Eat Like a New Yorker

Trip date: May 2022

Choosing where to eat and drink in NYC is so tough! There's always the list of places you've read about since your last visit, and if that last visit was before Covid as mine was, that's a pretty long list! And then there are the places you've been in the past and loved and want to go back to as well as the classics that you haven't made it to yet. So my friend Lorraine and I had a lot of work to do with our lists but I think we nailed it!

Breakfast:

When in NYC you just gotta have a bagel! One morning we stopped by Ess-a-bagel  and then ate in one of the little parks that dot the city. My lox with scallion cream cheese on an everything bagel was absolutely delicious!

Our hotel, The James, was just blocks away from Dominique Ansel Workshop so we walked over one morning and sat outside at one of the handful of tables they have on the sidewalk. The pastries here were fantastic! We shared a kouign amann and a strawberry/lemon verbena danish. I wish I could have tried about 5 more things! Yum!

While walking in the Meatpacking district on our last full day in the city we passed by Fabrique Bakery which is the bakery in Stockholm to get your cardamom bun from. I was very happy to grab one to go and can confirm that they are just as delicious in NYC as in Sweden!

Lunch:

My friends know that French bistro food is one of my favorite things, so Frenchette had been on my list for some time. The interior is slightly casual with Art Nouveau touches and the menu was more creative than I expected. We ordered a lovely white from the Loire and then shared an amuse of mortadella with tonnata. Divine! I couldn't resist the schnitzel, I rarely can, and since this one came with huckleberry compote and spaetzle it was like an entree made with me in mind. And it was fab! Lorraine had the roast chicken which was stellar and served in it's own pot. A really wonderful lunch!

One day we met my friend Albert for lunch at Barbuto. Luckily Albert knows the menu inside and out, as we were running quite late, and took the initiative to order. Oh my, what a spread we all shared! A (huge) meatball, kale salad, carbonara, roasted potatoes, and roast chicken! Everything was fantastic! 

Dinner:

Cosme opened way back in 2014 but I still hadn't been. With one Michelin star and being on the World's 50 Best Restaurant list in the past, I was very excited when we landed a reservation!

The octopus tostada was one of the best things I have eaten in a long time! The kampachi pastrami sopa was a little bit mind blowing! The uni that topped the black garbanzo bean tetela (a Oaxacan specialty stuffed triangle corn pocket) was excellent and the texture perfectly complemented the beans inside. And of course no one should go to Cosme and not get the signature duck carnitas. Or the corn husk meringue. We had both! It really was just an excellent dinner, with some really gorgeous flavors and textures. Loved it! 

Another place long on my list was Atoboy; I was very excited to try the Korean inspired dishes here. Since opening in 2016 they have opened Atomix, their two Michelin star tasting restaurant, but we didn't have time for a tasting menu on the dates they had availability. So Atoboy it was, and boy was it great!

The menu is 4-course prix fixe with optional add ons. It's a very casual atmosphere but the flavors are so elevated! Another octopus dish, this one with rhubarb! Stunning. And because 4 courses weren't enough (sarcasm) we added on the fried chicken which comes with it's own bunch of delicious sides.

Another excellent meal! I definitely would love to try the tasting menu over at Atomix next time!

It had been ages since I had a slice in the city and Lorraine had suggested Prince Street Pizza in NoLita. My square slice was loaded with crisped up pepperoni and the perfect amount of melted cheese. The crust was thick enough to hold it all but had optimal crunch. Soooo good!!  

And then there was Le Bernardin

⭐⭐⭐

There are only five restaurants in NYC with a 3 Michelin-star rating. Le Bernardin has had their stars for 10 straight years and is also currently listed at 44 on the 50 Best Restaurant list. Lorraine and I decided to go for lunch on our last day in the city.

When we made our reservation we expected to do the 3-course lunch prix fixe menu, but upon being seated and presented with a few different menus we discovered they were offering the Chef's Tasting menu at lunch (only offered for the entire table). We decided to go all out and order that with wine pairings. I mean, all we had planned for the rest of the day was a flight home!

Le Bernardin is an all fish/seafood restaurant and boy do they do it perfectly.  And the service was impeccable! Always there but never intruding. The dining room was designed by the award-winning group at Bentel & Bentel (The Modern at MoMa, Craft in LA, Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston, etc) and is sleek and modern and filled with natural light in the daytime.

I am someone who loves a true 3-star experience. I want the sauces, the caviar, the foie gras, etc. These are the things I can't get just anywhere and I was thrilled to see Le Bernardin pull out all the stops; and at lunch!

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the people watching is also quite a show! You've got the "ladies who lunch", each sporting their most recent plastic surgery, the old men with ridiculously young girlfriends, wealthy tourists wearing crazy athleisure wear, and old-monied families looking quite bored with each other. 

It would be impossible for me to pick one favorite dish from this meal but the dover sole with green almonds served with Reblochon-style potatoes was a stunner. Amazing flavors and textures. 

This meal was absolutely spectacular. It's expensive, obviously, but the service, atmosphere, ingredients, presentations, wines, etc. made me feel I got what I paid for. If I had any quibble it would have been that I was so full I didn't have room for my mignardises so it would have been nice of them to offer to send them with me in a little box. 

And with that, I wrapped up a fantastic return to NYC. Lorraine and I took a Lyft Lux to Newark Airport where I changed into joggers in the bathroom for the flight home. Klassy! I had used miles to fly First Class on Alaska, where I drank canned wine. Oh how fast a situation can change! haha!

All NYC photos here.

Other posts from this trip:

Back to New York

Drink Like a New Yorker

Long Weekend, NYC

Trip date: September 2017

Sometimes one of my friends says "let's meet in NYC and check out that exhibit at The Whitney", and away I go...

I flew from Seattle, non stop on Alaska Air and arrived at midnight in Newark on a Wednesday. It was a quick 30 minute Uber into the city at that time of night with hardly any traffic.

I had booked a deal I'd seen on Travelzoo at the Iberostar 70 Park Avenue Hotel right near Grand Central. My stay didn't get off on the best of terms as I had booked a King room but was given 2 Queens. #firstworldproblems I know. It took a bit of "discussion" with the night manager but I was rewarded with $30 in mini bar credits, a full bottle of red wine, and a move the next day into a King mini suite.

The hotel is a bit older and the bathroom could have used an update, but it was a good location for my stay, nice sized room, and my Travelzoo deal made it very affordable. Something one can rarely say about a hotel room in NYC.

My friend Aaron arrived early the next morning and we hit the ground running for our long weekend in the Big Apple. First up, lunch! The two of us had started with an insane list of bars and restaurants to check out, and since we both love eating and drinking everything and everywhere it was hard to whittle it down. I'm so glad that The Grill made the cut!

The space is super old-school opulent. White table clothes, hushed voices, oversized booths. I loved it as soon as I walked in (and found Aaron at the bar! ha!). We had champagne, a lovely Burgundy, steak tartare, and I had this bougie Club Sandwich.

Afterward, we headed over to the MOMA for an exhibit of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a fascinating collection of about 450 drawings and models primarily for ideas that had been rejected. I mean, you know you are something special when a museum exhibits your "no, thanks." work!

We ran around a few other rooms at the museum, showing each other some of our favorite works (Mondrian's Broadway Boogie-Woogie, Henri Rousseau's "The Dream", Miró's The Hunter, Chagall's I and the Village...) One of my absolute favorite museums, such an amazing collection!

It was time for a drink! We stopped into The Modern at the museum for a quick one and then across the street to the over-the-top Baccarat Bar for another. Next stop Brooklyn via subway to meet my friend Meg for one more round at Leyenda. Fabulous and gorgeous drinks here!

Aaron and I were making a night of it in Brooklyn. We met his friend Alana for dinner at Olmsted and had a really great meal, including the much talked about watermelon sushi!

It's a great restaurant and a lot of the produce is grown in the backyard, which you can stroll around and check out. If you are headed to Brooklyn, I'd say this is a don't miss spot!

We weren't quite done with the borough yet, we went on a bit of a tiki crawl. First stop Diamond Reef followed by Super Power. Both were solid but of the three that night, Leyenda was my favorite by far.

The next morning I met Aaron at the Whitney for the Calder Hypermobility exhibit (and the reason for our trip). This was so cool! Basically, a collection of Calder mobiles that were being "activated" by a member of the museum on a published schedule. It was super fun to see these objects moving as they were designed to.

I'd never been to the Whitney before so we also went through the permanent exhibit. So many American artists that I know nothing about!
And the café offers some stunning views of NYC and surroundings so don't miss heading out on the patio if the weather is nice!

Lunch time! We had reservations at the newly opened Le Coucou and we were both very excited! We were greeted by a gorgeous entry way and led down the corridor into the restaurant. When the maitre de turned a corner I thought we were getting seated in the back of the house and was momentarily disappointed. And then he sat us at a table directly in front of the kitchen and the pass. Front row seats!

We had an amazingly decadent lunch with champagne, foie gras, tartare, Burgundy, quenelles in lobster cognac sauce, a cheese plate, dessert... everything was very good! Our service was a bit shaky (bringing our first course before wine was opened, etc.) but they were still pretty new also. I'd absolutely go back again. This space is sexy!

A quick Uber delivered us to Dante in Greenwich Village. This is a great place to do a little day drinking as they have an affinity for negronis and spritzs. Originally opened as a cafe 1915, the fun neighborhood spot recently was taken over by new owners and has earned a spot on the World's 50 Best Bars list.

There was a string band playing on that Friday afternoon, and we enjoyed the music while chatting with the super nice bartender. A wonderful way to finish out the afternoon.

I was VERY excited for our evening plans! Aaron, some of his friends, and I were taking the train 30 miles north of the city to Blue Hill at Stone Barns Farm. 1 Michelin star, number 11 on the World's 50 Best Restaurant list, winner of a James Beard Best New Restaurant Award, showcased on the show Chef's Table... renowned chef Dan Barber had stacked up the accolades! The restaurant had been on my list for years and now we were going!

When we arrived at the train station in Terrytown we grabbed one of the taxis waiting in the lot. He quoted us $20 but when we got to the farm he argued that he never agreed to that. It was a bit of a to-do and not the way any of us wanted to start our night. I'd suggest calling an Uber or going about getting confirmation of the cost in another way.

Of our table of 6, I was the only one who hadn't been before. We made our reservations online but one of my friends knows the somm so he kindly dropped her a note that we were coming in that night (you know who you are, thank you!).

Instead of a menu we received a little booklet that listed all the things they were harvesting that month. And then the dishes started hitting the table. So many delicious and beautiful little bites. Soooo many! We also had wine pairings.

After our twelfth dish or so, we were informed that we were going to be moved into the kitchen. We all expected that we were getting a tour as a lot high-end restaurants do. But when we arrived, they had one of the prep tables set up for the 6 of us to stand around. Wine was served and they explained that our next course would take place here. WOW!!!!

The kitchen was busy! There were stations of the most intricate plating happening and our waiter spent some time pointing out different areas to us (Chef Dan Barber was in the kitchen!). Then our course of sunflower stalk "marrow" was served. They had roasted it just as you would bone marrow, sooo interesting and good.

We returned back to our table for another few hours of food and wine. We never saw another table led into the kitchen and when I asked, they answered that it was just for us. Ok! It's good having friends who know people!

The space is absolutely beautiful in a high-end rustic way, the service is impeccable, the food is creative and delicious and right off-the-farm fresh. And it's also crazy expensive! We sat down at 8pm and left at 1am, so don't come if you are in a rush either!

We shared a Lyft back into the city which took about an hour.

The next day I slept in and then had the afternoon to myself. It was a warm, sunny September day, perfect for a walk to Madison Square Garden, my favorite Shake Shack location. Followed by some shopping at Marimekko and ABC Home (which has so much cool stuff and is absolutely dangerous!). I caught the last bit of the market happening at Union Square and then made my way to the subway and headed to Battery Park.

I had made reservations at the newly opened Black Tail for cocktails and was meeting Aaron, a couple of his friends, and my friend Meg for a few rounds of cocktails. The setting on Pier A is stunning, but you'll only get those views from outside so take a walk around before you head upstairs.

Inside Black Tail you are transported to Hemingway's Havana, Cuba. Sean Muldoon and his team (the same one's behind The Dead Rabbit) spent 8 months having the building and it's former bar and restaurant transformed into a museum of Cuban paraphernalia. But most importantly are the drinks, and they are damn fine!

We were presented with mini frozen daiquiris while we perused the menu, which is actually a book of stories and recipes. And then we all drank a few rounds of fantastic drinks; there is a great selection of both classics and originals. I'd suggest making reservations as the doorman was turning folks down when we visited.

We split up, with Meg and I heading to the Lower East Side for dinner at Wildair. They don't take ressies here so we had a bit of a wait which we did at 10 Bells Wine Bar.

Our dinner was so delicious! And the dishes are really unique, we had a really hard time deciding on which small plates to get. The standouts for me were the pasta with squash blossoms and crispy chicken skin, and the potato pancake with uni!

So much fun and so damn delicious! I was absolutely exhausted though so we ditched our plans for an after dinner drink and I went home and crashed!

The next morning I met Aaron and his friends at Hearth for brunch. Maybe it was because it was brunch, maybe it was because we had seriously had some amazing meals, but this place was just ok for me. Not bad in anyway, but I think there are better brunch options (does Coucou do brunch yet? haha!).

And then I was off to Newark in an Uber, which took entirely too long even though it was a seemingly quiet Sunday afternoon. Note to self, it is easier to take the train!

3 days
2 museums
6 restaurants
7 cocktail bars

Well done, us!

All NYC photos here.
#AWinNYC

Fall in New York

Trip date: Oct 2015

Day three was another gorgeous New York fall day. Forest and I slept in a bit before meeting at Gotham West Market, not far from my hotel. Although this upscale food hall is filled with delicious places to eat, we had our sights set on Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop. The ramen was absolutely delicious, the best bowl I have had since the last time I was in Japan. I may try the regular restaurant next time!

We walked past the aircraft carrier Intrepid on the way to catch the subway but didn't go for a tour. We were heading out of Hell's Kitchen to the Upper West Side. We were going to Town Shop, a well-known lingerie store with a reputation for having salespeople who excel at bra fittings. In fact, most can just look at you as you walk in and tell if you are wearing the wrong size. I know that men don't give a rat's ass about this but it was a great girly experience and their selection of lingerie is immense! Major shopping took place.

We walked past a cute little Italian cafe on a random corner and decided to take seats outside in the sun for a glass of wine and some bites of cheese. It was a very relaxing afternoon.

That evening we had a cocktail crawl planned. I mean it really isn't a Wendy & Forest trip without at least one! First up was the newly opened Slowly Shirley, which is the lower level speakeasy at Happiest Hour. HH is a big loud party while SS is quiet and elegant. We took two seats at the tiny bar and met Kyle, our bartender for the evening who was absolutely awesome.

A few classic cocktails, some great jazz from the speakers, and a delicious fried chicken sandwich made for a very enjoyable time here.

Next up was Mace which was getting a lot of press (and still does, especially as it was just listed at 28 at the World's 50 Best Bar awards). The menu here is one of the most creative and beautiful that I've seen. And the drinks were extraordinary. I'd say this is a must stop while in the East Village.

We took advantage of the gorgeous evening and decided to head to the uber-touristy Times Square as neither of us had been in years. The last time I had been in fact was when I was in college and it didn't have the best reputation back then. Now, of course it is all cleaned up, there are park-like tables and benches and people bring their kids to see the Disney characters. The ginormous signs flash ads for clothing, theater shows, movies, etc. The light is so bright! The people watching is unreal. It was super fun and funny and I loved it!

We stopped in a restaurant bar for a nightcap but they were closing. A waiter told us about this place called Lille's so that is where we went. This Victorian style bar was really a surprise! The drinks were bad, the wine was overpriced, but the atmosphere was great!

Forest and I had lunch reservations the next day at MaPeche, another in the Momofuko restaurant family. This is such a fun concept as you get a small menu of dishes to choose from but throughout the meal a trolly or tray is brought around with a selection of special small plates as well, dim-sum style. The seafood platter with oysters, chilled prawns, and stone crab claws was amazing. And the pork belly buns lived up to their hype. Our waiter sweetly sent us a free order of birthday cake truffles when I couldn't decide between those and the cereal milk soft serve cone.

We took a nice stroll around 5th Avenue and then headed to the Ink48 for a glass of rose on the rooftop terrace. There are absolutely amazing views from here which were made even more dramatic when a crazy thunder and lightning storm rolled through!

Forest had a flight to catch back to Paris so I walked with her back to her hotel, said goodbye, and caught the subway to the Lower East Side. As a party of one, it was much easier to get a seat at Attaboy, housed in the old Milk & Honey location that I had loved so many years ago. The bar is an absolute gem, I couldn't love this little spot any more. I had a few rounds made by Dan and just relaxed in the REALLY dimly lit space. Attaboy came in at #6 during this year's 50 Best Bar awards and it is pretty obvious why. No website, no reservations, no sign, just ring the doorbell and hope for the best.

From here I had a short walk to Prune where I was meeting my friend Meg. Our dinner was outstanding! Head-on spot prawns, sweetbreads, and braised shortribs were all standouts but the best part was that Chef Hamilton was in the (tiny) kitchen!

We headed next door to my friend Castro's bar Boilermaker for some retro cocktails and I was super happy to see Kyle from Slowly Shirley behind the bar. Super fun evening catching up with Meg and eating and drinking like queens!

The next morning I slept in before strolling around Hell's Kitchen for a bit. Then I grabbed an Uberpool to Penn Station, caught the NJ Transit to Newark airport. It took about an hour 15 but it only cost $13!

Fantastic trip to the city! And on my flight home we flew right over the Finger Lakes and Niagria Falls!

Earlier post about this trip here.
All New York photos here.

New York State of Mind

Trip date: Oct 2015

After spending five days in Chicago, Forest and I flew off to continue our girls' trip for another five days in New York. I was very happy to get a complimentary 1st class upgrade on Delta even though it was just a short jaunt to the Big Apple. We were on separate flights, coming into different airports (I always gotta earn those miles!), so I grabbed the subway E line from JFK and headed into the city.

I was staying at the Kimpton Ink48 in Hell's Kitchen. It was an easy 10 minute walk from the 50th St subway stop to the cute boutique hotel that was once a printer. My only complaint was that the hotel was covered in scaffolding making my nice view of the city a bit awkward. After I got unpacked I walked to the CitizenM Hotel in Times Square, where Forest was staying. This is an over-the-top hipster hotel with big fun art and a great rooftop bar where we had a drink.

From here we headed to the Highline at dusk for their weekly stargazing event, hosted by the Astronomy Club. I already love the Highline, but this free viewing event was awesome! We saw the rings of Saturn and a double star and spoke to some nice geeky people. If you are in NYC on a Tuesday night between April and October, I'd give this a go for sure (clear skies needed obviously!)

Next up, Uber to cocktails at Dead Rabbit. You've probably heard of this place, being voted the #1 bar in the world and all. This was a repeat stop for me (one which I would do over and over) and IMHO these folks are completely deserving of all the accolades they receive. We had planned on a one-and-done but they took such good care of us we ended up tucking in for a bit. We had prime seats at the bar upstairs (I've never actually sat downstairs so can't compare) and enjoyed our complimentary tea cups of punch while reading through the impressive cocktail menu and stories of New York embedded in them. We ended up ordering a few snacks (Scotch egg!) as neither of us had eaten since our flights. Finally when we tabbed out we were presented with gratis Irish Coffees. Class act Dead Rabbit! 

We grabbed another Uber and headed to Madison Square Garden to have dinner outside at Shake Shack. We ran through the park, getting to the burger shrine just before they closed. Burgers and red wine procured, we sat outside under the twinkly lights on a perfect New York fall evening. *That* was a great night and a fantastic start to our visit! 

The next morning we took the subway to Russ & Daughters Cafe for brunch. OMG. This place is so incredibly delicious and cute! A do not miss I'd say!

The beautiful, sunny day called for some serious walking and window shopping. Sometimes wandering is exactly what you get to do on vacation, that you don't always get to do at home. We walked across lower Manhatten over to Pier 25 on the Hudson River where Grand Banks is docked. Fabulously sunny day, sitting on an old schooner, slurping oysters and drinking white wine. Heaven!

We stayed until the sun started to dip and then Uber'ed off to meet our friend Karen for drinks at Nitecap. This is a perfect review of this little cocktail den. 

It was a quick walk from here to Mission Cantina for dinner, our friend Larin joining us. Absolutely delicious, unfussy, fun food here.

We tried for after dinner drinks at Attaboy but the wait for four was too long so Forest and I headed back to our part of town, stopping at Nomad Hotel's Elephant Bar. Another repeat stop for me, I love this place even though it gets super busy. The drinks and the ambiance are always spot on.

More NYC tales here.

All photos here.