). When you enter the restaurant and are greeted with mirror balls, transparent chairs hanging from the ceiling and leather bean bags to one side and pod-like toilet cubicles shrouded in the centre of the bar area to the other side, you could be forgiven for thinking that you're in the chill out room of an uber-cool techno club. Oh no. Order yourself a fierce mojito or one of their speciality martinis (lychee was particularly tasty, I recall) relax and wait to be seated.
This place is big, mega-busy, but worth waiting for. As you're led through into the restaurant itself, you're met with the centre-piece of the room; a reflective pool of water with a Buddha statue presiding over it. The cosy tables alongside the water feature are quite romantic, while the cool design of the space and the various nooks and crannies also allow for bench style tables that can accommodate large groups of friends.
The place is always buzzing and the food is first rate and reasonably priced. More of a south-east Asian fusion than strictly Thai (hence the SEA name) the usual red/green curries and pad thai noodle dishes are all sublime while the fresh fish and sea-food specialities are awesome too. A very cool restaurant in one of the more interesting neighbourhoods of New York.
114 N 6th St (between Berry and Whythe St), Brooklyn, NY
Take the L train to Bedford Ave station (the first stop in Brooklyn when leaving Manhattan); tel: 718 384 8850
Fabulous bistro-style place in the East Village. Best breakfast I've ever had. You'd better get there just before it opens though or you'll have to wait. A full bloody Mary menu, and everything we tasted was delicious.
54 East 1st Street, between First and Second Aves. New York
A quite brilliant sushi place, in SoHo/NoHo/Little Italy. It's down in a basement - with great atmosphere, excellent sushi and an extensive sake list (see it here blueribbonrestaurants.com/sushimanhattan_sakelist.asp). Don't expect to leave sober. There's no bookings. Which is both a blessing and a curse.
If it's a Friday or Saturday night, you need to get there early to avoid a lengthy wait. However, when we last went, they were happy to take your mobile number and call you when a table's free ... so you can go for a drink nearby.
19 Sullivan St, Between Prince and Spring; tel: 212 274 0404; blueribbonrestaurants.com/
The shopaholic's bible! Giving details of every shop and restaurant in New York. Arm yourself with one of these before you hit the town.
Brunch 11am on a Sunday. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, swing round to your left and head to the waterfront. Perched on the water with a still stunning (Post 9/11) view of the Financial District. Great American food (especially fish) and great service.
1 Water Street Brooklyn (Go to the Town Hall stop on Manhattan and walk across)
