Restaurant recomendations in the east 54th Street area, please.
Apr 22nd, 2015, 08:20 PM
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While we love Mexican food, we get a lot of it here in California--we nothing we would look for in New York City. Good Greek restaurant here as well, with fabulous Greek pizza (love that feta!).
Apr 22nd, 2015, 10:35 PM
#22
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is not that that much Greek pizza here nor pineapple nor avacado. Of course, there will be one or two please some Mideastern pizzas but the trend here is whole pies with imported ingredients from Italy including their ovens, especially wood burning ovens and an old fashioned coal burning oven.
Mexican food is finally starting to improve.
There are 475 languages spoken in NYC, and while there may not that many different cuisines, there is an extraordinary number of different ethnic, hip American, and tradition restaurants here.
Mexican food is finally starting to improve.
There are 475 languages spoken in NYC, and while there may not that many different cuisines, there is an extraordinary number of different ethnic, hip American, and tradition restaurants here.
Apr 23rd, 2015, 05:15 AM
#23
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ekscrunchy: "Please give Dos Caminos a wide berth if you want good Mexican food. Loud, nacho-and-margarita territory in one of a local mini chain. I live nearby and have been exactly once, as suggested by an out-of-town relative for an after-work drink and snack. Would not bother with iti again when there are now, finally, some pretty good Mexican places in NYC, although not in this area."
I agree that it's not authentic Mexican, but they are successful (6 locations and counting) and fun on a pleasant evening in Midtown where outdoor space is at a premium. It may be loud although I call it energetic. LOL.
Try Rosa Mexicano on 58th and 1st for more authentic Mexican. Always crowded and super successful with 16 locations throughout the country and internationally. The 58th street location is the original.
As to Ethos, it's good but wonder why it's always on discounts like Groupon and Amazon, overpriced I guess.
I agree that it's not authentic Mexican, but they are successful (6 locations and counting) and fun on a pleasant evening in Midtown where outdoor space is at a premium. It may be loud although I call it energetic. LOL.
Try Rosa Mexicano on 58th and 1st for more authentic Mexican. Always crowded and super successful with 16 locations throughout the country and internationally. The 58th street location is the original.
As to Ethos, it's good but wonder why it's always on discounts like Groupon and Amazon, overpriced I guess.
Apr 23rd, 2015, 07:07 AM
#24
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are several good ramen shops and Japanese restaurants around that area, including one across the street from Dos Caminos on 50th/3rd Ave. (upstairs).
I also like Smith & Wollensky for high-end steaks. The Grill, which doesn't accept reservations, is usually a better choice than the restaurant upstairs and is a bit cheaper, but it also serves the regular menu. One of their regular steaks is more than enough meat for two people, and I usually share, which helps keep costs down.
But I always recommend (and love) Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote for reasonably priced steak and salad meals with good, well-priced house wine). It's a very simple menu ... steak (with a delicious special sauce), fries, salad, bread. Literally no other choices at all. But it's a basic price with cheap wine and good desserts. It doesn't take reservations but usually doesn't have too long a wait. It's at 52nd and Lex.
I also like Smith & Wollensky for high-end steaks. The Grill, which doesn't accept reservations, is usually a better choice than the restaurant upstairs and is a bit cheaper, but it also serves the regular menu. One of their regular steaks is more than enough meat for two people, and I usually share, which helps keep costs down.
But I always recommend (and love) Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote for reasonably priced steak and salad meals with good, well-priced house wine). It's a very simple menu ... steak (with a delicious special sauce), fries, salad, bread. Literally no other choices at all. But it's a basic price with cheap wine and good desserts. It doesn't take reservations but usually doesn't have too long a wait. It's at 52nd and Lex.
Apr 24th, 2015, 08:52 AM
#26
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check out the recommendations on fodors.com -- if you go to the NYC restaurants page (http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...y/restaurants/) you can search by neighborhood (Midtown East and Midtown West). I love the Burger Joint for burgers and one of my favorites is Danji for Korean food. Try the bibimbap: it's amazing!
Apr 25th, 2015, 09:47 PM
#30
Had a nice meal at Jubilee last night.
No one has mentioned Pampano. Yes, it's Mexican, but not your usual fare. The emphasis is seafood. Never had a less than very good meal there. http://www.richardsandoval.com/pampano/
No one has mentioned Pampano. Yes, it's Mexican, but not your usual fare. The emphasis is seafood. Never had a less than very good meal there. http://www.richardsandoval.com/pampano/
Apr 26th, 2015, 05:01 AM
#32
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the mistake most visitors who come to NY make is not trying the incredibly wide variety of ethnic that is available. A short list that probably does not exist in most people's home town includes Serbian, Ethiopian, Fukienese, genuine Jewish deli, regional Italian, regional Indian, Portuguese, Lebanese, and many many more.
Apr 26th, 2015, 06:54 AM
#33
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"I think the mistake most visitors who come to NY make is not trying the incredibly wide variety of ethnic that is available. "
I agree, but Underhill has asked for places near this particular hotel. While there are a concentration of of Indian places in the area...in addition to Amma and Indigo Bistro, there's Darbar Grill around the corner which is quite good, the ethnic options in midtown east that shine tend to be Japanese. Shun Lee Palace for Chinese is comfortable and tasty but not at all authentic.
For Vietnamese, Le Colonial on east 57 th st. has a great setting and very good food. Here's an article from eater
http://ny.eater.com/2014/9/26/684927...od-at-midtowns
Le Bateau Ivre is a really terrific French wine bar
http://www.lebateauivrenyc.com/
PJ Clarke's, mentioned above, is historic and in it's day, was a magnet for celebrities (Frank Sinatra), sports figures (Jake LaMotta) and journalists. They were known for their burgers but there are now far better places for burgers. Go for a drink if you want; but Bill's Bar & Burger at Rockefeller Center is actually closer to the Elysee and imo far better....it's also more comfortable than the Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien..although their burgers are good.
Ralph Lauren has recently opened a restaurant just off Fifth ave. on 55th st. called the Polo Club, so steps from your hotel. Foodies will roll their eyes, but the burgers are excellent and where else can you get a corned beef sandwich worth eating and also be comfortable?
. Reservations needed though and look good.
No one has mentioned the Monkey Bar right in the hotel. It has a storied history (the bar itself...but the restaurant is also now called the Monkey Bar) with the likes of Tallulah Bankhead and Tennessee Williams living in the hotel...along with Marlon Brando, Ava Gardner and Margo Fonteyn. The bar has GREAT burgers and is much more casual than the dining room.. The dining room serves very good American food and the walls are adorned with fun murals. The lunch crowd is very cosmopolitan with socialites, publishing magnates, politicians and high profile business people. It's not haute cuisine, but very good, very comfortable and very civilized.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/di...nt-review.html
I'm stunned to see that no one has mentioned some of the city's finest restaurants which are steps from the Elysee! While you'd need a boatload of money to eat at all of them, you should know they're right there to pick and choose. ...many with good value lunches.
La Grenouille, the last of the great, fine French restaurants left in New York, is less than a 5 minute walk on east 52 st. The place is filled with gorgeous flowers and while decor seems from another era including leather banquettes and those little table lamps on each table, their food is still tops. Have a souffle for dessert. While dinner is quite expensive, their lunch for $65 is still a bargain although things like Dover sole and the signature dish, frogs legs, will be extra. Here's a great article about 3 food critics eating there together. You just have to go.
http://www.eater.com/2014/5/20/62218...nouille-in-nyc
Also not far is Le Bernardin, considered the finest seafood in the city and one of the tops in the country. They too have a prix fixe lunch that makes it much more afordable. They also serve a more casual menu in the bar area including things like a lobster roll and caviar and salmon croque monsieur. Across the street, there's the sommelier's wine bar, Also Sohm Wine bar if you're looking for meat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/ny...-wine-bar.html
The Modern and Modern Barin MOMA on west 53 st. is a short stroll from the Elysee. They are both foodie destination places. Both have prix fixe lunch menus amd tasting menus for dinner as well as a la carte. The dining room overlooks the sculpture garden of the museum. It's a nice place to go for coffee and dessert, but closes at 10:30 so not good for after theater.
Aquavit Scandinavian with another great lunch prix fixe.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/aquavit-new-york
http://www.aquavit.org/about/
A very underappreciated, under the radar place, literally steps fom the Elysee is Caviar Russe. Hard to find in a funky small building on Madison Ave. & 54 st. just diagonally across from the hotel, up a rickety elevator, this place is a jewel box. They also have a prix fixe lunch or tasting menus ( a caviar tasting menu if you want a splurge). Just fantastic.
http://www.caviarrusse.com/restaurant/menus/lunch
While midtown is filled with good to great steak, one of the best steak deals in the city imo is the pre theater 3 course at Capital Grille in the Time Life building (not far from the Elysee) for $39. Yes, it's a national chain, but it's still a very good steak meal for a fraction of the cost of most steakhouses. Just means eating early.
Finally, for pizza, Certe is supposed to be very good...I haven't tried it but a foodie friend has recommended it. Small...not a fancy dining experience.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-by-cer...+Pizza+Midtown
Rubirosa downtown on the edge of Soho and Little Italy is my current fave for fantastic pizza.
For breakfast, Little Collins on Lexington & 55-56 st. is an Australian coffee bar (they're everywhere!) with good coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Further east on 2nd ave.,, Caffe Martier is good. http://caffemartier.com/newyork/index.html
The Smith mentioned by Gekko above serves a good breakfast.
http://www.thesmithnyc.com/wp-conten...fast2.9.15.pdf
For a basic diner breakfast, the Palace on 57th st. between Park & Lex is your best bet.
I agree, but Underhill has asked for places near this particular hotel. While there are a concentration of of Indian places in the area...in addition to Amma and Indigo Bistro, there's Darbar Grill around the corner which is quite good, the ethnic options in midtown east that shine tend to be Japanese. Shun Lee Palace for Chinese is comfortable and tasty but not at all authentic.
For Vietnamese, Le Colonial on east 57 th st. has a great setting and very good food. Here's an article from eater
http://ny.eater.com/2014/9/26/684927...od-at-midtowns
Le Bateau Ivre is a really terrific French wine bar
http://www.lebateauivrenyc.com/
PJ Clarke's, mentioned above, is historic and in it's day, was a magnet for celebrities (Frank Sinatra), sports figures (Jake LaMotta) and journalists. They were known for their burgers but there are now far better places for burgers. Go for a drink if you want; but Bill's Bar & Burger at Rockefeller Center is actually closer to the Elysee and imo far better....it's also more comfortable than the Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien..although their burgers are good.
Ralph Lauren has recently opened a restaurant just off Fifth ave. on 55th st. called the Polo Club, so steps from your hotel. Foodies will roll their eyes, but the burgers are excellent and where else can you get a corned beef sandwich worth eating and also be comfortable?
. Reservations needed though and look good.No one has mentioned the Monkey Bar right in the hotel. It has a storied history (the bar itself...but the restaurant is also now called the Monkey Bar) with the likes of Tallulah Bankhead and Tennessee Williams living in the hotel...along with Marlon Brando, Ava Gardner and Margo Fonteyn. The bar has GREAT burgers and is much more casual than the dining room.. The dining room serves very good American food and the walls are adorned with fun murals. The lunch crowd is very cosmopolitan with socialites, publishing magnates, politicians and high profile business people. It's not haute cuisine, but very good, very comfortable and very civilized.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/di...nt-review.html
I'm stunned to see that no one has mentioned some of the city's finest restaurants which are steps from the Elysee! While you'd need a boatload of money to eat at all of them, you should know they're right there to pick and choose. ...many with good value lunches.
La Grenouille, the last of the great, fine French restaurants left in New York, is less than a 5 minute walk on east 52 st. The place is filled with gorgeous flowers and while decor seems from another era including leather banquettes and those little table lamps on each table, their food is still tops. Have a souffle for dessert. While dinner is quite expensive, their lunch for $65 is still a bargain although things like Dover sole and the signature dish, frogs legs, will be extra. Here's a great article about 3 food critics eating there together. You just have to go.
http://www.eater.com/2014/5/20/62218...nouille-in-nyc
Also not far is Le Bernardin, considered the finest seafood in the city and one of the tops in the country. They too have a prix fixe lunch that makes it much more afordable. They also serve a more casual menu in the bar area including things like a lobster roll and caviar and salmon croque monsieur. Across the street, there's the sommelier's wine bar, Also Sohm Wine bar if you're looking for meat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/ny...-wine-bar.html
The Modern and Modern Barin MOMA on west 53 st. is a short stroll from the Elysee. They are both foodie destination places. Both have prix fixe lunch menus amd tasting menus for dinner as well as a la carte. The dining room overlooks the sculpture garden of the museum. It's a nice place to go for coffee and dessert, but closes at 10:30 so not good for after theater.
Aquavit Scandinavian with another great lunch prix fixe.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/aquavit-new-york
http://www.aquavit.org/about/
A very underappreciated, under the radar place, literally steps fom the Elysee is Caviar Russe. Hard to find in a funky small building on Madison Ave. & 54 st. just diagonally across from the hotel, up a rickety elevator, this place is a jewel box. They also have a prix fixe lunch or tasting menus ( a caviar tasting menu if you want a splurge). Just fantastic.
http://www.caviarrusse.com/restaurant/menus/lunch
While midtown is filled with good to great steak, one of the best steak deals in the city imo is the pre theater 3 course at Capital Grille in the Time Life building (not far from the Elysee) for $39. Yes, it's a national chain, but it's still a very good steak meal for a fraction of the cost of most steakhouses. Just means eating early.
Finally, for pizza, Certe is supposed to be very good...I haven't tried it but a foodie friend has recommended it. Small...not a fancy dining experience.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-by-cer...+Pizza+Midtown
Rubirosa downtown on the edge of Soho and Little Italy is my current fave for fantastic pizza.
For breakfast, Little Collins on Lexington & 55-56 st. is an Australian coffee bar (they're everywhere!) with good coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Further east on 2nd ave.,, Caffe Martier is good. http://caffemartier.com/newyork/index.html
The Smith mentioned by Gekko above serves a good breakfast.
http://www.thesmithnyc.com/wp-conten...fast2.9.15.pdf
For a basic diner breakfast, the Palace on 57th st. between Park & Lex is your best bet.
Apr 26th, 2015, 11:12 AM
#34
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mclaurie: When Underhill mentioned Thai, Hamburgers and Pizza, I got the impression he wasn't looking for high end places. Some of your recommendations can easily go for $100 and up person.... for Lunch.
Maybe if we had a price range the recommendations would have been different.
Maybe if we had a price range the recommendations would have been different.
Apr 28th, 2015, 10:35 AM
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
High-end places for a meal or two would be okay. It's difficult to give price ranges without knowing NYC standards. I listed hamburgers and pizza because those are favorites, not because they're (sometimes) inexpensive. Where we live, Thai isn't cheap.
The Monkey Bar is on our list, as is Boulud Sud (again; just loved it).
McLaurie, many thanks for the comprehensive list.
The Monkey Bar is on our list, as is Boulud Sud (again; just loved it).
McLaurie, many thanks for the comprehensive list.
Apr 28th, 2015, 10:55 AM
#36
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,497
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are willing to spend the money, I highly recommend The Modern Dining Room. There are 3- and 4-course menus and tasting menus: they may let you order a la carte although that is not stated on the dinner menu and would likely not result in much of a savings.
Lots of little extras mean that there are more than the stated number of courses on the set menus. Open for lunch and dinner. Impeccable service. Relaxed feeling, not at all stuffy. Short walk from the hotel.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ud8wauzb86...0Menu.pdf?dl=0
Lots of little extras mean that there are more than the stated number of courses on the set menus. Open for lunch and dinner. Impeccable service. Relaxed feeling, not at all stuffy. Short walk from the hotel.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ud8wauzb86...0Menu.pdf?dl=0
Apr 28th, 2015, 01:12 PM
#37
Well, Le Grenouille! One of the great restaurants of the world!
I am not a big fan of Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote. It is OK. Not expensive.
If I were in the nabe, I might stop by, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
Thin
I am not a big fan of Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote. It is OK. Not expensive.
If I were in the nabe, I might stop by, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
Thin
Apr 28th, 2015, 01:22 PM
#38
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you want to go to Le Bernardin (and I certainly recommend that you do if you adore seafood), then you need to make a reservation at least a month in advance, and even then you may only get a 5:30 or 10:30 table. But you can eat in the lounge without a reservation. It's not the same dining experience, but it's still excellent. But at Le Bernardin you are talking about $200 minimum per person, and that's if you only get one glass of wine.
Apr 28th, 2015, 03:42 PM
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Le Colonial goes on the list for dinner.
I think we'll have one lunch at Café 2 at MOMA; we snacked there in December and really liked the look of the menu.
One dinner at Capital Grille; we don't eat steak much, and that would be nice.
Bill's Bar and Burger for one lunch.
I'm getting hungry!
We have 7 lunches and 7 dinners to arrange, although I think one dinner will be Indian with our friend who's running in the marathon.
Breakfast comes with the hotel room, and as I could live on croissants each morning that will be fine.
My DH wants a really good Reuben.
I think we'll have one lunch at Café 2 at MOMA; we snacked there in December and really liked the look of the menu.
One dinner at Capital Grille; we don't eat steak much, and that would be nice.
Bill's Bar and Burger for one lunch.
I'm getting hungry!
We have 7 lunches and 7 dinners to arrange, although I think one dinner will be Indian with our friend who's running in the marathon.
Breakfast comes with the hotel room, and as I could live on croissants each morning that will be fine.
My DH wants a really good Reuben.
Apr 28th, 2015, 04:21 PM
#40
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In my book Capital Grill is OK, even though they don't even serve prime steaks ( choice instead). But their pre theatre menu is a real bargain as mclaurie mentions. We expected smaller steaks and servings, but they weren't.
