NYC in May 2011

Old Jan 20th, 2011, 10:33 AM
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NYC in May 2011

I just scored what I hope is a great deal - a superior king room for 5 nights at the On The Ave Hotel for an avg of $205/nt. for May 5-10th. Seems like a great price - is it? I'd love some recommendations for moderately-priced restaurants in the vicinity, as well as one for a special anniversary dinner. I've looked at menupages.com and so many of the reviews are so completely at odds with one another I can hardly figure out how to judge the place. My DH would love an excellent (authentically) Italian meal (not Italian-American), and Italian-speaking waiters are a plus.

I chose the UWS for the residential neighborhood feel as well as the relative ease in getting to Columbia, where our son is in law school, but is it going to be a pain getting to/from the theatre district if we take in a play one night?
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Old Jan 20th, 2011, 10:44 AM
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>>

It's a cinch. Personally, I would walk, but if you're not up for that (about 1-1/2 miles), it's a straight shot on the subway or an easy cab ride.
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Old Jan 20th, 2011, 10:53 AM
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Depending on which specific theater, you're talking about a 5-10 minute subway ride plus a few minutes walking to/from station
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Old Jan 20th, 2011, 12:36 PM
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These are way downtown

Cacio e Pepe for Romano cooking

I Coppi for Tusan cooking

Supper for Northern Italian cooking
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Old Jan 21st, 2011, 08:24 AM
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Thanks for the Italian recommendations, Aduchamp, they look great, but seem like an awfully long trip to get there and back - 45 min and several transfers by subway or a $15-20 cab ride each way. I was hoping to find something a little more convenient to the OTA.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2011, 07:06 PM
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Anyone?
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Old Jan 22nd, 2011, 07:38 PM
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Welcome to NYC. I know you are going to have a great time, and I think half the fun is in the planning and the anticipation.

You have chosen a great area of the city, that area is all residential, and lots of stores for creature comforts. You are within walking distance to the subway to get to the theatre district. Don't bother with a taxi downtown, the subway will be faster.

Also you are a short walk to the Museum of Natural History and the Historical Society and of course Central Park.

There are TONS of restaurants close by, so I'll name drop a couple of favs, Pomodoro on Columubs just south of 72nd is very good Italian, and not far at 104th and B'way are 2 I can recommend, Cafe Du Soleil (good French) and Andelina (great pizza and pasta).

If you head toward Columbus Ave, which is just 2 blocks east from your hotel, you will find tons of restaurants, several per block so you won't find a problem finding something great.

Also pick up a Zagat guide so wherever you end up in the city, you will have a good restaurant close by.

Have a great time while you are here.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2011, 08:21 PM
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FWIW, the UWS isn't exactly known for authentic Italian and Italian-speaking waiters. You'd do better to go downtown, despite the distance. (Also, I wouldn't call it "several" transfers - really just switching from the 1/2/3 to the N/R will do for most places in the Village, or from the B/C at the natural history museum on CPW to the F for the far East Village/LES.)

Not far from your hotel, I do like Isabella's near the natural history museum.

If there are restaurants that look interesting on menupages, maybe you could list them here and see if anyone might know them personally...
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Old Jan 22nd, 2011, 08:36 PM
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HazelI, I assume you will be leaving the confines of the UWS at some time. Although it is wonderful area, there are others neighborhoods to explore. Part of the NY experience is riding the train, taking cabs, and walking the city.

By your location, I assume your son is either at Fordham or Columbia Law. I wish him well.

Zagats is excellent for names and addresses but it is only midly instructive for restaurants that are not the most expensive.

And please whatever you do, do not rely on Yelp. The NYC version so skewed by people who know how to critique restaurants without any basis for the comments, it is laughable.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 08:01 AM
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Oh, of course we will be leaving the leafy confines of the UWS - I don't expect that we will be spending much of most of our days in that area, but I know that when we travel we frequently don't feel like going very far afield from the hotel for dinner after exploring the city (or countryside, depending) all day long. It's more about the journey home after a late dinner - I guess I'm a bit anxious about the subway and the streets at 10 PM (we usually don't eat until 7:30 or 8:00), but if those of you in the know say that it shouldn't be a concern, then I'm willing to travel further for places not to be missed.

And I totally agree about Yelp reviews - I find them to be pretty useless. I was pretty surprised that the reviews on menupages.com were so mixed for so many restaurants that I'd heard recommended here on Fodor's and elsewhere. Seems that bad service is endemic in NYC, from what I discern from their reviews.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 08:41 AM
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Most diners in Manhattan will be eating at 8 or later (unless pre-theater) and in warmer weather streets are busy until at least midnight - later in some areas. Subways are fine too at all hours - although after midnight they ruh only every 15 minutes or so - versus every 5 minutes at other hours.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 08:48 AM
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7 or 8 at night is not a concern at all, 3 or 4 am, not so much.

There will be TONS of people on the street and on the subway at that time of night, and even coming back to your hotel the subway will have lots of people.

I take the #1 train all the time at all hours, and it is almost right outside your door. You'll find the #1 will take you most places you want to go on the west side and at 42nd and 4th the shuttles will take you to the east side to connect with other lines.

Another nice thing about the area is Trader Joe's and Zabar, both great for snacks and food to take back to the hotel for a quick lunch or dinner.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 08:49 AM
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Sorry, that should have been 42nd St and 14th St to transfer to the shuttles crosstown.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 09:25 AM
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Unless you go to an expensive restaurants, it is rare to find someone who is a professional server. On the Lower East Side, if the service is exceptional than the kid is a very bad actor, musician, or writer.
_____________

More as matter of symantics, than anything else. The "L" train on 14th Street is not a shuttle since it goes all the way to the Canarsie. And at 7th Ave, one must walk a full block underground to get to the 6th Ave station on the "L."
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 09:55 AM
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That's a good price for that size room. You can see lots of photos here http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/...out=2011-05-10

While the upper west side is loved for being one of the few real residential areas with decent hotels, it's not known as a hotbed of destination dinner restaurants. I'll also tell you very few Italian restaurants in NYC have Italian speaking waiters these days-same with French and every other kind of cuisine. Most restaurant staff these days is Spanish speaking and doing a great job I might add.

Bettola is one of the better Italians in the area although I haven't been in some time. http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/bettola/ I can recommend La Mirabelle as a French in the area with a French owner who's still there. La Boite En Bois is a little closer and also good. Pasha is a very nice Turkish.

Manhattan Diner across the street is good for breakfast. Popover Cafe, Barney's Greengrass (for smoked fish like lox and smoked salmon) H & H bagels (take out only) and Zabar's are destination places for breakfast. Levain's has divine cookies and I like Lansky's for a deli sandwich.

If you want to try some good value prix fixe lunches, Asiate in the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle is one of my favs ($24 for 2 courses and a great view from the 35th floor). Nougatine in the Trump Int'l hotel across the street is also popular for their lunch.
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Old Jan 24th, 2011, 10:17 AM
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Seems that bad service is endemic in NYC, from what I discern from their reviews.

Griping is a local pastime here in NYC; I think we complain as a means of camaraderie more than truly meaning anything by it! And keep in mind, as a rule negative comments are much more common on the internet than are positive ones. (Even here in our Fodors bubble, you see first-time posters coming on just to complain about a Roman restaurant and such.)

Overall, I trust the reviews on menupages much more than Yelp; with the former, it helps too to be able to click through to the NY Mag reviews. That said, I wish menupages included an Established date; it would be helpful to know if a slew of negative comments were because a place had just opened, or were part of the mix for an establishment that has been around for many years!
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