Here's one nearby option, for Nordic cuisine, but I've not been recently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/di...pagewanted=all

Here is the well-liked steakhouse mentioned by Doug, above:

http://www.wolfgangssteakhouse.net/midtown/


THE MODERN and BAR AT THE MODERN are also good midtown options.
http://www.themodernnyc.com/

http://themodernnyc.com/_pdfs/_menus/dining_dinner.pdf

http://themodernnyc.com/_pdfs/_menus/bar_dinner.pdf



We like MAREA for seafood, but it might be a bit of a walk from their hotel; it's next to Columbus Circle on Central Park South. On second thought, I might skip that idea since your parents have access to the astoundingly good seafood restaurants in Madrid.

The High Line is brilliant!

We've had dinner at La Silhouette and it is very very good, quiet, with lovely (unpretentious) service. That said, we had dinner there before a show (Anything Goes, as a matter of fact), and I probably wouldn't go again pre-theater, because we ended up rushing and had no time for dessert.

For a show - what about "Nice Work if You Can Get It" - the new Gershwin review with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara. I saw the Weds matinee last week and lets just say that age wise, your parents would fit right in. It has great music (how can it not be?) and a simple enough story line (i.e. not much of one) so it should be fun.

And just wanted to comment on Marseille. I ate there last summer pre-theatre and found it delightful. Wonderful friendly service catering to the pre-theatre crowd. I also ate last week at DB Bistro Moderne before one of my shows and while i enjoyed it very much, it is certainly more subdued (and upscale). Very good, but I much preferred the food at Boulud Sud which would be great if they decide on a show at Lincoln Center.

I'm really eager to try Boulud Sud myself. I've heard from that the food is excellent.

Happily for the OP's parents, they have the benefit of a good (from their point of view) exchange rate!

Carlota, as promised, I am reporting back with another restaurant for your parents; on the expensive side but with that exchange rate in their favor, it will be well worth the expense. It's not well known yet, but I expect that it will become very popular as word gets out. Chef is Danial Humm of Eleven Madison Park. Great menu.

THE NOMAD


http://www.thenomadhotel.com/#/dining/menus/dinner

Peter Luger:

Impossible to get into at night months ahead. But here's a thought. Have a nice big breakfast one day. Make a 3 PM reservation at Peter Luger's -- one time that's usually easy to get. It's great for a two meal day, especially when you're seeing theatre at night. It will take them until bedtime to get over it anyway (if they're anything like me).

thanks!! I sent an email to the hotel's concierge, I'm waiting to see if they were lucky with their choices....I'll let you know their final planning!

Shows: Both War Horse and Anything Goes would be fine for someone who doesn't speak English well or at all. If the people love animals in general (or horses in particular), I'd choose War Horse; otherwise, Anything Goes.

Eating: For a stay in NYC of this length, the upscale places mentioned are all fine. But even when I am traveling on a generous budget, I really enjoy eating at some places that are more downscale but still excellent quality. NYC is a great place for such eateries -- a couple that I enjoy are Katz's Deli for the world's best corned beef sandwich, and Shopsin's for an amazing late breakfast or lunch. Both on the Lower East Side, but easy to reach via taxi.

By all means, visit the High Line. We've been there winter and summer and it is brilliant on a beautiful day. It is a very manageable walk and full of beautiful vistas.

Carlota: I'll be interested to hear where they will go. One more things bout NoMad that I did not mention above is that the room that we were in was oven of the few NYC dining rooms that are actually QUIET! Very comfortable seating, too. I expect we will all be reading about their food soon...

Hi again!!! the final planning for my parents is:

- Dinner at Wolfgangs midtown
- Dinner at the Palm One
- Dinner at Aquagrill
- Dinner at Marseille followed by premium tickets to see ONCE
- Lunch at Peter Luger

Those are the only reservations that have been made, the lunch is open depending in which area they are each day and the rest of the dinners, they say that maybe they want to stay at the hotel and eat something there. Also, they didn't want any upscale restaurant this time

I'll let you know their opinion when they get back!!

THANKS!!!

some questions:
- Aquagrill: apart from the oysters, what is the MUST order dish?

- Peter Luger: I told my parents to order: porterhouse for 2, one slice of bacon, german potatoes and apple strudel with shlag...Should they also order the creamed spinach? I didn't try them, but some people recomend them here...

This is a nice list, but the thing I'm not getting is why on earth they would eat at both Wolfgang's and Peter Luger on the same trip? The specialties at each are precisely and exactly the same. And the Palm as well? I don't think my dad could eat that much steak in a single week.

So here's my recommendation if they do keep the Luger reservation. Get the burger. It's old only at lunch and is also legendary. By then they should have had quite enough porterhouse steak.

I agree with Doug. Luger's lamb chops are also terrific and might be a change of pace from all that steak. I actually liked the lamb chops better than the steak on my last visit, but I'm probably in the minority here.

They do seem to be ready for a lot of beef! And if they are avoiding the "upscale" restaurants mentioned in posts above on account of price, they should know that these famous restaurants will probably cost as much or more as NoMad, ABC, Bar at MODERN, Gotham or any of the other excellent non-steak places.

In any case, I'm sure they will eat very well! Best regards to all of you! (And look for my thread about Madrid soon!)

carlota, at Aquagrill, I think I almost order some sort of special. Whatever fresh fish(es) they are featuring on any given trip that sounds like a great presentation is worth a try. I'm trying to think if I ever order one of their "standard" presentations, although I'm sure it is all wonderful.

And frankly, I don't usually order the oysters there -- they do such wonderful things as other appetizers, I'd rather save the plain oysters for an oyster bar without great chefs creating something wonderful.

At aquagrill, they make a crabmeat risotto, it's part of another dish and I don't remember what it was but the crabmeat risotto is so decadent and wonderful that i would just order it and a side of their sugar snap peas. Not an oyster fan so I can't comment, but everything I've had at aquagrll has been fantastic. I also like their grilled octopus.

Hi! at palm one they want to order their lobster, any way, the palm one is closed the day they had planned so they either change the day or they go to Palm too. Wolfgangs was chosen as it's walking distance from the hotel, so just 2 steak houses. They don't want upscale restaurants because they prefer more casual ones this time, not because of the price, but for the type of place...

Carlota: I don't think there's much difference between the two Palm's on the East Side. Some people prefer one, others prefer the other. (I should say, "some prefer one, some prefer too")

You might enjoy reading the review here that brings up a good point: Ignore the written menu!



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/di...pagewanted=all

Hi!!! my parents came back from their last trip to nyc and here are their impressions:
- Dinner at Wolfgangs midtown: They say it was a wonderful surprise, that the service and the meat were amazing, their new best "meat place" in nyc
- Dinner at the Palm One: they cancelled it
- Dinner at Aquagrill: they really like it, my dad loved the grilled tuna and my mum the scallops
- Dinner at Marseille followed by premium tickets to see ONCE They liked marseille and ONCE they liked it but not loved it...
- Lunch at Peter Luger: they didn't like it (mucha preferred Wolfgangs) they thought the service was awfull and will not be back

apart from their initial plan they went to see La Bayadère at the met and they loved it
they also said that the High line was a nice surprice for them too...

Thanks again for your help!!!!