Big Apple Life

A collection of posts on Life in the Big Apple along with interviews with foodie friends

Opening Estelle, Meatpacking District, NYC

A friend and I attended the opening of Estelle in the Meatpacking District earlier this year. We sampled their delicious Red Run margie ($20, with smoky citrus, blanco tequila, mezcal, aperol, habanero, blood orange, lime) at the bar, then headed into the small, noisy dining room, trying to track down servers carrying a little food to go with our libations. Inside, we tracked down a quarter of a burger and their odd Gilda, including sliced chorizo, not as I had experienced it in the Basque Country. I have no recommendation, as we didn't sample enough to give one. Estelle Meatpacking District 18 9th Avenue New York, NY 10014

By |2026-03-27T08:47:31-04:00April 13th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Le Jardinier, Midtown, NYC

During my last visit to Le Jardinier, my extravagant friend ordered every dessert for the finale of my birthday dinner. I returned for lunch with a friend whose nearby office made it convenient to meet. We shared everything: a two-course prix fixe ($78), an entree ($48), and two glasses of wine, split to go with each course. Continuing the experience, the staff was, as always, amazingly accommodating. Given my friend's gluten intolerance, they placed two baskets of fabulous bread on the table—one regular, the other gluten-free. Next came our incredibly creamy carrot amuse-bouche mousse, one regular with brioche crouons on top, and one gluten-free without. We began with pan-seared Maine [...]

By |2026-03-27T08:47:40-04:00April 10th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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LOX at Café Bergson, Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC

Prior to our guided tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, something I'd highly recommend, some of our ex-expat group stopped into LOX at Café Bergson, on the second floor of the museum, one of the only kosher restaurants in Lower Manhattan, serving Ashkenazi Jewish-inspired cuisine. I had their original bagel and lox with vodka dill lox, seasonal tomatoes and whipped cream cheese ($23), one other had their (way too thick to have absorbed the eggs) challah French Toast, served with warm butter and warm maple syrup ($36), another the split pea soup with challah croutons ($19) and another their signature challah open sandwich [...]

By |2026-03-27T08:47:47-04:00April 7th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Balthazar, SoHo, NYC

Balthazar is one of those places that’s best when they know you. It’s a bustling French brasserie from Keith McNally. Lucky for me, my friend is a regular, and a server recognized her and brought each of us glass of bubbly—on the house. We enjoyed that while nibbling their crusty bread, which is absolutely worth the calories. My friend loves their salade niçoise with freshly seared tuna, arugula, green beans, and marinated tomatoes ($37). She orders it every time she comes for lunch, since it’s no longer on the dinner menu. I went with the decadent warm goat cheese and caramelized onion tart ($23). And of course we had to [...]

By |2026-04-05T14:13:22-04:00April 4th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Return to Hudson Grill + Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show

The rain didn't dampen our spirits as a large group of us headed to the Bronx Botanical Gardens to see their orchid show. We started our visit with lunch at the always good Hudson Garden Grill, spreading out across three tables. I ordered the Hudson Garden Burger, which the waiter offered with either salad or fries, but he neglected to mention the $4 extra for fries. The short rib brisket patty came topped with white Cheddar, tomato, romaine, and roasted garlic aioli on a brioche bun ($26, plus $4 for the fries). Another had the tri-colored cauliflower crudo ($23) with dates, cashews, spring greens, and sunflower butter in a lemon [...]

By |2026-04-10T12:42:29-04:00March 29th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Los Mariscos, Chelsea, NYC

My friend, who lives nearby and frequents Chelsea Market, recommended the seafood tacos at Los Mariscos, a spot more easily found on 15th Street than in the market. I went recently with the folks I was on a Greet with. As I've mentioned before, as a member of Big Apple Greeters, I have the pleasure of meeting, welcoming and sharing my passion for New York City. Recently, I had the joy of guiding three young folks from Leipzig, Germany, on a tight budget.  Los Mariscos was perfect as their tacos were under $6! When we walked in, there was a line in this tiny place. I hovered over one of [...]

By |2026-03-04T15:24:49-05:00March 21st, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Da Andrea, Greenwich Village, NYC

Although Da Andrea is in my hood, I've had never been to their highly recommended brunch. I went recently with a friend heading to Carnegie Hall afterwards. We had lots of time, so I requested that the three courses that we would be sharing be served separately, starting with their brunch-only flatbread, made as I used to make on my grill, topped with prosciutto and fresh arugula ($24). Crispy crust with a salad! My dining partner started with a mimosa, I with a bloody Mary ($11 each). We sipped those awaiting our food, catching us as we needed!  The flatbread then hit the spot. Next, we enjoyed creamy polenta with [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:05:30-05:00March 18th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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New Oasis Cafe, Chelsea, NYC

When I met my friend, Liz Williams of the Les Dames d'Escoffier Collection at the SoFAB Research Center at Nunez Community College, who came to town from New Orleans to see her grandson and, of course, his parents!  I always try to find a new spot for us to meet. Little did I think it would be a block away. A new building had sprouted on the SW corner of 14th and 6th, with a new wellness restaurant called Oasis Cafe. We're glad to get it in the hood, as The Well, a wellness cafe on 15th Street, had recently closed. There's coffee and pastries, along with meal options, including vegan [...]

By |2026-02-27T08:00:29-05:00March 12th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Our Delayed Holiday Gathering, Novita, Flatiron, NYC

One of our organizing team members couldn't attend our annual holiday luncheon at an iconic, holiday-decorated venue because she was a snowbird at her Florida home. We decided to book it at Novita, a local fave of mine, in February, when she was here. Michelangelo, the perfect restaurateur, is there to greet you as a friend.  It's that kind of place where you always feel welcome. While waiting for my friends to arrive, I had dreams of spring, sipping my Aperol spritz ($22) as I arrived about half an hour early. Silly me, I had errands to do in the hood before meeting my friends, and ended up arriving at [...]

By |2026-02-21T09:44:46-05:00February 28th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Chinese New Year Celebration at Dim Sum Palace, Hell’s Kitchen, Theatre Row, NY

Over 30 of us gathered at Theatre Row's Dim Sum Palace to celebrate the Chinese New Year. My ex-expat group had negotiated a Chinese New Year menu ($100 pp) in a private area of the restaurant, which started with shrimp dumplings, vegetable spring rolls and pork soup dumplings, served on our table's lazy Susan. In the next round, we shared their palace mixed appetizer, featuring spicy cold cucumber, crispy garlic spare ribs, and cold jellyfish and squid, plus Peking duck. The food just kept coming, including Hong Kong-style Dungeness crab, lobster with ginger and scallions, steak with asparagus, baby lamb chops, whole flounder, snow peas with garlic, baby bok choy, [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:51:02-05:00February 22nd, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Back to Cull & Pistol for Lunch, Chelsea Market, NYC

During my "Greet" with a new friend from Cumming, GA, we stopped for lunch—specifically a lobster roll—at Cull & Pistol in Chelsea Market. A "Greet" is a free, informal tour of an area in New York City led by a volunteer from Big Apple Greeters, a nonprofit organization that has welcomed NYC visitors since 1992. I'm a new volunteer sharing my love of the city with newcomers. My new friend had the hot butter version ($40); I requested mine chilled ($40). Both were delicious, as were the shoestring fries. I washed my down with some Sauvignon Blanc ($16), my new friend, with a Pilsner ($9). We each were happily satiated. [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:06:23-05:00February 14th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Happy Hour at Martiny’s, Gramercy, NYC + the Career Accelerator Legacy Awards

Seems we all had the same idea: arrive at Martiny's before our 6 pm reservation to chat with some of the others. The door on this freezing night was locked and remained so until exactly 6 pm. We had read—and wanted to try—this place as Martiny's is currently ranked the 15th Best Bar in North America & 24th Best Bar in the World. Most of us ended up at Pete's Tavern around the corner for a drink before our reservation at Martiny's, which we headed back to at 6. Last time I had been at the three-story 1800 carriage house on 17, it was The House restaurant. Today, Martiny's is [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:58:08-05:00February 11th, 2026|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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*** Happy Hour at David Burke’s Park Ave Kitchen, Midtown, NYC

A dozen of us met at David Burke's Park Ave Kitchen, midtown, for drinks and nibbles from their happy hour menu. This HH menu is one of those that can easily be dinner. I ordered the sliders, not noticing the word "stack,"  as I had dreamt of DB's bacon. On this menu, instead of his traditional hanging, bacon was offered only on the slider. I ordered and devoured about half of that $15 plate, which included three hefty, perfectly cooked mini-burgers on potato buns, stacked on a base of fries. Three of my fellow attendees happily helped devour it. Others tried his deviled eggs ($9 for three) and various rolls [...]

By |2026-02-04T11:07:14-05:00February 4th, 2026|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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New Thai Restaurant Lalyn, Midtown, NYC

Earlier this year, a friend and I attended the fun opening of a new Thai restaurant on the edge of Koreatown. The food and drinks flowed; we met lots of fun folks who were enjoying the goodies, too. When invited back to sit as their guests and enjoy a fixed menu, we jumped at the chance to interact again with their friendly, attentive staff (who recognized us) and to sample some of what we'd enjoyed at the opening. We started with our favorite cocktail, the Ruan Juan ($21), made with gin, lemongrass, shochu, bergamot and dry vermouth, garnished with a Makrut lime, Don't miss their deep-fried balls filled with jumbo [...]

By |2026-01-30T14:41:10-05:00February 1st, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Daniel’s Le Pavillon for Prix Fixe Lunch, Midtown, NYC

We had a delayed birthday lunch as one Connecticut friend was recovering from an accident. Once she recovered, we booked Daniel Boulud's elegant 1-star Michelin restaurant, Le Pavillon, in the Summit building, right next to Grand Central Terminal, to make her commute easier. Le Pavillon, like many top-notch NYC restaurants, offers a prix fixe lunch, making it an affordable option to dine. The current everyday lunch prix fixe is $78 for two courses or $95 for three courses—always elegant, beautifully plated and first-rate service. Food is always good, being tasty, multi-component and technique-driven. While sipping our Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis 2023 ($28), we nibbled on their always-worth-the-calories bread basket with butter.   I tried [...]

By |2026-01-30T14:54:50-05:00January 29th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Starbucks Reserve Roastery New York + Big Apple Greeters

As a member of Big Apple Greeters, I have the pleasure of meeting, welcoming and sharing my passion for New York City. Recently, I had the joy of guiding a wonderful family of four from Axams, Austria. We met at the Vessel at Hudson Yards to begin our time together. Who knew that on snowy days, the Vessel and the Highline would be closed! I certainly didn't!  We took the subway back downtown to 14th Street and headed to the Hudson River Parkway to explore the parts of Little Island that were open. On the way there, we discovered that the lower part of the High Line was accessible! Next [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:06:11-05:00January 27th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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$45 Prixe Fixe at Estiatorio Milos Hudson Yards

“Forty-five dollars for a prix fixe at Estiatorio Milos? Are you kidding?” I exclaimed when my friend told me about the fantastic prix fixe lunch special at the upscale Greek seafood restaurant. How could I resist this lunch offer? I decided to invite some friends to join me, and they were glad they came along. The view from our table showcased Hudson Yards, the Vessel and boats on the Hudson River. We chose a Greek wine to accompany our meal, ordering the crisp, citrusy Assyrtiko, Areti, Biblia Chora, Pangeon 2022 ($90). I loved how the server poured extra-virgin olive oil onto a plate for us to enjoy with the bread, [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:42:20-05:00January 17th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Cognac, Upper East Side, NYC

One of the best parts of New York is that many people visit our spectacular city, allowing me to reconnect with friends.  Recently, a friend from Sarasota came to town, and we met for lunch at a cozy restaurant on the Upper East Side, near where I had my book group in the mid-afternoon. The restaurant Cognac is a brasserie serving classic French cuisine across its three locations, with attentive service. I ordered their tart with sliced roasted tomatoes and fresh goat cheese atop some warm puff pastry  ($21). However, I couldn’t help but daydream about the caramelized-onion tart at Ci Siamo. I paired my meal with a glass of [...]

By |2026-01-26T10:46:23-05:00January 14th, 2026|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Return for Brunch at Mark’s Off Madison, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

Mark’s Off Madison on 26th is one of Manhattan's iconic brunch spots, always packed and a bit noisy. It is always bustling, creating a lively atmosphere that can be a bit loud—just loud enough that you have to strain to hear each other. The restaurant-bakery from Mark Strausman, formerly of Freds at Barneys New York and Campagna, serves traditional Jewish food, with some rustic Italian and European options. I started my meal with their take on the classic Bloody Mary, which had a nice kick. Instead of the large smoked fish platter ($38), I opted for a side of whitefish salad ($10) and a bialy ($2), thanks to the helpful [...]

By |2026-01-11T20:01:43-05:00January 11th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Tarallucci e Vino, Union Square, NYC + Wicked: For Good

My friend really wanted to see the second installment of Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. She enjoyed it; I thought it was at least an hour too long, but it was a fun Sunday afternoon activity. After the show, we grabbed a bite nearby at Tarallucci e Vino. We ordered the Nero d'Avola Bagilio di Serramarrocco ’21 from Sicily ($68), as my friend recently returned from there. It paired well with both our fritto misto ($21) and Pinsa Romano. The restaurant is noisy, but not so loud that you can't hear your dining partner. The first included a decent portion of fried [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:41:57-05:00January 8th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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