Food recs in NYC, please.
 

We are staying at Union Square, and other than a trip to Lincoln Center, we will spend our time downtown.

Looking for excellent ice cream and a place to take our nephew and his SO in their late twenties.

They recently left LA after a quick visit to NYC and are now living in Harlem. I am hoping to lure them down to spend a day with us (Saturday) and perhaps eat something exotic and not expensive, as our guests. Chinese would be great, because the quality of Chinese food in our hometown is awful and we don't eat it often. Other ideas are also welcome.

Thanks.

Ice Cream
You are in the right neighborhood. The following are all store made unless stated otherwise

Our latest favorite is Davey's 1st Ave and about 9th Street. Ice cream for adults. Not overly sweet but with rich flavors. Love every flavor.

Cone and Sundaes-10th Stret off 3rd. Wide variety of excellent ice creams.

Big Gay Ice Cream-not as good as the others but makes kids think they are being sophisticated.

Other people like Mikey's on Ave A and about 11 St. He is an ex-con made good and was held up as an example of what someone can do with their life by Hillary and her canpaign.

Van Leeuwen East 7th off Second-more expensive than even the other expensive places. Becoming a chain. Made in Brooklyn

Grom-Italian chain for gelati

Cones-Bleecker Street near 7th Ave. Older than all the others.

The neighborhood is getting better for Chinese

Xi'an Famous-mini chain on St. Mark's off First

Han Dynasty-Import from Philly,

Mala-First Ave. Very unusual.
https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/20...lide-MMZS.html

Hot Kitchen-must like spicy

There are a whole bunch of dumpling places now-our favorites are Mimi Cheng's and Drunken Dumpling.

Tim Ho Wan became famous as the least expensive Michelin starred restaurant. Began in Hong Kong. Now has many outposts. Hk style modern Cantonese. Must try to go at off time or face a line.

Just south of Union Square.

http://gothamist.com/2017/01/27/tim_...nu.php#photo-1

Laut is Malaysian with other influences, like Thai:

http://lautnyc.com/

Xian Famous is very good but many spicy dishes and not a place to linger.

Pinch is modern Chinese, further downtown, in Soho:
https://www.pinchchinese.com/


Not easy to make a mistake with so many options including all those given by IDH, above.


And then there could be a nice relaxed Peking duck meal.......lots of options there as well...is Chinatown in Manhattan out?

Eks, you are right. We went to Tim Ho on a Friday for lunch and the wait was over an hour. We went elsewhere.

You might like Mala on First Ave, very different.

And you could meet them in Harlem - easy to access - and have them take you to Dinosaur BBQ.

I'd have them lure you to Harlem and then pick up the tab

You do not have to go Harlem. Might Quinn is every good as Dinosaur and the side dishes are much better.

I just thought it would be nice to visit the couple in their new hood and see their environment rather then have them come to you.

Thanks for the tip on MaLa!! I have a hard time getting the partner to agree to Chinese outside of Flushing, but will give it a try.

Mighty Quinn would be where I'd go for BBQ; Dinosaur is so out of the way unless they live so far west. I went only once, years and years ago. Good but not good enough to make me want to return, although for me it is a schlep.

Inka-as long as they bring a little box of cookies or cake, they are always welcome.

It would be lovely to visit them, but I am recovering from a broken hip and leg, and would appreciate it if they came to see me. (And we haven't been invited.)

All these recommendations are helpful. BBQ is popular where we live and we eat it often. I would rather have things that I can't get here.

While we're discussing it, I have a reservation for La Sirene because I want some bistro classics, specifically, escargot and profiteroles. If anyone has a better rec for these dishes, I would love to have it. We can't do any sort of French here at home.

SE Asia cuisines are covered here, but Chinese is horrible.

There are really nice French Bistros by Union Square.

Tocqueville which has a reasonably priced lunch menu and I do not know why it doesn't get more notoriety.

Le Midi is a more of a traditional bistro with a relaxed atmosphere and much lower prices.

Tocqueville's prix fixe lunch sounds really good. I might book that for the Friday.

Will check out Le Midi. I still want those old fashioned bistro dishes that I'm hungry for.

I hope you enjoy them.

Tocqueville is lovely. We have enjoyed lunch there on several occasions after learning about it here.