I am heading to New York and taking clients out to lunch(s). I am actively seeking a restaurant for Wednesday near 1155 Avenue of the Americas, New York (6th Avenue and W45th Streets). Looking for something with excellent service, terrific food, not too noisy. Any suggestions?

How about The Lambs Club at 132 West 44th between 6th and 7th? 212-997-5262, www.thelambsclub.com

Acquavit fits all the categories, although it is a few blockS away.

http://www.aquavit.org/

In the opposite direction:

Keen's Steakhouse

http://www.keens.com/

Le Bernadine for the best fish in the city - on 51st between 6ht and 7th. A couple of blocks further but will impress any client.

Le Bernadin (note spelling) is a great choice.

Also to impress would be Milos:


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/di...town.html?_r=0




http://milos.ca/restaurants/new-york


As is Aquavit, where I had a great meal not long ago. And Keen's.

To impress, take a look at The Four Seasons, or Michaels, or, especially, Ralph Lauren:. or even BG, although more of a walk:

http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/inde...oryId=54938256


http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store...equestid=58124


http://michaelsnewyork.com/

Actually, it's (note spelling) Le Bernardin.

Second the motion on Estiatorio Milos.

There's also Oceana, which is quite a nice place for lunch. It's on 49th. But I do like the Lambs Club quite a lot.

Le Bernardin is in a completely different category, of course, both in terms of quality and expense, and it's hard to get a reservation. Milos is also great but also very expensive. I think both of these are more expensive than Oceana.

Wait ... do you mean Wednesday tomorrow? If so, then Le Bernardin is out, but Lambs or Oceana might work. Not sure about Milos, but it's pretty popular. Aquavit rarely fills up at lunch.

Spielman: Leave it to me to make corrections...wrong!! Oh well, I will be more careful with typing. What can you expect from former editor??

No e at the end of Bernardin and no e in casual....some here may want to take note.

Oceana good choice, too.

I have eaten at Le Bernardin twice, once for business, and I did not understand the acclaim. I guess it is my peasant background. I also do not get the acclaim for the David Chang restaurants, although I have not gone to Ma Peche.

My grandma would say "that's what makes horse races!"

Good for you to state your opinions here, based on actual experiences. You are one of a select few and we are all enriched by your comments.

I've had good and not-so-good meals at Ma Peche and would not recommend it without carefully vetting the person asking, which is not really possible here. Suffice to say I have not been there in more than a year. Not have I visited the other Chang places in that amount of time.

I did, however, have a surprisingly solid dinner at Babbo recently (apropos of nothing regarding the OP questions) to mention another place famous among visitors to NYC.

Prices were a bit above what we, as locals, normally pay for a non-celebratory meal, but we were very pleased and in fact, have gone through the hoops to book another table in a few weeks. (I love soft shell crab and they do this very well, served with a smear (shmear??) of Calabrian pepepr jelly which I have purchased and will use at home…..)

Dinner for two of us came to $109. before tip but after tax. One of us rarely drinks alcohol so our bill is often less than the norm, as it was that night, with only one "quartino" of wine for a two-top.

Highly recommended. Very friendly. Good all around. I wouldl highly recommend the server Susan, who went out of her way to make our meal a lovely one.

If it were not for the difficulty of snagging a reservation, I would put this place on my regular rotation, noting that we tend to reserve dining out only for very good or special meals, preferring to cook at home most nights.

http://www.babbonyc.com/

I always respect your opinions Eks. You are a serious and knowledgeable student of food and restaurants.

We look for restaurants that are less than $40 a person including tip and tax which is becoming harder and harder. And like you have traveled extensively, but not to Asia, as I know you have done.
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As an aside, I would to like to recommend a place we have been to numerous time and has never disappointed. And the staff is always extremely pleasant and accommodating.

Au Za'atar.

http://www.auzaatar.com

Had dinner at Au Za'atar this past Sunday, our second time there. Definitely worth further visits.

Eks, how was the noise level at Babbo?

Noise level upstairs, early, was surprisingly low. I would not place it in the category of one of the all-too-common places that must have some connection with audiology practices.

No music playing that I could hear, another plus. Recall that they were once "famous" for blasting Stones, etc. Upstairs is the level to request to be away from the party zone. But bets are off onto how late you could book to enjoy a peaceful meal. (We llike to arrive at 6pm) Very casual, lovely service, nothing trendy..just really good food from a long and interesting menu with many seasonal offerings. They do hold seats downstairs for walk ins.

Babbo has always offered a great menu and excellent service, but the noise level, even upstairs, was so offputting the last time we went (by now, several years ago), that we did not desire to return. If they've now lessened Mario's mind-numbing music, we might consider returning. A modest buzz is one thing; cochlea-threatening noise is quite another. (And, no, IMD, they don't have cochlea on the menu!)

I'd feel comfortable recommending it to you again, provided you are willing to book for 6pm or so midweek. I'll return in a couple of weeks and let you know if anything has changed....many the menu will begin listing those cochlea, after all, Spotted Pig has a revenue stream in pig's ears and if Mario can make lamb tongues popular, so be it.....

(And, no, IMD, they don't have cochlea on the menu!)

That is why I consider going deaf a benefit.