New York City - First Time - Need Restaurant Help
 

My wife & I are spending a long weekend (5 days)in NYC to celebrate 11 years of marriage. It's our first time and I need help with restaurants. I am looking for romantic restaurants (I need one in Times Square area - we are seeing a play on Friday; and the location of the other isn't so important, just in Manhatten) that won't set me back $200 or more. Also, my wife and I like to split our entree's, do nicer restaurants in Manhattan allow this? <BR> <BR>Finally, any other advice for a first-timer to Manhatten?

Chris, <BR> <BR>My husband and I went for a significant anniversary last fall. <BR> <BR>We really loved Nocello, which I believe is on 55th between Broadway and Eighth. You can see reviews at zagat.com.

My boyfriend lives across the river and we dine in NYC almost every weekend. There is a great site or sites, one is Citysearch.com. You can put the address of the theatre in and it will tell you the closest restauraunts and give some (many) give there web pages with menus and prices. Another is sidewalk.com. I have used both and have picked great places to eat. If you love Chinese food, we ate in The Dish of Salt. Not that romantic but they have a dish Spicy Angry Chicken that is the best tasting food I ever had. We also ate in Tribeca Grill, Deniro's place recently. It was fun but not the best.You might like The Gotham, its pricey but romantic. Depending on the type of food your looking for. You can use different searches on citysearch such as romantic so you should be all set. If not e-mail me and I will give some more suggestions <BR>JK

Some good suggestions are: Cafe des Artistes at 1 Central Park West, Windows on the World at the World Trade Center, Tavern on the Green at Central Park West and 67th Street, and the Russian Tea Room on West 57th Street. These offer ambience more than anything else but they're still a good bet. I've also been told that Jezebel's and Chez Josephine (near the theaters) are good.

My favorite restaurant in the U.S. is Il Cortile in Little Italy. Very, very, very good. Wonderful ambiance, nice Italian waiters -- very Italian.

My favorite restaurant in the world is Il Mulino, an excellent Italian restaurant.

In answer to your question about splitting entrees - if you mean that you getting an entree and your wife getting and entree and splitting both, that is no problem. If you mean both of you splitting one entree - that is not really a "problem" but it is usually not looked favorably upon by restaurant staff, even if they say "no problem." Not to say they insist each person order an entree, but a $2 or so sharing charge may be imposed, and you may find that the restaurant staff not be as attentive to you upon requesting this. Of course it all actually depends on the locale and other details of your visit... Have a great trip and happy anniversary!

I second Jacob's pick: Il Mulino. One of the best meals I've ver eaten!!

Thanks for all the responses and help eveyone - they were very helpful!