Any last minute comments/suggestions on my restaurants choices?
My husband and I will be visiting NY for the first time from 5/17/02-5/28/02.
These are my choices:
Friday (first day) still open for dinner. Can you suggest something casual and laid back as we by that time would have been traveling from Texas pretty much all day. (prefer ethnic) any price range OK and close to our hotel (W The Court on 39th and Lexington).
Saturday : still open for brkfst and lunch but going to Le Zie before Le MIs. Called the restaurant and they told me they did not take reservations for parties of less than 6. Are we still safe if we show up by 5:00 or 5;30 pm? Is there enough time to be seated, eat and walk to the theater? performance is at 8;00p
Sunday: stiil debating between brunch at The Plaza and Aquavit. Care to comment?
Also do I need to make reservations at both? Do I still have time?. That afternoon we are going to a Yankees game so I figure we'll just eat at the park.
Monday : Still open for brkfst and lunch. For the romantic dinner of the trip we chose One by Land.....
Tuesday: Still open for brkfst abd lunch. For dinner we chose Tamarind as we LOVE Indian food.
Wednesday: Still open for Brkfst and lunch. For dinner we chose Chez Josephine at 6p before the Lion King at 8p
Thursday: Still open for bkst and lunch. Dinner will be at Grand Central Oyster.
Friday ; Still open for bkfst and lunch. Dinner at Island Spice at 5;30P before The Phantom at 8p.
Saturday; Still open for bkfst and lunch. Dinner at Daniel at 5:30p before the Philarmonic at 8p at Lincoln Center? Am I cutting it to close with this one?
Sunday ; Brunch any place. any price. Something relaxed with pretty surroundings, maybe a garden or maybe something very typical for a NY native. For dinner we're doing Picholine.
Monday and our last day open for any suggestions. We love food any kind of food except for Sushi.
I hpe I didn't overwhelm you with all my questions fut Ireally will like to hear your comments/suggestions/ideas etc.

Sunday debating between brunch at The Plaza or Aquavit . Care to vote?

I don't know if it is a typical place for natives for a Sunday brunch but it certainly meets the pretty surroundings and garden setting requirements -- Tavern on the Green. It is, after all, in Central Park.

Lili -- I think someone posted on your other post about the market at Grand Central. They have a nice food court downstairs (not your typical, Au Bon Pain chain restaurants -- all NY local places) and they also have a gorgeous food market upstairs where you could get pastry or bagels. Someone also mentioned Ess-A-Bagel at 3rd & 50 (or so). Great bagels.

For lunch and dinner most days I would leave myself open to eat near wherever you might be sightseeing. You will see lots of delis/salad bar/diner type places throughout the city. Use your judgment about whether the place looks clean and the food looks good.

As for brunch on Sunday, I like Bryant Park Grill in Bryant Park -- 42nd & 5th Ave (behind the Library). It is delicious, a beautiful setting and very reasonable.

Another NY tradition is dim sum in Chinatown. I like to do this for lunch on Sunday. You might check out Zagat.com or do a search on this site for the best dim sum places in Chinatown. Don't expect a lot of atmosphere and be open to foods you haven't seen or tried before -- it is a lot of fun.

For an inexpensive lunch there is a great burger place near your hotel, The Jackson Hole, on Third Ave near 35th Street. I HIGHLY recommned this place.

There is also a chinese place on Third Ave i think on the corner of 37th St (Spade's Noodle shop or something like that, a large green awning so you can't miss it). It's VERY casual and nothing spectacular, but better than your average chinese.

I did just have very good chinese in NYC, at Grand Sichuan, on 9th ave b/w 50st-51st. One dish in particular is Kung Pao Chicken... very good.

A good tip would be to stay away from Mexican food in NYC, it won't come close to anything you get in Texas! Which reminds me, DO have a frozen Margartita at El Rio Grande, on Third Ave ~37th Street (it's in the base of an apartment complex)... but this would be best to have right before bed, NOT before a nite out.(the margaritas there will knock your socks off)

I recently went to Aquavit on a Friday night for a friend's b-day who is originally from Sweden. The restaurant and serve were excellent. The menu was limited to a prix fix. But the choices where very interesting. The whole experience was great. I think you will still have time to make a reservation we made ours last minute. Enjoy the restaurant, but just know that it is expensive, but totally worth it.

As I recall, Le Zie is at least a mile from the theater district, not a great choice. It would take 20 or more minutes to walk. If it rains, don't count on a taxi. Also, I was unimpressed with Le Zie, basic storefront restaurant and IMO very overpriced specials when compared to the menu items. Lastly, do not eat at a restaurant that will not take a reservation pre theater, very risky. I would recommend eating in the theater district with a short walk over to the show. Make a 5:30 reservation, eat at leisure and take your seat.

For your Saturday night dinner... maybe you should skip the show that night. Daniel is a night out in and of itself. I think I was there for 4 hours (we did the tasting menu)... it is the most incredible meal you'll ever have and you're not going to want to rush through it to make it to a show. For a sunday brunch... you could try Norma's in Le Parker Meridien Hotel (it's over the top in a good way), or I noticed you don't have anything on your list downtown... why not try Five Points (Great Jones St)... it's a cool spot with incredible food, and you can walk around downtown new york to experience something totally different.

Hi Lili...there's a very nice Italian restaurant about 10 blocks from your hotel called Marchi's...it's at 251 East 31st Street near 2nd Avenue...there's no sign outside (or at least there wasn't the last time I was there) and it's housed in a brownstone...you will feel as if you are having dinner in an Italian family's home...it's a relaxed atmosphere, and reasonably priced for the four course feast you are served...brunch at The Plaza is dazzling and I highly recommend it...other excellent brunches are served at the Righa Royal Hotel, Cafe Botanica at the Essex House, and the Water Club for steak and eggs and mimosas...less expensive and more casual is Sarabeth's...BB Kings has a gospel brunch on Sundays...I think you should try a NY style deli such as Katz's on Houston, the Second Avenue Deli, or the Carnegie on 7th Avenue, for lunch...9th Avenue (in the West 40's and West 50's)has many inexpensive, casual, ethnic restaurants to choose from...Uncle Nick's is great for Greek...there's a really good Jamaican restaurant (makes excellent jerk chicken) right outside Yankee Stadium on East 161st Street if you are feeling adventurous...I just can't remember the name of it...maybe another poster can help me with this one.

if you love Indian food, how about the Bread Bar at Tabla? More casual & less expensive than the upstairs dining room. Fun, upbeat atmosphere & beautiful decor. food has a distinct indian influence & the choices are all interesting & well prepared. 11 Madison Avenue @ 25th St. 212-889-0667. We really enjoyed ourselves there.

Thank you guys for all your wondreful ideas. I'll share them with my husband. I'll keep you posted on what we end up doing. Keep them coming please. We still have a week or so left before we get to NY.

Only 3 days left. Any additional suggestions?

Ooh, lucky you for getting to see Masur's last performance as music director. That should be wonderful! I'm going on Friday night. I agree that Daniel is an all-night event, but I wouldn't miss the Philharmonic for anything. Near Lincoln Center there are lots of great pre-theatre resturants: Saphire, Picholine, Jean-Georges, Ouest(farther up, but fabulous). I recommend you take a look at Zagat.com for the other meals. Not many New yorkers get the chance to eat at great places for lunch--too busy working. If you love Indian I would try to make it to Tabla, even if only the Bread Bar.