One last meal in NYC

Next Thursday, 30th of December, my wife and I are spending the day in the theater district to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and see La Cage Aux Folles. A few days later, I will start a job in New Mexico, probably not to return to the NYC area for a while. I am looking for suggestions in the area, for one last meal in NYC. Not necessarily an over-the-top experience, like Ben Bensons or Plataforma (we can't afford to go quite that high) but something mid range. There are so many restaurants in the area, but probably many we have never tried. Perhaps Italian or American food (definitely not Mexican though, we will have plenty of that later) or something unique to NYC.

My first thought was to recommend Aquagrill in SoHo, which is my favorite celebration spot. But at about $50pp, it's roughly in the same price range as Ben Benson's and Plataforma.

You might consider taking advantage of one of the great pre-theater prix fixe dinners that some restaurants offer. My personal favorite in this category is Jean-Georges Vongrichten's Vong on 54th and 3rd. The food is Thai/French/Pan-Asian. His food makes me swoon! Normally, dinner at Vong is about $60pp but the prix-fixe should be substantially less, especially if you're not drinking.

If Vong is not for you, have a look on Zagat's web site. They will list dozens of restaurants with prix fixe dinners.

Happy Anniversary and good luck on your new job!

A place that I love, and find unique, is Becco on 46th Street. For (I think) $22 you get a marvelous, seafood-heavy antipasto and all you can eat of three pastas. They also have a wine list on which everything is the same price (also $22, I think), so you can just guess or ask. If you can eat a main course (I can't anymore), that raises the price a bit. They also serve a fabulous bread basket with olives and a bean dip. We went there the night I was going to find out whether I had passed the bar. I did, and it's been a celebration place ever since. And I can't really ever recall seeing anybody have a fight while they were there.

What about Red Cat? That's always good and not all that precious.
You can look up the menu on the web. I think it is www.redcat.com
or just google Red Cat Restaurant

quote:

Originally posted by tamandmik

Next Thursday, 30th of December, my wife and I are spending the day in the theater district to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and see La Cage Aux Folles. A few days later, I will start a job in New Mexico, probably not to return to the NYC area for a while. I am looking for suggestions in the area, for one last meal in NYC. Not necessarily an over-the-top experience, like Ben Bensons or Plataforma (we can't afford to go quite that high) but something mid range. There are so many restaurants in the area, but probably many we have never tried. Perhaps Italian or American food (definitely not Mexican though, we will have plenty of that later) or something unique to NYC.

If it was me, I'd be doing up some Coney Dogs! Now you'll join the rest of the country in search for a good one again, but lack the whole NYC street corner experience... Good Luck on the new job!

For a real NY experience, I would opt for a cocktail at the Plaza and then on to a wonderful NY Deli. Top off the evening with an after dinner drink at the Algonquin.

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic
If it was me, I'd be doing up some Coney Dogs! Now you'll join the rest of the country in search for a good one again, but lack the whole NYC street corner experience... Good Luck on the new job!

I disagree Uncle Vic- I'M from NY. I've had excellent kosher style hot dogs in NY, however if you're talking "Coney Dogs", then the Coney Dogs from Detroit, "spank" those that you'll find on the East Coast.

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

For a real NY experience, I would opt for a cocktail at the Plaza and then on to a wonderful NY Deli. Top off the evening with an after dinner drink at the Algonquin.

I think chezkatie has an excellent idea! A New York deli meal is a great idea and it will be easier on your wallet, as well. If you want to stay close to the theater district, I would recommend the Carnegie Deli. Sure, it's "well touristed" these days, but it's still a great meal and you won't find anything like it outside of the NY area. The waiters alone are worth the trip. If you order the "Woody Allen" sandwich, they'll ask you if you want a side of "Soon Yee"!

quote:

Originally posted by Chumley

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

For a real NY experience, I would opt for a cocktail at the Plaza and then on to a wonderful NY Deli. Top off the evening with an after dinner drink at the Algonquin.

I think chezkatie has an excellent idea! A New York deli meal is a great idea and it will be easier on your wallet, as well. If you want to stay close to the theater district, I would recommend the Carnegie Deli. Sure, it's "well touristed" these days, but it's still a great meal and you won't find anything like it outside of the NY area. The waiters alone are worth the trip. If you order the "Woody Allen" sandwich, they'll ask you if you want a side of "Soon Yee"!

I agree, Chumley,

When I moved to Seattle from NY, my friends and I got together for a last meal at the Carnegie Deli. 12 years later i still "relish" the experience

I'll bet you won't get much dim sum in New Mexico... Today's NYTimes has a review of a place in one of the boroughs, I think.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Chumley

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

For a real NY experience, I would opt for a cocktail at the Plaza and then on to a wonderful NY Deli. Top off the evening with an after dinner drink at the Algonquin.

I think chezkatie has an excellent idea! A New York deli meal is a great idea and it will be easier on your wallet, as well. If you want to stay close to the theater district, I would recommend the Carnegie Deli. Sure, it's "well touristed" these days, but it's still a great meal and you won't find anything like it outside of the NY area. The waiters alone are worth the trip. If you order the "Woody Allen" sandwich, they'll ask you if you want a side of "Soon Yee"!

I agree, Chumley,

When I moved to Seattle from NY, my friends and I got together for a last meal at the Carnegie Deli. 12 years later i still "relish" the experience

Seattle too?! You really live up to your screen name! One day you can tell me how Seattle's Italian food stacks up against that of Pittsburgh and Providence.

quote:

Originally posted by Chumley

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Chumley

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

For a real NY experience, I would opt for a cocktail at the Plaza and then on to a wonderful NY Deli. Top off the evening with an after dinner drink at the Algonquin.

I think chezkatie has an excellent idea! A New York deli meal is a great idea and it will be easier on your wallet, as well. If you want to stay close to the theater district, I would recommend the Carnegie Deli. Sure, it's "well touristed" these days, but it's still a great meal and you won't find anything like it outside of the NY area. The waiters alone are worth the trip. If you order the "Woody Allen" sandwich, they'll ask you if you want a side of "Soon Yee"!

I agree, Chumley,

When I moved to Seattle from NY, my friends and I got together for a last meal at the Carnegie Deli. 12 years later i still "relish" the experience

Seattle too?! You really live up to your screen name! One day you can tell me how Seattle's Italian food stacks up against that of Pittsburgh and Providence.

Chumley,

Italian food in Seattle is extremely dissapointing. If you like your tomato sauce loaded with basil and nothing else- then you'll probably like the food. Other than that-we're talking Olive Garden quality.

I would urge you to try an excellent Vietnamese restaurant, the Saigon Grill, on Second Ave. and East 88th St. I live in the neighborhood, eat there often and can honestly say that everything I've tried has been delicious -- and the prices are very reasonable.

Be sure to try the coconut soup (with shimp or chicken; I order it with shrimp) and the sparerib appetizer. (You probably can split a single order if you plan to try them, but leave room for other dishes -- or, if you're a real rib fanatic, you could ask for a double-order and skip the entree.)

quote:

Originally posted by gschwim

I would urge you to try an excellent Vietnamese restaurant, the Saigon Grill, on Second Ave. and East 88th St. I live in the neighborhood, eat there often and can honestly say that everything I've tried has been delicious -- and the prices are very reasonable.

Be sure to try the coconut soup (with shimp or chicken; I order it with shrimp) and the sparerib appetizer. (You probably can split a single order if you plan to try them, but leave room for other dishes -- or, if you're a real rib fanatic, you could ask for a double-order and skip the entree.)

If you live in the neighborhood, then I am sure you have dined at Brother Jimmy's, on 92nd and 3rd, I believe?

quote:

Originally posted by Ballpark Roadtripper

You're certainly not going to get decent deli in New Mexico. Carnegie is fun for the atmosphere, but the food sucks. It was great in the 1970's, but not since. Go to Katz's or The 2nd Avenue Deli.

You're also probably not going to get decent Chinese food out there. My suggestion is Joe's Shanghi (sp?) down on Pell St. in Chinatown (the one in midtown is a pale imitation). Have the soup dumplings.

Then go to Ess-A-Bagel on 21st and 1st and take a couple hundred dozen bagels with you to NM.

I think this is a first- but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I had the Woody Allen (pastrami and corned beef on rye) in the spring of 2003 and it was as good as ever.

Of what quality is the Stage Deli? I know that's somewhere in the vicinity of the Theatre district?

quote:

Originally posted by tamandmik

Of what quality is the Stage Deli? I know that's somewhere in the vicinity of the Theatre district?

The title of your original post scared me a bit...it sounded too much like someone going to the electric chair or something!! Glad to see that isn't the case!

Some will argue which is the best, but I think you will enjoy a meal at the Stage, Carnegie, or any of the other big delis. I have been to all recently, including the Stage last week, and the food is quite good and generally true to the NY deli standard. (Although I will never adjust to a NY deli serving cheese on a meat sandwich like they do at Stage or Carnegie!) If it is a matter of convenience, go to the one that is closer. If you are seeking the most unique experience, I'd go to Katz's or 2nd Ave. deli, but they are both a bit out of the way for most in town on vacation.

Have fun!

Stage is very similar to Carnegie. It's on Seventh Ave around 53rd St. Carnegie is one block north near 55th. I'd choose Carnegie over Stage.

For a belly filling Italian meal that will last you all the way to NM, try Carmines on W 44th, right in the Theater District. Just try not to fill up on the excellent bread basket.

quote:

Originally posted by signman

Stage is very similar to Carnegie. It's on Seventh Ave around 53rd St. Carnegie is one block north near 55th. I'd choose Carnegie over Stage.

For a belly filling Italian meal that will last you all the way to NM, try Carmines on W 44th, right in the Theater District. Just try not to fill up on the excellent bread basket.

I know all about Carmines, and in fact, even was fortunate enough one time to have a late dinner at their satellite location on the upper West Side. I say fortunate enough, because the location in the Theater District is practically impossible to gain entrance to. The night I managed to make it into the spinoff location, we could not get a table till 10:45. While outstanding, it is very tough to eat pleasurably that time of evening, particularly after entering the restaurant as we did that evening, half famished, and took our wait out on the extensive beer list provided. That, coupled with several pieces of bread consumed, while waiting for the main course, managed to sufficiently blunt our appetite to the extent that when the meal arrived sometime around 11:30, we barely touched any of it.

I would absolutely recommend Becco - one of Lidia Bastianich's restaurants - a truly wonderful dining experience! The food is excellent and we were treated like royalty!

quote:

Originally posted by Mavlily

I would absolutely recommend Becco - one of Lidia Bastianich's restaurants - a truly wonderful dining experience! The food is excellent and we were treated like royalty!

If possible, though, I suggest dining after 8 p.m. -- i.e., after theater begins and the crowds thin out.

Obviously, this is a general recommendation. I know that the original poster is going to the theater.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Ballpark Roadtripper

You're certainly not going to get decent deli in New Mexico. Carnegie is fun for the atmosphere, but the food sucks. It was great in the 1970's, but not since. Go to Katz's or The 2nd Avenue Deli.

You're also probably not going to get decent Chinese food out there. My suggestion is Joe's Shanghi (sp?) down on Pell St. in Chinatown (the one in midtown is a pale imitation). Have the soup dumplings.

Then go to Ess-A-Bagel on 21st and 1st and take a couple hundred dozen bagels with you to NM.

I think this is a first- but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I had the Woody Allen (pastrami and corned beef on rye) in the spring of 2003 and it was as good as ever.

I agree with wanderingjew. My feeling is that although Carnegie is not what it once was, it's still quite good and well worth a trip. Frankly, if tamandmik had not been looking specifically for a location near the Theater District, I would have recommended 2nd Ave. Deli, which I prefer. As to the Carnegie vs. Stage debate, I think it's academic -- they're both good. I prefer Carnegie but I would never put anyone off from going to Stage.

Honestly, there's not a single restaurant recommended in this thread so far that I would hesitate to eat in. That speaks pretty well of both NYC and Roadfood.com!