NeoPatrick: I appreciate your input - as I do everyone else's. (I just read your report about your visit to our Chicago and loved what you said about one of our favorite restaurants: Quartino's. And we're much older than most of the diners there!)

Any other suggestions for places around West 54th Street even if no outdoor dining. How about a good place for brunch?

Often voted one of the top places for brunch midtown is Thalia, a pretty place with a very low priced brunch menu. It's at 50th and 8th. Great place for a drink or dessert after a show too.
www.restaurantthalia.com

There is a fantastic brunch buffet -- very upscale but not as outrageously priced as some of the hotel ones at Brasserie8 1/2 on 57th just west of 5th.
http://www.patinagroup.com/east/brasserie8/

I still love Roberto Passon's at 50th and 9th, and most others sure seem to as well. Very reasonably priced good Italian and some great fixed price specials including brunch.
www.robertopasson.com

Thanks again.

Is the Central Park Boathouse good food or just for tourists? It sounds like it would be a nice place for Sunday brunch.

"Is the Central Park Boathouse good food or just for tourists?"

I have no idea why one would exclude the other? Hard as it is to believe, many tourists have excellent taste for good food only and travel to Manhattan being far more picky about where they eat than many locals do. Of course some locals are more particular than others too, just as some tourists are.

I think the food at the Boathouse was good -- maybe not "excellent" -- certainly overpriced for the quality compared to many restaurants with even better food, but indeed part of the price is paying for the atmosphere and the setting -- as much loved by some New Yorkers as it is by tourists.

No offense meant. But I'll give you an example. Dinner on a dinner ship in Chicago may provide a beautiful sight for tourists (and residents) but the food is not good.

Based on your feedback, I may just try the Boathouse.

Point well taken, DMG, but I question how many locals would do a dinner ship in Chicago (unless they were entertaining tourist friends or relatives). Many locals dine at The Boathouse.

Thanks. Basically that is what I was asking.